close out on 2006...bargain prices

2006 is for sale! i know there's only 1 day left but you can have it now for next to nothing. i know this will sound disgruntled in the beginning but i will bring it around to the positive, i promise. the year at the institute for leadership advancement started with 2 vacancies and 2 more arose, tilting the sinking ship again, and those of us hanging on clutched our 4% raise knowing it was the reminder not to leave (given the state budget had operated in the red for the past 5 years). our Ph.D. assistant suggested we might want to read the leaderless organization as he departed for his newly appointed deanship at a small florida college. indeed we might. things have shaped up with a new director finally, but it is still an unstable environment, so much so that a colleague shared the openings on campus so that i might have a plan B. women's studies and international education are staffing. i'll definitely keep that in mind. you see this is a college town in an agricultural state. so, unless i want to raise cattle or grow cotton, i should plan on working for the uni and that i do. its just difficult to operate at wages that i believe i began my career with in the 90s. can i have some cheese with that whine?

okay enough about work. my family is well, sister-in-law is out of the gutter, and everyone is happy. aubrey and i are quite content in the tiny matchbox we call home. hopefully the yoga room renovation will be completed soon and we'll have another room to escape to. the deck and yard are expansive but not as frequented in wintry weather. aubrey continues to remodel homes and is currently finishing one near lake oconee. actually its not near enough to the lake to call it our lake house so we will sell it for sure. i guess his next one will be near athens...or there has been some talk about exploring asheville, NC. its just talk though, i think.

before i quit bitching, let me throw in the health card. i've been reading up on 'women's health after 35' and the window it covers is from age 35 to menopause, commonly believed to be around age 51. the book is full of useful info that explains the changes but come on, its a 15-year window of time. its like, be ready for any of this at any time. so far, i'm not thrilled with the changes and they really throw a wrench into my other plans for life. i suppose this is the adjustment period. humpf. anyway, i'm grumbling my way through it reminding myself that i have my health, home, family, career, and partner. and i'm thankful for that. see, thats positive right? i brought it back around.

hope your 2007 is what you expect and if not, i'm sure someone has written a book about it. head to the local library.
all the best,
grumpy

deck the halls...

the holiday buzz started weeks ago with office luncheons, followed by office luncheons, i think i went to 3 this year. and now i'm off for 10 days, yahoo academia! we'll hit mom's for dinner and presents tomorrow, then visit friends xmas eve, then aubrey's mom's for dinner and presents on monday. we just cancelled our post xmas road trip to DC to enjoy the quiet of our college town sans coeds. we'll finish the yoga room remodel and just catch up on things. this is my first adult tree after decades of living in studio apartments and observing it solo. miracles do happen. hope your holidays are relaxing too. merry merry.