Work Related: In Reviewing the American Revolution these past weeks, I challenged my students to learn and recite the 1st 2 stanzas (?) of Paul Revere's ride (okay, so that's a bit like torture, but hey, I need to evaluate effective speaking skills...lol). 

Anyway, I had several students mess up the author's name, such as Henry Watson, Harry Longfellow, Henry Waddlesworth, Henry Livingstone, Harry Long-"something-I-forgot".  It was extrememely hard to keep a straight face.   I  had a handful of students who did it perfectly, but most did a decent-to-okay job (they only had a week).   Those who didn't do all that great will be given a 2nd chance...so I am ready for some more laughs after Spring Break.

In other work news, our new Superintendent took away our "Casual Fridays."  Sigh...and I loved them.  I would just grab a pair of jeans, the good old school polo shirt, and off I went.  I honestly don't see the harm in wearing jeans once a week, but he wants us to continue the professional look all week.  I have a feeling this is just the beginning of many changes to come.   

The Baby's Coming Soon:  My sis is due to give birth at the beginning of May, and I am planning a baby shower for her.  She wants a baby snoopy theme, so I am currently creating the invites for that.  Thing is, she is not sure what she is having.  Her 1st ultrasound results given to her were It's A Boy, then she went for a 2nd time and it revealed a definite Its A Girl by a doc; then a 3rd revealed a Boy again (at a different location other than her regular doctor).  Hmmmm...I tell her, it shouldn't matter what the gender is as long as the baby is healthy (which it is).  She is thinking about one more, although she would have to pay for it.  Should she leave well enough alone?  I actually started doing the invite on a boy's theme.  I have no problem, however, doing a gender neutral theme, even though it's driving the family crazy not knowing.

For now, I have affectionately named her baby a "burl".

Baby Fever??:  For the past year and a half, I have been thinking about starting a family myself...what can I say, I'm a late bloomer, always have been for pretty much everything.  I'm 34 and yet to have my first child.  Chris and I have spoken about this, and we both want kids.  However, there are a few financial and technical kinks we want to straighten out before we can do this.  Honestly, the here-and-now would not be the best time to start. 

I recently expressed this desire to a Gyn., and how I worried about my age, but she told me that that there are many women out there older than I am having children, and that I should not fret.   I felt some relief, although I would rather be a mom when I have some energy left in me.

Is JoeUser for the Average User...  I don't want this to be an instance of complaining about the free ice cream, but I actually don't feel like I fit in at this site anymore.  It just seems that the site is now for the Average Gamer/Computer Aficionado/Politico who happens to want to blog.   When I started here, I liked that I was reading about personal experiences...experiences I could relate to, empathize with, laugh about, think about...but I see that less and less. 

I am not upset or angry in the least...it's more of a slight disappointment. And when we had a new facelift here at JU,  I was hoping we'd get to personalize our blog sites more (maybe more like a blogspot?), or maybe have a warmer feel to the forum....but it hasn't happened. 

As I browse through the most recent posts (about politics, personal computing, war on terror, demigod journals, etc.), my first thought is that this is not a place for me.  Yes, I do enjoy a good political/religous/current event blog now and then, but for the most part, I just want to read about what makes you interesting and real...Yes, YOU...not only about  the event or the scandal or the belief that you have a stance on...I just mostly want to learn and read about YOU.  But hey, that's just Me.

So, is this a goodbye? Well......No.  Why?  First of all, I never want to be the person who says goodbye and then comes back. Secondly, there are  still some real-life-experience blogs surviving here. And even if I don't read them regularly, I still enjoy seeing them when I do come around again. Thirdly, and most importantly, heck, I like some of you regular Joes.   Yes, I can find other ways of staying in contact with people here, but this is where I can see them at the same time, and it feels nice and feels comfortable.

Is this place geared towards someone like me? Ummmm...No.  Can it keep someone like me in  mind when making future updates/upgrades?  Gosh, honestly, I don't know...I guess time will tell on that one.

For now, though, I will keep coming here to spill my rants and to to hear what's going on with you...because, well, I like to, outcast-ness aside.