Tensions are rising!

There are only a few short days remaining until I write my FINAL comprehensive exam. This is my field exam, which means it's focused on my field of specialization. I like to think of these as my 'teachables' in B.Ed talk: New religious movements, religion and contemporary culture, religion and popular culture (and by implication, sociology of religion). My research focus on contemporary Paganisms falls into all of these fields.

Just as I delve whole bodily into this last week of intensive preparations what should arrive on my doorstep (while I was out) but a solid wood desk.
The next couple hours were dedicated to moving all my books,article,paper,notes, and such to one side of the office so I could get the desk indoors. And since there was no point in trying to work in a half-organized room I of course also had to rearrange enough things to reaccess my books etc.

What you can't see is that the bottom is where the sitting chair is and the cupboard - both covered in stuff.

In other news, I celebrated my 26th birthday earlier this month. And 10 days later I celebrated it with a surprise party. The cake even says "Happy Birthday Mandyz". (The zed is silent) And you can never go wrong with party hats.


Surprise parties rock! This was my first ever. Many thanks to my friends. Robin can't believe I didn't know it was coming. In retrospect there were 'signs', but you'd have to be expecting 'something' to catch them. I was too focused on studying to wonder.

Okay, that was a snippet to show off the cute picture of Darla and my new comfy office. So much more table space (to pile books on... but hey, that's better than the floor!)

Piracy and the van

My pirate name is:

Calico Mary Flint

Often indecisive, you can't even choose a favorite color. You're apt to follow wherever the wind blows you, just like Calico Jack Rackham, your namesake. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

Apparently my love of many colours makes me indecisive.

I'll need to hone my piracy skills to secure me a new vehicle.
The ol' Caravan has sunk to the bottom of the ocean matey. Arr.
(The ocean of Cdn Tire where it currently lies waiting to not be fixed, awaiting some treasure hunters to retrieve it.)

Ahoy, new treasure is on the horizon... a new ship, one that is fuel economic! It's a far horizon, and I'm not sure how long it will take us to reach that shore.

Foolish Blessings

Once again I am a day late.
Guess why. Yep, I was busy.
It was a day full of foolishness. Unfortunately, not with my former Fools friends, but those who gathered at the local Pagan Temple to celebrate were certainly very fool-ish last evening. We planned an entirely absurd ritual in celebration. It was fabulous! I have never had so much fun planning, executing, and participating in ritual.

I'm still chuckling to myself over flashbacks.


What I am not chuckling about is the churning mass of sugar in my tummy this morning. I could have sworn yesterday was St. Patty's by my seeming 'hangover' today! Our cakes and ale was pop rocks with cola... and it was all candy from there - washed down with cream soda. This morning I couldn't even look at the vegan chocolate upsidedown cake I made. Which is just as well because otherwise I would have polished it off, and no tummy needs that!

In other news,
Robin got shafted again on the most recent shift bid. Last time he got stuck with 10:30-6:30pm and Tues/Wed off. He liked the days off because that's when his 'footy-ball' is played on TV. But dinner was late every night. Especially since he had to get home and then make it ;-)
His new shift doesn't start until 1pm and goes until 9pm! So we'll be switching to a big lunch and small dinner meals. It's healthier too. This takes effect on my birthday (April 10). The positive spin is that this frees his mornings to look for a new job - which he's wanted to do. And crappy shifts is excellent incentive.

Family updates:
seedlings are growing tall. I'm not sure how I'm going to keep them indoors until mid May! The tomatoes have outgrown their containers. Now they're in the open and I have to find a way of keeping Gryphon from chewing them.
Darla and I have been enjoying many sunny days on the back porch. Me reading in the sun (preparing for my field exam) and Darla switching between naps in the shade and watching all the wildlife run about. We are lucky that she is very well behaved and a "velcro" dog since we don't have a fence. She's not at all interested in running away or leaving what she knows is her yard. She knows the invisible line between our yard and that of our neighbours.
Jenny and Gryphon are also enjoying the outdoors with us. Gryphon thinks he should have his own door so he can go in and out as he pleases. I keep telling him he has to choose - in or out - but he's a cat so he doesn't listen to anything I say.