Cue Also Sprach Zarathustra...

How's that for a reference? Am I erudite or what?

Actually, I had to call my husband in and ask him, "Is there a name for that music from 2001 Space Odyssey? Not the Blue Danube 'duh duh duh DUH DUH-DUH-DUH' one. The dum, dum, dum, DUMDUM!!!!! one."

Without a moment's hesitation, he said, "Yes. Also sprach zarathustra."

I am duly impressed.

So here I am. My online final was finished around 1:30 p.m. I was less than pleased with it. Not because I don't think I did well. No, my study guide said that we would have 45-50 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer. My actual final had 4 multiple choice questions, 2 matching, and 4 essays. Arghhh!!!! I don't like surprises with school--unless of course, it is, "Surprise! You don't have to take the test!"

I am now beginning Mission-Make-Up-For-Months-Of-Neglect. I took Marley and her friend to the local craft store and bought hats and tote bags and fabric paint. I had iron-on transfers at home, took a picture of the girls, made an iron-on transfer, and then let them decorate with the fabric paint.



You can't see the cute picture, which is on the other side of the tote bag. The girls are thrilled. (I'm glad neatness doesn't count in homemade projects!)

For He Who Wishes Not To Be Named, it was as simple as letting him and his friends light illegal fireworks in the backyard tonight. Our town has a No Fireworks policy.

For myself, well, what I should be doing is going out for a walk. I haven't exercised in months and, oh! do I feel it! I should also be eating better, using my CPAP machine, taking my vitamins, cleaning the house, spending time with my husband. The list. It goes on and on.

But at least I'm blogging, right? Blogging is very, very important. For the next few weeks (see ticker below), I am hoping to write every few days and visit others daily. We will be going on vacation in a few days, but we will have two laptops with us. (I know, I know. What an extravagance!) We even have Verizon wireless and so I can blog from the interstate if I want. Blogging from the interstate may not consist of more than "I hate traveling. I'm hot! My kids are fighting! When are we going to get there?!!!" I'll try not to do that to y'all.

So. I'll be back in the next few days. Officially, my first post back was to be dedicated to atypical. I don't know if this one qualifies. It is such a ramble. I'll keep working on it.

In the meantime, come and by and say hello. Let me know how you've been, what's new, etc. I can't promise I'll be going back and reading too many old posts, but I'll try to keep up from here.

Love you all. Missed you all!

Mary-LUE

Things I might be writing about in the next few weeks:

My Stellar Academic Career
Vacation, OK and TX style
Family News: long, lost family, drama with a trust -- STAY TUNED!
What I'm (not) reading
The Artichoke of Great Neglect
A New Car!!!!
Spiritual Life, What Spiritual Life?

Alpha DogMa, I thank you

Odds and Ends

In my sidebar, you might notice a new "Scenic View." Jozet over at Halushki is one of the best writers I've seen in the blogosphere. Oops! I just used one of the most hated internet words.) She isn't posting too frequently right now and her Life with Three Children post explains exactly why. I think if you head over there, you won't regret it.

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I went to the book store today to buy a present for my sister-in-law's birthday. One of her presents is this:

I've been wanting one of these myself for a very, very long time. It gives me the giggles for some reason--probably because of Spinal Tap, I know. I know.

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I also purchased a small 18 month planner. The first month is July which is when I will register for my first grad school classes! Yippee and Omigosh, what have I done! Both feelings apply.

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I received a letter from one of the children whom we sponsor through Christian Children's Fund. His name is Saitoti and we've sponsored him for over five years. I haven't written him once! At least I don't remember writing him. I am such a bad, bad sponsor. I do send extra money at Christmas and on his birthday but it does make me cringe when I read this:

Rather than that the beans I am depending on have been eaten by wild animals e.g. elephants. Thank you so much. May almighty God bless you and add you more. Moreover my dearly sponsor please write a letter to me. It is actually a long time since you write to me--even one I would like to reads from you.

I feel about this big.

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This is what I read today that made me laugh out loud:

Mr. Pewter led them through to a library, filled with thousands of antiquarian books.
"Impressive, eh?"
"Very," said Jack. "How did you amass all these?"
"Well," said Pewter, "you know the person who always borrows books and never gives them back?"
"Yes. . . ?"
"I'm that person."

from The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime by Jasper Fforde

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Oops! I almost forgot. The Great Gardening Experiment of 2007 is being photo-chronicled over at So-So Cal Cinema, my family blog.

Book Recommendation Anyone?

I've been compiling a books to read list on and off this past year. Sometimes I have referred to it when looking for my next read. Often it has just sat, quite and undisturbed, in My Documents file. Recently some new books have been added and the list is getting long. So, my blogging reading buddies, I am curious which books off of this list you would recommend to me and why. (I am getting over a cold and way too tired to link these titles up. Sorry.)

The Last Witchfinder by James Morrow

Intuition by Allegra Goodman

The Bright Forever by Lee Martin

Dream Life of Sukhanov by Olga Grushin

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

King Rat by China Mievielle

Bill Bryson books esp. A Brief History of Almost Everything

By Alice Munro:
The Love of a Good Woman
Runaway
Open Secrets

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

By Ursula Hegi:

Stones from the River
The Vision of Emma Blau

The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

By Jasper Fforde:

The Big Over Easy
The Fourth Bear

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose

If you have any other titles you think I'd be interested in, just let me know.

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Miscellaneous:

As I said above, I've had a cold and so, while I've been doing some blog reading here and there, I've not had much energy for commenting. My latest theory is that my body is out to get me. It seems like every time I turn around, there is some new creak in the metaphorical floorboards of my body. Now, I'm a few days behind on some projects as well as in preparation for a busy weekend. So, if I seem pretty quiet, those are the reasons.

I hope you are all doing well. I'll be back in form next week!