Saturday Date continued : packing, farmer’s market, and off to the train. Lots of happy chatting with market people, train passengers and conductors. Picked up by my father, talked a bit, and borrowed his truck to go to a great thrift store with my mom and then meet friends for dinner. I was especially efficient at shopping, but I’ve had lots of practice. Mom didn’t ask about fragrance, even though she’s as sensitive as I. No special treatment in the restaurant, despite the fact that they’d messed up the reservation. My friends were their normal happy selves as far as I could see – I’d not seen them for about 1.5 years. Home to my mother’s for the night. Her puppy still loves me. Chatting and the usual catching up. Early bed since I was happily exhausted.
Sunday Sewing (to alter my clothes) with my mom. For some reason she had me get directions to my aunt’s even though she’s been there lots, and then gave them to me so she would follow me. I got directions from a different aunt, who I assumed had googled them, and they were out-of-date and insufficient, causing some tension in me only because I had someone following me. We stopped at two places for ice and hand sanitizer (as requested from hostess), and her crankiness at the holiday crowds and item-hunting in unfamiliar stores started to rub off on me, and somehow we got separated. I made it to my aunt’s; she has no cell, so gave up and went home with three gallons of coleslaw, 6 bags of ice, and 3 bottles of hand sanitizer (that she won’t use). I had a blast with my huge, happy family, played silly games and swam with my little cousins (I’m the only adult who will swim in the cold lake), ate lovely food, and went on the boat. Then followed another cousin home to find my way back to the freeway. He took backroads so far out I’d no idea where I was, and no cell service, but I made it to my father’s house, where we chatted a bit, and early bed again for me. *
* Monday Homemade breakfast with dad; golf with dad and uncle; my aunt joined us for lunch, and then my father dropped me at the train station. We chatted a bit since we were early. Train ride home, grading, and met at the station by my date. Went to dinner, and he volunteered to help me finish grading again.
• In all cases, no one but one friend mentioned anything about my scent – she said I smelled good. There was no discussion of politics or other unhappy/controversial subjects (around me), and it was fun and happy despite being a very tight schedule.
Tuesday I returned tests, and thought maybe there was less “questioning” or unwarranted disbelief in my abilities.
Wednesday I returned tests to a different prof, and had the same result. A similar effect may have been apparent at my PT, but I would guess the ~9am application had worn off by then. I reapplied for my lab meeting, and got the same assumed knowledgability as pre-‘mones.
Thursday Errands and test driving a car. Nothing out of the ordinary. I don’t think the IH gives me the same self-effect as the others – it either doesn’t boost my mood, and the others do, or it actually dampens it. Things seem more somber/serious, but not sad, per se.
Don’t know what you do with the thingy, but my notifying email always looks like a programmer had a spazz in a bathtub of serif fonts.
I’m actually trying to find the posts where the few have documented unexpected reactions to IS. I have a theory . . . And you’re saying IH doesn’t chill you out in the pleasant way?
I’ve been copying from a Word document. Easier to maintain then uploading every night. Also, I want to peruse it and summarize what all I’ve tested and their results – impossible in this forum structure. Anyway, it always shows I’ve posted font-crap as a header AFTER I post, but not before, so I’ve been immediately editing them–not soon enough for the auto-notify, I guess.
IH either makes me more “solid, upstanding, adult, professional, quiet” personality, or just doesn’t uplift me and IS and IS/b do. I’ve not tried IO yet–I think I’m chatty enough as is.
IS seems to make me feel more like me, so I can’t say that it has an effect, but in retrospect those days just seem inherently happier.
But here’s the thing: IO doesn’t necessarily make me chattier; but the people around me chattier and I can chat - haven’t been able to deal with the people is what that’s all about.
Try the IO and when you get a hang of it - combine it with IH for a try. When I combine the 2 I get very different results from either one separately.
Friday
Walking to test-proctoring got me a blatant stare and a “Hot-Cha” as I passed a male student who was sitting at the sidewalk tables of a pub, midday. Test proctoring, collecting, and grading ensued. Walking back and forth to the credit union and AAA got me another blatant stare – in each case I sort of smirk knowingly, but I have difficulty making direct eye contact with them. Still this is a major improvement for me! :D:open_mouth:
(I finally bought a car: used with AAA’s 180-point check for ~5% under book value—their standard free deal for members, but it’s like a brand new car for a used car price without dealing with salespeople AND they brought the cars to me to test drive!)
Then more grading, and another date! He mentioned he liked the way I smelled.
Saturday
Farmer’s market and road-trip date. He said I had a stain on the back of my skirt. “Well, it’s faint, and who’s going to look at my butt?” was my automatic, teasing response. “Well I did!” he grinned, “and actually quite a few guys and a couple girls,” he followed thoughtfully. And he liked the way I smelled. We found a the sweetest little black and tan curly-haired terrier outside my building, and after contacting Animal Control after no one answered at all the numbers on Leila-dog’s tags, (budget cuts so our options were keep her or release her back on the street until the office opened). Since he has a shared-dog, we went to his place to feed her. The owners “noticed she was missing about midnight”, which is about when I found her, but didn’t return calls until 4am and “wanted her right away.” And I forgot to take pics of the gorgeous creature.
Sunday
More eating out, dog park / road trip, date. Again he commented on how he liked my smell.
I feel bnol makes me waaaay more quiet and mellowed, not happier or more sad, but definitely subdued and more a contented observer than a do-er.
I got that impression even from IS/b. With IH today, same thing – a little less on the quiet side, a li’l more social but still, not bouncing off the walls social or anything.
Ooh and at the farmer’s market on Saturday, the lady gave me a free popsicle when I couldn’t decide between the Mango-Lime and the Mocha. I can’t remember a time when I’ve gotten something free, outside of an occasional extra espresso shot.
OMG!!! I’m blonde under the red. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it. My apologies for the domestic blindness. I was actually looking for a title. And missed it. So, cutie, are you going to go to 4 sprays???
Heh, no problem. You weren’t the only one who asked.
I will certainly try it – maybe after I’m done teaching, or on the days in between? I teach M, T, R, and am cheating by mixing, since I have a captive, constant audience for once, but only for three weeks: 1 2x IH tg, 2 2x IS, and 1 1x IS/b tg this week. (I’ll post the “week’s” results tomorrow.) I’ve yet to decide if I should up the IS or the IS/b next week. Predominantly male class in a male-field, I don’t want to seem too “soft.” Although, if I could reduce the whining I’d be happier!
Day 39-42, 11-14.July – 1sp 1x IS/b tg, 2sp 1x IS, 1sp 2x IH tg
CHEATING: mixing too soon as I started teaching. I want “respect, believable, and ‘not a bitch’” which is who I am, but some students think I’m too “harsh” as I actually require they expend effort and think for themselves to earn their grades. I know. Totally ridiculous.
Monday
Grading. Lab meeting. Teach for three hours. I don’t often have contention when I teach, but I’d like to assure that, and none occurred, despite the snafu that is expecting two dozen students to learn and comprehend an entire quarter of physics in 3 weeks. Another lab meeting. (Meeting to meeting was 1-7:30 straight through.) More grading til ~5am, followed by intermittent sleep and a hideous nightmare of tiny bitey red scorpions running wild about my body that woke me in tears. I’ve not watched anything horrible lately, so the only source I can think of is the crumbs in the bed – hypersensitivity in action.
Tuesday
Picked up testing-center test and ran into one of the two(?) people from my high school I’d not mind running into. I don’t know the particulars (married, kids, etc, but she looks old.) Lab meeting. Teach for three hours. Another lab meeting. (Meeting to meeting was 1-7:30 straight through. :EEK: ) Finally chatted online with the Italian guy – he’s been unexpectedly busy is all, but so busy that the summer fling will likely not happen. Also chatted a bit with another intriguing guy that I never got to meet before he got busy with his new job. I hate that “guy’s hyperfocus.” But ah well, I’m starting to see why gals date older men. They just have their mental crap sorted out better. Too bad so many of them also “let themselves go.” L Oh, and some huffy-bike “dude” was staring and grinning – I almost made more than fleeting eye contact. And, late date.
Wednesday
I had no plans, so no mones. But made an attempt at couch-shopping—two young men helped me. I got overwhelmed and left after two hours in a fluorescent-lit muggy warehouse that gives free obnoxious toys to kids. L
Thursday
Was up til 5 stressing over computer issue – the guy I’m seeing works late right now, so he CALLED me and walked me through the solutions he looked up on the internet since I had no access to anything. Avoided my tired-and-hungry-and-stressed ADD breakdown!
Woke up naturally at 11am and felt GREAT. Taught at 2, as is my “usual” for these 3 weeks. I still have one (male) student who wont stop complaining, and a bunch of (male) students who want hand-holding help – this wears me out! How do I get them to tone this behavior down?
Gurlfren, you know better than eating crackers in bed! Because I don’t know of any situation that crackers add erotica to the event.
I feel your pain in that warehouse! Cavernous, echo-y nightmare that could only be worse with the addition of squeaky toy noises and mechanical laughing clowns!
The last one’s simple. Tell them they’re not behaving like college students. Really. Point out that they have way too much work to get do to be whining like 3 yr old little girls in Barbie Princess costumes with cake down the front. Point out that you’re their teacher, not baby sitter. If they’re having difficulty, you will do your best to address the worst issues - but they need to work together and arrange assistance for themselves. Because - YOU’RE THEIR TEACHER and there is ground to be covered - if they’re interested in continuing their tertiary education.
Time for tough love - or impatience. Whateva. But they are infringing on your consciousness and you don’t need the burden. You don’t want to hit a burnout for no good reason. It would be completely different if they were demanding and brilliant. That kind of exhaustion is exhilarating. They’re being dead weights to their own detriment.
Btw, I completely agree with PJ! Just didn’t want to be the first to put in print - mighta looked creepy.
: packing, farmer’s market, and off to the train. Lots of happy chatting with market people, train passengers and conductors. Picked up by my father, talked a bit, and borrowed his truck to go to a great thrift store with my mom and then meet friends for dinner. I was especially efficient at shopping, but I’ve had lots of practice. Mom didn’t ask about fragrance, even though she’s as sensitive as I. No special treatment in the restaurant, despite the fact that they’d messed up the reservation. My friends were their normal happy selves as far as I could see – I’d not seen them for about 1.5 years. Home to my mother’s for the night. Her puppy still loves me. 
Chatting and the usual catching up. Early bed since I was happily exhausted.
*
And I forgot to take pics of the gorgeous creature. 