I spent most of yesterday at school. After church, I came home, ate some Fruit Loops, changed, and went to school. I was there by 1:00pm. I graded, drank some coffee, graded, recorded, went to the bathroom, graded, drank some more coffee, organized papers, went to the bathroom again, graded, drank some more coffee, and recorded. I had to stop when the caffeine made the words on the papers jump around so I couldn’t read them. But I got a lot done. Stress levels should be lower now. Hopefully I won’t be so freaked out and forgetful this week.
I was at school physically, but in my mind I was in the garden – my Happy Place. Saturday I got some new trees planted. Both kinds are tropical, but are special varieties that can withstand Maryland winters. I’m so excited!
A Eucalyptus:
And one of two Windmill Palms:
Back in January, I got an email at school from an old schoolmate. She went to St. Paul’s in Concordia, MO for high school AND she went to Concordia College in Seward, though I didn’t see her much there because she was athletic and I was… well… not.
We knew her as Theressa or Bear. Four or six lifetimes later, Tress is living in the DC area. One of her co-workers has kids at my school. They came in high school, so I don’t know them. But through conversations with her co-worker, she went to the school website. And that’s where she saw me. We’ve been emailing and calling ever since, trying to get together.
Last night we finally met for beer. It was really fun to catch up. Tress has done some amazing things and lived all over the world since college. Her stories were really fun. She’s got mad skillz.
My story was kind of tame by comparison… I’ve lived in two places since college and really only done one job, if you don’t count working at “Gas -N- Stop” over the summer that one year.
Here we are… She looks exactly the same as I remember.
All week I have been so tired at the end of the school day. I think I might be having sympathy pregnancy fatigue with Beth or something. I’ve had events every night this week, so I come home, lie down for a short while, then go back out again. Last night I had no commitments. I came home from school, ate a bowl of Fruit Loops while watching a recorded episode of the Simpsons, turned the TV to some decorator show and turned it real low on the volume, and lay down on the couch. I think it was 6:00 when I fell asleep. It was 8:18 when I woke up. I spent an hour and a half stumbling groggily around my house, then went to bed.
If you asked me ten years ago what my idea of a great Friday night was, this wouldn’t have been it. But now? This rocks!
I’ve always had a terrible long-term memory. My limit seems to be about three years. If it happened more than three years ago, it’s either fuzzy or completely gone from my memory. But it’s an okay way to live. People tell you about these funny things you did and you have no recollection of it. You can write notes to yourself and not remember writing them. And there are tons of people you’ve simply always known because you have no memory of meeting them.
Lately, my short-term memory has been worse than usual. I have been trying to call a new dentist for several weeks now. I’ve tried sticky notes on my desk. I’ve tried notes in my shirt pocket. I don’t know why I can’t remember to do this.
I finally at least remembered to generate a list of dentists that take my insurance. I printed it out and marked my two top choices. And I’ve been carrying it back and forth from home to school ever since. It’s right at the top of the fashionable plastic grocery bag tote that I use. Why can’t I remember to make a stupid two minute phone call?
Maybe I’ll remember today…
I LOVE silent auctions. I always participate. But there is some kind of creeping insanity involved. If I’m not careful, I could end up spending $50 on a mug or something.
This week I got notice of the second annual on-line silent auction to support Martini Lutheran Preschool in Baltimore City. The online aution site is a pretty cool system. You can check the status any time. You can set the computer to bid for you (up to a maximum you determine). And if anyone over-bids you, you get an email notice. Check it out. If you want bid on anything, I can get it to you. LINK
There is an acupuncture session for auction that no one has bid on yet. I’m sorely tempted. I’ve always wanted to try acupuncture. I could get a $120 session for only $40! So if you see that get sold, I think you’ll know who bought it!
What I have bid on is a collection of Christian books because there’s a Joanne Marxhausen book included and I have two of hers already. They are easily my favorite theology books in publication. I have also gone through and bid on the kids art that hadn’t gotten bids yet. If I win them all, I’m going to need a bigger refrigerator.
This one is my favorite. It’s entitled “My Sister”
UPDATE: Motivated by Beth’s commment, I’ve attached her picture for comparison.
