Odds and Ends

So I haven't written in a while... not much time, but what else is new? We are slowly continuing to make progress on the house. This weekend, Daniel cleaned the gutters... it is amazing what new uses we can find for our large shopvac - I will post pics later.

The shower floor has now been leveled and the framing is almost done - including an inset for bottles and shower stuff as well as a corner bench. It feels good to make progress of any kind.

This past week, Daniel and I spent some time doing things we enjoy: On Tuesday night, I skipped out on preparing for my Wednesday class so that we could go to the movies - it felt great to do something besides work and I still managed to get my stuff done for class.

Then Thursday night and Saturday night, we stayed up watching 2 discs of season 3 of 24... this meant close to 8 hours in front of the TV, but I don't feel bad... we rarely watch TV anymore so it was kind of a treat.

Thursday was the last day of a co-worker of mine. We celebrated by cooking chocolate chips pancakes on a griddle in the office for breakfast. Following this was lunch at a local bowling alley where I proved just how terrible I am at bowling (Wii and real life). It was a nice way to send someone off. Our creative director even got us matching bowling shirts with our names embroidered on it. I know that the person leaving will be missed, but from experience, sometimes you just have to move on... even if you love your co-workers and your job. Personally I think we are blessed to live in a time and place where it is ok to venture out and try new things.

What must dogs think of humans?

Today as I came home from running a multitude of errands, I saw a man walking his dog. Actually he wasn't walking the dog, he was waiting for the dog to finish its business. Then the man bent over and picked up the dogs business with a plastic bag...

I know that the man is being courteous to the neighbors, and I definitely appreciate when pet owner's do not leave their animals messes in my yard. But what must the dog think as it stands there waiting patiently for its owner?

Remodelling...

Well, we are back at it. Sort of. We are finally starting to make some progress on the master bathroom. I think the last time that we worked on it was when my parents were here in August.

This weekend the goal is to get the backer board installed in the shower and the cement for the custom shower tub poured (with the drain installed).

If all goes well this weekend, next weekend we will install the liner that will go over the concrete. Then we have a weekend off to take a gun safety class (this is Daniel's idea)... Then the following weekend I will be in Chicago... And then maybe the last weekend in April we will actually have the bathroom tiled...

Generally things RARELY turn out as planned, but that is the tentative schedule for the master bathroom renovation. I am ready for it to be done already. We will see if we are able to stick to this schedule or not.

My never-ending cold...

I feel like I have been in a perpetual state of being sick since mid-January. Most recently I thought I was just dealing with allergies, but I think I have a full-blown cold again which is so not fun. I am ready to be well and for the sneezing and watering and itching and coughing to stop for good.

Posters

Tonight my Intro To Design students turned in their latest project - posters. I had them choose from one of three topics: The Environment, Voting and Genocide in Darfur.

Their presentations all went really well. There are definitely some students that are rising to the top of the class with their creativity and natural eye for design.

The most interesting part of the presentations were the two men in my class who both created political posters. They were on opposite ends of the spectrum and there was some heated discussion as they both, passionately shared their opposing points of view.

Thankfully I was able reel everyone in and everything has settled back down - not that it was out of hand, just a little passionate. I like when people believe passionately in something... to me it means that they are still concerned about the world.

Dallas Casting Call

I am in Dallas, TX for the weekend for the Everyday Edisons Casting Call. It is really hot in Dallas (I think it reached 90 today) - wish I brought something to wear besides blue jeans.

This time our flight left at a reasonable hour which was nice. We made it to Texas with no hitches. Checked into the Magnolia hotel in downtown, made a lunch run to Schlotzsky's then went over to the Convention Center to get a tour and discuss what will be happening tomorrow.

Fun Fact 1: The Dallas Convention Center is 1.5 miles long and 0.5 miles wide. Thankfully our event will only be in one portion of the center.

Fun Fact 2: There is an unconfirmed rumor that WWF will also be at the Convention Center tomorrow... if true, that should be interesting.

After the touring the Convention Center, we headed back to the hotel. My roommate and I walked around the West End Market District. Tonight is dinner with the group and then probably an early bed time for me as we have to be up at 5 a.m. tomorrow.

Tomorrow night I will get to see Taryn and Troy which I am very excited about.

Quick Update: Dinner was great. Complimentary cookie and milk bar at the hotel was cool - dipping cookies in milk before bed rocks.

Bike Commute Log

Commute to Work:
43ºF when we left the house. 

Biked 1.5 miles to bus stop. 

Road Express bus into downtown. 

Biked 0.5 miles to work. 

30 min.
 

Commute Home:
70º+F 

6-ish miles to Cotswold where we stopped to eat dinner. 

Another 5-ish miles home. 

1.5+ hrs (longer because of the stop to eat dinner and split a blizzard at DQ).

Bike Commute Log

Did not bike commute today - too tired...

Bike Commute Log

Commute to Work:
32ºF when we left the house

12 miles

1+ hr
 

Commute Home:
60ºF

12 miles 1 hr
 

Exhausted when I got home - perhaps due to lack of any kind of exercise in the last 6 weeks. Went straight to bed after eating dinner and a shower.

Prepping For Monday Morning Bike Commute

We have spent the last hour getting me ready for my first bike commute. I am a little nervous as it is supposed to be 32ºF in the morning. Not excited about the cold, but I am excited to exercising again and this is a good way to get to spend some extra time with Daniel. Hopefully all will go well.

Relaxing Weekend Getaway

Daniel and i just got back from a weekend getaway to Boone, NC. This was definitely a much needed break for me. This upcoming week is spring break for the college I teach at so I did not have to spend my weekend prepping for classes. Also I just needed a break from it all so we went to Boone to be lazy. As a bonus we got snow while we were there - probably the only snow we will see this year.

The Addy Awards

If you don't know what the Addys are, here is a brief description...

The World's Largest Advertising Competition
With over 60,000 entries annually, the ADDY® Awards are the world's largest and arguably toughest advertising competition. The ADDY® Awards represent the true spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising from media of all types, creative by all sizes and entrants of all levels from anywhere in the world. The American Advertising Federation, a not-for-profit industry association conducts the ADDY® Awards through its 200 member advertising clubs and 15 districts. It is the only creative awards program administered by the advertising industry for the industry.

Last night I attended the Charlotte chapter of the aforementioned Addy Awards. Our company won 3 gold and 9 silver addys. It was a fun evening of good company, entertainment, food and of course awards. I am looking forward to attending more of these in the future...

Withdraw

On Monday I had to withdraw one of my students who had missed 7 days of class. According to the head of the department, whether or not she had excuses, 7 days equaled a withdrawal.

She had also missed several assignments and a test and never got around to buying a text book - I had been nice and let her use mine from time to time.

So I filled out the paperwork and then she showed up to class. I felt bad having to tell her that I had withdrawn her from my class, but not too bad since she had made little effort so far this semester. I told her that if she had any questions that she could take it up with the head of the department.

The X Game

Since I don't generally forward emails, I am posting my response to this in the form of a note...

Hit forward and place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not, and send it to your friends (including me). This is for your entire life!

( ) Gone on a blind date

(X) Skipped school (to go to Bobby's for breakfast... many times)

( ) Watched someone die

(X) Been to Canada

(X) Been to Mexico

(X) Been to Florida

(X) Been on a plane

(X) Been lost

(X) Been on the opposite side of the country (drove thru) 

(X) Gone to Washington, DC

(X) Swam in the ocean

(X) Cried yourself to sleep

(X) Played cops and robber

( ) Recently colored with crayons

( ) Sang Karaoke

(X) Paid for a meal with coins only?

(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?

(X) Made prank phone calls

(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose

(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue

(X) Danced in the rain

(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus

(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe

(X) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about

(X) Blown bubbles

(X) Gone ice-skating

(X) Been skinny dipping outdoors

(X) Gone to the movies

Part II
1. Any nickname? C, Shrum when I was little
 

2. Mother's name? Lois
 

3. Favorite drink? Dr. Pepper or most coffee drinks (Mr. Blonde)
 

4. Tattoo? no
 

5. Body Piercing's: 3 in my ears - but don't generally wear earings
 

6. How much do you love your job? I FINALLY have the job(s) that I love. I just work way too much now...
 

7. Birthplace? I was born in Conway, AR... but until I was about 10 I thought I had been born in Hong Kong... this may have to do with the fact that I remember visiting Hong Kong as a child and since I only lived in Conway for the first 3 months of my life, it didn't really stick...
 

8. Favorite vacation spot? We go to Hilton Head and the Outer Banks once a year. Beyond that I love to go to new places (preferably overseas)
 

9. Ever been to Africa ? NO, but someday...
 

10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Not cookies, but I have had a blizzard from DQ for dinner on several different occasions...
 

11. Ever been on TV? Nope and that is ok with me.
 

12. Ever steal any traffic sign? nope
 

13. Ever been in a car accident? never... adendum... I got hit by a car when I was 10, does that count?
 

14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4
 

15. Favorite salad dressing? a very small amount of ranch is good for me
 

16. Favorite pie? Pumpkin or Pecan
 

17. Favorite number? don't have one
 

18. Favorite movie? Anything with Audrey Hepburn or Cary Grant
 

19. Favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS
 

20. Favorite dessert? Pistachio cake
 

21. Favorite food? Breakfast
 

22. Favorite day of the week? The weekend
 

23. Favorite brand of body wash? dove soap - don't use body wash
 

24. Favorite smell? Mom's cooking
 

25. What do you do to relax? take a bath if I need to wind down after work. If I have time, hiking is 

really relaxing for me.

Interesting Observation...

I am having my Intro to Graphic Design students create awareness posters for their current project. They were required to choose one of three topics that I provided.

The topics they could choose from included:
1) Environmental Awareness
2) Get Out The Vote
3) Genocide in Darfur Awareness

My interesting observation is this: several of my non traditional students chose the political topic. I think one person chose the environmental topic and almost all of my younger students chose the Genocide awareness topic - I have to admit that this really surprised me. From what I have seen so far, several of them are coming up with interesting solutions for their awareness posters.

Domestic Engineer

Today Daniel informed me that his new title should be domestic engineer.

I have to take a moment to brag on my wonderful husband. He truly is picking up the slack in the domestic arena of our home. Working two jobs has left me almost completely useless for much beyond getting my work outside of the house done. Daniel has washed laundry, cooked meals, done the dishes and even chauffeured me to my teaching job (granted he was meeting a friend for the evening).

He has truly made this transition a little more bearable for both of us. Much of the slack he has picked up has been out of necessity - we would have no clean clothes to wear or food to eat if he was not pitching in. But he has done it all without grumbling or complaining.

Most mornings, he makes sure that I have coffee to take with me for the commute and whenever we carpool, he drives to help alleviate my long hours. I am so thankful for such a wonderful husband. He has even offered to help me grade tests.

Busy... busy... busy...

So I am procrastinating. I have a ton of work to do, but I am sitting here, catching up on facebook instead.

I have a powerpoint presentation to create for one of the partner's in my company to pitch at an investor's meeting at 10 a.m. Monday morning. I have midterm tests to create for the three classes that I teach. AND I also have a freelance project that I am doing for a friend... I really had not anticipated being this busy.

It is a good thing that I love what I am doing, because I constantly seem to be doing something.