Does anyone else hear that ringing?

I live in a old, refurbished building downtown. I have one of four apartments located on the top floor above a couple area businesses. One is a beauty salon and the other a credit/loan office. I like the fact that I live downtown and in a business district, it feels artsy and big city. I like parking on the street and watching main street parades from my kitchen window. I don't even mind the smell of nail polish remover in my stairwell.
However, this weekend has begun to take the shine out of my unique living conditions. As with most apartments, walls here are not built to keep out sound. I think budgets overrode comforts. I can periodically hear my neighbor's tv or the ringing of the telephone downstairs. This is in no big deal, something I can easily overlook as I'm sure I make noise in my day to day life as well.
Yesterday afternoon the credit/loan office's phone began ringing. I heard it and waited for the person on the other end to realize the office was closed, that there would be no answer and hang up, once again leaving me in peace. But the ringing never stopped. And I mean NEVER.
A couple hours into it, I called my landlord and left him a message. I had to leave my house just to quiet my nerves for a few moments. Luckily the tv drowned out most of it and I could make it through the evening.
Finally around 9:30 I was growing desperate for some reprieve. I tried the phone company - no answer, it's a weekend. I called the non-emergency policy - they said it didn't fall under their responsibility. I tried my landlord again - he didn't know how to get ahold of his tenants during weekend hours. I tried the security company whose sticker was on the front door - it was an old sticker and the office was no longer one of their clients.
Around midnight I turned on all the fans in my apartment (three, including my air conditioner) and positioned them in the noisiest way possible and went to bed. The fans helped and I slept through the night.
But I woke up this morning to the incessant noise. And it's ringing in my ears as I write. Does anyone else hear that or am I going crazy?

Ideas?

A thought has been running through my head for some time now. Things I love to do. Things I want to do. I've thought about it before. It's flitted in and out of my mind off and on for the last few years. But lately, I just can't seem to shake it.

So, I've decided to do a little bit of pursuing. And here's what it is:

Cake decorating.

I know, probably not what you expected. But I love, love, love to bake and love, love, love to be creative. It's a great marriage of my two loves - art and food.

Now, I'm not quiting my day job. Yet.

I am gonna try to find some chances to do this on the side and see where it leads. I'm just trying to get some experience and get my name out.

It's a little vulnerable to put out your big picture dreams. But in my imagination I can see an amazing bakery (specializing in theme party / wedding cakes) centered inside a comfy, casual coffee-shop. The details aren't worked out, still bouncing around in my head.

But, here's where I need your help. Even as I attempt these first step PR moments, I'd like to have a name. Something catchy and artsy.

So creative friends, what do you think? Any ideas?

She lives....

My sincere apologies to the fans of "Drawing on the Ceiling". It appears my long absence from the blogging scene has caused concern among many. Please accept my deep regret for this oversight.

Life as a teacher is NOT easy. I'm sure many out there can testify. It's a never-ending cycle of lesson planning, assigning, and grading. The routine can get tedious and I'm afraid my creativity runs short.

I've taught before, you know. I taught two years in China and last year at Cookson. I'm more than familiar with Bloom's Taxonomy and lesson objectives and classroom standards. The difference now is the presence of parents. Never before have I had to worry about the parents. I've never had parent/teacher conferences or notes asking me to adjust my testing for their child's learning disability or calls to the principal over a classroom procedure. It takes some getting used to. And now each time I sit down to write a lesson plan I have to not only balance the needs of my students but consider the parental response. It's a vulnerable feeling, the molding of the minds of other people's children.

The days that a student draws me a picture or tells me I am the best artist they have ever known or just stops me in the hallway to give me a hug (elementary students not my high schoolers), I know that all the paperwork is worthwhile. The kids are getting used to me, telling me I have more rules then any of their other teachers (this is because I make them write in pen and use cursive) but they know what to do in my classes. Each day gets a little easier and I've come to the point where I can go home and not feel like a mac-truck ran me over. I count that as a blessing.

So, the next time you look up my blog and see I have neglected my posts, just picture me hunched over a stack of English tests or searching my resources for the perfect art project or changing out bulletin boards in my classroom and you'll know that you are up to date on my life.