Stranger in a Strange Land

In addition to alluding to a 1960s sci-fi novel that I've never read, this post title accurately sums up how I feel this evening as I am sans Subaru, seeing as she is in the shop waiting to be diagnosed. Again. Last time, my trip to the auto-repair gurus turned up lots of fodder, but not this time, so you'll have to be content to read about how I packed.

Miss Gokey graciously offered me a couch to surf on and a ride to work tomorrow, as well as the next day, if need be. A coworker followed me to the dealership and then dropped me off here at the house. Last night while planning all of this debacle, Miss Gokey intelligently suggested that I pack a few changes of clothes just in case.

In all my years of domestic and international travel, I have learned to pack light. But this past year of reading up on the potential apocalypse blew the "travel light" theory out of the water, so into my coworker's car I put:
- the Guatemalan duffel bag filled with clothes enough to last me through Saturday and a laptop
- my satchel, which I always have with me, filled with various sundries
- a green grocery sack filled with student work and unfinished Christmas cards (don't worry, they're on their way!)
- two blankets
- one outsized towel
- one pillow
- an extra packet of toiletries
- breakfast and lunch through the end of the week

I think that as long as we went grocery shopping at Sam's Club beforehand, I would be ok staying here through the 21st, actually. Again in the words of Melissa Ferrick, "everything I need is right here in my hands."

Now that you've suffered through that, I'll tell you what people do that results in more money for them: sing in their cars on their way to and from work. You'd better Belize it (that's my favorite geography joke, and a particularly timely one as we cover the countries of Latin America this week), I was singing at the top of my lungs all week. Granted, it was mostly singing to encourage the car to keep going and last until Winter Break, but be that as it may...

This weekend, while grading notebooks and finishing decorations on my little tree that I don't even get to look at since I'm not at home, I tried watching NBC's Revolution online. Not a bad little show, thanks for the recommendation, Dana!

I just find it funny that after the power goes out or the world ends on whatever show, most people go back to wearing frockcoats and tailcoats a la 1850. Here's an interesting article on 1800s fashion from Godey's Lady's Book.  It's extremely instructive both from a living-through-hardship standpoint and from a down-with-the-patriarchy standpoint.

Enjoy!

I'll be back on Thursday, hopefully with good news of my car's clean bill of health. Finally.

Until then, happy Indiana Day! Y'all should get a day off like we do here in the Battle Born State.