Sorry I'm off traveling through space and time

So it is truly official, I am 100% addicted to Doctor Who. If I'm not at work I am watching episodes. I've had to start restricting my viewing because otherwise I would probably give up sleep. Sometimes while at work I find myself thinking "Gee, I really wish I was home watching Doctor Who right now" ... this week work really sucked so that might have been equal parts obsession and just plain old wishing I could escape in my very own TARDIS. 

Last weekend, at this time, I was at the end of Season 2 and I was crying my eyes out. Right now I'm at Episode 3 of Season 4. If I start reading fan fiction I know I'm in need of intervention therapy .... OK, OK if I read ANYMORE fan fiction I will need intervention therapy. I dabbled in some Tenth Doctor and Rose stories to get through the feelings of sorrow last Sunday.

I stand by my love of Christopher Eccleston's 9th Doctor, but bloody hell people were right about David Tennant truly becoming the Doctor. He is fan@#%@tastic!!!!!!!

A question for Prince Charming...

I'm a cynical and practical romantic, and I'm about to over analyze a fairy tale.

This past week I have been turning Walt Disney's Cinderella on to fall asleep to, and it seems that my pre REM subconscious has a questions for Prince Charming. The prince claims he will only marry the girl he danced with, but why doesn't he himself go out and look for her? If he is so in love shouldn't he feel driven to search her out?

Sure some blame could fall on Major Domo's shoulders. He's the one that found the glass slipper that belongs to the girl that the prince danced with, but it seems he never told the prince about it. Instead he goes to the king, who sends Major Domo out to find any old girl whose foot will fit in the glass slipper. The King is so desperate for grandkids he's willing to manipulate his son's words in order to get him hitched. But seriously, the Prince isn't blind ... he would be able to recognize the girl he danced with! He should have eliminated the middle man and gone out and searched himself!

Whoever thought this was a good idea ...

Transitioning kids in the middle of the school year?

Yeah, not such a great idea.

Hopefully I will feel more human this weekend.

Christmas Eve Memories

Around the age of seven I developed insomnia. This insomnia became especially unbearable on Christmas Eve. Since my parents already saw 5:30 am as a Christmas morning wake up time as pushing it (there is video proof of us waking up at 1:30 am in 1983), I needed to find things to do to keep myself occupied. Luckily I learned to read very early on and come 1988 or 1989 I had access to the Disney Channel.

Some of you may remember a time when The Disney Channel actually used to show a balanced mix of TV programming. In the morning there was kid shows like Dumbo's Circus and Mouse Factory, then in the afternoon there was Kid's Incorporated and The Mickey Mouse Club. In the early evening there was family programming like Avonlea and various Disney Channel movies. After that there was Disney Night Time (and later on Vault Disney, but that's another entry entirely). Disney Night Time was chock full of concerts, Conversations with Carol Burnett and Conversations with Bob Hope, and old movies. On Christmas Eve they would play Christmas programming all night long. I remember year after year being wide away and watching

It's a Wonderful Life

The Bishop's Wife

The Judy Garland Christmas Show

and

Best of Bing Crosby Family Christmas Specials

Now thanks to YouTube and my DVD collection I can see these videos again!

Nowadays I spend part of Christmas Eve day watching

Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas

Jim Henson's Christmas Toy

Muppet Family Christmas

and

Christmas Eve on Sesame Street

It's funny how when I was little I would watch the adult programming and now as an adult I spend Christmas Eve watching the kid's programming!

The Toys That Got Away

Yesterday, in the interest of killing time, I asked my students what they had asked Santa for. Their lists brought back fond childhood memories since most of the toys of my childhood have been recycled and re purposed. Later on I got to thinking about the Christmas toys I had loved and that I dreamed of getting.

My brother and I were lucky to have been very, very spoiled from the ages of birth to eleven  (me)/ten (my Bro). Because we were very fortunate I only remember two toys that I desperately wanted but did not get. They are the toys that got away.

Toy That Got #1: Strawberry Shortcake Berry Happy Home

Unlike Toy That Got Away #2, I would still love to own this toy. In 1984 this was all I wanted for Christmas.... I strategized and figured I would ask for Rainbow Brite for my February birthday. I was coming of the high of the previous Christmas when my Grandmother got me a Cabbage Patch Kid (her name is Gloria Diane and she currently lives on my couch), and I figured that between Santa, my parents, or my grandparents someone would get me this house! Instead I got Rainbow Brite. She and I had good years together, but inside I always held a little piece of my heart for the Berry Happy Home.
Five years ago, while on a nostalgia kick I discovered wishbookweb.com. While perusing their scans of the 1984 Montgomery Ward catalog I found out why I didn't receive the Berry Happy Home.

Can you see the price quoted in the ad? They wanted $150.00 bucks for the Berry Happy Home .... in 1984!!!!!!!!! We were upper middle class, not millionaires! I have to confess that I occasionally search Ebay in the hopes of finding a fully furnished Berry Happy Home that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. So far it hasn't happened.

Fun Side note: See the Fisher Price dollhouse on the first page? I got that dollhouse from Santa in 1983. I loved that dollhouse ... until the day my brother colored all over it in what he still claims to this day, was retaliation for my coloring on something of his. I don't think I ever did, but he sticks to this story. We talked about it two weeks ago in the same conversation where I had his wife ask him if he was going to let his soon to be born baby girl play with his Legos, or was he going to get her her own.

He is still undetermined about whether or not he is willing to share his Lego collection with his offspring.... but I digress.

Toy That Got Away #2: Baby Alive

Oh, how I wanted Baby Alive. She drank, she ate, she went potty! Baby Alive was the number 1 thing on my Christmas list in 1985, but Christmas morning came and she was nowhere to be found. I wish I could tell you what I got instead, but I don't remember. I do remember the confusion and sadness I felt at the fact that Santa had done me wrong. I remember watching my best friend play with her Baby Alive and simmering. Years later, after financial tides had turned,  when we were discussing past Christmases I finally asked my mother why I didn't get Baby Alive. She told me that she was all set to buy her for me when she found out that the powdered food rotted in Baby Alive's stomach. As an adult I can see that that is indeed a valid reason for not purchasing a toy, no matter how desperately she was wanted. By that point I had also been babysitting for two years and had changed my fair share of diapers. Changing diapers sucks. Why in God's name did I ever want a toy that pooped?

I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday and that Santa brings you everything you asked for!

Christmas Denial

Dear December 24th,

I see that according to my calendar you are happening tomorrow. I don't think this could be true though. Aren't you supposed to be at least another whole week away? If you were still a week away I could feel comfortable about how little "Christmas" I have accomplished. As is stands I am going to have to wake up early to wrap presents, for I don't think my family will appreciate naked and unfestooned gifts. I hate wrapping presents! I've given up hope of getting any cookies baked. This is actually OK because I don't need to eat them, but Christmas doesn't feel like Christmas without cookies. So what do you say December 24th? Can you hold off for a little bit longer?

Best wishes,
me

So That Happened

Went to Dentist.
Dentist drilled large hole in tooth and did things to nerves.
Dentist told me to come back again in order to finish off root canal & rebuild my tooth.
Paid  Desk Woman $175.00.
Desk Woman then told me this all of the rest is going to cost $3,000.00.
I am royally, royally fucked.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

Tomorrow I have to go to make an emergency visit to the dentist. It's not going to be fun and it isn't going to be cheap. Plus side though; I get to sleep in a little on Monday so I can afford to be a little lazy on this chilly, December Sunday.

Currently listening too:

Alexz Johnson - "Skipping Stone"

I can't wait until this EP comes out in January. Until then if you like what you hear you can download "Skipping Stone" for free at www.Alexzjohnson.com.

Currently Watching:

Doctor Who

I'm on episode 4 and aliens have landed in present day London.

 I am seriously doubting the Doctor's ability to tell time accurately.

Currently Reading:

The Great Santa Search by Santa Claus as told to Jeff Guinn

Tis the season to read the Christmas Chronicles. These books never fail to fill me with the Christmas spirit! Reading them also helps me to kick ass whenever my family plays Tis the Season: The Christmas Trivia Game.

Currently Working on:

Finishing up Holiday Presents!

1. A scarf for my co-teacher made out of  Yarn Bee Highland Thistle

 in the Highland Fling Colorway. Side note, I really wish we had a Hobby Lobby here in New Jersey and that Hobby Lobby still sold the Highland Thistle yarn.

 It was one of my favorites!

2. Framing and matting my aunt's present. It isn't as easy to find a collage frame with 5x7 photo openings as I thought it would be. There should be more!

3. Wrapping, wrapping, wrapping.

When lazy time is over it is back to the housework grind.

 I hope everyone else is enjoying their Sundays.

Taking Stock

Dear Universe,

Contrary to popular belief I do not live under a rock. The fact that 2011 is rapidly drawing to a close and that 2012 is peeking out from around the corner has not escaped my attention. I considered, for a wee bit, trying to live in denial because there were still a few old resolutions that I had not yet fulfilled, but that approach wasn’t successful when I turned 30, so I doubt that it would work now. Instead of dwelling on what I have not accomplished, I decided this morning to be positive (for once) and think about what I did achieve this year.

In 2011 I not only got my Master’s Degree while working two jobs and dealing with some serious family issues, but I managed to do so with a 4.0 grade point average. At the time I kept thinking that this was no big deal, but you know what?  I’ve decided that this is indeed something to be proud of. It was hard work and I really put my nose to the grindstone … even though at the time I was never sure whether or not it would all be worth it in the end.

Turns out it was. Not only did I get the degree, but I actually managed to find a job in that field within four months of graduating. That’s not easy to do in this economy. Sure I have student loan debt that could rival the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and I picked a field that really doesn’t pay well, but I’ve discovered I’m really good at what I do. This is a nice change after my pride was squashed by my former job. It takes baby steps and I’m considering 2012 my rebuilding year. If sports teams can do it why can’t I?

The next block I have to tackle is the big one. It is the block that is holding me back from achieving every other thing I want out of life. I am almost (gulp) 32 and I can’t drive. Don’t get me wrong I actually possess a driver’s license and have since I was seventeen, but a trained monkey can get a license in New Jersey. You take your test on a course … there’s no real road time involved. I don’t live in a big city so there aren’t super mass transit options. I need to depend on other people to get anywhere and that really isn’t cool.

Problem is I have a driving phobia that is so severe it leads to panic attacks. I’ve always been terrified of driving. I remember having nightmares that started when I was 6 or 7, in which my mother would leave my brother and I alone in the running car (something that never happened) and something would happen where I would need to drive the car in order to get us out of the way of danger. The dreams never ended with us being safe, instead they mostly ended up in fiery crashes. Fun, eh?

Last summer I took behind the wheel with an actual driving instructor and all that happened was I ended up $400.00 poorer after experiencing three hour blocks of heart palpitations. I don’t know what else to try, but I’ve got to do something. I’ve got to blow past my fear of hurting myself and/or others and take the car by the wheel, so to speak. This has to be the year or I’m never actually going to be able to move forward.

Dear Santa,

I hope your holiday season is going well. How is Mrs. Claus? I've left writing to you till almost too late, but I hope you will excuse my rudeness. Here is my 2011 Grownup Christmas List.

World Peace would be nice. While we're talking on a global level I would also appreciate an end to hunger, cruelty, and homelessness. I know you get asked for this a lot, but I keep hoping one day it might actually happen, so why not today?

On a more personal level I would love a financial miracle to help get my parents on their feet. Social security and disability only go so far and neither of my parents are in great health. Like a lot of people now, we live check to check and there isn't any cushion available. I help out as much as I can, but over the last year they have had to empty my savings account and I don't have anything extra left over to give them. Don't get me wrong, we are far better off than many. We have a roof over our heads, no matter how dilapidated or crumbling down around us the house may be. We have food, clothes, and luxuries like cable, but there is always a huge debt cloud hanging over our heads. Yes they've made some financially irresponsible mistakes over the last nineteen years, but we've also had some rotten luck. Medical bills and prescription drugs are expensive. My father keeps his job for the health insurance because it offers cheaper coverage that Medicare. He's too old to be on his feet eight hours a day.

I would also like to ask for help for a couple people I met at my old job. One woman is very sick and another has just experienced such a loss, that I don't know how she will come back from it. Please send them both help, peace, and hope.

On a totally frivolous level I would also really love

A White iPhone 4S

I've coveted an iPhone since they first came on the market. I've never had a phone that can do anything. It's no fun living in a Smartphone driven world when your phone is the equivalent of two tin cans tied onto string. I'm adult enough to admit that a little pea sized emerald of jealousy glows inside my soul whenever I see my friends with theirs. Since I don't have a family plan that I can join I'm stuck. I just can't rationalize the $80 plus dollars a month it would cost to have the necessary data and calling plans, but man oh man, would it be nice to be able to access apps and to FaceTime with my bro, sis-in-law, and once she's born niece ... especially my niece ... she'll be so far away and I'll miss so much, since they have an iPad 2.

A Pink Nikon 1 with both interchangeable lenses

I've always loved photography and I've never owned a good digital camera before. I have spent years dreaming about a digital SLR camera but I admit that price tag aside, a digital SLR probably shouldn't be my starter camera. Tada! The point and shoot camera with interchangeable lenses ... and it's Pepto Bismol pink!!!

Peanuts Flannel Sheet Set - Full Size

To paraphrase "Happiness is Peanuts!" I have wanted these for three years now. I don't care if I'm adult I just want to cuddle up with my Linus security blanket and Peanuts sheets while watching my Peanuts box sets and reading my Complete Peanuts books!


So that is all Santa. I hope you have a nice holiday and a relaxing New Year. I look forward to seeing you soon.

A Blog In Which I Confess My Committment Issues

Hi blog,
I swear I haven't forgotten about you, and yes,  I know that ignoring you for months on end is no way to cultivate readership. Mea culpa! I just really haven't had anything interesting to say. All I do is go to work and then come home where I do housework, and then go to bed just so I can get up and do it all again. I'm in a grownup rut! I can't remember the last time I went on Facebook, and it has been even longer since I have seen Twitter's little blue birdie. I just spent an hour and a half speed reading all of X-Entertainment's Christmas Countdown entries because I feel guilty that I never got around to reading the Halloween Countdown. Here's a brief rundown of the vaguely interesting things that I have done/come upon lately:

1. In October I found out I am going to be an aunt for the very first time, and last Friday I found out that I'm getting a niece! So yeah, there has been some shopping and some baby sweater knitting going on.

2. Once Upon a Time / Grimm - It only took me an extra month and a half, but as of last Sunday I am totally caught up on this new series ... and I'm head over heels in love (Sheriff, Sheriff, Sheriff)! I have always really enjoyed fractured fairy tales and I'm having a ball trying to figure out what's going to happen next. I'm trying to catch up on Grimm via on Demand, but I have only seen the first two episodes. A little S.A.T.esque fairytale TV comparison for you all: Once Upon a Time is to Lost as Grimm is to C.S.I. . So far Once Upon a Time is holding my attention better than Grimm, but I do love the blodbaten.

3. Nerdist Podcast - I started listening to these over the summer and Chris Hardwicke, Jonah, and Matt now keep me company on each of my breaks. They've widened my nerdy horizons. Without them I never would have started up with:

4. Dr. Who - After years of avoiding it I have finally met the good Doctor. I know (because my friends have been telling me so for forever) that I'm supposed to love David Tennant, but since I started at the (new) beginning I'm enjoying Christopher Eccleston too much to ever imagine him regenerating out of my life.

As far as books go I have been in a serious book drought. Hopefully the drought will end over Christmas break.

Now if you'll excuse me Once Upon a Time has just started .... Oh God no. Bad Sheriff! Stop kissing that bloody witch!!!

Want to win this contest!

Sorry I haven't written lately, but I haven't really done anything that is blog worthy. Basically I go to work and then come home and sleep. I'm legally not allowed to write down any stories about my day, as long as my students are involved, and since every story involves students you will just have to take my word for it that my students are kind of hysterical!

Anyway, Knitpicks.com is running a "Win your Wish List" contest and I am desperate to win it!!!! So here I go following instructions:

http://www.knitpicks.com/cfCart/viewWishlist.cfm?wishlistid=99FA029A-C046-AD8D-BA8E00CE3AAD3AB2&media=WLBL

If you are a knitter and you have never checked out www.knitpicks.com you have seriously been missing out. Their lines are lovely and affordable. They have worked to fill the void that was left in my heart when my favorite LYS closed two years ago. The shipping is fast and affordable and the site offers an online community,  tutorials, and have a podcast.

I have been utilising my library's affiliation with Listen NJ and have been downloading books so I can knit and "read" while I am on my daily break at work. Right now (Literally, right now) I am listening to Going Bovine by Libba Bray. I had been enjoying it, but the addition of a talking Scandinavian warrior garden gnome has pushed my joy to a new limit. The only problem is that I am so into the story that the reader isn't reading fast enough for me! I can't wait to see how it ends!!!

What Sort of Relationship Is This?

Dear Internet,

During the last week, when we were forced to separate because of a downed modem, I had time to review our relationship. In the beginning I missed you like crazy. I wondered what I was missing and who else you were seeing.... not to mention worried about how exactly I was going to pay my bills this month. Use stamps, checks, and snail mail? I think not!

 After awhile I came to grips with my jealousy and I tried to distract myself with other things. Turns out that when you don't go online you really do have time for more things. I knitted a baby sweater and a half and I started a blanket. I read two books. I caught up on sleep. I did laundry. In short I learned that I could get by without you, but I really don't want to have to. Sure I may have been productive, but now it feels like I'm never fully going to catch up. I think I'm officially your slave.

Accepting defeating,
me

Knitting Power

Today I spent my break working on the shawl that feels like it is never going to end and listening to podcasts. Since my new school doesn't have a teacher's room I was in the copy room and people kept coming in and out. As usual I got a few weird looks from people who don't seem to understand knitting, but then something amazing happened. One of my bosses walked into the room and loudly exclaimed "You knit ?!?". I looked up and calmly said yes, expecting the same old conversation. Her next words floored me. She cried out that she was so excited and that I made her day. It seems my boss just started knitting and she has a bunch of questions! I found somebody new to talk knitting with :). Yay for spreading the yarn love!!

That being said, the shawl still never seems to end.

MUST Declutter

Ever since I started my new job I haven't quite been able to catch up on housework. When I get home I'm exhausted and there are so many hours of Internet tomfoolery and New Fall TV season programming to fill my three and a half short hours until it is time to go to bed again (oh yeah I now need to go to bed earlier than my senior citizen parents ... it's great!). Playing catchup was my ooh so exciting plan for this past weekend, but I was cruelly thwarted by a knockout bout of flu which was oh so considerately passed on to me by my new students. I survived kidney stones when I was 16 and back surgery when I was 21 and I am pretty sure I would not survive another go-around with this bug.

So now I have reach a critical level on the House Needs Cleaning scale. Starting tomorrow, as soon as I get home from work I need to start sorting, refusing, scrubbing, and washing. I have to lock myself away this weekend and come hell or high water it is all getting cleaned. I have over 40 hours of Nerdist podcasts ready and raring to go on my iPod. If they don't get me through nothing will!

Chomp!

I get excited whenever I see that Carl Hiaasen is releasing a new book (be it for young adults or adults) and Chomp does not disappoint. As is often the case Hiaasen sets the book in the Florida Everglades, and in this story, Wahoo Cray lives on the animal wrangler farm that his father runs. Their animals, especially their prize gator Alice, often appear on TV shows or in movies, but ever since Wahoo’s father was hit on the head by a frozen iguana (pure Hiaasen!) business has been down and money is tight. When the going gets really tough a successful survivalist TV show (Expedition Survival!) comes a calling. It’s just a shame that the famous host, Derek Badger, is a flaky fake. Can Wahoo keep his father in line, keep track of Derek Badger, and help his new friend Tuna escape from her abusive father? Hiaasen blends humor, slapstick antics, and his own personal brand of satire to take his readers on Wahoo’s crazy ride. I hope you all will check it out when it is released in March 2012!

I'm so tired I ....

1. can't move off of my couch to get the remote to turn off the terrible movie I'm watching.

2. wonder how it is that I didn't fall asleep at 7:00 pm.

3. keep thinking that maybe I can teleport up the stairs to my comfy bed. The comfy bed that has a pillow top memory foam mattress cover, a cozy quilt from Ikea, and lovely feather pillows ... really, really wish I could teleport up to my bed. So much for saying "Beam me up Scottie".

4. can't believe I have to do it all again tomorrow.

Brain Cramp

I've got too many thoughts going on right now to commit to one particular entry topic. Even a list of my scattered thoughts would be too long and chaotic to be enjoyable, so this one will be short. I think my thoughts are being clouded because I am coming out of a garlic butter nirvana coma.

Garlic Butter Nirvana Coma is the medical condition that results after a visit to Mud City Crab House. Well OK, it isn't an official medical condition, but a few of my friends and I have decided it totally exists. Mud City Crab House is one of the best seafood restaurants I have ever been to. If you can get to South Jersey while they're open for the season you would be crazy not to stop by! The staff is friendly and the food is always amazing! Their garlic butter sauce is to die for. It should be added to everyone's last meal menu. Until last night I was .8 pounds away from having lost 20 pounds ... the 5 pounds I probably gained last night was totally worth it.

If your interest is piqued please check out Mud City's web site:
http://www.mudcitycrabhouse.com/
and enjoy!

The Black Hole

The dreaded Black Hole. Every knitter hits it, and unfortunately I have hit it with each of my 3 WIPs (two shawls and a blanket). I was seriously hoping to get one shawl finished in time to submit it to a Fall Harvest festival, but no matter how many hours I spent working on it last month I couldn't hit the halfway point. Sacre bleu!

My knitting frustration combined with starting a new job lack of concentration has led me to a reading binge so I haven't gotten any knitting done at all this past week. My knitting bag keeps staring up at me and I keep promising it and the shawl that I will pick them up as soon as I finish my book ... then I pick another book. My two main hobbies (reading and knitting) unfortunately don't work together unless you are listening to audio books. Luckily my library joined ListenNJ this summer and I am finally getting around to try it out. Tomorrow I plan to use my iPod to listen to Jesse Eisenberg reading Holly Black's Red Glove  while I try to knit my way out of the stinking Black Hole!

Sweet Valley Blah

I read a lot of Sweet Valley books when I was younger; Twins, High, Sagas and The Unicorn Club that is, I read the first five Sweet Valley University books and decided that they weren't for me. I was excited eight years ago when the then titled Sweet Valley Heights was announced, and that excitement carried me up to the point when Sweet Valley Confidential came out last March. Upon the book's release though, I experienced a fizzling out. I didn't really enjoy the sample of the first chapter, but I figured I couldn't quit now and I would read it someday. That day came today, and man I want those two hours of my life back. This book irritated the hell out of me, but in that same vein of needing to slow down to look at a car crash, I kept reading anyway.

The story was underdeveloped, choppy, and in the end unbelievable ... though come to think of it now, that's Sweet Valley... unbelievable. I found myself caring less and less about Jessica, Elizabeth, and Todd's falling out and more about the stories of the background characters who got little more than passing blurbs written about them. Who would have ever thought that Bruce Patman would end up my favorite character and that the best part of the story would have involved hearing the always put together Alice Wakefield call to her husband to have someone "bring out the fucking cake!"???