It’s taken a lot of willpower to wait before writing this post, but just in case somebody is running behind on watching the Tivo, I didn’t want to ruin it for you.

I’ve been a big fan of CSI: since the very beginning. The original one set in Las Vegas, I mean. It gets a little weird every now and then, and the writers seem unsure about what to do with Grissom (Lady Heather? Sara? a giant female cockroach?) — but overall, it’s been consistently good, and I’ve generated quite a bit of emotional equity in the central cast.

That, I suppose, is why I feel so cheated by the last ten minutes of this past week’s episode. They finally put Warrick’s legal troubles to bed, only to have him get shot in the head by the slimeball undersheriff.

I don’t understand how nobody has figured out yet who the high-level mole is in the department. This guy has been causing everyone grief for how long now, and while you might be able to cut some slack to nurses or teachers for not recognizing criminal behavior in their midst, it seems to me that criminalists who crack tough cases as a matter of routine would see through this guy in a New York minute. It’s maddening.

Moreover, the abbreviated season caused by the writers’ strike means too much stuff crammed into too few episodes for nice neat bows on all the loose ends. Oh, sure, I expected a season-ending cliffhanger, but since it’s no secret that Gary Dourdan was on his way out after having legal problems of his own, being arrested on drug charges, I fully expect Warrick to be dead come fall. That, and three or four head shots at point-blank range from a cop.

As much as I would miss it, maybe it’s time for CSI: to just go away. Get out before you die the slow, painful death of stale plots and predictable outcomes. The past couple of seasons have shown some slippage, and with Jorja Fox and now apparently Dourdan bailing out, the handwriting is on the wall. What’s next? Catherine moonlighting by selling car insurance? Brass reveling a secret passion for tournament bridge? Nick winning a spot on Survivor? Or maybe we can just catch the slimeball and have him blow up the lab. No, wait — somebody already did that.

Anybody want an AKC registered bloodhound pup?

I was talking to my sister-in-law this evening, and she asked for my help in selling those puppies born on Valentine’s Day.  She says they still have four males and two females — and that’s in addition to the parents, a hyperactive Vizla, two Pomeranians, a cat (I think!), a horse, and seven or eight birds.  Yeah, it’s a zoo.

Anyway, my brother is getting a little nervous about the pups.  He wants very much to place them in good homes, but they’re starting to eat him out of his own.  So if you’re interested, let me know.  I’ll put you in touch!

I found out today just which classes I’ll be teaching this fall.

I’ll have News Writing and Reporting, Editorial Writing, Genre Writing, and Mass Communications Law.  There are also two internship programs I’ll be overseeing, as well as serving as faculty advisor for the campus newspaper.

Now the fun begins.  I need to select textbooks and get the orders in to the bookstore, develop course syllabi, decide which health plan and 401K to enroll into, choose a paint color for my new office, and more.  But it’ll be so neat to combine my two loves, teaching and journalism.  Plus, they’re giving me a brand new Apple MacBook Pro.  Sweet!

In the meantime, I’ll be working this summer teaching Speech and English classes at the Community College.  It’s probably a good thing because the money will help, and those classes will divert my attention away from the new job this fall just enough to keep me from fretting too much.  Right now, life is good.

We live in West Virginia’s northern panhandle. Less than a mile to the west is the Ohio River and the Buckeye State. Not twenty miles to our east is the Pennsylvania state line.

Ordinarily, I love this arrangement. Ohio has no sales tax on food. Clothes are tax-free in Pennsylvania. Everything else has a lower tax rate in West Virginia, so we don’t blow the difference in gas money driving around to do our major shopping.

But this is an election year.

First, there was the Ohio primary, then seven weeks later it was PA’s turn. We go to the polls this Tuesday, and I for one can’t wait. I am sick to DEATH of those insidious political ads.

Those of you who don’t live near a state line can’t fully appreciate how tiring this all is when it’s times three. And today, we got a message on the answering machine from Bill Clinton. Barack Obama has written us off, so I’m not expecting a call from Michelle, but hey, you never know.

I’m not saying this isn’t important. We all know how vital the upcoming election is. But between the 24-hour “news” networks who babble on just to hear themselves and those slick, misleading ads, I’ve had it. And the overload goes all the way from the race for President to state offices, judges at every level, county commissioners, and so on.

I think I’m ready to vote for the candidate who pledges to limit the amount of advertising any one person can do. And that includes those ugly yard signs that litter all of our highways.

AN UPDATE:  Barack and Michelle never called.  Hillary did.  Twice.

It’s official:  I’ll be teaching Journalism classes at West Liberty State College and advising the campus newspaper beginning with the fall semester.

I just got off the phone with the Provost, who made the offer which I happily accepted.  It’s full time, so I’ll be getting full benefits as well.  And while I’ll have the option of teaching summer classes (for extra money), I won’t have to.  A nine-month job with twelve months’ pay is a new and different concept for me.  Tie a string around my ankle, and pull me back down to the floor!

Well, it’s out of my hands now.

I feel pretty good about today’s interview, but I was really wiped out by the time I got home.

Things started out a little rough.  Apparently, there was some confusion over who was supposed to be where and when, so the search committee was waiting for me at one end of the campus in the media center, and I was waiting for them at the other end in the Human Resources office, staring at the big walnut desk, the clock, a piece of lint on the floor, and a tv mount near the ceiling with a teeny little set (turned off).  After a couple of phone calls, we all got back on the same page, though, and the rest of the day went much more smoothly.

I took a tour of the new media center, and it’s really impressive.  The college has a fully integrated digital TV station with 24-7 streaming and on-air capabilities, a killer midi lab, one of the nicest recording studios I’ve ever seen, and a whole lot more.  I was drooling over it!

I got some specific details about things like salary and benefits, actual responsibilities,  and the rest, so even though I had a basic idea about what the job would be, I feel a lot more “in the loop” about everything now.  Mostly, though, I’m just glad it’s over.

When I got home, I thought my head was going to explode.  All of that nervous energy  that had kept me going since last Thursday was gone.  (Yes, as a matter of fact, I DID completely rewrite my lecture and revamp my Power Point presentation last night at 2:30 in the morning.  Was there ever any doubt?)  So when the whole thing was finally out of my control, I felt like a piece of overcooked pasta.  I stretched out on the couch at about 6:00.  When I next became aware of my surroundings, it was 9:00, and there were six messages on the answering machine.  A ringing phone ALWAYS wakes me up!

As soon as I know what the final decision is, I’ll pass it along.  But I have a good feeling about this one.  Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers.  It’s been a tough year and a half.  Having a full-time job with a regular paycheck and some good benefits again will be great.

I’m officially in full-blown fret mode right now.

My schedule for Monday’s trip to the college is looming large.  First, I meet with the search committee and dean.  After lunch, I’ll deliver a 30-minute lecture to a group of students and faculty, then it’s a campus tour (they’ve added a few new buildings since I graduated), then a meeting with the provost and vice president, and more.

There’s nothing in the schedule that has me scared or feeling inadequate, but the whole “get a new job”  thing is so important that I feel morally obligated to expend huge amounts of nervous energy.  I bought a new shirt to wear because I couldn’t decide from the ones already hanging in my closet.  I’ve gone over my lecture notes and Power Point presentation a dozen times or more.  I’ve told myself to stop thinking about it to no avail.  Yes,  this is full fret mode.

Maybe I’ll make myself a nice cup of herbal tea and look for some soothing wind chimes to listen to.  Or maybe I’ll just go over everything again and fret about it all night.  I’m an expert worrier.

What a busy day Friday turned out to be!

Between grocery shopping, finishing up some laundry, and a few other chores, BJ and I found both the time and the desire to clean up the yard a little bit.  There was some shrub pruning, 600 pounds of top soil to add to the garden,  tomato and pepper plants to stick into that dirt, weed whacking, and yes, mowing.  For the third time already!

The thing is, though, that I remember last summer having a lot of that stupid ground ivy, clover, crab grass, and  weeds.  Not much else was growing out there that even remotely resembled rye or fescue.  So when we weren’t looking, I think somebody sneaked inside the fence, seeded, and fertilized.  A lot.

The yard looks really nice, but it grows so fast, and it’s heavy.  Weird, huh?

Do you have a dog? Is he friendly? Do you wish there were signs you could post for liability issues that don’t give the impression of a vicious, rabid, crazy attack animal? Yeah, me too.

That’s why I was so excited to learn about a company that produces signs designed for the vast majority of dog people who want to alert people that the fur babies are playing outside without going so far as a “Beware of Dog” warning.

I was interested in finding dog in yard signs that more accurately reflected the sweet dispositions my little guys display. I didn’t want to warn people that canine teeth were just lurking around, waiting to chomp into their ankles; I simply wanted them to make sure they didn’t leave the gates open if they cut through the yard instead of walking all the way around the block.

Accidents are always possible, of course, and if posting signs will reduce my chances of being sued, I’ll do it. But I don’t want a big, ugly, scary warning thing, either. Enter DogInYard dot com.

This company produces high-quality signs for dog lovers that are both informative (Hey, there’s a dog in here!) and attractive (as you can see for yourself). In fact, I’m proud to display it on my fence! I’ll be hanging it on the gate this weekend.

As you can see from the photo, my sign is blue, and it’s for more than one dog. But you can get a single dog sign if you would prefer that, and there’s sure to be a color that matches or complements your landscape. They’re available in blue, green and brown, and DogInYard dot com even supplies mounting materials designed to work with your fencing materials at no extra charge. I got cable ties because my fence is chain link. If your fence is made of wood, you’ll get brass screws.

What’s more, dealing with this company is a real pleasure. Within five minutes of placing my order, I received a personal email thanking me and confirming that I had ordered just what I wanted. They don’t take credit cards, but they’ll ship your sign before they even get your check. So if you want to protect your furry friends in a classy way, check these folks out. Like me, you’ll be glad you did.

I really need your positive thoughts and happy karma on this one.

Actually, I’m almost afraid to mention it because I don’t want any jinxes, but then again, writing about it here makes it a little more official, I guess.

The school where I received my Bachelor’s degree has an opening — a full-time Assistant Professorship, complete with a full benefits package — in Journalism.  I’ve applied.

The job begins in earnest in mid-August with the start of the Fall Semester, but since whoever is hired will have to prepare for at least four different classes, I expect the administration to decide on a candidate well before that.

Aside from the obvious positives of a regular twice-monthly paycheck and a blue cross card, this position offers a chance to combine my two passions, the media and the classroom.  I would be back at my alma mater, working alongside my former professors who are also my friends.  It’s the perfect job for me.

Keep me in your prayers, OK?  Thanks.