one small corner of the universe

I don’t think I can express in words how happy it makes me that we are down to 10. Ten days. A mere two work weeks. If this were a video blog I would share with you an interpretive dance that conveys my true feelings about this milestone. But it is not a video blog, and you should be grateful for that. I am so happy about hitting the 10-day mark that even though I am yet again covering a class during my planning period, I am not tense or stressed or irritated. Something about the proximity of 10 to 9, which is a single digit number, is freeing, exhilarating. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My mind is starting to clear. It is becoming possible to think of things not related to work, important things, like the war between Rosie and Elisabeth, and why nothing will grow in that one spot in my flower garden (cat pee, I’m guessing).

I continue to enjoy my “things go look forward to” list. It is a testament to the bonds created by blogging that one can make a request and receive so many creative, sincere responses. In the great scheme of things, my annoying students are no match for many of the things people are going through in the blog world these days, but you rose to the occasion anyway, and I am grateful.

Having said all of that, I did not complete last night’s suggestion–Trista’s suggestion–to make a cool recipe and eat it on my screened porch. Truth be told, I was experiencing horrible PMS and could not bear to think of actually making something, and something healthy at that (I was planning to make pineapple salsa). So I ate half a frozen pizza and a handful of chocolate covered espresso beans, drank half a bottle of diet Coke, and called it a night. Mia and I played on my bed for a while, and then on the living room floor, and after I put her to bed I took a LONG HOT SHOWER, compliments of my now depleted savings account. I popped a handful of Aleve for cramps and fell fast asleep and had really weird dreams all night long, and this morning I woke feeling drugged and listless. And crampy, of course, having taken the last of the Aleve before bed. Oh, the joys of being a girl.

Fortunately, that funk only lasts about 18 hours, and I am closing in on hour 18, so I can begin to think about the joyous things I have to look forward to today. First of all, I am taking Jen’s suggestion to eat lots of chocolate to Earth Fare, wherein resides my new favorite cookie, the wheat and gluten free double chocolate fudge chunk cookie. I am not allergic to wheat or gluten, but damn, those are the best cookies I’ve ever eaten. Also on my list of good things today is my haircut, which is scheduled for 4:oo. Thank. God. I haven’t had long hair since 4th grade, and I don’t actually have long hair now, but pieces of it are long enough to somehow make their way into my mouth while I’m eating or brushing my teeth, and that is just gross. So I’m very happy about that impending event. And because I skipped out on yesterday’s moment of joy, I’m going to make the salsa this evening. And then I’m probably going to need to run around the block a few times to rid myself of all those cookie calories.