Symbolism For My Birthday. I Promise I Won't Be This Cynical When I Come Back Up For Air. Oyster Crackers.

Oyster Cracker Dining, 2016

That was my lunch yesterday, I am guessing that it is was better than the one I'll have today. Yup, Oyster Crackers.

I exaggerate. After the Oyster Crackers, I did have an omelet. Let me explain.

I've been on a two month marathon of deadlines and all day long Monday, I was awaiting news for a grant I submitted last month. I needed to go to the University to do student evaluations, but I never made it to that end of town. Rather, I saw snow was coming and agreed to go with Pam to get her oil changed (so I could get a few groceries while we were out). I said, "Crandall, you can get all the school work done after you get groceries.

The groceries never happened, but the oil change did. We went to Ocean State Job Lot across the street from her dealership and then went back to get her car. It took two hours, however, and we were stuck in the waiting room. All we had were the oyster crackers she bought from the Dollar General store for soup she planned on making. She joked that we'd have to eat them for lunch. Then we actually did eat them for lunch because the oil change took forever. We were starving.

I wouldn't let us eat the whole bag, though, because I said, "After this craziness, I want an omelet. We're stopping at the diner and I'm having a pre-birthday omelet. My treat."

We did. Best part of the day yesterday.

Then the snow and ice came. Then the news that I didn't get the grant. Then, of course, I looked at the calendar for my birthday today: Meeting, Meeting, Meeting, Meeting, Meeting, followed by class, home by 8, then 2 hours to get ready for Wednesday classes. I'm not thrilled by any of it, but that's what happens when the day falls on a Tuesday and when my Tuesdays are absolutely insane.

The good news is that I will be home by 8 and that one of my meetings is serving lunch so I can pretend it's a party for me (so, the lunch will be better than the crackers, but probably not the omelet).

I am celebrating DAY OF ME on Wednesday night instead with bourbon and a Syracuse/Louisville basketball game. From 6 - 10 pm Wednesday I will be sitting still and vegging out to a tradition I love.

I've never had oyster crackers taste better than the one's at the dealership yesterday, but I truly am ready for the pace of the universe to slow down some. Here and there it's good to be busy, but I hate it when it's so busy I'm lost as to what it is I'm supposed to be doing.

Oh, wait...that would be blowing out candles.