So… someone, somewhere, is begging for an update from the Sean-o-Matic, that doesn't involve a poll (pole?). So, here goes:
I've enrolled in what will likely be my last undergraduate course for my life: Introduction to Creative Writing. “Why?”, you may ask. Well, it's the last one, because I start the masters' program at the beginning of the Fall term. My masters will, ostensibly, be in International Relations. I'm very interested in that field.
For those of you who want to know “why” I am taking creative writing, well… I like to write creatively. Believe it or not, when I set my mind to it, which isn't very often, I can write like some of the best authors in the world, if I do say so myself. I won't bore (or disgust) you with topics that I write about. If you're nice to me, I might let you in on some of my deepest, darkest secrets - but not while we work for the same employer, or know people who do work for the same employer. 
I am taking Creative Writing, also, because I need to learn brevity and conciseness. I suck at that. Badly. I can take a sex scene and turn it into a 15 page fizzle faster than you can say “boo.” I mean, I can hear the choruses of “Jeez, are they gonna get it on or what?” from here, and I haven't even finished writing it. Come to think of it, I haven't even STARTED writing it yet. But you get the picture…
In my last INR class (last term), in which I nailed the course with an A, not an A- like some of my other friends (Joe, I'm just kidding… seriously), I was supposed to write a 14-16 page paper. Three hours before the paper is due, I realize that I'm on page 16, and haven't finished the intro yet. YES, it was that bad. But, anyhow, I guess I pulled a good one out of my ass, or the prof felt sorry for me, because I HAD to have nailed the paper to get the A, seeing that I only got a 78 on my final.
So, for this term, I decided to take something light, that might prove useful, should I ever in the future decide to write poetry or short fiction. I've been known to dabble in the occasional short fiction realm. Very occasional. But I've never really dwealt in Poetry. I like poetry by various poets: Thomas, Dickinson, Lord Tennyson, Poe, Angelou… but to write it is painful for me. Now I have five weeks of it, and a good incentive to do well. 
Then another six weeks of short fiction, in which I should excel.
Anyhow, enough about my new class…
Had brunch with a friend on Sunday. Bill, Liam as he likes to be called, is a great guy. We never get to see him much, now that he has moved up to Hollywood (90 minutes north of here). And now that we have these two things running around the house, called Kids. I've known Bill for 24 years. Scary when I think that. I also know many members of Bill's family. Anyhow, to put it short, Bill's sister, who was once my wife's best friend, is getting a divorce. We'd like to reach out to her, and let her know that we really have her in our hearts, and that we want what she feels is best for her, but the wench broke off communications with my wife after we told her what we really thought about her husband (see, the guy had cheated on her, ditched her, and then in a crying fit where she was criticizing him, my wife made the fatal error of agreeing, and then the wench and loser got back together, and it was downhill since for my wife). I've been thinking that now's the real time to get the two of them back together, so we can have a quick round of “I told you so”s and then a slow, languid round of Guinnesses, toasting to her new life. People make mistakes. It happens. Then you pick up and move on, hopefully a better person for it.
Brunch on Sunday was great. I make the best damn sausage gravy around… now if I could just get consistently good at it. Of course with the changing of the brand all the time, and the changing of the flavoring, it's difficult to really nail down the flavor.
So, what's going on with work?
Well, I went on a conference. I get $21 a day for food at this conference… and I ended up making about $80 at this conference. I spent a grand total of $19 - $13 in tolls, $6 on food… and am getting $96 in return. Not a bad deal. It'll come in handy for precious pun'kin's birthday. Logan will be 2! on June 3.
So, it seems that FIU wants to get rid of the rule that gives me one month of notice for every year that I've worked there, before they can terminate my contract. What this means for those of you not graced with this type of benefit, is that basically, they have to tell me three months before they fire me that they're going to fire me. Well, yeah… FIU wants to get rid of this benefit, and replace it with a flat 15-days. I know it sounds like I'm whining, but come on. You already pay me 30% below market value, give me SOMETHING to make up for it.
So they did…
We are now going to be required to wear suits, dress slacks, button down shirts, and the like when it is not summer. Of course, summer here in Florida lasts as long as Winter in Chicago (9-10 months, for those who are scratching their heads going “huh?”). No halter tops, no jeans (unless it's Friday), no thong sandals. Damn. And I'm just sad that I won't be able to see some of those on my coworkers.
Ah well…
It's time to close up here. Gotta get in bed, because I have an EARLY (5:15) bus, so I can get to work at a decent time.
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