valentine

There is a trend in Facebook this week for folks to change their profile photo to one of them and their beloved spouse or partner. This is very sweet, but also hard to look at, it being so soon after the closure of my long-term relationship with my beloved. We sort of sizzled out, so at least I don't have to suffer the memory of some big blow out or a ritual dumping. Neither of us is a dumpee.


Still, I couldn't seem to stop myself from changing my Facebook status to a quote from that wonderful cynic and queen of dry wit and sarcasm, Dorothy Parker, who penned these words - "Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, a medley of extemporanea, and love is a thing that can never go wrong, and I am Marie of Romania." She sure got that right! Because really, everything that can go wrong with love usually does. People who stick with it, despite the moments when they want to strangle their lover, are the authentic valentines, not the ones who claim to have never had a fight.

The Vancouver Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony featured a beautiful acrobatic performance by a young man, who performed to music by Joni Mitchell.

"Moons and Junes and ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real; I've looked at love that way.
But now it's just another show. You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know, don't give yourself away.

"I've looked at love from both sides now, from give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall. I really don't know love at all."

Since we're talking about hearts, let's not forget the thousands of purple hearts that have been bravely earned by our soldiers around the world. I worry that with the emphasis on the Olympics and Haiti, that we might lose sight of the fact that we have men and women in danger throughout the world today. I really wish we could bring them all home. I bet their sweethearts wish that too!

That Facebook status that I mentioned earlier? Dorothy Parker's quote just barely beat a quote from Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons. "Love is like racing across the frozen tundra on a snowmobile which flips over, trapping you underneath. At night, the ice-weavels come." This quote perfectly encompasses the incredible breathtaking nature of love and its miserable counterpart, obsession. It makes me smile, but with a tear in the corner of my eye. Because who wouldn't take that crazy, wonderful gasp of love, even while knowing the ice-weavels might come?

Oh, Eros. You have been my muse and my temporary demise. You have given me my highest highs and my lowest lows. I have skated with you in a beautiful dance that took my breath away. I have been heated by you to such a burn that my brain nearly exploded with the intense pleasure of you. And I have sobbed with you, thinking my heart could not recover. But would I meet you again? Would I travel with you again? Oh my, yes. Yes, yes and yes.

more snow - get it?

It is snowing lightly this morning. County schools are closed. City schools are open. I'm told the city school superintendent is from Massachusetts and "doesn't get" Memphis weather. I've lived all over this country and this is a common theme. Outsiders don't "get" some local fact that ought to affect them and doesn't. When I really push my staff to try to make a bigger impact on the lives of our students, at least one manager or Instructor will tell me that I don't "get" the Memphis native, that I just don't understand the limitations they are facing. This has no impact on my thinking, other than to say, "If you are maintaining that you are more of an expert than I about the Memphis native, then it is up to you to figure out how to have the needed impact. Let me know what you figure out! I am still holding you accountable for the results!"

But back to the snow! So, I have phoned in a delayed start this morning. The campus will open at 10 a.m., for now. I'm concerned that the temperatures will be dropping and that moisture on the roads may refreeze. So I will be watching things very closely. The last time I opened late, then closed early, there were folks who said that I should have been closed all day. It seems that second-guessing is something that just comes naturally to some folks! No doubt these are the same people who will never find themselves in the position to make decisions like this. So, they don't "get" what it's like. Now that's rich!

snow again

I just had to make the call to close the campus again. We have three inches of snow on the ground this morning. Nobody expected it to hit the Metro-Memphis area the way that it did. As late as last night, they were saying that the snow would be north of us, so I did nothing to prepare, expecting to be able to go to work this morning!!!

saturday six

Sometimes I pop over to The Daily Meme to see if I can get a writing prompt. Today, I followed the link to Saturday Six, which gives you six questions to answer. Here are today's questions, along with my answers!

1.What’s the one thing that really annoys you?

I am typically most annoyed by bad drivers. And I am not talking about speeders, although they are annoying if they go flying past at 20+ miles per hour faster than the rest of us. I am talking about the ones who are driving slow in the left lane, the ones who veer into my lane, then back into theirs, the ones who merge onto the highway going 40 miles per hour, the ones who cut in front of me when they suddenly realise that they should be over THERE, the ones who drive an eighth of an inch from my back bumper even though there is a clear lane next to us, the ones who merge into my lane going 20 miles per hour slower than me, when they could have waited 5 seconds and merged behind me and MOST OF ALL - the ones who brake for no apparent reason. I even yell out "UB!", which stands for unnecessary braking. Yes, I know that is stupid, but it makes me feel better. Now that you have read this, you will not be able to stop yourself from doing it the next time someone brakes for no apparent reason in front of you. Then you will laugh out loud. Anyone in the vehicle with you will be contemplating having you committed to the nearest mental health facility. And you will have me to thank!

2.If it was the end of the world what be the last thing you would try to do?

Eat chocolate while trying to finish my book. I would hate to miss the ending of a great book! Actually, I am usually reading several books simultaneously. I hope I have enough time!!!

3.If you had the choice of designing a mobile phone what one feature would you add to it?

Auto Uh-huh. I could record myself saying "Uh-huh" and "Huh" and "Wow" and "Hmm". Then, when I was talking to someone that I needed to listen to, but I really wanted to be doing something else, I could push the button and my Auto Uh-huh would supply sound often enough to simulate full attention.

4.Diamonds or pearls?

Now I do dearly love that song "Take Back Your Mink" from Guys and Dolls, which includes the following lyrics:

"Take back your mink
Take back your pearls
What made you think
That I was one of those girls

"Take back the gown
The gloves and the hat
I may be down
But I'm not flat as all that

"I thought that each expensive gift you'd arranged
Was a token of your esteem
But when I think of what you want in exchange
It all seems a horrible dream"

But I have to go with diamonds. They sparkle. They go with anything. They last. You can be rough on them and they still behave.

5.Silver or gold?

I was in love with a jeweler who tried his best to convince me to give up my affinity for sterling silver. He hated that I didn't love gold. My favorite piece of jewelry in the whole world is a ring that my Mother wears every day, which is a big honking piece of turquoise in a sterling silver setting. She has worn it for decades and it is still beautiful. I just prefer silver! Even when I was looking at some items at Tiffany, I found I was drawn to the platinum settings.

6.Are you at home or work?

What kind of person blogs while they are at work? Never mind. I probably work with people who do that! But no, I am at home. My work ethic wouldn't allow me to do this at work. I am in comfy, soft pants, a t-shirt and my slippers. My feet are elevated. Scamp is curled up next to me snoozing. I have a cup of coffee at my side. Ahhh.

OKAY! That ends the six questions. That was fun!

Bye!

ice and snow in tennessee

Thursday night brought a cold, cold rain which froze on the ground and in the streets as the temperatures dropped even further. Next came the snow, so pretty to watch. I quickly recorded a message on the college's inclement weather hotline canceling Friday classes and reminding students and staff to check again for updates before traveling to the campus on Saturday. This decision was an easy one.

I woke up early on Friday morning, even though I could have slept in. Scamp did not want to go out into the snow, but he soldiered through and quickly ran back in. As the morning progressed, the snow turned to sleet, converting the snow on the ground into a crunchy mess. The next time Scamp went out, his skinny legs kept busting through the top layer of the crusty snow, startling him with each pop and crunch. He stopped moving at one point and looked at me with very scared eyes, shivering in the cold. I walked over in my slippers and scooped him up. Back inside, I held him close for a bit until he got over the trauma.

Friday night, I changed the message to include closure for Saturday massage clinic and office hours. The roads were just not safe. Saturday was cold all day. Scamp adjusted to going out, skirting around the edges of the yard where the snow wasn't as deep.

Saturday I got out the big oval slow cooker and began preparing the feast I had planned for my snow day. First, I rubbed bone-in chicken thighs with cumin, salt and pepper. I browned these in a pan over a medium heat. While the chicken browned, I peeled and cubed about 3 pounds of sweet potato and combined that with two cans of rinsed and drained black beans, spreading them evenly on the bottom of the cooker. I placed the browned chicken thighs on top of the bean and sweet potato mixture.

In the same pan I had browned the chicken in, I combined three minced garlic cloves, allspice and paprika and heated them just to the point where the garlic was beginning to soften, then poured in some chicken stock. I scraped up all of the bits of chicken (and all of the flavor in the pan), then added some salsa to the mix. This mixture was poured over the chicken. On went the lid and I cooked it on low for 8 hours.

I removed the cooked chicken pieces and carefully pulled all of the meat from the bones, returning the meat to the slow cooker as I worked. I gave the mixture a good stir and put the lid back on. While it stewed a bit more, I chopped up some roasted red pepper and threw that into the stew. Then I pulled the leaves off several stems of cilantro. Then I was ready for a taste test.

I got out a small creme brulee dish and spooned a small portion of the stew into it, then mixed in some cilantro leaves. I cut a small piece of cornbread and added that to the side of the dish. I sat down to taste everything. The first bite nearly made me swoon. It was delicious, probably one of the best things I have ever made. Thank you delish.com!

Sunday morning, I managed to sleep until 8:30 a.m. Yay! I got up and looked out the window. There was no change. But as the day went by, there was a lot of melting and shifting. I could hear pieces of snow and ice shifting up on the roof, then falling into the yard with a big swoosh. When I went out with Scamp at midday, it was warm enough to be out without my down coat. I shook the melting ice off the iron patio chairs. Scamp ran around like a maniac.

But when I watched the news, I saw that most of the roads were still not clear. The street I live on was certainly still a mess. The news people said that everything would be refreezing that night. I decided I better cancel morning classes and have faculty and staff report at 10 a.m. So I dialed in and recorded a new message. By the time it was over, I canceled all classes on Monday and sent the staff home at 3 p.m. I did not want anybody driving after dark. Those decisions are tough ones when conditions are not universal throughout the area. County schools were closed. City schools were open. What to do? But I believe that I made the right decisions for our students and staff.

It has been an eventful few days! And I am still enjoying the leftover stew!!!

scamp

This little fella showed up in my neighborhood and scampered back and forth in my neighbor's yard, barking hysterically. I finally put my coat on and walked across the street, thinking I would ring their doorbell to let them know that their dog had gotten out of their yard. He was not their dog.

So, I borrowed a leash from them, attached it to the choke collar he was sporting and walked him through the neighborhood, ringing doorbells as I went, trying to figure out who he belonged to. No luck!

I drove to the grocery store, resigned to have him for at least a day or two, and knowing it was possible that he was destroying my house in my absence. I bought dog food, chewies, treats and a toy you hide treats in. I came home and found that he had not chewed anything. He acted like I had been gone for years, as dogs will, and that I was his best friend in the entire world, which I suppose I am at this moment.

He is a very high energy dog and could not lie down next to me on the sofa. Even trying to get him to be still long enough to get a picture of him for the LOST poster was an incredible ordeal. I finally dragged out an old comforter and spread it on the other sofa. I patted that sofa and he jumped up, but still couldn't settle down. So up and down and up and down he went. I got one of his chew toys and put it up there. He took it and hid it in the dining room. I went and got it and put it back on the sofa and got the same result. But finally, after I stopped paying attention, he did settle down. I looked over and he was passed out.

All of this time, my poor cat, Joe, was esconced in the master bedroom suite. I had to put his litter box and food in there because I know dogs will eat cat poop. Periodically, I would go in and spend a few minutes with Joe, each time finding him stiff with fear. I hope he relaxes soon.

Last night, I left the little dog in the living room and went to bed. I expected howling and scratching, but he was quiet throughout the night. And no accidents! This morning I heard one loud bark. I got up and he greeted me like a long lost friend, dancing around and jumping up in the air. I took him outside and he did his business quickly and was ready to come back in. And right now, he is beside me on my sofa, snoozing.

Around his neck, along with the choke chain, is a jaunty green scarf. I don't care for that scarf. But I am leaving it on him. Because taking it off says I am keeping him. But I will admit that I have been calling him a name - Scamp. That is a dangerous sign, I know!

biscuit and gracie

On the table next to her, piles of assorted mail leaned in precarious angles, threatening to come down like a demolition project at the slightest provocation. Already on the floor were one or two envelopes that had slipped free from the melee and were waiting to be accidentally kicked under the sofa where they would stay until such a time as the occupant moved to new digs. People don't live like this, she thought, but immediately cleared that thought from her head. Becoming friends with Gracie Lawn would require her to suspend her own reality.

new year's eve

Pull down the shades. I'm fixin' to kiss you.

quotes I like

"Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost."
-- Thomas J. Watson

"Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should just live next door and just visit now and then."
-- Katharine Hepburn (1907 - 2003)

"I have enjoyed greatly the second blooming that comes when you finish the life of the emotions and of personal relations; and suddenly find - at the age of fifty, say - that a whole new life has opened before you, filled with things you can think about, study, or read about...It is as if a fresh sap of ideas and thoughts was rising in you."
-- Agatha Christie (1890 - 1976), An Autobiography, 1977

"Do something. If it doesn't work, do something else. No idea is too crazy."
-- Jim Hightower, The New York Times, March 9, 1986

"People will accept your ideas much more readily if you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first."
-- David H. Comins

"American women expect to find in their husbands a perfection that English women only hope to find in their butlers."
-- W. Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965), The Razor's Edge, 1943

"That little man in black over there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him."
-- Sojourner Truth (1797 - 1883), Ain't I A Woman, a speech delivered in 1851

wwsd

On the way home from work tonight I spotted a bumpersticker on the back of a car that read WWSD. I immediately jumped to the incorrect assumption that the owner of the vehicle was doing a satanic version of WWJD or What Would Jesus Do? I became upset for a moment until I got close enough to see what it really meant.











Then I just felt silly! Go Scooby!!!