Blogging Progress???

More like blogging the fact that I'm a total lazy slob. Today I woke up really groggy and sore. And immediately I had moving and storage people talking to me, which half jump-started me onto the idea that I really better figure out that stuff. So I did that. And I've done some other stuff -- burned CDs (number forthcoming), copied the stuff out of the three books from the library, went through an extraordinary amount of paper -- but all this pales in the presence of the solemn vow I have sworn to not get caught in the magazine cycle again. Let me explain: I know some people read magazines on a regular basis. They leave out Newsweek and The New Yorker and visitors actually read them as they, for example, go read their bedtime stories to their four year-olds. But these visitors are occasionally on crack in thinking that just because they soak up this fascinating The Economist article and find the articles in this week's The New Yorker very engrossing that they should subscribe. And this, folks, is my doom. I love magazines. I hate them. Weeklies come way too often. Utne Reader (at least old Utne -- I haven't read it since it changed hands) was perhaps the only one I could really devour. Even if I didn't read the articles, I was interested in knowing what they were. With Newsweek and Time's dismal headlines starting at me, forget it. If anyone wants a fairly complete collection of near-pristine (mostly) news weeklies, let me know. It's ridiculous in here. I'm not getting caught in this guilt-inducing magazine consumerism again. I'm going to buy magazines where they should be bought -- at the co-op and the airport!

Mostly I feel as if I've sat around mooning. OPL said he wouldn't call for a few days -- it's a lot of work having all those mental conversations with someone you can't call. I did manage to rebox some things that needed to be reboxed. But here was the moving coolness for the day, which happened early and was probably the reason I mooned about so much later in the day: when you put stuff in storage, it doesn't have to be packed up tight as when you're actually moving your things. (Yes, I'm putting most of my stuff into storage because it's really the most convenient thing to do in this situation. Sorry I can't be more explicit.) So I've been looking at the way I live my life -- and actually I have a lot of stuff in boxes -- not terribly secure we're-moving-halfway-across-the-country sturdy boxes -- but more precarious really-ought-to-be-reboxed-and-organized boxes. Which means that if push comes to shove, I just won't rebox them. And as I look around at my house, I wonder how much really needs to be put into boxes or reorganized. So much could go as is. I have this weird sense that if I needed to do the whole thing in three days, I totally could. On the other hand, I am going through a lot of stuff, because I have so much crap after five years of graduate-studenting, but part of me just needs to SEE more progress. I have boxes and stacks and stuff, but it doesn't look like a hole in the place yet. Tomorrow I will pack up the car with the few boxes that will fit, go over to the storage place and deal with paperwork, and move my first boxes into my new storage unit.

So in order to not go to bed completely depressed (what's surprising is that I'll get to bed before 4am), here's what I have accomplished:

1. Scheduled movers at a reasonable price.
2. Found a storage unit.
3. Resorted and reboxed some book boxes.
4. Discovered that deep in the closet that the world forgot there are still many boxes from when I moved in.
   
5. Went through and burned the bulk of 27 CDs.
   
6. Looked through countless piles of paper for an old receipt that I need for reimbursement. (Why, oh why oh why???)
7. Began the process of requesting an official copy of said receipt.
8. Sent emails to all my recommenders asking them to update my dossier. (You never know.)
9. Made copies of all library materials for prepping.
   

Here's what I haven't done. I haven't made a big enough dent in this whole thing. I haven't done any intellectual work nor any actual mental prepping. I haven't left the house except to go to the car. And I haven't worked out at all because I am still so sore that moving around hurts. My goal is that by Friday, I'm going to have made a significant dent in this whole thing. I especially want to go through my clothes very soon. And I really need to deal with my office, which is overgrown with books and papers. Luckily I won't have to bother with taking that stuff home. I'll just take it directly to the storage unit, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Mr. Tabby now needs his medicine and I'm contemplating an early night. Mr. Tabby was pronounced reasonably okay (we needed to increase the dose of one of his medications), but he's lost weight and he doesn't do anything. He spends way too much time in dark areas. I don't like this.

With Memes Like This, Who Needs Therapists?!

You Are Death

You symbolize the end, which can be frightening. But you also symbolize the immortality of the soul. You represent transformation, rebirth of a new life. Sweeping away the past is part of this card, as painful as it may be. Your fortune: Don't worry, this card does not predict death itself. Instead it foreshadows the ending of an era of your life, one that is hard to let go of. But with the future great new things will come, and it's time to embrace them. Mourn for a while, but then face the future with humility and courage.

What Tarot Card Are You?

No wonder I've felt so much like death lately. This morning I feel like death warmed up.

Blogging the Moving Progress

I know, I know these kinds of posts are the most boring in the world. Look at me try to stay accountable by blogging the progress. I'm sorry if you totally hate this, but I got totally addicted to blogging the progress with the dissertation, so now I'm hooked. Blogging progress is my need! So here goes. Here's what I managed to do today so far:

1. Copied or decided against copying 44 CDs, at least half of which I did copy.
   
2. Did 15 minutes of yoga without the tape, which is also good because for unbloggable reasons, I need to scale down my stuff and can't afford to buy the DVD to replace the tape.
3. Emailed movers and storage for quotes.
4. Wrote in journal about teaching, making me feel all confident and excited about teaching at my new gig.
5. Picked up three books on teaching from the library that I intend to copy (on my no-charge at-home copier -- ha!) fruitful productive teaching things out of, which actually makes me feel much much better -- and is in line with that prepping I said I would do, except that I told myself I wouldn't do it on the weekends.
   
6. Worked out for an hour. (Yes, I realize this means that I've worked out twice today. I did the same thing yesterday. I'm going on the mantra that an hour of exercise equals 50 mg of Zoloft. Though today was a much better happier day.)

Now, I'm going to watch French Kiss (yes, the irony, I can't stand it -- let's not talk about it) and try to pack up some clothes or go through papers (much easier to do in the living room).

Breakthroughs in Packing!

It actually happened -- I actually started packing. It's amazing. Two bookshelves equal something like 15 boxes. Totally ridiculous. But I also managed to both stay on my butt and contact movers at the same time. Really, I'm finally getting things done, partly because Self-Reflective and Fabulous Friend came over and let me make her margaritas and use her wunderbar puzzle-box skills to box up books and partly because I finally don't feel like a complete zombie. I also went over to the library today and got some books that have already helped me get my head back into teaching. So, even though I promised myself that I wouldn't really work on writing/publishing or teaching on the weekends, I actually feel pretty good about prepping for teaching.

Packing and moving is a bit of a different story: though I borrowed beaucoup bucks from the fam, it's clear that I'm going to have to beg for more from someone. I'm trying to do this move on the cheap, but I've got so much stuff that I can't possibly lift. A lot of antiquey-type stuff. The kind of stuff that makes me so nervous about moving it that I MUST pay someone to deal with my anxiety and backseat moving. This is the first move I'm really trying to do on the cheap, so if anyone has any ideas about free boxes or whatever, I'm all ears.

Chasing Butterflies: More Beauty Blogging

This is what happens when you begin to leave a place: you finally start taking pictures! I thought y'all needed some pictures of the sweet little garden on the campus that I'm leaving. I was actually trying to chase some of those little white butterflies, but it's futile! They won't have their souls stolen!

Attention Regular Readers

If, after all the whining, there are any devoted readers left! I really appreciate y'all's support lately. I know I have not lately been the charming and sardonic hostess I promised.

Because specifics around Adventure U will be very difficult and burdensome to mask, I'm going to be moving to a new password-controlled blog. This new blog will likely be academic, but also somewhat personal (as if this one isn't personal), including reflections on Adventure City and pictures and the like. If you want to continue to read my adventures in absurdity while at Adventure U, please email me at earnestenglish@gmail.com -- and I'll give you the blogaddress and password information when I get it altogether.

The Don't Look Back Program

Okay, so the title is melodramatic, borrowed from the only movie that really makes sense to me at this moment, Something's Gotta Give. OPL came and left again. I don't know what's going on. Neither does he. I don't feel like I can answer any questions. All the answers are maybes. I just don't know. I'm pretty devastated, but I've also decided to remember one of my favorite quotes: Writing is like loving. You think that the real boon is the publishing, when actually it's the writing just like you think that real boon is being loved, when it is actually loving. I'm a big fool, I guess. I've decided to keep on loving. (It's better than being hate-filled, I guess, though perhaps hate is more entertaining.) But I also have mucho to do and that is where you blogoversians come in. I have three weeks to get things done. Big projects: moving, teaching prep, writing/publishing. I figure I'll do a little bit of teaching prep and writing/publishing in the morning to early afternoon, then pack, pack, pack in the afternoons. Maybe some exercise in the evening. A wee drinkie or three after that. Look at that! It's a whole life. And I'll be blogging the misery for you, folks! Don't you worry!

Mr. Tabby is not looking good. I'm taking him to the Fabulous Vet Doctor tomorrow. Oh and by the way, I turned my dissertation in. I actually ordered my academic regalia (yes, totally late so now I'll be hooded in a rental -- whatever). Life is moving forward, sort of.