Up, Down, Like a Merry-Go-Round

So. 24 hours of Wow, that's great! and Boy, that sucks!

Starting at the start, I rushed home from school yesterday in a driving rainstorm so that K and I could go see two other apartments. One was a contender, and one was not. On the way home from the second place, we were in traffic forever -- one of the downfalls for both of yesterday's places; they're right on a busy highway -- and got a good chance to talk out the pros and cons. She made a list when we got home, because she was having a lot of trouble with the idea that one place was better in every way, but it cost more, and the main advantage of the second one was the price. Once we got home, dad was called in for a consult, and he put it in perspective, which he's good at. The price difference, he said, comes to about $4.00 a day. And so I pointed out to her that it would be way easy to make that up: stop smoking. Hah hah, a good laugh was had by all. (But she's seriously considering it.) So she picked an apartment, in fact the first one we saw, and the lease is being faxed to me as we speak.

Traffic home. Cold at home. Finished reading Rick Riordan's newest YA book The Red Pyramid, loved it. Settled down, all comfy in my blankies, to watch Lost.

At 8:45, the power winked out and then came back on. At 8:46, it went out and stayed out.

AAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, fine. I was already getting phone calls from the house forwarded to the cell because the internet/phone went out about six, but as long as the TV was fine, I was fine. At nine, despondent in the dark, the Sibs called me because, y'know, Dancing with the Stars was over, so what would I be doing? (I don't watch DWTS, and wouldn't you think there'd be a hundred commercials for Lost while it's on? And she knows I watch that? [sigh].) But I could talk because I couldn't watch Lost, now, could I?

After that, I wrapped myself up in the blankies and the dark and settled down to sleep, and at 9:45, the room buzzed back to life: lights went on, electronics started to hum, and of course, the end of Lost appeared on the TV. I changed the channel, turned off everything else, and drifted off to the sounds of George Lopez.

I came into school today and got a notice in my mailbox about the last chance to buy a yearbook, and I thought, hey, why not? I haven't gotten one in years, but I thought maybe I'd get people to sign it. Then, kids started bringing small groups of littler kids around, and I realized that 8th grade orientation is today. And for the first time, I didn't get up and greet all the little kids and introduce myself to them, because why bother? And then I remembered my dream.

Sometimes I have very vivid and memorable dreams. I had one last August that was about the first few weeks of school, but it was September 2010. In the dream, I was teaching freshmen, or taking ID card pictures of freshmen, and whatever I did with them, I kept thinking: I LOVE THIS CLASS! And in the dream, I realized that I would be graduating, in a sense, with them, retiring in their graduation year, 2014, and I decided that I would be there with them every step of the way. I would go to all their events, chaperone their trips, buy their t-shirts, and really get to know as many of them as I could. Cut to reality, when I decided to retire, a few weeks back, I realized that this dream was not to be (and anyway, I had already decided to go in 2013), but seeing the little 2014's today brought that all back.

I decided that stuff and sentimentality are not what I need more of. I tossed the yearbook notice; really, what do I need it for? I've asked around to see if there's a 2010 sweatshirt leftover that I can buy, but a sweatshirt is a useful item. If it's available, I'll get it, and if not, not.

Next. I was a baaaad girl. I did something I've never done before in school. Things were quiet, so I fired up Hulu and watched last night's Lost. Now I can go to lunch with my head held high and have the weekly discussion, instead of begging everyone to wait until tomorrow.

Here's what's bumming me the most so far. I had two classes scheduled this afternoon, a nice lesson that I've done before, and with good kids, and I think it will be my last classes taught here, as it's pretty late in the year for anyone to assign research projects. I was looking forward to it, and I brought in a little camcorder even, to record it. But the teacher just called and said, you know what, there's not enough time left in the year for a research project. Duh. So, no "official" last class for me. Yesterday's dull assignment with chatty kids was it, and I didn't even know it.

But dark chocolate is apparently good for fibromyalgia, which is great, because I eat dark chocolate because it's good for the heart. Go me!

Okay, going to check and see if that fax is here.