http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman recent pleonast.com entries by user mladyman en-us http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=600113 So, our preacher is talking about life experiences and how they affect you and how your life influences others. And he says, "And sometimes you just want to forget the bad memories, and you just can't forget them." And nine-year-old Jesse shakes his head sadly and with this little voice mutters, "I know EXACTLY what he means." It was all I could do to keep a straight face...... 2008-11-17 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=594312 According to the Austin American Statesman, almost half of Travis County's 609,224 registered voters voted early. Which indicates a few voting records may be smashed Tuesday. Or, enough people voted early that the lines on Election Day may not be as long as I thought they would be! At the moment, I am flabbergasted. 2008-11-02 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=593924 Ttoday was wild and crazy at school today; both kids and teachers were in costume, and despite the state's requirement that Food Of Minimal Nutritional Value Shall Be Prohibited In Our Schools, wildly colored cupcakes, cookies decorated with bats and spiders, and empty candy wrappers were everywhere. The kids were bouncing off the walls by the end of the day, and the teachers were counting down the moments until the final bell. "One more period to go! High five!" Tonight the boys, David and I went trick-or-treating with another family, and had a lot of fun. Will went dressed as a terranadon, while Jesse was the dragon from Eragon. Nope, I didn't buy either costume nor did I sew them -- I'm not that rich or that talented. However, my motto is Have Glue Gun, Will Costume, and since I believe that with a sweatsuit and sufficient scraps of felt I can make anything, it all worked out. Did you know that a plastic tablecloth from Dollar Tree can be cut to make quite lovely dragon ... 2008-11-01 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=593507 I knew Tuesday would be wild, and by the time I got off work the lines would be stretching down the street and to the next county, so I voted early. As it was I estimate there were probably 80 of us in line to vote -- on a Wednesday afternoon! I did pick up an extra I VOTED sticker to wear Tuesday, so my school kids will see it. Good example and all that. 2008-10-31 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=589171 I love the smells of fall --- I was walking around the grocery store today -- OK, I was frantically pushing a cart, zooming around in a mad attempt to do a week's shopping in thirty minutes -- and I noticed how WONDERFUL the produce department smells. Cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, pumpkin, all sorts of spicy smells. It is wonderful! I'm loving the cool weather, too. My Alaskan and Canadian relatives would laugh at my definition of cool weather, but my Texan kinfolk will understand! Got to get the kids' Halloween costumes made soon!! Fall -- my favorite season! 2008-10-19 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=584478 First of all, remember that I live in Austin, TX, a city whose motto is "Keep Austin Weird." So we have a lot of unusual types of people living here. I was in class (6th graders) and overheard the following conversation: First girl: It was this old lady, and she had long hair, and she dressed weird. Second girl: Was she a hippie? First girl: No, I looked at her car. It didn't have anything on it. You're only a hippie if your car has lots of bumper stickers on it. 2008-10-07 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=583400 Got tagged again, this time by him. So, 8 things I am thankful for ..... The hard one about this one is limiting the list to only eight things!!! But, off the top of my head I must say: (1) David, who still remains the most remarkable person I know. (2) Evie, Will, and Jesse. I tell them they are my gifts from God. Sweet, good kids. I got lucky with them. (3) I've got a lot of great people in my family, and won't bore you with listing them all. But I've got to mention my in-laws -- actually, I consider them my second set of parents. I really understand where Ruth is coming from with Naomi; I've got the same feelings. (4) The Northwest congregation. Talk about a family that grows spiritually every year! (Not to mention numerically; LOTS of babies born in the past couple of years!!) I love them dearly. (5) Pleo!!! What a blessing to be able to leave the world behind for a few moments and just wander around the various blogs. Always someone inspires me, encourages me, challenges me... 2008-10-04 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=581276 Sunday mornings between classes and the auditorium worship the children gather at the front of the auditorium for a short ten-minute class, led by the men of the congregation. (They rotate the privilege.) The kids sit with their teacher. It is the sweetest sight you can imagine, as these beautiful children, ranging in age from babes in arms to upper elementary and even our wonderful high school girls, gather together and sing praises to God, do Bible drills, and talk about God. Even though I'm not teaching this quarter, I still find reasons to join them. (I'm pretending I'm "helping out" the singing - ha! As if they need me to!) Surrounded by sinless children, all singing loudly and with great enthusiasm, "My God is so GREAT, so STRONG and so MIGHTY", all I have to do is close my eyes, and I can pretend I'm in heaven singing with the angels and the saints. The love is incredible. Those adults who go into the foyer and chat while the "children's class" ... 2008-09-29 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=580069 The lovely Maegan has tagged me, so I must reveal eight random things about myself. (1) Once I had to go a year without eating chocolate. The day after I was able to start eating chocolate again, several good friends took me out to a restaurant and ordered for me a dish called Death By Chocolate. It was designed to be eaten by four or five people. The waitress brought it out with five forks stuck in it. I ate it, every bite, by myself. Nearly went into a chocolate coma, but it was worth it!!! (2) I always hated coffee until my then-15-year-old niece introduced me to Starbucks (at the age of 42). And that was the start of my long, slippery slide into caffeine dependency. I blame her for corrupting me!!! (3) I used to work at UT Austin in the Geology Department as the secretary to several professors. (This was back in the days before computers, when we secretaries would type up the professors' handwritten notes into tests and lectures.) One professor had a calendar prominently displa... 2008-09-26 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mladyman?l=5&entryID=578201 Saw a great sign on an 18-wheeler yesterday while on I-35. It said: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD (not a swear word) 2008-09-21