Gronk.

Saw Sean and S tonight, over at Hec & JZ's. Both Sean and S look lovely, and are very fun to hang out with. Matilda is also adorable, and very personable. Unfortunately, I had to leave early as I am very tired - I rode over and then rode home. My first night ride! V. fun. There are pictures of me and my bike (and my helmet hair). Most importantly, there are pictures of everyone else hanging out and having fun. They will show up tomorrow. I go to sleep now.

~ma to your gram askye. Your Aunt too.

SuziQ I'm up and around as well.

ION, Oy. L-O-N-G day @ work. Very productive. Very tired. i come home to watch my Yankees on Southern California TV (a rarity), only to see they are getting CLOBBERED. Do I continue to watch? The Angels just hit a grand slam. 5-18 in the 6th. So much for a pick-me-up after a long hard day.

(eta: delete contact from trolling bots)

Princess Tickybox is just too cute, she really is. I'd have eaten her up entirely if I didn't have two tasty cakes of my own.

I think I am cool - thanks omnis. Now I just have to get brave and post the darned thing.

Tickybox and Matilda would be absolutely lethal together.

Waves toward SF at Sean and S (and the rest of the SF'istas). So close and yet so far.

I think my room is good to go. It's as set up as it's going to be for tomorrow. I have lesson plans (sorta...first day and whatnot). I have my class rosters (sorta...they seem to change hourly).

And, I finally have all my syllabi copied. Both copiers broke at school so I ended up going to Kinko's. This is not a good copier portent.

Awww...I just want to hug you. You just had the Everyteacher day-before-school-starts experience.

You poor thing having to resort to Staples--I know it costs a small fortune. Usually there's a copier squirreled away in a secretary's office or the corner of the library that can be used in these cases. Find a wizened looking veteran and ask. S/he might be able to hook you up.

Emily, where did you end up working?

t waves to everyone in SF and Seattle

t and everywhere else for good measure

I am very proud of myself. Despite the nibbled-by-ducks beginning of my day, I just worked for three hours and put together my entire course expectations and syllabus for my 9th graders. I'm a week ahead of schedule. ::boggles::

I have watched two Chainsaw movies back to back. That is enough for tonight. Now I should get back to my system work for this darned thing.

I forget who recommended Ras Dashen but ThankYouThankYouThankYou! Aside from the fact that they were out of Tej (and this happens all the time in Chicago) the meal was faneffingtastic. The waitress suggested a wine which went very well with the food and the seasonings were so perfect. I'm so glad we made the trip!

What is with these school prep problems? I went with my friend Kris to help set up her classroom on Monday and all the computers were down. She's got to go back in tomorrow.

What is with these school prep problems?

It is the One True Nature of schools everywhere.

Tons of job~ma, Karl. I'm very sorry to hear your news.

I'm back at work!

And although it's a bit 'yah boo sucks! Holidays are over!' it's also kind of nice. I mean, the kids don't come in until Monday, so it's mostly sorting out classroom and resources and planning and that kind of thing. But it's nice to see everyone again, and get back into the swing of things.

I'm starting my academic teaching internship and will need to dress like a business casual grownup. I need to go clothes shopping. Before Monday. Being about 50 pounds overweight, I hate this.

Oh, lord, I feel your pain. I'm not going to even start thinking about how many pounds overweight I must be, because it's the stuff of depression (which, in a perversely self-destructive way, will only lead to chocolate consumption) - but comfort yourself with the thought that at least you're not in Thailand. In Thailand, UK Size 8 (US Size 6, I think?) is average. I know skinny Western girls who have had to buy XXL tops. I have done no clothes shopping at all since arriving a year ago - until I accompanied a friend to Marks and Sparks, that is, and was shocked to discover that they actually did have a few things in my size. So now I have a couple of new blouses. But generally speaking, clothing shopping here = bleakness and misery. Not least because there are some totally sugar clothes.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking that much as I like Thailand, maybe I'll start looking for a post in Eastern Europe or the Americas after this year - because having a date the other week reminded me that dating is actually quite a nice thing, and that maybe I ought to try to factor it into my next position as a possibility. Because in Thailand, dating is pretty much as likely as winning the lottery. (Unless you're a guy. If you come to this country with your own penis, then partners of any gender are yours for the picking. If you arrive sans penis, however, then celibacy is a very likely lifestyle.)

...anyone know any Brits who've successfully got work in the States? It seems that the VIF program is the way to go, but I'm a wee bit stymied by the fact that they demand you've got recent driving experience. Um. And although my license is clean as a whistle, I've done practically no driving since passing my test some (thinks) 17 years ago.

Fucking hell! 17 years ago? How did that happen?

::stares wild-eyed and accusing at Time's Winged Chariot::

askye, much G'ma ~ma. Is there a friend of your Aunt who could talk to her and help convince her that getting some extra care for G'ma would be a good thing for everyone? Coming from someone outside of the family it might be easier to hear.

Karl, heaps of employment ~ma.

I'm a full of the gronk this a.m., not having been able to shut my eyes last night until midnight and then up at 5:30 a.m. I hope to bug out of work a little earlier today, but since I've moved up to mid-level boss lady, I'm finding the goof-off time harder to come by, if only because I'm supposed to be setting an example.

Fucking hell! 17 years ago? How did that happen?

I've been wondering the same thing myself. If you figure it out, be sure to let me know because I want to lodge a complaint.