Two Hundred Twenty Eight Reasons I Haven't Been Keeping Up

Sorry if I've left everybody (anybody?) hanging the past few months. Just know that I was busy with a few things:

• I had a productive second semester at Salem, even if it seemed that the world was trying to crush me like an empty milk carton. Still, I'm back and so far it seems that things are going much better so far.
• Part of the reason for this is I began pursuing a Master's degree at Columbus State University this summer. Classes went well, and I am just beginning to scratch the surface of my potential as a teacher.
• Ian entered kindergarten a couple of weeks ago. He's having some adjustment problems, and it's making Kathy concerned about whether he'll be able to stay in their afterschool care program. I hope that we can get it worked out, otherwise I may have a five-year old assistant at school with me.
• I turned 43 a few days ago. It was one of my better birthdays; Mom came up, Kat and I went to a party on Saturday - the only complaint I have is my new camera has still not come to my house.

Hopefully I'll be able to write a bit more now that I'm synching with Facebook. I may even be able to post pics once the new cam comes. Stay tuned, folks.

1...2...1,2,34

Another day of school, another day closer to winter break, and summer vacation, and dealing with my son in high school, and retirement. Yes, another cheerful post for your amusement. Til something better comes.

Baskin-Robbins vs. Ben and Jerry's

Another Saturday, another trip to Winder. Ian had fun on his lesson, but he was not quite at his best this afternoon. Super Bowl's tomorrow; Cardinals vs. my Steelers. Go Pittsburgh!

Nowhere near 29 Palms, CA

So, we're hoping to have another child. It's been great having the wee one around the house, but maybe it's time for him to have a little bro now.

28 days later

I'm so tired lately. I just can't get to sleep at night, and the Buddy is climbing into bed with us in the middle of the night. Zzzzzzzzzzz...

Last time on 24...

Kind of a lazy Saturday. We took Ian horseback riding in Winder, Kat went shopping, and I cleaned up the house a bit. Meh.

The number 23

What a week. New President, more school, Ian's making progress in Pre-K, and I made chicken pepper steak. Now on to the weekend.

Me and my loaded 22

Trust my self-imposed restriction to inspire me to write longer posts. Maybe I should write some stuff for my MySpace blog sometime.

Post-Inaugural Post

I put a post on the inauguration up at Four Freedoms. I would have put it here, but, well, you know.

MLK Day

We went to Atlanta, and checked out the Children's Museum. It was okay; Ian had more fun than us.

Aaaaand... nothin'.

No snow here. Oh well. I did get my scanner up and running again. New galleries on Facecrack.

Waiting for the Snow

It's out there; I know it. I just don't want to see it this weekend. Frakkin' snow.

Long Weekend

Three days away from school. I'll still be busy, though. Gotta put away the Christmas ornaments.

Happy birthday MLK!

You would have been eighty years old today. And very proud of your country, certainly.

Marital Advice

Every now and again, fall asleep on the couch, whether it's necessary or not.

Sunday, Sundae, Son day

It's quiet. Too quiet.
Better enjoy it now; it won't last.

A report of the differences in semesters, courtesy of Bon Jovi

All the same
Only the names have changed

How'm I doin'?

My head aches. Please, not a cold!

A Story I Shouldn't Tell, But Must

This is a story that I have been meaning to tell for almost a week. WARNING! This may contain some unsettling imagery, but you're big enough to handle it, methinks.

Halloween, Ian and I had gone to Decatur to meet up with Kathy and celebrate the day with the students on campus. We had started home, and Kat decided to take the boy back home in her car. I gave her his necessities bag (his rapidly becoming former diaper bag) and said I'd meet them back at the house.

When I got home, I noticed that it was taking longer than usual for her to make it in from ASC. When she finally got here, I asked what had taken so long. This is what she told me.

Kat was making her way from Decatur to I-20 and availing herself of some of Ian's Halloween chocolate. For some reason, she had grabbed onto a chocolate bar that had partially melted in the sun, and it smeared all over her hands. Wanting to get things clean ASAP, she pulled over off of Candler Street, which runs through some pretty rough areas in East Atlanta.

She rummaged through Ian's bag for a wipe, only to find that we had run out. Desperate to clean up the chocolate, she reached for the next best thing - one of Ian's pull-ups. She grabbed the chocolate, wiped her hands, then got out of the van to toss it in the garbage.

For whatever reason, Kat decided to not let the rest of the chocolate go to waste, so she began to eat the remains of the chocolate bar out of the pull-up. Around that time, she looked up to see a woman staring open-mouthed at her... eating something brown... out of a diaper-like object.

Kat then said she very sheepishly placed the pull-up in the trash, calmly got back in the van and walked away. She felt embarrassed about it, but said that it might have saved her life if she ever breaks down in that part of the town. "Anyone crazy enough to eat something out of a diaper ain't worth messin' with," she imagined the conversation the woman might have had with anyone who might have been listening.

Indeed, my sweet, indeed.

Mondays... I could never get the hang of Mondays

Actually, it wasn't too bad today, considering. The worst thing that happened was that the daycare that we thought had an opening available didn't, although they did take our paperwork should an opening present itself.

Ian got to play in his sandbox today for the first time, and even as I grumbled over having to sweep up the outflow after him, I felt good that he was able to go and play outside on the deck. I got a couple of interesting job-related calls as well; keep your fingers crossed.