Read A Book @ MindSay

I was determined to get out of the house today even though I am broker than the Ten Commandments.  The husband finally went to Beaumont to pick up his car (his brother came and got him) so that left the kiddo and I with a car and nowhere to go.

I decided it would be a good idea to drag myself to the bank and deposit a check that was pretty much already spent.  I asked chatnoir why is it that I always seem to dread going to the bank. He replied it was because it reminded me of how broke I really was.  Damn it if he wasn't spot on!  After depositing my check, reading my balance and getting my feelings hurt, I realized I need to get some gas.  Apparently I'm a glutton for punishment.  It wasn't too bad though, I actually saw a place selling it for $3.69 a gallon!!! Most places around town are selling it for about $3.75. 

On the way home, the kiddo said she wanted to go to the bookstore.  I was pleased until I realized she just wanted to see her Aunt Environgirl at work.  Since I hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Paganista since we went to Portland in March, I figured why the heck not. Besides, I needed to buy a few pages of purple prose. That's right, I enjoy reading pure, unadulterated drivel! The more heaving bosoms and throbbing manhoods,

the better! 

The Cocolette chose a Junie B. Jones book and I bought some steamy paranormal romance novels. We had a good time chatting it up with Egirl and trying to make ourselves look like real customers so she wouldn't get in trouble.  When things got really busy, the kiddo and I went to the cafe area to have lunch and read our books.  I was surprised that she didn't get antsy.  She actually read a few pages of her book after eating her lunch and sat quietly! I guess when we go back next week (a book I want will be out by then) I'll get her that Indiana Jones book she was begging for.

            I'm getting too old for this…stuff.  Sunday night, I did what I swore I'd never do again, and that's pull an all-nighter.  I had to write a 500 to 750-word book review.  No big deal.  I knocked that out in about 45 minutes.  The kicker was not starting to read the 250-page book till 5 p.m. on the evening before it was due.

            Why did I wait till the last minute?  I'll admit I'm a procrastinator, but there's also that pesky thing called life that keeps getting in the way.  I like to spend time with my wife.  I like to play with my dog, visit my parents, and watch Curb Your Enthusiasm with my best friend.  I act in plays and write columns for two different newspapers.  And then there are the everyday things that have to be done while the wife is working to put me through college such as cooking, cleaning, and going to the market.  Add to that commuting fifty miles and spending half the day in class three days a week, and then having to read volumes for each class.  It can wear a body down quickly.

            I'm thirteen years older than the majority of my classmates.  That might not sound like much, but wait till you get there.  It's an effort for me to stay up past midnight anymore, no matter what time I got up.  After a while, something has to go on the back burner, and for me it was my book review.  I'm certainly not advocating neglecting one's studies, but it was the choice I made.

            When I attended ECU eleven years ago, I could start writing a major paper the night before it was due, knock off around 4 a.m., get four hours of sleep, and go to school the next day, and it wouldn't even faze me.  My eyelids wouldn't droop once, and I'd at least get a B on the paper.

            Monday, I felt like I was in Neverland (Peter Pan's version, not Michael Jackson's), and all my professors probably thought I was coming off a three-day drunk.  I'll probably be lucky to get a Q on the book review, much less an F.

            I think young college students get a bad rap.  People older than I think they're lazy, and that they spend too much time partying and not enough time studying.  Hey, if you can have any kind of life and then stay up all night reading a book and/or writing a paper, and still be able to function the next day and make a passing grade, then my hat's off to you because I just can't do it anymore.

© 2007 by J.D. Lewis

• Uh, I know it's been a while since a lot of people have taken English classes, but it really is foolish to argue about literary devices with a LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER. I also find it highly entertaining when someone actually proves my point in their argument. Delicious!

• Oh, I hear thunder Environgirl! That means the so-called cold front that we're expecting must be coming through   We should cool down to a brisk 92 degrees. Get out your windbreaker!  

• This biological psychology class has really been informative. It's hard as hell, though. Today even though I read ahead, I felt like my own brain was going to explode because of the amount of information the professor covered today. There are a lot of motherfucking parts of the brain! Geez us cripes! Even the damn creases have specific names! I took pretty good notes, though and I even  answered several questions. I'm nervous about the test we have next week.

The girl I sit next to, who is also in my other psychology class and I talked about how this class has made us even bigger nerds than we already were. We've gotten to the point where we're making neuro jokes. For example, she came in with some coffee from Starbucks and I asked her if she got a double shot of expresso.  She said, "Hell yeah! This class is too early for all this thinking. I need to seriously block my adenosine receptors!"  The people around us started cracking up.  The other day while studying, I came across a picture of the brain of a manatee. I couldn't stop laughing.  It totally explains why they aren't too bright. Their brains are as smooth as a boiled egg!

 

 

• Yesterday, I had to confess to Egirl that I have been having very superficial feelings ever since I had to enroll the Demi-goddess in that fancy private school.  I confessed that I wanted to look like all of the other pampered stay-at-home moms. They always look so trendy and well dressed when they drop their kids off for school. My wardrobe consists of clothes I wore to work, clothes I wear when I go out with the girls, very comfy jeans and tee shirt ensembles I wear to class and clothes I wear to church.  None of them quite fit the "I'm a stay-at-home mom who may be delivering Mary Kay or going to a fundraiser meeting." category.  They dress like the women from Desperate Housewives. I wanna dress like that. Monday, after I dropped the kiddo off, I went shopping so I could start building my Desperate Housewives wardrobe.  Because I'm very frugal, I didn't spend a lot of money. I'm pretty good at pulling a look together at a fraction of the cost it would normally take. However, I felt really guilty for giving in to the desire to keep up with the Joneses. It's so not like me.  Egirl couldn't stop laughing about it.

• Today, I marked the 6th anniversary of 9/11 with a morning prayer and reflected on the tragedy of that day and the heroes who risked their lives on that day.