Wearing my Peyton Manning Colts jersey I sat on the edge of my chair watching the play off game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens.

Just how did that feel for a Ravens fan? In to town comes the team that packed up and left in the middle of the night...not even so much as a "F*** You" on the way out of town...no note...only a surprise forwarding address.

At least when Baltimore stole the Cleveland team, there was a "Hey, we're leaving" warning. I am sure in retrospect, 'the owner' (still can't bring myself to acknowledge the guy) had wished he had pulled the same cowardly move and saved himself months of death threats and harassments. Die hard football fans are brutal...over a game.

I must admit, though, that I will NEVER, EVER cheer on the Baltimore Ravens...probably what a Ravens fan feels about the Colts now. At least we stripped them of the Browns name. Doesn't matter. When the Ravens come into Cleveland, they need an arsenal of protection.

As Peyton said after their fabulous win over the Ravens tonight...he couldn't count the number of middle fingers they got as their busses rolled into Baltimore. It was the most hostile environment you could imagine.

I almost...ALMOST felt sorry for the Ravens fans sitting there watching the Colts take down their team in their stadium in the town that the Colts abandoned. But, since I have absolutely NO affection for the Ravens, I laughed when Ray Lewis went storming off the sidelines towards the locker room when McNair had the ball batted out of his grip in the last 26 seconds of the game. Not like they stood a snowball's chance in hell by that point anyway...they needed to score 2 touchdowns to win. It just was the icing on the cake for him. Poor Ray. See the tears flowing down my cheeks?

I do not know how the Colts will fare next weekend...they might stand a wee bit better of a chance against the Patriots than they would the Chargers. But the Colts are known for choking. I am just hoping they have someone on the field that knows the heimlich.

So, today I went to the college to do some things. I signed up for one more class, got a map of the buildings, and found my way down to the bookstore. It was all coming back to me. I guess it was good to know that I hadn't totally forgotten what it was like. And I am also grateful that I already have my Bachelor's degree so that this won't be such a long drawn out affair.

The class I decided to sign up for today at the last minute may be something that I could have tested out of but, as I told the registrar when she told me that...if I'm starting over, and doing something new...I want to make SURE I have it all. And, at the worst, it could do great things for my GPA. GPA. Oi.

Then, in the bookstore I was scoping out the books I would need. AND the prices...another OI! I remember when I about died when I picked up a brand new book once and it was about $50!!! (Hey, you know how old I am! It's in my profile!) Here I was looking at one book costing $110!!!

I found some used ones and was feeling anxious about paying for them after doling out a whole bunch of greenage to pay off some lingering hospital bills this morning. Oh, well...suck it up...I figured I'd just go home and crunch some numbers. My loan money wouldn't be given out until the middle of February and I'd get it back then.

I took my books up to the counter and handed the woman my schedule. They have to double check, you know, becuz they certainly wouldn't want you to waste money on a book you don't need! She asked me, "Cash or Financial Aide?" I just stood there with what I figure must have been a REAL puzzled look on my face! It felt puzzled...cuz me brain was! I just stammered that I had a student loan. She just smiled, typed my 'student number' into the computer and told me how much money I had left in my account after I 'paid' for my classes! She swiped the books, told me how much she subtracted and handed them back!

I just started laughing and said that when I had went to college the first time around it was just my wallet and the bookstore! She laughed and said, "Well, now it's just financial Aide and the bookstore! So much easier!" I just shrugged and said, "Then it is my wallet and the loan." to which she said, "Oh, well. worry about that later." Good advice. Later.

I walked out of there stunned! Even when Troy went to school and I had gotten him a student loan, it didn't work like that. We had to wait for the funds to be dispersed so that we could get reimbursed for what we spent on his books.

This is cool! A school account! Dang, I feel old! Just wait until Tuesday morning comes and I slide into my seat next to a 19 year old.

So, yesterday...even after spending 36 hours hugging a the porcelain facility, I plopped out of bed yesterday to take my daughter to the doctor for her med check up. We're still trying to find the right dosage for her but having been through all of it with my son, the doctor has a better starting place with her...right med, just need to find how much.

ANYWAY, Jr. was up bright and early. It was a sunny day and he wanted me to take him out with the car so he could get some more driving practice in. Considering he hasn't had a lot of it, he does amazingly well! He DID notice me gripping the door handle quite tightly and asked me if I was going to be all right...or just freak out on him. I told him that I always rode that way when his father was driving so not to take it personal. He was doing good...just stay in between the white edge line and the yellow center lines! No longer does he give me whiplash when he stops, and his turning has gotten way better. The new task to learn...the steering wheel does not turn in the direction his eyes go!!! Oi.

We drove into the next town (Huber Heights) becuz I had saved a whole bunch of errands (returning unwanted Christmas crap and getting new doodads for the little furry balls known as their hamsters). The kids were looking to spend some coinage in the music/video section of the local Target' (pronounced..Tar--Jzay) and I decided that I deserved something good myself after surviving the internal organ rampage AND my son's driving lesson so I promptly bought myself that John Mayer CD "Continuum" (which is just too wonderful to describe)AND, of course, a stop at the Bath and Body Works for some delightful body washes and creams of various scents. See, I CAN do some things just for ME. (btw way girls, that new scent they are toting "wild honeysuckle" is the BEST thing I have slathered on myself in a lllooooonnnnngggg time..even better than Opium!...and don't miss out on the black raspberry vanilla! mmmmmm)

But, we made it home in one piece...no bumps, bruises...and my son picked up the point values on various pedestrian types. The smaller and faster they are, the more they are worth. The larger they are and the more damage that they can do to your vehicle...you just have to decide...is the point value worth the price to fix the damage to your car? For instance, someone on a bike moving quickly COULD bring more points for tagging them just becuz of the skill involved in catching them BUT you have to consider the damage to the hood and bumper...is it REALLY worth it?

Oh, now!!! I am just kidding! or am i?

Talking to several friends this morning about irony. And I related this bit of irony to one of them...one of my teaching experiences...and it was to get a point across, also, that if I feel it is right and my superior is wrong, I don't have a problem in planting my feet and saying so...

For one year I taught in a less than stellar community in Cleveland at an all black Catholic school. I loved the school, the students, and MOST of my fellow teachers. The principal was a rather large woman....large in every sense. How she managed on those heels was always a wonderment to me. She towered over most of the students...even the very tall 8th grade boys. When she was angry and coming down the hall you could hear every stomp and the students would just automatically sit up straight and their eyes would pop! On a regular basis she would line them up in the hallway and march up and down giving them the 'school is business and business is serious' speech.

I taught 4th grade at that school...except for taking on the 8th grade math. The 8th grade teacher she had hired was really a high school history teacher...he couldn't handle the math class so I traded him...he would teach my 4th grade social studies class (which bored the life out of me) and I would teach his 8th grade algebra class. Ms. Koubeck (the principal--not a nun) blessed the idea since he turned out to be such a doofus...which, really, the mistake was hers. And his name was David. Another 8th grade teacher named David. Doofus Dave...again.

ANYWAY, one of my 4th graders (Michael) was dropped off at school each morning by his father in a most expensive red sports car of some sort. It was well known how Michael's father made his money...he was a drug dealer. And he had lots of bling. Still, I thought it was something that he sent his son to private Catholic school. Michael was a little dickens...but never anything mean...a little mischievous fun. He was bright, friendly, and I don't think I ever saw him frown. He knew that Bible front and back. I think he knew more than Sister-whats-her-name that came in to teach religion class. I wasn't allowed to do it since I am not Catholic.

That year, for the Christmas program, the 4th grade was incharge of the nativity portion of the 'show'. Which means, I was summoned and told to choose who would be Joseph, Mary, shepherds, angels, etc. I let the kids believe that I was picking names randomly...and I did...except for 'Joseph'. I felt strongly that Michael deserved the part. So, when I handed the list into Ms. Koubeck she called me back in her office and shut the door. She sternly looked at me from behind her desk and told me that Michael was NOT to be Joseph becuz his father was a drug dealer. I narrowed my eyes and asked her how that was Michael's fault! I told her that I thought a Catholic school, of all places, would be more supportive and encouraging. That Michael was bright, knew his Bible and religion better than any of the other kids and did very well in school. And as far as I was concerned he was going to be Joseph...if she wanted to change it, then SHE could come into my room and tell them it was changed and why. I turned and left. Needless to say, Michael was Joseph. And the night of the program he walked down the aisle of the auditorium with his head held high and the biggest grin on his face.

The idea that the principal did not want Michael to be Joseph becuz of his father's actions...in a Catholic School, no less, was quite the irony, don't you think?

That's it, I'm moving! The Browns suck, the Indians suck, the Cavs aren't doing all that swell, and the ONE TEAM I thought would pull it out just sent a bunch of look alikes in their uniforms out on the field last night! And on top of it, I don't get my alligator purse.

(Un)fortunately I didn't get to see the game much passed the first quarter. I had a nasty case of food poisoning! I won't tell anyone what it was I ate...it just might have been some ingredient in it, for all I know, that did me in. There seems to be a lot of things in processed food that does not mix with me. That's why I usually do my own cooking. And there are certain restaurants that I just KNOW I cannot eat at.

Anyway, here it is almost 3 in the afternoon and I am just now able to function without getting sick. Unbelievable. Thank heavens my kids are old enough to fend for themselves. It was hell when they were wee and I would be struck down with one of those skull blasting migraines. Where was the daddy? Usually hanging out at a buddy's getting high or drunk and the buddy conveniently didn't have a phone (ppl didn't have cell phones, yet, and I'm sure he would have not answered anyway). But, that was the past, and now the kids can feed themselves, at least.

And now the mantra of all Browns/Indians fans...for the Buckeye Fans after last night...THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR. sigh.