I always find that the first day back at work/school after having a few days off is the absolute worst. Well, I took off 4 whole days (2 were my usual days off) in a row and had a nice time, albeit totally dysfunctional, with my mother. We went shopping and went to the casino one night ( I'm too anal to gamble properly and I always lose even tho I only play the slots) and went visited a couple of museums and saw Star Wars and then I had to go with the Q.G. ladies to lunch for my grandma's birthday. I needed another day off just to recover from that. Seriously, that is the last time I will go to lunch with them. I wouldn't have gone but it was my grandma's birthday lunch and I couldn't skip it. And I got a free thimble out of it:> I swear that when my children are in their late teens and early twenties that I will NOT be a clueless annoying person (read like my mother). And when I am a grandma I will not go out to lunch with my friends and run the poor waitstaff around asking for more bread sticks/bicuits/bread and more lemons and more water and more napkins and then tell them not to leave more money on the table b/c gratuity was already added to the check. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! So, yeah, I had a nice time. We went to the Museum of Sci. and Ind. which was fun but it was full of kids and I had to wait in line behind 20 of them so I could ride the tractor in the farm exhibit. And my mom wouldn't wait for me so I didn't get to harvest any soybeans. I got to take a picture of my iris, tho. And we saw the "Super Croc" that measured 40 feet long. And after we couldn't stand the little kids anymore we went to lunch at Berghoff's, a yummy German food restaurant, and I had chicken schnitzel and stewed tomatoes and some Berghoff's house lager. Very tasty. And then we went to the Art Institute and saw the Ansel Adams exhibit. I saw some gorgeous Georgia O'Keefe's and Impressionist paintings (too numerous to mention) and an amazing stained glass window by Chagall dedicated to the Mayor of Chicago in 1977. And I saw a painting by El Greco (can't remember the name--something rising virgin something. Don't tell Mrs. Minnich I forgot the name:>) and it was so unreal to see it in person. It was absolutely huge. Yars. Very fun indeed. We wanted to go to the Mag Mile and Navy Pier but it was chilly and windy and we decided to go in a couple of weeks when it the weather is nicer. I didn't want to sit on the ferris wheel for 20 minutes in the freezing cold. And then the next day we saw Star Wars and I rather enjoyed it. And Hayden Christiansen is a total hottie. He's probably, what, 18 years old or something? Anyway, I highly recommend seeing it. And now that my little vacation is over, it's back to work as usual. At least I get to give notice in a few weeks...

My goddess! It has been a while since I lat blogged. What a funny word. Anyway, so, the sh*t sort of hit the fan when the relatives came to crash at my house. Blarg, but I am not goint to get swept up in their total dysfunctionality. The 4 of them and my grandma have some crazy-assed dynamic and whatever. Everyone has this in their family b/c we all know that NO ONE has a so-called "normal" family. Hey, I am still convinced that I am adopted. That might be a little more believable if I didn't look so much like both of my parents. Yeah. And then I had a rather stressful week at work (when is it not stressful tho? I mean really, it's every day. I should just take it as a given) although my high school presentation on sex and preg. prevention and STDs went very well. No time for STD Bingo but it was still fun and I think the kids got something out of it. And a big salute to Substiture Teacher Angie for bravely going where none of us have gone before. A foray in to the high school atmosphere (AHHH! The atmosphere! AHHH!--does anyone remember this commercial for the Discovery Channel?) is weird and unsettling. It even smells the same. And the hallways are jam packed with kids. I always hated that. At least talking about sex makes them more inclined to pay attention. I just can't get over the fact that they are allowed to eat and drink in the classroom. And there are soda and vending machines in every hallway. As if kids didn't have a hard enough time with nutrition as it is. BAD soda machines in the high schools! BAD! And as if 4 years (or more for some of us ;>) of unhealthy eating in undergrad was not bad enough. And I'll tell you, having to teach teenagers about sex makes me not want to have kids myself b/c then they, too, will need "the talk" and why put myself thru that? Maybe I'll just adopt a 25 year-old kid who has already finished college. Hee hee. Maybe I will be a more sane version of Emily Dickinson with lots of dogs. Excuse me, I meant animal companions. You know Gwen, a comments option on here would be nice:> hint, hint, nudge wink:>

This.has.been.a.long.week.blah. Well, to be fair, the whole "no root canals for Kelly" thing was rather exciting and "Kelly is going to get her money from dog owner lady" was also quite good (she was true to her word and dropped off 2 months worth of payments) but the rest of the week and the weekend ahead is making my head spin. My mom opened her big mouth and told my grandma that I plan to move back to Lanc and so now she tries to talk me out of it every time I see her. Work absolutely sucks. And my mom's brother and sister are coming this weekend to see my mom and spend time with my grandma but didn't tell their other sister and the sh*t is going to hit the fan tomorrow morning when they show up at my grandma's house. Not going to be good. But! It will get better. I am going to get through this and move back to Lanc and get a new job and try to have a fun and more me kind of life. And by godess, I am going to take a pottery class if it kills me. Or maybe I will take another yoga class from the weird lady at Hempfield Rec. Or maybe I will join another quilt guild that has fun eccentric ladies whose racist attitudes don't interfere with their quilting and socializing. And then I can make more handmade gifts and send them to everyone at their half birthday;> I hope BANG is enjoying her D.V. workshop, it sounds very exciting and I can't wait to hear about it. And if I had any money left over after the bills are paid Alissa, I probably wouldn't know what to do with myself. Well, no, I got my hair cut for some ridiculous price but it was worth it, and anyway, all my left over money for 2 months paid for that. And the rest just stays in the bank so that I can pay the bills after I move. I wish I was spending it on something more exciting. To be fair, if my grandma didn't just give me quilting supplies, I'd probably spend money on getting my own 1/4" presser foot and a new ruler. And then there's fabric. I now understand why the Q.G. ladies like to help my grandma press and fold fabric b/c it's so much fun and it feels nice and you can fantasize about all the quilts you could make with it, etc. Oh god, I have turned into an old lady! EEEEEEEEEE!

HURRAH! No root canals for Kelly! Wheeeeeeee! My new dentist said she didn't even see a cavity. Yay! I cannot believe that I got so stressed out about this for 2 long weeks. No, actually, I'm not surprised b/c I operate under "Murohy's Law," and as we all know, anything that can go wrong will. So, the new dentist thinks that part of the problem is infected sinuses (so what else is new?) and she also thinks that I grind my teeth at night and wants to fit me for a mouth guard. She said that I am slowly grinding away my enamel and so the mouth guard will protect my teeth and prevent further sensitivity due to worn away enamel. I'm sure that part of it was psychosomatic b/c my teeth def. hurt less since I was told that I didn't need any root canals. I have decided to write a letter to the bad evil dentist's office to tell them what a horrible experience I had and that I will never go back nor will I refer anyone to them. I'd like to tell them I wouldn't even refer my worst enemy but that is a little over the top. And I went to court today (this week has been total hell, I'll tell you) and we managed to work out a payment schedule for the bills and court costs. I used Amanda's suggestion of a dollar a day. She had already filed for bankruptcy and if I waited to get paid until after that ordeal, it would take forever, so she promised to pay $30 a month until it's paid off. I told her that if she has any problems making a payment deadline to let me know so that I don't go back to court and file again for failure to pay. She seemed very sincere about making payments and it went very well. So, now that all of that is out of the way, I guess I'll be refocusing on the job search. Must get new job. Must get new job. Must get new job.

HURRAH! No root canals for Kelly! Wheeeeeeee! My new dentist said she didn't even see a cavity. Yay! I cannot believe that I got so stressed out about this for 2 long weeks. No, actually, I'm not surprised b/c I operate under "Murohy's Law," and as we all know, anything that can go wrong will. So, the new dentist thinks that part of the problem is infected sinuses (so what else is new?) and she also thinks that I grind my teeth at night and wants to fit me for a mouth guard. She said that I am slowly grinding away my enamel and so the mouth guard will protect my teeth and prevent further sensitivity due to worn away enamel. I'm sure that part of it was psychosomatic b/c my teeth def. hurt less since I was told that I didn't need any root canals. I have decided to write a letter to the bad evil dentist's office to tell them what a horrible experience I had and that I will never go back nor will I refer anyone to them. I'd like to tell them I wouldn't even refer my worst enemy but that is a little over the top. And I went to court today (this week has been total hell, I'll tell you) and we managed to work out a payment schedule for the bills and court costs. I used Amanda's suggestion of a dollar a day. She had already filed for bankruptcy and if I waited to get paid until after that ordeal, it would take forever, so she promised to pay $30 a month until it's paid off. I told her that if she has any problems making a payment deadline to let me know so that I don't go back to court and file again for failure to pay. She seemed very sincere about making payments and it went very well. So, now that all of that is out of the way, I guess I'll be refocusing on the job search. Must get new job. Must get new job. Must get new job.

Hello! Well, I have to say that I am totally excited for Alissa b/c she is currently "clicking" a lot and I am still busy enjoying not having to read a million articles on the differences b/w slave pottery in America vs. slave pottery in Jamaica and the meanings of the cosmological symbols inscribed on the bottoms. Although, to be fair, slave archaeology is very interesting but you can only look at so many slides of pottery sherds before you start to lose your mind. Whiteware and creamware look so much alike that you can hardly tell the difference. Anyway, the point of mentioning that is that I am very glad for Alissa who like to study and schlepp $100 worth of cookies to the presentation at the library. I am very excited that you and your chosen method of schooling and future career are "clicking." Now all I need to do is find mine. No rush. Still enjoying not shelling out a crap load of money on text books. Hell, I still haven't paid off my books from undergrad that I put on my credit card...sigh...So, going to new nice dentist tomorrow, I hope, and hopefully she will have better news for me and my checkbook. Please, please, please let it just be cavities! And then I get to go to work and work on my std and pregnancy presentation. Unfortunately, I think that we have decided that "STD Bingo" will have to wait for another occassion b/c we have so much material to cover that I am not sure we will have time to play. We even had funny multiple choice questions like a symptom of std's being hairy palms. Hee hee hee. Well, must run and W-A-L-K the dog (she knows the word so it must always be spelled) but before I go, a very Happy Birthday to BANG! and my beloved Shana (she's 49 in people years)! My mom says to tell your dad 'hello,' Alissa. And what is this about Harry Potter being postponed indefinitely?!?!?!?!?!? Gwen, use your insider edge to get us an advanced copy. Will let you know how it goes tomorrow a la dentista. Must whiz--byeeeee!

Definitely need a new job. Angie, I think you will find this amusing. I got a call from a patient today who wanted to tell me that her urine was yellow. I wanted to be like "EVERYBODY'S PEE IS YELLOW!" but that wouldn't have been very nice. So I told her to drink more water and stay away from excessive amounts of coffee, etc. I did get another raise, not much, but more than the last raise which is nice, but not nice enough to keep me there. I might have mentioned that already so forgive me if I am being redundant (sp?). So, lots and lots of ibuprofen has been keeping the tooth aches at bay but I am hoping to scootch my appt with new nice dentist to early next week. As long as it doesn't interfere with "STD BINGO"! That's right, I am going to play STD Bingo with a bunch of high school kiddies in about 10 days. We are going to vist some health classes and talk about std's and pregnancy and birth control and all that b/c according to the health teacher, every other girl is pregnant with her first or second kid. Scary. But anyway, STD BINGO! Very exciting! I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. In light of Angie and Alissa's recent adventures in scary Miami and slightly scary rafting falling out of the boat fiasvo, my life is really darned boring. I will say that I prefer boring to mysterious yeast infection creams found within a liter bottle of Coke. And I really don't relish the idea of falling out of a boat but I would love to try whitewater rafting. Can't be that much harder than crew practice in the pouring rain.