Monthly Archives: January 2020

Pic of the Day


The ER

Lucky me, I got to take a trip to the emergency room last night. I was making a cucumber salad, so I was slicing cucumbers when my finger slipped and I sliced my finger instead. Ugh! Blood went everywhere. I pressed a paper towel to it, and called my new neighbor to see if she had a bandage. (By the way, I work with my new neighbor and know her well. We grew up not far from each other in Alabama.) Anyway, thankfully she did have a bandage, but we couldn’t stop the bleeding. Off to the ER we went. They took me back very quickly and over the course of about an hour or so, they stuck my finger in lidocaine and epinephrine to dull the pain and stop the bleeding. The bleeding wouldn’t stop so the had to put a compression bandage on it. Finally, I got discharged with a bag full of bandages and sent home. All is ok, and it will heal on its own. At least the PA and med student who worked on me were cute.


Pic of the Day


Isabella and the Move

Poor Isabella was a bit traumatized by the movers. She hid in the box spring of my bed and was scared nearly to death when they tried to move it. I finally got her and shut her up in the bathroom where she proceeded to hide behind the toilet. When they left and I let her out, she promptly hid in the inner parts of my old couch that I’m getting rid of. When I got ready to take her to the new apartment, it was not easy getting her out of the couch and trying to get her in the cat carrier. It just served to traumatize her more. I finally got her in the cat carrier, which she did not like at all. When I let her out in the new apartment, she immediately hid. I tried to coax her out, but she just found a new place to hide. I finally picked her up and petted her head, and I knew then she was upset because she didn’t even fight me. She hates to be held. So I just let her alone to settle into her new home. After several hours, she finally came out and began very apprehensively to explore her new surroundings. By the time I went to bed, she had settled into her usual self and begging for head scratches. She ended up sleeping at the foot of the bed. I thought she’d finally settled in, but when I came home from work yesterday, she was once again hiding. However, as soon as I started cooking dinner, she came out and was out and about for the remainder of the night. I’m guessing it will take her a little while to get used to her new home. She’s found a favorite perch though:


Pic of the Day


Mostly Moved

I could relax a bit last night. All my furniture and books have been moved. I’ve still got some stuff to get from the old apartment, and the old apartment will need a thorough cleaning. I will probably take off Thursday to finish everything up. I’ll probably also do some stuff tomorrow night. I’m just glad to be spending the night in my new apartment. It’s not easy moving in January, but it’s getting done.


Pic of the Day


I Cannot Sing

I Cannot Sing
by Edward Nathaniel Harleston

I cannot sing, because when a child,
My mother often hushed me.
The others she allowed to sing,
No matter what their melody.

And since I’ve grown to manhood
All music I applaud,
But have no voice for singing,
So I write my songs to God.

I have ears and know the measures,
And I’ll write a song for you,
But the world must do the singing
Of my sonnets old and new.

Now tell me, world of music,
Why I cannot sing one song?
Is it because my mother hushed me
And laughed when I was wrong?

Although I can write music,
And tell when harmony’s right,
I will never sing better than when
My song was hushed one night.

Fond mothers, always be careful;
Let the songs be poorly sung.
To hush the child is cruel;
Let it sing while it is young.


Pic of the Day


Thank You

I want to thank everyone for their congratulations on my appointment as an Assistant Professor. I was asked if I would pursue my PhD again. The answer is that I would like to, but there are a number of issues. The first is finding the right PhD program. It would have to be near me or online. The only one near me is the University of Vermont, and if I chose that one it would probably be a PhD in Gender Studies. There are a few online programs, but I don’t feel that the right one is out there yet. The other is the cost. I do not want to add to my student loan debt, and I can’t afford right now to do it on my own. I’ll just have to wait and see.
Also, today is moving day. I took off work so that I could get it done. I will be moving the major stuff today. Then I have until Friday to get completely moved out and into the new place.