I've had a lot of writing to do, but I don't know where to start.

So, I got laid off for the summer... again. Something about office politics and not enough funds to keep all the teachers. I will miss the field trips and the teaching, and the teachers and co-workers, but funding for alternative schools depends on a lot of factors that are so far beyond my control, I don't even worry about it any more.
I've been building bookshelves to make up for the fact that the house came with only three closets and they aren't even big enough to fit my clothes, never mind Heather's. The basement clean-up has been going on for days, and I am no closer to having a better basement than Pat than when I started. Last week, I heard from Yo and Baru by e-mail, Ferry by text and snail mail, and Figs sent an invite to a family function. Despite shutting myself in for more than a month and communicating with only the Bigman, I still seem to have friends, which is flattering.

Rant:
Something that I read that has gotten a big reaction from me is the fact that Ford is beginning to change over to building smaller more fuel efficient cars. I remember when Bill Ford was named head of the Company, he got a few big write ups on how he was the possible savior of the American automobile industry. That was years ago now, and the biggest change about Ford has been the increasing number of lay-offs.

How did Ford not at least design a whole bunch of miniature autos? Especially considering that every other developed country and several developing countries have come out with with their own production vehicles that are tiny and would sell well in America. Now, Ford is talking about becoming competitive in this market in the next three or four years.

The saddest part to me is the increased lay-offs are going to kill an almost dead Detroit economy. Imagine what this is going to do to the crime rates and poverty levels. After all the hype, this Messiah of Detroit turned out to be just another Ford exec reacting to the innovation of others rather than creating solutions. Hopefully, in three or four years, we can get to where foreign auto makers are now.