Odds and Ends

I just paid $2.11/gallon at the pump this morning. Oh happy day! Rumor has it some stations in Maryland are down to $1.99! I can't even fathom that. I kind of want to drive around and find one just so I can say I paid less than a dollar to fill my gas tank. Yes, I do know driving around to find it would defeat the purpose of saving money.

I was having a conversation with one of my students a few weeks ago about gas prices and I caught myself saying, "I remember gas prices were under $1.00 back when I got my first car". Ok, can you say, getting old?!? Something in the cosmos has definitely shifted if I'm uttering statements like that.

On a completely unrrelated note, I've discovered another time-waster: Zach Braff's (of Scrubs and Garden State fame) blog. It's funny, it's witty, and he gives fantastic music recommendations. I love it.

So, I think I can officially say I did not enjoy teaching a class this semester. I'm really surprised by this. It was really just boring. I'm not sure if it was the students I happened to have or if my teaching abilities are less-than-stellar or the way the class is set up (this is what I actually think it is), but I was so glad to be done with it last week. I was assigned to a section that was mandated to take the course, so I think if I'm invited to teach it again next year, I'll only do it if I can get a section of students that a.) picked the class and b.) does not have stupid business school assignments I'm required to give out. Really, how interesting can it be for a non-business person to lead discussions about current business practices with a bunch of freshman that have yet to take any actual business classes? It doesn't make sense to me, either. I did, however, really enjoy their journals. They were incredibly forthcoming and I got to read entertaining entries like this one:

Perfect example: I've got a friend who's got a 'thing' for a gilr in one of our classes. One day, out of the blue, she introduces herself to my friend as she's saying hello to me. My guy friend uses his intuition side and starts creating a false reality about how he thinks this girl must be really interested, wants to really get to know him, etc. I, on the other hand, use my sensing side and look at the facts: she said hello. Hello doesn't mean secret undying love, now does it? If his fantasy world was really true, then it would reveal itself later, now wouldn't it? Why waste time creating a fantasy world that has little or no chance of possibly coming true when you can just analyze the facts and continue on from there as days progress? I guess some people enjoy wasting time in fantasy land when reality is what really matters.

I can't decide if this girl is just plain funny or if she's been burned one too many times. Either way, her journals make me laugh every single time. I love it.

I made the mistake of agreeing to help a former colleague's son with his college plans tonight. I made the bigger mistake of agreeing to have the meeting at their house waaay up in Reisterstown. My former colleague offered to pay me, and I can't decide what to do about this. One the one hand, I could use the $$. On the other hand, I really just thought I was doing him and his wife a favor and I wouldn't even know how to charge. Maybe I'll just ask him to pay for the gas I'll use to drive there and back to my place. I also think this might be a good stepping stone to possibly, finally, get the ball rolling on a plan I've been mulling over in my head to start a mini-college consulting business of sorts. Hey, I have the knowledge and I have the info. I need, a client base would be the next step, certification, etc....there's a lot involved, but if my colleague can spread the word that I helped him and his son.....who knows. I guess charging $$ wouldn't be the best way to start it out...see? I'm SO not a business person.

Ok, now I'm just procrastinating because it's Thanksgiving week and I was ready for this 4-day weekend about a month ago. I LOVE this time of year. It's all about anticipation and warm fuzzy feelings...and then January comes and it's just the cold and dreary winter. Blah. So, I will savor these few weeks when I actual welcome winter. I'm heading with the boyfriend to his family's house for Thanksgiving day, where I will hopefully meet the two siblings I haven't met, yet. I'll admit I'm a little nervous about this, but I'm so frickin' excited for the meal, I can forego a little nervousness. The boyfriend has lucked out and will not be subjected to meeting my extended family. By the time we get to my parents' on Friday, it'll just be the immediate family he's already met. Not that I think he's nervous about meeting the extended family, I just know how weird it can be to throw in the aunts and uncles and cousins for the first time, especially when he's only met my immediate family once. There's always Christmas, though....:)

Happy Thanksgiving!