Listening to: Where We Belong - Boyzone
Reading: Summer Sisters(got through 50 pages last night)
Weather: 68 and sunny
Trivia: Methane gas can often be seen bubbling up from the bottom of ponds. It is produced by the decomposition of dead plants and animals in the mud.
Cool word: Nickname. A nickname is an extra, informal name given to a person. Often it describes some notable aspect of the person, like "Spike" or "Red" or "Slugger." One incorrect explanation of the word's origin is that it came from the verb "to nick" as in "to catch," because the nickname usually catches some certain essence of the person. Another refers to the French expression "faire la nique" (to make fun of).
Actually, the original usage was not "a nickname," but "an eke name" (an extra name). In a process that has happened several times in English, the "n" migrated, forming "a neke name." The same thing happened to "an ewt" (a small amphibian). The reverse process
happened to "a napron" (a garment worn while cooking) and "a nadder" (a snake).
Evening Stroll
I’ve started to take a very short evening stroll after dinner. I stroll to Dunkin’ Donuts to get a large decaf French Vanilla (light with two Sweet and Low).
This stroll is serving several purposes.
First, I’ve had this craving for coffee after dinner lately. This is something new to me, as I generally am just a morning coffee person. Every morning I have a cup while I put on my makeup (after I’ve forced myself to drink 24 ounces of water), and then a large travel mug that I drink on my way to school, and don’t usually manage to finish until sometime later in the morning.
Once in a while I might be enticed when I’m at Barnes and Noble smelling the aroma wafting through from Starbucks, or I might get a Coffee Coolatta on the way home. But not very often.
For some reason I’ve been dying for a cup after dinner, hence my little walk.
I consider it to be a test of will, as well, as the donuts are calling to me. So far I’ve managed to resist. This is a good thing, as in the past I wouldn’t have thought twice and would have bought a couple to accompany the coffee.
This is a good change for me. Of course I argue with myself the entire time I’m there and it’s all I can do not to blurt out, "PLEASE I must have a chocolate donut or I’ll DIE!!!!!"
This is also my token effort at exercise. It’s probably about an eighth of a mile, but I guess it’s better than nothing.
I get a lot of walking in at school during the day, and while it may not be aerobic, it should count for something.
The third purpose is to check out how other people have their apartments decorated.
I know this is a bit on the evil side, but I think it’s genetic.
My mother used to love going for rides at night around different neighborhoods to see how people had decorated their homes. She’d probably still like to do it, but her night vision isn’t very good, so she doesn’t want to wander aimlessly any longer.
This is a very small apartment complex, and there are only nine two bedrooms all together. The rest are one bedroom or studios. So as I take my walk I rubberneck.
The one bedroom apartments have much smaller living rooms than mine, but the dining area (such as it is) seems to be about the same.
One apartment seems to have trompe l’oeil paintings on the walls. I have a passing acquaintance with the two men who live there, and I think one of them might be a decorator. He was waxing poetical about my eye for color and the plant combinations I had growing on my balconies (before they croaked).
The thing that most strikes me is how minimalist all these people seem to be. They don’t seem to have many books, CDs, or mementos out on display. When you enter my place they whap you in the face.
I know I have a lot of stuff, but I don’t think I want to live without it. I wish I could bring myself to part with some of these things, or that I had a place I could pack it away and take out when I needed a change, but I don’t think I can do that.
It’s fun to see what people choose for furniture and how they arrange the space.
I’ll probably get arrested if I keep this up.
My day ended up being pretty much what I had expected.
The first morning meeting was not fun and went waaaay too long. We started at 7.45 and didn’t end until 9.15. The parents were impossible and are trying to invent so many disabilities for their child that it makes me sad. A year below grade level is not great, but it’s still in the average range. This is not serious, nor is it impossible to deal with.
There are other parents I know who would be thrilled to hear that their child is only a year below grade level.
The Village Idiot had to chair the meeting, which is something new for him, but he was pretty much only a figurehead and I ended up doing most of the explaining and programming. The parents were just not getting it. They want a private placement and this is not what this poor kid needs. I think it would devastate him.
After the meeting The Village Idiot found me to tell me I’d done a nice job.
It was all I could do not to pass out. He never acknowledges anything like that.
The reading training is going to be overwhelming. The woman who is going to be our instructor is quite nice, but this is so complicated and so time consuming that it’s going to do me in.
Tomorrow is Friday and I’m so glad. I have another parent meeting in the morning, but it shouldn’t be quite as bad as today.
My goal is to try to get all my paperwork and planning done before I leave so I can just enjoy my weekend.
It seems possible, provided I don’t have something unexpected take over my free time.
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