three cats in a one bedroom apartment

Tired of ads and a slow slow slow loading time?  Me, too.

So I'm moving.

http://runfaststandstill.wordpress.com/

enjoy. -j

I'm always pleased when I discover that I word I feel I've made up is actually in the dictionary.  I'm even more pleased when the dictionary shows that the word means what I want it to mean in its current context as a part of a sentence in my dissertation.

Tonight while typing away about the Little Golden Books, I wrote about their refusal to participate in "sociocultural conflicts."  And guess what?  The term "sociocultural" is a dictionary word.  Wooo!  

I'm feeling so smart.

Now if only I can convince the dictionary that "browness" is a perfectly acceptable word to use when discussing the aspects of middlebrow culture.  

Day One of 2007 and this year is already turning out to be the potential Year of Decisions.  Some decisions will be easier to make than other.  Which books to teach in the spring?  Easy.  What to do if I'm not offered a full time teaching position?  Hard.  So, for your new year entertainment, here is a list of the decisions I have already found out about and will have to figure out a brilliant conclusion for:

1.  To make room in my limited closet space, I have to decide what clothing will stay and what will go.

2.  When Dave and I marry (no date set yet), we want to go somewhere tropical for the honeymoon.  We've never been anywhere tropical, so there is another decision to make.

3.  Do I change the age on my profile since my birthday was yesterday and msn seems to not automatically update anymore?

4.  I found out that my close friend from high school is getting married (Missouri) on the same day that UF is holding its summer graduation ceremony (Florida).   Since I haven't worked all of the kinks out of my teleportation device, I don't know where to go or which event is more important.

5.  Do I tell my dad that his unwillingness to acknowledge that Dave exists is veering dangerously close to never actually seeing either of us or future grandchild again?  (I'm not pregnant.)

6.  When we run off and get hitched this year, should I register for gifts of some sort even though we aren't inviting anyone to the ceremony?  Even though we don't expect gifts, I don't know the protocal on this one.

-- And, in the number seven spot --

7.  Do I release the name of the wax that smells like chocolate?

Yes, yes, I do.  My very good friend is a waxing, hair cutting, massage giving professional, so she taught me the ins and outs of using GiGi Honee wax at home.  Recently, I discovered GiGi's Milk Chocolate Creme Wax with cocoa seed extract.  Apparently, aside from smelling wonderful, the extract acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.  Weee!

Teaching
No matter how many times we practice using MLA formatting for a "works cited" page, no matter how many examples I hand out, my students in freshman composition will still completely disregard all of the formating rules. They will hand me a Works Cited with numbered entries that is not in alphabetical order.

Moreover, a research paper that requires the integration of quotes will be turned in without a single quote on the page, even though we spent days and weeks practicing this technique.

Freshmen are so frustrating. I should just fail them all on their final essays and be done with it.

Grooming
The chocolate scented, aromatherapy friendly wax for the removal of hair is by far the best hair removal wax option. It's all yummy smelling and sensitive skin friendly.

Televisioning
Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special is even better than I remember.

Clothing
I didn't own any grown-up shoes until today. My mary janes and cute little black pumps with pink trim just don't look quite right with my brand spankin' new wearing-a-suit personae. But today, I marched myself down to MooShoes (the vegan shoe store) and bought a grown-up pair of black wedges. Those interviewers better darn well be impressed.

Exactly how many hoodies does one person need before she clearly owns too many hoddies? 

No really. 

Does owning too many hoodies somehow have the same connotation as owning too many cats?  Am I leaning dangerously close to becoming a Hoodie Lady?  Only having Dave in my life keeps me from becoming a crazy Cat Lady.

As part of my attempt to buy more "adult" clothing (in other words, clothing I could look semi-professional in) I declared that I would no longer buy any more hoodies.  No more.  I'm finished.  I don't care that hoodies are so useful with their attached hood that can be worn up over the head when a surprisingly cold wind sneaks up and I don't have a hat on me.  I don't care that the zipper down the front makes for easier climate control than a sweater which is either on or off, but never both at the same time.  Besides, I already own four.  (Oops, no, five.  The fifth one I don't wear all too often because the sleeves are a little short.)  I'm pretty sure my mom or sister is giving me a new hoodie for the holidays.


But.

For the last several months, I've been eyeing a screen print t-shirt with the word "Brooklyn" across the front and an outline of the parachute jump.  Ah, the old time-y parachute jump.  Then yesterday I saw (at the same store) a HOODIE in a light violet that had the SAME DESIGN screen printed on the back.  Light violet!  Same design!  Hoodie!  I don't own a light violet hoodie. 

Yet.