You deserve nothing but the best birthday weekend EVER!

I'm finally getting a haircut this weekend (I really need it) - I might even go BLACK.

I got a haircut tonight. I feel so much more aerodynamic.

I had to withdraw from the moot court competition.

The students on the moot court board this year can't be bothered to do the actual work associated with their little resume booster. So, they delayed getting the in-house competition started, delayed getting results to us, and didn't co-ordinate the in-house competition with the regional competition. So, I'm supposed to sign my name to a piece of paper swearing that I'll compete, that won't be turned in until next week, and then - and only then - when the regional competition processes it, they'll assign us a side.

So, I'd have a 50/50 chance of being assigned to the opposite side and having to REWRITE the entire brief in about 10 days to meet the brief submission deadline. And the moot court board's response? Oh well - take it up with the regional competition people. THEY should be doing that. THEY should be getting us coaches.

Meanwhile, other schools that signed up their teams in May had all this time to work on their briefs. But SU wants to send its students into competition with 10 days to work on it.

It's completely ridiculous. I can not re-write the brief, prepare both sides of the oral argument, recruit my own coach -- and continue with my other coursework.

So, they said I had to withdraw. So I did.

Once again - any time I accomplish something, any time it's one step forward it's two steps backwards.

Once you do, you'll never go back. Or so they say...

I have no idea who this is credited to. But I like it and I think that people here will like it too:

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 CUPS OF COFFEE

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 Hours in a day is not enough,
Remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in
Front of him. When the class began, wordlessly,
He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
And proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the
Jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open
Areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full..
They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee
From under the table And poured the entire contents
Into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
"I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health,
Friends, and Favorite passions -- things that if everything else was
Lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and
Car.

The sand is everything else --the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued,
"there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
Important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play With your children. Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.
"Take care of the golf balls first --the things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired
What the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked".
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

I get to interview with the US DOT. I'm not entirely certain that I would want to work in DC, but I can't deny that it would be a good opportunity. And I need the interview practice.

So, after having aged 10 years between yesterday morning until just a few minutes ago. The major disaster is now past and I have many more gray hairs thanks to my roomie's situation. But, it's over, it's done with, I'm safe and I'm going to be at Disneyland in 7 days. Whew......and yay!

I just got home from work. I had some errands to run tonight. 1 problem. There is a Boy passedout on his bed. How can I run errnads if he is OUT. I knew he wasn't feeling quite up to snuff, but for him to be out, and in his bed is just odd. *sigh*