On Thursday I received a phone call first thing in the morning at work on my cell phone. It was from the local superintendent of schools- yes- imagine my surprise! & then my subsequent relief when it turned out to be an automated message regarding a new system they’re going to be using.

I didn’t get all the details on the phone- being crouched under my desk made it hard to maintain the phone’s signal- we’re not supposed to use our phones on the floor- it was before work but they don’t care- phones are only allowed to be used in the break rooms or the bathrooms- annoying- but where I work is full of College students & they don’t always make the best judgements- everyone gets punished for a few people’s stupidity.

Sure enough- last night when we got home from grocery shopping there were introductory letters in the mail for me to link myself with their program- brought to them by Honeywell. It will email & text message me if the school needs to get in touch with me in an emergency situation or if the school closes early due to bad weather etc.

I filled it out- I wasn’t sure I was comfortable about it. I was less so upon entering the site & finding that they’ve got my custody status of my kids (I have full custody) right there on the main page- then it occurred to me that that could be useful info if my ex were to show up at the elementary school & try to take the kids off with him. (why yes I am paranoid- thank you for noticing) They don’t even list our address though so it couldn’t be too seriously intrusive.

I subscribe to an online page a day calendar – mostly weird trivia facts is what I get online- the paper calendar for work is brain teasers- today the online entry was on a company which turns cremated human remains into diamonds. They point out that- diamonds are carbon—the same stuff humans are made of—and that it’s been possible to manufacture diamonds from carbon since the 1970s. The company makes blue-tinted diamonds (which get their hue from the boron present in human remains)  for $4,000 and up, depending on the size of the diamond desired. I can’t imagine my kids getting together to make me into a diamond. If they did they’d probably fight & argue about who got to keep it or wear it & then someone would lose it (I mean me?) & the other two would never speak to them again.

I don’t always want to debate things myself but I love reading a good debate anytime. A local blogger has pointed out some difficult things about our area. Not being from here I don’t feel like I have the right to comment – nor do I have anything new to add- my own opinions are expressed by the blogger & by the many people who supported & agreed with his ideas. I have had some personal experience with the book writer in question at the flea market I went to with a co-worker because the co-worker also has strong views & opinions on the issue. He restrained himself from getting in the booksellers face this year because I was along & last week at work I called his attention to this debate online.

I came across this person’s blog because of a comment on a fairly political blog I read at least once a week. I admit- I clicked on her because her name was the same as mine- though I did like what she said too. Sadly- she’s not telling me anything I don’t already know- I live a life in which my company can shift gears & begin insisting in punitive amounts of mandatory overtime with little or no warning- I know things could be better- after all I lived in MA most of my life- you have a few more rights there- here in VA we’re a right to work state & the company is king.

Our weekend is going quietly & slowly- reading- sleeping in & debates over dinner are the rules of the day. We’re decided that we will have a smaller – scaled down Halloween party. Just out on the porch- not in the house after all. Mostly because I’m going to be so broke between now & then (& longer still) that something has to give & the halloween ideas are what is giving.