Californians put
an article in front of all their freeways: The 15; The 5; The 101… I’ve
spent the last two weeks driving up and down The 15 to and from faculty
orientation. Each week’s drive sums
about 15 hours. Given all of this, it’s only fitting that I title this post The
15 and update the Crenshaw household with a top 15 list.
15. The number
of sermons I’ve listened to during my 30 hours of driving. Someone give me an
M.Div!
14. The number
of hours my mom and Craig have spent watching the Republican National
Convention while I sat in HR health insurance meetings.
13. I counted 13
gopher holes in our front and back yard. I despise gophers. California
prohibits killing them. You can manage
them, but you can’t kill them. What if I manage to kill them?
12. Speaking of
wildlife around these parts. I’m up to 12 or 13 on the number of coyotes I’ve
seen roaming my neighborhood. Again, California prohibits harming these nasty,
mangy, blood thirsty, protected animals.
11. This one is
just a guess, but I would imagine I’ve signed up for 11 different technology
websites, compliments of all of my in-service training.
10. My sweet
baby boy knows at least 10 words: Bottle (that one’s his favorite); Nurse (it
was his favorite word until I started orientation—sad.); Gatsby; Bath; More;
Mommy; Daddy; School; Guitar; Car.
9. Feel sorry
for me. I still have nine pounds of baby weight left to lose. A few dinners ago, over Domino’s cheese
pizza, Craig asked me what my plan was for losing the rest of the weight. I was
a little indignant, but he had a right to ask; I talk about it often. I
facetiously asked if he thought 15 hours in the car each week might help tone.
Maybe I can drive up and down The 15 with one of those thigh master bars.
8. Christopher turned
eight months yesterday! He’s growing so fast. I keep trying to freeze time and
soak in all his baby-ness. But, alas, he keeps growing.
7. We’ve had seven
days hit above 85 degrees this summer. I know that may not sound too terribly
hot, but we don’t have AC, people! Sad face.
6. My sweet
mommy is here for six days. She’s been watching Christopher so he doesn’t have
to go to pre-school.
5. I should
probably be more embarrassed than I am by this: I have eaten five cans of
Gerber cheesy puffs in the last two weeks. They’re Christopher’s, of course,
but I eat them all. the. time.
4. In four days,
I start my Assistant Professor position at CBU. I’ll be teaching four English
courses.
3. Christopher
will attend three full days of childcare while I’m on campus teaching and
working. It’s difficult to leave him. I suffer from an unbelievable amount of
mommy guilt. But, ultimately, I think he’ll be just fine. He loves school. I
love school. And when I’m with him, I am with him. I do all of my professor/PhD
work at night and during his naps.
Dear Lord, please let Christopher sleep from
7pm to 7am until he’s old enough to entertain himself without being a harm to himself.
What age it that? 19? 20? 35?
2. I’ve
conducted two interviews for my dissertation. Three more to go. And then about
15,000 more hours of writing.
1. Condoleezza Rice. I’m always
inspired by this woman’s poise, precision, and persuasive speeches. Rice’s was
the only speech I was able to catch at the RNC, but my mom and Craig reenacted
Clint Eastwood’s for me.
