shingles and grand rapids

this morning, about three minutes after i woke up (but before i got out of my bed), i heard my landlord calling my name from my right outside my bedroom. now, i am not accustomed to hearing men speaking in my house while i'm sleeping. so, i was a little suprised, to say the least. now, in his defense, he called yesterday to tell me he was coming over this morning to rip the shingles off the roof. what i didn't know was that he was planning on climbing out my bathroom window to get out there, and he thought i'd be at work. (i should also note that i love my landlord, and i don't mind at all that he was coming through my house.) so i was talking to him with the door closed, calling to him in the hallway because i didn't want to go out in my pajamas. awkward. i don't like talking to anyone in the morning, much less my landlord, and even less while i'm still in bed. so i feel like the day can really only go up from here.
so, now i'm in my office, which is about seven degrees colder than what i would call comfortable. i'm wishing i hadn't decided to shave my legs and wear a skirt today, since the goosebumps will render that effort pointless by 12:30. oh well.
so the other night, i was talking to the shmiz (as i will call her here), as i often do. she has recently taken a job near chicago as a special ed teacher, and i am so proud of her. this job, however, will require her to move, and she and i were talking about how hard it is to leave grand rapids. most of the people who are reading this lived there with us at least for a while, and most of us have moved away. i know that it was time for me to leave when i did, and i haven't regretted my decision for minute. but sometimes i wish i could go back for a day, and have it be just as i remember it. even though things have changed, i still love going home, and i think part of me will always be in grand rapids. (and maybe all of me someday, mom!) and so i wanted to post this quote from the brothers karamazov that i read to the shmiz on tuesday. enjoy.

"still let us remember how good it was once here, when we were all together, united by a good and kind feeling which made us, for a time...perhaps better than we are."

the commenting

hello again... i've just been informed that my blog was set so that only blogspot members could comment here. (thank you, danny palmer.) but, i've taken care of it. so go ahead, non-blogspot members!
i'd love to write more now, but i've just arrived at work and need to prepare for a meeting i'm leading tonight. this may entail going to starbucks with my gift card to read and make notes. and that's why i love my job. adios.

welcome to my world.

hello and welcome to my blog. so good of you to stop by. i can't believe i'm joining the blogging community, but here i am! i must admit i'm a little intimidated by other bloggers, so cut me some slack. i'm just learning. for today, please enjoy this picture of me wearing a giant orange foam hat. and don't mess with texas.