it ain't easy being saucytart

S is for Syllabi

Saucytart sat up into the wee hours last night working on her syllabi.

Her new classes start next Tuesday and she takes seriously the shaping of young minds.  Her courses will be in the art of academic writing, with an emphasis on research and documentation as well as close and critical reading.  No plagiarism, please. 

It's been a few years since Saucytart has taught university composition courses, but she's really excited.  She loves reading and writing, so what better venue than a university to do more of the same. What she finds so interesting about this employment turn of events is that teaching college students to write was her first New York job. 

It seems Saucytart has come full circle, in a good way.  She's fallen into a karmic hole, a bit like Alice fell into the rabbit hole.  What wondrous things will next befall her?

Purging and Packing

Saucytart has been putting off sorting through a box -- a crate, really -- of photos, some more than a decade old, and most of them of Snudge.

Now that she and Snudge are moving to a new apartment, better situated but smaller, it's become imperative that she down-size.  Moving day is a couple of weeks from now, but the process of packing up and, of course, purging has begun.

Two weeks ago, Saucytart hauled out three bags of books, old bedding, towels, clothes, shoes, a mini-stereo.  And there's more, more, more.  Until recently she hadn't bought batteries of any sort for three years.  Be prepared has always been her motto (not counting the slip that produced her lovely little guy).

Last night's project took that crate of photos down to a manageable shoe box, which can be edited to put in albums -- with any luck before another decade passes!

Saucytart laughed and cried, and laughed some more as she went through all those amazing photos.  She found her original ultrasounds of Snudge, photos of her Nepalese wedding ceremony, the opening day of her boutique, Shangri-La, Snudge wearing a pull-up (clean, of course!) on his head, and Snudge's Dad when he was a boy. 

The photos of Snudge as a baby were incredible.  His personality simply shines.  And Saucytart grew a wee bit verklempt when she saw the photos of herself and Snudge's Dad.  There was a lot of love there.  She plans to make an album for Snudge with photos of him and his Dad together, to help Snudge keep his Dad in his heart even though they are separated by thousands of miles. 

This purging and packing has been good for Saucytart.  She feels lighter of spirit, sounder of heart.

Eat More Blueberries

Saucytart knew there was a reason she bought those beautiful blueberries in the market.  Apparently the lovely blueberry puts the starch where it needs to be in the men folk.

According to Men's Health: Forget Viagra. Mother Nature's original blue potency capsule may do even more for you.

"Blueberries are one of the best foods for older men with erectile problems," says Mary Ellen Camire, PhD, a professor of food science at the University of Maine. "They're loaded with soluble fiber, which helps push excess cholesterol through your digestive system before it can be broken down, absorbed, and deposited along the walls of your arteries," she says. "They're also packed with compounds that help relax your blood vessels, improving circulation."

The benefit of lower cholesterol and better bloodflow? More blood to the penis and stronger erections as you grow older. For maximum potency and performance, Camire recommends eating a serving of blueberries (fresh or blended into a drink) at least three or four times a week.

Blueberry smoothie, anyone? Anyone?

Good Ju-Ju

Saucytart is simply glowing with goodness.

She has survived the holiday funk (more than moderately sober) and is happy to report that the funk was a necessary evil to self-discovery.

For most of her adult life, Saucytart has buried her feelings and like a thick pile of compost, they have fermented and frankly, stink. 

Composting is by its nature a good thing. It's organic and who doesn't love that!  All those old orange peels and coffee grounds break, which here means the stuff you don't need any more, breaks down to provide nutrients for new growth.

So, in that context, it's time to make way for something, bigger, better and greener.  It's just good Ju-Ju.

A Few of Her Favorite Phrases

Without further ado, Saucytart presents her favorite work-related phrases (and what they really mean):

• We're restructuring and eliminating your position. (There are no grounds to fire you, but we need you gone.)

• We're moving in another direction.  (It's 360 away from you. Next.)

• At this time we are unable to pursue this conversation further. (We screwed up and tried to hire a temp without going through the agency.)

• We're holding off on hiring anyone permanent.  (It's cheaper to suck the blood out of interns who will work for nothing or next to nothing.)

• Our budget ranges from $ to $$. It's doubtful it will go higher than that. (We want the most bang for our buck which is why we're low balling. We can do better, but boy are we cheap.

There are more, so many, many more. But Saucytart would like to make this Minimum Negativity Monday.

Apples Ain't Oranges

Saucytart has an annoying habit of comparing herself to others who by all appearances seem to be smarter, svelter, more successful, just plain mo' better.

She wishes she would stop this all too maddening behavior.

The distraction of oneupsmanship is presently preventing Saucytart from appreciating her many wonderful and diverse good qualities. 

She would like to be genuinely happy for others who are achieving their life's dreams instead of feeling frustrated by her own shortcomings. 

Saucytart is no slouch, but she sets impossibly high standards at times.  Today she's consumed by the fact that it's taken her nearly four years to sort out her personal and professional life after the marital strife.    Four years seems like a life time to her.

Especially when all around her is evidence of others who have done more, realized more, been more incredible. 

Perhaps Saucytart is too hard on herself. Or perhaps she isn't demanding enough.

Traditions Are Meant to Be Broken

Despite the best-laid plans, Saucytart broke her New Year's Eve tradition -- again.

Usually she and Snudge go ice-skating then revel with the rest of the merry-makers at a dinner out or at the fireworks in the park.  Last year the terrific two-some got home from Geneva on New Year's Eve and were exhausted, so they did the smart thing. They went to bed at 8 p.m.

This year she and the delicious boy child were home for the holidays. The disparity between what Saucytart hoped for and what actually occurred was great.  Overall, it was a pleasant holiday and a good time was had by all.

However, the year past has been difficult and the last few weeks of the year were more so.  Saucytart was not feeling the Christmas spirit, though she made every effort to fake it for Snudge.  Quite a feat since she cried like a leaky faucet for two weeks before the big day itself.

The long and the short of it is this: The old gal finally got around to grieving for things lost in the past four years -- one marriage, three businesses, numerous friends, and a lovely apartment. 

So the two of them decided to stay in New Year's Eve, to be with each other and to gorge themselves on the Beverly Hillbillies Marathon.

The theme for 2008: Out with the old and in with the new.

Happy Possum Day!