Time flies when you're working your @$$ off ...

So every time my manager gets permission to dole out more hours to his departments, he seems to give them all to me. I'm flattered, but I'm not begging for the hours like everyone else is! It has gotten to the point where I eat, sleep, work, and teach. I'm missing out on some of the fun things in my life.

Nanowrimo is coming up fast and I don't know if I'll be able to carve out any time from my stone cold work schedule to even have a chance at making it to the 50k finish line. Worse, I don't even know if I'll be able to attend any of the Mat-Su write-ins during November because of said dratted work schedule. I've had to ask for several Saturdays off to make room for other things, like a Health and Fitness Specialist seminar weekend that may open some more doors for me career-wise. Funny: as time goes by, my masters degree seems less and less useful.

Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't change the fact that I got that degree for the world. It showed me what a person can be capable of if you set your mind to do something. And I'm very proud when I think of those dark green bound manuals of martial arts for physical ed teachers now sitting in the Sac State Library and my parents' bookcase. But sometimes I wonder if I should have just gotten the degree in any old interest, regardless of the practicality. Especially since the practicality of my choice hasn't helped me out a smidge. Theatre comes to mind. What could I have done with that?

This year for Halloween I'm attending the National Wild Turkey Federation's banquet. I'll be wearing my Renaissance wench outfit as I have not had the time to make anything else. I know; odd choice of event for Halloween. Long story about our involvement, but I'll be singing "The Star Spangled Banner," and everyone knows I'll jump at any chance to sing!

I'll also be singing "Summertime" from "Porgy and Bess" at the Valley Performing Arts Theatre's fundraising night in November. My schedule doesn't allow me to do theatre, but I'm trying to weasel into any singing thing I can. And yes, Mom, if someone records these things, I'll post a copy or send you a burned CD!

I can hear my dogs snoring in the background as the cats chase each other upstairs. It snowed a little today as I walked across the parking lot to my job, but it wasn't sticking. The big snow is coming, though!

Okay, that's about it for now, I think. Gotta go to bed so I can wake up early and - surprise, surprise!- go to work.

Houston, we have a negative on that orbit trajectory...

No ash. Not even a hint. In fact, I haven't even heard any news about the volcano for at least one full day. I guess that scouring wind we get through the valley is also blowing all the volcanic activity away from us. Can't say I'm hurt or disappointed.

But now I've got a box of ten cheap knee-highs sitting on the counter. Logan had me buy them for the cars. Just in case. Guess they'll sit around 'til the next eruption in 20 years.

Been a long, been a long, been a long tiiiiiiiiime!

Okay, it's been a while since I posted. Lots of stuff going on. Not sure what's too personal, what's too boring, and what's too ... Well, anyway, here's a few things.

The response to our show, the Spitfire Grill, has been incredible. The people who come up to us after the show are seriously moved, some to tears. Several gentleman have told us that they never liked musicals, but they liked this one. I've had so many compliments, I'm starting to feel like a superstar.

However, we've only sold out one night. That seems to be because of the economic downturn of late. I guess it's the same for theatres across the nation.

But Sarah Palin came to a show last weekend! Got to shake her hand and she said she enjoyed the show. Took a pic with the cast and crew. Don't have a copy of it yet. Lots of flashbulbs going off that night.

Today I narrowly escaped an accident on the highway. What is it with Alaskans and driving? As soon as snow appears, you see 10 cars ditched, rolled over, or crashed. Do they think they're invincible just because they see snow almost every day in the wintertime?

Today it started snowing on our way home from Eagle River where I taught a class. When a person would pass, you wouldn't be able to see for a bit because of the snow being swirled around.

At one point (I was averaging about 45 to 50 mph by this time) a couple of loose dogs approached the highway like they intended to cross. I slowed to a stop and honked my horn to deter them. They moved off and I picked up speed again. As I glanced in my side view mirror, I saw a car sliding toward me at high speed, whipping back and forth as the driver tried to regain control.

I started muttering, "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit" over and over. Logan didn't realize what I was talking about until the car slid by us sideways, missing us by about an inch or two. He ended up backwards in the ditch. Thank the gods he didn't hit us or anybody else. And I pray those dogs went back home and made it safely.

In other news, Yahoo Messenger has disappointed me yet again. For some reason, now it will not open for love or money. No matter how many colorful names I give it, I can't figure out why or what to do. I may just cut my losses and try something else. In the meantime, I'll have to stick to Facebook and/or Myspace chat. At least until I can figure out what's going on.

A few days ago, when it snowed, the flakes were so tiny, you could clearly see the crystal pattern they form. When I went out to my car one morning, it looked like it was covered in stars. It was so pretty, I didn't want to drive it!

Got to see "Les Miserables" at long last. Colony High School performed it and they did very well for a high school production. Sure, it had it's fair share of glitches, but some of the singing was pretty good and some of the acting was even better. I enjoyed it very much. That's quite a difficult undertaking for a high school!

Okay, guess that's all the updates for now. I get to go see my local nurse practitioner tomorrow morning to start my yearly feminine invasions once again. Oh, joy and rapture. >Rolls eyes<

A great rush of wind...

That's just my sigh of relief at the whole interview weekend being over.

Of course, now an opposite breeze is blowing because I'm sucking in air as I get ready to go through our stack of people to call and say yes, you made it through the meat grinder and are being offered a job!

And that's just for the front end. You should see the stack of "no" people from ALL the departments that I have to send letters of "thanks, but no thanks" to. It's huge. Barely stays upright. Think of all the envelopes I'll have to address. At least I'll have plenty to do when we're back in town.

I learned a lot through the interviews I conducted this weekend. Especially of what not to do when you are interviewing for a job! I'll share my newfound wisdom and hope that none of these people are reading this.

1. Don't wear shirts that say things like Genius by Birth, Slacker by Choice.

2. Don't wear your baseball cap sideways.

3. Don't walk into the interview in a manner that says, "I'm into depressing music and sitting in the dark contemplating my pathetic existence" or "My daddy's making me do this." It doesn't matter how you're dressed when we see a gait like that.

4. Don't plop down in a chair and demand a lead position or management position in your department of choice. You may find that's the person you're talking to.

5. Please leave God out of it. It's totally cool if you're religious, but if we think you may start harassing customers and asking if they've been saved, you won't have a snowball's chance in... Well, you know.

6. Don't try to dig yourself out of that grave you've found yourself in. You'll probably just make it worse.

7. Don't try to speak around that foot in your mouth. By that time, it would probably be best just to nod and smile and get the heck out. We may admire your grace in dashing around the long tables as you fly out the door. Or for humor's sake, try adding the other foot. Or someone else's foot.

Okay, I've run out of witticisms for now. I'm going to go to bed and dream about the stack of "no hires" falling on top of me and smothering me.