It's Not All Bad

So, I'm bored at work, and I want out of this place soooooooooooo bad. Grand Junction has beautiful scenery, but the city itself is just not for me, not at all. I know others felt that way about Manhattan, KS, but I really fit that place.

It's not all bad though. I have nothing to do, so I watch endless hours of TV. I am on season five of Lost now. Man that show takes 100 years to catch up on, but I'm getting there. I'm hooked. I also can't wait to be done with it sot hat I can do something else.

I have time to read and write--though my new tv habits are infringing on that right now, but perhaps I need to take a bit of a break from such academic pursuits post-grad school.

My apartment fits me...except there is not enough counterspace to dry a plate on, let alone do serious baking. No pies will get made in this home. The other day I had the cutting board out on the living room floor to chop squash and onions. There are however, plants abloom outside. The irises that were out when I gote here are all curled up, but now there is a glorious white rose bush just oustide my door. There are pink in front of the neighbors' and dark purply-red ones across the lawn.

I've been working out. I'm getting more toned, and I've lost seven lbs since the move.  I'll give credit for that to the loss of friends to cook/eat with. I have nothing better to do but be fit and no motivation to cook. I'm about seven pounds away from my goal.

As soon as I get my bike fixed, I'll be riding it to work. That will be nice too. Also there is a track and a pool within walking distance, so swimming and running are open possibilities too.

About 168 days maximum left in this place. I have to be out of my apartment by November 18th. Twenty days done. Blergh.

New Career Scheme

Yes, scheme is the right word for my future plans. My career plans are about as consistent as get rich quick schemes...so I call my life plans schemes.

So, it's taken about 2 weeks for me to get bored with work. Blergh...I should have held out for a better job. I'm also thinking that I am going to feel the same boredom with a tech writing job because my job offers a multitude of tasks, problem solving opportunities--there's a lot going on. I'm bored anyway. I think I need to find something I can have a bit more passion for.

I'm still not sure I want a PhD in English...the MA drove me nuts. I kind of think I want to go back and finish my teaching certificate, but it's hard to get a job teaching English. I'm thinking science--although I'd rather be teaching grammar to 8th graders. And, as much as I have always loved biology, I'd rather focus on physics.

I know, I know, I didn't become a teacher in the first place because I didn't want to be that mad all the time. The politics of teaching always made me soooo mad, mostly because I actually cared. I have decided that being mad is a side effect of caring, and I am never going to find a job meaningful if it doesn't make me mad.

Although, maybe I could be the next Dr. Varner/Dr. Peercy and kick college students in the rear by being both willing to add grammar, etc. to course expectations and to teach it. That's something I could care about--I did care a lot about teaching Written Communication for the Workplace. In fact, I loved teaching that class. I just didn't have time to do it well. Perhaps I should get a PhD in Composition and Rhetoric or Linguistics. Is it odd that years of PhD work sounds more appealing to me than the shorter stint going back for a bachelors in physics and education? I was also thinking I might get an MS in education and just do enough science/math coursework to get a job teaching science. I do want to study science...but do I want to teach it?

I dunno. Last time I worked this stupid job I went back to school for a degree in CIS...we saw how that turned out. Boredom does strange things to the mind. I probably need to keep doing the grownup job thing until my car is paid off though. :( Then I can go back to school.

Let's Catch Some Night Crawlers

So it's free fishing weekend in Colorado. I think it might be in Kansas, too. That means you can go fishing without a fishing license this weekend. You do still have to pay attention to bagging limits and other restrictions, but meh...no big deal. Who wants to fish that long anyway?

So my boss is planning on going fishing with her son, and she asked the aquatic researcher, Anita, who is in the office next to us what Anita recommends for catching perch.

Anita said night crawlers. She told my boss to water her lawn really well, and then go out at night with a flashlight to catch them. The trick is not to shine the light on them directly. Just use the oustide edge of the light, where it is weak. You have to be fast, but she says they are the best bait.

So, if you're in CO or maybe KS, go fishing.

Productivity is Lost...Literally

So I keep telling myself I am going to cook, and blog about cooking or read and blog about books. I keep telling myself I will work on my novel.

Nope, nope.

I haven't done much of any of that. I just keep watching Lost. The more I watch, the more hooked I am. I should be asleep so that I can get up and work out before work tomorrow, but noooooooooooo. I'm watching Lost.

The saddest part is, I'm only partway through Season 3. Lost takes too long, but I'm addicted now. Blergh.