You can sense the sarcasm dripping from that title, I hope.

From The North County News:

Jacksonville residents who have endured a downtown that looks like a construction zone while cleanup continues from a gasoline spill at the Exxon gas station soon will face traffic disruption in front of the station.

Traffic lanes at the intersection of Jarrettsville Pike and Paper Mill Road will be temporarily closed several days next week as ExxonMobil contractors attempt to locate utility lines buried under the intersection.

Contractors will dig in the intersection’s right-of-way with an air knife — a machine that excavates the ground with forced air.

According to ExxonMobil spokeswoman Betsy Eaton, the work is being done so all underground utility lines can be marked before water pipes are installed under the roadway.

The pipes — to be installed later by a horizontal driller — will connect the gas station property with the former Jacksonville Veterinary Hospital property at 3418 Sweet Air Road that ExxonMobil purchased this spring. Each property currently operates its own water treatment and treated-water discharge systems. The new water line will allow more flexibility in using both systems.

The horizontal drilling for the water pipe will be done from ExxonMobil’s property and will not interfere with the intersection, Eaton said.

She said the lane closures for the utility line work will take place several days during the week of Nov. 6, but not at rush hour. The State Highway Administration permit allows the work to be done from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

So, not only are there fewer deliveries to be had because it has been so slow, but it’ll take longer to get out the door and back with ‘em. Frak. (This’ll really only affect me Monday AM, unless they’re working over the weekend, too, but still. Frak frak frak).

And, once again, seriously now, who cares?

Why does the news of someone’s* sexual orientation become front page news for USA Today? Is it that slow of a news day? You tell me.

*And when I say ’someone’, I in specific mean celebrities.

Yesterday’s possible answers were “a thorn” or “poison ivy.” I suppose STD could work too.

Today:

What the king seldom sees
What God never sees
We see every day
What that now?

Have fun, and remember: no cheating!

Registration for the Spring Semester begins Monday. I spent an hour tonight trying to put my schedule together. I’m actually in a rather fortunate position: I only need one specific class - History of the English Language. I will need twelve credits, which means I’ll be able to take three electives. Since there’s only one selection of HotEL offered, and I want to schedule classes as compactly as possible, I will once again be making Tuesdays and Thursdays my on-campus-bitch days.

So far, here’s how I’m looking, with two English courses and one History class:

History of the English Language TR 12:30 - 1:45pm

Film & Lit R 4-6:40pm

I was hoping to take Dr. D’s Folklore & Society class, but it doesn’t seem to be on the course catalog, and the classes of his I can find are being offered MWF, so the likelyhood is I’ll most likely take “Writing for Business” to fill out my schedule. I’ve been toying with the idea of taking another Independent Study — I think I might be able to sell Dr. D on a ten-page paper on the “folkways” of pizza-schleppers.

I’m looking forward to Film & Lit — I had Dr. Wilkotz for several classes my first time through at Towson (both halves of British Lit, I think), and she’s one of favorite profs. Hard to imagine anyone taking one of her classes and not remembering her fondly.

(I’d also like to schedule at least one class to meet at 9:30 … I don’t know if the Towson Town — Linthicum Hall — garage expansion is in the spring or if they’re holding off for summer, but I imagine parking might be pretty effin’ bad).

I strained a muscle this morning. It’s been fine for most of the day but is achin’ now. I’m off to bed where I’ll wish for a back massage from a cute girl.

UPDATE:

Fourth class is a “retake” — yep, I failed an English course once upon a time, so I’m retaking it to boost my GPA: Tradition and Form in Western Fiction T 3:30-6:10pm. It’s another night class, and it means I won’t be able to work either Tuesday nor Thursday evenings, but I think it’ll make the semester easier. Plus, instead of setting apart one specific night a week for Cook Library time — this semester, that’s Monday night — I’ll be able to run over after class on Tuesday or Thursday if I need Cook Library time.

Dr. Avery teaches “Tradition and Forms.” My first time at Towson I did everything possible to avoid having her a professor because of the things I heard about her, namely, that if you weren’t a female Jew, you’d flunk the course, but I wound up having a class with her in my final semester (Fall ‘03), “Ethnic American Lit”, where I found out that if you do the reading and pay attention in class, you’ll do very well. Anyway, the morale here is this: if you’re afraid of Dr. Avery, don’t be, unless you don’t do the readings and sleep in class, in which case, seriously, don’t bother showing up. (PS - if you do take her, try to sit towards the front of the class, because I doubt she projects her voice any better now than she did then). Seriously, she’s a good prof.