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Home > Archive: October, 2012

Archive for October, 2012

Long Time, No Blog

October 30th, 2012 at 01:26 am

I really haven't meant to be so absent, but these busy days just fly by. So what's my news? I've figured out my London flat rental. I've paid my new landlady 1/3 of my rental. My traveling girlfriends want to go to Barcelona in February and have me meet them there. The university looks like it still won't pay me for one of my classes, and I'm in the midst of negotiating with them to get them to cough up the thousands they now owe me.
I've been spending too much to try to get things done. I need a couple quiet days (or weeks) to get things back to normal.

Thinking about patient saver, nika, and all you in the path of the storm.

Lots Done, Lots More to Do

October 12th, 2012 at 08:45 pm

We had a frantic morning. DD is really stressed about various classes at middle school and hasn't been sleeping well. She ended up with us in the middle of the night. So we got off to a slow morning, she missed the bus, and we were all tired.

I wonder sometimes about the projects assigned to 5th graders. She has a four-page paper due that must include all the literary elements assigned. Not only that, but the various elements must be printed in different color inks. Then she'll construct a weather vane over the weekend. Expect cold fusion next week.

But I got lots of errands done--new ID, software pick-up, library books returned, copies made for next week, etc. It's sometimes amazing what I can get done in an hour.

My concert date with a friend for tomorrow night fell through as it seems half the university is ill. So I think we'll all stay home, lay low, and if I feel ambitious, make a huge pot of soup and play Goldilocks with them.

I would enjoy a productive but quiet weekend. I heard a choir singing "Dona Nobis Pacem" on NPR, and I think we could use some peace.

Rainy Autumnal Evenings

October 10th, 2012 at 02:02 am

I might be odd, but I love these dark rainy evenings. I've been cooking pots of soup, doing laundry, grading papers, and all sorts of home things.

Tonight's goals are simple: Complete tomorrow's quiz, grade another section of papers, read a capstone project, take two photos for ebay listings. I LOVE the idea of putting the ebay cash into my London fund.

Lovely Problems to Have

October 8th, 2012 at 04:29 am

I have great news: It looks almost certain my study abroad will run. I've got four or more over the baseline, but I won't know for sure until October 16th. That said, we've mailed out acceptance e-mails, and are just waiting for confirmations.

I have more good news: It looks like the university is paying my airfare. I had been planning on using miles, and had been juggling them to get DH and DD there in March, but I can take that concern off my plate.

Want more? I thinking of subletting a small flat in central London instead of staying in the scholar's residence. I'd have to find something else when DD and DH came, and I've found a fellow professor at my university who has a flat available. It's more than I was planning on paying, but I'll admit, I've fallen in love with it. I've managed to rationalize it by saying that we're not having our usual English vacation this year, and blah blah blah. I just want it. Maybe I just want to play house there.

So--to make myself feel slightly less selfish, I'm rounding up more of DD's clothes for sale, selling books, making massive lists of medical reimbursements to file, etc. Besides--wouldn't you all be thrilled to read my blog from my London flat? Then my blog name would be true!