My Education: Film and Literature class.

Life in the fast, err slow lane!



Breathing time is here. I just finished my Film and Literature class - earned a B. By the time the class was over, I was burned out with writing and reading and analyzing and just wanted it to all be over with. I wrote the final essay paper which was a review of the movie "Star Wars I Phantom Menace and submitted it; thanking God I didn't have to write any more papers. I psyched myself up for taking a final. I went online and discovered a final grade. Final? What Final? The movie review paper was my final. Where did my brain go? Breath.


I have a couple weeks off and will start my next class. I have 12 units of upper level undergraduate courses left and 9 units left of lower level undergraduate courses of which 3 have to be math. I took the easy way out and registered for College Math which is an all inclusive everything math course instead of intermediate Algebra. Why make it too difficult.


Lessons with James have been flying along. I haven't had time to go back and review what we have done, but I think we finished most of the stuff wanted to accomplish. Math is still difficult for him for some reason. He can memorize the dialog of a movie and relate back verbatim after watching the movie once, yet the addition tables continue to float through and not stick. We decided to concentrate solely on addition and gave him the incentive of getting the 2nd set of Ultraman dvds when he mastered up through the 5's. He earned the dvd's and now we will concentrate on the rest up through 10 and he will earn the 3rd set of Ultraman. I am so ready for the summer break and we usually take the whole month of May off. We are going to take the break because I am burned out, but we will continue to do math.



I let him know my next class is going to be math and perhaps he will help me with that. He thinks it's neat I'm asking him for help with my homework. He helped me with some of my essays for film and lit, especially when they related to Star Wars and told me what to say. He had taken it upon himself to remind me about doing my homework.

"Mom, did you write your paper yet?" he would ask everyday until I sat down to actually write the paper.


Now that I have time to breath, I notice my house is cluttered and there are household projects such as painting and whatnot that need my attention. The garden has started to overtake my lawn and the weeds are trying to take over my planter. How does it happen so fast. Spring arrives and poof - where did all the weeds come from so fast. So, will spend time catching up with weeding and planting flowers. We seemed to acquired some donor palm trees - thanks birds - growing in the most unusual places.


Big changes on our court. Two neighbors lost their homes. Foreclosure! Neighbor A approached us a few weeks ago asking for a sum of money that he needed the next day in order to help him last a while longer. Neighbor B suddenly moved out last weekend. The sad part of the whole thing was that B owned a mortgage broker business and A was one of his brokers. B shut down the business a few months ago and was working out of the house, plus working part time at Home Depot as a manager. We were thinking of getting a business loan last year and had considered going through A but I had reservations about getting involved financially with a neighbor. Thank God we listened to my gut.


I have finished almost all the books on my spring reading list and will try to write up some reviews of the books. I just have "Adam" and "Scarlett" left. I gave up on "On the Fifth Day". I just couldn't get into it. I did however read the other two Lori Armstrong books "Hallowed Ground" and "Shallow Grave." They were excellent. Still working on the "In Death" series by J.D. Robb. Once I gave up watching mindless TV shows and decided to be a little bit more picky about my viewing time, plus limit my internet time, discovered that I actually had more time to read. I've discovered reading is so much more enjoyable and relaxing.


I reviewed my book today and want to rewrite most of it. I'm thinking of turning it into a mystery with more spunk. We'll see how that goes.

Off to do some research!

TTFN

Educational Moments in Life


Our Baby



We had an educational few days. Luna was in heat! She yowled and howled and sat by the door giving us plaintive looks. When we got Luna, Father and I were in agreement we would let her have one litter and then get her spayed. When she went into heat, Father almost changed his mind because he wasn't sure he was ready for "his baby" to grow up. The first day we let her out, her fluffy orange friend who hangs out regularly showed up and stayed all day.




We kept an eye on the two and came to conclusion fluffy was a girl because nothing was happening. However, whenever Luna came in to eat or came over to talk to us on the patio, fluffy cried from the bushes, wanting her to come back.

John and James were out front pulling weeds when this guy shows up




He and Luna courted and danced for the afternoon while Fluffy chaperoned.




The three of us were so enthralled watching the courtship and Father taking pictures and the two of us explaining the facts of cat life to James that even though I made dinner and sat down to eat, we all forgot to eat.

When Luna finally came in for the evening, her mate (as James calls him) hung around and watched Luna as she ate and jumped up on one of the kitchen chairs to sleep.




We took pity on him and put out a plate of food which was gobbled down in seconds. He was still around in the morning when we let Luna out, but Fluffy (who had gone home at some point) - had returned with her sibling.




Absolutely beautiful blue eyed cat and undoubtedly male. I just watched him spray one of our bushes. Anyway, he and fluffy chaperoned and Mate was intimidated for a while, but got over it. Luna is no longer in heat and Mate has returned home.

Blue eyes and another friend however have decided to hang out for a while and Luna doesn't seem to mind. However, we are keeping a watchful eye out to make sure they aren't trying to take over her territory.

So our baby may be having babies in the not so distant future. Keep your fingers crossed.



Doesn't she look content!

One year Blogoversary

Who'd of thunk it?

I have been at this blogging business for a year now and have written 200 posts. I didn't know I could be so verbose. Growing up, I was always the quiet one in the family with not much to say --- or so they thought. I just couldn't get a word in edgewise. Father and James are also quite talkative but I have learned to say "It's my turn" or "Let me finish, please." Quick minded people have a tendency to think they know what you are going to say and finish your sentences. Of course, Father and I are so in tune, he will look at me and I'll answer the unasked question.

We sat down to watch the 3rd Pirates of the Caribbean and just as it began, he paused it and looked at me.

I answered "No, I don't."

Of course, he scoffs "you don't even know what I was going to say."

"Oh certainly - do I remember what happened in Pirates 2?. Start the movie."

Shakes his head and restarts the movie. In the course of the movie, both of us decide it may be necessary to go back and watch pirates 2 because we don't remember a whole heck of lot of the plot. When I mentioned it to one of my employees, he tells me not to bother. It won't help. Oh well. Did I digress?

That's what comes from being in a talkative family. When it's your turn, you may mumble, babble, spit it out quickly or just look at them and get an "I love you" and all is right with the world.

Happy Blog Anniversary to ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!








Income Tax time


I am going in.... I will be in the midst of Schedule C's and 1099's and 1098's and 1040 and 4562, oh my! Why did I wait until now? Usually I at least do a preliminary in February, but for what ever insane reason, I didn't this time. The anxiety, the pressure, the fun. Numbers, numbers, numbers (she gleefully rubs hers hand together as she goes deep into the land of taxes.)

Ta Ta For Now

Father's 20th Anniversary as business Owner

Congratulations - Father!!!!



We are celebrating Father's 20th anniversary as owner of our business. He bought the business from his former employers and escrow closed on April 1, 1988. Father turned the business around and it has outlasted many of the other electronic repairs shops in town. Since we are a warranty service station for many manufacturers, we have customers from all over the united states. Between Father and our genius technicians, he established a reputation for being one of the best in the business. Can you tell I'm proud.

I went out and purchased some congratulations Balloons and a bottle of Dom Perignon. I wanted to set it up on the front desk so when he walked into the shop he would see it. However we have a rather sensitive security system and the balloons would have set off the motion detector during the night. We put the balloons down between the file cabinets and one of my early arriving employees would put the bouquet on the desk. However Father decided to go into work a little earlier than usual and surprised R. R made him stay in the back until he put the balloons and champagne on the desk. He was surprised and pleased nontheless.

Of course, I couldn't tell him until afterwards that in buying the balloons, I gained another prospective customer. The gentleman at the balloon kiosk was typically curious about what occasion I was getting balloons. When I explained, he was thrilled to find out we are a Fender authorized servicer.

We will be sharing the bottle of Dom here at home as none of my employees drink - imagine that - and it wouldn't have been appropriate to greet customers a little tipsy. ( Oh yeah - we do good work -- hiccup )


Cheers