Just because I got back from Maine last week. The only thing missing is fall foliage. I’m homesick for fall weather that’s not 70 degrees like next week’s forecast. Today was sunny and 67.

Back when I worked for the web developer in Branson we set up a kiosk for printing coupons for local businesses. I don’t even remember what we used, but it had to be an actual tower computer.

For my cyber security class, I had to do my final report on something that could be used for cyber security. I chose a Raspberry Pi. It would have worked better at the kiosk than what we used. How technology has changed.

Of course I can program much better now, so there is that too.

One of these days I’m tempted to get a Raspberry Pi just to play around with it and see what I can do.

I got a chance to see my oldest and his wife during fall break. I also met my granddaughter who was born on the anniversary of Nick’s death. She’s a gorgeous baby who made me smile.

Time for a little funny since I’m flying back today on day 20 of the government shut down. Let’s hope I can get home today.

Out of curiosity, I called today to ask about getting chickens where I live.

Since we own less than an acre we need a permit, but it’s free to get the permit.

We would be limited to 6 hens, no roosters.

It’s tempting, but I’d have to build a coop for them. With the loose dogs and stray cats, I’d need chicken wire around the coop. They’d need fresh water and to be able to stay out of the weather (or at least something where they could get away from hail or rain).

Interesting thought process. I really would like to get our well fixed so I could do vegetables and chickens. Granted, 6 chickens isn’t enough to get through the winter, but we could do rounds depending on whether I could order online year round and how long we’d have to raise them before they were big enough to eat. Or we could just do eggs. 4 – 5 would give about a dozen eggs a week.

That’s the count of wildlife we saw this morning driving around at 2 am near the school where I work. I hit a deer with my Jeep in 2022, 2 weeks to the day after Nick died. Needless to say, I was wide awake after the first 3 deer lol.

It’s the end of school, and I’m getting nervous about going back to college. I struggled so much when I went before. I think a lot of it was situational, but it’s still a daunting thought.

Yesterday, I was talking to one of the students at the HS where I work. I don’t remember the details of what we were talking about, but he pointed out the correlation between something.

I looked at him and said ‘correlation does not equal causation’ and he said he didn’t know what that meant. I put it more simply by saying just because there’s a correlation doesn’t mean that’s the cause.

Not sure what else to say right now. It’s been a long week and I got interrupted lol.

I did have a coaches meeting for esports last night. They have a clinic in July that I’d really like to go to. I’ll have to see if there’s a charge. I’m going to look for the flyer now.

I had to tease my kids by asking why they don’t use skibidi rizz. Basically saying something about low charisma for the gamers out there. My 20 yo daughter looked at me and said ‘that’s cringe’.

I just laughed at her.

I don’t hear a lot of slang at the school where I work. I pick up some here and there, but that’s about it.

Time is passing quickly this year. It’s already May. Starting in the 27th, I go back to school at way too old to get a degree in library science with a minor in cyber security policy. On the one hand, I’m looking forward to it. On the other, I’m scared. I dropped out of school for reasons both times I tried going.

The first time, I was struggling with some stuff and was working through it when my then-husband said we needed two incomes.

The second time was when I finally left him for abuse.

The school district I work for is starting an esports team. I’m going to be the head coach for the high school team and I’m feeling overwhelmed. I’m trying to start at the beginning.

I still don’t know what games we will be playing. I figure we will do an initial meeting, them we may need to narrow down who plays what.

I need to do more research, but I don’t even know where to start. I know I need to help them with strategies and how to improve their playing.

Considering how long it’s been since I games, I’m going to have to refresh my skills first.

We start at the end of January, I don’t have much time. There are 2 coaches meetings before it starts though. That will help.

At work, I alternate between the libraries in the high school and the middle school. On Tuesday, one of the 6th grade kids lost his life.

I was at the middle school on Wednesday, and it was rough. They used the library for counseling. On top of it bringing back my memories of Nick’s death, I heard kids trying to deal with losing a classmate and friend. By Wednesday night, I was drained.

Some of the high school kids took the opportunity to act out, and we ended up in a modified lockdown on Friday morning. Parents found out and pulled their kids later in the day.

Next week is the last week before winter break. I’m just wondering how much crazier it’s going to get.

I’m at the middle school Monday (tomorrow) and the funeral is in the morning. I’m not going, I still struggle with funerals, and it’s not my place to be there. I’ll miss the kid’s smile, and his visits to the library, but it’s not about me. This is a memorial for the 12 year old. They don’t need me losing it because my son’s loss is still so strong.

I just finished reading this book by Eric Larson. It is about the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, and about H. H. Holmes aka Herman Mudgett. One of the most prolific serial killers.

It’s a well written book. It talks about the work that Daniel Burnham put into getting the World’s Fair ready in less than 2 years from planning to completion. It also tells about Mudgett building his ‘World’s Fair Hotel’ by hiring temporary workers so no one realized there were so many odd rooms.

The Ferris wheel was built to outdo Eiffel’s tower, built for the 1889 Paris World’s Fair.  Oddly, we find that George Washington Gale Ferris dies broke at 37.

Frank Millet, the painter who worked to get all the buildings painted the same color, died on the Titanic. Burnham was on the Olympic, and tried to reach his friend on the ship to ship telegraph the evening of April 14.

They only knew for sure about 9 of the murders Holmes committed.  They suspected many more, but no one ever figured out the real number.

It’s a sobering to know so many young women disappeared during the worlds fair. Who knows what happened to them.

Lateness and g’nite.

Since my last post was a downer, here’s a funny for you.

Maybe I’ve just been a web designer too long. LOL