I just don't get it

We have approximately 30 students in the class I'm currently taking ~ Catholicism in America.  There is quite a mix ~ most are in their twenties, more than half of the class is female.  There are two native Americans and a few that attend class in military uniforms.  There is one girl that wears her hair in dreads.  She is a pretty girl, with dark blonde hair...smart and capable.  So, why does she wear her hair in this horrible style that looks like a rats nest?  I just don't get it......

It doesn't quite look like this, but bad enough.....(Bing images)

I was reading a website on the care of dreads, and if you decide you don't want them anymore, the process of removing them is daunting.  

Especially the section on ~ bugs.  OMG

At the first class, the professor usually reviews his/her expectations for the class...rules included.  Our professor prefers we not bring our computers unless we are discussing a reading that was posted online.  Likely this rule is simply due to how cramped the class is.  The first couple of weeks ~ before students dropped the class ~ we were sitting 3 to a table, which only seats 3 if you have a small notebook.  Now the average is 2 per table, including those that prefer to sit against the back wall at the tiny desks that were put in to handle the overflow.  Of course, she also mentioned to please not use your cell phone either, but on Thursday, one student spent nearly the entire class texting and surfing.  She noticed but opted not to call him out on it.  I thought it was disrespectful and rude.  

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This weekend was the annual Breast Cancer Walk in Albuquerque.

It was a lot of fun.....plus we all met our goal for daily steps/miles.

We treated ourselves to Mexican food at El Pinto....

Very "fallish" in the decor....

It was chilly at first, but warmed up nicely!

The Rio Grande ~ yep, it's usually pretty muddy.  You could walk across and probably only be in water to your waist in the deepest parts.

Enjoy the last bit of your weekend!

Love, 365

My thoughts turn to........

Our beautiful blue skies are the perfect backdrop for fall color.

Taken at Bosque del Apache..

UNM campus color.

I was listening to NPR (I listen every morning during my commute) and they were discussing the healthcare issues that just aren't ever solved ......... in my opinion, they never will as long as healthcare is a FOR PROFIT enterprise ~ the CEO's of insurance companies ~ like 17 million just for Metlife alone (in 2011).  I don't have a problem with the idea that people need to be paid for their work.  Can you imagine what American health care might be like if the CEO was paid a few hundred thousand and some of those millions were used to help subsidize health care for the indigent, or simply to reduce the premium for families and individuals?  Staggering.  Won't ever happen.
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Happily, the new WD season starts tomorrow.

I'm not watching many of the previous episodes from last season because......well if you watch it you know that last season was tough.  Our protagonist met a particularly wicked villain.   We shall see.....

 Poldark on PBS

We've been watching the new season of Poldark on Sunday nights too, and were worried that they would be on at the same time.....we don't own a DVR and didn't really want to chose which one we would watch, but I think they are one after the other.  Again, we shall see.  Have you watched Poldark?  It's an old British show, remade at least once.  We've enjoyed it, although dang, he has some mighty bad luck.  

Enjoy your weekend!

Love, 365

It's that time of year.......

Oxidation.....can you guess what this is?  

Answer at the bottom!

I love fall.....the cooler temperatures, the beautiful blue skies against the backdrop of colorful leaves....it's tough to work inside when we experience this excellent time of the year here in New Mexico.  However, I don't love the allergies I've been experiencing along with the low grade cold.  I've been chasing Romeo out of bed around 2am with snoring.  Which is ironic because I spent years sleeping on the couch because he used to snore every night.  

It's also that time of year that I begin to lose my enthusiasm for the university.  I want to be done.  But I can't do two classes a semester because I just can't handle that much homework and reading along with working full time.  And I can't afford to take two classes financially either.  It's become a tradition of sorts for me to feel frustrated this time of year.  Dissolusioned.  Anxious that it will never ever end.  Somehow I just need to put it out of my mind, but I haven't found an answer other than just turning away from the thoughts, sort of like how you look away at something distasteful.  sigh....

I did manage to complete a huge project this weekend, so I feel good about that.  I had been letting the shredding of documents, and mail that I can't just throw away pile up.  I ended up with two large bags ~ satisfying to put it in the recycle bin.  Now I need to move on to the closet.  

I doubt seriously that we will receive our mid-term exams back tomorrow, but hope springs eternal, huh?  I need to start on my oral history report soon, but I haven't yet heard from the person I hope to interview.  I'll likely move on after Friday of this week.  I can't wait forever for her to decide if she wants to participate.

The aforementioned picture of the colorful leaves and sky.....I took this pic on Sunday.

This is the answer to the "oxidation" issue up top.  It's just a close up 

of the hood, but I thought it was cool.

Enjoy your week!

Love, 365

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta!

2015 pics

For the next 10 days, Albuquerque will be busy with visitors (lots of folks have out of town guests this time of year).  The balloon fiesta is huge here.  Apparently we host the largest balloon event in the world, and there are balloons and pilots from all over.  It is truly a unique experience!  There is the excitement of watching the balloons inflate ~ which as you can see from the bottom photo, spectators are allowed on the field with the pilots, balloons and their crew.  We went 5 years in a row after we first moved here, and manage to go every 3 to 4 years since.  

This year drones are bringing video that is truly breathtaking.  If someone posts it I will show it here or give you a link (it'll probably show up on youtube soon).  Santa might bring a drone to Romeo this year ~ he's been talking about them, and I think he would have a blast with one.  

If you ever get the chance, come an experience it.  It's a unique experience you won't forget.

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I can laugh now....yesterday when I pulled into the garage, Romeo came out and looked completely frazzled ~ his hair looked like he had been nervously running his hands through it.   I asked him what was wrong, and he explained that he thinks he left his phone somewhere.  He had already driven to Lowe's again, retracing his steps, and had gone through every room in the house.  I called his phone ~ it was in the bathroom on one of the floating shelves we have.  :-)

Love, 365

35 cents! Wow!

Flowers always make me happy.....

Time is always short when I study for an exam, and the mid-term is coming up on Tuesday.  I do need to take a break soon to go to UNM's bookstore to purchase a "blue book", which I've never had to buy before.  I checked out the price ~ 35 cents.  Nice price as this time of month the money is tight.  All my life it seems that the first of the month is when all the big bills come due.  =sigh=

Romeo is making very little progress on the deck.  The handyman that was supposed to come and estimate the rebuild never showed.  I suppose that's a hidden blessing.  Although I thought maybe we would be surprised at the cost, Romeo was hurt because he thought I didn't believe he could handle the project.  So, that conversation has faded away, and I've decided to just let him do it.  If he comes to the realization that he might not be up to it, I can call the handyman again.  You have to really work at marital bliss, it doesn't just jump into your lap and kiss you.  Haha.

I have all these organizational plans that I just don't ever seem to have time for.  I guess I'll look at the calendar and just put it in.  That might be the only way it's ever going to get done.  For one, I really need to revamp the closet in my office, which has - over the years - become a repository for junk that we thought we would find a use for.  Old frames, and old clock I bought over 40 years ago ~ the list really goes on and on.  Our snowboards are in there ~ something I don't have the desire to do anymore.....I'm thinking of using them to decorate my walls in here.  As for the rest of the gear, I suppose I'll put it on Craig's List, or LetGo, or something.  It's a good time to sell winter sports gear, although I doubt seriously that I'll get much for it.

Have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping in!

Love, 365

History lessons which are never learned.....

Flowers along the sidewalk in Austin....

History is such a bitch.  I mean, you've got dates to remember, details and names to recall.  I really suck at dates, but luckily, our professor also sucks at dates, so won't be giving us those types of questions on our tests and quizzes.  

History is written ~ usually ~ by the winners.  Look at us.  In Texas they never discuss the reasons for the Battle of the Alamo.  All we hear about is the American heroes.  We never hear about how we decided to annex through violence, a large portion of what was then Mexico.  In New Mexico you don't read about how we lied to the indigenous (& we don't call them indigenous, we call them Indians) and stole much of their land or killed most of them with war and disease.  

The same is true of immigrants.  My current class is Catholicism in America, which is more about people than it is of Catholicism.  I am enjoying it much more than I thought I would.  We are currently reading "The Madonna of 115th Street" by Robert Orsi.  I figured I would be bored.  It's a fascinating glimpse of the lives of the early immigrants from Italy in the 1800s.  If you are interested in what it was like for those early Italians, it's a book I would highly recommend.  (also cheap as a used paperback on Amazon)  Orsi discusses in detail of life in the "domus" which is a term to describe how life revolved around family and friends in the community that these early immigrants (in Italian Harlem) fought so hard to protect.  Nor is it all fun and games.  The Italians really knew how guilt and shame were powerful motivators.  He does go into the Mafia a bit too, with a view point I had never considered.  

So, at the end of class, I'm going to mail the book to one of you.  I'll let you know when.  No essay required!

Love, 

365