E-nough!: Anywhere but here

April 15, 2005

Anywhere but here

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Exactly. It's a dilemma, yes. And, unfortunately, one that has presented itself to this blogger recently.

24-hour days are simply not E-nough! Even for an insomniac like myself. Important projects call my name incessantly from the corner of my desk where they reside. Too often, I leave them lonely and desolate...for money must be made in order to finance the projects as well as the upaid hours I spend working on them. Teaching has its charms but it also drains the limited energy and intellectual resources I possess. After hearing myself talk to students for hours and hours on end, I find that I cherish silence when the teaching is done...which is far from ideal when family, friends, and He Who Never Obeys Me are hoping for a little quality time, a little of my presence in their lives.

I've been here 15 years this summer. 15 years is plenty. More than plenty. And the grayer the hair on my head, the more the desire to leave here and get back Home urges.

Progress must be made...as well as sacrifices. This blogger has chosen to concentrate her efforts on one thing - Home. Home is now my priority, my be-all and end-all, morning, noon and night.

Time and energy that was spent on E-nough! must be channeled elsewhere in order to speed up that progress, progress that will hopefully help me stay sane in the interim.

This is my last post. I leave you in the capable hands of Carine and Damian.

Thanks to Carine for bridging the gap in so many ways. When we were both blogging at Pave, she sent me a few e-mails saying 'Damian thinks we should start a blog together' and I kept answering that I, too, thought she and Damian should start a blog together! She finally straightened me out - Damian's 'we' was Carine and I...and that's how E-nough! got started. Carine, may you get to the USA ASAP and may you live next door to a Starbuck's.

Damian, thanks for the impetus and the humor and the posts. I think our Readers can finally be told the truth - that you are a closet Francophile and planning to retire to the French Riviera when the time comes. There, I said it.

Readers, I've enjoyed your company, your insight, your humor, your silliness. What a great bunch you are! I'll now be joining your ranks...rummaging around in the threads...

A special thanks to Frogman for his help with the blog and Val in Texas...she knows why.

Let me leave you with one last song. It's a favorite of mine.
Adios.

Posted by Valerie at April 15, 2005 06:18 PM

Comments

Dear V,

A special thanks for a vibrant voice across the puddle. Home is nice. Home is better.

I'll resume posting next week, for those with the time to skim.

As for the Riviera, please send money. Cash money. Mr. Green. American dólares. No Euros.

Bonne chance !
DGB

Posted by: Damian at April 15, 2005 08:48 PM

Gee, not sure if I should say

1. "You'll be missed"
2. "Quitters never win", or
3. "Valerie? Who? You're a poster here?"

I'll let you know when I make up my mind.

Posted by: Jay at April 15, 2005 09:18 PM

Very simply:

:-(

Posted by: Joe N. at April 16, 2005 12:24 AM

Abraham Lincoln died on April 15th.
The Titanic sunk on April 15th.
And we pay our taxes on April 15th!

And now this

:-(

Posted by: papertiger at April 16, 2005 08:13 AM

Dear Valerie,

You will be truly missed. E-nough! will never be the same without you.

May you get back home as soon as possible. I know the U.S. misses you too.

Posted by: Carine at April 16, 2005 06:51 PM

Chere Val,

I do not look forward to being the only Valerie around here.

Ya'll be missed, but a cowgirl's gotta do what needs to be done. Hapy trails Chica!!

Posted by: Valerie, Texas at April 16, 2005 10:45 PM

Thank you for the kind words...everyone except Jay, who as usual, always seems to writing one thing and meaning another...

Keep an eye on the neighborhood for me.

See you in the threads now and again...

Posted by: Valerie at April 17, 2005 08:01 PM

Hey, you're ignoring my point number one!

And I really didn;t know I was seen that way. Oops or something.

Posted by: Jay at April 17, 2005 09:15 PM

Oh, Jay, thanks for the clarification. And the kind words.

I think your humor is just a little beyond me..

;)

Posted by: Valerie at April 17, 2005 09:57 PM

I been looking at this thing all wrong. We aren't losing a blogger. We are gaining a countryman!

Far
We've been traveling far
Without a home
But not without a star

Free
Only want to be free
We huddle close
Hang on to a dream

On the boats and on the planes
They're coming to America
Never looking back again
They're coming to America

Home,
don't it seem so far away
we're traveling light today
In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm

Home,
to a new and a shiny place
Make our bed, and we'll say our grace
Freedom's light burning warm
Freedom's light burning warm

Everywhere around the world
They're coming to America
Every time that flag's unfurled
They're coming to America

Got a dream to take them there
They're coming to America
Got a dream they've come to share
They're coming to America

They're coming to America

{Today}
My country 'tis of thee
{Today}
Sweet land of liberty
{Today}
Of thee I sing
{Today}
Of thee I sing
{Today}

AMERICA
Written by Neil Diamond

God speed, and see you soon.

Wouldn't it be a trip if your next job is teaching American businessmen obscure french insults?

Posted by: papertiger at April 17, 2005 10:39 PM

Paper,

I've got a long list all ready.

Thanks for the song.

;)

Posted by: Valerie at April 18, 2005 01:06 AM

Val,
I'll miss your sense of humor and wish the best for you and He Who Never. Maybe with less time blogging, the natrural order will be restored and you'll be calling him He Who Always.
Take care.

Posted by: southpaw at April 18, 2005 05:57 PM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Posted by: Doug at April 18, 2005 06:33 PM

Ok, I'm better now. Be aware, however, that failure to drop in and comment at least once a week will trigger the go signal for a Search & Rescue team to raid your home. They're poorly trained, ill-mannered, and probably just as likely to pitch a picket line in front of your house, but I had to make do with Frenchmen. You've been warned.

Are we ever going to know which stilettoes are yours?

Posted by: Doug at April 18, 2005 06:45 PM

Southpaw - LOL...We'll see, eh? Thanks for the wishes...

Doug - a search & rescue squad? Hmmm... Do they do, like, you know, like, kidnappings by any chance? Like, overseas kidnappings? Uh, let me know...

As for the stilettoes... Which ones do you think are mine, eh?

;)

Posted by: Valerie at April 18, 2005 10:51 PM

Sorry, Val - everyone knows that people get kidnapped TO France, not FROM it.

And the stilettoes... this putting way more thought into it than is likely to be considered healthy, but -

One red pair, one black pair. I think either of you would wear the black, but of the two of you, Carine is probably most at ease in red.

However, the elaborate straps and tassels seem like more nonsense than Carine would be willing to deal with; the simple and elegant style of the black pair is more what I'd imagine her tastes run to, even if they look less comfortable. If you're going to take the trouble in the first place, I think you're the one likely to wear something more extravagant.

Which brings us to the stockings. Who's the fishnet lady? I'm not sure that either of you is really the fishnet sort, but if there were the chance that they would irritate or bother just the right person, I think Carine would wear them in a heartbeat.

And lastly, the postures. The black pair is odd - the weight doesn't really seem to be resting on either foot, perhaps just slightly rightward, and the overall posture seems to be leaning backwards even though the slightly pigeon-toed stance would suggest that it should be forwards. This is body language I'm wholly unfamiliar with, so I'm inclined to write it off as French. The single leg of the red stiletto is more familiar; thrust forward aggressively, this is a posture of challenge. I have no problem claiming that as American.

How'd I do?

Posted by: Doug at April 18, 2005 11:31 PM

Doug,

Are you suggesting that my body language would indicate that I'm French?

Boohoo.

I'm officially offended.

Posted by: Carine at April 18, 2005 11:54 PM

Most body language isn't consciously adopted, Carine - it's culturally absorbed. It's not your fault.

Posted by: Doug at April 19, 2005 12:17 PM

Doug, wrong.

Carine and I got in to a knock down, drag out fight over the possession of the red pair of lovely heels. The red pair bubba, the red pair.

Val's classic black pair were safe. I have worn more than my share of black high heels, I wanted a change.