Partly Cloudy: Thoughts from an Overcast Mind

Amusing Moments with MAW, and My Top Five!

2009-03-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know this, but my mother is Middle Aged Woman, writer of the WILDLY popular blog Unmitigated. That 19 year old girl she's always rambling about? Me.

So, last night, I felt the need to wander into her bedroom while she was in her jammies working on a crossword puzzle and ask her the age old question:

"Mom, why is it that British men don't seem to have a problem with leaping into womens' clothing at the drop of a hat?"

She looked at me thoughtfully.

"'Cause it's funny, I guess."

"Yeah. Pretty hot sometimes too."

These are the sorts of conversations my mom and I have. And since we are so incredibly tight, I'm sure she'll have no problem with me openly ganking the idea of the Top Five list from her blog and using it for my own devices!

For those of you who have managed to escape being inundated with "Friends" re-runs, allow me to explain the concept. The Top Five is supposed to be the Top Five celebrities your spouse should give you "the pass" on should you ever have the chance to shag them madly. SO, without further ado--

PARTLY CLOUDY'S TOP FIVE

(in no particular order)

1. ANTHONY STEWART HEAD: Gorgeous British accent, gorgeous face, gorgeous body, gorgeous singing voice--need I go on? I've only seen him in a few things; Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Repo: The Genetic Opera, and the cameo on Dr. Who...but yeah. Older man, British, and can SING. Commence drooling.

(The love of accents? Is genetic. Of course.)

2. CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON: Same stint of excellent qualities, sans singing voice, as I've never heard him sing. Entering into my life as the Ninth incarnation of The Doctor on the new "Doctor Who", he is my favorite Doctor, and always will be. Rawr! Also, he makes me laugh.

3. DAVID TENNANT: Younger British actor as the current 10th incarnation of the Doctor on "Doctor Who". He's not as old, but still AWESOME. Also, he has the cute, messy hair that I love and zany humor that keeps me giggling. Also, he does the big sad eyes really well. Soooo cute!

4. EDDIE IZZARD: Guess who Mum and I wore talking about? My favorite transvestite comedian, dishy as always and with better dress sense than I will EVER have. I want to go shopping with him. Or at least get makeup tips.

5. JAMES MARSTERS: Finally, one that isn't British! (Although he does a dead sexy British accent) Another selection from Buffy, James plays the ever popular Spike the Vampire. Can sing, can act, can sound British, and can look AMAZING in nude scenes.

*fan self* Is it getting hot in here?

And no, I'm not worried about retribution from Liam, as Liam is ever so apt to remind me of his Jessica Alba fetish. *SIGH*

Ta, my lovelies!

Filthy Little Thievses!

2009-03-04T08:06:00.000-08:00

Little brother is sick today, so I am at home taking care of him. He wants to watch all the extended Lord of the Rings movies, and so we shall. He's really quite agreeable when he's all sniffly and tired.

Still, saw a ganked meme on Mom's blog, and decided to give out my own answers. So, ladies and gentleman, I give you an exclusive on my man Liam!

My Husband

(Well, not yet. But as good as, you know?)

1.He’s sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen.

Either Saturday Night Live or some hideous sports program I REALLY don’t want to watch.

2.You’re out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?

Ranch. And it is ALWAYS ranch. Hmmm. Number three is missing. How peculiar.

4.You go out to eat and have a drink, what does he order?

Nothing alcoholic, I assure you. But he is a big fan of getting Sprite when everyone else is lunging for a Coke.

5.Where did he go to high school?

Winston Churchill Highschool.

6.What size shoe does he wear?

Being perfectly honest, I haven’t the faintest idea. I’ll probably find out when the time rolls around for me to nag him into getting some new sneakers because his old ones are falling to pieces.

7.If he was to collect anything, what would it be?

He sort of all ready does; video games, my friend. His obsession is gaming, and if there is one specific kind of game he collects, it is Street Fighter. I honestly believe his goal in life is to own every incarnation of the Street Fighter game series known to man.

8.What is his favorite type of sandwich?

Peanut butter and jelly. Simple guy, simple pleasures. Grape jelly, if you please.

9.What would this person eat every day if he could?

Didn’t I just tell you this?

10.What is his favorite cereal?

Life cereal.

11.What would he never wear?

A costume. I am a lover of Halloween and the dressing up thereof, and many a time I have begged him to dress up, just once. He used to be in theatre, so you think it wouldn’t be too hard. But still he resists.

12.What is his favorite sports team?

Red Wings. No bones about it.

13.Who did he vote for?

A political question? How gauche, how déclassé!

14.Who is his best friend?

His name is Mike, and he’s good people. Some girls claim to hate their man’s friends; not so for me.

15.What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do?

I do a LOT of things he finds to be utterly ridiculous. Love it or leave it, I guess. And he still loves me.

16.What is his heritage?

Irish, German, and English.

17.You bake him a cake for his birthday:

He eats a piece out of politeness while I watch, WAY too happy with the experience. And then I usually start eating the rest.

18.Did he play sports in high school?

He was more of a performing arts person.

19.What could he spend hours doing?

Gaming. This is something he already DOES spend hours doing. I’ve learned to be his cheerleader, if nothing else.

20.What is one unique talent he has?

Being completely calm, collected, and centered about everything. It’s so unfair—I’m losing my head about something, and he’s right on track. Granted, he’s always there to set me right again. He’s so good to me!

Mum was right; any husband in his right mind would just kill his wife if he saw something like this being written about him. Oh well, I love you, honey!

Hi, I'm An Idiot! (aka, Excuse Me, I Seem To Have Mislaid My Handbag!)

2009-02-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

"Hi, My name is Partly Cloudy, and I'm an Idiot."

So yes.

I'm waiting to go into Theatre Appreciation, sitting next to a friendly classmate that I will call Melinda, and conversing with her. We're waiting for the people using the classroom we're supposed to be in to clear out, Finally, the doors open, and we skitter inside. Eventually, the whole class shows up, Brian walks in, and our class begins.

Halfway through the lesson (riotous fun as per the usual), I realize that I'd left my purse out in the hallway. Oops.

Now, this is a brand new purse, mind you. I went to a purse party and bought two GORGEOUS designer purses for me and my mum. And before you ask, of COURSE they are knockoffs, do I look like Paris Hilton to you? The answer is, "No, I do not." Moving on. My mom has a great, big, lime green Dooney & Burke in leather. I have a black Kate Spade with leather straps and black on black checks on the fabric.

And all of my shit is in it.

I scurry out to the hallway and look around. It's not there. I go back into the classroom and gather up my stuff. The minute I whispered what had happened to my little group of buddies on my side of classroom, another student said she'd fill me in on what I'd missed for the last half hour of the period. I hurried to the main office of the building and asked if a purse had been turned in. I was told to go to Campus Safety.

I've reached panic at this point. When I reach the Campus Safety Office, they help me fill out a report, and while being nice they are also brutally honest.

"You need to have them red flag your debit card and bank account, and you need to go get a new driver's license and Social Security Card. Other than that...your cell phone and iPod are probably not recoverable. I'm really sorry."

I nod.

"You should go to the police station down the road and make a report there too, since there was money in your purse. We'll keep you updated, all right?"

Another nod. I thank them, and hurry out to my car. I'm extremely thankful that I just stuffed my keys in my jacket pocket instead of putting them into my handbag. As I'm driving to the police station, my thoughts are whirling around, and I'm swallowing tears.

It's just stuff. It's all replaceable stuff too, and the only really costly stuff I had in there was my cell phone and iPod. I can even go to the store and replace my meds...you have no real reason to cry right now, so stop being so silly.

It was silly. It was all just STUFF. The biggest thing I could see as a reason to cry was that I was angry with myself, and embarrassed. I never just leave stuff lying around in strange places. At my house, or at Liam's? I leave all sorts of things there. But it's SAFE there. Anywhere else, I'm Princess Anal of the Retentive Kingdom. I keep my stuff near me at all times.

So, after I finish berating myself and wipe my eyes, I troop into the police station and tell the officer at the desk the situation. He smiles kindly at me, and this is what happens:

"Of course, ma'am. I'll be with you in just a moment, I have a call on my line."

*Picks up phone*

"Hello? Yes...mmhm....*eyebrows raised, gives me an appraising look* All right, thank you!"

*Hangs up phone*

"Is your name Cloudy?"

I affirm his suspicions.

"Oh! Well, that was your campus safety office. Someone turned in your purse."

PALPABLE. FUCKING. RELIEF.

I rush back and into the office, and they give me my purse and tell me to examine the contents, just to double check. Everything is there, and not even touched from what I can tell.

"Who turned my purse in?" I ask, more than a bit surprised.

"Um....it was this older lady teacher. I think her last name was...."

He thinks for a minute. And then he says Mrs. S. My first aid teacher. Who is also a connoisseur of fine handbags, and spent quite a few minutes last week geeking out over my bag as I returned the same admiration over her bag. She must have recognized it, and taken it into her classroom while she was preparing for her next class. After she was finished, she went to turn it in.

I was practically walking on air as I thanked them and went out to my car. So, I really need to get Mrs. S and the Campus Safety guys some gifties for helping me out.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

In Theatre Appreciation, before I realized that my bag was missing, Brian had strayed onto a topic about Frosty the Snowman.

Yes, Frosty the Snowman. Stay with me here.

So, he mentioned that this past Christmas, his girlfriend told him to REALLY listen to the old Christmas carol.

"I mean, isn't it depressing? He's going on the whole time about how he's going to melt and disappear, and it's just SAD."

Brian agreed, and elaborated this to us.

"And it now occurs to me, since Frosty also mentions coming back next year as new snow...doesn't that kind of make him sound like--"

"Jesus Christ!" I blurted out, in unison with Brian. I began to giggle almost hysterically, and the class was also laughing. As they began to settle, my laughter only escalated, and out it came. High, squeaky, and not quite on key, but still.

"Jeeeeeesus the Snowmaaaaaaaaan..." I squeaked.

Everyone was laughing again, and Brian even had to sit down for a minute to laugh without falling down. For a minute, I felt brilliant.

And then, I realized my purse was missing.

Which further solidified the actuality of my existence...which is that I'm an idiot.

Busy Little Bumblebee

2009-02-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

Oh my God and a HALF.

I've been really, really busy lately. Hence why I haven't updated. But now, I've got AWESOME update material.

Classes are going well. In World Religions, my hippy grandpa Bill is doing his usual stint of connecting the class to the College Energy Summit, where the future of the planet and the future of renewable energy in our world is heading. I spoke last year for one of the break out groups ("Hey, Cloudy, you should be taking notes." "Oh, ok! Why?" "You're going to tell everyone in the auditorium what we discussed." "WHAT?!").

Yeah, Bill roped me into that one. At least this time he ASKED.

First Aid is going really well. I LOVE Mrs. S--she's a sharp little cookie with a brilliant sense of humor, and takes her job incredibly seriously. She picks on all the cute boys and makes them hand things out for her, and tells us stories about her kids, and her experiences as head of an ambulance company.

My Educational Psychology class and Practicum with Mrs. L is also going well. She's also fun, and was very understanding of my trouble getting placed at a school. Miscommunication threw everything off, and she understood I was trying, so I was off the hook. I FINALLY got into the classroom I was placed in today; more about that later!

Theatre Appreciation with Brian has become the hour in the day where I get my energy up and really have fun. It has also taken on the air of a game titled, "Let's See How Often Cloudy Can Freak Brian Out". I am extremely good at this game, but Brian is good too. We tag each other back and forth pretty evenly.

NOW! Practicum.

The school I placed at is the elementary school I went to as a child. It's a block from my house, and incredibly accessible. I'm working in a Special Ed. class under a teacher named Mrs. W, who has a special assistant called Mrs. B. There are seven students in total (names have been changed, obviously): Cody, Shantelle, Jerry, Craig, Lawrence, Joseph, and Andrew. It's a classroom for 3rd-5th graders. I can't say much for an even mix--Cody is the only third grader and the only white kid in the room, and Shantelle is the only girl. Still, all of them are pretty good with one exception.

Joseph. Ohhhhhh, Joseph.

Joseph is very charismatic and socially accepted. He might have a learning disability, but he still is the most extroverted, and a bit of a bully. He uses put downs a lot, and made no bones about getting in my face. He was very bewildered when I didn't back down from him. In fact, I took off my high heels and played on Cody's team for volley ball in gym when the rest of the kids on his side went to go do special testing, which Joseph found REALLY bizarre. Cody loved it, and we were exchanging high fives the whole time.

Later on, we went back to class and I got to work on worksheets with Jerry and Cody. They were both very responsive to individual questions and worked really hard. Cody had a hard time sitting still; Jerry had a hard time reading out loud. Still, I tried to keep things fair and equal in the way of helping him. By the time I left they were all waving at me and saying goodbye, like they saw me every day. Shantelle even said something that surprised me.

"I wanna go home with you."

"Oh, hon! I can't take you home with me! But I'll be back on Monday, just you wait!"

I was practically giddy when I left. For the first time in a while, the idea of a Monday seems REALLY exciting.

*does the happy dance*

More later, reader-friends!

Stretching the Educational Muscles Once Again!

2009-01-13T17:49:00.001-08:00

For the first time in a very long time, I walked back into my school and went to my classes, and then went home sighing happily to myself:

"Ahhhhhh...good to be back."

I'm loving all of my teachers so far, for the various reasons. The one who teaches my Comparative Religions course is someone who taught my parents in high school, and pretty much knew me on sight once he first met me. He calls me his Spiritual Grandchild. He's good people; a Buddhist, a spiritual enthusiast, and a lover of the earth and the Universe. Here, I shall call him Bill.

My Advanced First Aid teacher is an older lady with red hair in a spiky pixie cut. She's cute as a button and has a GREAT sense of humor. She's loving and treats us all like her own kids. She's a fierce proclaimer to the cause of organ donors, as well as collecting prom dresses for girls who can't afford to buy their own in high school, and a collector of diapers and other baby items for several deserving charity groups. She is to be called Mrs. S.

My Educational Psychology and Practicum professor is a middle aged lady, all smiles but extremely professional. She has a energetic, busy sort of happiness about her, and walks with a cane due to an infection that has damaged her spinal cord. Problems aside, I can already tell that nothing slows this lady down. She is to be called Mrs. L.

Finally, for Theatre Appreciation, we have Brian. He is a younger teacher, late twenties. He ROCKS. He's funny, in touch with his students, and incredibly laid back. He loves his subject. He looks like a three way cross between Kevin Smith, Tim Curry, and Vincent D'Onofrio. When I responded to a zing of his in class, he smirked at me (nicely, of course), and referred to me as "charming". Sounded genuine when he said it too, which was what stifled my urge to laugh.

I'm going to have FUN this semester! Fear not, I'm sure I'll make with the bitching and pissing and moaning eventually. For now, though, I'm quite enjoying myself.

Catch you later!

Welcome to the Angry Post!

2009-01-11T20:21:00.000-08:00

There's no good way to break the ice on this one, and it's been bugging me since Thursday, so let's just get it out there.

I got called a racist at work. By a customer. Not to my face, but over the phone.

A customer came in with his daughter during a lunch rush, ordered his food, and left without complaint. After driving halfway home, he returned while I was helping another customer and demanded barbecue sauce, and not in the nicest tone. I figured he was upset, and just gave it to him and went back to what I was doing.

Ten minutes after he left the second time, he called and said that he felt I treated him poorly and it must have been because of my skin color clashing with his. I was told this, and while my co-workers had a hearty laugh over it (knowing me as they do, they know this guy's accusation is preposterous), I was furious and humiliated. I couldn't concentrate on anything but this man's idiocy, and his clear intent to just GET to me. I mean, does he even know me?

I went to a church for sixteen years where I was one of four white people, two of whom I was related to.

Every school I have ever attended, I have been in an even racial mix, or a racial minority in contrast with the number of Black, Middle Eastern, or Latino students.

I was part of the generation the voted my conscience for the first black president America has ever seen.

Just because I work in a neighborhood that is 95% white, that is half an hour away from my damn house, doesn't make me racist.

I wonder if this guy had known any of these things about me, would he have said the same thing? Would he have even dared? Would he have jumped to conclusions the same way he did that day, just to shit on me because he isn't secure in the idea where he lives in a country where people like us can exist in the same space and not look down on each other?

One of my friends from high school dealt with this in one simple phrase that I was amazed he ever said to any one's face:

"I don't hate you because you're black; I hate you because you're stupid, and I'd hate you just as much if you were white."

I don't like the idea of hating anyone. But I'm also not a fan of being hated either.

I guess I'll end on a slightly more comforting note. There's a verse in the scriptures that has really helped me deal with things over the years:

"Be angry, but do not sin."

God help me if I can remember the chapter and verse. But yeah....angry. But not sinning. Hoping not to.

Looking forward to a little more peace, and a brighter future. Ciao.

White Flag of Surrender--Please Don't Shoot Me!

2009-01-06T10:22:00.000-08:00

It seems I haven't blogged for a bit. Like, say.....

*Glances at date of last blog. Eyes bug out, begins sweating*

Er. Let's not dwell on that, shall we?

So, what's been going on then, eh? I've gotten through my evil exams (I PASSED, I PASSED, THANK YOU, OH GREAT AND POWERFUL HIGH-ATOP-THE-THING THING!), been on vacation, and working hard at the evil burger joint.

Christmas was lovely, and I FINALLY pried Liam out of his decidedly nervous-male stance of not wanting to meet several of my family members before our wedding. He came out with me and my family to the annual Christmas party to my Aunt's house, despite having an atrocious headache (which was, of course my fault. I'm his woman, it's just what I do best).

I also spent New Years with Liam, and other various friends. We watched Desperado and Wall-E. Bit of an image shift, really--Antonio Banderas shooting the living bejeezus out of people...small robot falls in love and travels through space?

I knew you'd find that as amusing as I did!

But yes. Now that New Years has happened, I've had some VERY interesting encounters with drunken people at work. Not co-workers, mind you. Customers.

The first one was New Year's Eve, around 3 in the afternoon. A man who was CLEARLY inebriated and had an almost empty fifth in his coat pocket came in, ordered three sandwiches (big ones, too), and then went outside to throw up after paying for them. At this point, he forgot he had bought anything, and jay-walked across the road. Ten minutes later, her remembered he'd bought something and came back, and tried to pay me AGAIN. When I asked him if he wanted me to give him cash and call him a cab, he promptly burst into tears and repeated over and over again about how he had to get back home to his son.

Having had no previous experience with crying drunks, I just stood there like a dolt and tried to be a comforting prescence for him. When he left, he thanked me. My boss had already called the cops as he was leaving.

The other one happened YESTERDAY. A woman came in about an hour after I clocked in. She was in her late fifties, kinda scrawny, and...not all THERE. You know? But she ordered free senior coffees, one after the other, and actually looked at my name-tag to figure out how to address me. Not all there, but still polite.

Apparantly I'm incredibly unobservant, because when one of my managers went to leave, and she came hurrying over to me.

"Have you looked at that woman in the dining room lately? In the corner?"

"Um...not really. Why?"

"She's drinking a 40. IN THE DINING ROOM."

Holy SHIT, how did I MISS that?!

So, naturally, my manager asked her to leave. She did, but not before sneaking into the men's bathroom (which we saw and laughed about first, not really trying to stop her) and taking a big, steaming shit on the floor.

You can't make stuff like this up. The best part was, I was on break at the time. I didn't have to clean it up.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And now for the grand finale! drumroll please THE FINAL EDUCATION POST!

2008-12-01T14:30:00.001-08:00

That's right my dearest darlings! The final one! The big one! The one we've all been wai--

Hang on a second, wrong scene.

Oh, yes, right! The Final Education Question, provided by Prof. Beatty isn't so much question this time. Good readers, it is a demand. Or, in my mind, it is an invitation to rant:

"Your experiences and views on technology and integration."

Well, to start with? I think I've made my view extremely clear to everyone out there. Technology is the way of the future, and should be available to everyone, especially students. Integration into curriculum, however, is a different story. Integration in and of itself depends on two things; access, and instruction. You need to have a way for kids to access the technology that their work requires of them, WHENEVER they need it. You also need intensive instruction on program usage and online etiquette.

Now, let me introduce a slight question of my own; is total integration of technology into curriculum feasible, and a good idea?

Yes and no.

It's certainly feasible, providing that funding is available. So maybe it won't happen soon. But it will. It is the natural progression of things. But as for a good idea? No, I really don't think so.

Despite technology of all kinds being a wonderful tool, you cannot give up the old ways entirely. We've thrown out perfectly good teaching techniques that hinge on doing things the slow way, simply because of the shiny new contraption that makes everything easier for us. Kids don't like hand-writing, and aren't even taught cursive in schools anymore (at least, not at MY old school). Reading books has become an annoyance, and sparknotes.com has become a quick fix for students who would rather be instant messaging or texting. I feel it is unwise to so fully immerse oneself in technology that you forget what it is you are; a limited, slow, wonderful human being. Making things too easy will be our downfall.

Some things should be hard, because it's the only way that makes it stick.

And with that, I bid you adieu for the evening. I realize this rant is shorter than usual, but I myself am still short on sleep. To those of you giving me award, I thank you and honor you; however, I am technologically inept. My mum will help me put them up soon, I promise you.

Ta darlings!

Education Rant Du Jour, Part Cinq (or, Part Five for those of you who are confused by French)

2008-11-24T14:15:00.000-08:00

All righty, folks! I've kept you waiting all week (you have my most heartfelt apologies), and here's my latests education rant/answer for Professor Beatty, and all of you lovely readers out there. Here's the question:

"Is there a digital divide? If so, what can you do in your classroom to make sure that everyone remains included socially and academically when integrating technology into your instruction?"

Well, let's start with part one. Is there a digital divide?

Um, YES.

This "digital divide" has many schisms within itself, as to how the divide is apportioned; The Old vs. The Young, The Rich vs. The Poor, The Public School vs. The Private School, etc.

Age is a major factor, because all of those born OUTSIDE the digital age get shut outside of the online experience, and all of the information that it offers. However, most of today's adolescents are technologically capable.

Monetary factors affect the level of personal involvment with technology, ie, do you even have a computer in your house? Do you have access to a computer at your workplace, or at your library, or is a lack of funding for this sort of technology present in your environment. And now, we're getting down to how this affects kids is Public School vs. Private School.

Private Schools have funding up the wazoo because the parents pay for their kids to go there. Public school, as we all know, is funded by the government. The government, however, is often misguided as to where their funding needs to go, so public education often is first on the block to have a few importants bits lopped off. Like recent text books. Or computers. Or clean bathrooms that actually work. Thank God they still give us heat and food.

All of these hinderances are part of the Digital Divide, which dictates who is technologically literate, and who is not.

What would I personally do to make sure all of my students were equal in social and academic standings when it comes to technology in the curriculum? Easy; it starts with having computers in the schools. You need a well staffed computer lab, and you have to work intensively with children on their skills and ettiquite when pertaining to the 'Net and the use of technology in general. Another big thing? All projects and homework that require use of the computer should only be done at school, and with a great deal of allotted time for instruction and personal work time. You canNOT count on a young child to have internet or computer access at home. Sure, most kids already do, and are incredibly tech savvy. However, this isn't ALWAYS the case. You do not have the right to exclude the kid who's in poor financial standings and doesn't have internet access at home. You have no right to just make him do a different project or homework assignment than the other kids because of his family's budget. Technology should be instructive AND inclusive.

When I was a kid, technology scared me. I was always afraid I would hit the wrong button and something would explode. My mom was one of the parents who came in to help us work in my elementary school's new computer lab, and she caught me having a hyperventillating panic attack because I didn't want to learn how to use a computer, lest it blow up in my face or something. Still, my mom shoved me headfirst into the world of computers, and I consider that to be for the better. No kid should have to be afraid of computers, or worry about being made fun of because they don't know how to go on the internet or use Microsoft Word for a book report, and God knows what else.

Technology is a doorway our youth will have to step through to be a part of the world we live in. It has become all encompassing, and in its own way, incredibly unifying. I feel that no child should have to miss out on an experience like that.

But...still. Keep MySpace and Facebook on the block list. ESPECIALLY in high school. Yeah, that's right kiddies. Ms. Cloudy is watching you.

Bring me your tired, your poor...your fast food workers.

2008-11-17T16:55:00.001-08:00

As a lackey of the fast food industry, I feel I must report this to you all as a show of good faith to my greasy brethren worldwide. We are hot, stinky, tired, and abused by morons. Here is a perfect example.

H'okay, so, I'm at Taco Bell not an hour ago. I'm in line for the drive through, and there are at least five cars ahead of me, and one ahead of me at the speaker. Fair enough, I can wait. I know what it's like to have to WORK drive through. It's the exact same as working front. Except it's about three times faster. And the people are harder to understand. And are huffier. And you have to do six things at once.

Ok, drive through is its own kettle of fish, let's just say that.

So, the woman in front of the speaker is taking an AWFULLY long time, and I can hear her through the glass of my window, over the blowing of my heater, shouting and enunciating almost painfully at the speaker.

"I WOULD LIKE. THREE CRUNCHY GORDITAS WITH CHICKEN. AND THREE CHEESE WRAPS. OH FOR GOD'S SAKE."

Finally, she pulls up, and I inch forward ever so slowly just so that whoever is on headset has an extra few seconds to gather themselves, maybe prep something for the next order, or punch something in, just in case a mistake was made. It happens. Once I get up to the speaker, I can barely hear who is on the other end. And then, she takes my order.

Once. Twice. Three times a rookie. This girl HAS to be brand spanking new, and her headset isn't working properly either, because someone else comes on over the speaker and takes my order for a fourth time, and pulls me forward.

While waiting to get up to pay and recieve my food, the woman in the car ahead of me is very loudly bitching and moaning, and irritating me. I hand my debit to the guy in the first window, I smile.

"New kid on headset?"

He smiled at me, looking relieved.

"Yeah, she's freaking out a bit. I was just trying to calm her down."

"Poor girl! I'll let her know she's doing just fine."

Bitchy-Woman-In-Front-Of-Me pulled away after snapping at the girl at the window and groaning a lot, and it was finally my turn. As I pulled up, I watched someone coach her at the register through another order. She was trying to concentrate RIDICULOUSLY hard, and was visibly stressed out. When she did hand me my food, I gave her a smile.

"Was that lady giving you a hard time?"

She smile, embarrassed.

"Hey, she's a bitch anyway. First day on drive through?"

"Yeah..." she said, looking surprised, but about to laugh. She's probably never gotten someone referring to other people in line with disgusting epithets before.

"You're doing fine. I work headset at my job too; trust me, it gets easier. Just relax. Have a nice night, ok?"

She waved goodbye to me as I pulled away. Another depressed go-fer of the fast food industry saved!

Kisses, my little lovelies!

Education Blog Du Jour, part Quatre (I think)

2008-11-17T14:24:00.000-08:00

Helloooo, my little chickadees! It's time for another question from Professor Beatty, followed by a VERY long rant from myself! This week's question from the Professor Extraordinaire reads thusly:

"What do you think future schools should focus on?"

Now, I did cover a major part of this in my last post; I think that providing truthful and relevant information to children of all ages, regardless of subject matter, is incredibly important. Since this point has already been established, I will now rant about something ELSE I think future schools need to focus on! This is, perhaps, the second biggest thing I can think of. It is very near and dear to my heart, and more important than a lot of parents seem to realize. It comes in one word--electives.

You know all of those art classes and choir classes you had to take in elementary school that were required, along with gym class? The ones that were usually more fun that your actual class, where you would end up bringing home all kinds of insane arty junk you made, or bringing home fliers and invitations to your school choir concert so that your parents you take pictures of you and tell you how wonderful you were? Perhaps you noticed that once you hit middle school, along with recess disappearing, these things were no longer required classes. You could chose to do them, or chose to do something else, like computer lab (if they were invented at the time), or study hall, or different health or gym classes or advanced rocket physics and I don't know what else.

Here is what I think future schools should do; require all those classes again. Choir, art, drama. Gym would be included on that list, but it's usually required anyway. Yes, I know math and English are the main focus, and God knows that you have a one in a million chance to get a job because you sing really well, or draw really well, or were the lead in a school play. But this is bigger than that.

I was the nerdy kid in school, as I've mentioned before. I was good in all my classes (except math), but I didn't necessarily derive any ENJOYMENT from them. Maybe I liked the teachers, and maybe I had some people I would talk to in those classes, but they were just classes that required me to regurgitate information. Then, in middle school, I took a couple years of Choir with a teacher I love to this day--I shall call him Mr. Smith. He was the nicest guy I'd ever met, was passionate about music, and wanted kids to be just as passionate about it as well. However, this is hard to do when you have a bunch of bored, self-conscious, pre-pubescents to work with. But I saw something in him, and come my sophomore year of high school, where he taught choir also, I joined up in Chorus.

Chorus was basically the bottom of the barrel in choir terms. You were there for one of two reasons:

1) You wanted an easy A.

2) You actually liked to sing.

I was in category two. I'd been singing since I could open my mouth, and my dad had put me into Children's Choir at church. When I started singing in Chorus, apparently, Smith saw something in me too. He bumped me up to Concert Choir for the next semester, and for the next two years after that, I would immediately re-enroll in the class. It was one of the greatest experiences of my entire life. I made friends, I built my confidence and my talent, and I had finally found something at which I could excel to the point of competition. I went to Choir festival three times, and each time was a nerve-wracking, brilliant experience.

I also took art classes and drama classes voluntarily in both middle school and high school. I wasn't the best at art or drama, but they were fun and creative and also helped me connect to my peers in ways I never thought I could. And now is when I throw the point of my long schpiel at you.

These classes are always first on the chopping block. When the district you live in can't afford to keep a certain program or a certain group of teachers, electives go first. The jocks and sportos reign on in the world of Gym, and the Science clubs, and Math study groups, and the Cheer leaders all do fine. But what happens to the rest of us? What of those of us who aren't physically inclined or interested in basic curriculum? What do you offer to the kid who can't make any friends, doesn't have a fantastic GPA, and feels like his life is shitty and boring?

I've seen these classes SAVE kids. It certainly helped me! I've seen nerdy kids, gang members, jocks, princesses, goths, scenes, and God knows what else, gather in my old choir room and sing together, simply because they connect on it. It eradicates the clique sense, gives us all something to be good at and have FUN with! How can you deny your child that? How can you take away that one hour in the day where that one kid who feels worthless in school can go running up to his or her buddies and say, "Hey guys, what're we working on today?" without feeling stupid?

If you think I'm wrong, write to the board who runs the standardized tests in this country. I sent them an essay defending electives in public schools, and I blew them away. I've seen what these classes can do firsthand. They can give any kid a sense of purpose, a way to bring up a failing grade point average, a way to make friends, or even just a way to feel GOOD. Trust me on this.

And the next time your kid brings you home an art project, or asks you to come see them perform for choir or band, or in a play? Don't hide that project away like a piece of junk. Display it proudly! Don't ignore that invitation and just say you're too tired or too busy. Go out there with your disposable camera, and watch your kid rock out! Tell them how awesome they are! Tell them how wonderful they are, and that you love them. Give good, healthy criticisms and advice when they have a hard time. Once they see that you actually notice them, it will really make a difference.

Also, while kids may love these classes, it doesn't stop school boards from cutting them. Don't let it happen--this is your child's happiness and well-being, not to mention their grades and their personal sense of success. Fight for your electives, your after-school programs, and clubs! Fight to give your child a chance to feel awesome every day.

I hope you all enjoyed! Ta ta, lovies!

O Come All Ye Cranky, Tired And Frustrated / O Come Ye, O Come Ye To The Shopping Mall...

2008-11-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

Hate stupid malls. Hate stupid stores with stupid prices on their stupid, trendy clothes. Hate stupid "seasonal hiring only". Hate stupid lump in throat all the way home from stupid mall.

Fuck retail.

HA HA! I am a Meme thief!

2008-11-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

Because I enjoy answering questions of many natures, I couldn't resist stealing this meme from my mom, who stole it from someone else (Lara? Are you out there?) Like her, I am a massive freak for music. Only more so. I blame my father entirely for this. Also like her, I will not be using my iPod. So, here we go!

Reminds you of an ex-lover: Wow, the first one, and it's the one I don't have a song for. My first real (and only other) boyfriend and I didn't have a song, and I didn't really have a song that brought him to mind.

Reminds you of an ex-friend: The Heart of the Matter, the India.Arie version. I like the original version as well, but I just adore her voice and her interpretation of this song. I had a falling out with a friend that I'd known since I was five years old, and we don't speak anymore for various reasons. I can admit that I used to hate her, but I don't anymore. I won't deny that I'm glad we're not friends anymore (things being the way that they are), and I won't deny that I gave up first. But even moreso, I still can't deny that I wish that it could have been different.

Makes you cry: Love Me Tender. Not the Elvis Presley, but the song by some weird Scandinavian band whose name I can't remember. It makes me cry, all right. WITH LAUGHTER. It is the most ridiculous video I have ever seen! Proof that the seventies were truly bizarre in the worst way, and that the Scandinavian peninsula can't produce good musicians. Besides ABBA. (Shut up, I like ABBA.)

Makes you laugh: Since I can't use the song above? D&D by Stephen Lynch. Singing comedian with a guitar? You'd BETTER be laughing. Particularly on the lines:

"It's D&D! Fighting with the legends of yore!
It's D&D! Never kissed a lady before!
NOPE!"

That, and I PLAY Dungeons and Dragons. HA.

You never want to hear again: That stupid Celine Dion song. I'm with Mom on this one.

Sums up your teenage years: Girl Next Door, by Saving Jane. I always felt like the skinny, nerdy bitch with no friends, while all of the pretty girls got to show me up.

You want to get married to: A Whole New World, from Aladdin. Yes, I love Disney, cease your snickering.

You like to wake up to: Bubbly, by Colbie Callait. This song just makes me feel really, really peaceful and happy.

You like out of your parents' collection: Oh God. There's just too much to mention. I'll restrict it to the Beatles and Jonatha Brooke, anything by them.

Wouldn't know about if it weren't for a friend: Ready, Steady, Go, by L'arc~en~Ciel. Liam (fiance and best bud) got me into Fullmetal Alchemist, and this is one of the theme songs to it. It kicks so much ASS.

You want at your funeral: Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel), by Billy Joel. Heh, maybe I should also put this down as the song that makes me cry, it can function as both.

Go nuts, folks!

This Song is dedicated to Professor Beatty aka Oh look, another education post in which I rant a lot!

2008-11-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

It's time for my weekly, "answer THIS question that has to do with education" blog post! Although, this specific question feels just a little bit weak.

"What do you think future schools should look like?"

O.o

Um...they should fly? And be made of bubbles like the underwater cities of the Gungans from Phantom Menace? I'm not an architect, but I've always been fond of Mies Van der Rohe...

Yes, I know this is not at all what the question MEANS to say, so I'll go on ahead with the interpreting and the ranting. What I think this question is actually trying to ask is this:

"What do you think future schools should be outfitted with to help students have the best learning environment possible?"

Ah yes, a question I can answer! Besides the glaringly obvious things (desks, water fountains, bathrooms that can reduce you to tears), I think current texts are a good way to start. While textbooks are boring, we at least need ones with current information. I remember working with texts that were from the year I was born. This is especially bad for social studies and history classes, particularly with the social and political climate we have now. New places are being born (in their own way) and politics is on a world stage, changing our history every day. If we can't learn things correctly, what is the point of learning at all?

Also, since this post is for a technology class, I definitely think all students of an appropriate age should have internet access. The internet is a valuable tool, and with the fact that the Web is reaching a younger and younger demographic (the eight year old I babysit for has several of his favorite sites memorized, and checks them regularly when he has a chance), access to a vast amount of information is always a plus. The more you have available, the more you can learn. Granted, I still think internet access should be restricted in schools. Any younger people reading my blog now are booing and hissing at me, but with all the time we wasted in certain classes trying to cheat the school computers into letting us use MySpace? Yeah...we still need to reign the young'uns in just a little bit.

Now, a big change I feel needs to happen, to make the learning environment more honest: we need to stop sheltering our children from certain materials. I understand that there are certain objections for certain age groups, but do hear me out.

When I was in school, there were times when parents would remove their children from certain assignments, after voicing their concerns about "objectionable" learning material. I remember being a sophomore in high school, and a bunch of my friends had to take home a permission slip to read Maya Angelou's "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings", which is part of her autobiography. I can see why depictions of racism and childhood rape could be upsetting, but these kids were fifteen years old, and were not strangers to the idea that bad things happen to people. The fact that several parents pulled their kids from our trip to the Holocaust Museum in my junior year, thinking it might hurt their poor little feelings or scare them, bothered me a great deal.

My personal experience has been that my parents were always very honest with me. I knew about things like dying, sex, racism, homophobia, and other elements of the human condition before I even went to middle school. Sure, some of these things aren't easy to understand when you're VERY little. Sure, these things are unpleasant or uncomfortable to deal with, and you can never really be sure when the line of KNOWING about it and actually UNDERSTANDING it starts to blend. But these things are important to know. You cannot afford to be dishonest with your children about things that are actually important. This means owning up to unpleasant things about human life and history.

The Holocaust happened. The Civil War and slavery happened. The Trail of Tears happened. Racism, homophobia, death, and human sexuality are happening all around us, and you cannot afford to misinform your children about these things. But you can't always be there to answer their questions. But their teachers can. Give us the right to give them the truth. Obviously, use your own discretion when it comes to the right age, and talk with your children on your own terms. But teachers can help.

We can teach them about human history so they don't make the same mistakes. We can teach them about other places and cultures so that they can understand the world they live in. We can teach them about the politics that affect their lives, and why it's important. We can teach them about sex education that actually tells them the truth about their bodies and about their hearts. If you can be honest with your children, so can we.

I realize this started as a question of what schools should be outfitted with, but if you can afford to give your children the best information and access and technology, you can afford to give them people who will tell them the truth without fear or prejudice. Give your kids a chance, because they are smarter than you think.

The Elderly Amuse Me, aka What Barack Obama Is Not

2008-11-03T12:06:00.000-08:00

And now for something comepletely different--a post that ISN'T for class! Now, as I have told you before, I am a lackey of the fast food industry, and every once in a while, I have a good story to tell.

Last night, I was on a shift from noon til ten p.m. The burger joint I work at is stationed in a very white, very suburban, very Catholic neighborhood. It was a Sunday, so that meant it was a slow day because all the residents were at church, and then at home keeping the Sabbath holy while "Godless Heathens" like myself were busy working. Sure, I was a Methodist for 16 years of my life (although now, I guess the closest thing you could call me is a Unitarian Universalist, IF that), but if you work on the Sabbath in this neighborhood, you get a lot of stink-eye. So, I am a "Godless Heathen", the people who live in that neighborhood said so! Maybe I should print up business cards.

Anyhow, around eight o'clock, two elderly ladies and an elderly man came in to order food. They were all healthy, posh looking, and appropriately snooty as the setting did allow them to be. They ordered, took their items to the table, and towards the end of their meal, I was sent out to clean the dining room. While I cleaned the tables near them, they struck up some friendly conversation with me. They asked my age and if I was going to school, and the subject came around to, "Are you old enough to vote?"

"Well, I'm nineteen. I've actually voted already, because I work the polls every year. I don't work in the precinct I vote in, though, so I was issued an absentee ballot." I said. I'm a massive political nerd, a liberal Democrat, and VERY opinionated. You put the three together, and there are times when it can cause trouble. This time being one of them.

One of the elderly posh women smiled at me and said "Oh, really? Who did you vote for?"

Surely that's not polite! my brain snarked, but I stared at her for a moment, and she regrouped.

"Oh, I'm not meaning to be impolite, I'm just interested!"

WARNING! WARNING! DO NOT ANSWER! YOU ARE BEING BAITED, REPEAT, YOU ARE BEING BAITED!

"Well, I voted for Senator Barack Obama." I said. Oops.

I know, I should have known better, but I'm a liberal political buff. We're known for being loud and enthusiastic, not for our common sense in social situations. Religion and politics aren't discussed in polite conversation? To HELL with that.

I'm guessing you can imagine what happened next. Out came a TIRADE of information, all of which came from tabloids and opposition hate mail. And now, I welcome you to the "What Barack Obama Is Not" portion of our program!

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA IS NOT:

(in response to the rantings of an insane, but very posh old woman)

--a Kenyan born, non-naturalized citizen. (The Constitution would have, you know, prevented him from running.)

--getting all of his campaign money from madrases in Afghanistan. (Homeland Security would have noticed this by NOW, surely?)

--a Muslim. (YES, OBAMA RHYMES WITH OSAMA. THE COMPARISONS STOP THERE.)

--going to tax us all to death. (He's going to tax the insanely RICH people to death.)

Upon the tax comment, I so very desperately wanted to quote Mark Twain:

"Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society."

Do YOU want to live in a civilized society ma'am--NO, SHUT UP BRAIN.

To my credit, I did manage to wait until AFTER they stalked out to start howling with laughter. I gushed this story to my co-workers moments later to their amusement.

"They HAVE seen the McCain rallies, right? You know, the ones where McCain HIMSELF refuted all of that tabloid-tastic info and passed it off as the shit it was?" I crowed.

One of my co-workers shook his head and muttered to himself as he walked away, "No, they weren't born in the fifties and are completely racist idiots, oh NO."

The silly old people made me happy in my heart. I hope I see them again, just so I can shake with the silent laughter I so badly need at my crap job.

Kisses!

Another one for Beatty, and for those of you that notice.

2008-11-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

The time has come, once again, for another school post! The question is:

"What do you value most about education?"

HUH.

Ok then. What do I value most about education? Well, education in and of itself is a valuable thing, so I suppose I'll go with this--what I most value about education is the fact that it actually DOES something. It's not some instantaneous, gratifying piece of crap like most quick-fixes we have in society are. It teaches the values of being invested in something. It teaches about commitment. It just TEACHES. It impacts your brain and prepares you to deal with being an adult. When you think about it, what could be more important?

Education doesn't seem to get a lot of respect nowadays. We keep hearing the slogan, "So easy an IDIOT could do it!" shouted out for all to hear, and I wonder if we REALLY want to keep that idea going. To prove my point, I go to West Wing once again for a couple more favored maxims.

"Make this about 'smart' and not. Make this about 'engaged' and not."

"I am tired of having no expectations and setting the bar so low that we trip on it."

Am I wrong to be insulted by the idea of Idiots being able to do anything? I mean, we have one currently in office (and not for much longer, since tomorrow is Election Day), do we really want to keep inviting them to do important things, as though a special level of consideration isn't needed? Do we want people acting as doctors, lawyers, nuclear power plant personnel, teachers, physicists, etc. just waltzing in after scraping by with the bare minimum? I'm sorry, but I'd like a higher standard.

The scariest joke I ever heard was when my youngest aunt on my mom's side, (we'll call her Janie) asked me, "What do you call the med student who graduated lowest in his class?"

"I dunno," I replied. "What?"

"A doctor." she replied, smiling wryly.

I TWITCHED. VISIBLY.

So yeah. I value that education is a slow process that has an acutal impact on a person. It can actually CHANGE you, hopefully for the better. I hope this made some sense.

Tag, I'm It!

2008-10-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems my mother has Meme'd me. Which means I have to give out seven uninteresting/random facts about myself. SO. Here goes:

1) I change my hairstyle as often as I change my mind. And you know what they say about us women...but yeah, I'm currently rocking the pixie look. It's my favorite.

2) I'm really awkward in social situations where I don't know anyone. I once went to a birthday party where I didn't know anyone that well, knocked over someone's beverage by accident, and IMMEDIATELY burst into tears. Need to work on that.

3) I like to quote. A lot. I watch movies and tv shows and read books and do everything humanly possible to memorize the text. If you try and quote something, chances are I've heard it, know EXACTLY how it's supposed to be said verbatim, and WILL correct you.

4) Women scare me.Or rather, I am a woman, and OTHER women scare me. Or at least, women my age. They wear all sorts of hideous makeup and are hormonal and do nothing but talk about boys, sex, and drugs. What is WRONG with you ladies, twenty and younger?

5) I hate my wardrobe. I've had most of it since seventh grade, and the rest is hand me downs. I dream of being on one of those shows where they make you buy all new clothes. Unlike my mom, I'm a shopaholic.

6) I love traveling. I want to go back to Canada, overseas to Europe, maybe even the Middle East in certain spots...but more than anything, I want to go to Istanbul in Turkey, Hungary, and The Vatican City in Rome.

7) I am a Dr. Who addict. Seriously. I want to meet Christopher Eccleston. And David Tennant. And Billie Piper. God help them if I am ever in the same place with all three.

ZING.

For Professor Beatty (and anyone else)

2008-10-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

I am a firm believer in NOT fudging school assignments (which certain blog posts, like this one, are going to be). I am also rather opinionated, so when I got the assignment of "Please describe your personal philosophy on education", I felt adequately ready to begin rambling.

I am a fan of the show The West Wing. A line I feel more than adequately describes my feelings on education goes thusly (to my memory):

"I believe that education should be the silver bullet, and that public schools should be palaces."

In a society where popular culture dictates that being rich and beautiful trumps being well informed, this ideal is often falling short by a ridiculous amount. I think that the way we look at education (and by we, I mean us as the students, not as the adult who has been out of school for 10+ years) has become warped. It's been sullied by the image of "cool" people skipping classes and going to parties at all hours and ignoring homework, while the lowly "nerd" or whatever manner of wee beasty gets to sit at home and be reviled by his or her peers in class.

By now, you can tell which of those breeds I was. For those of you who are interminably thick, I was a nerd. I studied. I got good grades (except for in math; I can't STAND math). I even play Dungeons and Dragons. I'm a level 5, half elf cleric, and I kick ASS with my halberd. Bow down.

But I was a good student. And I saw through the glittering, heavily perfumed, perfect facade of "cool" to realize that even though these people were well liked, went drinking or smoking on the weekends, and had loads of shallow peers to make up an entourage, I was going to be their boss one day. Or, in this case, I would be teaching their children. My education would shape their futures, and I was staring into a great, vast group of people that were ever-so-aptly named Generation "Whatever".

Education starts with giving a crap. Some people say it starts with questions, but I know that if you don't give a rat's, you're not going to ASK any questions. You have to CARE about knowing stuff. You have to WANT it. I wanted it more than anything because, quite frankly, I wasn't good at much else. Being a nerd, I was socially inept for many years. So I made up for it with being a learning-sponge. I asked questions, I figured out answers, and started to figure out how the world fit together. I, much like my mother, read everything I could get my hands on.

It wasn't until high school began that I started to see what a big hole I had been thrown into. I was living in a world full of superficial teenagers, half of whom would be in prison within five years and the other half would be working fast food and other dead end jobs for the remainder of their days. Not a one of them spent a moment thinking about what would happen if they didn't act TODAY. They were in their final four years, THE LAST FOUR. Then, off to college.

Oh wait.

They didn't care. They didn't have any money, they didn't have the grades, and they were too busy being cool with all their little cool friends to think about things like that. OH WELL, their future, not mine!

And then, I remembered that I would have to teach THEIR kids. Granted, I'm going into Special Education once that time roles around. But it's still their kids! How can you punish a child with such ridiculous indifference? You screwing up YOUR future ruins everything for THEM. What were they thinking?!

People complain about public schools because they're crap. Simple as that, and I'm sorry, but they're CRAP. Do you know why? Because education is first on the chopping block for our government when something needs to be paid for. Because we aren't current, because we don't encourage our kids to learn anything NEW, much less anything at ALL, the kids just look at it and do all they can do; they screw off. It's a sick cycle of "I don't care because you don't care".

Guess what? Our public schools are in the gutter, dying, ancient, and growing more dangerous. Our private schools and parochial/religious schools are growing too expensive. If education is supposed to bring our children into the future and prepare them for good lives, why can't they have the BEST? You can't get without giving.

The teachers have to care too. You can't have a group of people teaching your kids who just got into the gig because they thought it would be cool to have three months off of work every year. Teachers have to put forth just as much effort as the kids. Teachers have to be prepared to deal with the "I don't give a shit" attitude that comes from my generation forward.

They don't care? Fine. MAKE THEM CARE. I have a college professor now who spent one entire class urging people to vote and be aware of political problems and issues because, regardless of whether or not you CARE, it affects your life. The decisions of the people in office make your life easier or harder at any given time. The decisions of your child's teacher will affect their knowledge, their understanding, and their attitude. If it's going to happen, be aware and be INVOLVED. Be PASSIONATE! Encourage your kids, meet with their teachers, just do SOMETHING.

When you show them that something matters, they'll respond. You have to start from day one, but it will make a world of difference. My parents did everything in their power to keep my brain working, even when I hated my school environment. But it doesn't have to be that way. If you can't get it across any other way, the cheap route works just as well:

"You know, being shallow, bored, and dumb as a brick is VERY unattractive."

Well, that's it for my little ramble. Hope you enjoyed, and hope it provoked some thought.

In Response To A Canadian...

2008-10-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

I will first say this; I am not as great a writer as my mother is. I did not create this blog for the same reasons. My blog was created for school purposes, but that doesn't mean I won't write other posts for myself and for anyone who manages to stumble across this little portion of cyber-psycobabble that I've concocted.

In my personal description, I explain how my mother came to refer to me as Partly Cloudy. As I found this particularly amusing (and true), I decided to keep the name for my own blog. I'm guessing any of you who read my mom's blog, Unmitigated, (www.unmitigated.typepad.com) already know a little about me. However, for any newcomer's, I will give you some background information.

I'm 18 years old, about to turn 19 very soon. I'm attending a community college in Nowheresville, USA. I still live with my mother (Middle-Aged-Woman), my father (my mother refers to him as Husband), and my now 17 year old brother. I will simply refer to them as Mom, Dad, and Bro.

I have been engaged since the end of my senior year of highschool to a guy my mother refers to as "Lovely-Young-Man" because he is, in fact, a lovely young man. Since the acronym is spelled LYM, I'll be giving him the name Liam in my blog. (In fact, if I need to give names, I'll be using ones my mother has been using for her blog, or make up some of my own to fit the context.)

I'm a lackey of the fast-food industry. I work with my future-sister-in-law who is one of the managers of the burger joint I work at. I'm a front line worker; for those of you who don't know what that means, it means that I am the person who takes your orders, brings you your food, and often gets yelled at when problems occur with your order (regardless of whether or not it is actually my fault, my problem, or within my ability to fix).

Beyond that, the rest comes with time, and posts. Other bits are in my profile, but I won't make you look at that.

Oh, also, I read a lot of your blogs out there. Or at the very least, I hear about you through my mother. I also have a Twitter account. So, if you want to find me? Go right ahead.

Looking forward to hearing from you.