I'm still lost
It's been a good-size piece of forever since I last posted, and I have no idea where to begin.
Teaching three classes instead of two this term has totally kicked my butt. I'm always preparing for class or grading papers or forgetting to copy something or grading tests. I'm pulling it off, but I blame that for the lack of time to even log into a website, much less blog.
I'm possibly going to do three classes again, though, in the next term. I have two weeks off first, which will be spent at my desk, but there's a clear lack of English resumes, so there's likely a clear lack of teachers in my area. For some reason, we're not advertising for them yet. Not my decision...
Michael Jackson is dead. I can clearly state that, in the last few years, I've just wished he would go away, because every time he showed up, things just got annoying and embarrassing. But really, I didn't wish him dead. Thriller was out when I started listening to the radio, so I was a moderate fan at the time, but I never just adored everything he did. Yeah, he was tortured, blah blah blah. I have no strong feeling of loss, just a bit of speculation and a minor amount of respect for what he managed to do in his lifetime (though not the recent part of it).
New son in about three months, and I'm thinking more and more about it. We need to do quite a bit, like setting up the room for him and buying a wardrobe and glider rocker and clothes, but I'm pretty at peace about it so far. I spend spare moments thinking about holding a newborn, though I'm sure that pleasant thought will disappear quickly by early October.
We're having a yard sale on July 4 and 5. It's the only time Amy's ever off on a Saturday, so we're going through with it. If you're local, drop by. Lots of baby clothes and a fair amount of other stuff. After that, we'll have a bit more money for setting up the nursery.
It's starting to be a hot summer, and I really expect it to get worse. We got the air conditioners in the windows in late May, though, so we've been doing okay so far. We wanted to buy a new one this year, but it hasn't worked out. Maybe if I get a bonus, after all the car repairs are paid for. I still want to replace this computer, but I don't have high hopes.
Some of my students, though, gave me a box of four ties. Two were Christmas (one generic, one Warner Bros), one general Warner Bros, and one of Buckwheat. No, I can't wear that one to work, or really, anywhere, but it's a nice thought, I suppose. One new tie for now, two more around Christmas time (along with two more I'd picked up and the one I already had, gives me enough for a work week). A bunch of new ties as a gift from students, though? That's one of the nicest things I've had students do for me...
Father's Day was fairly nice. I got colored pictures (Zoey has really taken to coloring lately), a #1 Dad sign (hanging in my cubicle at work), and a picture frame of Zoey and I at the Indy Zoo. If you push the button on the frame, Zoey's voice says "Happy Father's Day. I love you." It's too adorable. It's no tie like last year, but they couldn't find them anywhere, and apparently, Crayola doesn't make them right now? That's too bad. I wanted a series of those, one per year. Anyway, after gifts, I mowed and ran the weed eater (it WAS a Sunday), then we had a nice dinner and went to Riverscape so Zoey could play in the fountains. It was really nice to spend time with the family and just relax, but I think I overheated with the yard work for a couple of days.
Amy's pregnancy is moving right along. She failed her first glucose tolerance test, which she also failed with Zoey, but the second test came back fine. She's just into the third trimester, I think, and she's to a good point in the whole thing. She's still tired a lot lately, but that's because of all the doctor visits and such.
One of the doc visits was for Zoey's once-broken arm, to make sure it's working correctly now. She's fine.
Zoey's birthday was fun, though held in parts. On June 6, her actual birthday, I had to get my car's air conditioner fixed (it was a Saturday) so we could drive on the 7th. We bought her dance clothes (she's been taking ballet classes ever since, and we think she's really enjoying them), took her to Logan's Steakhouse (yum), then took her to Jumpy's. It was a blast, especially for her. On the 7th, we went to the Indianapolis Zoo, which we expected to like better, but we didn't. Zoey had a great time, though.
On the 14th, we had the big birthday party here. She got a wading pool and a t-ball set and Color Wonder stuff. It went really well, and she had a good time, but we're looking forward to next year, when she starts having friends her own age at the parties.
We've finally stopped using the babysitter. Amy's finished with school until she takes nursing classes starting in January, so she's keeping Zoey at home and we're saving the money for preschool payments. Our semi-rare (for now) babysitting needs fall on Amy's mom, who's good with that, but it's going to be quite a distance.
Lots of good movies from the library in the last several weeks. Gran Torino was a stand-out. This Film Is Not Yet Rated was a fascinating documentary on the MPAA. Taken was great action. Girl With a Pearl Earring was okay, but I expected more. Children of Men was interesting as a good dystopia story. Bride Wars is worth skipping, though He's Just Not That Into You was decent. Boy A was blah. Underworld 3 could have been better. Honestly, Fanboys could have been better, but it wasn't terribly bad. I had built that one up in my mind for too long, though.
I've tried to read Twilight for the last couple of weeks, but it's just not my thing. I may slog through it yet. Meanwhile, Amy's reading the last one now, when she's not crosstitching "Xander" for his room. I read Cormac McCarthy's The Road a few weeks ago, in anticipation of the movie, and it was touching at times but bleak all the way through. I don't know if I recommend it, but it was interesting.
It's been a while, but it's also been pretty dull around here. I've hit the highlights for you, I hope.
Teaching three classes instead of two this term has totally kicked my butt. I'm always preparing for class or grading papers or forgetting to copy something or grading tests. I'm pulling it off, but I blame that for the lack of time to even log into a website, much less blog.
I'm possibly going to do three classes again, though, in the next term. I have two weeks off first, which will be spent at my desk, but there's a clear lack of English resumes, so there's likely a clear lack of teachers in my area. For some reason, we're not advertising for them yet. Not my decision...
Michael Jackson is dead. I can clearly state that, in the last few years, I've just wished he would go away, because every time he showed up, things just got annoying and embarrassing. But really, I didn't wish him dead. Thriller was out when I started listening to the radio, so I was a moderate fan at the time, but I never just adored everything he did. Yeah, he was tortured, blah blah blah. I have no strong feeling of loss, just a bit of speculation and a minor amount of respect for what he managed to do in his lifetime (though not the recent part of it).
New son in about three months, and I'm thinking more and more about it. We need to do quite a bit, like setting up the room for him and buying a wardrobe and glider rocker and clothes, but I'm pretty at peace about it so far. I spend spare moments thinking about holding a newborn, though I'm sure that pleasant thought will disappear quickly by early October.
We're having a yard sale on July 4 and 5. It's the only time Amy's ever off on a Saturday, so we're going through with it. If you're local, drop by. Lots of baby clothes and a fair amount of other stuff. After that, we'll have a bit more money for setting up the nursery.
It's starting to be a hot summer, and I really expect it to get worse. We got the air conditioners in the windows in late May, though, so we've been doing okay so far. We wanted to buy a new one this year, but it hasn't worked out. Maybe if I get a bonus, after all the car repairs are paid for. I still want to replace this computer, but I don't have high hopes.
Some of my students, though, gave me a box of four ties. Two were Christmas (one generic, one Warner Bros), one general Warner Bros, and one of Buckwheat. No, I can't wear that one to work, or really, anywhere, but it's a nice thought, I suppose. One new tie for now, two more around Christmas time (along with two more I'd picked up and the one I already had, gives me enough for a work week). A bunch of new ties as a gift from students, though? That's one of the nicest things I've had students do for me...
Father's Day was fairly nice. I got colored pictures (Zoey has really taken to coloring lately), a #1 Dad sign (hanging in my cubicle at work), and a picture frame of Zoey and I at the Indy Zoo. If you push the button on the frame, Zoey's voice says "Happy Father's Day. I love you." It's too adorable. It's no tie like last year, but they couldn't find them anywhere, and apparently, Crayola doesn't make them right now? That's too bad. I wanted a series of those, one per year. Anyway, after gifts, I mowed and ran the weed eater (it WAS a Sunday), then we had a nice dinner and went to Riverscape so Zoey could play in the fountains. It was really nice to spend time with the family and just relax, but I think I overheated with the yard work for a couple of days.
Amy's pregnancy is moving right along. She failed her first glucose tolerance test, which she also failed with Zoey, but the second test came back fine. She's just into the third trimester, I think, and she's to a good point in the whole thing. She's still tired a lot lately, but that's because of all the doctor visits and such.
One of the doc visits was for Zoey's once-broken arm, to make sure it's working correctly now. She's fine.
Zoey's birthday was fun, though held in parts. On June 6, her actual birthday, I had to get my car's air conditioner fixed (it was a Saturday) so we could drive on the 7th. We bought her dance clothes (she's been taking ballet classes ever since, and we think she's really enjoying them), took her to Logan's Steakhouse (yum), then took her to Jumpy's. It was a blast, especially for her. On the 7th, we went to the Indianapolis Zoo, which we expected to like better, but we didn't. Zoey had a great time, though.
On the 14th, we had the big birthday party here. She got a wading pool and a t-ball set and Color Wonder stuff. It went really well, and she had a good time, but we're looking forward to next year, when she starts having friends her own age at the parties.
We've finally stopped using the babysitter. Amy's finished with school until she takes nursing classes starting in January, so she's keeping Zoey at home and we're saving the money for preschool payments. Our semi-rare (for now) babysitting needs fall on Amy's mom, who's good with that, but it's going to be quite a distance.
Lots of good movies from the library in the last several weeks. Gran Torino was a stand-out. This Film Is Not Yet Rated was a fascinating documentary on the MPAA. Taken was great action. Girl With a Pearl Earring was okay, but I expected more. Children of Men was interesting as a good dystopia story. Bride Wars is worth skipping, though He's Just Not That Into You was decent. Boy A was blah. Underworld 3 could have been better. Honestly, Fanboys could have been better, but it wasn't terribly bad. I had built that one up in my mind for too long, though.
I've tried to read Twilight for the last couple of weeks, but it's just not my thing. I may slog through it yet. Meanwhile, Amy's reading the last one now, when she's not crosstitching "Xander" for his room. I read Cormac McCarthy's The Road a few weeks ago, in anticipation of the movie, and it was touching at times but bleak all the way through. I don't know if I recommend it, but it was interesting.
It's been a while, but it's also been pretty dull around here. I've hit the highlights for you, I hope.