Februry 7, 2012 They Grow Up So Fast

Today was a big day at Kansas State. It was the Engineering Career Fair. This is important for 2 reasons: one, Luke is an engineering student and was going to attend the career fair. And, two, it made parking miserable in the parking garage. I actually had to remember where I parked. Had a headache all day.

About 11:30 I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business as I always do, when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted this blue blazer.

When I actually focused in on who was wearing the aforementioned jacket, I discovered my little boy. All dressed up, spiffy in a purple tie. Ready to meet and greet representatives of engineering companies.

Doesn't he look great? It's hard to believe that this is the same guy who was recently on this blog wearing a boonie hat and doing a physics experiment in the kitchen!

So, for the record, I'm a proud mother.

Which is different from what I'm usually called that also contains the word "mother".

Go Luke!!!

February 6, 2012 Van Gogh is Van Gone

This is the Funniest Man in the World.  Right around Chirstmas time, he told his family that he wanted to paint.  He wanted to paint clouds.

So they got him the whole kit:  easel, brushes, paints, canvases, smock, beret, drop cloth.

He was glad to show us his studio this evening when CB and I stopped for dinner. 

I'm not sure why he wants to paint clouds, but that's what he wants.  Oh, and he doesn't want to go outside and look at clouds and paint them,he just wants to imagine them and paint them.

We should all be glad that he wants to paint something as benign as clouds.  When he brought out his canvas to show me, he was going  on and on about what subject he wanted to paint and all I could think was "please, please don't let it be nudes"!

Whew.

Another bullet dodged.

Oh yeah.  This is the same guy who owns the buffalo (there was a blog entry last year about them).  The herd is down to 11.  Those bastards aren't behaving so one by one they are being taken away and the rest of the herd never sees them again.  The Funniest Man in the World says it's working. 

The 11 left are becoming much better behaved.

February 5, 2012 Tribunal Preparations Continue

Doesn't everyone's family reunion have an official agenda?  Where the person in charge sends an email calling for agenda items?  And the low man on the totem pole (i.e. ME) puts them all together?

This isn't as easy as it looks since items are often times submitted throughout the year so the LMOTTP (i.e. ME) has to read all the emails for the year (since the last Tribunal) to find items which must be discussed.

Then they are placed in the Official Tribunal Agenda book (and, yes, I know that the year is 2011 when it should be 2012.  I'll get to that I promise.  Or not.)

It's all very official. 

 There is also a book for the minutes of the Tribunal meeting.  Doesn't every family do this at reunions?  If not, they should.  And I should write them because I do not let the facts get in the way (as you know) and I love to rewrite history.  I should be a repuglican!

The other task I had to do today was to alter The Judge's head piece....a red and blud fur lined jock strap that the Judge of the Tribunal (the oldest member, Roger) wears on his head.  It's all very formal.

Last year we had trouble with the "crown" falling over the Judge's eyes, so I brought it home with me and made some alterations. 

I cut the band and put velcro on the back so now it is adjustable.  Should work perfectly fine.

Then I decided to spice it up a bit and added white letters with silver glitter.  It's lovely in real life. 

I was a little afraid to post this picture here for fear that there would be so many requests for one like it, I could never fill all the orders.  I will certainly try, but be patient if you order one.

There's nothing like a personalized, fur lined jock, I always say.

Don't you?

February 4, 2012 Still Feels Like Christmas

Most years at Christmas, my mom gives me a poinsettia.  I do my best to keep the darn thing alive until New Years.  Sometimes I'm successful.  Sometimes, not so much.

This year, clearly, is one of the successful years.  Look at the gorgeous plant - - it's real and it's nearly 2 months old.  I can't say that our time together has been without it's drama, though.

One day I glanced over and realized that I had not watered the poor thing in way too long.  I rushed it into hydro-intensive care and BOOM! it came back to it's full glory.

The other reason it feels like Christmas today is because I took Luke shopping for the career fair which is Tuesday at Kansas State.  He needed a dress shirt and since he is a weight lifter, we can't just wander into the local Men's Clothes R Us and buy him a shirt.  We headed to Topeka and got him a couple of shirts and a couple of ties. 

I asked the wonderful woman who waited on us if men still wore blue sports coats.  I remember my dad wearing one a lot and I always thought it looked so smart.  She told me that no man should be without one, so I coaxed Luke into trying one on.

It was like magic.  He put the jacket on and he stood up straighter and walked with more confidence.  He had to have that jacket!

We had a great time together and Luke is ready, in more ways than one, for the career fair.  If you think of him on Tuesday afternoon, send good vibes his way, okay?  If there was ever anyone who deserved a break, it's Luke.

Well, we covered a lot of distance from my Christmas poinsettia to Luke's career fair, didn't we?

And still ended up where we started.

February 3, 2012 Road Show

I have a great presentation that I give to international students.

While I am entertaining without any props, I am off the chain when you add a power point to my effervescent personality!

Combine all that with a room full of international students who may or may not speak my brand of English, you get quite a result!

You may not know this about me, but sometimes I pick up speed as I go, and can leave those poor international students in the dust.

I know this has happened when their eyes glaze over and they start to drool. At that point, I pause, take a breath, and slow down.

Just so there is no mistake: I admire these kids a great deal. I could not have left home and traveled half way around the world when was 19 like many of the international students I speak to. Their English is 1000 times better than my Chinese/Spanish/ French/German.

I do have feeling, however, that after each one of these presentations, there's a kid who goes back to his room, calls his parents and tells them that there's a crazy woman on the KSU campus and would it be okay for him to come home!

February 2, 2012 A Fun Request

There I was, sitting in my office, minding my own business (like always) when my friend, Andrew, popped in to see me.

We chatted about Christmas Break, about this being his last semester and having a bad case of Senioritis, about his fraternity, about lots of stuff.

There was a bit of a lull in the conversation at one point.  I figured Andrew would make a break for it. 

But he didn't, he said he had something to ask me.

"Go ahead", I said.

"Well," said Andrew, "I was wondering, do you have a picture for your blog today?"

I told him that I didn't. 

He sort of smiled and asked if he could be today's picture.

Of course!  Naturally!  You bet!

So, here's my buddy, Andrew - - and not for the last time, I'm sure.  He frequently shows up around lunch time....

February 1, 2012 Proof

Believe what you see on the internet. It was SIXTY-THREE degrees in Manhattan, Kansas, at 1:56 this afternoon. February 1, 2012.

Unbelievable. Totally unbelievable.

Just like climate change.

A complete myth.

Of course, CB was on the golf course while I was tootling between the office and city court.

On days like today, I long to have a couple of things:

1. A window that opens.

2. An office with a deck.

3. A bank account that dictates my hours and would most assuredly insist that days like today be spent in the company of a good book, on a bench, in the sun.

Remind me of today's photo when I post the one showing a gigantic negative sign and complain about freezing my ass off!