My Mind on Three Espresso Shots

"Words, words, words."

~Hamlet

1. I just turned three assignments in at once and I'm reaalllly hoping the right paper went to the right Blackboard link. Otherwise, things could get amusingly awkward.

Why did this student with a Puritan first name and Prussian surname give me brief synopsis on the economic phenomenon of human capital (capital, not chattel) when I expected a literary journalism assignment?
Because. And do note, that had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I never listened to the lecture. I've only ever listened to my Shakespeare professor's lectures, and that's because she quizzed us on them. Quiz me and I'll listen. Assume I want to listen to you and I'll ignore you.
I wish I could say my assignments were concise, brilliant pieces of work, showcasing my four years in higher education, but they were actually the ramblings of a young mother with 1.5 limbs and three spare minutes. School is eons easier childless, but life sans baby smiles is not nearly as happy.

2. My nearly 13 pound shadow and I made the exciting journey up to my mom's abode today for giggles, relaxation, and spoiling. Work days are forever when you're not working, and the wee one is still not speaking fluent English. He does, however, coo and it's adorable.
One tangent out of the way and another coming up, the bebe and I took the 5 (it's a freeway) so that we could slide through Dutch Brothers for a caffeine and sugar concoction not present in our current area.

This spot of heaven exists only in Nor Cal and Oregon.

They also lack drive thru timers, which bothers my barista brain.

 The barista in me disappeared when I pulled up the window and I ordered a drink with 3 shots of caffeine. I convinced myself I needed that for an hour and a half long drive, which is barely a jaunt in this land. (I'm currently suffering from pre-pregnancy and baby energy level and all the words want to rush out of my head through my fingertips and onto the page. Also, my eyes are hyper.)

But as soon as I began sipping my delectable concoction--and berating myself only slightly for drinking it--the wee man began to stir. Once we were on the freeway, he started protesting his cruel fate of his usually beloved carseat. Loudly. Since I am not Mrs. Incredible, equipped with the streeeeeeeetchiest arms, nor can I clone myself, and the car had to be driven, Chunk-a-lunk remained in his carseat. A few miles down the road, it became more than apparent that he was not calming down by his lonesome.
Thankfully, the builders and planners of that stretch of freeway had thoughtfully built a rest stop for wailing infants and their almost-deaf mothers, and Baby Bear and I pulled off into the green haven. (He has a many nicknames and they're growing exponentially. That's only a slight exaggeration.)

This is what it looked like to my mommy eyes.

I parked facing an emerald tinted grassy area, pulled Lando out of the seat of apparent torture, and nursed him while we pondered why April weather cannot be summer weather and the dulcet smell of freshly mowed grass. Once he was properly comforted and I knew it was impossible for his belly to be slightly empty, I hurried to put him in his car seat and get back on the road. I had assignments to turn in and only minutes to do them. (Life on the dangerous side, I know.)

And that's when The Man approached. He did the usual "Ma'am, ma'am, maaaaa'aaam" routine, which I ignored, per my usual fear of strange humans in parking lots. But he kept walking towards me, so I spun around and quite obviously looked for a weapon. I think I settled on my laptop cord, which I planned to use as a lasso/smacking device. He finally stopped a reasonable distance away from me and this conversation occurred.

Stranger Danger: "Do you think someone could catch a ride with you to Wal Mart?"
-Wal Mart is 4-5 miles down the freeway-
Susie's brain: So you can murder me and kidnap my adorable child? I think not!
Susie's mouth. "No, no I'm sorry. I can't today."
SD: "Ok, I get it. You have a kid."
SB: What a lovely person, not Stranger Danger at all. He gets it. 
He then starts to walk away, only to spin back around to continue the riveting dialogue.
SD: "Even if it was a girl?"
SB: Mayyybe--no. Still too close to child. Plus, homework, grades, graduation. 
SM: "I'm sorry. I really can't. I have assignments and I need to get home."
SD: "It's only four miles up the road."
SB: Oh no. He looks dangerous again. Summon mother bear scariness. 
SM: "I'm sorry. I REALLY need to get home."
SD: "One day YOU might be stranded on the side of the road."

And with that mildly karmic threat, he walked off, I finished buckling in the babe, and peeled out. Poor man and traveling companions, broken down at a rest stop and the only car around is piloted by a protective mother bear. Is there a non-creepy/scary way to as a stranger for a ride?

3. 

For the first few weeks of his life, Landon was all about the fist pump. Now, he holds his fist in boxer pose. It's even more adorable as it sounds. I haven't captured it on iphone camera because he's a genius at stopping his new tricks once the phone comes out.
But.
He's not the only one fist pumping these days.
Senior seminar is over in one week.
Other classes in three. Or less, if I want to be extra productive.
Whenever I think about graduating, finishing, completing my undergrad, I can't help but throw up a fist pump.
 I'm sure everyone knows just what made my collegiate journey so intense, but in case there's a bloggy lurker, here's the tale of the 40 grand in student loans I'll never pay and just what that journey cost me.

4. And for the few brave souls who made it this far, I have a deep question of the universe for you. If I retire this blog and start afresh, will you be my bloggy followers? And on the off chance someone agrees to the first question, what topics should I clutter the interwebz with? Probably none. But I do love to overshare!