WNBP: Where Did August Come From???

I honestly don't know how we got here.  One minute, I was merrily going about my summer vacation and the next...AUGUST!!!

I am always a little sad when August rolls around.  It is still summer and there is certainly ample vacation time left unto me, but the clock is ticking.  I have to adjust my whole mindset.  It isn't as if I just stroll back into the classroom come September 1st and begin teaching with gusto.  Teaching, with or without gusto, requires a great deal of planning.  Everything I do from this point forward is going to be tinged with a hint of education and I can't understand how it got to be that way so fast.

Whatever happened to July, I ask you?  Shouldn't there have been a whole month between "Yay, I'm done with this working business" and "Where did I put my respectable shoes?"

Meh.  There isn't anything to be done about it.  August is here and I might as well get used to it.  It probably won't last any longer than stupid July did, anyway.

Let's celebrate the first Wednesday night of the month with a bullet point post and pretend that time isn't moving at something like warp speed...

*Yesterday, I bought a new case for my new phone.


*Cost more than the actual phone.


*There is a lesson in there somewhere, but I am too tired to look for it now.


*Also bought an external battery because I have a little issue with remembering to charge my cell phone.


*It is a disability, I think.  But it isn't covered by any sort of insurance I have unearthed.


*Now as long as I remember to charge the external battery, everything will be hunky dory!!!


*There were eggplants at the Farmers Market today.


*Eggplants!


*Visions of fried eggplant virtually danced in my head and, before I knew it, several of the purple buggers were in the car with me.


*The World's Greatest Stylist And Life Coach called to see if I wanted to "do something" today.


*I think it is good to periodically put on mascara and wear something other than yoga pants so I said, "yes."


*We went shopping and had Chinese food.


*For the record, going to Chinese food restaurants with TWGSALC is interesting.  She speaks Chinese.


*I do not speak Chinese.


*While I do not believe that people of a certain ethnicity always know others of their same background within their geographical area, it certainly does seem that TWGSALC knows a lot of Chinese people.


*I have no idea what anyone is talking about when we go out for lunch, but I enjoy myself all the same.


*We get extra hot and sour soup which is also really good.


*Note: TWGSALC is very careful to switch to English as quickly as possible when I am around.  She says it is the polite thing to do


*I did not make fried eggplant for dinner tonight.  I am still stuffed full of soup and chicken and pork and broccoli and cabbage.


*I don't think that piling eggplant on top of that, fried or otherwise, would be beneficial to the environment.


*I vowed to not spend any money today, what with having shopped yesterday.


*When we entered Ye Olde Girly-Girly Bath Shoppe Of Frou-Frou things, I honestly thought I was safe.


*But I left with thirty two dollars worth of lip balm and assorted fragrant things so obviously there was a chink in my armor...


*Query: Does anyone else think it is weird that the Very Complicated Kitty jumped up on the counter yesterday, picked apart my sandwich (that I only left for a second) in order that he might abscond with....a tomato slice?


*Tomato????


*I could see if he wanted meat.  Or the bun.  Heck, even the cheese might make some sense.


*But...a tomato?


*I shooed him from the kitchen, picked the mangled slice up from the floor and resolved to guard my lunch more carefully from this point forward.


*For the record, however, I do not feel like tomatoes are things that require protection from cats.


*I've hidden the eggplant.


*And I worry about what is going to happen once August is done and I'm not here to personally watch over the produce.


*I don't love everything that Dean Koontz puts out there, but the Odd Thomas series is a definite favorite.


*You can imagine my joy at learning he has a new one coming out this month.


*Something to make August worthwhile...


*I figured I'd break down and read the serialized novella he put out a while ago to celebrate.


*I generally find serialized novellas kind of irritating, but what are you gonna do?


*Odd Interlude #1 (An Odd Thomas Story) is, I believe, available through download only.


*Worth it if you happen to have an ereader. And now you can get the whole thing instead of having to wait for another installment to be published.


*The Odd Thomas series plays fast and loose with the rules of good storytelling.  The author breaks the third wall and directly addresses the reader.  He reveals some of the underpinnings of the story and almost guarantees you won't be surprised by anything.


*But you are surprised and not always pleasantly so, at least in the long form novels.  Every single character is engaging beyond belief and you can't help but hope things are going to work out for them.


*And, when they do, you cheer.


*Koontz writes dialogue better than almost any author I've ever read.  Witty, sharp and quick.


*Since the new book won't be out for a bit, I figured I'd give The Hunter (The Legend Chronicles) a shot.


*A bit of a Steampunk change-up.  Generally, these sorts of stories take place in more urban areas and you can almost always count on everyone having a British accent.


*This one takes place in the old west and, thus far, I've only noted one Brit.  Kind of a nice change of pace and who doesn't love a clockwork horse?


*The downside is that it is a little bit too much with the lovey-dovey stuff.  


*I get it.  Emotionally stunted demon hunter falls for the succubus with a heart of gold.


*Now show me some zombies, dang it all!!!


*Or at least make the horse run around with steam coming out of its nose once or twice.


*That said, it is a nice little story with some cool steampunk elements.  


*Also a cheap download which is good since I spent all that money at the frou-frou store and don't see a raise in pay until September rolls around.


*No extra money in August, I fear.  And there is a vet appointment coming up.


*I'll probably have to spend the rest of this month dragging the VCK to nutritionists and therapists in order to deal with his tomato obsession.


*Which will, undoubtedly make the month seem longer, but not in a good way at all.


So that should cover things for now.  I must now head off to enjoy what is left of this Wednesday and prepare myself for Thursday.  That will be the 2nd of August.  Which precedes the 3rd.  And so on and so on...

How did it get here so fast???

SA