The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Despite the best efforts of my sunlamp, I've been in a horrid mood lately. And I'm feeling disappointed that I got talked into moving to a place with mild winters to find out that winter still sucks! While yes, it's not nearly as bad as Schenectady or Hanover or Ithaca, it still sucks (just not so badly).

And I'm annoyed at myself for using my glorious days of no teaching not to try to do some real math but instead to go shopping for antiques or knit or watch CSI: Miami. But those things are so much easier and I'm so much more capable at making progress at them.

I bought the desk I was looking at -- and got 20% off (sadly, I did not get the rush that I sometimes get from spending lots of money -- so much for retail therapy). (Word problem: I saved $320! Merry Christmas to me!) Now I need to deal with the annoying details of having it delivered. It's oak (=heavy), and the floor in the den is pine (=soft), so I need to have decent movers. Also did some Christmas shopping. Got a flash drive for my dad. Went to the John Deere store at the mall and got my brother-in-law a cap with the John Deere logo; he's a hip New York actor and a firm believer in fugly is the new pretty (well, at least the male version), has those Elvis Costello-style glasses, etc.

I did finish the second sock while watching CSI: Miami. I live in fear of Second Sock Syndrome, so this was a relief. (Unanswered question: Which is worse on CSI: Miami, the writing or the acting?)

But behind the scenes there are so many things that I haven't done. I didn't pay the bills, even though I have the money. (I haven't even sorted or opened the mail!) I haven't registered for the AMS meeting or even thought about making hotel reservations. Right now I'm thinking either of cancelling my talk or else just driving there for the day. I never made up the rubric for the people who are coding some education data for a math-ed project I'm working on; when they asked, I pretended that I forgot to send it out and hurriedly put something together. It's been weeks and weeks since I've updated my course web pages; I didn't even bother to post the date/time/place of the final.

And other things are gnawing at me. For one, Profgrrrrl's Duckling into Swan posts are making me feel like Duckling into Duck. My injuries from my car accidents are acting up, so my back is least uncomfortable when I sit/stand with really bad posture (extreme arch making my abdomen stick out + slumped shoulders). Days like this make me wish for a brain-in-a-jar type of existence (except I'm not sure if Timothy can be trusted to change my nutrient solution).

Ah well, enough of the self-absorbed whining. Tomorrow's final exam should bring some entertaining anecdote about my students or I should make some progress on a craft project while I proctor. I shall try to channel my mother and to Just Snap Out Of It; by the weekend, I will be at her house for her to nag and scold me in person. I wonder how many of my painkillers I have left.