I'm having eggs over easy on top of cheesy grits for supper.

This is one of our favorite weekend brunch options. I throw in some sausage as well. And I have to admit that I took the idea straight from Waffle House. In 2019, we did a 5K in November in the evening, because it went through a park with a huge holiday light display. So, nighttime 5K means seeing all the lights, and it was fun. But also COLD as hell. So after we collected our medals, we ended up at Waffle House, and their menu had a grits bowl with scrambled eggs, cheese, and sausage for like $3.50. Best thing ever after a cold 5K, and now a go-to brunch item in Stately Beckmeyer Manor.

(more rant, sorry)

At the same time every school district is trying to find a line between bad options and other bad options, businesses are shrugging at their employees trying to balance income and childcare. I've been trying to get any of the very smart organizational design or technology innovators I know to care about helping, but they all say no, because there's no money in it. It has to be a shared responsibility managed via government structures, and we've spent 50 years hollowing that out.

Aside from my personal frustration about wanting the best possible options for my son, I've seen all the studies from around the world that show education as being the key factor in a strong economy, high quality of life, and positive stable political climate. I've been mad my whole life at our continuing work to defund and dismantle education and shove responsibility for everything onto underpaid teachers, and now I'm incandescent.

(Now I'm really done, and going to look at puppy pictures)

Toddson, everything’s fine as long as I’m the one with the axe

Ugh. Super depressing, Volans.

The last exercise I went through with my school board rep showed that our district still had a significant amount of money set aside to cover domestic travel costs for faculty and staff and bus rental. Of course it was untouched this year - no school trips, no conferences, but they hadn't thought about taking it to use for new needs.

I guess I shouldn’t be shocked by this but I really am. I would have thought that squeezing money out of the budget to make dealing with all this a smidge easier would be somebody’s priority.

Best thoughts to our HS seniors -- I can't even imagine doing that right now.

Now I would like an empanada, as I have already had an oatmeal raisin cookie today (or two, they are legit tiny).

I have a suggestion for escapism: The Rookie apparently is now in an AU with no pandemic, which is really relaxing to watch, even as they are dealing with racist cops (the show is total copaganda, don't get me wrong).

OH! Also, I read on tumblr (and have not confirmed) that the Donner party were just assholes! Other white people made it through fine because they listened the the locals and took their advice and DIDN'T EAT EACH OTHER.

I highly recommend the Puppet History episode about the Donner Party: [link]

Puppet History being a show where a guy uses a puppet to narrate interesting historical episodes to two somewhat willing participants. There's a song at the end!

I am here to report that JZ made it safely to Reno without being eaten, nor having to eat anybody.

I am here to report that JZ made it safely to Reno without being eaten, nor having to eat anybody.

This is good news, and I look forward to the coming "did/did not shoot a man just to watch him die" updates.