Saturday, January 24, 2009

L is for Love!

This rather informal meme, in which the tagger assigns you a letter of the alphabet and you then list 1o things you love that begin with that letter, came from Diane. I won't tag anyone, but if you'd like to do the meme, just leave a comment or email me at ltaylor@oru.edu and I'll assign you a letter for the meme. Diane chose the letter L for me, so here goes:

1. Lemon - pie, cake, and scented cleaning products. Though I don't usually eat the cleaning products.

2. Late nights - I'm a night owl, pure and simple. I've done everything in my power to adjust my internal clock, to no avail. Apparently, God made me this way, and it's in no way inferior to morning people. So there! ;0P

3. Lip Smackers - Dr. Pepper to be exact. It's the best chap*stick ever made!

4. Law & Order - I think I've seen every episode of every version ever made. I'm considering rehab.

5. Lotion - Orange Ginger from Bath & Body Works for the smell, and Gold Bond for the intense therapy.

6. Long baths - nuff said

7. Life of Grits - one of my favorite blogs

8. Lisa Whelchel Cauble - it has been a joy knowing this amazing woman. Working and playing together - an honor and a privilege.

9. Linus and Lucy - Vince Guaraldi Trio, you rock my world!

10. Learning - I have a ravenous hunger for learning. All kinds of things.

So let me learn about you!

huh...what?

I think I've survived, but I'm not entirely sure. You see, my employer, ORU, announced layoffs on the 13th. We lost three people from my department, leaving just two of us to take care of all the seniors. In addition to the all the transfer students I'm already managing. Then on the 15th, the other academic counselor was in a car accident. And hasn't been back to work since. And then there was one. But at least I still had my boss to ask questions of in an emergency. You do remember I just got this job in April, right? Now the boss will be out on Monday. I've had an eye twitch since the 14th. I'm thankful I still have my job. But it's hard not to envy those laid off who will be getting paid to stay home for two months.

Oh, and the girl who alternated weeks with me leading worship went away to college. So now I lead every week. Don't get me wrong, I love leading worship. LOVE IT! I'm just so very tired. And in need of a maid. And a massage. And a manicure. And a new bed.

I started a new semester - I'm taking Hermeneutics - interpreting and studying the Bible, Assessment I - a superfluous requirement for accreditation purposes, and Crisis Counseling - which I may need if things don't settle down soon. I'm really enjoying Hermeneutics, though I may become violent if he doesn't stop saying methiology instead of methodology, and tilafia instead of tilapia when he talks about going to Outback in front of us starving grad students. Haven't been to Crisis Counseling yet. It meets one weekend a month for three months, starting next weekend. Yep, we'll be singing familiar songs in worship next week!

Update on Mom - the diagnosis was some form of dementia, possibly Alzheimer's. The doctor took away her driving privileges, which was more devastating to her than the diagnosis. It was well past time. My brother is setting up power of attorney because she arranged cataract surgery on her own, opted for lens replacement which was not covered by her insurance, and was charged $4,000 to a credit card. She didn't understand that it was not covered, but the doctor's office said they explained everything and this is what she wanted. It's done now, and nothing can be undone. She has resisted any medication to treat chemical imbalance and Alzheimer's, so I don't know what the future holds for her. It must be very hard on my brother and his wife, since she lives in an apartment in their back yard.

So, all this since Christmas. Our decorations are still up. And may be for two more weeks.