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Today has been a strange day, and I’m going to blog about it.  I wanted to post pictures of my latest knitting (the cutest baby socks pretty much ever knit), but the weather hasn’t been cooperating with my picture-taking desires.  And I don’t have enough links accumulated for a links-around.  So instead you’re going to get a random blog post about all the random stuff going on.

First of all, I think I may be running a slight fever, perhaps an aftershock of my cold.  Either that, or the beans & rice I had for lunch had something funny in them.  Or maybe I just should have had that afternoon cup of coffee.  Whatever it is, everything seems slightly surreal today – like the colors aren’t quite right, or maybe there’s some background noise that shouldn’t be there, or – I don’t know.  It’s not unpleasant, just strange, and it makes everything else strange as well.

The organization that I work for is in the process of moving from one building (located at the heart of our college campus) to another (much more beautiful, but just out of walking distance from the campus).  The administrative offices have all made the move, and over the next year or so, the various divisions are all supposed to move in as well.  In order to help people know where all the new administrative offices are located, each division has been getting a tour of the new facility.  Consequently, once a week or so at my new work, one of the corporate High Muckamucks has been shepherding large groups of curiously shy research engineers from the various divisions through our maze of cubicles, proclaiming that here they can see the rare creature known as the Contract Specialist, etc.  We had another group through this afternoon, and it was exactly as zoolike and bizarre as you’re imagining.  I can’t wait until the group from my own division comes through – that’s going to be a good time!

Something else to file under the Rather Odd tab: today I got an envelope from HR telling me that because I fit certain qualifications (it did not state what these qualifications were), I was eligible to receive a $75 rebate on my annual parking pass.  I only have to present myself at the Bursar’s office bearing the letter and a form of photo ID, and I would get this rebate.  I’m torn between joyful relief (this makes the pass, which I must have to park at my new work, only Really, Really Expensive instead of Ridiculously Exorbitant), and the foreboding suspicion that this must be a trap.  Since when has Parking Services ever been anything but humorless blood-suckers?  I just don’t get it.  It won’t stop me from presenting myself to get it, but all the same…

At my old work, there is a professor who works down the hall from me who is a character.  He’s a lanky, silver-haired immigrant from Morocco with boundless energy and a collection of very interesting sweaters that always has me staring at his chest trying to figure out the knitting pattern.  A while back, one of my coworkers told him about my various employment travails, and he decided that he was Going To Help Me.  Apparently, this involved me becoming an English as a Second Language tutor for the various foreign students he mentors, even though I have never taught ESL (or even just plain English), nor had it ever occurred to me that I should.  Such was the force of his enthusiasm for this plan, that somehow I ended up agreeing, and sending him my personal contact info.  A while later, I was contacted by one of his students, who wants me to tutor his sister, a student at Wright State, and now I’m in the process of scheduling our first lesson.  I’m still not sure about this – I mean, God knows I’m good with English, and I know I’m a good teacher, but shouldn’t I have more qualifications than that?  I’ve been researching ESL courses, and it looks like I probably could do a good job at this.  Still, it feels weird.

Also, one of our old neighbors (they’ve lived across the street from my parents for over 30 years) have decided that they’re moving, and they want to rent out the house to the right person for the incredibly low cost of $275/month plus utilities.  Yes, you read that right.  And it’s a full size house too, with three bedrooms, one and a half baths, living room, dining room, big kitchen, basement, attic, and detached garage.  My mom was asking if Rosie, Johnnycakes and I were interested, and frankly, I don’t know.  Having a whole big house to spread out in would be lovely, but the prospect of having to mow the lawn and shovel the walks and things – I’m really not a fan of snow shoveling.  But then, as the only roommate with a car, I could probably park in the garage, and then I wouldn’t have to scrape frost of my windshield ever again.  I really hate scraping my windshield.  But then, we would have to move.  I hate moving.  Hate it, hate it, hate it.  Plus, we really like our snug little townhouse.  All things considered, I don’t think we’re interested, but, well, is anyone else?  It would be great to have some friends move in.

Here endeth the randomness – perhaps tomorrow will be better?  I’ll let you know!