Better a serpent than a stepmother! Euripides

Let's look at Stepmoms! The really famous ones. ;)

Cinderella's stepmom- Describe her in 3 adjectives. Evil, Selfish, Stingy

In classic literature the best way to describe the stepmom is Wicked! Unfortunately I just don't fit the Wicked bill. For one I don't have those fantastic eyebrows that are required for being wicked. I am blond so even when my eyebrows are waxed to perfection they are still very white impossible to see. I think you need fantastic dark eyebrows to really pull off wicked with aplomb.

Note the Fantastic Eyebrows ...thin but with a perfect arch

The job description stepmothering is one of the worst, because it is based on a lie. The lie is that you will be a mother of some sort. And there really aren't any rules here. People get uncomfortable on occasion if you are a stepmother with out a brood of your own such as myself. Carol Brady...I am not. For example, I went to the pottery store to sign SD up for camp. The lady said, "You should sign up for a mother daughter lesson...it is for mothers and daughters but stepmoms are welcome too... it will give you time to bond." I looked at here and said in my mind, "I don't need a reason to bond with her. I love her." Out-loud I said, I will think about it.

I really don't get on to my stepdaughter very often. I leave that for her father, who hates it that I am always putting that off on him. But his relationship with her is cemented by blood, and mine although strong is now and will always be water. After all, SD needs to eat her veggies. She needs someone to take her math homework seriously. She needs to say m'am when she is in Mississippi. BUT I spend the bulk of the day with her, and I try for this firm but kind balancing act.

She already has a mother, and I'm not her mother, and no matter how deserving or undeserving she is or I am, I never will be. (She is very deserving, and I am just speaking hypothetically). SD knows it, I know it. Stepmother's don't represent good things for children. When I married SD's father it meant that SD could not have her father and mother back together without somehow getting me out of the picture. (This would not have ever happened, but stranger things have admittedly occurred). SD was mad at me two days before my wedding to her father. She was angry because it meant that her mom and dad would not get back together. I kindly explained that was not to be, but she thought it was all my doing. (It wasn't I didn't come along until several years after the divorce was final).


That conversation was not something I was prepared for. SD's parents have been split up as long as she can remember like when she was six months old. When I dated her father she was excited...loved me and always wanted me around. But kids think differently sometimes, and I was surprised when she felt like I was taking her dad away.

Also I changed the dynamic for the relationship with her father. Her dad has a tendency to spoil her...(I do too, don't get me wrong). But I try to moderate the spoiling so it is bearable. Also now that I am permanently in the picture what I think counts too. She is very much a daddy's girl constantly cuddling and demanding his attention, but she gets very jealous of the attention he lavishes on me as well. We are newlyweds after all (3 years), and very much in love and affectionate. We wink at one another and hold hands, while canoodling on the couch or quick kisses on the cheek! She wants to stay up late (we stay up late here) and be part of our every waking moment. It hurts her feelings when I have to talk to her dad alone. Even when it has nothing to do with her.

She used to live 6 hours away from her dad. A mere 45 minute plane ride away. I moved her dad from West Texas to Mississippi. I highjacked him away. She doesn't blame me I don't think. But it was my doing. I intend to bring him back, and move him right back into her town. She loves Mississippi and wishes we would stay here....but does that make me Wicked?

I look a little younger than I am. Say 27 to my 31 so with an 11 year old stepdaughter I l0ok like I had her when I was in high school. People give me that LOOK. Also I have a different last name than her and her dad. I know that is my own fault and something I could easily change, but I don't want to. I have ALWAYS said I was keeping my name. I like my name, and I am keeping it. This bothers her. She asks me constantly when I will change it. I always explain I am not. I wonder why this is an issue to her. :( I wish it didn't bother her.

I used to go to the grocery store and buy funky things like edamame, racks of lamb, fresh curry spices and star fruit. Now I buy carts full of cereal and hamburger and juice boxes. Because SD doesn't eat curry although she loves Star Fruit. When you buy random things at the grocery store clerks ask what are you making. Your cart is intriguing. When you buy green beans and kid cuisine no one asks what you are making.

She forgets some of the things I have taught her how to do. I make amazing spaghetti. I have taught her how to tell the difference between real pearls and fake (something my grandmother insisted all southern women should know). Yet she can't remember some of those things. However she does remember some of the things I taught her. My family's very secret recipe to Fried Chicken. How to set a perfect table, and create a fantastic centerpiece. That a salt and pepper shaker should never be divorced when passing to someone. Why and how you can say almost anything you like if you say it in a nice tone and add M'am.

Finally the math. Last year she was having trouble in school. I was exhausted and depressed with my own education. She was acting bad, lying and just in general getting in trouble. I cried to my husband one night. I was projecting into the future. If she is making C's in the fourth grade she is never going to get into Auburn. So I committed to spending 2 hours a day every day last summer teaching my stepdaughter math. It was tough, and there were tears, but it is one thing I am very proud of. She made STRAIGHT A's the WHOLE YEAR THIS YEAR. I can't take credit for that and wouldn't want to. But it was great. I don't think the math skills had anything to do with it. However my careful discussions about opportunity costs might have sunk in. She doesn't want to do math this year. She remembered that lesson.

She brings me a lot of joy. I love my SD. We have a better relationship than some other stepfamilies. She comes today, and I can't wait for her plane to arrive.

HUBBY PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Handsome Husband passed his phase II testing of the FBI and written exam. I am so proud of him. Physical exam is next, background check, and polygraph.

I am on cloud nine. I am so proud of you, baby!

Willam Dafoe and Giada Colagrande

If you don't know who those people are. Don't worry. Neither did I...
But hubby and I saw them in New Orleans. He got all excited. We didn't stop or ask for their autograph or anything. But still it makes me wonder...do I walk by famous people all the time and just not recognize them? I do know that one time I walked passed Dennis Rodman, his wife, and child on a plane and didn't recognize them till the guy sitting next to me TOLD me who that was. You would think the pink hair might have tipped me off.

Putting Voice in the Classroom

I have often thought that it is unfortunate that my students seemingly don't read my emails or announcements. Consequently their grades suffer.

While this tends to moderately annoy me, I have often wondered if I incorporated short snippets and announcements using sound in the classroom if students would react positively. I think that they might like the interaction that they receive as well as it might appeal to the audio learner (not sure if that is the correct terminology).

Think of how fast grading would go if I could just record a quick sound byte and upload it. Luckily for me I teach two sections of the same course. I have decided to pilot study this over the course of the next term (beginning in June). I will catalog how the pilot is going.

Hubby and I had a magical weekend. We spent so much time together just really enjoying each other's company. I know this sounds cheesy, but my hubby is my best friend. He is the person I would spend all my time with if I had free time lying around everywhere. :) I got some great shots that I am going to be sticking up. I always forget to put my phone on keyboard lock. So my husband carries it around in his pocket. (I declared this summer the year of the sun-dress, and have been wearing sun-dresses everyday! I wore nothing but sun-dresses the entire time I was in New Orleans). What this means is I had no pockets. But Hubby does. He ended up taking like 40 pictures in his pants pocket with my phone. If I was a modern artist I could have a show "Inside Hubby's Pocket" haha!

An American has not seen the United States until he as seen Mardi-Gras in New Orleans -Mark Twain

I can see the river now. I can almost taste the gumbo, boudin, Maque Choux, beignets, chickory coffee, and Étouffée. I can hear melodic jazz that seems to accompany my every step in the Crescent City. Finally I can envision myself laughing and happy and ecstatic to be sharing this town that I love so much with my handsome husband.

I have worked hard over the last week, and I deserve this time off. I bought a special new dress to wear out to dinner tonight. I am going to wear my hair up, and I am going to enjoy myself. Welcome Summer! Memorial day weekend is going to be fantastic.

I filled my car up. I paid 60 bucks, but I don't care. It is worth it. I can't wait to be there.

IPG to the the "Big Easy," the "city that care forgot"

Hubby and I are getting a way for some much needed IPG R and R! Hubby let IPG select the spot, and she picked her all time favorite and old stand by the Big Easy, the Crescent City, The city that care forgot, Birthplace of jazz, Saint City, Paris of the south, NOLA, and if you haven't guessed yet Nawlins. I love New Orleans and would move there tomorrow.

I know it is a bowl. I lived through Katrina here in Mississippi. But I don't care. That is my most favorite argument because it is impossible to argue against. Say what you want about New Orleans; I love it, and I don't care what you have to say.

I have always felt a connection (and I hate using that word it is so...Reality Television) in that city. Every time I go it is like coming home. I can eat my weight in Cajun food. I can listen to Jazz ceaselessly! I love to walk around and marvel at the beautiful buildings and a time where I will never get to live. As I play in fountains, admire cemeteries, and become satiated on the wonderful history of that fantastic city, I remember why I love to visit each time I go.

I am in major preparation mode for the trip tackling as much as I can before we leave. I plan to let the lilting accents wash over me as I cleanse my head and heart of what has been ailing me lately.

Personal First then Work Related

So hubby is on his way home from his Phase II FBI interview. He thinks he did awesome. I know he did awesome. I am soooo proud of him. One of the guys that interviewed him was from Auburn! WAR EAGLE! Some good folks went to that school. I am his dutiful and supportive wife. The perfect accessory. haha!

We have been discussing extra credit for students on another blog. The subject of the dreaded regrade came up. It sends chills down my spine. Regrade que horror! I won't regrade assignments, and I would like to know just what professor started this idea so I could go kick their tail.

Regrading is where a student submits an assignment. You look it over make comments for improvement and then slap a grade on it. Ostensibly the grade should be lower than a 100 or the student would not then receive the paper and ask to redo the assignment for a regrade.

I have blanket answer for the regrade request. ....No. I do not regrade assignments. Follow the instructions and rubric the first time. There are no hidden steps. Just follow those easy to read and follow directions and you will be fine. However it is obvious that on occasion my students don't read my syllabus nor do they care about a school wide anti regrading policy.

I have one or two students that stop by my blog. They know I am not being mean nor snarky when I say I will not regrade assignments. I do this out of the goodness of my heart. Never at work am I given a regrade. :)

Itchy Feet

I guess I was born with it. This affliction my husband calls my itchy feet. I can't stay put longer than a month with out "going somewhere." I used to travel 100 percent of the time for my job. I got to "go somewhere" all the time. When I quit working that job I found another that allowed me to travel about once a month. This satisfied my "itchy feet" for several years. However I returned from Mexicali on March 29th and although I have gone to the lake etc. I haven't "gone somewhere" in over a month.

According to handsome hubby here are the symptoms of "itchy feet":

• I start talking about going out of town a lot.
• I start craving a restaurant that is at least 800 miles from here.
• I start dragging out pictures from vacations.
• I won't stop talking about Belize.
• I get irritated and stir crazy.
  
• I try to get other people to go out of town with me if hubby can't go.

In the last two weeks I have exhibited all those behaviors. Hubby is practically sick of me. I didn't even know about the "itchy feet" until he explained it all to me. In his defense he has had this FBI thing hanging over his head. In my defense I didn't even know I did this. So lucky me I realized that this weekend coming up is Memorial Day, and hubby and I are going out of town. I was allowed to pick. It was a tough choice....The beach where I love to go, and always want to go or New Orleans where I love to go and haven't been in years (I actually went last year, but it was only for one day so doesn't count). I am looking at hotels now, and will make my decision shortly! I am so excited I am FINALLY going out of town. :D

Tips for the Online Prof and traveling.

• Spend extra if you have to...to get a hotel with wireless. You are wasting your time if you stay at a hotel that doesn't have wireless. Even if there is an Internet Cafe across the street ....I have been there you want wireless in your room. Who wants to sit in the lobby at 2 AM to work? Not me! I would rather be in my PJs curled up in my room working. I usually stay places that have free wireless. Like for example if you stay at the Hampton Inn they have nice hotels, free breakfast, and free in room wireless. They are owned by Hilton which are a bit nicer but charge 10 bucks a day for wireless.
• Plan! I will spend Monday - Thursday this week working double time so I can get by with the most minimal amount of working necessary while I am out of town. For example, I will grade things early, and not procrastinate. I like grading assignments after the due date, but before I travel I generally grade whatever I have before I go.
  
• Once you are wherever you were going figure out when is the best time to work. Some places dictate early morning work (these are places you do a lot of night things) such as Vegas, New Orleans, Memphis, New York. Some places working at night is better (this is where you need to be out the door in the mornings early) the beach, DC, etc. Then there are vacations when there is just no good time to work and it is best to break it up i.e. a little early morning work a little night work, Europe, Asia, anything where you want to see a lot and you start off at 8 am and aren't back until well after midnight. However since it must be done make it easy on yourself.
  
• Discuss the fact that you have to work before you go with all your travel companions. Nothing is worse than listening to a bunch of whiners while you do your job. The answer is NO you can't take this one week off. Yes it is really necessary that this get done now, and you hope it won't take long but the fact of the matter is it takes as long as it takes.
• While on the cruise in the Internet cafe I ran into an online faculty that hadn't checked into her class from Monday - Thursday...it was Friday night and she was just checking in! I would wager that is one online faculty member that is no longer employed.
  
• Be flexible. When at home I like to sit down and work in one giant six to eight hour chunk. However that is just unreasonable when I am traveling. So I typically try to break it up. I keep my Blackberry charged so I can answer emails throughout the day. This saves SOOOO much computer time! If anyone I am traveling with complains I just remind them that I explained this before we left...
• Have a plan before you go. If you have wireless in your hotel you are good to go. If not Shame on you! However have the internet cafes through out the city mapped out. This way you don't have any unpleasant surprises when you get there. One of the worst things to discover is that you can't get online.
  
• Try to plan your vacation or traveling when you do not have any synchronous chats.
  
• Figure out before you leave what the time change is for your destination. For example, the United States did Daylight Savings early this year so Mexico was an hour behind for a few weeks. One reason this is important is you want to keep up with your required postings.

When It's Grey in L.A. It's Much Better That Way- Loudon Wainwright III

I am here by myself sans hubby. I am not used to being alone. I spent the whole day relishing being by myself. I am not superbly bored yet. haha! He is doing his second phase testing for the FBI.

I had the lightest Sunday of work I have had in YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoo HOO!
It was so great to only spend between 3 and 4 hours working today. I messed around and played video games all day. I also read some nontextbook books! CRAZY SINGLE GAL that I am this weekend. :P I am actually a little embarrassed at myself. This means I have in fact gotten older something I vowed never to do.

Inarguably I enjoyed myself. I will most assuredly need to get out and "do something" tomorrow. I didn't leave the house today, and I enjoyed myself. I made an elaborate dinner that would rival the types of cooking I used to do for dinner parties when I was single or the "Sex and the City" nights I used to host for my girls. Tonight I am watching terrible scary movies. The kind I love to watch and hubby groans about. He is more an action guy; but I love gore! The scarier the better. (I am rethinking all these scary movies with the big empty house and just me in it....but in for a penny in for a pound I might as well watch the rest of the one I started)!

Friday's Op Ed Post

My aunt had a heart attack on Wednesday where she tore and is bleeding from her aorta. She was rushed to surgery, and is doing well but is sedated. I will be traveling to Phoenix Tuesday - Thursday with my father to see her. I probably will not see SD because I don't have time, and I want to spend time with my daddy.

The feelings about my aunt have caused the feelings about my friend dying to come bubbling to the surface. I don't think I dealt with those feelings well because I was so stressed about comps. It seems like I am getting a double dose of dealing with things now.

I got a new coffee maker that let's me make cappuccino and cafe au lait at home! Now I can stay Starbucksed out of my mind for a fraction of the cost.

I was bored this week so I shaved my dog. She looks like she just signed up for bootcamp. She also is apparently embarrassed that I butchered her Goldilocks so she persists in hiding behind the couch.

I just had 2 classes dumped on my head at the last minute (week 1 ended today). Yeah more money...but what I really wanted was time off to play video games and complain to handsome hubby how bored I am, and why he never takes me out of town.

San Pedro, Belize

I got married on Ambergris Caye in San Pedro Belize. I love San Pedro, and I love Belize. It is so amazing. Some people have soul mates, but I have an island mate. The first time I saw Belize I realized it was the place I had been looking for all of my life. I woke up this morning and I could hear the sounds of the ocean, smell the salt of the beach, and taste the coconut chicken. It is decided. We are going to Belize this summer. I have to....

Here is a video taken of an activity hubby and I did on our honeymoon.

Answering some email questions

I got some email questions about work. So I decided to answer here. I also am going to put up my spreadsheet of online schools for anyone on the job hunt you can find my spreadsheet here. I have not updated the spreadsheet since August of 2007. I update it periodically. Right now there are 176 on the spreadsheet. Not all of the schools are an there, but I try to put as many as possible on the sheet. I also put a place on the sheet where you can make notes to yourself. I believe in following up so the spreadsheet can help you as a reminder.

I also highly recommend checking out Teach Online Blog that can be found here. I frequently visit that blog and it has a wealth of knowledge about life in the trenches! Now some questions.

(From the Email)

Here are a few questions I have for you that I wasn’t able to find online.

1. How do you feel about your job security? I know that I am taking a risk. Please see my post on Online Education Bubble. I am willing to take this kind of risk because I love what I do, and I think it provides a valuable service. However I know that I take a risk and do not have guaranteed income.
2. For example, when you finish teaching a 5-week course does that institution usually offer you another class or are you constantly sending out your resume to other schools? Well very few schools have five week courses. A few have five week courses, but I think by and large they are 8 weeks. Usually when you are starting up you will teach a course then have to take a term or two off while they approve you and get you into the system. Then some schools are very structured and you get the same classes term in and term out. Some schools are not, and you are constantly calling and chasing down a job from a school that you always work. At this time I am content with the workload I have and am not sending out resumes.
   
3. In other words, how loyal are online schools if you are a quality adjunct? The only honest answer here is that it depends. Perhaps you have been a loyal employee for 3 years your boss might leave. this means you have to establish a rapport with someone to continue getting a schedule. This can be difficult because you are a distance faculty member.
   
4. Are you able to stay busy in the summer? All year round? Summers are the slowest. I had a freak accident that resulted in not having 7 of my summer classes that were scheduled last year. (I gave one class up because a professor was not going to have any, they reorganized the department, three of my classes did not make, I decided to teach something else and changed my mind too late in the scheduling process so did not have any courses scheduled so I could move to a different course...I did this schedule change and gave up a class to the other faculty member BEFORE I knew about the reorganization and the classes not making...) Summer is usually slow. This summer I am loaded up...in Summer 2006 I was turning classes down. Summer 2007 was totally slow.
   
5. Are you at the point that you have to turn down work? Sometimes. I do turn down classes that I don't care for. However I have been doing this for quite a while. Thankfully I know most of my schedulers and get along with them well. They like me and know I do a good job. I continue to get classes. At some schools I get first dibs on classes because of seniority so that helps.
   
6. General school calendar? You are joking right? I have no idea. Not a clue. In general I have classes starting in January, March, June, August, October. I am hardly ever off. I work 6 to 7 days a week. (I don't mind I am a workaholic). I am usually off the month of December. Although that is not always guaranteed. I take my computer and work on holidays and weekends. I just schedule my work time so that I can maximize my vacations etc. I have good weeks and bad weeks. (A good week is when a class is in that magic time like week 2 and week 3 after the flurry of activity that is the first week, and before the anxiety that is midterm). If I have several of those at the same time that is a good week. A bad week is when midterm and final and all that grading lands at the same time.
   

The Story of Us- Part 2

My husband rented an airplane for our engagement. (Whenever I tell our engagement story, I start out with that sentence.) I swear it deserved to be a movie. He asked a vineyard if he could use one of their dormant fields and with giant plastic pieces of white table cloth he wrote out "Marry Me." Her originally planned to write "Will you marry me, IPG?" But it took him over five hours to write "Marry Me." He had the plane fly over the vineyard and I saw my message written below. It was one of the most romantic things I have ever had happen to me.

When we were dating Handsome Hubby used to buy me roses every Friday. Now I only get roses 2 or 3 times a month, but I am not complaining. The fact that he remembers and validates that I need romance in my life even though I do not consider myself a romantic is what is so amazing. Nothing better ever happen to him. He would be impossible to replace.

"Summer is a promissory note signed in June, its long days spent and gone before you know it, and due to be repaid next January." Hal Borland

Summer is here! This makes it very difficult for me to get any kind of work done work or school. The siren sound of the weather calls to me. It beckons...come outside....I am powerless to the pull. This is how every day goes. Get up early. Get some work done....do something that allows me to enjoy the day. Try to go back to work later. Of course I want to be working but I can't help how much the gorgeous weather calls my name.

Booking tickets for SD's summer today. She is coming on May 29th-August 6th! WHOOO HOO! A long time this year! I am so happy.

So I was complaining to hubby. That I was kind of lonely and and tired of him working on the Jeep all weekend and I needed some single girlfriends that I can hang out with when he is busy. He laughed and said you do have one. She will be here in a few weeks for the whole summer, and she is definitely single! He was talking about SD who is I admit my best single gal in the summer.

Are you mercenary?

I didn't say a mercenary...I don't believe you are a soldier of fortune. However....mercenary the adjective?

mercenary

Function: adjective

1: serving merely for pay or sordid advantage : venal; also : greedy

If you can not say unequivocally yes to that question you might not have what it takes to get through the first few years teaching online. It is not like this great big picnic where you are the guest of honor. It is more there are 100's there to take your chicken leg if you don't want extra crispy! Since it is such a seller's market you have to ease your way in to the fray.

Why is it important to be mercenary? You have to be willing to do a lot of things for money. Some of these things are unspeakable such as babying students when it should be inappropriate. If you are not for sale, or if you don't have another way to earn income as you are developing you "portfolio" this is not the career for you.

The Online Education Bubble

I am 30 something. I would like to retire at 50 something but being part of generation y makes me think that I might not be able to afford it. Retirement is important to me so I fund my IRAs (which I plan to roll over to a Roth in 2010). I fund my 401ks and Individual 401k. My husband funds his 403 B his IRA and state retirement. Will it be enough? I hope so. Hubby will hopefully because a G-Man in which case we will have a federal retirement. I am getting off topic but I am getting there....Regardless I have at least 20 years or so more to work, before I can hang up my hat.

I decided to start work as an online adjunct so that I could get my PhD at a traditional university. Pay cash for school so I would not have any student loans. I also wanted a job I could do while I was in school that would not keep me from graduating on time. I highly recommend it as a plan for any aspiring Ph. D. students. My goal was once I finished my Ph. D. to get a tenure job at a traditional university. Period. (In fact I had wanted to do this since 2000 when I finished my Masters degree...but wanted some work experience before diving in to the Ph. D. right away)!

Anyway, I enjoy my job. I have a great income. I can travel and go and do and I am flexible and all the benefits that working from home typically provide (which you can read about here).

However...I have seen an explosion of online education lately. It seems to exponentially increase every year. I study markets (love economics), and have seen some similarities to the dotcom burst and the recent housing bubble. Can it last? If I decided that I did not want a tenure track job...and wanted to continue to keep doing what I am doing...will I have a job in 10 years? 20 years?

I am ok with the risk I am assuming by working for myself. However what will I do if it can't last? I could always get a tenure job at that time. I believe that would work. But by then I will be spoiled rotten. At that point I might have worked from home for 10 to 15 years (going on 5 now as it is)! Something I just have to consider. Also it is May meaning that school ended for me. I have roughly 5 hours a day that I have not filled up yet.

I am studying for my oral exams, but for the most part resting my noggin this month. So there won't be much Ph. D. student updates. I am studying for orals about 1-2 hours per day. I just keep rereading my answers for my written exams at this point. When I can ascertain a better way to study I will fill everyone in! :P

"I said earring you idiot!" Van Gogh's girlfriend

The story of us
In May my husband and I have been together 5 years. By and large they have been wonderful but every couple has some highs and lows. My husband and I met in October of 2002. I was engaged to someone else at the time, and he had a serious girlfriend. We had some harmless flirting then, but nothing ever materialized.

In February of 2003 we are thrown back together. My relationship at the time was rapidly deteriorating. He had broken up with his girlfriend. I had called off my engagement, but immediately began a torrid romance. It only lasted six weeks, but it was fast and furious.

By May 2003 I was dating someone else. He was handsome, and dangerous. The perfect bad for you guy. Unfortunately he was a drug dealer. I thought he was a doctor. It was an honest mistake considering he went to medical school, and worked in a hospital. Once I discovered the drugs I was out of there. Then and only then was it the perfect time for my hubby.

We had a lot of rough patches our first year. Many of them involved me not ready to be in a relationship. We had been dating about a year and a half before we got engaged.

Our engagement story is nothing less than poetic. I will continue at a later time. I want to break this up and a do a few parts. I am enjoying writing about this, and want to keep it preserved.

Wordless Wednesday....can't do it...gotta comment

Fruitcakes on the street (fruitcakes on the street)
Struttin naked through the crosswalk
In the middle of the week

Can't you feel 'em circlin', honey

A pirate looks at 10.

IPG in her natural habitat
But I had a good life all the way

I am an aweomse parent.

From the days of my misspent youth.
My parenting skills rock!

Everybody needs a little good luck charm
A little gris gris keeps you safe from harm
Who could resist?

Oooh, mexico
It sounds so simple
I just got to go
The suns so hot
I forgot to go home
I guess Ill have to go now


Know Your Ship!

I loved what they were sayin
I loved what they were playin
Carlos and Chalie

I think I got cabin fever
Somebody sound the alarm
Boat Drinks!

Tried to amend my carnivorous habits
SD's first ice sculpture.

Lately, newspaper mentioned cheap air fare
I gotta to fly to saint somewhere
I'm close to bodily harm

Paradise

There is nothing like a dream to create the future. Victor Hugo

Ok two things...

Last night I fell asleep on top of my computer. This is a common occurrence it happens about 1-2 times per week. I wake up with keyboard face, which is to say I have my keys from my keyboard mashed to my face all night so I have lines from the keyboard on my face. That is not the important part. The important part is the dream I had. I dreamt I was on my way to the lake. I actually had just gotten to the lake. I had everything, sunscreen, sunglasses, bathing suit, boat. The only thing I did not have was my baby. So the police showed up to show me this child that was screaming and crying and jumping in this jumper thing...I totally blame the jumper thing on Hubby's ex-wife (she sent me this video of this crazy baby contraption that the baby straps into and jumps and has all these interactive toys...it was adorable BUT it blew my mind). Ok but this baby was screaming in its jumper, and the police were arresting me because I forgot the baby. My baby. I kept explaining to the officers that this was a mistake that I didn't have any children; but they wouldn't listen. I woke up clammy and shaking. Nightmare! I don't do dream analysis, but I think I can figure out what it means.

Second thing is we are friends with most of the couples hubby works with. He works with the guys and I am friends with their wives. Anyway, one of his friends has started a bit of a flirtation at work with another married woman. I don't want to go into too many details, but I want them to cut it out. Nothing too serious yet, but it disgusts me. Marriage vows are sacred. They shouldn't be taken lightly. Anyway this has been bugging me so much I have felt the need to discuss it with hubby a little too much for his liking. He told me in so many words that he didn't care what they got up to...but he was tired of talking about them. Guess IPG has been talking too much once again.

Random Pics

The shuggy getting some sun!

SD (Stepdaughter) and HH (Handsome Hubby) fishing

SD and HH using the remote control boat

Shuggy says, "I hate the remote controlled boat!"

Ah yes...that would be IPG working.

Lake Pics

I kept trying to take pictures and ended up taking pics of my face. Duh!

D riding the Tube.

Handsome Hubby riding the Tube

Handsome Hubby driving the boat

First Mate

IPG on the tube (I have on a shirt so I don't get burned)

Crawfish Boil at Our House

We enjoyed a family crawfish boil two weekends ago. Well I did not partake, because I don't eat Crawfish. However Hubby ate 'em up.

Oral Exam Date Set!

June 4, 2008 at 12:00 PM CST I will be taking my Oral Examinations.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Working on Sunday

This topic was discussed at another blog, and can be found right here. I just wanted to put a personal spin on it. I don't care for working every weekend, but it is unavoidable. With what I do. I have to work the weekends. Not working on Sunday forget about it. One of my very best friends (who does not teach online) tried to convince me I did not have to work as much on Sunday as I did. I tried to listen to her with an open mind even though secretly I thought she didn't know what she was talking about because she doesn't do my job or walk in my shoes and all that.

I did an experiment over the past few weeks, and found that if I do a lot of during the week work. A LOT! I can cut my Sunday hours by 2 hours. That just isn't worth it. I find it better to get up at 4 AM on Sunday get all my work done by the time I go to church. Go do whatever I want to do then come back and finish Sunday afternoon. However this requires a commitment to NOT stay up and out all hours of the night Saturday night. If I stay out late Saturday I have to go to Church then just spend all day Sunday working.

One Sunday I worked for 19.5 hours. Some Sundays I can get away with as little as 7. But I am working every Sunday. It is just impossible. There is no way around it.

My job has a lot of perks. Setting my own hours, working from home, working in work out pants all count as perks! :) But there are some negatives too. My friend thinks she might like to do what I do. However she mentioned she didn't want to work on Sundays because of her kids. I can understand that...kind of. But that is just too bad. Nearly 100 percent of your students will turn their assignments in on Sunday and you have to be around answering email. You have to be around and grading and helping them out. I know for her time spent with her children is paramount. However I have a phrase that I use quite a bit. And it is WORK IS WORK. Whether I like it or not work comes first. It has to come first. Well that and I secretly really like to work alot.

So today. Woke up at 3 AM. Got SOME work done. Sunday School...no church today. We are going out on the boat today again so I know I gotta get my work done ASAP! I will have to work again tonight.

In Celebration of my last class ever....

Don't listen to me I am going to get a masters in Health Care from UT Austin some day! (Hubby says no, but he knows the power of my persuasion). Today was my last class as a Ph. D. student. I am doing the Last Class Dance! ;) In celebration our friends Deidre and Jason went to the lake with us! If I said we had a blast I would be severely under representing the type of weekend we had.

On Friday night they came over (they only live 3 miles from us), but they brought their dog and clothes so they could stay in the guest room. We planned to stay up late playing cards, and they might drink adult beverages. To be on the safe side they just decided to stay. We all stayed up super late playing Spades (my most favorite card game). Then I had to go to class! When I got home there was big breakfast in my honor! It was great because I felt like I totally deserved it. Also everyone had pitched in and cleaned up the horror show that was my kitchen after Friday night.

We then set out for an adventure on the lake! Actually it is a river, called the Tom Bigby River and parts of it are called the Tenn Tom because it has the Tennessee river flowing into it. I took tons of pics. (I will upload tomorrow because we are going back out Sunday. This way I can do two birds one stone and all that!)

When we got there the boat battery was dead so Hubby had to go buy one at a shop like 5 minutes away while we floated near the dock and pretended we were boating. ha! Then the guys tried kneeboarding while the girls too pictures and laughed! I laughed so hard today that my stomach physically hurts. It actually feels like I have a stomach ache. It was all worth it. But I gotta crash I am exhausted.

It was fantastic! We all had a good time! AND it was the perfect way to celebrate the end of my classes!

“It is far from easy to determine whether she (Nature) has proved to man a kind parent or a merciless stepmother” Anon

Ok it is that time of year again. Let me just tell you a bit (teeny bit) about being a stepmom on Mother's day. Let me ...phrase that right a stepmom with no children of her own. Tons of stepmom's with blogs talk about mother's day. However unlike MOST situations mine is very different. We all get along pretty well. It seems that everyone has come to terms with what is best for my stepdaughter. That really means no fighting.

Mother's day is all about the mom. I get that. I do. And I don't want to take anything away from the moms. Now that you have read that disclaimer read on.

The first year we got married. My stepdaughter didn't even call me on mother's day. It hurt my feelings! But she was 8 so I didn't really get too upset.

The second year we were married my stepdaughter didn't call me on mother's day. But my husband smart man that he is bought me my favorite flowers which is the Calla Lilly and some cards (one from him, one from my doggies, one from my stepdaughter).

Last year my stepdaughter sent me a card! It is great and I STILL have it up on my mantel. Her little brother even signed it (I am not his stepmom, but it was still super sweet.)

Now this year...hubby will do something for sure (he better). But I hope she remembers to call, and maybe I will get a card. I don't mean to sound like a whiner.

This is what I got my mom and mother-in-law for Mother's day. It is a beautiful vase by Nambe, and is on sale for 39 bucks (from 180 with free gift wrap and 2 days shipping). :) If you haven't shopped for you mom yet. My dad's birthday is the day before Mother's day and he is getting a book about Hitler...just like every year.