I finally did something

For a long time, I have been meaning to do something about this old bastard of a footstool that I have. I got it from my mum and we've had it for as long as I can remember. I think we might have gotten in when we lived in Yakima, but I can't be sure. There used to be a sofa that went with it, but that's long gone after being passed through Tristan's in-laws and subsequently burned in a house fire. I think.

Anyway, it was disgusting because our cats thought it was for horking on, for sharpening their claws, and on occasion, for peeing upon. But no more.

Disgusting!

It was so gross. I am a notoriously terrible haus frau and thus just don't give a fuck about cleanliness in the home. Obviously. Again, I've been meaning to do something about this footstool. I could never decide on a fabric or colour scheme or anything. Yesterday though, I was perusing my local... um... big-box store and spotted the perfect fabric:

It spoke to me.

Andy favoured the zig-zag pattern, while mum asserted that it made her ill looking at it, and thus chose the somewhat yonic pattern on the right. Since it used to be hers, I went with what she said.

First I had to rip that motherfucker apart. Let me tell you: I used to get fussed at for sitting on this thing. According to my mum and dad, "It's a footstool, not a butt-stool." When I was very tiny, I could curl up on it and relax happily until one of the parentals noticed me and made me sit properly on a couch. Tearing into this bastard was nice. 

I won't get into the gory details, but I went at it with wild abandon. No seam rippers here, kids.

After tearing off the old, I covered it with the new. I had to use a quilting needle and thread to attach it to the existing cushion. In retrospect, an upholstery needle wold have been nice. But you work with what you have. 

 Sorry it's sideways.

I also added an entire blanket's worth of batting to re-fill the void left in the middle by years and years of butts, feet, and fat cats. Not pictured is the embarrassing incident involving the machine sewing of the skirting (I forgot how to lower the foot on my machine), nor the actual process of sewing the cover to the cushion.

I was struggling with what to use to attach the two pieces. Then it came to me: Crochet! I made a chain about 5-6 feet and did two rows of dc. Andy rather liked the idea of both crochet and using brown wool, so I ended up with something that appeared to be someone's small intestine laid out for all to see. With poop. Lots of poop.

 I then used the same stupid needle to sew on the border.

And there you have it. Rough but useful.

A closer look at my half-assed chocolate dragon.

The cats seem to think it's a new bed. But I guess that's okay.

It's work(ing) again.

I'm trying really hard to get into "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. I'm on page 63, and it's really really odd for me not to just devour any book that is put in front of me.  I've been trying for 3 days now, and it's just not grabbing me. What's this business with the man getting sucked into that chick's vagina? I mean... really. And the dead wife? Suddenly I'm like on a Nordic ship or something? Tell me it will even out and make sense because right now, I'm about to give up.

Today I cleaned Steven's house for the first time. It's so nice to move about in a fully air-conditioned house. Frank kept trying to eat (no, really, BITING) the vacuum cleaner. Aside from that, there were no hangups or anything. We are also boarding Frank and Herma this weekend since Steven will be camping. I really really wanted to go, as I haven't been properly camping since that awful week in Florida the month I turned 20. Ugh. But really, I love camping. However, I have to work.

Speaking of work, the adjuncts got a nice nasty email from the new Dean, who my students are calling "The Trunchbull," but I am starting to refer to as "Umbridge." One, no letting class out early. Like I do that anyway. Any of my students will tell you that I am super strict, down to the second, about what time I let them go. Second, no talking about suicide, death, or drugs in class. : / I'm pretty sure I can avoid the subjects, as I'm really just doing composition, but it's still kind of annoying being told what I can and cannot do. Three, even though classes are only 11 weeks, I am expected to keep my students for the full 3 hours during week 12 (finals week). I had something in the back of my mind trying to stretch out the time, but I really cannot guarantee that they will stay the whole time. They are adults, for fuck's sake. If they feel like they are done, they are done. And as it's the last "class" of the semester, they ARE done. Finally, something about failure advising. This one gets my goat more than the rest combined.

I need to tell a handful of students that they are failing and advise them as to what to do about it. I'm getting fussed at constantly about not doing this and not documenting it in our system. Guys. What can I do? How do I tell a student he/she is failing if I never see them? Call them? Leave a message since none are answering? Email? Fuck if I know. What it really bothering me here I think is that no one told me that this was something I needed to do. Apparently it was a mid-term thing, and we are going into week 9 now I think. How can I do what I'm supposed to do if I don't know that I am supposed to do it?

Things are starting to look a little up. I sincerely look forward to Radford starting. I will be so busy this semester, but I think it's for the best. It's less time for me to sit around and feel sorry for myself. I'm quite curious about how many classes I will be getting at ITT. If I get something similar to this quarter, September-December will look as such:

M: (RU) 11am-4pm (ITT) 6-10:30
T: (RU) 5-6:15 pm
W: (RU) 11am-4pm
R: Steven 10-12 (RU) 5-6:15 pm
F: (RU) 11-4 (ITT) 6-10:30
Sa: (ITT) 9am-1pm
Su: Dead.

It's worth it though. I work best when I am obligated and busy. I haven't missed a day at ITT because I know how important it is that I be there. There have been days that I could have called in; should have called in. See also: my fucked up face from eczema. I'm going to make sure all my shit is in order for Radford. Last semester I was plagued with a terrible classroom (fucking trailers) and electronics that were constantly out of order. This semester, I'm going to make sure all of my stuff is up on D2L early and that my students are sure of every single thing that's going on. I will answer my emails as best I can. I will probably stay in my office hours longer than I advertise. I will grade things as soon as they come across my desk. I am going to do all these things because I must, and I want to.

That's all I've got now.