mitraillette #8413

This was going to be a recap/update of where things are right now in my head, job sitch, etc. but (a) I don't have time and (b) I feel like it's going to end up much more list-y than that so I'll have to give you a coherent update with actual paragraphs and development later.

• I am at M*e Joe's having a Stella Artois, creating a lead sheet for a song we're to do in She Sings. I found a new music notation site/program that was free: Musescore. I have used Noteflight before this but since I don't have internet at home currently I couldn't work on this piece that way. Finally had the brainstorm the other day of looking for something that would work offline for not much money and lo and behold Musescore raised its head above the other google hits... so we'll see. In a lot of ways I like it better than Noteflight but all of these things have their fun things and their little things that aren't that intuitive after all... depending on your brain. Anyway that's what I'm doing.
• I'm listening to Dar Williams, whom I love; I had forgot how much of her stuff I had in my iTunes - made a CD/playlist the other day for Elaine and happened to think to put some DW on it which reminded me how tremendous she is.
• Home in a few to feed kittehs and get ready for She Sings rehearsal at 17h30. 
• Only two more Mondays til I'm done teaching college FR - hopefully for good. This doesn't count the Monday of finals week, which I am trying to block out b/c I'm due to get a tooth crowned temporarily (I don't know the date of the permanent crown installation or I would block it out as well.:) 
• Incidentally Tuesday of that same week I am going to The H*nd Center, on a referral about my wrist, which you don't know about b/c I haven't written in forever. Rest assured that (in my completely non-expert opinion but still it's my wrist, so...) it is not something serious, just in need of attention while I still have insurance (I plan to continue having insurance but just in case I have to go with P/T jobs for a while or something -- far far far worst case scenario job-wise).
• I lost 16 pounds so far on my eat better/ move more campaign. Amazing, right? I mean it's quite mind-blowing, imagine that simply eating better and less, and moving more has brought such concrete results and relatively quickly ( been at it about 6 wks - it was aided by mini-bronchitis I had over spring break when I had no appetite for 2-3 days).
• The real mind-blow is that I am capable - at last - of maintaining the mindset necessary for such things like taking care of myself - after 4.75 years in this godforsaken place. 
• Add to that the fact that I'm reading way more, writing in my journal Really Quite Regularly for the first time since moving here also, actually writing letters again (this is starting small but still, it's happening), create-ing a fair amount (of course I've been doing pottery here for about 2 years but recently it's become more consistent and my attention more engaged so that I can actually think about improvements, new ideas, etc., whereas until now it's been somewhat of a crap-shoot - rarely near the quality of my clay work in Aub*rn and when I did get close to it, completely inconsistent) whether clay, yarn, food, etc.
• I honestly think it's my subconscious anticipating not-teaching-anymore, extracting energy from the future situation where I actually have time and attention span/interest to do all the stuff again that really makes me happy. I liken it to being in a really smoggy city and then driving into the country and feeling better and better as the air improves even tho you're still in the outskirts and not really There yet. Not the most perfect analogy but close. Of course aided by this semester which has been my easiest since arriving here. Various elements just happened to align. Nice last chapter actually - nice not to be ENTIRELY INDESCRIBABLY MISERABLE -like- pretty much every semester until now.
• Also, ostensibly, good for having time and energy for jobhunting. nyernt nyernt. That has yet to happen much - not sure if it's denial or confidence making me feel like something will pan out regardless. Of course I do realize I need now with these few weeks between me and the end of my Clems•n U. life that I need to at least start putting applications in, etc. 

Guess this ended up a mindset update after all and none-too-complete, for which I'm sorry but I have to run.