Thursday Thirteen

I'm alive. Really. Barely. Just enough to put up a Thursday Thirteen.

1. In almost ten years of having a cell phone, I have never gone over my plan minutes, and I generally have one of the smallest plans. Until the past couple of months. Earlier this week, I got a message from my wireless provider. I thought they were just calling to tell me that I was 60 days behind on my bill (I'm terrible about that sort of thing!). No, they were calling to tell me that I was approaching my limit. Silly me, I thought they meant my minutes limit. No, they meant my credit limit. I apparently went waaaay over my plan minutes for the past couple of months and now owe more than $500. Yikes! I know that a lot of it is from the many, many phone calls to my parents while figuring out stuff for the condo. And it's over a couple of months. But still. Gulp. Yikes.

2. On the good news front, I finally found someone to sublet my old apartment.

3. Which means that I get to go to language school this summer to study Swahili.

4. And fortunately, I'm putting in lots and lots of hours on another symposium and being well compensated for it.

5. I finally bought a sewing machine. Of course, it may have to go back now that I have a $500 cell phone bill.

6. Just once I'd like to get to the end of the month without worrying about whether I'm going to overdraw on my account (nevermind actually being able to put money into savings).

7. On a lighter note: Random Inanity has some hilarious photos of a bunny in the Italian mountains. Saying any more than that would just ruin the surprise for you. But every time I think about the last photo, I start to giggle. I am twisted.

8. Two weeks of classes left. Which should be a good thing. Except . . .

9. Two weeks left to write three papers, totalling 60 pages.

10. But I took my last exam this morning.

11. May begins next week. But I'm still wearing my heavy wool sweaters. So very wrong.

12. I am officially in awe of Bearette's knitting prowess. Seriously. She started knitting, what?, like two months ago. And she's already finished more projects than I have in five years. And she's opening an Etsy store. I've been working on the same damn scarf for seven months. A scarf, people! Anyway, go buy one of Bearette's adorable change purses.

13. I am the worst doggy mom. Ever. I know this because, and I am not making this up, this morning I asked Rowen if she felt neglected. And she nodded her head. Really.

Have a great weekend ya'll!

Tuesday Twelve

1. Tomorrow's the Big Day! Woohoo!

2. And, of course, we're going to get snow. Boo!

3. Apparently Wisconsin didn't get the memo on March: In like a lion, out like a lamb. We seem to be doing the exact opposite.

4. Peeps for Passover! Because anything done with Peeps is automatically funny.

5. Exhibit B.

6. Exhibit C. (This one's for Liz.)

7. Peep Jousting!

8. Homemade Peeps!

9. But Pimp My Snack has yet to make a pimped-out Peep. I may need to rectify this situation.

10. I'm really not entirely sure how I got on this tangent! Or why I'm using so many exclamation marks!

11. I have a paper that I'm supposed to submit for peer review on Thursday. I haven't written a single word of it. Instead, I'm making a blog list about Peeps.

12. Okay, one more Peep link!

So That's What Silence Sounds Like

Back from a rather relaxing weekend. I went up to the Devil's Lake/Lake Delton/Baraboo area for three nights. Spring break started on Friday, and I decided that rather than fight the good fight against my horrible neighbor and her psycho friends, I'd just leave. Because the idea that this isn't a break for everyone and that some people might still have to work and study and write papers---that idea wouldn't occur to them.

Not that I did any of those things this weekend. I intended to. I filled up my car with books and notes and various items needed to do the things on my to-do list. And I carted all those things up to the hotel room.

And then I ignored them. Because cable television is the devil's plaything. And a quiet room on a rainy day makes naps entirely too irresistible.

That said, I did get some very important things accomplished: I slept a full nine hours for three nights straight. Woohoo! I took Rowen and myself out for a couple of long walks in the woods. I treated myself to a couple of long, steamy bubble baths. I drank an awful lot of wine. And I chilled out a whole lot.

Now it's back to the grind: preparing for two symposiums, writing two papers, reading for class, and packing the apartment. I never realize how much stuff I have until I have to pack it. I feel like I live simply. But then I try to put everything in boxes and have to admit that I have way too much. Mostly books and craft supplies. I also have several large suitcases of clothes that I haven't unpacked in nearly a year. Despite much good advice and my own commonsense, I refuse to get rid of any of those clothes because someday, really, I will be a size 8 again. Ha! Just like someday I'll read all the books that I've intended to read. And finish all the craft projects that I've intended to finish.

I think I'd like my epitaph to read: She had good intentions.