Coffee Flavored Kisses

I am tired to death of one phrase that I seem to be hearing a lot: “It’s not fair!” Given that I teach for a living, you might imagine I am hearing that about grades, but I’m not. Mostly, “it” seems to refer either to the complainant not getting their way about something.  It might be that they did something stupid, and are not paying the consequences, or it might be that they didn’t get the newest gadget or go to the most recent concert.  Or that they actually have to do work for a class.

Take for example, one recent incident. One of my students went out on a date with someone he met on the ‘net.  He lft his cell phone and calculator in the person’s vehicle.  The ‘net person has not returned the items, and the student says “That’s not fair!” Personally, I don’t even see how fairness comes into it.  If I forget my stuff, somewhere, then I am at fault–it’s not an issue of fairness, but responsibility.  Has that word totally disappeared?

Or take the SIL, for example, who tonight claimed it wasn’t fair that the instructor for her class actually keeps them the whole time of four hours with only a ten minnute break.  That’s not fair, she says.  I have no clue how that’s not fair, she’s lucky to get the break, in the first place–not all instructors will do so.

Here’s a clue to all the “It’s not fair” people–no, it’s not–so get over it.  If life were fair, there’d be fewer murders (certainly, killing someone isn’t fair), there’d be no cancer (It can’t be fair to work hard all your life only to die from a disease caused by that work environment), there’s be no orphans, or war, or much else.

Life’s just not fair.  We can try to make the opportunites people have fair, we can try to make out justice system fair, we can try to make school and work fair, but we don’t always succeed.

Basically, I guess I’m sick of people complaining about things they bring on themselves, and then whine that it’s not fair.  No, it’s not, so suck it up, and roll with the punches, and move on.

There’s a chill in the air that tells me it is fall, and I love fall.

We went to the Arkansas Arts Center to see an Andy Warhol exhibit, but left totally awed by an exhibit called Visions that focused on drawn art.  We bought two reproductions of his cat prints. I hope to go back. Then we went shopping for books and stuff.  It was a nice day.

I am awake at the ungodly hour of 7:30 am because Gracie cat was biting at my toes.  Apparently I was twitching my toes in my sleep (around 6 am), and her kitten self awoke and attacked.  I tried to go back to sleep but to no avail, so I finally hauled myself up to start the day.  It is ungodly quiet.

I have laundry to do, papers to grade, but I am in a baking sort of mood.  Maybe I will finally make the apple crisp I keep threatening to make.  Who knows?

I have been playing around with facebook because my college had a page made for itself.  I haven’t quite figured out what to do, but I can see that it might be fun having friends there, and Mike has reunited with a cousin of his.

My Circle K students have chosen three community service projects: a fundraiser for Ark Children’s Hospital, an angel tree for the county’s foster child home, and a pet food drive. (Guess which one was my suggestion? )  Well, coffee awaits, and I could use some, and laundry is ready to be folded, so off I go.

Hugo kitty had his stitches removed.  All is well in our house.

This is Nicky cat.  He is one of my two oldest cats; he and his brother Nor were the first cats I acquired.  I have no reason for putting his face up here, I just felt like it :-) 

The vet called during the week to tell me the lab’s findings Hugo’s bump.  It was a mast cell tumor, which means it was a very small cancer tumor.  However, everything I have read tells me that this may be a singular incident and not to worry. I do have to keep an eye out for any other such lumps, and I am sure that I will obsessively begin checking all 5 cats for bumps.

On a side not, I  have joined facebook for no discernable reason.