I meant to write some here, but got an email from one of the powers that be at my new school I started teaching at three weeks ago. A lot of the new faculty has some major grips... so I spent two hours writing a memo to her about new faculty complaints and then after writing all that time... went well maybe I should not send it... hmmmmm.  Used up my free time writing that rather than here.  oh well.  Had a great party last night at Hana's we grilled out and had a lovely evening chatting...  the squirrels are really getting big.  Pep built a really nice squirrel condo for them.  Saw 54 egrets nesting in trees for the night... Sorry I forgot my camera.

Before the party I went shopping for miscellaneous things for my house.  Bought new bedding for my guest bedroom, didn't realize that it was THAT expensive... so I think I am taking it back, tomorrow.  $139.00 for a duvet... I thought it was $69.... in Michigan each items is labeled and here only the shelf is labeled... if the item is on the wrong shelf.. woe is me... I also got a leaf rake, broom to sweep outside, salad spinner, new silverware, and other misc. stuff.  Amazing to have extra spendable income (that is called something... oh I know discretionary income) after so many years of scrimping and saving... hmmmm

Did a laundry today, I love my new washer and dryer... I am finally all caught up from three weeks of no laundry.

My site (this blog) has been listed as another featured site by MSN... "What you can do on Spaces.... Plenty"... ha... my confessional (well I don't confess everything here, but do chat a lot), my diary of daily events, and... generally... my gripping location... and others like to read it... amazing! 

Hope your day is grand!  I will try to write some more here after I do so of my serious scholarly writing... Ha that paper presentation is yelling for attention right now...   Love and kisses, Marilyn

Wasn't the moon terrific last night.  Came up just as the sun was setting.... I slept again in the guest bedroom and the moon shone on the bed for at least four hours... I am so happy that my new house allows that to happen.  I don't get the sun or moon rise or set because of the trees... but wow moon in the middle of the night and sun all day.

I am so tired right now... I just decided that part of it is living the aesthetic life of a scholar I have been leading where I read and write and think, the hurly burly of the big city and teaching three classes seems overwhelming to me right now... and I am not sleeping all that great!  Not terrible, but not great.  Last two nights I only got up twice in the night and went right back to sleep... and this morning I didn't get up at 5:30 and stay up for a while so that is much better than Sunday and Monday...   K thinks there is something wrong with me... but I think the noise and interaction of the big city and school takes some getting used to... Anyway my story and I am sticking to it...  Ha  K is disappointed that I won't be going to her new faculty gathering in downtown Savannah. 

Now I am going to take a nap and then try to finish my grading so I can write tomorrow.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

The 20 hours of contact time is wearing on me... I need to grade tomorrow.  I will try to do some during class time.  I am still not able to feel rested, and hardly have time to chat here.  Am watching World War II in evening... while doing other stuff.  Hmmmm

I had dinner with Kathy... it was nice.  Good Italian Restaurant.

Hope your day is great!  Marilyn

to set up new habits.  This getting up at 6:00 has made me reorganize my life in so many new ways.  I am finally... now, after three and a half weeks beginning to feel as if I know what I need to do to get out the door in the morning... in the fog of waking up.  Now that I have said that... I will leave the house without my jewelery or something just as important.  I fix a lunch, make coffee, grab breakfast to eat in the car...

I have done five loads of laundry since Pep got my washer attached to power on Friday... for the weekend I had laundry draped around my laundry room and in my bedroom.  I like to leave it a little damp and let it air dry the last few minutes... This morning  I put away eight count them eight pairs of shorts, numerous socks, and undies... the shirts were hung on hangers and were already put away when I got home from B'burg.  My house is starting to look less like a laundry and more like a home.  Not doing laundry for three weeks was hard, but by tomorrow it should all be done and put away...  Yes!

It felt good to pay my bills last night.  Hopefully it is the final bills for my house in Virginia.  Finally I can start knocking down my credit card debt (I do have low rates on the cards 4%)... rather than racking it up... from my low paid job as a teaching assistant and no income over the summers.  They don't even call it pay at univesities, they call the $600.00 every two weeks a stipend... but I am not complaining, I got my $40,000 of tuition paid for and the $600.00 to live on... but I am am happy about being able to start paying my bills off... 

Hope your day will be grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Taught today... then did some grading... came home, ate and mowed the lawn with my lawn mower I brought back from Virginia... Lawn looks good.  Came in took at bath to get rid of achy body... then paid bills... now it is time to go to bed.... rediculas... Hope your day was good.  I hope I can get something else done tomorrow.  hmmmm.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Sorry I kind of left without warning... I went "Home" to Blacksburg and did not have access to the internet.  I was really busy up until I left so I forgot to warn you I was going to be gone for the weekend.  I hope you were not concerned. I had a great time.  Saw Sarah and her family, Elizabeth and her family, Ellen and Luke, and Noelle... it was a tag teach weekend when I went from get together to get together.  For example today, I saw the Chi*nese Medi*cine Man at 7:00 am... then had breakfast with Noelle, stopped by Elizabeth's and then Sarah's before I left at noon.   It was really fun to see everyone.  Ra*madan dinner with Sarah's family was wonderful... Katya cornered me in her bedroom and would not let her parents in for an hour while I read to her... she as so cute.

Now that I have taken care of all my utilities... I hope that my life will get simplified.  Opps still need garbage pick up.  Hmmmmm  I'll get there.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Hmmmm I have spent the last two weeks getting things turned on and off at two different locations around the south...
First complant is everyone tries to make you use an an automated phone services "press or say 1 for English" or worse... on line I can never navigate through their mazes... In addition... hmmmm canceling my phone in VA... I am afraid that if I don't clarify which phone number I want disconnected... that my new cell phone in Georgia will be disconnected and my old phone in Virginia (at the same company) will be left on... when the new owners move into the house and start charging to my phone rather than their own.... hmmmm.... so I call once no make that twice.... closed out once because I pushed 8 instead of 0... Forty minutes later I decided that they were going to cancel my cell phone instead of my VA phone... so I hung up.  Multiply this power, water, gas, internet, cable times two residences and bug sprayer for a bonus...

Earlier in the day I had issues with my new bank.... They opened my account with $3,500.00 in it... $1,000 in checking $2,500 in money market... I asked to have something to cover bounced checks because that sometimes happens to me... hmmmm can't imagine why... I am always going in six directions.  The next week they send me my check card which looks like a credit card... it gets put in the pile of stuff to look at later when I have a few minutes to do something about it ... and the same day two letters one letter that says congratulations you have a $**0,000 line of credit.... they don't give that to many people... okay I didn't ask for that much credit and actually really do not want that anything close to that credit line... I didn't even have that line of credit for my business... and on the same day another letter says... we need a copy of your  utility bill... (this is five days after my move)...  so it takes me a couple of weeks to get back to the bank (I had gone there twice before, but forgot the bills on my dining room table) with the bill and the lady goes oh we also need a copy of your rental agreement or mortgage payment book... to verify what that I live here!?!  A terrorist can rent an apartment and get a utility bill to verify residency... oh by they way I was able to get a drivers license (which I only needed a utility bill for) does this really protect us meaning the United States by getting my mortgage information... to get a credit card... MUCH too intrusive for me... and it pissed me off to boot... and yelling at the poor clerk doesn't any good at all...  So I left visibly upset, but not yelling at anyone.  

Then today when I called the phone company from work... they need my last payment amount and or my account number to cancel the d*mn phone.... I think I have totally lost my patience or my mind... maybe both. 

Oh and I have to file for a renewal of my title on my car because it is lost.  Oh and my check for my house in VA was Fed Exed to me today... and I was not home to sign for it... hmmmmmm  I hope Pep was there to sign for it.  How was your day?  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Pep Hana's husband installed my new garage door opener today... I actually can drive in my garage without going through the house to open the door... just like it is supposed to... the washer is 220... so he will run some new wiring for me, tomorrow.  Third time this week I went to Home De*pot to buy stuff for the house and checked on the washer. 

We  have a field trip tomorrow morning... north of Savannah.  I hope it will be good.  The school won't let us give students rides... hmmmmm 45 minute drive by myself at 7:45.... oh well.  

I am filing for my new auto title, since I lost the old one.  

Went for a walk after dark... the moon was beautiful as were the stars.  I cannot seem to get things done and still walk while it is light out... hmmmm  I am really glad I chose this neighborhood.  I feel safe walking here....  Hope your day was good.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Hmmmmm  Second week of classes,  I found the building with no problem... found a parking space no problem even though I was running a little late..... Did my lecture... interacted with the class... enjoyed the interactions... made some copies of their articles...  when I got done with my morning class as I was walking down the hall... I went well I think I will like it here...  Not all settled in, but getting better. 

EG... Kristin is going to be gone for the weekend and her kitty all alone... so I said I will look after her... If she gets me up for 3:00 am feedings I may come over to your place... I forgot you were in Canada this week.  We need to talk more... now I have a home phone and new cell maybe we can interact more...

Met some neighbors when I was walking last night.  They seem nice from Pennsylvania retired here.  They love the weather and play Yah*tzee.   I love to play Yaht*zee with my nieces and nephew. 
 
Love and kisses, Marilyn

Coffee and iced green tea.  Well I am still getting adjusted to my new house, new friends and how or organize my new space so that it works for my life style.  I need to have a place to put the mail and bills... It used to be my counter top between the kitchen and living room...not the greatest of spaces, but I always knew where my bills to pay were... and I am an out of sight out of mind person.  Hmmmm  I had three piles of bills and the mail was collecting on my dining room table... and kitchen table... and shelving unit... between dining room and living room.  Oh and don't forget my desk in my office... Too many places...  Sounds like a Dave Matt*hews Band song to many choices... hmmmm

Last evening I had three colleagues and Hana's family over for a get together for dinner... It was fun... had grill challenges new locale, with different humidity, but we had a great time and finally wrapped up at 10:30.  We sat on the deck and it was really lovely night although a little hot outside and as it got dark, the bugs chased , we ate inside at the dining room table, which worked perfectly.  My house is great for entertaining...  But I think I have adjusted to the new going to bed time of 10:00 because I started yawning at 10:00... Oh what a gracious hostess... yawning in the middle of conversations. hmmmmm  It was fun and relaxing evening and great to get to know my new colleagues...

Hana is seven months pregnant and walked in with a plastic box full of baby blankets... hmmmmm wait she still has her belly, but she did come with four little bundles...  They had found baby squirrels in her husband Pep's truck.  So the beginning of the party was feeding four squirrels in my kitchen... K and Scott pitched right in and gave them the first pedia*sure to rehydrate them... they were feed again at the end of the night... It was great. 

Hana's three year old J after some initial shyness... by the end of the evening was taking me by the hand and dragging me around the house to play.  The adults talked in the living room... and I played with a three year old.  How do little kids have so much energy????  It was exhausting, yet fun.

Earlier in the day my new washer, dryer, and refrigerator were delivered.   The frige is French Doors style with pull out door freezer and has water and crushed ice in the door... and I like it a lot.  The washer has a 220...plug... the plug in the wall is 110... hmmmm so I am hoping Pep can help me convert it or run new wiring so that I can use the washer.  I need to talk to the electrical supply company to know what we need to do.  For the first time in my life I am buying appliances the I ordered for my clients...  but  I forgot to ask the questions I would have asked in relation to my clients.  hmmmm Hopefully Pep can help me the little things for my house in shape. Like installing my new garage door opener and kitchen faucet... and other stuff like... the washer.

Hmmmm We had faculty meetings all day Friday.  They took attendance at the meeting by swiping our faculty cards... This school is an interesting combination of a corporate environment and education... I think that I am really going to like it.  Because I enjoy both environments.   I am looking forward to getting more financial support for my research and for getting that research out to the design community, which top tier universities really do not encourage.  
 
I had to leave the faculty meetings early for a Chiropractor appointment.  I could only get one appointment that wasn't during class time.  He seemed really good.  I need to call the massage therapist who does deep tissue massage to get on her schedule.

 Today I need to work on the 1500 word abstract for my presentation for the conference I am presenting at Black*sburg in mid October. 

Woke up with a sinus head ache... so it will be interesting to see how much I will be able to do, today.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Scheduling... Since starting this new term I am finding it challenging to get everything done.  Going to bed at 10:00 is weird and getting up at six is daunting... but during the day I don't seem to get much accomplished... maybe is is sitting in traffic whenever I want to go anywhere but home... I have to read my blogging buddies in two days... I know I have wasted at least two hours in the last two days trying to find a pool to swim in... and I am still taking care of stuff on getting established in a new place... but living in a big city seems to just eat up more time than I am used to. 

Last night I sorted through papers, looking for the title to my car... I found two old titles but not the current one.  In the last minutes of packing I put a couple of piles that it might have been in boxes... and then uppacked those piles and stashed them in a coupld different places... so I will look through those and then if I can't find it order another from Michigan.  Hmmmmmm  I wonder if it was sent to our house in Michigan.  I don't remember getting it.. .but I do forget stuff these days.  

Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Well another day of classes down.   I was able to go to bed at 10 and that helped a lot.  I will write more later... I have to go to bed now.  Kathy and I went to dinner at an Indian restaurant... it was really good..  Marilyn

Today was my second day of new classes.  This was the senior studio.  The students were motivated but to a lesser extent than the graduate students, which is to be expected.   Monica and I really enjoyed teaching together the class flowed as if we had rehearsed what we were going to do.   I think I am really going to like teaching with her.  I am having a hard time with getting up at 6:15.   Hope I can get adjusted, soon. 

I got a phone call from that nice lady at the DMV and she said that in Michigan I should have title to my car... well I will look and call the bank tomorrow and see what is going on... hmmm I looked through my file that have titles... found ones for cars that were paid for and now junked... but not for the new car... hmmmm

Hope your day was grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn



 

Hmmm it may be hard for me to write during the week... well at least until I get my wireless set up.  I forgot to write here because I sent an email out to my friends to let them know about my move... hmmmm It is hard to teach at 8:00 am... I need to go to bed at 10 so night nigth.  Love and kisses,  Marilyn

Yesterday was fun... I think... I finally found Sa*m's Club, but it took about an hour to find it at its new location.  The old one was closer but had closed so I had to drive all across town...hmmmm spent $400, I cannot seem to get out of there for a small amount of money, but I now have a half a year supply of toilet paper... and lotion, al*ka seltzer pl*u and tuna.  I also got ink for my printer notebooks and dividers for my new classes... and a wireless connector, so later today I should be back on the sofa blogging... I don't know why it is so hard for me to blog at a desk, but it is.  I also found a liquor store, nearby so I got some more tequila for frozen margaritas.  It is hard to find new places to do everything.  I spent about five hours getting stocked up was expecting to spend two.  I Also found the pool, it is over by Sam's, but it is closed until October they are putting a new balloon roof on it.  Hmmmm

Sandi and Roy came over for dinner, we had guacamole and chips on the deck with margaritas and then came inside for the fajitas  and red wine.  It was a great evening.  My house works wonderfully well for my casual entertaining style...

When I asked them about the roaches scurrying around my house in the dark...  They said that I need to throw away my cardboard boxes in the garage and spray around the doors...  They said palmetto bugs love to live in the cardboard... I guess I need to confess that I have an empty box fetish... I moved so often in my early married life and then moved my office every three years for 20 years that I hold on to any good box. I have had some of those boxes for years... I hate to get rid of them, but I also hate to be infested with bugs... I guess I am in the south and have to act like a southerner...   Buck up... Marilyn they are only boxes.   I'll cut them up and put them in my garbage can each week until they are gone.  They garbage men will not take anything that is not nicely contained in the container... I went out the last two times and helped them load extra bags of paper and banged up boxes into the truck after they left them on the curb.  I would love to find a recycling place but I think the nearest one for cardboard is in Blacksburg. Hmmmm

Well today I need to finish my last syllabus and put them up on line.  Then I will mow the lawn... if I can get my mower started.  Hope your day is great!  Love and kisses, Marilyn

At my desk... with coffee.   Hmmm I think I need to get wireless, so that I can move my computer to the sofa.  I think I would blog more if it were a little more comfortable.  Sitting at my desk chair in the evening after a long day is not conducive to just chat for a while.  Elizabeth is going yeah Marilyn, we need to you to write a lot about what you are doing... My connection with my life in Virginia and Michigan and around the world.

Yesterday I had the most usual experience at the Department of Motor Vehicals.  I needed to get a new license plate for my car (the one from Michigan expired in June and I did not replace it for only three months since I was in Virginia... bad girl Marilyn, but it saved me 60 bucks).  So anyway, I went to get my drivers license and car license.  In Georgia they are in two differient places, next door to each other.  I got my drivers license starting about 4:00... It was relativly painless and I registered to vote.  Then I went next door for my license.  I was the last person allowed in the door at 5:00 PM on Friday night... the people right behind me were turned away.   When I got to the desk  I gave the women what I though she needed from my experiences in Michigan.  First off she asked me if I had the title... I looked confused and offered to leave, she asked if it was financed... I said yes it was financed.  She asked if I knew the bank information and since they were a client... I had it in my memory bank on my shoulders... and I gave it to her.  Then, I was missing some special documented proof of insurance.  I had the envelop that my insurance company gave me but not what she was looking for... I offered to leave because I did not have it... she patiently looked through the paperwork my insurance gave me... no form, she asked me to call them but I only had an emergency phone number...  she checked something on line and found what she needed.  She entered the information about my car and asked me the color and mileage... she wondered how I could only have 22,000 miles on my 1997 car... opps I gave her the wrong registration form.  It was the form for my old car?!?  She gently told me to go out to my car to get the correct one.  I offer to leave yet again, but she insisted that I get the form she would wait for me.. and than ran around the other side of the building where I parked to get the registration on my new and current car... She then finished the whole thing up... wow what a great women.  I was frazzelled from the move and all of the stuff you need to do to get established in a new location.  And she gently guided me to get my new license.  I don't know what time I left the office, but it was well after 5:00 on a Friday night... I am going to rework this story and send it to her bosses... She deserves accolades.

The only thing left I have to do is get my parking pass for SC*AD.  Oh I also need to find Sa*m's Cl*ub and a liquor store.  I am coming to B'burg, Virginia on the weekend of September 21st.  

Kristin and I decided to not go to the Da*ve Matt*hews Band concert tonight.  We are both tired and don't want to drive by ourselves.  It is better to take care of ourselves... besides she saw Dave and John M*ayer Thursday night at Virg*inia Tech.  Dave played for 3 hours... three hours... I  could have gone to that concert.  I am upset that I did not call Monica (my chair) to find out that there were no faculty meetings on Thursday or Friday... hmmmmm   I have seen him before and will see him again, when it is more convenient.

Hope your day is grand!  I am having people over for dinner tonight.  The social butterfly continues.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Well I just spent the last two days in orientation at the new college I am working at.  They scheduled two twelve hour days.   It was long and gruelling and I am home exhausted.   The first day was HR information and daunting.   The second day was teaching information and not a quarter as intiminating.  I connected with a couple of faculty on a possible new project and the mental interaction really excited me.  It was part of what I was hoping for, here.  I came home took a two mile walk, ate some salad for supper and laid down on the sofa and promptly fell asleep. 

My move went really smoothly.  I have only lost one item the cantilevered end supports for my Herman Miller work surface.   I need to contact the moving company to see if they found them.  Nothing broke except a wine glass when I had unpacked it and was putting it away.

BUT the conseiage service they supplied me to turn on my utilities was a disaster.  I worked with the moving companies service to set up internet, tv, electric, and telephone... and thought water.   First off... They gave my cell phone number that I specifically asked them to use only on the day of the move... I had marketing companies ten minutes after I hung up with this service... on my very private cell phone (only about five people have this number).  Pissed me off.  Then Vonage started my covering the day they called so my free month of Vonage was used up while I had no modem, because the modem was sent to my new address and I was still living at my old. 

On the day of the move, the old owners turned off the water mid day... and it was never turned on again.  At four o'clock, when I call the consieage service and asked about it, they the consieage service said oh we don't turn on water.  So after sweating like a pig all day in 95 degree 100 humidity weather while supervising the unloading of the truck... That night I had to take a spitz bath... from the water left over in the cooler.  No flushing toilets... hmmmmm I was not about to rent another hotel room to take a shower...

All day long the internet guy did not show up.  At four I called them (as soon as the movers left).  They had no order to install the internet service.  NO order!  They could come and install it on September 6th. Since I had Vonage my phone was also attached to the internet service... so no internet and no phone... I was using my cell phone from Virginia at 58 cents a minute.   The very nice person at Comcast locally said well you can pick up the modem and install it yourself.  So on Friday afternoon before the long weekend I drove over to their storefront.  Purchased the modem and some nice person talked me through the installation over my phone at 58 cents a minute.  So anyway that is why I was off line for four days. 

The conseiage did set up my electricity and my di*sh network for my television, but I had a day without water and four days without connection to anyone.  It did allow me to concentrate on putting my house together and I got that finished by Labor Day.  See pictures.

Today I am meeting the Fed Ex person to get my forwarded Da*ve Mat*thews Band tickets for Atlanta on Saturday and then I am meeting with my chair to go over my classes.  Hope that your day went well.  Love and kisses, Marilyn