The voodoo backlash walloped me as soon as I completed my last post; something precious was broken, clothing developed an odd tear, sleep was elusive. No matter, it needed doing. One should really think long and hard before send out evil thoughts into the world, but in this case it needed doing. My temp assignment has ended just as the building the Oakland School District Administration is housed in was really creeping me out. (Asbestos everything, an utter lack of ventilation, defoilating paint, uneven broken stairs, unreplaced dead lighting, no maintenance or cleaning to speak of.) The last three canidates I interviewed for the replacement substitute teachers were perfectly and certifiably nuts. God help those kids if we actually have a strike. Das Mad Landlady goes in for hip-replacement surgery on Monday, so I expect we will be kvetch-free for a little while. (Latest issues: could I: 1. use the washer & dryer a little less frequently 2. plant some tulip bulbs 3. let the girl n...