Gasp!

So one of our oldest and somewhat revered deans has been charged by the police with petty theft of University funds. Now theft is something I just never really understood. Sure, I have used the fax machine to send a personal fax, take the occasional personal call on my University phone, and have taken an envelope to mail something not work related, but I would never steal money. Furthermore, as someone who was responsible for millions of dollars at one time, I understood that there were checks in place to catch this sort of thing. Only a complete idiot would steal from the University and think s/he would get away with it. You leave a paper trail. Every dollar has to be accounted for - where it goes and who authorized it. Then to use one's university-sponsored personal account to "hide" the money was really dumb. What I don't understand is why her business office and the University let her get away with this practice for so long. It is not like she needed the money. Since it was the same amount of money each year, I bet this is one of those stupid things where she thought she could use the funds for purchases that were loosely program related at least in her mind. Perhaps she bought shirts for everyone in the program or something that wasn't kosher within State law. I can see her doing something reasonably stupid like that. But the amounts of money wouldn't cover her car note - she drives a Mercedes. Now her 30 years of service to the University are down the drain and instead of celebrating her retirement, the University will try to forget she even existed.

Why Concealed Carry is Not for Me

It was not a good way to start my work day. I am talking about my drive in. I had a fine time earlier this morning snuggling with Jack and getting ready for work. The drive in however involved three separate drivers who thought 30 miles per hour in a 40 was just fast enough. Are you frickin kidding me?! Its not a case of there being a good deal of traffic or we're headed to a red light anyway. Nope. In all three cases it was simply retarded drivers out to get me. I think as I am driving behind these morons that the world would be a much better place without their genes. I am pretty sure that I should be allowed to shoot them. Hence, the title of this rant.

Really????

Our school has one of the best music programs in the country. I am not bragging. It is simply a fact. We had the John Lennon Bus come to campus and our best and brightest music students showed off their skills. They made a video that all can see thanks to YouTube and the John Lennon bus site. I get that the song itself was supposed to be artsy. Well done. I don't understand why there was not a frickin voice student doing the vocals. It sounds like shit. We are known for our voice majors. Why then is the bass violist singing? He is flat and atonal. It is an embarrassment. Phew. Glad to get that off my chest.

You Gotta Be Kidding

So, tales of the Webmaster has been an ongoing theme in my writings but mostly on one of my other blogs. This story goes in the vent blog (this one!). I spend a few minutes each day (now that I no longer have a student worker) going through the Webmaster account. Most of the inquiries (aside from the spam) are for other departments. People send in requests for info on admissions and whatnot. Unfortunately some of the folks I forward messages to would reply directly to the Webmaster account as opposed to reading it through and replying directly to the original sender. So I started writing in colored text "Please do no reply to the Webmaster." Well, that was getting overlooked. So I started writing it in Times New Roman 18 so it wouldn't be missed. Bear in mind, I feel like a total asshole every time I do this. But it was working. Until today. Some choad that works across campus took the time to delete the "Please do not reply to Webmaster" message and then reply to me rather than the person whose name s/he got wrong!!!!! Fucking idiot.

Doesn't Take Long

Well, after 7 days with a baby, I have lost the art of adult conversation. I now speak "parent." It involves looking simultaneously happy, stressed, and exhausted. It also involves talking about "the baby" or your life with the baby. I knew it was all over when I found myself talking about baby poop with my neighbor - he has a 5 month old. Yes, I was standing there in front of my 21 yr old sister (she was fortunate to witness this debacle)chatting away about poop. I have opinions about baby poop. How did this happen?! Oh, yes... it took 7 days with a baby. Will I be able to converse again? Will my life have purpose and meaning without a baby? What will I be like after next week when I return to being the professional me for a full work week?

What a Difference 4 Days Make

I was carded yesterday at the Albertsons. I have lost count of how many times just this year that this has happened to me. It has happened a record amount. The guy yesterday was shocked by just how very legal I am. That felt good. Two years ago a woman who carded me insisted that the only way I stayed so young looking was that I didn't have kids. They age you. I spent the last week - Tuesday thru Friday being a caregiver for my now 3 month old niece. I feel old, oh-so-tired, and in need of alcohol. (hence the trip to Albertsons)
Rowan is a three-month old diva. She does not fuss. She screams. Until you give her what she wants and then she coos and impresses you with her cuteness. My life has become centered around her schedule and her needs. I smell like baby spit-up and diaper cream. I give her constant attention except for the few hours she sleeps. I love those hours of quiet. I don't live for them though. I live for the minutes where she is smiling and blowing spit bubbles that inevitably drop onto my shirt. I understand how exhausting it all is, but wow, is it worth it!

Weddings are fun and marriages are wonderful

Jack and I got to attend a wedding on Friday night. We really enjoy them. It gives us a chance to reminisce about our own wedding (which is kind of a blur) and we wind up laughing and commenting excessively through the ceremony.This wedding in particular was a fun one. The officiant was conversant and provided a lot of practical advice that we believed in.
The last outside weddings we attended were at a plantation down by the river. They were memorable because of the extreme nature of outdoor weddings. The first one was plagued by mosquitoes so everyone (bride and groom included) spent the entire ceremony hitting themselves and then were coated in blood and dead bugs. The last one suffered from a freak cold snap. The wind was blowing and everyone was huddled up against one another. The one Friday night was absolutely perfect. It was warm but not too hot and the mosquitoes hadn't started feasting yet. I hope this is a good omen for their married life.