Tuesday, November 18, 2003

If Yesterday Felt Like Monday, This Must Be Tuesday

The day went pretty smoothly. Got the report out a bit earlier today than usual. With less harriedness, too. Got back my Sociology mid-term paper through the mail, and was more than a little bit shocked with the very high mark on the front, along with words of "Excellent job"... was this the very same person who marked my first assignment so harshly??? At first I had to read the mark and comments a couple of times to believe that it wasn't a joke. It was even late (what a crazy week), and she didn't dock points for that. What happened?? Was it because I painstakingly defended my first assignment against her red pen? She went to town with the remarks on referencing material, which I did not reference but wrote as my independent opinion, and spent a lot of time proving that. It may have influenced the way she marked my second assignment, but I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Instead, I will take the mark!! There's still the final exam on December 8!

Made some more progress today with the retirement party. Asked the woman who worked at the Fairmont Royal York Entrée Gold floor in Toronto, who is now working at the Chateau Whistler, to present the framed letter from the Fairmont on the night. She was happy to! Then sent an e-mail off to a couple of people who are coming to the party to ask them if they would sing a song that I found on the internet -- it's Julie Andrews' song "My Favourite Things" from "The Sound of Music" but with different words that poke fun at old age. I was going to ask one of the musicians I hired to sing it, but I wanted a woman to sing it Julie Andrews-style. Here are the lyrics:

Julie Andrews Concert for AARP
(Ms. Andrews sang Favorite Things - with these word changes to fit the AARP theme.)

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Cadillacs and cataracts and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the pipes leak, when the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets, and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heat pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Back pains, confused brains, and no fear of sinnin',
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',
And we won't mention our short shrunken frames,
When we remember our favorite things.

When the joints ache, when the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.