Resolutions

I think I'm getting old. I can't believe that it is now almost December 31, 2005 (in about 30 minutes). It's like the past year has just flown, and what do I have to show for it? I feel like a lot has happened this year, but when I go to write about it, I can only name a few things. I bought a house. I got a dog. Umm...yeah...I'm drawing a blank besides that. I guess those are two big things, especially buying the house. But those all occurred in the last three months of the year. So what did I do for the first nine months of the year? I have no idea. I know that work has been keeping me busy. But I feel like I didn't do anything that would be any kind of accomplishment this year. I'm thinking that next year I want to get more accomplished. Of course, I'm not even sure what that means. I think I want to be at least one step closer to getting married (ahem...Engagement ring...ahem). I'm trying not to push the issue, but I feel like I'm getting old and I don't want to be older than 30 when I have my first child. So I need to get moving. I guess also I would like to get my clinical license. I'm not really behind on this. I have two years now of supervision so I am able now to get my license. Now if I could only get motivated to study for the licensing exam...I guess that would be another resolution. I want to get my butt in gear and exercise. I wouldn't really say that I'm overweight, but I definitely would say that I'm out of shape. So I need to get moving!

Anyways, I know there are about 79 other things I think I want to do in the new year, but right now, I'm going to live out the rest of December 30, 2005 by being a slug and reading a book. I'll get moving in a few days.

In case I don't post again before tomorrow night (which is highly likely)...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Fruity

You Are a Mai Tai

You aren't a big drinker, but you'll drink if the atmosphere is festive. And when you're drunk, watch out! You're easily carried away.

What Mixed Drink Are You?

Yes, I'm still alive

Oh my gosh. It's been so long since I updated this blog, I'm sure there isn't anyone left reading it. How sad. Well, I guess I'll just write on it for my own gratification. We got our house. We're all moved in and unpacked. Well, mostly. There are a few random boxes that still have things in them that I don't know where they should go, or I don't have room for them. I also have three boxes of books that have yet to make it to the bookshelves. But I'm getting there. Otherwise, the house looks great.

And, we now have an addition to our little family! Yep, you guessed it! We adopted a dog! :) We adopted a German Shepherd from MAGSR, a rescue organization. Her name is Abbey and she is a year old. She's quite playful and energetic (much more energetic than me, I'm afraid). Here she is:



Isn't she so cute?!?!

Other tidbits of news...I turned a year older yesterday. Now I officially am in my late 20's. I feel old. My friends are having babies. It's crazy. My birthday was okay. I got some nice presents, was taken out to dinner, was made dinner. Some people remembered, most didn't. I guess that's sort of life in a nutshell, really. But now I'm being all depressed and a downer, so let me be peppy and cheerful again.

I'm beginning to feel all Christmas-y now. I don't know why. I think most people feel that way after Thanksgiving, but I begin to get that way after my birthday. I was updating my DJ and started going through the Christmas songs and singing them all to myself (and to Abbey, of course). It makes me feel all happy and stuff. I am trying to find a song but it looks like if I want it, I'll have to buy the CD online. It's a song called "Christmas Eve in Washington." It's one of my favorite Christmas songs. It makes Washington sound beautiful and it makes me remember why it is nice (occasionally) to live near the nation's capital. I want to get a tree, but if I did that now it would be dead before we even got to Christmas. I'm hoping to be able to get one the weekend after Thanksgiving, but that might even be a little too early. We'll have to see.

This year, for the first time ever, I'm spending Christmas away from home. I know, I'm too old to have never done that...it's time to cut the umbilical cord...whatever. I enjoy being able to spend some portion of Christmas day with my parents. I have never missed midnight Mass at my Church. So it is going to be a new experience for me. We're spending Christmas this year in Elgin. I'm okay with it, it's only fair. Robbie wants to spend Christmas with his family just like I want to spend it with mine. Last year we were here, so this year we'll go there. It will definitely be different. But, I'm sure it will be fine no matter where we are. Maybe we'll some how be able to convince my parents to come South with us as well.

Anyways, I guess that's all for now. If anyone is still periodically reading this blog, YAY. Let me know.

Movin' on up!

You know, the title to the last post still makes me chuckle. Hehehe! It's okay, I know I'm a dork.

So, we are in the process of moving. Actually, we've sort of been in the process of moving for almost two weeks. But, we have some things moved, and some things bought. It's fun buying new things for a new house. Of course, it is also expensive buying said things. So I'm trying to keep the spending to a minimum. Anyway, I said I would post some pictures. Well, Robbie took something like 30 pictures, so I'll just post a few. It will give the general idea of what the house looks like.

OK, well, the uploader thing keeps giving me an error. So, you get to see what the living room looks like for right now. Hopefully I'll get to post some more pictures soon.

A house, a house, my kingdom for a house!

Ah, I suppose King Richard III (and Shakespeare) would be appalled at my title. And, unfortunately, I have no kingdom. But, as of 12:30 this afternoon, I do have a house! Yay! I'm excited, although I've been so stressed about it, I just now feel like crawling in bed. So, I have a small little house. But it's cute and I have plans for it, so I'm excited about it. Robbie's gonna work on it some, like cleaning the carpet and maybe painting. This weekend while he's at work, I'm going to work on moving so little things over there. But, I still have a month here in the apartment so we have time to move. Anyways, I'm tired so I'm not going to write anymore right now. But, I am excited so I wanted to write something!

Pictures coming soon!

Hmm...I just realized I used the word "excited" kind of excessively in this post. Just ignore it...or you can laugh...'cause I'm excited :-D

Good morning! Let the stress begin!

Read the title of this post. I have a sign in my office that says that. And, I think that I have felt that way every day for the past five weeks.

I haven't posted in forever and a day. I haven't had time for anything except work. Work is seriously kicking my ass. I've thought about quitting more than once in the past four weeks. I've also burst into tears twice at work in the past week. I try to actually plan out the last two weeks of the month and nothing goes the way its supposed to. I have two reports due by Friday, one which hasn't been reviewed by my supervisor, and one that I haven't even written. I can't keep up with everything that is being demanded of me. Plus, we are at the very end of the process for buying our house. I found a house that I really like, we've done everything for it. But finalizing everything and going to settlement next week is stressing me out as much as work is. I bought a journal and promised myself that I would journal almost daily so I could vent and not stay stressed about things. But I don't feel like I have time to sleep, let alone do anything else. And, now Robbie is getting switched to a shift where he will always work in the evenings or nights. Another stressor.

I need a break. Once we go to settlement next week, I think that will lift some of my stress. I'm also hoping to go to South Carolina for a few days at the beginning of October. My main problem is that I find it difficult to just turn off work when I leave and stop worrying about the kids or their situations or whatever. I'm still trying to learn how to do that.

I thought maybe writing about it would help, but it's really not. So, I'll stop. But, I must say HOW 'BOUT THOSE REDSKINS?????

Books

It seems like when I haven't been working lately, I've been reading. I think I already posted that I read the sixth Harry Potter book. Since then, I think I have read a few other books. I've now read all of the Patricia Cornwell Kay Scarpetta books except for the last one, Trace. The one before that, Blow Fly, I wasn't really all that impressed with. It was written differently, in the third person, as opposed to in the first person, which made the book not quite as good as the previous ones. Still, I want to read the most recent one. And then I believe that there is a new one coming out soon, so I'll have to read that one as well.

After that, I read The Kite Runner, which I thought was very good. It was an interesting view of life in Afghanistan, before the Soviet invasion, following it, and under the leadership of the Taliban. It was a fictional story, but I'm sure there was a lot of reality in the descriptions of the country. It was a great story and I believe it was the author's first novel.

Once I finished that, Robbie said I had to read Under and Alone. Surprisingly, this, too, was a fast and interesting read. The book is about an undercover ATF agent in an outlaw motorcycle gang. Quite fascinating - similar to Donnie Brasco but more quick-paced.

Now, I'm re-reading the Harry Potter books. I've finished the first two, and I'm on the third one. Those are interesting because I read them several years ago, and have now seen the movies multiple times. There is so much in the books that is not in the movies and I'm enjoying reading them again. Once I get to the fourth one, I'll probably remember even less about it, since the movie has yet to come out. At any rate, these books are an easy read and always fun.

So as you can see, I have read a lot of books in the past month. Which probably means I have no life and I need to get out more. Maybe. I'll work on going out more and getting more exercise. Now, if you'll excuse me...I need to go read my book :)