May 2006

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May 2006

May 30, 2006

In the last hour I have spent $200. *sigh* $150 on three textbooks for summer session, and $50 to renew my AAA membership. $200 isn’t a lot I suppose, but when you don’t have a job and are looking at dwindling cash reserves, it does get to be a lot.

Talked with some folks about my possible job. I was supposed to hear at the end of May, and that’s now. I sent a subtle reminder to my would-be boss last week and haven’t heard back from her. Those people I talked with today, though, told me not to worry. That in all of their dealings with her, she has never been less than forthright and honest. Direct. Demanding. But forthright and honest. When I told them that she’d told me the end of May, they both were a bit incredulous about that. Apparently, according to them, that’s *early* for her. They told me that contracts won’t be signed until sometime in July, but I can’t wait until then to know, which is what I told her when we talked almost three weeks ago. She said she wouldn’t make me wait that long.

I don’t know how much or how hard to push this. Both of the people I spoke with today said that if she gave me the indication I had the job, then I had the job. But. But. But.

In other news, when I was waiting for my dinner this evening, I was reading the USA Today, and came across this article. It’s interesting to me in that it plays right into what this job would be. I’m not sure how much to say, but it would have a bit to do with teaching folks to both write and speak professionally.

However to get back to this article about teens and their technology useage, I see myself in that quite a bit. I’m a big emailer. When I could call people, I tend to send them an email. When I could call people, I sometimes send a text. Then again, I’ve always been much more of a writer than a speaker. I can remember times with the Xboy, when he was literally begging me to talk to him, and I couldn’t. Literally couldn’t. I would open my mouth to speak, and nothing would come out.

I make progress in every personal interaction (the whole speaking thing is not a problem in a professional, public setting) that I have these days. Very rarely do I open my mouth these days and have nothing come out when I desperately want to speak. But still, I prefer being able to write so I can make sure that I have said exactly what it is that I want to say.

And then there are things that I can only write and would just about DIE if I had to say them. Heh. But I’m *really* good at writing them. *grin*

I also found the sidebar article to be interesting. Some of my colleagues have been advancing a concept called “CyberEnglish” for many years. The school of thought is that exposing the work of students to the broader and larger audience that is available in an online environment applies pressure to student writing and the response available to students creates an impetus for students to create the best possible writing they can. Because the audience is no longer the teacher and because the writing is authentic, students are invested in their work in ways that they cannot be in a traditional classroom. Makes sense to me

In other news, I have finally won an auction for a singing bowl. Now the bowl and the bell can be shipped to me. I about had a panic attack when I entered my maximum bid for the bowl. I meant to put in $20.00, and somehow wound up with $2000.00. Good thing the bidding only went up to $15.53. Sheesh.

Anyway. Classes were supposed to start today, but my stats class is apparently a 6 week class. Which means it starts on the 19th. The qualitative course starts tomorrow. Ughhh. I dunno. I really am not interested in classes anymore. But here I am. Doing it again. Stupid.

May 28, 2006

I tried to add a guest book to the site because I wanted to have a little more interaction, but it's a bit of a funk. I've emailed the help folks and they have not been very helpful, which pisses me off to no end.

I got some work on my dissertation done today. My preproposal is ready to hand in to my chair first thing Tuesday. I've also got some plans for chapter 3. I was supposed to have worked on this stuff this last week, but I figure better late than never. I will hopefully get most of chapter 3 banged out in the next week. If I can do that, then I can rapidly submit that and spend the next two months working on the first two chapters, with a defense coming at the end of the summer. I hope that it's way it works out, anyway.

Am still sick. It is moving into my throat...I think.

I watched Vera Drake last night. What a film. I have had a thing for British films since my Irish film class. It always takes a moment or two to get into the accent and the "quietness" for lack of a better word. You have to listen harder to what the actors are saying. But the film...the expression on Vera's face when the police come to the door to arrest her for performing illegal abortions (setting...London 1950) is incredible. The shock. Blankness. Fear. Wow. And the women who Vera "helps"...I can't quite imagine being that desperate and afraid. I know that my own recent brush with reproductive issues is enough to make me leery of putting anything foreign into my uterus, let alone lye soap and disinfectant. *shudder*

I am now watching Deliverance. Good god. What a creepy, creepy movie. The scene with the Dueling Banjos just played. That kid...disturbing. Very disturbing. I remember bumping along in a Bronco like that, though.

I should go to bed.

Trying to decide if I should buy Season One of Grey's Anatomy on DVD at Circuit City tomorrow. It's $12.99. Or should I let someone buy it for me for my birthday? What to do?

I took some Nyquil. Think I'm going to have a cookie and some milk and take myself off to bed. Or maybe I'll lay down on the couch with my Sneach and watch TV until I drift away.

May 24, 2006

So I have been practicing making a "C" chord on the guitar. I'm getting better at it, but still only hitting it about 75% of the time. I had to lay the guitar flat on my lap and then place my fingers on the strings. Then I had to pick the fingers up and put them exactly where they need to be. Then I strummed. Lovely. I'm getting better. Can actually hold the guitar like you're supposed to...some of the time.

If I decide that I like playing guitar, then I think I'm going to get me one of those Daisy Guitars. I looked on ebay, and I can get them for about $300.

Do guitar players get carpal tunnel? I could see that happening the way I have to hold the neck of the guitar. The saving grace would be that it's in my left wrist, and my previous wrist problems were in the right. The tips of my fingers really hurt right about now. I know that goes away eventually. Hopefully soon. I was gonna practice some more this evening, but my poor fingers were cramping up.

Remembered to buy the girlies flea collars this afternoon when I was out. They were so not proud to be wearing them, but they've apparently gotten used to them. They're purple and look lovely against their fur. I hope that it helps keep the fleas at bay. The neighbors said something about getting someone to come over and spray a couple of times. Cost something like $30. I could handle that if it means that we don't have to deal with fleas this summer. Poor babies.

What do you y'all keep in your purses? I just recently bought a moleskin notebook so I can write when the mood strikes, but other than that, in my purse is usually my checkbook, my wallet, a pen, a lipliner, a lipstick, condoms, and some loose change. I don't need anything very big for all of that.

I have receding gums. I've been brushing a little hard lately. I went and bought an extra soft toothpaste. I hope that some gentleness as well as regular flossing and the use of mouthwash will at least retard the loss. I soooooo need to go to the dentist. Dammit.

May 23, 2006

Or for my birthday you could get me a Tibetan Singing Bowl. I'm watching a couple in ebay right now. I think they would be nice for starting and ending writing time...signaling to students the need for quiet and reflection. My prayer chimes (tingsha) have finally arrived. They're bigger than I thought they would be. Pleasant sound, though. Not as discordant as I'd been led to believe it would be.

I slept most of the day today and I am feeling better. Went out to Beth's this evening, swam a little, and came home. Had some dinner out there. Still very tired, though.

My kids and I slept on the couch for most of the afternoon and morning. They're very sweet. I think they know when I'm sick and want to be near me. If I'm not OK, they don't get fed. Poor babies.

Brought the guitar home with me from Beth's. I need to go ahead and chop off my fingernails so I can work on the C-chord. 2, 4, 5. Those are the strings I have to touch. He gave me the Alverez, which is the one he usually plays. Said that the neck was smaller than the one he wanted me to have so it might be easier for me. (you could add a daisy rock guitar to the birthday wish list)

Imma go to bed. Probably the best choice for me right now.

May 22, 2006

Busy weekend. Am home now and really tired. I think I've picked up some sort of icky bug. I have a cough, a headache, sore throat, etc. Feel a little achy and like I might be running a fever.

I really should write something because I haven't for awhile (sorry. Sorry), but this sickness thing makes me just want to go to sleep.

Went to Marie Laveau's and had a reading done this weekend. Saw Phillip, and I think I've had him do my reading before. Some stuff very right on, others not so much. Let's see if I can remember it all...

No diabetes in me.

Supposedly a slight curvature of my spine which causes my hips to go numb when I sit too long. Also causes migraines and sometimes involuntary jerks.

I am supposedly like my father.

My brother and I could not be two more different Geminis if we tried. (I told him I was a Gemini...did not tell him my brother was one)

Supposedly Hairball and I will be getting closer now that he's on medication.

My mother and her husband are doing well.

My mother is in a good spot in her life.

I'm not going to be buying a new car any time soon. The one I have is fine.

I will be a property owner again soon.

I will get my internship. (? I told him I wasn't up for an internship...and then he asked if I was trying to get a job. He asked if I was hoping there would be a mentoring aspect. I said yes. He said that was it)

He said my finances will be very stable.

I'll be in Hattiesburg for two more years and then settling in CA, Chicago, NC, or FL.

I'm going to be introduced to the man of my dreams, and I'll be married within three years. He'll be tall with dark hair and some sort of facial hair. A friend or a co-worker is going to introduce us and there's a very strong possibility that we'll be introduced at work. He will follow me wherever it is I'm going to wind up.

We'll want to have kids, but if it doesn't happen by the time I'm 35, we won't be doing it.

He asked me about my sister. Told him I didn't have a sister. Then he asked who the woman was that I'd been worried about for the last week. I told him, and he said there were rough spots in the road ahead. An ending for her if there weren't some major changes on her part, but she would eventually be OK.

I'll be going back to school. When I told him I was working on a PhD, he said that I would be conducting training's and workshops.

I'll be teaching on the collegiate level and would probably open a consulting business working with state contracts.

I don't think I remember anything else. I'm sure there was more to it, but I can't remember it right now.

I don't quite know how I'm gonna get to sleep tonight. I'm coughing and my head is killing me. I even went to Diary Queen and had a blizzard which normally helps with the feeling gross thing. Not tonight.

Have been thinking about going to MO this weekend, but I don't think I have it in me to make that drive. Plus with gas prices high and not knowing about a job, I don't know that it's a really good idea on my part. Maybe it is. I really need to get some work on my dissertation done. 22 hours in the car are 22 hours I could be working on that.

My birthday is less than a month away. That means you have less than a month to select and send a birthday present. I'm not really sure what I want this year, although I could really use a mixer so I can make cookies. Not that I need cookies, but you know. Or you could get me a transcription machine.

May 17, 2006

So I have stitched closed the v-neck on the dress I'm wearing to the wedding this weekend. And I also did a little work on some tank-tops so I can wear them and not be obscene.

I think I need a necklace to wear with the dress, but I don't really want to spend the money on one. I did buy a pair of earrings. We know how long those are going to last. I should have painted my toe nails tonight, but I didn't get around to it.

In the morning before I leave I need to clean the car and finish packing. I did pack some tonight simply because I have to leave so early in the morning. I have to leave here around 9:30 in order to make it to my hair appointment. *sigh*

I broke down tonight and bought a little notebook to keep in my purse.As long as I stick with this new purse, the Moleskin (the notebook of Hemingway) will be able to go where I do. If I have to switch to bigger, cavernous purses in order to be a writer, I'm gonna be pissed. Pissed I tell you.

I didn't win the Powerball Lottery. Imma buy another ticket when I'm in LA this weekend.

Sad news for one of our friends. Linda's mom has passed away. Say a prayer, light a candle, think good thoughts.

May 16, 2006

Yuck. I feel gross. Sick. Some times my tummy gets the best of me. Perhaps I shouldn't have had that chicken salad that I made on Friday...but it has been in the fridge. It should have been OK.

Think I'm gonna have a Pepsi One and see if that calms my tummy.

Shan and Eric have been here and headed off to home today. We were up in Jackson yesterday. Went to the Mississippi Museum of Art and saw the O'Keefe exhibit. I really liked the intensity of some of the colors. The vivid greens and blues. I also liked a couple of the other exhibits as well. The quilts were lovely, particularly the one with the black background. (No pics because the camera is not allowed in the museum)

Have been reading a bit in the Breathing In, Breathing Out book we're using in the summer institute. One of the chapters talks about the themes of our writing...the topics that we come back to again and again. I certainly have a few of those, don't I?

Kind of in a quandary right now. Got some rather burdensome news and I feel like I have to do something with it because I think that's what I'm supposed to do with it. I think that was the other person's intention in telling me...knowing that I'd feel like I have to say something. The problem now becomes...how exactly do I say what needs to be said without making things worse? Or creating a schism?

Knowledge can be a heavy burden to bear. I wish I didn't know what I do know, but now that I do...I feel like I have to do something with it. Sure I could just let it go, but if what is prophesied comes to pass, I would about shoot myself if I didn't at least try to stop it.

Sounds all da Vinci Code, doesn't it? It's really not all that, but it is important in the scheme of my life right this minute.

May 10, 2006

It's storming here. Severe thunderstorms. Tornado watches. Tornado warnings. I don't remember this from last spring. Did I write about this last spring? I think I would have remembered it if I did.

I think I have written about being afraid of storms before. I'm not quite sure where this comes from. Did it start before the tornado that leap-frogged over the elementary school?

How old was I then? I want to say it was second grade? Maybe third? I seem to recall being pretty far up the hallway. Perhaps we sat in the hallway with Mrs. Towel?

All I really remember was that school had just let out, and the teacher (Mrs. Towel? Who taught fourth grade?) had walked us out and put us on the busses. The driver had started the engine and the first bus was starting to pull away when the principal came running out of the building, trying to make it to the first bus before it left.

I don't remember the principal's name. Mrs. W?????. I do remember that she was on the heavier set side...perhaps a size 16 or 18 at the time, and I think she made her own clothes. I remember long solid color skirts and matching blazers with pale shells worn underneath. That heavy material. Not wool. A polyester blend? She had a radio in her hand and was yelling into it. We could hear the emergency siren going off. Billings is small enough to still, to this day, have a siren that blows every day at noon.

Teachers started coming out of the building, directing students as they came off the busses, telling us to make our way to the hall outside of our classroom. Not like there were many places to go. The school had one grade of each class.

I don't know how long we sat in the hallway. I remember that many of us were crying because we had friends who walked home from school, and they'd already left. I also remember being jealous of the kids in the special education class because they all got cookies. Their teacher was apparently better prepared than the rest of the educators in the building.

The tornado apparently hop-scotched over the school, or at least that's what we were told. As soon as it was clear, we loaded back up on the busses and went home.

Maybe that's where it started. Seems as a good of a story as any other I could create.

I've been online looking at Tibetan singing bowls. I've placed a bet on a pair of Tingsha cymbals. I want something to use to start our daily writing time. Perhaps I'll look for something when I'm in New Orleans this weekend. Maybe something in the French Market?

May 9, 2006

It was a rough day.

Wayne is once again my husband. I got pulled over for doing 40 in a 30 (totally wasn't paying attention), and when the guy started lecturing me, I told him I understood that he was just doing his job, after all my husband is an officer too. Wayne is in Carson, and he's one of those progressive types. Loves me enough to let me keep my own name. *grin* (I apologize for using your husband D; I'll have to think of some way to make it up to you)

I have an excuse to never eat low-fat yogurt again. It contains aspartame. That's bad for my head. Good deal. (And it's bad for the rest of you too. Aspartame is bad, bad for you)

Need to do some laundry and go to bed. Not very exciting here.

May 8, 2006

I think the worst of the rain is gone. Lots of lightning. No real thunder. Threat of hail and tornado watches/warnings. We all know how much I hate bad weather. Every time I hear "hail", I have a mini panic attack. I really don't want to have to deal with the prospect of hail damage to my car. *sigh*

Tomorrow I need to go by one of the pest control places and pick up some stuff to treat the yard with. I have a bunch of little bug bites, but I don't think they're flea bites. (got them in New Orleans) I am reminded, though, because last summer was awful for my babies. I also need to pick up flea collars for the girls. I'm too cheap to pay for Frontline or whatever the heck it is.

Am feeling particularly fat and unattractive this evening. I'm sure that's just some hormonal related stuff. I have been listening to a cd lately when I go to sleep, and I don't know if it's just psychological stuff, but I am not as hungry as I have been in the past...and I'm thinking about what I'm going to put in my mouth. That can't be a bad thing.

I don't have anything else to say tonight. Tired. A little out of sorts. Wanting to go to bed.

May 7, 2006

Had a really good weekend. We went to Jazzfest and had another good time. I'm not sure that it was as good as last weekend, but it was good. Listened to Frankie Ford (caution...annoying website), Deacon John, Buckwheat Zydeco, and of course Jimmy Buffett. Didn't drink much at the show because it was nearly impossible to get from our seats out to the bathrooms. There were so many people there. Crazy folks, but tons of them packed in there. Wow.

I saved the drinking for the Quarter. Y'all know that I have been to many times...all by myself. I'm not sure, though, that I would want to go back...at night...all by myself. The atmosphere has really changed. There were several fights in the street (a big tall Cowboy jumped in the middle of one and broke it up). Mark said that he saw some guys flash a gun in a car that was coming down Bourbon. I don't know. It was just a little different than it has been in the past.

We had breakfast this morning at The Court of Two Sisters. As it was expensive ($105 for three of us), I decided that I should try things that I don't normally. So, I had the country pate...it was really good. (I felt guilty while eating it because of how it's made) And the veal grillades. (not so good) And the eggplant andouille casserole. (not so good) The blue cheese was excellent. As was the boiled shrimp. And the pecan pie. And chocolate cake. And the fudge. It sounds like a lot, but when you consider that I had just a bite of this and a bite of that, it wasn't really a lot. I left a lot on each plate. Simply because I was sampling.

Drove through some of the devastated neighborhoods. It's so sad to see. Beth said that the city of New Orleans has given residents until August 29, 2006 to begin work on their properties. If no progress is made at a property by that time, then the property will be targeted for bulldozing. Something has got to be done. And if that's what it is, then it's a start. I can't believe that there hasn't been much more work done. If getting a clean slate helps to get things started, so be it. Many of those properties can't be "renovated" as is. They'll have to be demolished. Maybe waiting for the city to do it is a smart move.

In other news, I don't if y'all remember back when the SD abortion ban passed, but I said at that time that the ban was much more than abortion. If you read the NYT.com article about Contra Contraception, you know that it's about contraception as ell. I'm totally upset about it. I don't know exactly what to say about it, but I think we've got start speaking up. Those of us who are younger have never had to contemplate a world without ready access to birth control. We take that for granted, and we're beginning to pay the price for that. It's up to us to decide how far we want it to go.

That's all for now. There will be more later.

May 4, 2006

So that feeling of doom? I've figured it out. I was working on my preproposal for my dissertation, and one of the questions is how many participants will be in my study. I don't know, but I'm assuming it will be a very small number. If that's the case, I may not be able to do my study. The thing is...there aren't a lot of these programs out there. If, in order to get to 15 participants, I have to not only go to KY but find a place somewhere else and make arrangements to travel there, it won't be doable. I'll have to come up with a different topic.

*sigh*

In other news, I bought a pair of Old Navy jeans at the Treasure Hunt about a month ago. I've worn them four or five times. They've got a wear spot along the side of one of the back pockets. I'm going to go to the store and get an iron-on patch for it because it's small enough yet to make a relatively unnoticeable patch. I probably paid $10 for the jeans because I got them at the TH, but if I had purchased them at Old Navy, they would have been a $32 pair of jeans. There's no way that after a month, they should be that worn. What the hell? I'm pissed as is, but I'd be even more pissed if I'd paid full price for the things.

I've got to buy a dress to wear to a wedding. Afternoon. In New Orleans. *sigh* I looked at the Treasure Hunt this afternoon and didn't find anything of interest. Guess I'm going to mall in the next week or so.

My dissertation thing is upsetting me. That's about all I can think about.

I was going to write about the woman pushing the old-fashioned baby buggy, but I'm consumed. Dammit. I'm bummed and feeling a bit like puking. I know I shouldn't be this worried at this stage of the game, but I don't want to invest all of that time and work and then have it blow up in my face. *sigh*

Guess what I really need to do is contact Jan Isenhauer to see how many participants she has and how many she thinks would be willing to do an interview. If there aren't enough, then I suppose I need to contact my friend in CA who does an older adult writing group. Dammit.

Think I'm gonna take a pill and go to bed. If I don't, then I'm never going to be able to sleep. Dammit.

May 3, 2006

There is a huge pan of green beans in my fridge. We had lunch out at Paul B. Johnson, and the university catering always brings too much food. My most favorite thing is fresh green beans. There was an entire pan...still covered in foil and plastic left so I asked Mrs. Doris if it would be piggy for me to take the whole thing. She said no. So it's in my fridge. The green beans are a bit over-cooking...just a little too soft, but they're still good. Nice big chunks of ham in there to season things.

I love my grand-Sner's green beans. I'm not sure what she does to them that is different from what I do to them, but they're different. Maybe it's the cast iron dutch oven that I don't have. I dunno. She can make even canned green beans taste fantastic.

I'm also not sure how she gets the strings out of the green beans. The beans from this afternoon are rather stringy, but the grand-Sner's really weren't. I remember seeing her with the knife, pulling down the sides of the green beans, but I have to say that every time I've done that, nothing much comes off the green bean, and there's not really strings in my cooked beans. Could it be possible that there are stringless green beans out there? And if there are, how does my grand-Sner not know about them?

I feel like a cloud of doom is hanging over my head, which is not unusual, as faithful readers know. I got back to the house from class this afternoon (a tedious, draining experience) and all I wanted to do was go to bed. I didn't, but I wanted to.

Some good news on the job front. Sorta. Will know more in a couple of days.

Did I tell you that I think my DVD player is broken? I wanted to watch a movie Friday night? and I couldn't get the color on the DVD player to work. The last time I used it was at Christmas. I checked all the connections and everything was right. *sigh* I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. It was cheap to begin with, and I don't use it all that often. I suppose I will keep an eye on the Sunday papers for a new one. I debated about buying a new one because I have the laptop, but I like to do two things at once and watching a movie on the laptop precludes that.

Anyway. All for tonight. Tired. Need something sweet. (PMS)

May 1, 2006

Yesterday I went over to New Orleans for Jazzfest. I wanted to see Allen Toussaint with Elvis Costello (they have a CD coming out in June...The River in Reverse), and I wanted to see Bruce Springsteen with the Seeger Sessions Band. (I also saw Sonny Landreth...never heard of him before and he was awesome).

Bruce Springsteen was amazing. I don't remember the exact set list (thought about writing it down, but I might have had a...drink...in my hand most of the time, but I believe he started the show with John Henry. Mixed in there was Old Dan Tucker, Jesse James, Mrs. McGarth (with requisite comment on our own war), Froggie Went A Courtin', and Pay Me My Money Down (as that song played, I wondered about the immigration issue...on the Gulf Coast, many of our Hispanic workers have had difficulty getting paid for the work they've done). Scattered between and among there was O Mary Don't You Weep, My Oklahoma Home, and Jacob's Ladder. He played his version of How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live, with three verses written specifically for New Orleans...dedicated to President Bystander.

Springsteen masterfully selected the order of the songs. There was a progression and an ebb and flow...some light hearted silliness and then some thinking about where New Orleans finds herself and then a ton of hope. There were times that the hair stood up on the back of my neck and I had chills in the heat and humidity. There were those around me who didn't "get it". They keep shouting for him to play "Born in the USA", but he was much more focused on bringing this message of resurrection and perseverance to the people.

The first encore started with "My City of Ruin", and it was almost a spiritual experience when he sang "Rise up! Rise up!" and "With these hands". The crowd had their hands in the air, almost to a person and they were chanting along with him. After that intensity of emotion, he took us into Buffalo Gals and several other songs before winding up with a very hushed and subdued version of When the Saints Go Marching In. Again...almost spiritual as people swayed and sang along with him.

Springsteen talked about what New Orleans meant to him personally, saying that when he and his wife started fooling around, they came to New Orleans and wandered in and out of the jazz and blues clubs, getting lost...and not found. He said that it was a bracing experience to bring his children back to a city that means so much to him, when that city needs so much.

Lastly, it seemed like Springsteen and his band (a HUGE band) were having an incredible time on that stage. The last song before the encore, ended with them marching around the stage and then off, almost like a jazz funeral. The tuba player stayed until Springsteen pulled him off. The show went until 7:30, which according to the people I went with (who have been going for at least 10 years) has never happened in Jazzfest's history. I guess Springsteen had been told that he could play until the sun went down because he kept saying, "That sun's not down yet...let's play some more."

I'm glad we decided to go over yesterday. When we left around 11:00, it was pouring rain, and there were times on the freeway when we were only doing 45 mph because the rain was so heavy. When we got to New Orleans, the sky cleared and the sun came out. Even with the slogging through the mud at the fair grounds, it couldn't have been a better day.

We're going back next weekend for Jimmy Buffett, and I'm trying to decide if I have enough money in my budget to go on Sunday to see Paul Simon and Fats Domino close it out. If I get over there early enough, I can park on a street and not have to pay for parking, thereby saving myself $25. And I'm pretty sure that you can take in food and drink, although food was not outrageously priced. Beer was $3.00/can and the only place selling daiquiris had them at $5.00. I expect I could make it for $50-60, including the ticket but excluding the gas. Hmmmmmm....

Last Updated January 26, 2008

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May 30, 2006

In the last hour I have spent $200. *sigh* $150 on three textbooks for summer session, and $50 to renew my AAA membership. $200 isn’t a lot I suppose, but when you don’t have a job and are looking at dwindling cash reserves, it does get to be a lot.

Talked with some folks about my possible job. I was supposed to hear at the end of May, and that’s now. I sent a subtle reminder to my would-be boss last week and haven’t heard back from her. Those people I talked with today, though, told me not to worry. That in all of their dealings with her, she has never been less than forthright and honest. Direct. Demanding. But forthright and honest. When I told them that she’d told me the end of May, they both were a bit incredulous about that. Apparently, according to them, that’s *early* for her. They told me that contracts won’t be signed until sometime in July, but I can’t wait until then to know, which is what I told her when we talked almost three weeks ago. She said she wouldn’t make me wait that long.

I don’t know how much or how hard to push this. Both of the people I spoke with today said that if she gave me the indication I had the job, then I had the job. But. But. But.

In other news, when I was waiting for my dinner this evening, I was reading the USA Today, and came across this article. It’s interesting to me in that it plays right into what this job would be. I’m not sure how much to say, but it would have a bit to do with teaching folks to both write and speak professionally.

However to get back to this article about teens and their technology useage, I see myself in that quite a bit. I’m a big emailer. When I could call people, I tend to send them an email. When I could call people, I sometimes send a text. Then again, I’ve always been much more of a writer than a speaker. I can remember times with the Xboy, when he was literally begging me to talk to him, and I couldn’t. Literally couldn’t. I would open my mouth to speak, and nothing would come out.

I make progress in every personal interaction (the whole speaking thing is not a problem in a professional, public setting) that I have these days. Very rarely do I open my mouth these days and have nothing come out when I desperately want to speak. But still, I prefer being able to write so I can make sure that I have said exactly what it is that I want to say.

And then there are things that I can only write and would just about DIE if I had to say them. Heh. But I’m *really* good at writing them. *grin*

I also found the sidebar article to be interesting. Some of my colleagues have been advancing a concept called “CyberEnglish” for many years. The school of thought is that exposing the work of students to the broader and larger audience that is available in an online environment applies pressure to student writing and the response available to students creates an impetus for students to create the best possible writing they can. Because the audience is no longer the teacher and because the writing is authentic, students are invested in their work in ways that they cannot be in a traditional classroom. Makes sense to me

In other news, I have finally won an auction for a singing bowl. Now the bowl and the bell can be shipped to me. I about had a panic attack when I entered my maximum bid for the bowl. I meant to put in $20.00, and somehow wound up with $2000.00. Good thing the bidding only went up to $15.53. Sheesh.

Anyway. Classes were supposed to start today, but my stats class is apparently a 6 week class. Which means it starts on the 19th. The qualitative course starts tomorrow. Ughhh. I dunno. I really am not interested in classes anymore. But here I am. Doing it again. Stupid.

May 28, 2006

I tried to add a guest book to the site because I wanted to have a little more interaction, but it's a bit of a funk. I've emailed the help folks and they have not been very helpful, which pisses me off to no end.

I got some work on my dissertation done today. My preproposal is ready to hand in to my chair first thing Tuesday. I've also got some plans for chapter 3. I was supposed to have worked on this stuff this last week, but I figure better late than never. I will hopefully get most of chapter 3 banged out in the next week. If I can do that, then I can rapidly submit that and spend the next two months working on the first two chapters, with a defense coming at the end of the summer. I hope that it's way it works out, anyway.

Am still sick. It is moving into my throat...I think.

I watched Vera Drake last night. What a film. I have had a thing for British films since my Irish film class. It always takes a moment or two to get into the accent and the "quietness" for lack of a better word. You have to listen harder to what the actors are saying. But the film...the expression on Vera's face when the police come to the door to arrest her for performing illegal abortions (setting...London 1950) is incredible. The shock. Blankness. Fear. Wow. And the women who Vera "helps"...I can't quite imagine being that desperate and afraid. I know that my own recent brush with reproductive issues is enough to make me leery of putting anything foreign into my uterus, let alone lye soap and disinfectant. *shudder*

I am now watching Deliverance. Good god. What a creepy, creepy movie. The scene with the Dueling Banjos just played. That kid...disturbing. Very disturbing. I remember bumping along in a Bronco like that, though.

I should go to bed.

Trying to decide if I should buy Season One of Grey's Anatomy on DVD at Circuit City tomorrow. It's $12.99. Or should I let someone buy it for me for my birthday? What to do?

I took some Nyquil. Think I'm going to have a cookie and some milk and take myself off to bed. Or maybe I'll lay down on the couch with my Sneach and watch TV until I drift away.

May 24, 2006

So I have been practicing making a "C" chord on the guitar. I'm getting better at it, but still only hitting it about 75% of the time. I had to lay the guitar flat on my lap and then place my fingers on the strings. Then I had to pick the fingers up and put them exactly where they need to be. Then I strummed. Lovely. I'm getting better. Can actually hold the guitar like you're supposed to...some of the time.

If I decide that I like playing guitar, then I think I'm going to get me one of those Daisy Guitars. I looked on ebay, and I can get them for about $300.

Do guitar players get carpal tunnel? I could see that happening the way I have to hold the neck of the guitar. The saving grace would be that it's in my left wrist, and my previous wrist problems were in the right. The tips of my fingers really hurt right about now. I know that goes away eventually. Hopefully soon. I was gonna practice some more this evening, but my poor fingers were cramping up.

Remembered to buy the girlies flea collars this afternoon when I was out. They were so not proud to be wearing them, but they've apparently gotten used to them. They're purple and look lovely against their fur. I hope that it helps keep the fleas at bay. The neighbors said something about getting someone to come over and spray a couple of times. Cost something like $30. I could handle that if it means that we don't have to deal with fleas this summer. Poor babies.

What do you y'all keep in your purses? I just recently bought a moleskin notebook so I can write when the mood strikes, but other than that, in my purse is usually my checkbook, my wallet, a pen, a lipliner, a lipstick, condoms, and some loose change. I don't need anything very big for all of that.

I have receding gums. I've been brushing a little hard lately. I went and bought an extra soft toothpaste. I hope that some gentleness as well as regular flossing and the use of mouthwash will at least retard the loss. I soooooo need to go to the dentist. Dammit.

May 23, 2006

Or for my birthday you could get me a Tibetan Singing Bowl. I'm watching a couple in ebay right now. I think they would be nice for starting and ending writing time...signaling to students the need for quiet and reflection. My prayer chimes (tingsha) have finally arrived. They're bigger than I thought they would be. Pleasant sound, though. Not as discordant as I'd been led to believe it would be.

I slept most of the day today and I am feeling better. Went out to Beth's this evening, swam a little, and came home. Had some dinner out there. Still very tired, though.

My kids and I slept on the couch for most of the afternoon and morning. They're very sweet. I think they know when I'm sick and want to be near me. If I'm not OK, they don't get fed. Poor babies.

Brought the guitar home with me from Beth's. I need to go ahead and chop off my fingernails so I can work on the C-chord. 2, 4, 5. Those are the strings I have to touch. He gave me the Alverez, which is the one he usually plays. Said that the neck was smaller than the one he wanted me to have so it might be easier for me. (you could add a daisy rock guitar to the birthday wish list)

Imma go to bed. Probably the best choice for me right now.

May 22, 2006

Busy weekend. Am home now and really tired. I think I've picked up some sort of icky bug. I have a cough, a headache, sore throat, etc. Feel a little achy and like I might be running a fever.

I really should write something because I haven't for awhile (sorry. Sorry), but this sickness thing makes me just want to go to sleep.

Went to Marie Laveau's and had a reading done this weekend. Saw Phillip, and I think I've had him do my reading before. Some stuff very right on, others not so much. Let's see if I can remember it all...

No diabetes in me.
Supposedly a slight curvature of my spine which causes my hips to go numb when I sit too long. Also causes migraines and sometimes involuntary jerks.
I am supposedly like my father.
My brother and I could not be two more different Geminis if we tried. (I told him I was a Gemini...did not tell him my brother was one)
Supposedly Hairball and I will be getting closer now that he's on medication.
My mother and her husband are doing well.
My mother is in a good spot in her life.
I'm not going to be buying a new car any time soon. The one I have is fine.
I will be a property owner again soon.
I will get my internship. (? I told him I wasn't up for an internship...and then he asked if I was trying to get a job. He asked if I was hoping there would be a mentoring aspect. I said yes. He said that was it)
He said my finances will be very stable.
I'll be in Hattiesburg for two more years and then settling in CA, Chicago, NC, or FL.
I'm going to be introduced to the man of my dreams, and I'll be married within three years. He'll be tall with dark hair and some sort of facial hair. A friend or a co-worker is going to introduce us and there's a very strong possibility that we'll be introduced at work. He will follow me wherever it is I'm going to wind up.
We'll want to have kids, but if it doesn't happen by the time I'm 35, we won't be doing it.
He asked me about my sister. Told him I didn't have a sister. Then he asked who the woman was that I'd been worried about for the last week. I told him, and he said there were rough spots in the road ahead. An ending for her if there weren't some major changes on her part, but she would eventually be OK.
I'll be going back to school. When I told him I was working on a PhD, he said that I would be conducting training's and workshops.
I'll be teaching on the collegiate level and would probably open a consulting business working with state contracts.

I don't think I remember anything else. I'm sure there was more to it, but I can't remember it right now.

I don't quite know how I'm gonna get to sleep tonight. I'm coughing and my head is killing me. I even went to Diary Queen and had a blizzard which normally helps with the feeling gross thing. Not tonight.

Have been thinking about going to MO this weekend, but I don't think I have it in me to make that drive. Plus with gas prices high and not knowing about a job, I don't know that it's a really good idea on my part. Maybe it is. I really need to get some work on my dissertation done. 22 hours in the car are 22 hours I could be working on that.

My birthday is less than a month away. That means you have less than a month to select and send a birthday present. I'm not really sure what I want this year, although I could really use a mixer so I can make cookies. Not that I need cookies, but you know. Or you could get me a transcription machine.

May 17, 2006

So I have stitched closed the v-neck on the dress I'm wearing to the wedding this weekend. And I also did a little work on some tank-tops so I can wear them and not be obscene.

I think I need a necklace to wear with the dress, but I don't really want to spend the money on one. I did buy a pair of earrings. We know how long those are going to last. I should have painted my toe nails tonight, but I didn't get around to it.

In the morning before I leave I need to clean the car and finish packing. I did pack some tonight simply because I have to leave so early in the morning. I have to leave here around 9:30 in order to make it to my hair appointment. *sigh*

I broke down tonight and bought a little notebook to keep in my purse.As long as I stick with this new purse, the Moleskin (the notebook of Hemingway) will be able to go where I do. If I have to switch to bigger, cavernous purses in order to be a writer, I'm gonna be pissed. Pissed I tell you.

I didn't win the Powerball Lottery. Imma buy another ticket when I'm in LA this weekend.

Sad news for one of our friends. Linda's mom has passed away. Say a prayer, light a candle, think good thoughts.

May 16, 2006

Yuck. I feel gross. Sick. Some times my tummy gets the best of me. Perhaps I shouldn't have had that chicken salad that I made on Friday...but it has been in the fridge. It should have been OK.

Think I'm gonna have a Pepsi One and see if that calms my tummy.

Shan and Eric have been here and headed off to home today. We were up in Jackson yesterday. Went to the Mississippi Museum of Art and saw the O'Keefe exhibit. I really liked the intensity of some of the colors. The vivid greens and blues. I also liked a couple of the other exhibits as well. The quilts were lovely, particularly the one with the black background. (No pics because the camera is not allowed in the museum)

Have been reading a bit in the Breathing In, Breathing Out book we're using in the summer institute. One of the chapters talks about the themes of our writing...the topics that we come back to again and again. I certainly have a few of those, don't I?

Kind of in a quandary right now. Got some rather burdensome news and I feel like I have to do something with it because I think that's what I'm supposed to do with it. I think that was the other person's intention in telling me...knowing that I'd feel like I have to say something. The problem now becomes...how exactly do I say what needs to be said without making things worse? Or creating a schism?

Knowledge can be a heavy burden to bear. I wish I didn't know what I do know, but now that I do...I feel like I have to do something with it. Sure I could just let it go, but if what is prophesied comes to pass, I would about shoot myself if I didn't at least try to stop it.

Sounds all da Vinci Code, doesn't it? It's really not all that, but it is important in the scheme of my life right this minute.

May 10, 2006

It's storming here. Severe thunderstorms. Tornado watches. Tornado warnings. I don't remember this from last spring. Did I write about this last spring? I think I would have remembered it if I did.

I think I have written about being afraid of storms before. I'm not quite sure where this comes from. Did it start before the tornado that leap-frogged over the elementary school?

How old was I then? I want to say it was second grade? Maybe third? I seem to recall being pretty far up the hallway. Perhaps we sat in the hallway with Mrs. Towel?

All I really remember was that school had just let out, and the teacher (Mrs. Towel? Who taught fourth grade?) had walked us out and put us on the busses. The driver had started the engine and the first bus was starting to pull away when the principal came running out of the building, trying to make it to the first bus before it left.

I don't remember the principal's name. Mrs. W?????. I do remember that she was on the heavier set side...perhaps a size 16 or 18 at the time, and I think she made her own clothes. I remember long solid color skirts and matching blazers with pale shells worn underneath. That heavy material. Not wool. A polyester blend? She had a radio in her hand and was yelling into it. We could hear the emergency siren going off. Billings is small enough to still, to this day, have a siren that blows every day at noon.

Teachers started coming out of the building, directing students as they came off the busses, telling us to make our way to the hall outside of our classroom. Not like there were many places to go. The school had one grade of each class.

I don't know how long we sat in the hallway. I remember that many of us were crying because we had friends who walked home from school, and they'd already left. I also remember being jealous of the kids in the special education class because they all got cookies. Their teacher was apparently better prepared than the rest of the educators in the building.

The tornado apparently hop-scotched over the school, or at least that's what we were told. As soon as it was clear, we loaded back up on the busses and went home.

Maybe that's where it started. Seems as a good of a story as any other I could create.

I've been online looking at Tibetan singing bowls. I've placed a bet on a pair of Tingsha cymbals. I want something to use to start our daily writing time. Perhaps I'll look for something when I'm in New Orleans this weekend. Maybe something in the French Market?

May 9, 2006

It was a rough day.

Wayne is once again my husband. I got pulled over for doing 40 in a 30 (totally wasn't paying attention), and when the guy started lecturing me, I told him I understood that he was just doing his job, after all my husband is an officer too. Wayne is in Carson, and he's one of those progressive types. Loves me enough to let me keep my own name. *grin* (I apologize for using your husband D; I'll have to think of some way to make it up to you)

I have an excuse to never eat low-fat yogurt again. It contains aspartame. That's bad for my head. Good deal. (And it's bad for the rest of you too. Aspartame is bad, bad for you)

Need to do some laundry and go to bed. Not very exciting here.

May 8, 2006

I think the worst of the rain is gone. Lots of lightning. No real thunder. Threat of hail and tornado watches/warnings. We all know how much I hate bad weather. Every time I hear "hail", I have a mini panic attack. I really don't want to have to deal with the prospect of hail damage to my car. *sigh*

Tomorrow I need to go by one of the pest control places and pick up some stuff to treat the yard with. I have a bunch of little bug bites, but I don't think they're flea bites. (got them in New Orleans) I am reminded, though, because last summer was awful for my babies. I also need to pick up flea collars for the girls. I'm too cheap to pay for Frontline or whatever the heck it is.

Am feeling particularly fat and unattractive this evening. I'm sure that's just some hormonal related stuff. I have been listening to a cd lately when I go to sleep, and I don't know if it's just psychological stuff, but I am not as hungry as I have been in the past...and I'm thinking about what I'm going to put in my mouth. That can't be a bad thing.

I don't have anything else to say tonight. Tired. A little out of sorts. Wanting to go to bed.

May 7, 2006

Had a really good weekend. We went to Jazzfest and had another good time. I'm not sure that it was as good as last weekend, but it was good. Listened to Frankie Ford (caution...annoying website), Deacon John, Buckwheat Zydeco, and of course Jimmy Buffett. Didn't drink much at the show because it was nearly impossible to get from our seats out to the bathrooms. There were so many people there. Crazy folks, but tons of them packed in there. Wow.

I saved the drinking for the Quarter. Y'all know that I have been to many times...all by myself. I'm not sure, though, that I would want to go back...at night...all by myself. The atmosphere has really changed. There were several fights in the street (a big tall Cowboy jumped in the middle of one and broke it up). Mark said that he saw some guys flash a gun in a car that was coming down Bourbon. I don't know. It was just a little different than it has been in the past.

We had breakfast this morning at The Court of Two Sisters. As it was expensive ($105 for three of us), I decided that I should try things that I don't normally. So, I had the country pate...it was really good. (I felt guilty while eating it because of how it's made) And the veal grillades. (not so good) And the eggplant andouille casserole. (not so good) The blue cheese was excellent. As was the boiled shrimp. And the pecan pie. And chocolate cake. And the fudge. It sounds like a lot, but when you consider that I had just a bite of this and a bite of that, it wasn't really a lot. I left a lot on each plate. Simply because I was sampling.

Drove through some of the devastated neighborhoods. It's so sad to see. Beth said that the city of New Orleans has given residents until August 29, 2006 to begin work on their properties. If no progress is made at a property by that time, then the property will be targeted for bulldozing. Something has got to be done. And if that's what it is, then it's a start. I can't believe that there hasn't been much more work done. If getting a clean slate helps to get things started, so be it. Many of those properties can't be "renovated" as is. They'll have to be demolished. Maybe waiting for the city to do it is a smart move.

In other news, I don't if y'all remember back when the SD abortion ban passed, but I said at that time that the ban was much more than abortion. If you read the NYT.com article about Contra Contraception, you know that it's about contraception as ell. I'm totally upset about it. I don't know exactly what to say about it, but I think we've got start speaking up. Those of us who are younger have never had to contemplate a world without ready access to birth control. We take that for granted, and we're beginning to pay the price for that. It's up to us to decide how far we want it to go.

That's all for now. There will be more later.

May 4, 2006

So that feeling of doom? I've figured it out. I was working on my preproposal for my dissertation, and one of the questions is how many participants will be in my study. I don't know, but I'm assuming it will be a very small number. If that's the case, I may not be able to do my study. The thing is...there aren't a lot of these programs out there. If, in order to get to 15 participants, I have to not only go to KY but find a place somewhere else and make arrangements to travel there, it won't be doable. I'll have to come up with a different topic.

*sigh*

In other news, I bought a pair of Old Navy jeans at the Treasure Hunt about a month ago. I've worn them four or five times. They've got a wear spot along the side of one of the back pockets. I'm going to go to the store and get an iron-on patch for it because it's small enough yet to make a relatively unnoticeable patch. I probably paid $10 for the jeans because I got them at the TH, but if I had purchased them at Old Navy, they would have been a $32 pair of jeans. There's no way that after a month, they should be that worn. What the hell? I'm pissed as is, but I'd be even more pissed if I'd paid full price for the things.

I've got to buy a dress to wear to a wedding. Afternoon. In New Orleans. *sigh* I looked at the Treasure Hunt this afternoon and didn't find anything of interest. Guess I'm going to mall in the next week or so.

My dissertation thing is upsetting me. That's about all I can think about.

I was going to write about the woman pushing the old-fashioned baby buggy, but I'm consumed. Dammit. I'm bummed and feeling a bit like puking. I know I shouldn't be this worried at this stage of the game, but I don't want to invest all of that time and work and then have it blow up in my face. *sigh*

Guess what I really need to do is contact Jan Isenhauer to see how many participants she has and how many she thinks would be willing to do an interview. If there aren't enough, then I suppose I need to contact my friend in CA who does an older adult writing group. Dammit.

Think I'm gonna take a pill and go to bed. If I don't, then I'm never going to be able to sleep. Dammit.

May 3, 2006

There is a huge pan of green beans in my fridge. We had lunch out at Paul B. Johnson, and the university catering always brings too much food. My most favorite thing is fresh green beans. There was an entire pan...still covered in foil and plastic left so I asked Mrs. Doris if it would be piggy for me to take the whole thing. She said no. So it's in my fridge. The green beans are a bit over-cooking...just a little too soft, but they're still good. Nice big chunks of ham in there to season things.

I love my grand-Sner's green beans. I'm not sure what she does to them that is different from what I do to them, but they're different. Maybe it's the cast iron dutch oven that I don't have. I dunno. She can make even canned green beans taste fantastic.

I'm also not sure how she gets the strings out of the green beans. The beans from this afternoon are rather stringy, but the grand-Sner's really weren't. I remember seeing her with the knife, pulling down the sides of the green beans, but I have to say that every time I've done that, nothing much comes off the green bean, and there's not really strings in my cooked beans. Could it be possible that there are stringless green beans out there? And if there are, how does my grand-Sner not know about them?

I feel like a cloud of doom is hanging over my head, which is not unusual, as faithful readers know. I got back to the house from class this afternoon (a tedious, draining experience) and all I wanted to do was go to bed. I didn't, but I wanted to.

Some good news on the job front. Sorta. Will know more in a couple of days.

Did I tell you that I think my DVD player is broken? I wanted to watch a movie Friday night? and I couldn't get the color on the DVD player to work. The last time I used it was at Christmas. I checked all the connections and everything was right. *sigh* I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. It was cheap to begin with, and I don't use it all that often. I suppose I will keep an eye on the Sunday papers for a new one. I debated about buying a new one because I have the laptop, but I like to do two things at once and watching a movie on the laptop precludes that.

Anyway. All for tonight. Tired. Need something sweet. (PMS)

May 1, 2006

Yesterday I went over to New Orleans for Jazzfest. I wanted to see Allen Toussaint with Elvis Costello (they have a CD coming out in June...The River in Reverse), and I wanted to see Bruce Springsteen with the Seeger Sessions Band. (I also saw Sonny Landreth...never heard of him before and he was awesome).

Bruce Springsteen was amazing. I don't remember the exact set list (thought about writing it down, but I might have had a...drink...in my hand most of the time, but I believe he started the show with John Henry. Mixed in there was Old Dan Tucker, Jesse James, Mrs. McGarth (with requisite comment on our own war), Froggie Went A Courtin', and Pay Me My Money Down (as that song played, I wondered about the immigration issue...on the Gulf Coast, many of our Hispanic workers have had difficulty getting paid for the work they've done). Scattered between and among there was O Mary Don't You Weep, My Oklahoma Home, and Jacob's Ladder. He played his version of How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live, with three verses written specifically for New Orleans...dedicated to President Bystander.

Springsteen masterfully selected the order of the songs. There was a progression and an ebb and flow...some light hearted silliness and then some thinking about where New Orleans finds herself and then a ton of hope. There were times that the hair stood up on the back of my neck and I had chills in the heat and humidity. There were those around me who didn't "get it". They keep shouting for him to play "Born in the USA", but he was much more focused on bringing this message of resurrection and perseverance to the people.

The first encore started with "My City of Ruin", and it was almost a spiritual experience when he sang "Rise up! Rise up!" and "With these hands". The crowd had their hands in the air, almost to a person and they were chanting along with him. After that intensity of emotion, he took us into Buffalo Gals and several other songs before winding up with a very hushed and subdued version of When the Saints Go Marching In. Again...almost spiritual as people swayed and sang along with him.

Springsteen talked about what New Orleans meant to him personally, saying that when he and his wife started fooling around, they came to New Orleans and wandered in and out of the jazz and blues clubs, getting lost...and not found. He said that it was a bracing experience to bring his children back to a city that means so much to him, when that city needs so much.

Lastly, it seemed like Springsteen and his band (a HUGE band) were having an incredible time on that stage. The last song before the encore, ended with them marching around the stage and then off, almost like a jazz funeral. The tuba player stayed until Springsteen pulled him off. The show went until 7:30, which according to the people I went with (who have been going for at least 10 years) has never happened in Jazzfest's history. I guess Springsteen had been told that he could play until the sun went down because he kept saying, "That sun's not down yet...let's play some more."

I'm glad we decided to go over yesterday. When we left around 11:00, it was pouring rain, and there were times on the freeway when we were only doing 45 mph because the rain was so heavy. When we got to New Orleans, the sky cleared and the sun came out. Even with the slogging through the mud at the fair grounds, it couldn't have been a better day.

We're going back next weekend for Jimmy Buffett, and I'm trying to decide if I have enough money in my budget to go on Sunday to see Paul Simon and Fats Domino close it out. If I get over there early enough, I can park on a street and not have to pay for parking, thereby saving myself $25. And I'm pretty sure that you can take in food and drink, although food was not outrageously priced. Beer was $3.00/can and the only place selling daiquiris had them at $5.00. I expect I could make it for $50-60, including the ticket but excluding the gas. Hmmmmmm....