Why I Love my Job

I think I've mentioned before that I work for a college. It's the same college where I went to school. I just came here and, well, never left. It wasn't that I didn't *try* to leave, it just worked out that I got a job here. But I am so glad I did.

The best years of my life were spent here as a student. It's where I made most of the friends I still have, it's where I met my husband, it's where I really think I became the person I am today. I love being able to walk around campus, where nostalgia lies around every corner. Sometimes I'll go into a building or walk down a certain sidewalk and the memories come flooding back.....I love that. Not everyone is so lucky to work in a place they love so much.

When I got the job, I remember telling a friend of mine who had been my roommate in college. Her reply was, "You can't stay there forever. You have to enter the *real world* at some point." I have come to the conclusion that is not true. I don't want to be part of the *real world* (whatever that means--and yes, working in academia is much different than working in some corporate job....I know that now.) So I choose to stay here. Everyone talks so much about how hard the "real world" is....so why not stay here? It's safe and cozy here and they do give me a paycheck to be here, after all. So why not? Who needs the "real world" anyway?

Life's Been Good to Me So Far...

Kinda showing my age a little with that title, but either you get it or you don't. I ran into an old friend of mine in the parking lot of a store last night. She's a sweet person, always has been. But, I realized, as I listened to her go on and on about all the tradgedies she's had in the last fifteen years, that life's been good to me... so far. I've had very few truly bad things happen. I have a family unit that is close and supportive. I have a wonderful husband and beautiful children. My lifestyle affords me the opportunity to stay home with my children. I've got it pretty good. Am I rolling in dough? Absolutely not. Financially, things are tight. But, they are do-able. Yep, I've got it pretty darn good. I just need to remember that sometimes when I get irritated with life. I can't complain, really. So, thanks, Life, for treatin' me right.

Happy birthday, Toni!

Just wanted to post and say a big happy birthday to my blogging buddy. Hope you have a wonderful day!

To the moon, Mama

My son is going to be an astronaut someday, I just know it. He loves the moon. He gets so excited when he sees it in the sky. When we go outside, the first thing he does is look up, trying to find the moon (and if he can't find it, he says "Moon hiding!") His favorite books are books about the moon. ("Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown and "Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me" by Eric Carle).

But it doesn't stop there. He knows the names of the planets, too. He has a place-mat that has all the planets and he knows their names and can point most of them out when we ask him to. He also likes stars. And his latest thing is pretending about outer space. He will play with his toys and pretend like they are flying through the air to outer space. His favorite is Elmo in a boat, which is a bath toy--he zooms little Elmo around the house in his boat, and says "Elmo go outer-pace!" over and over. It's the cutest thing.

Maybe I should start saving money now to take him on one of those tourist space flights. Or at least a really good telescope.

When did I get old?

It hit me today. I am old. Whether I like it or not, I am old. Yeah, yeah, plenty of people will tell you that 30 isn't old. There are also people who say that 40, 50 and 60 aren't old either. (If that's the case, when are you considered "old?" 70? 80? Never?)

I saw this story today: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19165433/

That's right, folks. "Baby Jessica" happened 20 years ago. 20. TWENTY. And I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember being glued to my TV with my parents, watching that news coverage, hoping and praying that she would be OK. I remember crying a little when they got her out. I remember the cheesy TV movie that came later.

I think the reason this is getting me to more than other anniversaries of major media events I've witnessed during my life is that I remember this one so clearly. And I do not *feel* like I should be old enough to remember and event from 20 years ago in such detail. It just does not seem like 20 years should have lapsed between then and now. I hope the next 20 years does not go by as fast, but I have a feeling--if the past 2 years are any indication--that it will go a LOT faster.

Domo arigato, Kiddo Roboto

Japanese researchers have built a robot that acts like toddler to use in studying child development:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/06/08/toddler.robot.ap/index.html

I have a few questions about this, not the least of which is: why not study real, live children to learn about child development?

And how realistic is this thing? Does it run away from you, laughing and saying "NO!" when you try to get it to comply with your instructions? Does it throw stuff, especially stuff that is not intended for throwing? Does it dramatically lay down in the floor and wail if it can't have yet another puch of Finding Nemo Fruit Snacks? Does it insist on watching the same episode of "Little Einsteins" or "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" over and over ad nauseum? Does it pick its nose and hand you the boogers? (which, though gross, is better than eating them...) Does it fight and kick and scream getting into the bathtub, but then fight and kick and scream when it's time to get out?

No? Well, then....IMO, it does not act like a toddler. Those scientsts need to get back to the drawing board.

Why most of my friends are men

There's one thing I hate about women. And I don't mean to lump all women together, but the majority of them are the same way. Women are two-faced. Backstabbers. If you are a woman, and you're not like this, then good for you. But the chances are, if you are a woman, you are exactly like this. I can't stand it. I hate the way women treat each other. They will say one thing to your face and the complete opposite behind your back. What's the point in that? I am not like this. I will tell you what I think of you just as easily as I will tell anyone else what I think of you. That's not to say that I just run around telling people off all the time. I don't. But, if you are my friend and you are messing up, I'm gonna tell you about it. I'm not gonna tell you how bad I feel about your situation and commiserate with you, only to go back to all my other friends and tell them what an idiot I think you are. Or what mistakes I think you've made. "But, Toni," you're saying to yourself, "why would you want to hurt someones feelings like that?" Well, let me ask you a question. Which is gonna hurt you more, your friend telling you that you're messing up, or someone else telling you that your friend told everyone but you that you were messing up? I would imagine it would be the latter of the two. And, of course, you'd say "well, why didn't you just tell me that's how you felt?" But you don't mean it. Because if your friend actually did get the nerve up to tell you what she thought, you'd say "oh, I understand" or "I see your point" or "you're right" and then go behind her back and smear her name all over the place. So, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I can't take it anymore. I can't take being made out to be the bad guy or the "bitch", if you will, simply because I'm not a two-faced, backstabbing ass. Women are petty. They are catty. They are jealous and spiteful creatures. Most women don't have the self-esteem that God gave a goose. If you are one of the lucky ones who has your self-esteem and self respect in tact, watch your back. Cause any moment now, there's gonna be a knife headed right for it. Men have many, many faults, but this is not one of them. At least, not on the grand scale that it is for women.

I'd love to say that, from now on, I will do just as every woman does. I will smile pleasantly and sympathetically to your face, and the minute your back is turned I will rip you to shreds. But, I can't do it. I just can't. I just don't have it in me to be that way. And that's saying a lot, because I can be horribly evil. But, even evil has a code. That behavior isn't evil, it's pathetic. It's sad. Because all it really says about you is that you have no strength of your convictions. You have no faith in your own thoughts. You are sad and pathetic and don't have the balls to tell the world what you think. You're so unsure of yourself that you can't even convince you that you might be right, or at the very least, that your thoughts are valid.

It's a sad statement on society. What have parents done to these girls? Why don't they think that they are good enough, or smart enough or even pretty enough? So, ladies, I have only one message for you. Stand up and be yourself. Speak your mind and say "to hell with anyone who doesn't like it." Why do you care what other people think? If they don't like you for who you really are, then fuck them. Or is the problem that you're so insecure that even you don't like who you are, so how could anyone else? Grow a set of balls, find your self-worth. That's why most of my friends are men.