The unexpected term from Hades ended yesterday.
Thank goodness.

I felt the students were trying to drain my very soul.
There were just so many students at need.  By need, I mean “I’m special.”  “I can’t do this.” “I suck.” “Why can’t I do this my way.”

Apparently, there was at least two pregnant, one with cancer, one whose sister died and she was trying to adopt her niece.  One guy went to Europe for a couple of weeks….   You know the drill.

My best friend’s aunt’s cat died to pneumonia but was resurrected by aliens that kidnaped by uncle’s niece’s hybrid car.

Spaceballs said it better.      But, you get the idea.

Although one had her big word panties on and used ‘plethora’ correctly.   Unfortunately, ‘juxtapose’ remained a mystery to her.

Well, it’s over, much to the dismay of the three people who asked me if I was still grading at midnight.

Nope. Nope. Nope.

The change of season didn’t help either.
It was warm.   Too warm.  Over the span of two days, it dropped to sixty and the leaves changed.    Now, it’s like thirty degrees with a threat of snow on Halloween with forty miles per hour winds.

Summer acted like it wanted to stay forever but left like an unwanted houseguest.  Autumn, beautiful autumn with its reds and yellows, dropped trowl before we could even enjoy it and now it’s basically winter.

It’s really placed me in an awkward state.  For those who may or may not know, I have a metal instrument in me.   Commonly, it’s known as a spine.  For me, my spine is a couple of steel rods that were implanted over twenty years ago.

The feelings I get are a lot more than someone’s trick knee when it rains.  I feel it all the time.  The weather. The change in the wind.  Moisture in the air even.

I’ve gotten to where I think I manage it pretty well.   After all… um…  actually 26 years.
But at specific times of the year, especially when the seasons change, I really feel it.   The strain in my shoulders.   Aching in the small of my back.

I like to think that it reminds me of the one-time spiritual connection I had with nature when I was a Wiccan.   Well, I guess I still have that connection.   It’s just not… it’s important, but not the center as it was.

Anyway, it just makes it even more important that I move.  By move I mean exercise.  Walk.   Just do something.

But for the past week, my instinct was to remain in bed, curled up, sleeping.    No playing games, reading, or watching Netflix.    Just sleeping.

The only reason why I’m up now is to feed the no-show trick-or-treaters.  Should anyone show up, I’m going to give them at least half the bowl, if not more.   I’ve already (shamefully) picked out my candy (Kit-Kat) from this year’s Sam’s Club haul.
Some lucky kids can have everything else so I don’t start getting into the peanut butter cups.

Which has been triggering my whole personal campaign to lose weight.   You know, the whole anorexia thing.

The thing is that none of these are big issues.   They’re small.   Paltry.   They don’t mean anything, but I’m letting them have some sort of power over me.  It’s just really dragging me down and there’s no reason for them to let me.

There are bigger problems.
The roof of the Florida house needs to be replaced.
California is on fire.  People are evacuating and leaving people with disabilities behind to burn.
I would add the thing about impeachment, but even the blind saw that coming.
–  The House voted along with party lies.   Ooohhh….  shocker.

It’s just, I don’t know.
I had thought to upgrade my Grammarly account and purchase a subscription to this website during one of their flash sales.

November is the unofficial novel writing month.
I wanted to give it a shot.  But, I’m drained.  I dunno.

I’d say there’s stuff going on, but there isn’t.

Anyway, I hope everyone’s doing well.