Crumpled straw hat with feather (man's?)

There's nothing to make you appreciate a Saturday (or any day off), like working during the 5 days before. When I am not working, I find Saturdays very depressing, unless I do something fun. But today, I'm really enjoying it.

Ray and I went to the Green Life Expo at the Classic Center, saw a lot of people we knew, and actually were encouraged by some of the exhibits there! I volunteered at the WUGA booth, where they were selling used CDs (and some DVD's and videotapes) to raise money for the radio. It is also, of course, a form of recycling. I won't tell you how much we spent, but we found a lot of great buys! Books on tape, music for my parents, even a copy of An Affair to Remember... The most fun was a free pedicab ride to Harry Bissett's, where we met Captain & Vanessa for a very good lunch, including free desserts.

Our waitress turned out to be from Alaska, a full-blooded Shawnee. This is the kind of thing my father finds out by asking (sometimes embarrassing) questions. She is studying wildlife biology at UGA and hopes to work at Denali. Needless to say, she dislikes the summers here intensely. She also was not very complimentary about the Inuit... Interestingly, she did not look at all Native American to me. Maybe a little more cheekbone than some people. But she had a really unusual accent. To me, she sounded a little bit Irish, and maybe a little bit like Sarah Palin or someone from Minnesota. She said it is because she learned English in school. When she is home she speaks Algonquin. I love the idea of a Shawnee from Alaska working in a Cajun restaurant in Athens.

Yesterday I found out the good news (I will be getting paid $.65 an essay, as an "experienced" rater) and the bad news (well, sort of). The project after this one is from March 11-April 9. So, if I finish this one successfully and if they ask me to work for the next one and if I pass the test to qualify (all very likely), then I have to decide if I want to ask to miss any days to go to the beach. And then be willing to accept it if they say no. I am really glad to have this work and have to make what I earn go as far as possible. It's just too bad that this is happening when I actually have work to do, instead of all the times I could go for as long as I wanted! But I am lucky to be able to go to the beach for even two or three nights.

I was turning over the idea of a book that compares and contrasts Casey in Japan and Molli in Mexico...and the larger thought about the future of the world when so many more "children" are making connections in other countries...a good think, I am convinced. But hard for them in some ways. I don't know if it would be non-fiction (requiring research work?) or fiction (requiring creativity??).

Dan Bashara and I were talking. We had to admit to being grateful for being under-employed. Every day, I say to myself, "that's $60 or that's $80. Pretty soon, I will have paid for one night at the beach!" I am trying to be a little less compulsive this time, not really keeping track of how many essays I am rating per hour, just focusing on each one as I do it. This is a hard thing for me, like meditating. I am constantly drifting off into thinking about what I need to do for dinner...or something else. Then I have to go back and re-read the essay, which cuts down on my productivity.

This is a funny little black velvet sort of beret, with a black cube on top. (The label reads Adolfo.) You would probably need a hat pin to make it stay on. There are some in some of the hats.

Very exciting! I passed the test to score essays--yay! Now I am employed for the month of February. In order to make more than $10/hour, you have to read and accurately rate 20 essays! There is a lot of psychology to making your decision (is this a 2 or a 3?) and being confident that it is right, but still being fair to the student (eighth graders) and maintaining the standards taught in the training. It is not easy, but I like it a LOT better than telemarketing. I come and go when I want, since it is piece work. We are expected to work at least 6 hours a day, but can come early or late, take a long or short lunch, etc. And wear comfortable clothes. My neck and shoulders suffer a little, but that could be the time spent in the mornings on the computer!! I have to maintain a good attitude and not get stressed by it, or the other things that I am not doing because I am working.

The Captain and Ray both have the cold now. I hope Mom and I don't get it!

Colder than I expected last night, just about freezing. I think I may have left the heat turned up, but that means it's not too cold in the house this morning.

Admittedly, this is not really a hat, but a fur collar.

Today I take the test to see if I qualify for scoring 8th grade essays. I started training on Monday and I thought it might be easier this time. My accuracy is hovering around 50% now and I need 60 or 70 to pass. I can take the test twice. I have a few more practice essays to score first. If I pass, I can start grading about noon and switch from $10/hr to $.55/essay. I struggle with trying to figure out how to match my ratings to the expectations of the training. Yesterday I decided it was like the force in Star Wars--trust the force, Patty! You can't do it completely scientifically. You have to feel if the essay is a 3 or a 4, based on a score of 1-5.

Weather here is warmer, but foggy, misty, drizzly, cloudy. Ray turned up the heat this morning because it was not quite warm enough in the house...and I hadn't started a fire.

Captain's seedlings are coming up--boy choy and other cabbages now.

Class last night was a little less stressful. It is interesting. I enjoy the camaraderie. I feel very behind, not knowing anything about the field of instructional technology, since this is my first course.

Charleston courtyard

Ray was in bed most of the morning. I had wanted to go to the Scottish festival, but didn't want to drive there by myself; it didn't seem like it was worth the gas. Instead I made some soup for him and a sick neighbor, and started some homemade bread as well. In the afternoon, my parents wanted to go see a ballroom dancing performance. I would have enjoyed it, but didn't want to pay the $10 for it. I didn't want them driving there alone, trying to find the building, etc. So I drove them, then went to the Scottish heritage festival. It was about over, so I had time to go to Kroger and get some groceries and then pick them up. By the time we went home, it was sunny out. Captain planted some more seeds in a flat (broccoli, cabbage) and I made supper. Ray got up and ate and we watched The Bucket List on our TV, thanks to 3 free months of HBO. I thought it was a great movie.

I was a little sad yesterday as I realized I wouldn't be spending time at Athens Land Trust again for a while. Monday I start scoring essays. Training for five days at $10/hr before the real thing, which pays $.55/essay. I am excited to actually get a paycheck again, and the work is not so terrible. It's just that there are things I am better at and enjoy more and could get paid more for! I try to keep convincing myself that everything is for the best, and the perfect opportunity/next career will open up soon!

Ray has come down with another ferocious cold and spent most of his time in bed yesterday. When I am sick, I want people to wait on me and pamper me. He just wants to be left alone.

Rain here this morning, so no outdoor work today. The Captain has a bonfire laid outside, which he will light if he can get it going. He prefers it to start raining during the day, so he can light it as the rain starts. It may have trouble catching once the rain is really coming down!

We have had a lot more really cold weather than we usually do here, although this morning it is above 50. We have had the solar water heater turned off and drained for more than two weeks! We will probably turn it back on today.

Baby onions and lettuce are coming up in a flat Captain set up in the living room. It wasn't doing well in the breezeway--just too cold. Our seed order has come in and it is time to start planting--peas for sure, maybe some spinach as well. Which reminds me, we are still eating spinach from the garden, had a big mess last night and it was good. So much work to clean. Mom and Dad both were pretty energetic yesterday. He cut up almost all the winter squashes that were in the basement for us to cook and freeze, as well as harvesting the spinach, which Mommy mostly cleaned and trimmed, with a little help from me.

I love these old buildings in Charleston, near the aquarium, and the morning light.

worked at ALT 4 hours yesterday, mailing cards, working on flyers for homebuyer counseling, talking with Cathi about the challenges. Raquetball in the morning, yoga in the afternoon. Went to Clarke Co. Democratic Committee in the evening with Ray. Came home and dinner was all ready for us! Watched John Stewart. Now that we have recording capability, can watch it when it's convenient and skip commercials! Fun! Everyone is enjoying the Sarah Graves mysteries, so we can compare notes about them. Warming up a little, soon back to gardening. Captain moved seedlings into the house, since it was not warm enough for them in the breezeway. We have had the solar water heater off for two weeks, due to freezing weather every night.