Tabling the Salt

In case anyone is wondering, I hate table salt. It tastes like rust. And makes my tongue hurt.

This semester I have been on a kick with popcorn as my study snack. Hey - it's fat free, cheap, crunchy, and satisfying. What else can I ask for?

This was actually inspired by the popcorn habit of an autistic teen girl I work with. She LOVES popcorn and has it almost every evening I have spent with her.

Smart girl, man! Popcorn: perfect snack!

So it's been almost nightly that I bust out my little popcorn maker (One of the best gifts I have ever received, courtesy my lovely ladies from SMFA) and cook up some fresh hot popped corn. I toss some sea salt on it, bring it and my cup of tea to my desk, and try my darnedest to not inhale it Cookie Monster style. There are even nights when I have to restrain myself from making a second bowl.

Last night I ran out of sea salt. I shed a little tear and put "buy Sea Salt" on my to-do list for on my way home from the library today. But this morning I decided to work from home instead, seeing no reason to haul my crap to the library and cause myself even more back pain.

After an ungratifying can of soup for lunch I decided that what I needed was a nice piping hot bowl of popcorn! I whipped it up, tossed it in the bowl, and...

Oh, sad face! I'm out of Sea Salt.

I thought, oh it's not such a big deal. I'll just toss some table salt on it. It won't be that different.

Well, kids, I am here to tell you that it is. And it SUCKS. My popcorn tasted like... well, rusty. And all my saltiness tasting taste buds cringed.

I had to abandon my popcorn. It was tragic.

I hereby declare myself Anti-Table Salt.

Oh Monday...

I have been working hard all weekend on a number of different papers and on the final steps for a group project which was due for presentation this morning in my class titled "Examining Power, Privilege, and Oppression". I've been really stressed about it all. Rather, *am* really stressed about it all, about getting it all done.

After a full 8hr day at the library, and 3 more hours of working when I arrived home, I went to bed at 2am (this has been the norm for the last few weeks), and set my alarm for 7am, hoping to get to school by 8am to do one last minute bit.

I woke up at 7:40 with my little "daylight/sunrise" alarm going off, glowing happily and radio chattering away, and my cell phone alarm in hand and shoved under my pillow. It too was buzzing away, as well as sounding it's annoying alarm. I had probably been hitting snooze for the last 40 minutes but I have no memory of it.

So I scramble to get everything together. get dressed. look nice. get books for afternoon class. feed cat. brush teeth. make coffee! oh, don't forget breakfast!

I get to school at 8:45 and thankfully find that the last bit i thought I needed to do did not need to be done.

My group and I present our project (A discussion of the culture of, history of, and counseling issues pertaining to counseling refugees from the Sudan and Somalia - no small deal, let me tell you!).

The presentation goes great!

As soon as it's over I scurry off to the restroom...

Where I discover that I have my undies on backwards!

Well, that explains why they were all in a bunch.

And yes, I am thankful that they are the *only* thing I have put on backwards, or that I remembered to put them on at all.

Oh, Monday...

Dear Term Paper:

Dear term paper on Gender Role Quality Development:

I am sorry that you are feeling moody and have locked yourself in the bathroom, but I really need you to come out now. I know you are having a very rough week, but can we please talk about it later?

I am sorry that you are feeling bloated, and tired, and feeling like no one listens to you... yes, I know, not even the cat. But I really wasn't trying to offend you.

No. that isn't what I meant.

I'm sorry, I was trying to be funny.

Yes, I was being an ass. You are right.

No, I think you are beautiful... OK, sexy. Incredibly hot!

Yes, I really mean that.

Will you come out now? Please?

You see, we are kind of running out of time...