Peanut Butter Jelly Time

My interview went well. Of the four members of the interview panel, I knew two of them. The exercise for the writing sample made me laugh. I put together a simple but easy instruction sheet based on the guidelines. We’ll see how it goes.

On other news, the weather is about to break and no matter what all the king’s horses and all the king’s men do, they won’t be able to put it back together. While this little taste of Spring has been nice, I can’t say that I’m sad that tomorrow night we’re back in the 20s. It is January. It is supposed to be cold.

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Mark of the Beast

Yesterday’s entry was number 666. I could feel the horns budding out of my forehead last night when I went to bed. Heh.

Tomorrow I have an interview with a local organization to discuss curriculum development. I’m a little freaked that it is a panel interivew and that I’ll have to provide a writing sample on the spot. I did some research today and found a newsletter from September on their website. In that newsletter I found a number of errors…simple things like missing words. I’m feeling a little better about that writing sample now.

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Good Foot

Today we had to clean the old house pretty quickly because we have two showings scheduled. I hope an empty house is a house that sells because a full house certainly did not.

While going back outside to get the mail (at the new house), I noticed someone taking a walk down the street. Calculating the distance he had to travel and I had to travel, I deduced that I would be at my mailbox while he was still passing our driveway. I went to the car instead and grabbed my sweatshirt and the fiddled around with whatever crap was in the front seat until I could tell he was too far away to want to speak to me. Ahhh, starting off right in the neighborhood. Disclaimer: totally changing plans to avoid speaking to new neighbors is one thing. Outright ignoring a wave by a new neighbor is another thing entirely.

I’m having a whole JohnBoy Walton moment right now. The laptop is set up in front of one of the dormer windows and I can completely check out what’s going on on the street. (Ok, I know JohnBoy didn’t look out at the street but he did sit in front of the window and write.) Some middle-aged dude just jogged by and has already returned but was walking this time-actually he just walked by again–who knows where he lives–maybe he doesn’t know either. He took a good long look at our house. I think we should put up a sign out front that says: “Yes, We Finally Moved In. Move Along. Nothing To See Here”.

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Boxes, Boxes Everywhere

All moved in save for a few tools and some items that need to find a home elsewhere. Sleeping in the new house wasn’t a problem since we were exhausted. We have no window treatments in the bedroom but as morning brought clouds we didn’t get up at the crack, thankfully.

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Starter Checks

Late yesterday afternoon the better-half and I went to the grocery store to get our weekly shopping done. The bonus portion of the trip occurred while we were checking out. The action took place in the line next to us. A woman tried to pay for her groceries with a starter check. The store, naturally, wouldn’t let her pay for the groceries with the starter check. Can you imagine! What kind of place is this that won’t accept a starter check? The horrors! The wailing. The gnashing of teeth. The rending of clothes. Whatever, lady, everyone knows starter checks are a really easy way to steal from the sucker businesses that accept those checks.

She told everyone within earshot that her account had $8,000 dollars in it and couldn’t they just call the bank? It is a local bank, after all. I think her credit card was denied as well. At that point, I would have meekly scampered out of the store faster than fast and hid my face in shame. But, oh, no. The wailing continued but the store did not budge. She finally left without her cart of groceries.

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We’re Movin’ On Up

Our appliances were delivered today and I’m feeling all shiny and new myself. The refrigerator has been festooned with our favorite magnets and a very nice watercolor from that up and coming artist, The Niece. I actually greeted the magnets as I pulled them out of their box. We’ve been separated for months now since the old house has been on the market and we’re living like Spartans over there.

Speaking of which, there will be no more living over there as of Monday. I’m sad to say adios to the old house but more than ready to move into the new one.

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Winterize Now

The other day the better-half and I were out and about and I noticed the marquee at the local Jiffy Lube had these words of wisdom for us all: “Time to Winterize Your Colon”.

Indeed. Winterize Now.

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Lights and More Lights

We’re in the market for a slew of new lights for the new house. We replaced the ugly porch light yesterday and it rocks. It is a simple drop lantern from Home Depot.

The big problem light is the one in the foyer. I don’t have a good picture of how horrific the light really is but everyone who has been in the house has either done a double-take or has just said “that’s fugly”.

See for yourself:

We haven’t been able to find anything we like at Home Depot and decided to look elsewhere. I’ve looked through a few catalogs and the better-half has been browsing a local lighting store’s web page today. Here’s a look-see at the very attractive option he emailed me:

Wouldn’t it be a hoot to exchange a fugly light for an even fuglier light? Ok, if it were free and it took no effort.

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Swirling Around in My Head

2005 hasn’t really started off with a bang for me yet. I think I’m still trying to get over 2004. The better-half and I recently had a conversation about the feeling of “whew, thank god that year is over and done with” that we seem to always have at the end of December. We didn’t come to any conclusions about whether the years recently have just sucked or if we just feel all wrung out by the end of each year that we feel a little pessimistic.

Every New Year’s Eve we talk about what was good about the year and what was pretty bad. I think, unfortunately, the bad outweighed the good in 2004. Even while having the conversation I think we felt a little troubled about being able to come up with so much that was wrong. I guess that’s human nature.

To get the whining over with:
Work was a joke last year. I have an interview set up to discuss curriculum development for a large organization in the area so this year could reverse that joke.
Family dynamics didn’t really improve this year. There’s always this year to work on that.
My grandmother’s health has failed. She’s my last living grandparent and I’m sad.

At least the sun is finally out again and pizza is on the menu for lunch. Life has a way of looking up.

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What Else Is There To Say?

I purposely haven’t commented on the tsunami because what could I possibly say about it to adequately express the horror? The one thing I will say is that we should all do something to help those in need. Personally, we picked Americares.

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