Road Atlas

While thinking about the trip I will take next week, I found myself needing a road atlas. Mapquest is okay when you just need directions, or recommendations, or whatever. But nothing beats the real paper map. I love to look at the roads, the options, the places and possibilities along the way... When I was a kid (and even older) I used to love to figure out where we were on the map, and then how long it would take for us to get to our destination. Looking back I realize that I was very destination oriented. Always wanting to be there. But that could also be the result of traveling with a family of 9. Now I try to enjoy the getting there too. I am in fact greatly looking forward to going to West Virginia next week. I have never done more than drive through a small portion of the state, so it will be a milestone trip in that regard. But getting there should be wonderful too. The trees will be turning towards their autumn glory, the rolling landscape is beautiful, I get to stop and visit my wonderful daughter (and spend a night in her dorm!), and I have a very interesting and fun traveling companion. And then to stay with dear old friends for a few relaxing days. All in all it should be a terrific trip! I'm getting out the atlas now...

100 Posts

According to my Blogger Dashboard I have 100 posts, (this being 101). Wow! That's quite a milestone, and it means I've stuck with something for more than a few days. What it really means is that I have found another addiction, although I do let life get in the way, sometimes even for days or weeks at a time. But all in all I guess I like this feeling. One hundred posts. I think I'll drink a toast, or at least eat some toast, and have a cup of tea...Blogger's breakfast.

Blogging has changed the way I think. Sometimes when I'm ranting in my head, I'll pause with the conscious thought that "this would make a good blog". And sometimes it even happens. Of course, a rant several hours, or even minutes, later is not usually the same (although with a real obsession it can get better). You know, I still even have blog ideas in mind, so maybe I'll continue. Here's to the next 100!

The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett

"Rincewind had never studied meteorology, although he had been an end-user all his life."

How can you not like a book with insight like that?

And then there's my favorite town on the last continent, Didjabringabeeralong.

No worries.

Sunday Travelogues

Maybe its another sign of burnout, but after yesterday I wonder if the world needs Sunday Travelogues. The presenter forgot, until I called him, that he was scheduled to present. So I "entertained" the crowd with a few "commercials" while we waited for him to arrive 15 minutes late. The presentation was entertaining, but the photos (I have high standards) were not all the greatest. There were a few with time & date stamps ( a pet peeve of mine) and at least one with a finger in the frame. They do say you get what you pay for, but I've had better presenters for free before. Anyway the whole experience left me a little disgruntled. Maybe its just that I also set up 50 chairs by myself, moved tables around, cleaned up after the previous group who used the room, and I was overtired from a similar (but longer) experience the day before with a church group I volunteer with. Not to mention the patron (not even attending the travelogue) who accosted me in the hallway with an evil tirade about the government(?) because the downtown library was closed on Sunday. Where am I going with this? Not sure...But I normally have a sense of satisfaction after a welcomed program, and the patrons were satisfied and thanked me, but I still didn't get that peaceful feeling yesterday. I have been of the mind for the last few years that this is what I am supposed to be doing. But lately I am not so sure. And yet I have nowhere else in sight to go. Maybe next week's vacation will give me some perspective. At the very least a much needed break.

Why?

Why is it that the male component of the population has NO COMMON SENSE? Only reason I can think of is that God wanted us women to feel good about ourselves. (And aim the frustration somewhere else).

Dragons

I decided when Eldest, by Christopher Paolini, came out that it was time to read Eragon, the first book of the trilogy. So I finished it one weekend and am now trying to finish Eldest before it is due back at the library. Its interesting that the previous week I finished listening to Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer, another book which included dragons. It struck me that although I know little about Norse mythology these writers are obviously steeped in it. Although these are works of fantasy they use a consistent knowledge base. I'm finding that true of Tolkien's Hobbit books, Harry Potter, and even Terry Pratchett. So along with great fantasy fiction I'm learning my mythology. I guess I'm also just getting into dragon lore these days as I enjoyed Cornelia Funke's Dragon Rider, and have now put a hold on Dragonology to find out more about dragons. Maybe I just like escape fiction. Its why I read cozy style mysteries too. They are their own brand of "escape fiction", since there is no way that stuff happens to real people. (Although if you read enough of the stuff you start to see bodies in the most unlikely places.) I guess the premier dragon writer is Anne McCaffrey. In my spare time I may have to go back to the Dragonriders of Pern series. As ever, so many books, so little time.

Weekend update: Move over, Martha

I looked in Josh's room on Saturday morning and realized it was not quite done. He still needed a lamp for one thing, and curtains, and maybe even a rug. So off we went in search of decorating stuff. I found that its quite difficult to get cheap curtains in a plain white, esp. without feminine frills like lace or flowers. So I bought a flat white sheet with a very nice diamond weave and sewed them myself. I think it was a pretty good job considering I didn't give it more than an hour or 2. I even ironed with spray starch, and washed the window before I hung them. Now for under $20, he's got new curtains, valance & rods!! We found a nice 5 head lamp so even in winter it will be bright, and a cute little shag rug in bright blue so his feet won't have to hit cold wood floor on winter mornings. I think its really done now, except for the little "piles" of stuff I have to get rid of. I need one of those people with the "clean & dispose" gene. I have trouble purging. But it will happen one of these days. I hope he likes it enough to keep it cleaned up. And maybe I will just have to keep nagging. (I'm a mother, its what we do.)

Worried about the Fashion Police

Okay, maybe not worried exactly...But on Tuesday I went to school to volunteer and it was quite a dilemma deciding what to wear. I wanted to be casual, but businesslike, so I had an excuse not to be sexy (which I can't pull off). Maybe its my imagination, but these younger Moms dress so much more on the edge than I ever did. I opted for the black jeans with the aqua striped tee and the black blazer. And I suspect that really no one cared or even noticed. But as usual I felt sort of frumpy (Isn't that a dwarf?) anyway. But then...Wait. At work Adrienne told me I looked professional. And even though I was wearing jeans. So the look does work. Or she was just intimidated by all the black I was wearing. Or just wanted to boost my ego. Either way it was nice to know that someone realized the look I was trying to project. Now if I could do something about the extra wide thighs...

Hot and Muggy again

I'm trying so hard to be efficient today and get stuff done, but its gotten quite warm and is dragging me down. I guess I really just loved those days in the 70's. I finally went and got my allergy shots today, so maybe that will help the allergy headache I've had for the last week. And at least it should be cool at work this evening (which hopefully will keep me awake).

I know, I know, another boring blog about the weather...but I just can't bring myself to face any other issues. I mean, tired is one thing, and hot is another, But hot AND tired is just too much.

Oh, yeah, but I did read a book this weekend that I would recommend to folks who like to read about psychological studies and stuff: Blink. I know its non-fiction, and on the Best Seller list, but I read it anyway. And I liked it.

"Everything you wanted to know about sleep but were too tired to ask"

Since sleep (or lack thereof) often seems to be an obsession in our household, I went looking for some information about it and found this great website: http://www.sleepnet.com/. It has lots of links to interesting information about stuff like dreams (so maybe Elizabeth can find out why she keeps dreaming about packing. There is a link for lucid dreaming, which everyone should learn to do if they want to take control of their dreams (and stop that packing)!
I just finished a book called "The House of Sleep" which I was attracted to because of the title of course. It was an interesting book that took place in the past and present in alternating chapters, and included such things as characters who were narcoleptic, insomniac and gender confused. There was also the sleep researcher who thought of sleep as a disease, and thought if we could all stop sleeping we would have 1/3 of our lives back and get so much more accomplished. (He was crazy in other ways too, BTW). Not sure it passes muster as a Tantalizing Title though.
Now if I could only follow some of the advice for getting a good night's rest...

Back to school, again

Just put Josh on the bus for his first day of Junior High school. No tears, no fuss. Just a few reminders about the transfer bus numbers, a photo or too and he's off. I do admit to some earlier nagging and exasperation at the things that should have been done last night (but weren't). And the feeling that this is too early in the morning for me to feel this cranky (not that that has ever stopped me before). I hope things go as well every morning. I suspect he was too hyped to sleep and therefore was up before his alarm at 6. (Ok I was up a little early myself). But hopefully we can keep this up even on the cold(er) dark(er) mornings to come.

Random Labor Day thoughts

It was wonderful to sleep in for one last time (okay, also for the first time in a long time) before the school schedule starts. After the 7 am bathroom trip, I went back to sleep!

The automation of the St. Rita school library is almost done. I still have not touched a barcode label, but have made several cataloging decisions, looked up lots of computer records, done problem solving (including several hours this morning with audio books), and learned what resourceful, creative, intelligent children I have.

In the name of Geocaching we discovered another cool place to walk, practically in our own backyard. We went to the Irondequoit Bay Park East this afternoon and walked along the shore of Irondequoit Bay. I discovered a fun spot that looked like someone was playing Gilligan's Island. And got up close to some geese, ducks and herons that were playing just off shore. But due to Lars' inability to correctly give us GPS info we found no cache. I suspect we were close, but 40 yards in thick woodland is just not close enough.

And now I get to have baked beans for dinner that have been in the crock pot all day. I'm even willing to put up with the inevitable after-effects (in me and the rest of the family) because they taste so yummy! Maybe I'll serve Beano first.

While I'm adjusting to the testosterone overload around here, the carnivore dinners are getting overwhelming. Maybe I'll have to sneak in some more cheese based meals.

And final thought of the day...My new chauffeur actually shows some promise of getting his license sometime this year. Thank heavens.

Backyard Bird Sanctuary

It started when I noticed a large proliferation of sparrows on the side of the driveway when we pulled in this morning. I can't figure out what might be drawing them here except perhaps that the pine trees are dropping seeds right now? Anyway I can still hear them out there twittering. But that's not all. In the last hour there have also been a foursome of bluejays, a pair of cardinals, a flicker, the usual crows, and perhaps a goldfinch (not seen clearly) frolicking and chasing each other around the yard. I thought the jays were the nasty ones, but apparently our resident cardinals chased them away. (Or perhaps they saw the camera come out and became shy.) Its been quite a show. So maybe we don't have to leave home to enjoy nature. Sure saves on gas.