I live in a rental because I refuse to buy property in a state where my partner cannot find a job. We are going in to Year 3 of living 700 miles apart, and no end in sight, unless one or both of us is willing to ditch our careers. Theoretically I could find a job somewhere else. I might get struck by lightning, too.
The person came over today to inspect the property and bring my new lease. She said, “Wow, you have a lot of books.” I never know what to say to that. I said, “Yup.”
“Are you enjoying your summer off?” she asked. “You’re a teacher, right?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m doing a lot of writing.”
“In your free time, just for fun?”
I laughed and laughed. Then I explained that I need to publish in order to keep my job, so writing is what I do all summer. I did not explain that I don’t get paid for working in the summer.
Then I asked her to send someone to fix the dryer. Sigh.
July 23, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Hahaha. Summer off. Hahaha.
The kindergarten teacher down the street always questions why on earth I’m still sending my kid to preschool when I’m not teaching over the summer. Summer’s when all the work gets done! (You would think I would only have to explain this once, and you might wonder why she doesn’t grill DH the same way, but that is one of the great mysteries of life. Personally, I blame the patriarchy.)
July 24, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Did you ever see the photos of recently retired Supreme Court Judge David Souter’s home?
Unpretentions dwelling in the middle of an unkempt field qua yard, and the inside walls consisting entirely of filled bookcases–MY kind of retirement home.
On the same subject, when Jerry Brown took over the CA governor’s mansion from Ronald Reagan, he noted not a single bookcase anywhere in the home.
Subject for thought.
July 24, 2010 at 4:53 pm
mmmm walls of filled bookcases.
Dreamy!
We want:

I bet Souter is going to catch up on some of that reading he’s been meaning to get to. Ah, heaven.
December 17, 2010 at 8:35 am
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