All Things Jennifer|W|P|Lloyd DOBBLER ;) Although the spelling error is quite funny if I do say so myself :)
|W|P|Heh - looks like Jen(nifer) got to you before I did, so you and I tagged each other. I like "Cuddle potential." Very well-stated. Hilary|W|P|Eeesh, I've been tagged for this by multiple people now. I just need to find time to write it! Stephanie|W|P|I've done mine. |W|P|Erin, we love you. Sorry your roomie is such a pig. squeak|W|P|Ok, so I am late, but it's done. Stephanie|W|P|Do you take topic requests? ;) Erinna|W|P|Uh, sure...why not. ;) |W|P|Awww, I like reading about your day-to-day life!Any Buffalo Public School teachers out there?
I had all but given up on the prospect of having full-time work thisschool year, hence my opting to take the 3rd class at the community college and sub. Not a bad deal, I thought...
Then yesterday, I got a call from the head of the English department for the Buffalo schools. They're looking to fill a few positions. I met with administrators at one school, a middle school, and this was clearly not the position for me. I was terrified by talks of gangs, drugs and sex in the bathrooms.
One of the assistant principals walked me out, told me not to feel bad about walking away. "This place isn't for everybody," she said. She also advised me that I'd probably be better off with older students, probably juniors and seniors, and told me I could call her to ask for her advice on any positions offered to me.
So I called back, and said that one was a no. There are two high school positions, both one-year appointments for teachers on medical leaves. Dept. Head wanted to put me in touch with one of the principals, but he/she isn't in until Monday. I don't know much about this school.
Meantime, I have a message from the community college about the third class I'd agreed to take. I've been told not to feel bad about blowing them off if I need to, that this sort of thing happens all the time with adjuncts.
I'm freaking out.
|W|P|112507781902522807|W|P|Questions|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com All Things Jennifer|W|P|You mean besides what I told you and what our friend Jay knew and what I asked someone at work about and she said?;)
I wasn't trying to scare you...but if the other district was all about sex and drugs and gangs, certainly this one is too, since over 1/2 of the residents I used to work with came from there.
All Things Jennifer|W|P|Meaning, I think three classes at the community college is GREAT, that is almost full time! And you love teaching there...I would HATE to see you miss out on another class, which you were excited about, to meet with a principal of a school that is likely not a good fit as well...Thats all...
|W|P|My dad taught at Southside High School back in the good old days. (70 & 80s) By the end it was getting so bad he said he wanted to take a year's worth of sick days. He just retired early. I'd stay as far away from the Buffalo Public school system as I could, unless it's some special situation with a unique (read: actually want to learn) student population. Don't know if those exist! Good luck in the hunt.1. Woman's World is still not on shelves. Wah. Possibly tomorrow.
2. The community college called to offer me another class. I decided to take it. I'll be teaching from 4:30 to 5:45 and 6 to 8:30 every Tuesday and Thursday. So, I'm like a college professor. Sort of. ;)
3. I have a big pimple on the side of my nose, right where my glasses sit. That sucks. :(
4. The scary grocery store next door to where I'm working has two tables filled with half-price crap, so I bought a bunch of stuff yesterday. Woohoo!
5. I also went shopping and spent some of my birthday money. I finally bought a new bookshelf! And a couple of shirts, and some school supplies.
And that's me. Exciting, ain't it?
|W|P|112497364214915728|W|P|Today's news|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com squeak|W|P|This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. squeak|W|P|again without typos - The Sept 6th issue of Woman's World has a story called Mr. Beautiful, and doesn't have your name at the end, so I am guessing this isn't the issue. I get a subscription. :-pYesterday, I got a big fat check in the mail. Yippee!
And today (I think!) the Sept. 6 issue of Woman's World, which features my story, will be out! I checked the Tops next door before I came in to work, but it wasn't there yet.
*happy dance*
:)
|W|P|112479880464591689|W|P|It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com |W|P|Congratulations again on getting the story published! Any big plans for the big fat check? :-) Stephanie|W|P|Hooray! Deoris|W|P|Man, I can't wait to go get my copy. :) Congratulations for the hundreth time. Spend that check on something stupid, fun, and just for you. :) (I know that's what Sal was thinking!) |W|P|Spend half the check on something stupid, fun, and self indulgent. Save the other half for that inevitable unexpected expense. Of course, I wouldn't listen to me either and I would spend it on stupid, fun, and self indulgent. My advice is always better than my example. Andrew Ironwood|W|P|Careful with the happy feet -- don't let them drag you out into traffic...Well, considering the weather this weekend, I am very glad that Jen and I went to see Hamlet on Thursday night! Great show. Paul Todaro did a fantastic job as the prince of Denmark, as I would have expected. Ophelia, played by Kate LoConti, was outstanding. In fact, I thought everyone did a magnificent job. I can't think of a single thing to dislike.
(Aside...does anyone know why all the Norway/Fortinbras stuff is in the play? I haven't found a completely satisfactory explanation. It really doesn't do anything for the story.)
We're so lucky here in Buffalo, to have such a wonderful free Shakespeare festival. As I'm sure everyone knows by now, they lost a pretty good chunk of funding because of Erie County's budget woes. I would encourage anyone who values Shakespeare in Delaware Park to send them a donation...
Friday night, I went to see The Aristocrats. I hadn't heard much about it beforehand...I even had to have Rand tell me what the joke was...but it was great. Really, really funny. I noticed that Shakespeare got rained out, because the actors who played Laertes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were at the movie. Kind of funny...I saw these three guys walk in and thought, "Hmm...they look familiar. How do I--OH!" Heehee.
I also got to see Kung Fu Hustle over the weekend, which was also very entertaining.
Anyone have any good movie recommendations for me? :)
|W|P|112472950222927504|W|P|Entertaining|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com Andrew Ironwood|W|P|Best explanation I found was this one (scroll down a bit...) -Me|W|P|I heard that The 40 Year Old Virgin was excellent and hysterical. My friend said she peed her pants a little. (Hoping she's kidding...) Stephanie|W|P|Have you seen the Lost Skeleton of Cadvra? Julia|W|P|I apologize if you've viewed these already but my movie suggestions are:- March of the Penguins: cute, but very interesting at the same time
- The Wedding Crashers: Everyone tells me it's absolutely hilarious
- Amelie: an "oldie" but very worthwhile rental
Stephanie|W|P|Is she that psychic who always shows up on Montell? (No, I don't watch it...the promos run during another show...really)
Stephanie|W|P|I love Sylvia Browne. I wrote a blog entry about her once and can't find it. How can anyone who has corn chips for fingernails be a fraud? |W|P|Hey, a colleague of mine once broke a bone eating a burrito. (Long story the particulars of which I can't remember.) So I'll believe any food-related injury.-Dave Wheeler
I can't believe I forgot to write about the weirdest thing that ever happened.
On Monday, when Rand and I were leaving the restaurant, we noticed a fairly large-ish group of people standing on the corner across the street. They stood in a circle, holding hands, all speaking loudly and unintelligably.
I stopped, and sort of stared for a minute.
"What's going on?" Rand asked. I pointed. "Are they speaking in tongues?"
"I have no idea," I said.
We turned away and continued walking toward the car, sat there for a moment or two deciding if we wanted to go get dessert, and then left. When we pulled out of the parking lot, the people were gone. All of them. As if they had never been there.
I pointed again. "What the..how did...where did they go?"
"Maybe they got taken up," Rand said.
Uh, maybe. It was completely bizarre.
|W|P|112428577209770968|W|P|Movin' on up?|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com Andrew Ironwood|W|P|I say either:1) The Rapture has taken place,and now we're all hosed; or
2) The aliens ran out of experimental subjects and didn't want to bother with their usual late-night backwoods theatrics...
Stephanie|W|P|Were they wearing matching Nikes? Erinna|W|P|Thomas-BWAH! :)Party for the Parks will transform Hoyt Lake and the Delaware Park Casino into a great party place to be. Live music featuring Buffalo�s own Jackdaw, Trefoyle & Friends and The Ifs are all scheduled to perform on a specially made stage built over the majestic Hoyt Lake.So one of my favorite bands at one of my very favorite spots in the city...how could I miss this? :) And here's a blog that's recently caught my attention: A Series of Inconsequential Events Good stuff. :)|W|P|112420927263654464|W|P|Party!|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com
|W|P|Thanks for the journal link. Loved that teacher's entry about the first day of school :).Did I hear Melissa Ethridge covering Refugee on the radio this morning? What's up with that? :)
Thank you all again for the bday wishes, and thank you, Jen for sending your readers my way...I feel very much loved and appreciated!
Rand and I had dinner at Left Bank last night. I'd never been there before, so that was a treat. I had a cheese tortellini with spinach, roasted red peppers and mushrooms (ew) in a cream sauce. So, it was a little bit rich. And I just ate around the mushrooms. ;) I also had some tasty chicken and chorizo gumbo. I actually tasted okra! What's happening to me? ;)
We were supposed to see Hamlet on Friday night, which got cancelled because of the rain. :( It's a curse. On Sunday, I got to meet Rand's brother Tim who lives in New York, and he's great! He's also a little bit Rain Man...(kidding, but let me explain.)
He had this Billboard Top 40 book from like 1987, which he apparently memorized when he was a teenager. Their other brother David pulled out the book and started quizzing him, giving him an artist and song, and Tim would tell him the top chart position, year, and number of weeks on the chart.
Then he started just listing them. He'd be given an artist, say, Olivia Newton John, and he'd just rattle off the hits. In order. It was unreal. He could take this on tour, I swear. :)
In other news, my stupid temp job is more boring than ever. I'm bored out of my mind. Blah. I can't wait until I'm not working here anymore so I can tell all of my stupid stories. ;)
|W|P|112419714597914787|W|P|Huh?|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com |W|P|Is Left Bank a froofy restaurant?Yes, that was Melissa Etheridge covering "Refugee." BLEH. Now I like Melissa Etheridge, but not when she does covers. LAME. Petty's version kicks ass. Stephanie|W|P|My friend who writes for Goldmine can do that. And Bobby, from the station? Same thing. Andrew Ironwood|W|P|I think I have that same Billboard Top 40 book at home -- never memorized it, though...Thanks to those who have already sent acknowledgements. I greatly appreciate it!
A friend of mine just asked me if I feel older...and I responded by saying it kind of feels like a non-event. Last year was the big deal. Now I'm just *in my thirties* (boy, that sounds weird...), and it probably won't be an issue again until I'm about to turn 40.
All in all, I'd have to say the past year has been a very, very good one. And soon, I believe, I'll have my career issues sorted out and will be able to breathe a bit easier. It's coming. I know it is.
:)
|W|P|112411591401543553|W|P|It's my birthday too, yeah...|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com |W|P|Happy Birthday, Erin! |W|P|I hope you have a wonderful birthday! |W|P|Happy Birthday!!!!!!! jalaire|W|P|Happy Birthday! annabel lee|W|P|Have a great one! |W|P|Happy Birthday, Sugar!! (hee-hee)
maria|W|P|Happy Day Erin and enjoy everyminute of it.
Marie
Theryn|W|P|Happy Birthday! |W|P|happy birthday! if you're only 31, why are you dating such an old man? Susan|W|P|Happy Birthday! ...just-rambling...|W|P|Happy Birthday!(Jennifer sent me)
Erinna|W|P|Thanks, everyone. I feel so loved! :) And hey, Anonymous...the only person who thinks he's old is him. Heehee... -Me|W|P|Happy Birthday - and I know who asked you that question! :) |W|P|What they all said: Happy Birthday! Welcome to those nebulous pastures north of 30 and south of 40. (Wait until you get to the doubly nebulous meadows north of 35 ...)-Dave Wheeler
|W|P|Happy Birthday! squeak|W|P|Happy Birthday Erin! :) Deoris|W|P|Happy Birthday, Erin! :) Hope you got a lot of great presents and had a fun day! Politically Homeless|W|P|Happy Birthday Erin!!! |W|P|I generally avoid concerts because of "people," but I will deal with crap for certain acts -- like SLOAN! :-) Erinna|W|P|Yeah, the Low and Great Big Sea are two acts I'll put up with such crap for. :) |W|P|Fun report :). Glad you enjoyed the show! |W|P|Yay, tell us all about Great Big Sea tomorrow! Stephanie|W|P|I like that photo collage. It'd be cool if you could print it just like that and frame it. Erinna|W|P|That's a great idea! I'll have to ask Dave if he would approve of such a thing. :) |W|P|no one would attempt to steal someone's boyfriend or girlfriend if they did not think that they were even in the smallest level "better" than the other guy / girl. It is a point of view that everyone internally feels therefore projected in the movies
my humble opinion
-T
Erinna|W|P|You're welcome. :)T, I agree with you, I was referring to the tactics used to gain sympathy for the boyfriend/girlfriend stealer. In most cases, I think, most people would tend to disapprove of this behavior, unless given reason to believe that the behavior is warranted. :)
|W|P|Yeah, *someone* told me that about himself, too. PFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTT! |W|P|Never having interviewed for a job, I have nothing to say about that. But as always, if good wishes count for anything, you have lots of those coming from this direction. Stephanie|W|P|What a terribly true book title :) I may have to check that one out as well. |W|P|Look! I met you! :-)http://iconville.net/photoblog/?image=050811_metErin
Dave
|W|P|ummm.... ya you need to update your blog like totally cuz it well..... its october and ummm... like in your homepage its like so august
BWAH!|W|P|112335940333678252|W|P|WWFSMD?|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com Andrew Ironwood|W|P|I prefers the Invisible Pink Unicorn meself...
Said skinny kid was very, very drunk and kept almost running into us while drunkenly dancing. He later took off the shirt to become skinny shirtless kid with dancing bear tattoo. He was apparently friends with the girls in front of us who parked in front of the stage at 4 p.m. One of them was hippie-ish with long hair with one beaded braid, Janis Joplin sunglasses, and a halter top. The other was wearing a Low wiener dog tank and was showing way too much tummy...not to mention way too much fuschia panty. They're called low-rise panties. Victoria's Secret has them. Look into it.
The girls were there with their moms, one of whom had way-too-bleached-blond hair. Toward the end of the concert, when we started to get annoyed about them pulling everyone they knew in front of us to stand and talk to them, I said, "You have GOT to be kidding me." One of the moms snipped "We've been here since *four*." Okay lady, maybe you have, but your 27 friends haven't. Grr. People are just so rude. I hate that.
In other fun, I watched a woman standing next to me snort coke. No joke. She pulled out a teeny-tiny baggie filled with white powder and proceeded to measure it out with a teeny pocketknife. I was floored.
There was a woman behind us dancing who had to be the most rhythmless person I've ever seen. It's called a beat. Find it. ;)
One big pet peeve...quite possibly my favorite Low song performed live is Black Monday. I *hate* when people ruin this experience for me by, say, having a loud conversation throughout the entire song while standing right in front of the stage. If you're talking through Black Monday, you're not a real fan.
Ahem.
Okay...Sunday night, then, I went to Nietzsche's where I saw Greg Klyma perform with Tom Bianchi. Fantastic show. Their ability to improvise and engage in truly funny banter was amazing. Both of them are wildly talented and wildly entertaining. I was just sorry I had to leave a bit early so that I could be up for work in the morning. :( Rand got up and sang with them a couple of times, which is always fun. They performed P.M. Prima Donna(aka the Cher song)...Rand played Greg's guitar and Greg played the mandolin, which was pretty impressive considering he'd never played it on the mandolin before. I do always enjoy listening to Rand sing. :)
At the show, some random older woman in big glasses and a fisherman's hat stopped in front of me and said, "You are a very beautiful young woman. You have beautiful eyes."
"Um, thank you," I said. Because really, what else can one say to that? ;)
So anyone reading out there, do go see Greg and/or Tom if you get the chance. You won't be sorry!
And speaking of live music in Buffalo...I got a message from this guy named Jon Troast who's going to be playing at Spot Coffee (Delaware/Chippewa) on Wednesday, August 17 at 8 p.m. He describes himself as being of the folk/rock/pop, singer-songwriter variety. Sounds like it might be worth checking out...anyone care to join me?
I just applied for something that would be a fantastic opportunity, so do keep your fingers crossed for me!|W|P|112311188874847005|W|P|Time, oh give me time|W|P|27chronicles@gmail.com |W|P|I fell in love with Tom Bianchi when I met him, but I really should stay away from dark-haired bass players...I'm sure he's spoken for anyway! All Things Jennifer|W|P|Erin, didn't R say that hot bass player was the one I would like ;)I thought he was single!!!
|W|P|Sigh. Greg Klyma is playing a little lakefront dive here in Canandaigua of all places next weekend -- on the one night of the week I can't leave the office. Have not heard him, but I've heard nothing but good things about him.-Dave
|W|P|Whoops -- should have said "Dave Wheeler." |W|P|Tom Bianchi -- sighhhhhhhh..... Celia|W|P|I biked down to that Low show, in sort of a bad mood. I only lasted five minutes because a) q: what do I hate worse than a crowd? a: absolutely nothing, b) drunk idiots yelling in my ear, c) no wine...only wine coolers, and d) could not see band in any regard.Got back on bike and went to very empty Nietzsche's.
Glad you had fun!
|W|P|Several years ago I had an interview at a private (and religious) higher education institution. During my second interview, the college president asked me if I was going to get married and have kids. That's an illegal question, right? For once, I was actually glad not to get an offer! -Me|W|P|OOh, what illegal question?