The term of course. Did I get it all prepped? Don't be absurd. I got a good start, and woke this morning semi-convinced I need to dump a text. It sounded so good, but on closer examination, and lots of conscience-wrestling, I just don't want to use it. What I like about the general approach is largely removed from this 'rethinking' text, which focuses mostly on trying to quantify and render predictive formulae for human action/thinking. And I really don't like that approach, so... first class meeting is Monday afternoon, and I'm probably going to dump it.
I'm dumping textbooks left and right. Going to a completely different approach - and since I don't just try one class at a time, I'm doing all of my classes at once. No textbooks in World History other than selected chapters from an art history text; scholarly articles and primary sources otherwise. Exciting, scary. I'm starting both WH classes with a selection from Gerda Lerner's Creation of Patriarchy. Then I'm going to have them read a section of Tamim Ansary's Destiny Disrupted. And from there we'll hare off into more topical readings. I'm hoping that two such 'radical' refutations of traditional approaches to Western/World models will intrigue them. Counting on it. It could be a lot of fun.
Another new thing: my own personal future. I had a long talk with the TIAA-Cref wealth manager, and he told me all kinds of new things. He told me that I could 'do more.' I had to get him to clarify that, as within the context I was thinking 'cut more, save more' - and he said 'no, do more. If you want to travel more, you can without jeopardizing your retirement. If you want to go to France every year, you can. And it's not going to be a problem. You can retire early if you like.' Now that, my friends, is a mind-blower. I've lived my life, since I left home, with ramen-months more common than anything else. I knew I'd never be able to retire, and had no plans to do so. For the past 35 years, I've pinched pennies, fretted francs, scraped by paycheck to paycheck. A car repair bill, a dental visit, the need for new tires - all have sent me into paroxysm of fear and guilt. He tells me I don't have to do that anymore. Wow. This is new.
I'm not in the market for a new car. I love my little house, and am very happy with it. I don't need or want a new computer. I have more stuff than I need or want. (In fact, yesterday I gave the uni library 50+ books just to get them out of my office; more will go soon.)
One new indulgence is routine manicures. I'm working on once a month - that's a simple pleasure. Every couple of months I'm also going to have a pedi. The dogs get more regular grooming. Vet trips are no longer anxiety inducing. All very new. I've increased all my charity stuff over the past months considerably - I can do more of that. I can get rid of the collection of hole-y and orphan socks. I don't need to keep clothes that are serviceable but rarely worn. It's a whole new approach to day to day life. Not at all sure how to not be poor. Very willing to learn, I assure you. But this is new. I am so not rich, but I am now... secure. And that is very very very new. Thank you Mom.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Year's meme
I miss memes....
1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Came to an understanding of death. Went to The Big Berks. Went to Prague. Found an intellectual home.
2. Did you keep your 2011 resolutions, and will you make more this year?
No, and no.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
no.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. Too many.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Concentration would be lovely.
7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting completely out of debt and staying that way.
8. What was your biggest failure?
Not staying on program with WW.
9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
yes; screwed up left knee
10. What was the best thing you bought?
my new backyard? my birds?
11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
mine; I didn't maim IBDA!
12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Pick your least favorite Republican candidate for president or House Leader
13. Where did most of your money go?
Getting out of debt and remodeling the house.
14. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier, same, richer. The happier is the most important. Wiser is good too!
15. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing; I really want to get some writing done and just don't seem to be able to concentrate.
16. What do you wish you'd done less of?
procrastinate; waste energy on thinking negative things at #12
17. Did you fall in love in 2011?
no, but I'd like to.
18. What was the best new book you read?
bits and pieces of several
19. What was your favorite film of the year?
the film industry makes no money off of me....
20. What kept you sane?
friends, animals, finding some perspective. I find it enormously comforting to accept that I am but a speck on a speck of cosmic dust.
21. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Life is a process, and death is simply one aspect of that process. Learning makes the whole process more meaningful.
1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Came to an understanding of death. Went to The Big Berks. Went to Prague. Found an intellectual home.
2. Did you keep your 2011 resolutions, and will you make more this year?
No, and no.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
no.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. Too many.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Concentration would be lovely.
7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting completely out of debt and staying that way.
8. What was your biggest failure?
Not staying on program with WW.
9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
yes; screwed up left knee
10. What was the best thing you bought?
my new backyard? my birds?
11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
mine; I didn't maim IBDA!
12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Pick your least favorite Republican candidate for president or House Leader
13. Where did most of your money go?
Getting out of debt and remodeling the house.
14. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier, same, richer. The happier is the most important. Wiser is good too!
15. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing; I really want to get some writing done and just don't seem to be able to concentrate.
16. What do you wish you'd done less of?
procrastinate; waste energy on thinking negative things at #12
17. Did you fall in love in 2011?
no, but I'd like to.
18. What was the best new book you read?
bits and pieces of several
19. What was your favorite film of the year?
the film industry makes no money off of me....
20. What kept you sane?
friends, animals, finding some perspective. I find it enormously comforting to accept that I am but a speck on a speck of cosmic dust.
21. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Life is a process, and death is simply one aspect of that process. Learning makes the whole process more meaningful.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Ta Ta 2011
Too many deaths: Mom, E, F, A, A, F. Lots of introspection. Lots of personal exploration, questions, pain. Joy, delight, relief. Happiness, guilt, loneliness, emptiness, satisfaction, pleasure. A year of life in all its glory and grief, excitement and boredom.
To the new year: goals to be achieved, obstacles to be met and overcome, muscles to stretch. Books to read, and to write. More painting, more writing, less wasting and more doing. More gardening and growing, less keeping and more sharing. More champagne, less vinegar. More sharing, less loneliness.
And to you, my bloggy friends: may the new year bring you challenges and joy!
To the new year: goals to be achieved, obstacles to be met and overcome, muscles to stretch. Books to read, and to write. More painting, more writing, less wasting and more doing. More gardening and growing, less keeping and more sharing. More champagne, less vinegar. More sharing, less loneliness.
And to you, my bloggy friends: may the new year bring you challenges and joy!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Good Committee Meetings
We've all endured the bad ones. Here's a good one:
Chill two bottles of champagne.
Have excellent chocolates on hand.
Ensure all members enjoy both.
Goodies only come out when meeting is adjourned.
Business part of meeting lively, animated and on task.
Conduct meeting.
Adjourn meeting
Open champagne. Eat chocolate.
More than an hour of congenial discussions, with all conversations of the 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'codicils. rules.
Second adjournment.
If all meetings followed this plan, our livers might be less pure, but attitudes towards meetings would change radically.
I won't tell you how many times I had to correct errors...
Chill two bottles of champagne.
Have excellent chocolates on hand.
Ensure all members enjoy both.
Goodies only come out when meeting is adjourned.
Business part of meeting lively, animated and on task.
Conduct meeting.
Adjourn meeting
Open champagne. Eat chocolate.
More than an hour of congenial discussions, with all conversations of the 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'
Second adjournment.
If all meetings followed this plan, our livers might be less pure, but attitudes towards meetings would change radically.
I won't tell you how many times I had to correct errors...
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Mid Winter Sunshine
It's kinda weird. It's late December, and it's 60+ out there. Sunny, warm, gorgeous. And I have a damned cold. At least, I'm hoping it's only a cold. It's made the last two days less than wonderful.
See, yesterday the guys started to redo the ceiling in the bathroom. Previous owners had a leak, which did damage to the ceiling. They covered the damage with wallpaper; I took the paper down when I bought the place - first thing I did, before I even moved in. Pulled down the ugly wallpaper and painted the bathroom a clear periwinkle purply-blue. With the white tile, it was just what I wanted. And 7 years on, I still liked it. But the paint was peeling off the previous damage, and I wanted a color change.
So the lath/plaster had to come down, and the green board sheet rock went up. That all got done yesterday, and they were to come back and paint today. Two guys showed up at 8, and I left. Back at noon - they were still sanding. But they finished by four, and it's good. It's quite a change; I think I like it a lot. I tend to go with intense colors; either that or a pale yellow. It's... well, I don't know how to describe it. It's not green and it's not blue - somewhere between a light teal and aqua. I do find myself kind of missing the periwinkle.
But all I want to do is crawl into my pjs, slurp down tea w/honey and self-medicate with OTC cold stuff. And hide. And it would help if it were raining and stormy and cold/nasty outside. Because sunny & clear is just not cold-suffering weather.
See, yesterday the guys started to redo the ceiling in the bathroom. Previous owners had a leak, which did damage to the ceiling. They covered the damage with wallpaper; I took the paper down when I bought the place - first thing I did, before I even moved in. Pulled down the ugly wallpaper and painted the bathroom a clear periwinkle purply-blue. With the white tile, it was just what I wanted. And 7 years on, I still liked it. But the paint was peeling off the previous damage, and I wanted a color change.
So the lath/plaster had to come down, and the green board sheet rock went up. That all got done yesterday, and they were to come back and paint today. Two guys showed up at 8, and I left. Back at noon - they were still sanding. But they finished by four, and it's good. It's quite a change; I think I like it a lot. I tend to go with intense colors; either that or a pale yellow. It's... well, I don't know how to describe it. It's not green and it's not blue - somewhere between a light teal and aqua. I do find myself kind of missing the periwinkle.
But all I want to do is crawl into my pjs, slurp down tea w/honey and self-medicate with OTC cold stuff. And hide. And it would help if it were raining and stormy and cold/nasty outside. Because sunny & clear is just not cold-suffering weather.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
A Crittered Christmas Redux
Try as I might to make up something new, this is still my favorite carol.
May your day be filled with a bit of wildness, lots of joy and a soupçon of humility for your good fortune.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true friend gave to me
Timber wolves a-howling,
Eleven songbirds singing,
Ten eagles soaring,
Nine lady bugs,
Eight tiger sharks,
Seven strip-ed zebra,
Six crocodiles,
Fine golden finch,
Free elephants,
Three cardinals,
Wild chimps a-romping and
Red parrots in the jungle canopy!
May your day be filled with a bit of wildness, lots of joy and a soupçon of humility for your good fortune.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Giving Time, Thought, Ideas
When my schedule permits (i.e. when there're no classes) I volunteer at a local food bank. It's an eye-opening experience: seeing what people can get by on, and what we, the privileged, think a family needs. What's astonished me most is seeing what gets donated to the regional food bank, which is then bought (yes, bought) to the local fbs that then get it to the people who need it.
And I am constantly thinking about ways to make healthy food with what's available through the food banks. So I have a challenge for all of us:
Using only what's available on the food bank shelves, create a simple recipe that is both healthy and tasty. Restrictions: no fancy spices (think salt, pepper, sugar, fast food ketchup packets), stove-top cooking only (one or two pots only), few fresh vegetables (those are donated unpredictably and go out as fast as they come in). Protein very limited: beans are the most predictable commodity, and we usually (though not always) have both canned and dry.
My goal: half-sheet recipes to hand out as people are selecting their items (we're one of the few food banks that allows any choice at all). And keep in mind that people are very limited: a family of 1-2 gets only 15 total items, 4 get 25 items. And each package = 1 item. So selecting ramen means you get 1 package of ramen, be it a family of 10 or 1. A can of soup = 1 item, same limitations. Usually, if you ask/get potatoes, you get 5 lbs.
Your list:
Canned soups (tomato, chicken noodle, vegetable/beef/chicken, chicken broth)
Ramen (chicken & beef)
Spaghetti, elbow macaroni
Canned veg (generic): corn, green beans, mixed vegetables
Canned tomato products (generic): spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce
Canned fruit: (generic) applesauce, sometimes peaches
Dried pinto beans
Shelf stable milk
Mac & cheese
Peanut butter
Grape jelly
Corn flakes
Frosted mini-wheats
Oats
Vanilla wafers
Assorted cookies
Currently in the freezers: chicken chunks (ends of processed chicken rolls), diced red peppers, corn, hot dogs, sweet potato fries, carrot slices
As available: breads (at the end of their buy-before dates), potatoes, fresh veg (sometimes carrots, cabbage, tomatoes), fruit juices (grapefruit usually, rarely orange and apple)
How inventive can you be? Any & all recipes are welcome! Please help.
And I am constantly thinking about ways to make healthy food with what's available through the food banks. So I have a challenge for all of us:
Using only what's available on the food bank shelves, create a simple recipe that is both healthy and tasty. Restrictions: no fancy spices (think salt, pepper, sugar, fast food ketchup packets), stove-top cooking only (one or two pots only), few fresh vegetables (those are donated unpredictably and go out as fast as they come in). Protein very limited: beans are the most predictable commodity, and we usually (though not always) have both canned and dry.
My goal: half-sheet recipes to hand out as people are selecting their items (we're one of the few food banks that allows any choice at all). And keep in mind that people are very limited: a family of 1-2 gets only 15 total items, 4 get 25 items. And each package = 1 item. So selecting ramen means you get 1 package of ramen, be it a family of 10 or 1. A can of soup = 1 item, same limitations. Usually, if you ask/get potatoes, you get 5 lbs.
Your list:
Canned soups (tomato, chicken noodle, vegetable/beef/chicken, chicken broth)
Ramen (chicken & beef)
Spaghetti, elbow macaroni
Canned veg (generic): corn, green beans, mixed vegetables
Canned tomato products (generic): spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce
Canned fruit: (generic) applesauce, sometimes peaches
Dried pinto beans
Shelf stable milk
Mac & cheese
Peanut butter
Grape jelly
Corn flakes
Frosted mini-wheats
Oats
Vanilla wafers
Assorted cookies
Currently in the freezers: chicken chunks (ends of processed chicken rolls), diced red peppers, corn, hot dogs, sweet potato fries, carrot slices
As available: breads (at the end of their buy-before dates), potatoes, fresh veg (sometimes carrots, cabbage, tomatoes), fruit juices (grapefruit usually, rarely orange and apple)
How inventive can you be? Any & all recipes are welcome! Please help.
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