I don't even know how it's already a week until Christmas. The last two weeks have flown by, and I'd like to have them back.
I'd prefer they be a little colder, too...because it's ridiculous that we have the windows open in December. I vote no. I want snow and cold and cozy nights by the fireplace.
I think a move to the Pacific Northwest is in order. Or South Dakota. I know I have a room there!
Christmas shopping finally began, but I'm not hurrying to wrap presents this year. I'm flying solo this year, as both of the boys will be with paternal family for Christmas. It's technically my year, but I've had several years in a row due to various illnesses that inevitably pop up prior to the holidays, so I've graciously offered to forgo my year so they can celebrate together. It's important to B, and that makes it important to me.
So, while they are opening presents and laughing and making memories, I will be by myself, watching Netflix and not wearing pants. It sounds like a dream come true...a dream that would only be better if the projected temperature on Christmas was NOT in the 70s. Because that sucks.
I've been at N's school a few times over the last week or so. I taught Art for one of N's former teachers, which was more fun than I expected even though I can't be artistic to save my life. My stick people are lopsided. They all live in a nudist colony because I can't draw clothes...but you know what I can do?
Color a mean coloring book. And paint by numbers? They're my jam.
This week, I ended up assisting in the special ed department at N's school. I was totally apprehensive because I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous, but spent two days bouncing from classroom to classroom, assisting in a variety of different ways, and I loved it. It was fun to work one on one with students, and it was so varied that the time flew by. This is midterm week at school, so it was nice to have an idea of what finals my kid was taking and when...because he couldn't claim he didn't know since I was there.
It also helped me to know how to help him review for the test he was nervous about. When he got in the car today, after taking his last midterm, he seemed pretty confident. It's something I love to see, but don't see very often.
Tomorrow is a shortened day. Instead of getting out of school at 3:20, N gets out at 1:45. B is out of school already...not because the elementary school gets out earlier than the other campuses, but because he has walking pneumonia.
Wait...what? Prior to Thanksgiving, B developed a respiratory infection. He never fully got over it, and struggling to overcome that, along with a little too much activity, has landed him in the bed rest/steroid zone the day before his school Christmas party.
Side note: I think people need to slow their roll on the whole "'Saying Merry Christmas' offends me" business. I told a cashier at Target "Merry Christmas" as I was leaving the register a couple of weeks ago, and a woman literally complained about how it offended her. I jumped up on my soapbox and gave her an earful (in a sweet voice, of course) about how I'm an American and I have the freedom of speech. When I finished, I got applause from the other people in line. And I took a bow.
And she was a little old lady in a Christmas sweater, for crying out loud!
I don't understand. Not even a little bit.
I will Merry Christmas myself silly, if that's what I want to do!
Aubs
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Finals Week
Thankfully, I only have three finals to deal with this semester, since my precious local history professor decided to treat our class as a grad level class instead of a senior undergrad level class. That said, my only grades were two papers, attendance, and blog posts/discussion contribution...so, I totally nailed it and managed to receive all points possible.
The only class that I had any serious doubts about was my Sociology of Disasters class. It's not that the class isn't interesting, but there's a lot of reading that is sometimes less than interesting, which makes getting through it somewhat difficult. Going into my final I needed an 86 to get an A in the class...and her tests have always been a little more difficult than others. The wording of the questions is often off-putting or vague, and often they're open to interpretation, but you have to interpret them the way SHE interprets them. Also, on the final, there were several questions that were clearly opinion questions, so I'm anxious for the final to "close" so I can see how many of those I got wrong. I got an A on the final, which gives me a cushion and makes my A in the course absolute instead of questionable.
The most entertaining final so far has been my Sociology of Marriage and Family final. I've taken a variation of this class multiple times, each time focusing on something slightly different. I figure it can't hurt, and ideally speaking, the repetitive information might sink in and prove useful at some point. In fact, here are some of the most interesting tidbits I've learned this go 'round:
* Forty percent of all marriages in the U.S. are remarriages.
* Remarriages in which one partner was divorced are least likely to divorce.
* More couples cite communication problems as the main reason for divorce than anything else, including infidelity. (That was surprising to me)
* Marriage sabbaticals are legit "marriage time outs" that are agreed upon between both parties.
* Middle-class families tend to be more permissive in their child-rearing style. (Also surprising)
* Couples who cohabitated before marriage have a higher rate of divorce as compared to to those who did not cohabitate before marriage.
* The presence of teenagers in the house creates stressors that make divorce more likely.
So, I kind of figured the last one out because...Captain Obvious...but the rest of them were actually really interesting, as was the class in general.
SO interesting, in fact, that when I took my final this afternoon...I aced it. As in, I didn't get a single question wrong. Given my current relationship status and my fantastic track record with the opposite sex, let's let the irony of the perfect score on the MARRIAGE AND FAMILY final sink in.
I'll wait.
Okay, then. I have one more final this week, and then I have a blessed month off to gear up for my last semester of my undergrad. I was giving a recap to someone earlier today, along with my favorite statistics, and he replied with a LOL...and the rest went like this:
Me: Then what are you laughing at?
Him: How sexy you are when you're talking about statistics.
Me: Are you drunk?
Him: And horny? No
Me: Because statistics about the dissolution of marriage and the family unit are such a turn on?
Him: Because flexing your brain is sexy.
Me: If I could go to school for the rest of my life, I would...especially if I got paid to do it.
Him: Are you trying to turn me on?
I love how he keeps me on my toes. And laughing. Always laughing. Or blushing. Or biting my lip. Or all of the above.
Aubs
The only class that I had any serious doubts about was my Sociology of Disasters class. It's not that the class isn't interesting, but there's a lot of reading that is sometimes less than interesting, which makes getting through it somewhat difficult. Going into my final I needed an 86 to get an A in the class...and her tests have always been a little more difficult than others. The wording of the questions is often off-putting or vague, and often they're open to interpretation, but you have to interpret them the way SHE interprets them. Also, on the final, there were several questions that were clearly opinion questions, so I'm anxious for the final to "close" so I can see how many of those I got wrong. I got an A on the final, which gives me a cushion and makes my A in the course absolute instead of questionable.
The most entertaining final so far has been my Sociology of Marriage and Family final. I've taken a variation of this class multiple times, each time focusing on something slightly different. I figure it can't hurt, and ideally speaking, the repetitive information might sink in and prove useful at some point. In fact, here are some of the most interesting tidbits I've learned this go 'round:
* Forty percent of all marriages in the U.S. are remarriages.
* Remarriages in which one partner was divorced are least likely to divorce.
* More couples cite communication problems as the main reason for divorce than anything else, including infidelity. (That was surprising to me)
* Marriage sabbaticals are legit "marriage time outs" that are agreed upon between both parties.
* Middle-class families tend to be more permissive in their child-rearing style. (Also surprising)
* Couples who cohabitated before marriage have a higher rate of divorce as compared to to those who did not cohabitate before marriage.
* The presence of teenagers in the house creates stressors that make divorce more likely.
So, I kind of figured the last one out because...Captain Obvious...but the rest of them were actually really interesting, as was the class in general.
SO interesting, in fact, that when I took my final this afternoon...I aced it. As in, I didn't get a single question wrong. Given my current relationship status and my fantastic track record with the opposite sex, let's let the irony of the perfect score on the MARRIAGE AND FAMILY final sink in.
I'll wait.
Okay, then. I have one more final this week, and then I have a blessed month off to gear up for my last semester of my undergrad. I was giving a recap to someone earlier today, along with my favorite statistics, and he replied with a LOL...and the rest went like this:
Me: Then what are you laughing at?
Him: How sexy you are when you're talking about statistics.
Me: Are you drunk?
Him: And horny? No
Me: Because statistics about the dissolution of marriage and the family unit are such a turn on?
Him: Because flexing your brain is sexy.
Me: If I could go to school for the rest of my life, I would...especially if I got paid to do it.
Him: Are you trying to turn me on?
I love how he keeps me on my toes. And laughing. Always laughing. Or blushing. Or biting my lip. Or all of the above.
Aubs
Thursday, December 3, 2015
There are some great people out there
I think I've mentioned that my classes this semester were split between online and on campus classes. I had a 3 hour block twice a week and then my online classes just whenever I had the time. This might come as a shock, but I have been known to speak out and contribute...exuberantly...in discussions. Even though I have a bunch of other things going on, I usually read the material to actually comprehend it instead of just skimming it...unless it's long or boring. I keep it real. Anyway, in my local history class, I sat in the middle of the room and am known to everyone as "Aubrey, Not Elizabeth" because my professor was POSITIVE my name was Elizabeth. I'm taking her class online next semester, and as she hugged me goodbye on Tuesday, she said, "I can't wait for Aubrey, Not Elizabeth to ride again!" People like me...they really like me!
Y'all, she was honestly the sweetest professor I've had. She sent out an email just before Thanksgiving to remind those in our class who weren't able to spend time with their loved ones for Thanksgiving that it was, "...just a day. Talk to your loved ones, do something for yourself, relax and unwind, but just remember...it's ONE day, and you are amazing and wonderful and blessed." At our last meeting on Tuesday, she gave everyone personalized Christmas cards and said, "Y'all, please keep in touch. You're an amazing class, and I really do care about y'all. A lot." She asked each of us how our holiday was and what we did, and her eyes got all watery when I mentioned my dad, which did TONS for me keeping it together. She emailed me yesterday to ask how he was doing, and again today. She is a rarity, and I'm so glad I get to learn from her again next semester, even if it IS just in an online forum.
In my world lit class, I sit near the window because...yes. There's a group of 4 of us who always group up and banter back and forth. That class is very divided, but I've gotten to know a few of the "others" from talking to them out in the hall before class. One of the girls in the class and I have gotten very chatty over the last few weeks, so we discussed our holidays and cheesecake and papers and grades and life. Today, she sat down across from me with watery eyes and told me that her boyfriend, her "person" had dumped her at 2 a.m., and then used a Talladega Nights quote to relieve the tension when she was angry, that ultimately made her laugh, but then made her even more mad. She called him an "adorable asshole," and then I knew exactly what she meant.
I don't have one of those, but I do have an "adorable idiot" who bounces in and out of my life on occasion. In fact, I attempted to make her feel better by telling the story of how we met and the ridiculousness that stemmed from it, and at the end, she was all starry-eyed as she said, "Wow! That gives me so much hope!" Wait, what? Later, I heard from her and she asked which idiot I wound up with, to which I had to reply, "Neither." Her reply? "Well...that makes me suicidal. It was such a good story!" I told him about it this afternoon, after a random text to make sure I was still breathing/pining away for him (insert eye roll here), and he was happy to be a cautionary tale. If he lived closer I would've driven to his house and smacked him upside his head. I swear that would be it.
It is amazing to me how someone can disappear from your life for EVER and then reappear and become one of the people you come to rely on the most...the person I wanted to text at least a hundred times over the last 10 days or so to say "I need you" but deleting it over and over again because it wouldn't matter. We each have our own "stuff" going on and aren't able to be readily available for each other, but that doesn't stop us from trying to do the best we can.
At least ONE of us anyway. Life and love and friendships and complications are weird. And frustrating. And...yeah.
Aubs
Y'all, she was honestly the sweetest professor I've had. She sent out an email just before Thanksgiving to remind those in our class who weren't able to spend time with their loved ones for Thanksgiving that it was, "...just a day. Talk to your loved ones, do something for yourself, relax and unwind, but just remember...it's ONE day, and you are amazing and wonderful and blessed." At our last meeting on Tuesday, she gave everyone personalized Christmas cards and said, "Y'all, please keep in touch. You're an amazing class, and I really do care about y'all. A lot." She asked each of us how our holiday was and what we did, and her eyes got all watery when I mentioned my dad, which did TONS for me keeping it together. She emailed me yesterday to ask how he was doing, and again today. She is a rarity, and I'm so glad I get to learn from her again next semester, even if it IS just in an online forum.
In my world lit class, I sit near the window because...yes. There's a group of 4 of us who always group up and banter back and forth. That class is very divided, but I've gotten to know a few of the "others" from talking to them out in the hall before class. One of the girls in the class and I have gotten very chatty over the last few weeks, so we discussed our holidays and cheesecake and papers and grades and life. Today, she sat down across from me with watery eyes and told me that her boyfriend, her "person" had dumped her at 2 a.m., and then used a Talladega Nights quote to relieve the tension when she was angry, that ultimately made her laugh, but then made her even more mad. She called him an "adorable asshole," and then I knew exactly what she meant.
I don't have one of those, but I do have an "adorable idiot" who bounces in and out of my life on occasion. In fact, I attempted to make her feel better by telling the story of how we met and the ridiculousness that stemmed from it, and at the end, she was all starry-eyed as she said, "Wow! That gives me so much hope!" Wait, what? Later, I heard from her and she asked which idiot I wound up with, to which I had to reply, "Neither." Her reply? "Well...that makes me suicidal. It was such a good story!" I told him about it this afternoon, after a random text to make sure I was still breathing/pining away for him (insert eye roll here), and he was happy to be a cautionary tale. If he lived closer I would've driven to his house and smacked him upside his head. I swear that would be it.
It is amazing to me how someone can disappear from your life for EVER and then reappear and become one of the people you come to rely on the most...the person I wanted to text at least a hundred times over the last 10 days or so to say "I need you" but deleting it over and over again because it wouldn't matter. We each have our own "stuff" going on and aren't able to be readily available for each other, but that doesn't stop us from trying to do the best we can.
At least ONE of us anyway. Life and love and friendships and complications are weird. And frustrating. And...yeah.
Aubs
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