Journal: Sep 08, 2010
Past Entries: December 2003
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
...is after Christmas and before I go back to work (two weeks off this year -- I had no time off last year). I found myself singing holiday tunes with new lyrics:
Christmas is over
the goose has gotten et
please to put the wrapping in an old brown bag
if you haven't got a brown bag, a trash can'll do
if you haven't got a trash can, give to OSUNow let's hope it doesn't snow on weekdays this year! :-)
We spent a whole lot of time during the week visiting my parents and James' family sitting in traffic. My brother asked us what the difference between here and there was in terms of traffic. James said it defied description. I said their traffic was exactly twice as bad. Where we have two, three, and four lanes, they have four to eight lanes. Where we have a two-hour rush hour, they have a four-hour rush hour. Whenever I think it's be nice to live there I think about what a waste of time it all is and how much more of my life would be spent in the car. Sure I like NPR, but I hate having to hear the same report twice because I've been in the car through the entire production and am now listening to the repeat performance.
Previously we'd discussed the cost of living differences and decided that everything was about the same except housing (which is astronomically different). I now would add the expense of traffic. (I have also since found out that child care is about 20 to 30% more there too.)
I have found out how good CoSi is. It's a science museum for kids. Up till now I've been thinking my daughter is too young...and for many, many things that's true. But here's a great place to take them when we (or rather I) need to get out of the house and we (or rather they) need to run around like the little hobgoblins they are and let off steam. This is partly because about a third of the second floor is devoted to a play area designed for the five-and-under crowd. For once I found myself saying to Andy, "Go ahead and climb." Although I paid the regular admission fee when we arrived, I purchased the family membership before we left three hours later (minus the amount I'd already paid that day). They even gave us a discount because of my husband, a professor, qualifies as a teacher. Here's a quote for the picture. After using a pulley to raise a heavy ball the descent of which made other balls go soaring, Carrie said:
"I did it! I really did it!"
Monday, December 29, 2003
I remember the three hour trip to the beach used to seem like an eternity. What must our two think of the trip to Grandma Joan's? They did pretty well on a car trip that takes 7 and a half hours without children. The last time we did it with them, it took 12 hours. We're down to 8 and a half hours. Many have recommended a DVD player for the car and I'm a little surprised James hasn't bought one. But we toughed it out with only a newly-purchased gameboy. (They only make one game for four-year-olds that we found, Dora the explorer, luckily a favorite. It's a basic run and jump and collect golden coins and stars.)
Who said boredom is good for the imagination?
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Andy has latched onto cookie (ko-key) as a favorite word. I guess he figures if he gets a cookie only a small percentage of the times he asks for a cookie, he's going to have plenty of cookies. I'm betting this might ratchet him up above the 5th percentile in weight. (He's hovered at the low end of the weight charts since shortly after his average-weight birth.)
Friday, December 19, 2003
Here's a little page I set up to showcase the Arnie Jacobson stools we might be selling to someone in the UK. They are good looking stools. Kind of simple, but elegant. [ Here's the hidden page ]
Thursday, December 18, 2003
I went out to lunch today, so no poem. Should I start making inflamatory comments here? I just can't get over the fact that my mom knows about this site. (Even mentioning my Atheism the other day is borderline, because it is not something I do much with my mom around anymore -- we've founght those battles enough.)
I wonder how many people aren't believers? Anecdotal evidence suggests there are lots of them. I felt differently working in corporate America. It felt like I was surrounded by the born-again and that religious people were in such an extreme majority that other points of view were treated as irrelevant and annoying. Working in academia is much different. It harbors libertarians, born-agains, and atheists alike. The classes here exist, but they're based on education and job title (don't get caught with the word secretary in your title, that's for sure).
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
"Divorce rates among conservative Christians were much higher than for other faith groups." ...and other interesting divorce statistics are listed on this site. Catholics, Atheists, and Northeasterners were among those who have the best (that is to say, lowest) divorce rates. So what is the rate for Atheists who were raised Catholic in the Northeast? (or borderline NE). I think James is stuck with me and I him.
Monday, December 15, 2003
I hate taking sick time and yet here I've taken almost a day a month since I started at CULS last July. I loathe it, feeling like a truant and a slacker even if I'm having trouble staying conscious. I guess this is partly because I never used to get sick. When Carrie was born, I was able to take off 12 weeks using only sick and vacation and had no unpaid days. When Andy was born, I had about 7 weeks of sick and vacation. They say being exposed to sickness at day care and through siblings is good for a developing immune system. Let's cling to that thought, shall we?
Friday, December 12, 2003
Flu Outbreak Hits All 50 States. And we have a 100% participation rate. It started with Andy (whom we've nicknamed "vector," 'cause he is one all by himself), then James. Yesterday it hit me so hard I could barely drive home from work. I got home to James who was tending both sick Carrie and sick Andy. Everyone but James slept and slept. James came by every hour to make each of us drink water. I feel very sick still, but not feverish. I have the same funky stomach that I remember so well from pregnancy. It's given me a renewed commitment to no more prenancies.
Would you believe three of four of us got flu shots? (I'm the delinquent.)
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
I've decided to start posting a link to the daily poems here -- as my friends often say, "What could go wrong?"* Today's poem is...
*I know what could go wrong -- I've turned into a sucky poet who can't write a compelling piece to save her life and everyone will know it. I will receive polite silence and continue in my delusional way because, dammit, it makes me feel good -- and isn't that what's life is all about (says the solipsist). Where are those laurels I used to rest on? They were around here somewhere.
A few killed everyday. I don't remember any of Vietnam. We get inured. Maybe that's why I don't remember Vietnam. It was constant? I was very young. Maybe I was just shielded.
I used to feel like I was the only person awake at 4:00 am. But now I know there are a gazillion people out there, dozing in front of tvs, surfing the net (the insomniac's little helper), holding babies, crying, gnashing teeth, trying to study, trying to wake someone up so they won't be alone, etc.
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
Andy has been sick since James took him and Carrie and himself to get flu shots last Thursday. As I went to pick up Carrie at school yesterday one girl (in Andy's class) was leaving with an authorized neighbor -- BOTH of her parents were too sick to come get her. The version he has comes, then goes, then *psych* comes back again.
James has been doing the bulk of the nursing this time around (again). I got the weekend while he took care of ebay business. That was the not-so-sick time. It's times like these I really wish my mom lived here. (Maybe these are the times she's glad she doesn't. ;-) Brr, I got the chills now.
Is the media overhyping the flu season again? I won't say so this year.
Saturday, December 6, 2003
We got a new eMac today.
Since one of Carrie's first words was "ap" for "apple," we've been trying to coax Andy into saying this word too. We figure it is a good early word. Show him a red delicious? No words. Gala? No. Granny Smith? No. Bring home an eMac and this is what Andy says as soon as he sees it:
Apple.
Friday, December 5, 2003
The holidays are upon us. This year I'm collecting good holiday-related links. Example: Snow Globe. I have a couple others involving elves and ballistic weaponry. Somehow, maybe, I think I don't have the right spirit down this year. Really, all I want (that is -- all that I want beyond what I already have) is for Andy to sleep until 6:30 am. Oh, and a new Macintosh.
Thursday, December 4, 2003
It's easy to let the day's plans, times, obligations wash over any interesting thoughts. I find myself doing it all the time. I'm making a concerted effort not to do. But still, there I am think something like: "first I put together the stuff for the Alumni department, then I'll meet with Jessica about the images, then I'll go with the Paralegal group..." and poof the day is over. I even plan out my life a little like this.
I could be thinking interesting things like how clear everything looks in cold air and why don't colors seem very vibrant in the winter -- who knows, maybe even something more interesting then that.
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
The authorities aren't using that word, sniper, but we've had 11 freeway shootings and a shooting in a school that have been connected. The shootings didn't hit the news until after the 11th one, which caused the first related fatality. It took the police a while to put two and two together. (Or five and six and one, depending on how you look at it.) Apparently although the shootings were all close together, they were in different jurisdictions and nobody talks to each other. Area businesses have put up a reward. Hunters are avoiding the area. (Rifles and police helicopters cut down on the fun of camping with firearms.) The fatality is tragic and a waste. The perpetrator(s) seems pathetic and sad. And my words don't seem extreme enough for the situation.
Monday, December 1, 2003
What a nice long weekend. We didn't go anywhere and did nothing but hang out with each other (except for James who logged some thirfting and ebay time). We made cranberry bread and cranberry relish and had cranberry apple sauce. (Andy and I like cranberries. :-) We had a special meal on Thanksgiving day (i.e., we used the big plates), and Carrie taught us a song (see below). Christmas promises to be way more hectic. I think Carrie will love it -- hopefully the 10 cousins will too.