still alive

so, with coursework over for another semester, i get to relax in the luxurious time that is called summer...

[cue the laughter]

actually, now that classes have concluded, work has picked up pace. there's a conference/residency that's going on and needs round the clock tech support, there's a lab to be busted out, 20+ machines to be reformated in the next two days, and all sorts of projects that are squabbling over the short amount of time we've got.

and there are people who insist that, because they are international students (unfortunately, the following is not a joke or an exaggeration) they should be allowed to use the computers in the lab we're working on. Note: the computers in question are sitting, unplugged and freshly nuked, in the center of the room. i'm not sure what being from a different country does for them, but it probably doesn't create a functional machine out of a nonfunctional one. it also doesn't rearrange a schedule set in stone months in advance so that little miss austria can work on a powerpoint and check email.

but that's getting too rantish. it's merely an example of the work evironment during this, our "relaxing downtime" of a summer. i may be working the same number of hours i was during the semester, but now, everything is urgent and "why the F wasn't this done two hours ago, before i got here at eight am?" lots of people are stressed about miscommunication and glitches in scheduling, the email system has been down off and on for weeks now, and nobody's really having a fun time of it.

but that's all right. i'll deal. these people will all be much nicer once their stress is gone.

speaking of stress, the transport of 20 computers from desks to a table, followed by the opening of 20 computers on said table, followed by the insertion of additional RAM in 20 computers, the closing of those computers, and the arrangement of those computers has apparently put a lot of undue stress on my wrist. the RAM needs quite a push to settle correctly, the computers are heavy and at an awkward angle for carrying, and the repetition of this process 20 times just was too much, i guess. to be perfectly honest, i'm an idiot for not anticipating it and passing off some of that work to others.

the short version is that i get to have fun with the wrist brace for a while again. and after an entire stressful final-weeks-of-semester without wrist problems. go figure.

cats are doing well. i keep saying that 'next week' is the week i get festus shaved, but it isn't high on my list of priorities. naturally, i'm thinking i'll schedule him for friday. i work the other mornings, or get fitted for the dress yet again. ah well.

and that's about it for the time being. stress at work, stupid wrist, lovely and precious cats... yep, that's it. stressful but boring.

love and peace

updating again

well, at this point, 2/3 of my work is done for the semester. i've got a few stories to revise the hell out of, but beyond that, i believe it's over. my first full year as a phd student. here's where i'd spend several lengthy paragraphs detailing the trials and tribulations that somehow don't seem so bad now when i look back. but i've only got a short short while to type this up before i need to leave for another dress fitting.

man, i really appreciate my mom about now. there's nothing quite like having a dress fitting and that being that. or like having the thing made to fit you in the first place. if only, if only.

it's pretty much official now that i get to teach a 'real' class next semester. or rather, that i get to fully and completely design my class from the ground up. well, that was official some time ago. what's pretty much official *now* is that the class in question will be 'the darker side of short fiction' featuring the syllabus inspired by the deeply buried sick and twisted portion of my mind. the portion that writes 'unwholesome stuff' to quote a much loved woman.

on a different note, i was lazing about just a short while earlier after shipping off aa short paper that took me longer to write than a long paper would have. as per usual, as soon as my back hit the bed, the cats appeared from the living room and began to fight for territory. charlotte claimed my knees, and festus desided to make biscuits on my tummy. he's much better at it without the claws.

well, festus is such a cutie. there he was kneading on me, and there i was with an empty stomach. so he's kneading along and my stomach growls. he stops, flicks his head to one side, and stares at me. a pause, and then he starts up again. inspired by the attention, my stomach does its thing again. festus stops, looks concerned (for a cat), and starts digging at my belly, certain that there's something alive down there that's making that noise. charlotte's expression (again, for a cat) was one of 'dumbass. she's just hungry, like we are.' absolutely priceless. i was in stitches, and he was eventually chased off by the belly monster which had started shaking with glee as he tickled it.

man, i needed the laugh, too. i'm much more energized now, and not feeling quite so ugh about things.

well, now's about the time i need to toss on shoes and socks and perhaps grab an umbrella, since it's pouring out.

love and peace