A few items of note

In no particular order.

• School is back in session! The students are no worse for the wear, thank goodness, but I did find out that one of my colleagues lost her house to flooding, and as of Friday around 20% of the teaching staff still didn’t have electricity. The school itself had some water damage, but all is well and we’re doing our best to get back to normal…and praying that the state doesn’t force us to make up all 9 missed days!
• Just in time to get back to teaching, I have completely lost my voice. Now, if you know me, you’re aware that this is a problem. I’m…a bit of a talker. Just a bit. And this SUCKS! I had just enough voice to teach on Thursday, but halfway through yesterday it just gave out, and I had to get a sub for the rest of the day. Today it’s coming and going, but the sound is more like a horn honking than anything else, and I think it’s scaring my nephew…
• It’s good movie season again! Today I’m off to see The Duchess with Vixen, tomorrow it’s Burn After Reading, and I’m already making plans to see The Lucky Ones and Lakeview Terrace within the next week or so.  Anybody seen any of them?  Were they good?  I love this time of year…
• Barack kicked ass in the debate last night, but then again, is anybody surprised?   And if you need a laugh, check this out…I’m so glad I watched Countdown that night, because I haven’t stayed up late enough to watch Letterman in ages.  But it was so worth it.

That’s about all I’ve got for the time being.  Off to enjoy the weekend, and pray fervently that my voice comes back soon…

Do the Hustle

I leave for Texas in exactly one month from today. That means it’s time to haul ass. It’s busy times around here–wrapping up another academic year and closing the buildings, doing the grunt work they dole out for us in the two weeks before our contracts are up, packing up my crap, hyperventilating about gas prices. The last time I moved it didn’t cost $300 in fill-ups. It’s practically a whole new era. There’s an endless list of things to panic about, but I think that overall I’m doing ok. I mean, I’m overemotional and cranky, but not much more than usual. (I’m aware that some of my friends may beg to differ.)

Right now priority one is surviving the remaining days of work, and let me tell you, it’s a strain. This is the most time-consuming job I’ve ever had; it makes my last position look like a piece of cake. In an average week I’m pulling around 55-60 hours of work, between office hours and meetings, committee stuff, staff programs, crisis management, and paper-pushing. Two nights a week I’m home by 6pm–and I CHERISH those days. The rest of the week it’s more like 10:30 or so. Even though things are going to wind down soon, drama after drama keeps erupting over here and making the days feel even longer. I fantasize about five-day weeks and 8-hour days. About commuting. Owning a dog. Sitting in my non-campus apartment grading papers without a duty radio attached to my hip. Freedom! If I can just survive the next thirty days, better times are coming.

In the meantime, here are two things that suck. One, I burned my arm on a light bulb. Don’t ask. Suffice to say it hurts like hell, and I feel like kind of an ass. Two, it’s cold up here again. I know that April is a big tease, but to go from eighty degrees on Friday to a chance of light snow tonight is just cruelty.

And in the interest of balance, I’ll leave you with two things that don’t suck. One: the movie Lars and the Real Girl. If you haven’t seen it, you need to. I’ll grant you that it’s a little optimistic, but that’s what I loved about it. Rent it when you’re having a shitty day and you need to restore your faith in the goodness of people. And two: I made a gorgeous pair of socks (and they’re actually the same size this time!). They’re so beautiful that I’m almost afraid to wear them. Infusing some of my stress and rage into knitting has been a good thing–I may not be able to jab at people with sharp, pointy sticks, but I can sort of act it out on the yarn, and actually create something useful and beautiful at the same time. A fabulous example of turning negative energy into goodness. Everybody should try knitting.

A Phillip Seymour Hoffman love story.

Ok. I realize, as I have stated time and time again, that I am the only female alive willing to admit that I find Phillip Seymour Hoffman remotely attractive. This isn’t an actor with a fan site full of screensavers and wallpaper and gushing comments. But I can’t help it. I love him. And now he has an OSCAR, so back off!!!

Oh, Phillip (can I call you Phil?), when did my affections begin? Maybe it was when you played that junkie on the 1991 episode of Law and Order. Or maybe you won my heart when you tried to bring father and son together in Magnolia. In any case, State and Main and Empire Falls pretty much sealed it. Sure, they say you’re chubby and unattractive, but I say you’re portly and endearing. If you ever get lonely, just call the peacegrrl.

Alrighty, enough of that. Last night was the annual pg oscar party, and hilarity certainly ensued. I annoyed everyone during the montages with my endless proclamations of “I’ve seen that! It’s good!”, and was even more obnoxious when all of my oscar predictions came true. But my friends endured all of it, and seriously cheered me up after a depressing weekend. I’m so relieved that the semester is half over, and that ACPA and Spring Break are just around the corner. And that I’m only on duty on more time this month–my weekend was total hell. I am not exaggerating–I was up both nights until 4am dealing with alcohol abuse in some form (including some girl-on-girl fighting in one of the halls!), and my pager went off so many times that the battery literally died. Blah! At least it’s over and I survived. It’s a new week, and I vow to keep my pissiness to a minimum. Maybe I’ll give up pessimism for Lent?
-pg

Better late than never.

I’ll skip the apologies about never posting and get right to the good stuff.

First, I’m pissed at that fucker James Frey. I take back anything nice I said about his damn book in earlier posts. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Next up. I am ADDICTED to Project Runway. That may surprise most people. It certainly surprised me–I mean, one look in my closet is all it takes to determine that cutting-edge fashion is not so much my scene. But I LOVE the all the pissiness and drama! And the mean stuff that bitchy Heidi Klum says to everybody after the runway shows. It’s great. And I have to admit that the talent really does impress me. I’m pulling for Daniel and Chloe, but Nick and Andre are pretty good, too. Bleh, I’m addicted to a reality show. I guess that means I have to stop making fun of American Idol fans.

So moving on, the oscar noms are out. No big surprises there. Although I have to say that I’m a bit pissy that Walk The Line isn’t up for best picture. But I’m pulling for Brokeback and Good Night and Good Luck, so I guess it doesn’t matter. Anyway, party at my place on March 5. I can’t wait to see if Isaac Mizrahi tries to grab at somebody’s crotch or something on the red carpet.

Okay, on to men. I think I’m putting all of my eggs in one basket, and it’s time to branch out. This, however, means re-entering the dreaded realm of online dating, a subject about which I have ranted before. But unless I want to pick up some loser at a bar, it’s my only option. So wish me luck as I toughen up and head out there yet again. And as a backup, does anybody have a cute brother/cousin/coworker/friend-of-a-friend they want to set me up with? All I really require is a college degree and a sense of humor…

That’s really all for now. The last few weeks have been a struggle, I’m incredibly homesick, and my classes are wiping me out. On the plus side, though, it was one of the warmest Ohio Januarys ever, with hardly any snow. I’m hoping February follows the trend.
-pg