Random ramblings

The pixie is talking more and more, and her speech is coming clearer and clearer.  Same with the imp.  In a way, I'm kind of sorry--the imp, in particular, has a smart mouth, and now that he can articulate what he's thinking (and I can understand it), it gets him into trouble.  A lot.

The imp is doing pretty well on his quarter dose of Zyrtec (2.5 mg, where an adult dose is 10 mg).  When he doesn't get it, he turns into a mean little jerk.  I'm pretty sure he has at least hay fever.

I found out last night that Cricket (the black and white kitten) either is sick, or just doesn't like the pixie.  She hopped up on the pixie's toddler bed and piddled on her comforter, last night. 

Pup is doing really well in house training.  Yeah, she has accidents, but she's still only two months old, and doesn't really have full control over her bodily functions.

I had sent a short story off to a publisher for consideration in January.  I got word that it was rejected earlier this month, and am considering extending and self-publishing it.  Odysseus has some good ideas for an extended plot line, and I'm getting more and more interested.  I don't think it'll be a long novel, but it'll definitely be pushing the novel mark. 

But, like everything else, it's going to need to wait until Thanksgiving Break at the earliest, more likely Christmas Break.  My stupids are sapping my creativity by sucking down all the mental energy I have to not drop a nuclear snark-bomb on their whiny asses. 

Don't get me wrong--not all of my students are in that category.  I have a few that are strong writers, and a few others who are willing to try to find a solution to their problems ("When I try to do X, this goes wrong at this  point...what's happening, and how can I fix it?  Is there a work around that I might not know about?") instead of wailing "I can't doooo iiiitttt!!!  Do it for me, and give me full credit!"

Unfortunately, for a disproportionately small minority (about a dozen out of forty-six students), they take up a majority of my time, energy, patience, and strength.