312/365 I Want My Internets

Maybe the time has come for me to get one of those little cards you plug into the side of the laptop. I need the world to be a wifi hotspot. I wanted to check the email at ATL, but I refuse to pay $9.95 for an hour layover. Arriving at the hotel past 7PM dinner and then p.j.s were on the agenda. All snuggly in my room with my Tazo earl grey, I was ready for a little email, blog, lesson plan and surf. $12.54 for wifi? I don't think so. So I wait until morning to go down to the lobby where it's free. I guess I'm addicted to information and communication.

311/365

I am heading out of town tomorrow. Three days this week of unpaid leave of absence so that I may fulfill my consulting contracts. Actually, I'm unpaid even when present. I was supposed to have the "set up" appointment tomorrow at 8AM to get me onto the official payroll, enable me to logon to the computer they gave me, start the benefits, etc. Because the confirmation stated to allow 4 hours for the appointment, and my flight departs at one, I dropped a note to personnel that I would need to finish up by 11. Apparently my downloading and completing all paperwork in advance doesn't speed up things a bit. Four hours plus will be needed, so the appointment will be rescheduled for next Tuesday. I wonder if they're going to back-date the start period, or if my daily work since October 16th has been on the house? Ah, it's good to be back in the public schools.

310/365 Time Change

Maybe the clock has changed, but I haven't. By 8 PM I was ready for bed. Now, at 11:55 I'm awake and raring to go. Interestingly, when I woke at 11:40 the teen, who has a bedtime of 10 or so, was quietly chatting with the BF on the other side of the house. Why must they make things so difficult! I hate being the meanie!

309/365 Halloween 2.0

The wifi from the house reaches out to the end of the driveway (my picture with the Photobooth). We're listening to the AOL Halloween channel. I can Facebook and blog between kiddos.
Cousins are in for the festivities, along with the BFF.

Matching black cats for Halloween.

308/365 Good thing it's fun

I taught today, dressed as Gretel. In school the kids had creative and wacky costumes, yet they were still mostly focused and working in class. We were able to have a giggle, but then they were right back on task.

Good thing, because I'm not sure when I'll officially be on the payroll, and even then the noble profession will pay some 75% less per annum than the consulting. But we can get by, and I sleep and wake beside my family members, and accompany them to rehearsals and performances. So far, so good.

307/365 Home in this Town

This is the only hometown our child will remember, and while hometown will always mean the place you grew up, this is feeling more and more like a hometown. Tonight, while we enjoyed jazz, conversation, Merlot and good food with some friends (and my dad), I was thinking about hometowns. In a year where almost everything was lost I've also discovered everything we've found: the schools to work in, a truly caring voice teacher for our girl, a high school opportunity she would never have had on Long Island, and chances for all of us to sing, dance and act in live theater and chorale performances. But most importantly we've found dear, dear friends there for us in times of need and in times of laughter, willing to offer prayers bedside in the ICU, to speak up and seek out career options for us, to advise and console, to laugh with us and share their time with us. We're more and more comfortable here, thirteen years into our Florida adventure. Friends, laughter, music, work. Our new hometown.

306/365 I love my daughter

Thanks for this photo, MJ!

I really do love her, but parenting sucks. It's not only about the loving. It's about being the gatekeeper, the banker, and the counselor. My daughter the infant was a lot of work (she never slept through the night), but it was sure easier back when all she needed was Mommy's warm arms and a kiss on the forehead. Whether she likes it or not, I plan to keep trying the hugs and kisses.