Category: No Particular Place to Go

As you can see from the column to your left (that’s <—), I have been a very good girl. No smoking for 5 whole days!
I'm going nuts*.
In an effort to convince myself that quitting is the best thing I've ever done, I have calculated my savings and I have pretty much decided that mama's gonna get a brand new laptop.
There are a couple of wide-screen babies out there that I am drooling over…
I am now trying to figure out several things – do I buy on-line or in person? do I need Office Pro, or is the basic version good 'nuff? what are the pros and cons of monthly installment plans? if I go with Dell, should I pay an extra $1/month for the Burlwood snap-on cover? You know, important considerations such as these.
Any advice, recommendations, reviews (pro AND con), etc., are welcome, invited and eagerly anticipated.
* Freudians will get a kick out the fact that I initially typed “I’m going buts.”

you are blueviolet #8A2BE2

Your dominant hues are blue and magenta. You’re the one who goes to all the parties but doesn’t quite fit in at every one… you know what you want, but are afraid of what the world might think of it. You’re a little different and that’s okay with them, and if you’re smart it’s okay with you too. Your saturation level is higher than average – You know what you want, but sometimes know not to tell everyone. You value accomplishments and know you can get the job done, so don’t be afraid to run out and make things happen. Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

via SheilaRene

Regular readers, if there are any, will note that I’m back after a day or two of hiatus. This was not deliberate – we think the cat, or possibly the kids, severed our connection. As a result, our IP was changed, and it took a while to get everything back on-line.
And, after all that, this is the only new post. Was it worth the wait?

It’s -40.
Not including the wind chill.
That’s -40.
Regardless of scale.
I hear it’s only -29 C in Montreal…

Well, after months of saying “y’know, we should really do this,” we’ve finally done it. Thanks to Moveable Type, Andrew, and Steve, my blog has a new home.
This is a week filled with movement – not only has my blog been relocated, but I am writing this very entry in my cozy new office! I’ve moved upstairs, so I’m now with the rest of the English department, and I have the office to myself.
My first day of teaching is tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ve been hauling books upstairs, washing desks and shelves, dismantling ancient PCs to make room for my laptop, and, when I have a minute or two, planning my courses.
More later!!

It’s brass-monkey freezing cold outside. I have no reason to go outside. No places to be, no people to see. So why, you ask (or you would if you had read the script beforehand), am I so desperate to get out of the house?
I’m waiting for the Maytag Man, that’s why…

Continue reading “Reverse Psychosis”

Well, the hollerdays, as Colin calls them, are over, and a new year just begun. We had a wonderful family-oriented Christmas, with lots of visiting and prezzies and snow(!). Now, Dr. T and the kids are back to the usual grind, and I’m enjoying one more week at home before reprising my Lennoxville routine…

Continue reading “Happy New Year!”

The semester ended almost two weeks ago, my marks have been submitted, my shopping is done, and life is good. I’ve gone a little Martha for the holidays – the other day I painted the bathtub, baked gingerbread, made cranberry gravy, and to complete the package, did a little insider trading. It’s a good thing.
The world’s greatest mother-in-law has gone home, Colin has been to his first concert (David Bowie, who was great, and flu-free), and so far the cat has not destroyed the tree. More good things.
The season also means catching up with old friends. Yesterday was a banner day for such contacts – in the morning, while I made cranberry jelly (which (a) is not the same as the cranberry gravy and (b) turned out perfectly, thank you very much), I had a nice chat with my New Jersey connection. Later, my Haligonian buddy called to say hi and officially announce her engagement (once her divorce is final, of course). We ended the day with a very cozy evening of port and spinach dip with my former boss/current good friend. The good things continue to pile up.
We’re looking forward to a nice family Christmas chez the ‘rents, with my brother and sister and various add-ons, as well as a few more visits with the long-lost. And just to ice the cake, I don’t go back to the classroom ‘til January 12th – when I’ll be teaching a full load! My colleague has received her itinerary for her trip to Belgrade, so it looks pretty official at this point. I sincerely hope that all of you have as much to celebrate this season.
Happy Christmas, kick ass in 2004, … and… to all a good night.

For the record, I spent half an hour searching for a rhyme for neiges that would appropriately convey just how friggin cold it is. Minus 21 C with the windchill, which is -6 F for the Yanks.
Ah yes, the windchill. There are no words strong enough to express just how much I hate windchill. Every year I waste several valuable minutes wondering just why, out of all the Commonwealth destinations my parental units might have chosen, we ended up here. Why did the French settlers stay, those many years ago? Historical text after text tells us that the settlers’ numbers were drastically reduced every winter, because of extreme temperatures, no food, impassable routes, and so on. So why do we stay? What are we trying to prove?
And yet, here I remain… Despite the obvious ridiculousness of our winter weather, I love this place. Sigh

My career is careering.
Originally, I was offered two courses for next semester. Registration, which is still underway, has thankfully filled both courses, and they will both go ahead. However, one of my colleagues, who has permanence, has lost a course due to poor enrolment. As a result, she gets one of my courses, since I’m at the bottom of the seniority/priority list. However, this same colleague is being wooed by an international aid organization for a position in Belgrade. She believes she’ll find out by the end of this week if the organization is willing to meet her salary demand. If so, then not only would I keep both my courses, but I would also get one of hers.
The other scenario is that registration will prove that another section of English for the Social Sciences is required. That extra section would go to said colleague, leaving me with the original two courses.
In the meantime, AUGHGHGHGH, as Lucy would say.