We were expecting 3-5” of snow last night, but it seemed to have been more of a rain event. It was raining when I went to bed last night and when I woke up this morning, we had less than an inch of snow. I’m hoping that the small amount of snow we’ve received is not hiding a layer of ice. I hate when there is a layer of ice below because it makes it deceptively slippery when walking to my car, and it will make it much more difficult to clean the snow off my car so I can actually drive to work.
I’m only working half a day today. I have an audiology appointment this afternoon. Tomorrow, I will be working from home, so this morning is the last time I have to go to the museum until we return from the holiday break on January 2. I need a break from the museum, but I am not sure that next week, which I will be spending in Alabama, will provide the necessary rest (mentally and physically) that I need right now.
Putting all that aside, I owe y’all some Isabella pics. Yes, I said pics, as in more than one, because here are a few Isabella Christmas pictures. The first two pictures are from her first Christmas, which she spent with a coworker while I was in Alabama. The other two are from a few years ago.
George Eliot is quoted as saying, “It is never too late to be what you might have been,” and I feel like that describes my life in a way. All through high school and most of college, I aspired to be a lawyer; however, after working for a lawyer for a couple of years, I realized that I did not really want to go into law. I eventually decided that I’d rather be a teacher. I had always thought that maybe I could teach adjunct or teach in some way if I became a lawyer, but I finally came to the decision that I’d be happier as a teacher. That decision led me to go to graduate school because I wanted to teach history in college, and while I did teach college classes, that never became a full-time reality. I ended up teaching high school for five years, five stressful and painful years. When I left my job as a teacher, I realized that I wanted to work in museums. I was in my late thirties and decided to make another career change. My job search led me to finding a job in Vermont, somewhere I had never considered living. However, I have found that I love my job, and I love Vermont. I not only get to teach and work in a museum, but I also became a professor, which I never thought would be possible when I abandoned my PhD. I especially never thought I would ever get the chance to teach about my research, but I will be doing just that next semester.
We have the possibility of personal growth and transformation at any stage on our life. We just have to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. The sentiment encourages people to recognize that their past choices or circumstances do not have to define their future. It conveys a message of hope and empowerment, suggesting that individuals always have the opportunity to change, pursue their passions, or fulfill untapped potential. The above quote form George Eliot challenges the idea that there’s a fixed timeline for achieving one’s goals or becoming the person one aspires to be. They imply that the capacity for reinvention and progress is boundless, provided one has the will and determination to take action. This perspective aligns with her broader literary themes of human resilience, moral growth, and the importance of striving for a meaningful life despite difficulties or setbacks.
Alexander Graham Bell is often given credit for the quote, “When one door closes, fortune will usually open another.” The quote actually comes from Fernando de Rojas (c. 1465–1541), a Spanish author best known for writing La Celestina, one of the most significant works of Spanish literature and a precursor to the Spanish Golden Age. It doesn’t really matter who said it first, since it has been said many times, but it’s true. When I had to leave my PhD program because I could not longer afford to continue, I was devastated and thought I’d never be the professor I had aspired to be. When I lost my job teaching high school (I was replaced by a coach), I was devastated and thought my teaching career was over. When I found out my original position at my museum was ending, I didn’t know what I was going to do. However, it eventually led to my current position and my appointment as a professor at my university.
We never know where our lives will lead us or what path our lives will take. Sometimes, it is a bumpy, uneven path, sometimes we may veer off the path and get lost in the woods, but if we allow ourselves to get back on the path, we will eventually reach our destination. When you are feeling lost, know that the path is still there, you just have to find it again.
Since it is Thursday, here is your Isabella pic of the week:
While today won’t be as cold as it’s been the rest of this week (we expect to get above freezing, but only to 33 degrees), we are under a winter weather advisory. It’s not supposed to be too bad, with only about 4 inches of snow, but it’s enough to disrupt things. Thankfully, it seems like not as much snow fell last night as the weather people expected, and the current forecast shows a gap in the snowfall until this evening.
As you might can tell, I don’t have a lot to say today. I have a few things to do at work this morning, but I will be leaving around noon for a dermatology appointment this afternoon. Then, it will be to head back home and ride out the rest of the snow in the comfort of my apartment. I’ll be working from home tomorrow, so only 4 hours to be at the museum today, and thankfully, I will be the only one there. I’ve been a bit aggravated/frustrated with work for the past few weeks, so it will be nice to not have to deal with my coworkers.
Because I haven’t posted an Isabella picture of the week in a few weeks, here’s a rare picture of her “cuddling” with me:
She looks a bit aggravated, but it’s only because I stopped rubbing her head to take her picture.
Slowly but surely, I seemed to be improving. I still have a cough, headache, some congestion, a sore throat, and fatigue, but I don’t feel as awful as I have the last few days. Luckily, I have not had a fever throughout this whole illness. The congestion and the headache don’t seem as bad, and I was able to sleep through the night last night without waking up too much. When I did wake up, I was able to fall back to sleep more easily than the night before. i told my boss yesterday that I would not be back for the rest of the week. If I continue to improve, I should be able to return to work on Monday. Until then, I’m going to continue to get rest.
Thankfully, I’ve had my faithful companion with me throughout. Isabella has not been bothering me except first thing in the morning to get fed and at night when she thinks I should go to bed. Several times a day, she comes and checks on me, but then returns to her blankets to sleep her day away.
I’m glad it’s Friday. It hasn’t been a bad week, though somewhat busy. However, I’ve had a migraine for the past few days. I ended up going home from work early Wednesday and Thursday. I’m working from home today and plan to take it easy. Luckily, there isn’t a lot of must do things today because I still have a migraine.
Yesterday, I went to the ENT to have him evaluate my hearing. The whole visit took less than five minutes. He introduced himself, looked in both ears, declared that there was no damage that could be fixed with surgery, and then said that the hearing loss was due to nerve damage and only hearing aids would help. So, now I’ll be returning to the audiologist to be fitted for hearing aids.
Hopefully, my migraine will improve and I can enjoy this weekend. I’m planning to go with a friend of mine to the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival. We’ve gone to a few arts festivals together and always have a good time. With this one being in Stowe, one of the most expensive places in Vermont, I doubt there will be anything I can afford, but it will be fun to browse through the booths.
I realized last night that I did not post an Isabella pic of the week, so here you go. This is about the closest she ever comes to cuddling, though she most often lays on my hip if I’m on my side. Sometimes, if I’m on my back, she’ll lay down stretched out from my belly to my chest. Mostly, she just prefers to be near me, not on me.
I woke up a little later than usual this morning, and I don’t have much of ann idea for a blog post today. However, I will say that my dental appointment for my crown went pretty well, but two hours in a dental chair is a long time. The temporary crown has been put in place, at least that part is over. The next step will come in about a month when the permanent crown will be ready. That’s usually a quick process. The temporary crown is taken off and the new permanent crown will be put in place. The last time I had this done, it took at the most ten minutes.
Have a great day! Here’s your Isabella pic of me week:
I went yesterday to have my latest Botox treatment for my migraines. Thank goodness this is a quick procedure because like last time I was regularly receiving Botox treatments for my migraines, it becomes more painful each time. It basically turns off nerves in my head, neck, and shoulders, and when the nerves reawaken, they are more sensitive. The whole procedure takes about five minutes, and I can handle five minutes of pain if it helps to relieve my migraines.
I’m continuing to experience abdominal pain. I thought it was getting better. I was only having pain when I ate. However, it’s almost constant now. When I messaged my doctor’s clinic, they scheduled me for an abdominal ultrasound on Friday. It’s not a good time for this because a lot is going on at work. I can’t help it though. I have to take care of my health first.
On a brighter note, here’s your Isabella pic of the week:
It’s been a long week. I was mostly busy all week except for yesterday when I was just bored. Having very little to do can be just as tiring as being busy nearly every minute of the day. Thank goodness this is a work from home day. I can just take it easy and mostly just monitor my email.
Have a great weekend everyone! Here’s you Isabella pic of the week:
Isabella and this little Robin used to love staring at each other. She’ll ignore all other birds and wildlife, but she has a fascination with robins.
I have to go to the dentist today for two of the most dreaded words in dental work: root canal. Yes, I have to have a root canal this afternoon. I lost a filling in a tooth a while back and the nerve in the tooth has died. While it has not caused any signs of pain, when I went to the dentist a few weeks ago for a cleaning, the x-ray showed that there was the beginning of a small infection near that tooth. The infection has not caused any problems or pain so far, but that might have to do with the nerve in that tooth already being compromised. Anyway, I’ll spend roughly two hours of my afternoon in a dental chair today.
On a brighter note, here’s your Isabella fix for the week. She decided to supervise my cooking the other night:
I don’t think she approved of the ingredient I just added.
Now, she seems just surprised and maybe skeptical of whatever ingredient I’d just added.
Maybe at this point I’m getting at least tacit approval.
Some days are harder to get out of bed than others, but on most of those days, you have to get up anyway. Even if I have certain commitments at work today, Isabella is not a believer in sleeping in. She’s fine if I take a nap later, but she’s not about to let me sleep through her breakfast. So, even though I’d love nothing better than going back to bed right now, I’m awake and need to get ready for work.
Joe
The Closet Professor 