A Day In The Life . . .

Going back to school is hard work. I spend a lot of time studying although I am only taking two classes. That is partly because I want to get a good grade and partly because Precalculas is higher math and requires many hours of study to grasp. It would help if my algebra were not so rusty. Sometimes I will be doing a math problem and I will get to a point where I realize that I do not know what to do next. Not because I'm dumb, but because I forgot the next algebraic rule that I needed to remember to keep going. It is times like those that I am thankful for partial credit.

Other things that take up my time are work. I am working at a flower shop. You would not believe the amount of work that goes into getting people their pretty flowers. Those arrangements are worth the high prices, let me tell you. However, I do not intend to speak much of work because I am always cautious about that sort of thing. Suffice it to say I enjoy my job and no, I do not design flower arrangements.

Today I am supposed to do laundry. Actually, yesterday I was supposed to do laundry. Actually, actually, I was supposed to do laundry at the end of last week. Having a washer and dryer in my own home helps, but having to study for multiple tests and keep up with other house cleaning does not help.

I recently wrote the first draft of a short story. Do not ask me how I had time for that. I intend to revise it and get some second opinions. Then maybe I will send the story out to a magazine or something to see about publishing. A little supplemental income would be nice.

I have come up with dozens of rants to write. Taking an Intro to Psychology course with a whole lot of regular people gives me so much material. I simply have little time to write my rants. But as I am sure you are all anxious to hear them I will try to get some written. Also, my holiday monkey Neville seems to have gone missing. That's why I have not announced the Neville Chamberlain award for 2008. I have sent a sleuth known as Detective Scorch (he's a Ty Beanie Baby dragon and charges very high prices for his PI skills) in search of Neville and hope to post the award before the year is half over.

In other news the weather was getting nice and it turned nasty again. I wish spring would stop teasing us Iowans.

My Brains Are Smelly

Math stinks. My brain has been steeped in math for the past several days. Therefore, my brains are smelly.

Yes, I started classes. It's going good.

Aside Note: I'm working on my post for the Neville Chamberlain Award. Do not worry, I would not forget to give out my favorite (and only) award of the year.

Announcing For 2007

It's time for the most exciting blog event of the year. At least, the most exciting blog event on this blog. I am about to announce the 2007 Neville Chamberlain Award. You can check out '05 and '06 if you've a mind.

Before I announce the award I would like to share a little about why I do this every year. I choose, each year, to celebrate the good things in life. That culminates in Christmas and New Year celebrations. However, I cannot help but notice some of the cowardly things that happen throughout the year. Some of the things that people do are just downright spineless. They should be celebrated too. I do this by highlighting the most spineless act of appeasement committed over the past year. Now, this includes the international political spectrum. Naturally, you want to know what the receiver of the award gets. I would say nothing. Nothing but the sound of my lack of respect and the knowledge that he, she or they did something incredibly cowardly.

This past year was a tough one to come up with a recipient for. Hence the late post. I spent a lot of time thinking. In the end I discovered that I was going to have to give the award to a most undeserving recipient. The most spineless act of appeasement which I could think of was entirely unoriginal. It's actually a cop out. Neville -- my holiday monkey who was contracted to give the award each year -- would only allow me to take his picture while he was thumbing his nose. That's how lame the act that garnered the 2007 Neville Chamberlain Award really is. Not much I can do, you know. Without further ado, I would like to announce that the 2007 Neville Chamberlain Award shall be given to:

Harry Reid.

For the infamous "Harry Reid Rush Limbaugh smear letter." Incidentally, anyone who signed that letter gets the NC award as well. As the story goes, Rush (of whom I am not really a fan, but that's irrelevant) made some disparaging comments about a man who claimed to have been a soldier in Iraq, but who really had been booted out of boot camp. The media took offense and began calling for Rush to resign etc. ad nauseum. People got upset. The long story shortens to Harry Reid writing a letter to ask Rush's network to dump his show.

Basically, Harry Reid caved to the media and general populace pressures on the Democratic Congress to do something. That's why the rest of the country voted the Dems in anyway, right? So they would do something to oppose conservatives. Something to limit free speech. You know. The only thing Reid managed to do was write this stupid letter and get some of his buddies to sign it. Not much of an appeasement. Any other year I would say Senator Reid should get an honorable mention. This year, I am lacking in good candidates for the award. So, here you go, Mr. Reid. *sound of a whoopy cushion*

Dilemma

I have a serious problem. I am trying to decide who should get this year's Neville Chamberlain Award (see here and here for further info). This year, as my husband just pointed out, has been a year rife with spineless acts. But I can't think of any "spineless acts of appeasement." That's the qualifying factor, after all. I am taking suggestions. However, do not be offended if I do not use your suggestion. It's my blog and I do things my way, so there.

One other small problem. I seem to have lost Neville, my holiday monkey. He was supposed to have his portrait taken again this year for the award. But he is nowhere to be found. I wonder if he found a better job and deserted me.

I'll post a This Year In Review post soon. I hope.

Announcing For 2006

Yes, I have finally got my bum in gear and decided to post the long anticipated Neville Chamberlain award for 2006. Please read the 2005 Neville Chamberlain award for the context and reference of this illustrious event.

I like to think of this announcement as my version of the Oscars, the Superbowl and Time's Person of the Year. I take all three award ideas and roll them into a bundle and then I throw them all away and start again with a better idea. My award goes to someone who was obsequious, annoying, politically disgusting and remarkable only in his, her or their ability to be unremarkable. It goes to the worst sheep of all. The person(s) who caved to what everyone else thought of them and took the easy way out. I make no pretences of any kind with this award. But as I am the creator of the award I think it is only fair that another should present it. I give that honor to my holiday monkey, Neville, pictured on the right hand side of the screen. Yes, he's presenting the award backside first, because that is the nature of this award.

So . . . announcing, for 2006 *sound of a whoopie cushion* the Neville Chamberlain award, presented for the most spineless act of appeasement during 2006. This year it goes to:

The Iraq Study Group!

They have received this dishonrable award for giving in to the crowd of media and the general pessimism and refusing to research ways of winning in Iraq. Insteadthey sought ways of losing, favorably. Whatever that means.

Truthfully, the only way we can escape the mess we've made in Iraq is if we have the balls to win. We started this all on the basis of fighting terrorism. We may have gone outside the bounds of that idea by ousting Iraq's former regime, but backing away and apologizing will take us to no good place. Radical Islam is not a system that respects weakness. Instead it inspires, fosters and engenders weakness. There is one way to send it packing, and that is to have the strength of will to stop being afraid of our own shadow. It would do us some good to remember that history proves war powers have been handed back to the people after the war president's tenure ended. There is no reason to think it will not happen again. We deserve better than to collapse under the weight our own cowardice. I for one, think it would be nice of somebody in the academic community would give us some intellectual ammunition rather than promoting ideas that make us fear our own strength and back away from helping anyone else in the fight against terrorism.