And so. . .

Let me see if I can sum up the year thus far:

Taught nine classes this past spring. Yeah, you heard me right. Doesn't matter that they were all the same course, it was very busy.

Was sick twice: once in January when that nasty bug was going around and then right after Easter. The second time lasted longer with me hacking for a month. That was because I got hit with the worst allergy year to date. March and April were soooo much fun. I hate this stupid state.

We are new parents of a bouncing baby horse. Well, not really a horse though he's big enough. 84 pounds of whipcord and muscle. His name is Chugalug (that was so not our idea) and he's a 4-year-old brindle rescued greyhound. I'll post pics later. I wanted a dog and Michael kind of did too but agreeing on one was a chore. He was going for either a greyhound or a dacshund. How's that for size difference? Me? I was fine with either though I would love another German Shepherd puppy from Char-Will Kennels up home in PA. Charlotte is still breeding them.

Anyway, Chug's been a handful to get used to. Most of them are big couch potatoes and have two modes: full speed and sleep. lol Chug turned out more energetic than we had first expected but he's a pretty good dog most of the time. He was way too interested in the cats when we brought him home and they hated him (of course). Now they all just ignore each other. He sleeps well in his crate at night and loves playing with his tennis balls in the backyard. I've never seen anything love to run as much as he does. Yes, I know that's what they're bred for but that doesn't mean they have a joy in it. He just seems to love it.

As for work, right now I am triply employed. I have a class at USC, I'm doing independent contract work (merchandising) and I just started working for Hallmark as a Retail Merchandiser at one of the Walmarts here. Why? Cause we need the money. Why else? The summer is the lean season for me and what I did save up went poof in bills already. (sigh) Also, my fall session is two classes shy of the spring and I started paying back my student loans this past March/April (don't remember exactly which one).

The Evening School created a new position in the fall that is temporary right now but may go tenure track next year. I applied because it was half the classes for better pay (though I still would have needed at least one or two more to balance it all out) but they went with someone else. Someone not as experienced as me. Very nice person but still. And why this other person? Oh, the reason I got was because they want me to finish my dissertation. Uh huh. Yeah, I told them that it was obvious they weren't math majors when saying that I needed more time to do it was off by not the position since I will still be doing 7 and not 4 or 5. And I lost two of "my" sections to the new position. I've been doing the Saturday class and the Fort Jackson ones forever. Nobody else ever wanted them so I have. I've even done the oddest hours for them too. I don't mind the Saturday one so much but I really like my FJ groups. So, to say I am peeved. . .well, yeah. I think the real reason is that they didn't want to try and find someone to cover my daytime sections (the person they gave it to has a newborn and help in the evenings).

So, yeah, so much for loyalty. But I still have classes and all. And yes, I have been given an incentive to get the damn thing written but not for the reasons they want. I was told to apply again for the position next year and that the PhD would help. uh huh So, that is why I started adding extra jobs. But it means I gotta get my rear in gear and get the diss as done as possible this summer.

(sigh) All of this means me still being a phantom of your imagination unless you call or whatnot. I'll try and be in touch via here and online but I've been slack on the emails. Just don't feel like writing much when I'm doing that with the diss, ya know? But we're usually home on Sundays so that's a good time to ring. And some of you have been slack there too. lol Oh, and I may just do Facebook and Myspace more. No promises but that stuff can eat up so much time. You know who you are who spends a lot on there.

Well, I'm typed out. Gonna let my brain chill. Many hugs.