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docoflove1974

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  1. docoflove1974

    American Idiot

    By docoflove1974,

    I think most are aware of Habitat for Humanity, and if not then you probably know of a program like it. Essentially, those deserving folk who are down on their luck and need a place to live apply to have a dwelling built for them...with the catch that they must have certain qualifications, and they must put a certain number of hours in to the building of their home. It's a great program, one that's received a lot of warranted attention. So you probably can understand the outcry when you read an article like this one:
     
    Habitat for Humanity robbed...a second time
     
    Knowing San Francisco as I do, let me just say that the Bayview district isn't exactly the nicest in the jewel that is Baghdad-By-The-Bay. In fact, it's one of the worst districts in the city. Very high crime rate, gang activity, and the like...Candlestick Park, the home of the 49ers (NFL) and previous home to the Giants (MLB), is at the end, and it was always an adventure to drive through there before and after games. And while I certainly applaud the idea of trying to turn around urban blight and make a notorious neighborhood into a livable one, I still can't get out of my head the fact that HH thought it would be a good idea to pick the Bayview. Really? Somehow you didn't think that this would happen? And if not during construction, at the very least once the people move in?
     
    I seriously hope that these houses are also being outfitted with the latest burglary alarms, with maintenance and service free to the homeowners.
  2. docoflove1974
    Another local headline, another news item about education, but yet this one strikes me as almost humorous. It has been reported that parents in the East Bay are suing the state. Why, you may ask? Because the state has not addressed the "broken" way that the education system is funded in the state, and these parents (as well as several school districts in the state, who filed a prior lawsuit in May) want to force the Governor and the Legislature to change and amend this.
     
    So our society is so litigious that we now have to sue the state in order to initiate change? Quite comical, really.
     
    As I was growing up, I was instructed by my parents that the three areas of government that must be funded and given priority were: education, infrastructure, and the penal system. We must make sure that everyone is educated through high school (and, in my view, at least a bit beyond), we must make sure that the roads and canals and such all are in best working order, and we must make sure that the baddies are locked up and can't get out. Once those areas are addressed, then you go on to the other items. And I would argue that most people wouldn't mind a rise in taxes for any of those purposes *if* the money was well spent and done in an effective manner. I think that's still true. And while technically there are laws in place protecting the spending (or preventing of major cuts) with regard to education in this state, they are often either ignored--at least, it seems to me to be that way. Meanwhile, the Legislature hasn't passed a budget on-time and in-balance in so long, I don't honestly know when the last time was...I'm not being facitious, I really don't think it's been in my adult life. It's not a pretty site in Sacramento right now, nor anywhere else for that matter. And the people are fed up. Weak leadership plus a Legislature that feels like they can stall all they want (to hell with the people), well, it leads to this.
     
    Somehow I still expect the lawsuits will have no effect, that things will continue. Not that I'm a cynic...well, I am, but that's not the case here. I very much doubt that the Courts will find that they have jurisdiction to tell the Governor and the Legislature to get their heads out of their asses and fix anything. That would be legislating from the bench, something that the Courts are not allowed to do, and dare I say are not usually prone to doing. But will it lead to change regardless...I truly hope so.
  3. docoflove1974
    Well, one massive undertaking has been finished. I just went through all of the pictures I took in Rome. 3 days (well, 2 1/2 really), and over 500 pictures. Yikes. Ya think I was camera happy?
     
    In all honesty, I did a lot in those 3 days. And, yes, I do wish I had more time to truly explore the museums, the hidden gems and the real essence of the Eternal City, I know that I made the most of my time there. (And, yes, I'm jealous of my parents, who tomorrow return home after a full week in Rome. Hah!) And I think part of what was behind the taking of so many pictures was that I was amazed, awe struck, and floored by what I saw. As I wrote earlier, Rome holds a very soft spot in my heart. Actually, Rome isn't just a place for me; it's an archive of learning, pondering, and wonderment. My father instilled a love of history in me, and this love has been nurtured for my entire 35 years. While he enjoys more of the Renaissance historical aspect of Italy, for me it's the entire palate--if you don't understand and enjoy the ancient cultures and peoples, then you cannot hope to understand the importance and significance of both the Medieval and Renaissance histories of Italy, and by extension all of Europe.
     
    There is no question that walking through the Palantine and the Forum were breathtaking...literally. I caught myself sucking in air a couple of times, usually as I walked upon some place or a monument that I had only seen in books and on film...but here it was, right in front of me. There's a picture of me sitting on a brick element in Septimus Severus' baths--maybe it was originally a bench, but my gut tells me it was a wall--where I'm seen writing in my journal. I wanted that picture taken on purpose...yes I was writing in my journal, and I sat there for a good 10 minutes, trying to soak in what I could. I was sitting in an ancient palace, overlooking the Circus Maximus, on a glorious June morning, trying to get a sense of what life would have been like right there. What would one hear? What could one smell? Where would this corridor really take me? It was difficult, and yet it wasn't.
     
    Here's the link to the pictures; it's on PhotoBucket, which should be easy for everyone to see. Some of the pictures are pretty good--comments from my dad, not me--and others are more mundane. I wanted to capture what I could, so that I could remember what caught my eye. Sometimes it was just the brickwork on a building, or the cobblestones forming the street, which explains some of the pictures. Anyway, check them out at your leisure:
     
    Click here--Note that the sub-folders are on the left sidebar: Santa Maria Maggiore, Pantheon, Palantine Forum and Capitoline, and Vatican.
     
    Next up is the Tuscany pictures, which will take a considerable amount of time to do, as there are quite a bit more of those. I somewhat want to wait to get my tourbook back from my parents, since there were notes in there that I took to help me with the pictures. On the other hand, I can get started now I suppose. Or tomorrow. Whichever works.
  4. docoflove1974
    Yes, it's time to say...seeyas later. Yes, of course, I'm flying out here on the 24th, but I won't be back for sightseeing purposes for a while. The extremely small taste of this Eternal City has forever changed me...I'm in awe of the mix of modern, slightly modern, kinda old, really old, and ancient.
     
    Yesterday's giratina saw me start at the Pantheon. When outside, I marvelled at how it has stood up over time, especially compared to the Area Sacra--where my bus dropped me off. The Area Sacra, incidently, didn't feel very sacra...no tingle of amazement, no feeling that this was somehow an important place. But the Pantheon...well, that was impressive. Then I went inside...and it's been taken over by the Church, complete with frescoes and the burrials of two Italian kings and Rafaele himself. It's impressive, despite it's lack of Roman artifacts inside. The walls are definintively ancient, and you can sense that.
     
    Then onto the Vatican. I really only had time to enter St. Peter's and climb to the cuppola. Holy sh*t. I mean that in every way possible. The climb to the top is kinda harsh...the elevator only takes you half way up, and the rest of the way you have a very closed in, very windy staircase. But when you get to the top, you can see half of Rome...a-fricking-mazing. The way down...let's admit it, I have a fear of going down stairs, particularly windy, steep and small stairs. So, slowly, and with much praying and breathing reminders, I made it down, and into...St. Peter's. What an entry! I was truly in awe...yes, yes, it's the seat of not just a major religion, but the one I technically belong to, but this cynic couldn't help but be in awe. If you only have time for one, go to the Church. This is what I was told, and I gladly pass that advice along.
     
    Today, it's so-long to Rome, and onto Tuscany. No idea when I'll have a chance to log in again, but I'll find a way. Ciao!
  5. docoflove1974

    Morning sun

    By docoflove1974,

    Saturday morning, 6:40. The feline alarm clock is sounding...creeping up on me like those first few rays at dawn, and then full on. RARRARRARRARRARRARRARRARRARRAR You'd think her food bowl was empty. Oh, right, it is.
     
    Eh, I was due to be up at 7 anyway.
     
    I find myself at peace this morning. Quiet. Calm. I have some potential new clients to see this morning, a coffee date in the afternoon, and who knows what tonight. I have more work to do this weekend than I know what to do with, and while that's neither exciting or adventurous, I'd love to have it all finished by the time I give my first final on Monday. And that's not even counting the list of things that need to get done before I leave for the Motherland in less than 3 weeks.
     
    * * * * * * *
    Yesterday I found myself to be in a Robbie mood. Yes, it's true, the music of Mr. Williams long ago enchanted me, and for the most part I like the latest CD. I also find that when grading a bunch of stuff, I need to get in the mood, which usually entails some type of music that completely engulfs me in a beat that I can bop to, yet can work to. But yesterday, I dunno, I needed me some Robbie. Call me silly, or whatever else, but we all have our guilty pleasures. C'mon, you all need to admit it. Just own up to it. You'll feel better, I promise.
  6. docoflove1974
    I had a confirmation of an epiphany yesterday. It was a revelation of something that I deeply suspected, but had been afraid to act upon for some time, and in truth I should have just bucked up and taken the reins and confronted this truth.
     
    Ladies and gentlemen, I like salmon.
     
    Trust me, this is a shock. For years and years, the only way I liked salmon was as sashimi...since raw salmon didn't have that pungent olor that put me off. And I do love other types of fleshy fish...everything from orange roughy to cod to petrale sole, from tuna of all varieties to swordfish to halibut...love me some eel, skate...just about anything. Except salmon...I just consistently got turned off for years.
     
    Yesterday was my cat's birthday, and my present to her, so to speak, is to go to the fish monger and get her a couple of prawns. It's a birthday dinner that lasts a couple of days, and one which she really can't get enough of. I poach one prawn in a bit of water, cut it up in very small pieces, and serve her with the delicious dish. She eats a bit at first, and then lets it sit so she can savor it the rest of the evening. And she does...I woke up this morning, only to find that the once 3/4 full dish of shrimpy goodness was now empty.
     
    Of course, I'm not just going to buy two shrimp and call it a day...I usually get something for myself. Yesterday at the fish monger there was a huge variety of salmon: Wild Oregonian King Salmon; Australian King Salmon that, according to FishSource, is sustainably and responsibly raised; farmed Coho Salmon--just a start. So after a brief chat with the fish dude, I settled on a small Aussie King Salmon fillet. With a couple of other purchases done, I went home to show Bella her birthday gift, and to contemplate dinner preparation.
     
    My decision was to go basic and simple: drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped herbs from the garden. I wanted to be able to truly taste the fish, so I wanted something clean. I was going to put it on the gas grill outside, but seeing as how there was no more gas in the tank, well, I nixed that idea. So I settled on a quick pan sear on both sides, 2 minutes per side, and then a 5 minute rest. Squeeze of lemon after cooking.
     
    Um...wow...holy wowzer. This was good! What in the hell was I thinking before? Perfectly cooked--meaning barely cooked in the middle--and buttery. No off-putting flavor whatsoever. Amazing! It's still not going to replace my favorite--albacore and bluefin tuna steaks--but it's a damned good investment. Ok, I've been changed.
     
    Which leads me to wonder...were there years of crappy salmon in my past, or have my taste buds changed? What else needs to be crossed off the relatively short list of foods that I do not like?
     
    (By the way, tripe and most organ meats will continue to be on that list...I keep trying, and I can't stomach them.)
  7. docoflove1974
    Baseball season is back! Wheeeeeeeeeeee! The grand spring tradition is here! Hey now, I love all sports (and I don't consider golf, bowling, or race car driving to be sports; they're amusements), but baseball always seems to tug at my heart strings a bit more. My Giants are 4-0--an amazing feat for a couple of reasons. One, well, they are the only undefeated team left (162-0, baby!...oh, yeah, right). But more importantly, compared to last year's DISMAL start, this is positively amazing. I'm not saying we'll go all the way and win the World Series, but you never know. I'm just saying.
     
    This means, however, that the return of the absolute worst TV announcers in all of sports is here, too. Joe Buck is the son of one of the best in the business--
    . Joe doesn't have as much talent in sum as his father did in his pinky finger. And then there's Joe's analyst partner, Tim MacCarver, who is positively the most redundant, most unintelligent person behind the mic. He's never been good, ever; I've been listening to baseball since, well, before I was born, and I've never heard anyone worse than MacCarver. He's never improved his style, his commentary or his delivery...he still comes off as the catcher who's been run into a few too many times. Oh wait, he is. And yet Fox Sports puts them on the Game of the Week every Saturday...gah.  
    On the other hand...
    is back...hard as a Giants fan to appreciate ANYTHING from Dodger-land, but Vin might be the best ever. Oh, yeah, and we have our own Hall of Famer, Jon Miller, who is so incredibly smooth. Of the 'younger generation', he might be the best; there's no question why ESPN has tapped him for over 20 years as the voice of their nationally-broadcasted Sunday night games. There are some great radio and tv announcers all over--the Giants and the A's both have great teams (no, I'm not biased ), and I used to love listening to (he of the Hank Aaron, homerun #715 call, doncha know) when I lived in Austin. Oooooh, Bob Uecker...he's been underrated for years nationally; I think because so many beer ads and wrestling appearances, people forgot how great he is in calling a game. Joe Castiglione calls a beautiful game for the Red Sox. And lest you think that sons cannot follow the footsteps of their fathers in the world of broadcasting, let Marty and Thom Brennaman be a reminder of how good you can have it (although most Cubs fans don't agree). There's something magical about either listening to or watching a game, bringing back so many memories for me. 
    Memories like...being able to afford going to the game. I can't believe how damned expensive the tickets are. It used to be that the cheap seats might cost you $15, and max for the day you'd spend no more than $30. Um, yeah. Now the bleacher seats (which are no longer the cheap seats; those would be the nosebleeders) are $30 alone at AT&T Park, where the Giants call home. The train ride round trip from San Jos
  8. docoflove1974

    Mad world

    By docoflove1974,

    This little ash-burst in Iceland has got some people in paranoid moods of late. Oh, I don't mean those who are traveling--honestly, if I was one of them, I don't quite know what I would do, and as I see it they have every reason to be pulling their hair out. No, I'm referring to the enviro-tards who scream at anyone who even has the audacity to place their plastic cup in the regular trash, instead of bringing it home and put in the recycle bin. Some of the people who take up the same general space I do have been talking about how all this air pollution from the volcano will cause respiratory problems for the next several years. Really? I didn't think there were many respiratory problems now...but I could be wrong. Regardless, air particles will dissipate and be pushed on into the rest of the globe, and I don't really think the sky will fall. And even if it does, what the hell can we do about it? I say bring a lawn chair, prop it up, and watch the fun go by
     
    Then there was that one colleague who worried about my trip to Italy. She's afraid my flights are in jeopardy, that they will be canceled. In June. I was about to ask her how in the blue blazes that could happen, especially seeing as how things will be ironed out 2 months from now. Then I thought better of it. Look, I know that it'll take some time to get people sorted out, not to mention to get planes and crews sorted out. But I'm guessing in 7 weeks' time my SFO > Zurich flight will be just fine, thankyaveddymuch.
  9. docoflove1974
    The funny part about this blog is that I've meant it to be a writing exercise. I wanted to try and write something every day, or at the very least every other day, in order to not lose touch with that side of me. But the last few mornings, I haven't had much, and in fact I've been positively empty. Yet this morning I'm full...well, maybe not full...not quite even half full, but I do feel the need to write something today. It's kinda like being in an exercise routine, and then you have to take a couple of days off. And finally your body screams for some kind of aerobic movement. My brain woke me up 20 minutes early, ready to start with the creative eloquence that is The Language of Love. Now whether it's any good or not....
     
    I found a little surprise at the bottom of the Cheerios box yesterday. Let's be real, I have no children, so I don't buy one box of cereal simply because of the goodies that may or may not lie in the box, so I didn't notice at all that this particular package was supposed to have some sort of toy. So, having finished my box of healthy breakfast food, I noticed a small item at the bottom of the box...it was a race car, a cute, little, cheap plastic race car, meant to promote the upcoming NASCAR season. How cute, I thought. And then in comes Bella, strutting her feline stuff in her precocious way. She's curious as to what I have in my hand, after all it's plastic, and therefore must be approved by her. So, after putting on the labels (because it can't go fast without it's proper labels), I let her smell it. Immediately she takes to it, trying to face rub it and mark it as her own. I put it on the floor and shoot it across the room...immediately Bella's green eyes light up, her butt does the traditional "ooh I'm going to chase that!" wiggle, and off she goes, chasing after the little #3 car. She can't stop playing with it...it's plastic, it's small, it makes rattling sounds (I did mention the lack of quality, right?)...it's right up my cat's alley.
     
    First thing she starts to play with this morning? The black #3 car. She's got a new love
  10. docoflove1974

    Bitch is back

    By docoflove1974,

    On Saturday I went out on a first date with a gentleman. It wasn't an eventful date--in fact, it was positively boring and did not lead to an acceptance of a second date--but it brought to mind something I find completely useless. This person told me he never cusses, hates cussing, thinks it shows the denigration of our society...yet will use an "eff" to replace the proverbial f-word (aka "eff this, I'm gone). I'm sorry, isn't that the same thing?
     
    When I was a kid, my parents did everything they could to not allow us to swear. I would routinely get my mouth washed out with soap, my mother hoping that would deter me from saying bad words. It never did work. But the point is, we really couldn't say the 'alternatives'; there was no 'darn it', 'shoot', 'crap', 'heck' or any other seemingly milder alternatives. My parents figured that if we weren't allowed to say them, we wouldn't try and sneak in the real versions. Of course, they cussed--my father more than my mother, but even my grandmother was guilty of it--which meant to my brothers and I that we could, too...just that we had to sneak it in.
     
    As for me now, yes, I do cuss, but I make an effort not to do so in certain situations. Certainly when I'm first getting to know someone, I don't cuss around them; I rein it in. There's only one cuss word that will raise my hackles immediately; my upstairs neighbor Hank knows this, and will purposely 'avoid' it. Instead of saying this word, he'll say the phrase, "see you next Tuesday." (The phrase duplicates letters in whole or in part of that word, which, by the way, rhymes with 'punt'.) He rarely uses that term, and while I appreciate the fact that he won't say it around me, even when he uses the euphemistic phrase I don't really like it. Anything else is fair game to be used by me or around me...but in moderation, and in the appropriate situation. As my father preached, you can use that so-called f-word when you are in sudden and unexpected pain--think slamming your foot into the corner of a table leg--but even then, just holding in the word and just emitting a loud, painful cry is much better. He's right...yet he knows that he's the worst offender of this rule himself.
     
    The moral of the story: if you're going to cuss, then cuss (appropriately). If you are going to avoid cussing, then don't use the alternative and say you abhor cussing. No double standards, dammit.
  11. docoflove1974
    For the completely ignorant, there is a vote going on...well, later tonight...regarding the institutionalization of a type of national health care system. To put it mildly, it's a hotly debated topic. We Americans have a very strong sense of "I am my own person"--basically, we are a wee-bit leery of people, particularly big governments, telling us how to live our lives. And yet we also are concerned with the "common good," such that we really don't want our fellow Americans to suffer and we recognize that we need some sort of massive health care reform. When the vast majority of the citizens either have no health care, inadequate health care, or have to take on a second job just to pay for their health care, well, something's broken, that's for sure.
     
    I won't go into my beliefs per se on the topic; that's for another person's blog, not mine. But I'll share with you a statement, or perhaps a line of thinking, that I'm starting to hear every now and then. In fact, on now a handful of occasions I have overhead the following opinion regarding this topic:
     
    "Well, I get my information from my (senator/congressman), and I trust his/her opinion. They know what they're doing."
     
    My problem is this: we have a representative-based republic. This means that our legislators (one could even say all of our politicians) listen to their constituents (aka us), use the information that they have on hand, and lead accordingly. We should not be getting our opinions from them, rather they should be getting their opinions (in part or in whole) from us.
     
    This really bothers me. We're teaching our young voters and soon-to-be voters a lesson in laziness, non-participation, and general ignorance. While I may not agree with someone's opinion, I respect the fact that they have an opinion--hopefully it's an informed one, but at the very least they have considered more than one side of a given topic, reflected upon how said topic would impact their lives, and believe accordingly. To suggest that it's okay to let others rule simply because you couldn't be arsed to learn something leads to more and more idleness. To put it mildly, it aggravates me to no end.
     
    While I may not agree with the opinions of some of my colleagues, I love the fact that many of them force their students to play devil's advocate, to argue both sides of an opinion, and to inform themselves. We've had parents and community members complain, saying that the professors are trying to indoctrinate the students to their (the professors') political views. The cases that I personally know of (which are many of the ones discussed) are not that way at all; the professors are simply trying to show the students how to think for themselves. I didn't realize that was such a dangerous concept.
  12. docoflove1974
    There once was a point in my life that I really didn't care about going out. Well, that's what I thought...in reality I was lonely, but also in denial about said lonliness, so as far as I was concerned, hitting the town with friends was no big deal. Sure, it's fun, but I wasn't concerned that I was missing out on the grandest of times.
     
    At the time, I was living in Austin, working on my degree and, frankly, not very happy. Oh, I loved the city, loved the university...just hated the state (sorry, all you Texans out there in UNRV world), and really wanted to move back to the West Coast. I knew that this NorCal chick didn't fit in the Lone Star State, with the small exception of the capital city...and, really, that wasn't making my life any happier. So, as a result, I was slightly depressed...not enough to truly be sitting at home, sad sack and all, crying into my beer. I just preferred to stay home much of the time, and trapse out into the night life when I could financially do it and when my heart desired it. Oh, I wasn't anti-social; many times I was spending time with friends on the weekends, or we were watching movies at home. But to say that I saw a new movie every week, imbibed various types of swill other potent potables, danced the night away, and all that, well, I didn't feel the need on a constant basis. Sure, every now and then I'd go let my hair down like that, but I never felt the need to. I had a comfy couch, most everything that I wanted at home, so why not stay in?
     
    I lived like that for a long time--even after I moved back home to the Bay Area. The difference was, back home I was doing it because I was either broke or because I had so much work to get done, that the little free time I had was spent on the couch, relaxing. Go out? Are you mad? I just spent the last 2 weeks slaving on that chapter. I'm pooped...wiped out...my butt's on that couch, and I'm enjoying that baseball game, dammit. My parents understood--they saw how hard I worked, and how it was draining me--but at times my brothers didn't. "Why don't you go out for the evening...go see what the world looks like? Why do you have to stay at home?" Um, well, because I'm exhausted, mentally and to a lesser extent physically, I really just want to curl up with my cat, pop in a movie or tune into a game, and just relax. No thinkiing, no talking, no nothing. Just...peace.
     
    I finally got to the point that I could go out every now and then, but to be honest I still couldn't afford it. Ok, so I didn't hit the bars and such, but I hung out with the neighbors, joined a dating site in order to meet some eligible bachelors. And I did...one, in fact, was exclusively mine for 7 months. But it was more than just the dating that I enjoyed; for the first time in a while, I actually had time to be a member of society. I was being social! Going to museums! Spending time in the park--ok, so I brought work along with me, but so what. Going to the beach for the day! The past year has been this way: work hard during the week, spend at least one day of the weekend in some public place, but still getting work done throughout the week.
     
    Recently a friend of mine accused me of being a workaholic. Hah. A workaholic purposely puts themselves into situations that they *have* to work--they make excuses, whine that they're miserable, and then work some more. They could, in theory, take time off, but they convince themselves that they're needed and wanted. They also financially are able to take time off...they just choose not to. Nope, not me. I can't afford to take much time off. If I don't work, then I don't pay the bills, it's that simple. Sure, I wish I could take more time off, travel more. But the fact that I've got these little things like gas bills, phone bills, student loan payments, rent payments, and the like, added to the fact that I don't have a full-time job, well, that pretty much puts a wrinkle into things. Besides, there's one more element: I truly love what I do. I have 2-3 classes at one campus--a campus that has enchanted me with its students, its staff, its faculty, and its environment. I openly enjoy teaching there. I've now started up private group courses with another group of people that I've come to enjoy immensely, and it has gotten me to think about other projects that I want to do in the future. I'm always looking for full-time positions that are interesting to me. Basically, if I'm a workaholic, it's because I have the energy and the stamina to do it...and because I love what I do. Is that so wrong?
     
    And let's face it...I spend my free time watching movies, gardening, hanging out with friends. It's just that I don't have as much free time as most do. Academia is not for the lazy, and it's everything that you make it to be. I wish I had more time to research--as of now, it's relegated to the summers, and maybe during spring break. I wish I could take these amazing trips every year to far off places, or do whatever comes to mind. But I can't, and that's just the way it is right now. But, to be honest, it's not like my life was ever full of that. Some of us just don't swing that way.
     
    But every night, I still try to take over the world And in June, Italy will be next! A ha!
  13. docoflove1974
    Well, I guess I should explain my absence and lack of participation. To say the least, I've been a very busy doc.
     
    It breaks down like this: I've been doing more, although I haven't exactly been paid any more, but with the added responsability comes recognition and, hopefully, something more permanent. There were late classes thrown at me, various curriculum and planning duties. I do love it...I'm back to teaching an intro to linguistics class, which I haven't taught in over 10 years, along with my usual 2 Spanish courses at my main emplolyer. (This course is taught at a local charter high school, which has two AmeriCorps or something volunteers...basically, they're like Teaching Assistants, but I can't have them grade anything. But copying and stuff...it's all theirs...I mean, whoa. This is so hella cool! A girl could get used to this!)
     
    I've also been recruiting potential clients for 4 different private courses, with more to come. It's amazing how this business is taking off, so much so that soon I may have to 'legitimize' it in the eyes of the government. Really, I'm quite amazed. I'm not suggesting that I've become a total small business owner, or anything, but pretty soon this is gonna take off, if I'm not careful.
     
    Oh, and then there's the private life. Because my weekends are now filled with family, friends, and one loved one in particular, I'm working dilligntly during the week. In short, the free time I used to have farting around, well, just doesn't happen much anymore. Much less time is being devoted to all things InterWeb...sad, but true. My games are being neglected, my online toga parties are not being attended to...basically, I'm back to being a fun girl in the real word, but not so much in the virtual world.
     
    But don't dispare, my UNRV friends...I'm still here. I'll always be here. Just be patient with me, please.
  14. docoflove1974
    Thanks to last year's baseball excursion, I had a $300 voucher to fly anywhere in the continental US on American Airlines, and decided a while back to use it to go down to San Antonio and Austin. Outside of a trip back here 2 years ago to defend the dissertation--when I was so focused on that one element that I didn't do anything else--I haven't been back since I left 4 years ago. There are a lot of people here that I came to care about, and I wanted to visit them. And, well, Austin is an outstanding city that I fell in love with--just that I don't really care for the rest of the state.
     
    Anyway, I've been back here for a few days now. Had a great visit with Roc
  15. docoflove1974
    What is it about relationships that are so amazing, yet so unpredictable? I mean, you date for years and years...you make some connections, but nothing that sweeps you off your feet for the majority of the time. You put yourself into periods of drought...and then you meet someone who seems to understand you so completely, so quickly...well, things just seem to fall into place.
    _________________________________________________________________________
     
    My brother Matt proposed to his lady, and she did accept...that was the news of last week. In a way, I think we all kinda knew it would happen. Sure the relationship went a little fast, but it just was meant to be. That, and this sort of thing runs in my family; from the day my parents met to the day they were married was not even 11 months. Ok, it'll be longer than that for Matt and Jessica--they're planning the wedding to be in September of 2010--but they only started seeing each other like 9 months ago, and moved in together a few months ago. And she's an awesome chica; very bubbly, warm, open, kind. I'm really happy that she's going to be my sister-in-law.
    __________________________________________________________________________
     
    My brother Mark, who is notorious for his lack of passion for life and lack of want for a commitment in any realm, is also seeing someone. Sarah (good name!) is an opera singer, who he met through a friend. Things have been going well, evidently...Mark's only thoughts are that, hey, he likes being around her, and she's not needy...just really down to earth and a good person. There's hope, I tells ya.
    __________________________________________________________________________
     
    And me? Well, yes, there's someone new in my life, someone who has very possibly stolen my heart. No real details here, but suffice it to say that my world is definitively rosier when he's around, both instinctually and intellectually. I'm getting ready to go off for 6 days to Texas to see a couple of my best friends, and while I'm quite excited to go, there's a part of me that would love to stay around. Eh, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that. Besides, I think I need a bit of away time...my head's been spinning and my heart racing for the last few days.
  16. docoflove1974

    Summertime

    By docoflove1974,

    Whew. I made it! Well, ok, it's not quite done yet; next week is finals week, and I still have plenty of work to do before I leave for San Antonio and Austin on 4 June, but one class is completely closed for the spring, and the other two will be shortly. I'm telling you, I didn't think I would get so slammed with work.
     
    Just a couple of random musings:
     

    [*]MSNBC is reporting something that I've heard rumors about in some of the publications I get, that more and more 'traditional' 4-year universities are starting to offer Bachelors' degrees in 3 years. It's a cost-cutting move--shave a year off of your education, and it's that much debt that you (or your parents) don't have to incur. This is also coming at a time when many community colleges (which offer Associates' degrees that traditionally take 2 years to complete--the colleges I've been teaching at are of this model) are teaming up with 4-year universities to offer these Bachelors' degrees on the community college campus; Ca
  17. docoflove1974

    Panic

    By docoflove1974,

    Don't you love it when you hear a song that you love, and it happens to fit your life in some way or another?
     
    I was driving to work this afternoon when that lovely Smiths song came on. The funny thing about the Smiths (and Morrissey) is that I never am totally sure what the title of the song is, but I always end up singing the damned thing. Very good songs, very catchy...and very silly.
     
    "Panic on the streets of London
    Panic on the streets of Birmingham
    I wonder to myself
    Could life ever be sane again ?
    The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
    I wonder to myself
    Hopes may rise on the Grasmere
    But Honey Pie, you're not safe here
    So you run down
    To the safety of the town
    But there's Panic on the streets of Carlisle
    Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
    I wonder to myself
     
    Burn down the disco
    Hang the blessed DJ
    Because the music that they constantly play
    IT SAYS NOTHING TO ME ABOUT MY LIFE
    Hang the blessed DJ
    Because the music they constantly play"
     
    So...we have a virus which is killing people off...and making most others just sick. How is this different than every other winter where we have a particularly nasty strain of influenza?
     
    The 'powers that be' are asking us to really push early registration for our students. They'll be making their decisions earlier about which classes will be closed for Fall Semester...and doing this in June. So we instructor types are panicking (legitimately, I think), because if we don't get students to enroll early, the class could be cancelled. For full-time faculty, that means you have to make up those units somehow--use extra units you've banked, teach more in the Spring, take a class from a part-time instructor. For us part-timers...yep, you guessed it. Loss of income...no chance to make that up. Right now I'm praying that my 2 courses fill up soon...I cannot afford to lose even one of them.
     
    Many of my (middle-aged) students are panicking at the financial situation...particularly that they were in school to switch careers, and now aren't sure if they'll have the opportunity to make that switch. Will there be a job for them when they finish? I'm thinking to myself: I have friends who are finishing up their doctorates who are thinking the same thing, let alone the millions of college grads who are now going through the same thought process.
     
    But honestly...what the hell are we going to be able to do about it??? Just live your life as best you can, take the opportunities as they line up before you...and plow on through. Generations upon generations of our ancestors have done the same thing; what makes you think you'll be any different?
     
    (But don't hang the DJ...he doesn't deserve it.)
  18. docoflove1974

    Blue Hawai'i

    By docoflove1974,

    On the island of Oahu there is so much to do, so much to see, but the one thing that is a must is to hike the Diamond Head Trail. Diamond Head is a crater from a volcano that blew many thousands of years ago, and is now by far one of the most spectacular views on the island. Sure, it's a bit rocky, and there are quite a few stairs (the US used it as a lookout in WWII), but once you get tot the top it's so worth it.
     
    Today is my first full day here, and I wanted to really start my vacation here. I remember doing this trail with my dad when I was last here in 1993, and couldn't stop gawking at the beauty. From various vantage points one can look over Hanauma Bay and other less-famous areas of this paradise. Once at the top, you can see half of the island. What a way to start my vacation!
     
    And now: to the beach for some sun and swim
  19. docoflove1974
    Hmmm...perhaps the title should be instead: Mai Tai Ville?
     
    Tomorrow morning I'm off for a 4+ day holiday to Honolulu...a long overdue return to that special place. Oh, sure, there are other areas in the Hawaiian Islands that I want to explore. Actually, to be perfectly honest, I want to see all of them. However, Dad's in Honolulu for 3 weeks, and I decided that I would join him.
     
    This trip marks the first big trip of 2009 for me...and it won't be the last. I know I'll be going to Austin and San Antonio in June to visit two of my best friends. I'll be in Philly right after Christmas for the MLA again, but might be able to swing a trip up to NYC after that...who knows (Neph, don't get your hopes up quite yet!). For once in my life, I can actually afford to go on these trips. Airfare is cheap ($450 for a RT ticket to HNL!!??), and I am making enough money to put in the bank, so that instead of working I can take some time off. True enough, I wanted to take a grander vacation this summer--I have a free ticket on American Airlines. and was going to use it to go to NYC for a few days in the summer before purchasing a ticket from there to either Spain or Italy--but since I don't have a teaching position lined up for the summer, well, there's no extra spending money. On the other hand, I get to see two close people in my life, and that's ok, too.
     
    So, I dropped Bella off at the borders' this afternoon and then got stuck into some cleaning. Sure, it doesn't sound glamorous, but there's something about coming home after a trip to a spotless (or close to it) dwelling. Thing is, once I finished, I really was looking for her...just to cuddle a bit, or play in the backyard. Nope, she's less than a mile away...I leave early in the morning, so I needed to be able to drop her off today. Anyway, I've been reading, cooking (gotta use up the last of the fresh veggies before I go away for a few days), and now I'm bored. I could read some more, but I've had just enough wine (hey, it was open...gotta drink it before it turns to vinegar), so the thought of reading isn't very appealing. I have 20 minutes until the Sharks play, so I'll watch that...but it won't be the same. I'm half missing Bella, half geeked up for this trip.
     
    I think it's the anticipation that kills ya. You want to get to your destination...you want to (in my case) hit the beach, go play in the warm water, and enjoy a well-earned vacation. But I have to wait. I've even checked in online and printed my boarding pass, and set up shuttle service from the airport to the hotel in Honolulu. I've already packed all that I can; the only thing left is my BlackBerry, the charger, and my toothbrush. I guess in theory I could work, but there's no way on God's Green Earth that I'm gonna look at work right now. I'm on vacation, dammit...that can sit and wait. I'd use saltier language, which is really what I'm thinking, but, well, I'm supposed to be chill. Relaxed.
     
    Hmmm...time to watch hockey That'll keep me entertained for a few hours.
     
    So, seeyas on the beach, everyone. Mai tais and pi
  20. docoflove1974
    Taking Bella to her yearly examinations is oh-so-much fun. Like many cats, she hates her carrier, hates car rides, and really hates the vet. Nevermind that her vet is very nice, gentle, and knows what she's doing. Nope, Bella will have none of it. She, um, always provides a fecal sample, shall we say? She's very clingy, and sheds all over the place. Nope, she's not a happy camper there.
     
    Due to a clerical error, Bella didn't get her annual vaccinations at her exam, so we scheduled them for this past Friday late in the afternoon. No worries...I got her in, they poked her, we went home. Routine so far. The normally nervous Nelly usually vomits a bit after, say in the 12-24 hours after the shots. When she didn't get sick on Friday night but did a bit on Saturday morning, I was concerned but only mildly so. After a couple of rounds and a 2 hour break, she seemed ok to leave, and I did...I had to meet up with friends for lunch.
     
    I came back in the afternoon, and as we were working together (well, I was working...she was on the bed resting), here comes another few rounds of upchucking. Oh fun. I was a bit more worried, but figured her body was still working things out.
     
    Then at 4ish she started to come down with a fever. I'm told. I mean, her ears were bright, deep pink and hot as hell. She wasn't moving much...a bit, but just wanted to sleep it off. I kept watch pretty closely, but she just slept. At 9ish the fever broke, and I figured the worst was over. In fact, she ate some last night and this morning, so I thought, ok, it's all done, she's fine now.
     
    Nope. This morning, after playing a bit and staring at the birdies outside, she started another round of puking. That's it...I hauled her into the vet again, and told them what all went down. "Oh, she's reacting to the vax, probably," the vet quipped...no worries. Some Benadryl and some cortisone for any inflammation and to calm her down, some kitty-Pepcid for her stomach. $65. Not bad.
     
    Oh, and you know they say that you're not really a parent until your kid pisses on you? Well, I must now be a real cat owner; Bella pooped on me in the vet's office. Yep, I've been christened.
     
    The rest of the day she's been comfortable. Not moving a ton, but every now and then. She's eating, but not vomiting...very good signs both. I get to go out tonight!
     
    Still...today hasn't been that great a day. Add to it that last night's storm blew in quick, and left us with a very cold, raw, blustery day (yet sunny...), Bella's had a worse day than I have; cat's hate the wind, even if they're snug and warm inside. But she's getting better, as is her day. Or so I keep telling her.
     
    (We won't tell her that she's going to the kennel in a couple of weeks while I go to Waikiki, right?)
  21. docoflove1974

    Under Pressure

    By docoflove1974,

    This week has been utterly brutal. Actually, the last few weeks have, and it wasn't until Thursday that it all came to a head.
     
    I teach an 8am class 3 days a week, on a campus that's 25 miles away. For us 'round here, well, that's not much of a commute, and I really don't view it as being far away. But an 8am class, that means I need to be on campus by 7:30 to get last minute stuff done, which means I have to leave the house no later than 6:45. Originally I thought I had to leave the house at 6:30, but the traffic hasn't been horrific, so I've been leaving later. But I was still waking up at 5:30, simply because I move about as fast in the morning as molasses on a frozen wintry day.
     
    Well, this wasn't working. It's very hard for me to fall asleep before 11:30 (and I really do prefer 12 or so) unless I'm either sick or exhausted. So I was really only getting 6 hours of sleep or less, and while this doesn't sound like a bad thing, with all the running around I was doing, I was getting very tired. Mt. Grading Pile was getting harder and harder to tackle simply because I was having less and less time during the day to get things done, and more and more meetings were being requested. It's great to be wanted and all, but this was getting ridiculous. To make matters worse, my weekends were being filled up with plans to meet up with family and friends; the time I usually take to leisurely grade and prep for the week was being compacted into the space of a few hours during my two days off. I was not a happy Sarah.
     
    When I'm stressed I do one of two things (and sometimes both): I either eat junk and processed foods, or I don't go into REM sleep and therefore wake up anything but refreshed. I can fall asleep, but don't seem to get a good night's sleep; I don't think I toss and turn, but who knows. Well, the last couple of weeks I've been doing the bad-sleep routine, and as a result would hit the snooze alarm 4 and 5 times before I could get myself to turn off the alarm...please, just 8 more minutes...please.... Monday-thru-Thursday I didn't wake up on time once...in fact, twice instead of hitting snooze, I accidentally turned the alarm off totally. Thankfully I caught it; once I only slept 15 minutes before Bella decided to wake me up for good, and the other time, while I slept an entire hour more, I had the time in my schedule to do so. As a result of waking up late all those days, I felt like the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz:" discombobulated. Nothing was working right, and because I was so tired I kept forgetting things, which is highly unlike me. Clearly this 5:30 crap isn't working. My body doesn't function at all.
     
    So, time for a change: Friday I decided I'd set the alarm for 6. Ok, 30 minutes doesn't sound like much, but if I don't have to leave the apartment before 6:45, well, I can get ready in 45 minutes. And it was a kind of magic! Friday I was refreshed...the day went better...and I didn't feel like falling down like a pile of bricks at the end of the day. (I would have done the once-usual of going out for dinner and go to a movie, but since I had eaten both breakfast and lunch 'out', well, it was time to stay home with a salad and my copy of "The Princess Bride.") So, the routine has been changed...and there's a weight that's been lifted from my shoulders.
  22. docoflove1974

    Wake the sun

    By docoflove1974,

    March is an amazing month here in Baghdad-By-The-Bay. The weather is either rainy (but not cold...55'F or so) or gloriously sunny. It seems like we're done with the rain for about a week, so I spent much of the mid-morning and early-afternoon outside. Bella was all too eager to join me, and was ecstatic to be outside again. I don't know who had more fun: her going all over the backyard as I cleaned up the debris from the neighborhood trees, or me playing with her. She took several naps in the sun while I read (more on the book below). After about 3 hours outside, she wanted in, so I obliged her. The rest of the day one or both doors were open, letting in the springtime air.
     
    I got quite a bit done outside. I wanted to fertilize the plants and prune the rosemary bush. I pulled a ton of weeds that had been growing wantonly between the brickwork. My landlord keeps saying he's going to come by with weed killer, and I know he means to. But I also know he's more than got his hands full with other duties. Besides, I told him the backyard was something I somewhat wanted to keep up, so he lets me do pretty much whatever I want. Nothing major, but general upkeep. The only thing I won't do is the bar; I'll clean up my own stuff, but if the boys can't take away their dirty pint glasses, well, tough shit. I ain't their mamma. My landlord has threatened to recycle/throw away their deserted glassware...and still no action. Hmmm, maybe he and I will talk about that.
     
    Overall this was a productive day. Along with the backyard gardening, I finally got to the 9-months' worth of paper shredding. I finished the survey that I'll send to my students, so that I can plan my private courses in the fall. I finished the biography on Marco Polo that my dad gave me (Laurence Bergreen's 2007 Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu), which I recommend very highly. It's under 400 pages, yet you get the feeling you've read a huge volume's worth of text on the great Venetian. I also did some general farting about--a luxury I was afforded having done most of the grading yesterday, and one which I haven't had in a few weeks.
     
    Dinner even tickled my creative bone: Cajun-Asian Fritto Misto. Say what? Basically, cubed yellow squash and chicken breast are quickly marinated in a milk, vinegar, and Tabasco batter, fried, and then sprinkled with more Tabasco and soy sauce. Outfrigginstanding. Dessert was taking platanillos (the very small banana-like fruit, yellow ones which are in between a plantain and a banana in the starchy scale) and fixing them the only way I like a banana: sauteed in butter and brown sugar, with rum. No ice cream...I don't want it in the house, or else I'll eat it...particularly when I get home from teaching.
     
    For tonight...Well, I should really start on what remains of the grading. That way, tomorrow is a domestic day, ending with the finishing of the grading and the creation of the last of this round of midterms. Then again, the Sharks are playing tonight...hmmmmm....
  23. docoflove1974
    Wheeeeeeeeeeee! Spamalot is coming to San Francisco!!! Oh how I've waited for this to happen! When Las Vegas got a hold of it, the deal was that the producers wouldn't show any version of it west of that happening light-tropolis, so that we would have to go to the desert and get bamboozled just to see our silly English knnnnnnnnnnigits. But no! I did not give in to temptation! (Mostly because Vegas doesn't do much for me.) And now I, like many others, have been richly rewarded--Spamalot will be at the Golden Gate Theater for 6 weeks!!!! Yippee!!!!! Maybe I should dress as Zoot, Just Zoot for the occasion, or her twin sister, Dingo. Or perhaps I'll turn my neighbor Hank into a newt...oh, he'll get better. But come hell or high water, I'm going to see Spamalot!
  24. docoflove1974
    Well, after more than 3 years of waiting, plus another year of paperwork SNAFUs, it's now official. I am both an Italian and an American, as are my brothers and my mom. I can proudly wear the red-white-and-blue and the tri-colori and not get ripped for it. I can go in the short line when travelling through European customs; I can stay in Italy and other EU countries for longer periods of time (watch out, European UNRV members!), and grant-funded trips to EU countries, from what I hear, will now be easier to obtain.
     
    So look out, world...there are 4 more Italians on the block! Really!
  25. docoflove1974

    Mr. Sandman

    By docoflove1974,

    Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's the return to waking up at the butt-crack of dawn after 5 days to the contrary, but today I'm beat. I can't seem to stay awake. When driving up to work this morning, I could feel my eyelids getting heavier and heavier. Once I pulled into the parking lot, I had an extra 20 minutes, so I took a quick nap in the car. It did me well for quite a while, but now I'm in office hours having the same problem. However, unlike earlier, I don't have time for a nap, as I leave for a meeting right after office hours, and then off to teach a private course.
     
    I purposely put some little candies in my lunchbag, knowing I'd probably need the extra energy; it hasn't done much. I can't drink caffinated beverages anymore, so no leaded coffee for me, or I'll get the shakes and heart palpitations something terrible. What I really need is a place to curl up for 20 minutes, but I don't know that it'll be possible. Maybe if my meeting doesn't go long I can catnap before class. Then again, it might be a while before that happens.
     
    There are some 50 of us part-time instructors in my division, and an incredibly small work office with three computer desks for us to use. Thankfully in the library there is an 'adjunct station' (our official title is 'adjunct instructor/professor'), and that's where I set up shop for office hours. Full use of a computer, printer and phone...a big desk to use...the only thing lacking is privacy. So when I need to talk to a student privately, I have to hope that one of the private study rooms is available; thankfully very few students come to office hours at all, let alone to ask private questions. But right now an office of my own would be wonderful; I could close the door, grab a pillow, and catch 40 winks. Or 5. Whichever I had time for.
     
    In the meantime, I get up and strech every 10 minutes or so; I've taken a short stroll around the desk. I might have to resort to doing jumping jacks in a minute, if I'm not careful. But I can feel the grains of sleep that Mr. Sandman is trying to pour over me, and this is one helluva battle I'm fighting. Maybe I can hold out...yes, I think I can...I...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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