The Dromomaniac

Back to School!

I'm stoked! Today's the first day back. It won't be the most fascinating day, I'm sure, but I should be able to get my schedule set for the year and see who I actually will be teaching this year. I think I only have 4 of the same kids as last year. It's interesting - I'll have no high school kids to my knowledge.

But, good things lined up all fall! I got season tickets to the Buffalo Chamber Music Society again this year. I can't wait for that. And I got season tickets to the Babel series, which looks just unbelievably awesome. (Seriously... SALMAN RUSHDIE!) AND David Sedaris is coming to UB on October 1st! AND CORNEL FUCKING WEST! (But he's not until February.) And then of course there's our lil' book club and Halloween and wine dinners and all sorts of shiz. Fun!

I was getting worried about money because I adjusted my pay schedule this year, which would not have been a big deal, but I also am deferring some income to a TSA and to a flex spending account. $200  out of every check will mos def be felt. But Literacy Volunteers looks like it will be a-go again this year, so that will make up for it.

Roight, off to the showers.  

Dear Brain,

Hey, how's it going? 

Remember that chat we had about a week or two ago? About how I can sleep in after June 26th? Yeah, well, this is precisely what I was talking about. For future reference, there's no godly reason to wake me up at 6:30 these days. In fact, it's rather cruel. The sooner you learn to cut that shit out, the sooner we'll like you a whole lot more.

Most sincerely,

The rest of you

Ouch

I'm all about feast or famine. Either I commit to extreme inertia, or I exercise so much I ache all over. It's quite shocking I'm not bulimic.

On Saturday, we walked to the Bidwell market and home, which ended up totaling about 7 miles. On Sunday, we went on a 18 miles bike ride, and I don't normally bike. On Monday, I walked 5 miles to the gym and then worked out with my trainer. Yesterday, we cycled again for 14 miles. And today? Oh, just a little elliptical, weights, and swimming.

Seriously. Everything hurts. Even my hair.

Illin'

I'm sick again. This BLOWS. Damn kids snottin' all over me all day. I went to work today against my better judgement because I know I have so little time left with them, but I had to cancel my trainer and Literacy Volunteers tonight. I have WAY too much to do this weekend to be sick for it all. 

Bah.

Toil

So while I've been busy counting down my remaining working days, I forgot to consider that my schedule is not necessarily that of the schools. My contract runs until the 26th of June, but all of my kids only have half-days after the 18th. Which means that I have no one to teach. And since I don't have an office or classroom to clean up or clear out, I'm at a loss. Even before the 18th, there are loads of field trips, field days, picnics, exams, and assemblies. I have interruptions just about every day, starting today.

I did, however, find a few side gigs just to get some extra cash during the summer. I'll be tutoring one of my current students through July, and I just got an adult conversation student as well. I also got an as-needed gig as an interpreter for Jewish Family Services. None of this will equate to much money, but all I'll really need is day-to-day cash since I'll be paying mortgage ahead of time. 

Fascinating shiz, I know.

When Fact and Fiction Blur

One of the many useless applications on Facebook is "How well do you know me?" for which you create a quiz about your own fascinating self. And nothing screams ME! ME! ME! quite like Facebook. So this naturally is something I simply had to create. If you fail, I hate you and/or shall disown you. 

Good luck!

1)	Where haven't I been that makes no sense?
a)	Italy
b)	Las Vegas
c)	France
d)	Toronto
e)	London

2)	What is the best song in the world?
a)	"Glamorous" by Fergie
b)	"Gin & Juice" by Snoop Dogg
c)	"Final Countdown" by Europe
d)	"Dark Angel" by Electric Six
e)	"Just Dropped In" by Kenny Rogers

3)	What is my favorite piece of costume jewelry?
a)	An amethyst ring from my grandmother
b)	A silver and turquoise necklace from the 1970s
c)	Earrings I bought in Paris
d)	A black coral bracelet from Venezuela
e)	A bracelet from my best friend

4)	Which job haven't I had?
a)	Drinking wine
b)	Cutting hair
c)	Changing oil
d)	Pumping gas
e)	Flipping burgers

5)	Who do I want to punch in the face?
a)	Rosie O'Donnell
b)	Renee Zellweger
c)	Miley Cyrus
d)	The entire Fox News crew
e)	All of the above

6)	Who is not one of my heroes?
a)	My friend Helen
b)	Oprah
c)	My mom
d)	Joni Mitchell
e)	Dolly Parton

7)	Who was the love of my life (until now, of course!)?
a)	The Dude
b)	Stephen Colbert
c)	Norton
d)	Salma Hayek
e)	John C. Reilly

8)	What is happening on August 1st?
a)	Jamie's getting lypo. Again.
b)	Jamie's getting married. Again.
c)	Jamie's moving to Mexico. Again.
d)	Jamie's criminal court case will be heard. Again.
e)	Jamie's sleeping all day. Again.

9)	If I had a million dollars, I would...
a)	Donate it to charity.
b)	Invest every cent.
c)	Piss it away on Jimmy Choos.
d)	Move to Hollywood.
e)	Run like hell.

10)	Who haven't I made a nickname for?
a)	Dr. Ron Lelito
b)	Ms. Julia Maher
c)	Sir Paul Marko
d)	Ms. Elizabeth Taufa
e)	Ms. Maureen McLoughlin

Madonna May I

So I need a change. Normally that would mean a tattoo or a trip to Madrid, but I'm thinking more about my hair. It's in a blah-ish in-between stage, so I need to get thinking on it. 'Cause I'm all about re-invention, dawgz.

Actually, rumor has it that warm weather may arrive sometime this week and I want to be ready, bitchez! I found The Dress I'll be wearing all summer last weekend - a super long and flowey olive green number with twisty straps and a very deep V-neck. I also found a gorgeous Indian-style pink sari bag with a wood handle. Oddly it works with the dress. AND I found three wood bangles to match. Can providence provide anything else? 

Now that the whirlwind of classes and working is subsiding, I can return to being a shallow git. Damn, it's good to be a gangsta.

Wrinkles in Time

The fact that I have wrinkles is nothing new. It doesn't freak me out or anything because that's just what happens. I'm glad my hair color is all mine and that I haven't gotten all soft and slothy with age like a lot of women do. I'm guessing that's because I don't have kids, but who knows? The cool thing about the wrinkles is that I noticed that I basically just have a ton of 'em around my eyes. Laugh lines! That's so awesome, and no, I'm not being sarcastic. If I'm'a be marked up by life, I'm glad it's from laughing too much.

And?

I'M BACK, BITCHES!

Apparently, if I give in to the beast of illness and act lethargic and inert for three days, I heal. I'm sure drinking Robutussin straight from the bottle helped. Yes, it's true.

So, after three days of no caffeine, I'm all Tiggered from one cup o' joe. 

If you don't by now, pity Paul.

A Huge Dose of Suck

I'm illin' in a big way right now. I'm fearing it's a sinus infection, which arrived just in time for vacation. Bah. Everything hurts - lungs, skin, brain - and I go between hot & cold. I'm like John C. Reilly's detox scene in "Walk Hard," minus the humor.