The Semi-Annual Update...

I know it has been a long while since I have written.  If there are still people out there who are still reading this to see what I've been doing these days...thanks. :)

In all honesty, I kept away from writing on purpose.  I wanted to have something worth telling people.  I wanted to have good news to share.  That is not to say that everything that has happened since my last post (in February) was bad, it was just that most of it passed uneventfully.

That is, until the beginning of August!  I interviewed for a job as a financial aid counselor at a college not too far from home, and I got an offer!  I started the job on the 20th, right before school started! In addition to that, I moved into an apartment on a quiet street! Things are going well!

Some people have asked me (co-workers included) if I would ever consider going back into teaching.  I don't have a definite answer.  I would have liked teaching music, perhaps.  But, I'm still helping people get an education.  I get to help them find a way to fund it. I also get to answer questions and help clarify issues that students are having trouble tackling on their own.  Because of that, the "inner teacher" is doing quite well. The "inner accountant" still needs a little bit of persuasion!

I divide the rest of my time between rehearsing the church choir, getting to know the neighbors, hunting for used furniture, trying to clean, and attempting to cook.  All have gone fairly well...except maybe the cooking. I have discovered that I'm no Martha Stewart in the kitchen, but I am getting better! 

Anyway, that's my update! Hopefully, I'll be back before another six months have passed!

Off-Roading in a Stratus

I ditched my car tonight, a few short hours ago. The 1 a.m. phone call to my dad was not much fun, but he was there for me when the tow truck came to pull out B.B., my '02 Dodge Stratus, at 2:15 am.  Thankfully, my car didn't take as big of a hit as I thought it had. There was no body damage, I didn't have to call the state patrol, and I didn't get cited for anything. The alignment is really out of whack, so B.B.'s got to check into rehabilitation tomorrow.  I may not even have to file a claim. 

As for me...it was grace alone that kept me from smacking into the telephone pole or flipping over the guardrail that I landed right between.  As detrimental as that would have been to the finish of my car, it would have been much worse for me if I had. Although I'm frustrated at my own stupidity resulting in repair bills that I'm not going to be happy about paying, I'm so grateful that I am not injured in any way, shape or form.  Car repairs are better than hospital bills. 

If I have learned anything from tonight, I've learned these two things:

1. God's not done with me yet. It's not just luck that I'm still in one piece. 

2. Sedans don't work well as snow plows.

And now, it's very late, but I at least have a chance of sleeping now that I've written! So, thanks for reading! Drive carefully, because I love you all! Good night!

The Top Five Things Men Should Never Say to a Woman

First, a bit of an explanation.  One of my friends has a list on his blog of the things women should never say to a man.  It was definitely enlightening and entertaining! Anyway, I promised him a list from my perspective.  So here it is, just for Jason!

5. "Know your role."  This one seems almost too obvious to put on this list.  It seems to belong to the days before modern comforts, like wheels, fire, or really big clubs (used to knock out and drag off mates).  However, I've actually heard this used by men to their girlfriends.  The implication of it is that a woman's role is either to be cooking in a kitchen or to be barefoot and pregnant constantly.  Though most of you know this already, I wouldn't be doing my duty here if I didn't say that this is extremely sexist.  Thankfully, it's not extremely common to hear it, so props to the guys who know better.  To those of you who say it jokingly...I'd rather you didn't. Other variations: "Know your role, woman," "A woman's place is in the kitchen." Or, the reversals: "This is a man's job." "Let the men handle this." We don't really like those, either.

4. "I had fun tonight. I'll give you a call!"  This one is a bit more serious.  Gents: If you're out on a first date with someone and you truly had a good time, then DO say this.  However, do not utter this without the intent of picking up a telephone.  If you really had a terrible time on a date, it probably did not go unnoticed by her.  Do not use these words to try to gloss over a noticeably awkward situation.  Since it's awkward already, you might as well end it by saying, "It was nice to meet you.  Have a good evening."  That way, we don't expect the call, and you never promised it.  It may have been uncomfortable, but no worse than the rest of the evening, right?

3. The answer to "Does this make me look fat?" Let me, before my explanation, apologize for this one.  All girls ask that question at some point in their lives.  It just slips out of our mouths, even if we hate asking the question because we know it makes you nervous.  Asking this question is a part of our genetic make-up.  I'm sorry that we do it.  Unfortunately, it's not about to stop.  With that in mind, under NO circumstances should you answer the question.  You can, if you like, feign deafness or walk away. I would recommend the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.  Remind her of it when she asks you if her pants make her hips look too wide. If she's got common sense, she knows she shouldn't have said anything, and neither should you. 

2. "You've kind of been letting yourself go lately."  In a way, this could answer the "Does this make me look fat?" question.  Which is exactly why you shouldn't say it!  Your girlfriend leaves you alone after poker night with your buddies, where you've eaten an entire pizza, half a plate of wings, chips, peanuts and a couple of beers. Let her curl up on the couch on a bad day with her pint of Ben and Jerry's without getting harassed about her waist size.  If she wants to sleep in tomorrow instead of going running, let it go. But, if it seems more serious than an occasional bad day, you're definitely going to want to use more tact to handle the situation, anyway.  For example, what if she's showing signs of depression? It's only going to make it worse if you don't show some compassion. Besides that, there's more to her than how she looks.  If you're dating her, hopefully you've discovered that. 

1. "I love spending time with you."  Let me put this in context for you, because it seems innocent enough at first glance. You're a girl, you've been seeing someone for a while, and you're starting to feel like this relationship is going to last.  So, you say those three magic words, "I love you."  His reply? "I love spending time with you, too."  Huh? This one is tough, and so that's why I saved it for last.  It's a crucial moment! She initiated the exchange of the "l" word!  By replying "I love spending time with you," you've just shrugged off what is probably the most important thing she's told you thus far.  Inadvertently, you've also just told her that you don't see the future that she sees with you, and she feels vulnerable. Unfortunately, there is only one response that she really wants to hear.  But please, don't say it until you mean it.  Even if it hurts us when we don't first hear it, it would hurt much more if we knew you didn't mean it.  Sorry, but I don't have an easy answer to this one!

Of course, this is not an exclusive list.  If you'd like to add to or edit this list by leaving a comment, go for it. Finally, to the men out there who are doing their best to figure out the strange ways of women, I give you my thanks.

Today, I took all of my pent-up rage and went to the church.  I cleaned up and put away what I could, but I'm still waiting on my new room to be completely vacated. I'm much calmer now than I was two days ago. So, tomorrow, it's back to work and back to normal, and hopefully no worse.

I would give a real update, but it wouldn't be very positive, and probably too personal.  So, instead of being the downer on everybody's day, (a regular ol' Charlie Brown!) just know that I'm alive.  I'm alive, in spite of everything.  If I'm really as hated as I feel right now, then perhaps my whole purpose in life is to make sure that my family has someone to hate.  And, I intend to stay alive as long as possible if it will add to their misery.

Umm...have a good day?