Canada's Liberals Lose Parliament Control
This story is interesting in the general-knowledge sense, for just knowing what's going on in the world, particularly since I know some Canadians who care about politics and vote. However, the thing that excited me about it was that it uses the terms "Quebecois" and "Quebeckers," which I had investigated several months ago when I couldn't quite figure out what people from Quebec would be called. (The answer turned out to be much more complicated than I would have expected.)
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Monday, June 28, 2004
Divine fruit
I just ate sliced homegrown tomato and fresh-picked basil on wheat toast with cream cheese and a sprinkle of black pepper.
Everything else in the world falls away. Mmmmmmmmtomato.
Everything else in the world falls away. Mmmmmmmmtomato.
Fear springs eternal
There are so many little things that take forever. Check how much money I have in both checking accounts and what I owe on my credit cards. Print off a paystub. Look up each car and check the features. Check that against the New Car Price Report. Check interest rates for car loans in Arkansas. Use an online calculator to appraise Noah so I know how much the trade-in is worth. Do all this inefficiently because my phone cord is frayed and the internet connection keeps failing. Clean all my crap out of the car and bring it inside. Scrounge for quarters for the car wash. Find enough to use to use the vacuum hose at the car wash. Check with a different, drive-through car wash I can pay for with cash, find out it's broken. Go to grocery store to buy more quarters, by which time it's dark. Plan to finish tomorrow on the way to the dealership.
I have to get this done tomorrow. I can't afford the time I've spent in the past week. I guess if I don't finish my thesis and don't have a job, I'll have a car to live in. Untill they repossess it.
I keep thinking I've done all the things that scare me, that there's not much left I can't handle. After living in China, I thought that. And actually I was right, but smaller things still happen to shake my confidence. I've never bought a car, going alone and haggling over money with dealers scares the crap out of me, or at least is very stressful, but I have to do it. And then, well... I'll have done it. That will be a good thing.
I have to get this done tomorrow. I can't afford the time I've spent in the past week. I guess if I don't finish my thesis and don't have a job, I'll have a car to live in. Untill they repossess it.
I keep thinking I've done all the things that scare me, that there's not much left I can't handle. After living in China, I thought that. And actually I was right, but smaller things still happen to shake my confidence. I've never bought a car, going alone and haggling over money with dealers scares the crap out of me, or at least is very stressful, but I have to do it. And then, well... I'll have done it. That will be a good thing.
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Late birthday weekend
Went home this weekend for Jeff and Julie's engagement party for Travis and Emily. It was nice, and I saw the Fryars and talked to them quite a bit.
Sometimes I look at Travis and see the little boy I babysat, and I can't believe he's getting married; and sometimes I look at him and he's such an adult, and it seems quite natural.
The family celebrated my birthday with traditional poppyseed cake (mmmmmm) on Saturday evening. Other highlights included a cup of Blue Mountain coffee that was so strong it made me lightheaded, making blackberry pies, and eating fresh corn and tomatoes for lunch. There was also salmon loaf, which was good but not, of course, fresh. I saw Finding Nemo for the first time and nearly wept. (How could such a good movie be about a fish? But it is. I kind of want the soundtrack.) Mama took me over to see Tobasco Probasco, the 10 day old miniature horse. He played with me agressively, like an overly exuberant large-breed dog. Fortunately he doesn't have teeth yet.
Rusty is getting old. Mama and Daddy have talked about it.
Drove Noah (the purple Stratus) back to the city so I can trade it in. I need to close some kind of deal in the next two days. On top of everything else, this is really stressful. I'd so rather be reading Harry Potter. Sigh.
Sometimes I look at Travis and see the little boy I babysat, and I can't believe he's getting married; and sometimes I look at him and he's such an adult, and it seems quite natural.
The family celebrated my birthday with traditional poppyseed cake (mmmmmm) on Saturday evening. Other highlights included a cup of Blue Mountain coffee that was so strong it made me lightheaded, making blackberry pies, and eating fresh corn and tomatoes for lunch. There was also salmon loaf, which was good but not, of course, fresh. I saw Finding Nemo for the first time and nearly wept. (How could such a good movie be about a fish? But it is. I kind of want the soundtrack.) Mama took me over to see Tobasco Probasco, the 10 day old miniature horse. He played with me agressively, like an overly exuberant large-breed dog. Fortunately he doesn't have teeth yet.
Rusty is getting old. Mama and Daddy have talked about it.
Drove Noah (the purple Stratus) back to the city so I can trade it in. I need to close some kind of deal in the next two days. On top of everything else, this is really stressful. I'd so rather be reading Harry Potter. Sigh.
Thursday, June 24, 2004
This is a diner
This litttle essay is pretty cool, especially for y'all who are familiar with diner culture; who have perhaps spent hours and days and weeks and years in a booth, getting refills in your bottomless cup and studying and discussing the meaning of life with your coffee-swigging pals.
I assigned my students a reading exercise on the history of the American diner, and they started asking questions, and it evolved into a mini-unit. I showed clips of TV shows and movie scenes taking place in diners, we identified the parts and brainstormed what makes diners unique, and I gave them bonus credit for eating at a diner and bringing me the receipt. They'll also write an essay comparing and contrasting diners and fast-food restaurants.
I assigned my students a reading exercise on the history of the American diner, and they started asking questions, and it evolved into a mini-unit. I showed clips of TV shows and movie scenes taking place in diners, we identified the parts and brainstormed what makes diners unique, and I gave them bonus credit for eating at a diner and bringing me the receipt. They'll also write an essay comparing and contrasting diners and fast-food restaurants.
Saturnalia 2
That went well. The salesman was so helpful and low-key, by the time I was ready to leave, I practically wanted to hug him. (His youngest daughter is about my age. So it would have been weird, but not that weird. Well, okay, pretty weird.) They have Ion 1s with AC and CD players for $13,500. We'll see. I have very good credit, so maybe I can qualify for 0% financing and 0 down. That would be really nice, because, well, student and teacher here. Sounds like if I want the Saturn, I ought to try to make a decision before the end of the month; my guy didn't know if the 0% thing would extend to July. I believe him.
This was a good way to get my feet wet; now I've test driven something and asked (hopefully intelligent) questions. Maybe I can face the vultures at the other places. Not looking forward to it, but I'm not as terrified now. And hey, maybe they'll feed me donuts.
This was a good way to get my feet wet; now I've test driven something and asked (hopefully intelligent) questions. Maybe I can face the vultures at the other places. Not looking forward to it, but I'm not as terrified now. And hey, maybe they'll feed me donuts.
Saturnalia
I'm about to venture forth to Saturn and look at cars. I've been so nervous about this, I found a million ways I wasn't ready, more research I needed to do, and got overwhelmed with all the information. I can't take it anymore, and I feel guilty for taking so long anyway. So I'm going, dammit. I have rehearsed many scenarios. Hopefully I'll do okay.
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