Stream of Consciousness Update

Holy crap, it's been a long time... last post in September. My sister-in-law Linda started a new blog, which inspired me to at least update mine. So here goes, fairly stream-of-consciousness (Mrs. Means-style)...

Christmas was good - lots of family time, good food, presents, etc. I actually had an entire week off of work, thanks to my kick-ass benefits with extra holiday days. Whoo! Two weeks in a row of two-day workweeks suits me just fine. Although when I have to go back tomorrow, I think I will really be feeling the pain - I've already glanced at approximately 12.2 million emails waiting for me, and I probably won't be able to get anything done past my main task these next two days - entering in all donations we receive before the end of the year. Which will be a lot, because lots of a-holes (thanks NIACC donors!) put off their yearly donations until the last few days of the year. Oh well, hell for two days and then a four-day weekend.

I just finished the fourth season of Lost. It's really not my favorite TV show ever, but man, I've invested some serious time to it, so I just want to ride it out to the end (that's what she said). Speaking of, I can't wait to watch the latest season of The Office. We have watched all we can on Netflix and are waiting for more to come to DVD. I'm also finishing up The Tudors, am keeping up with The Good Wife, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice, and can't wait for new seasons of ANTM and The Biggest Loser. Yes, I watch a lot of TV shows, but we don't have cable, so I just watch them when I get around to it.

Work is good, but frustrating. I feel like I really fit in there, and I like where I work, but I'm already itching for a promotion (I know, only been there a little over six months). I don't have enough time to do all that I need to, and I feel like someone lower-level could be keeping up with the stuff that gets put off. I'm also frustrated to be an hourly worker instead of salaried, so I can't even put in overtime to get my stuff done.

One exciting thing is month is that Caleb and I paid off our car loan, after only six months. It was our first big loan together, and it feels good to have it paid off and some good credit history under our belts. And no more car payments! Wheee! (Too bad my credit card bill from this month is almost a double car payment. Oops.)

Now that I've finished the box of Candy Cane Pop Drops (like peppermint Tootsie Pops without the stick), I really need to get on track for my honeymoon body! I really want to kill it this next month, drop a few pounds and tone up so I might be brave enough to post pictures of me in swimsuit on Facebook (or not, I just say that because Andrea really wants me to, haha). Luckily, my Wii Fit told me this morning that I actually lost weight since weighing in last Wednesday. I don't know how I pulled that one off, because I did not watch my eating at all this last week, but I did work out twice at home and did Boot Camp on Wednesday, so that must have helped a little.

I just received both of my books for my grad class today. It makes me excited to be a student again. I just signed up for one class this semester, as I will be gone for two weeks on our honeymoon in February and plan to start studying for the GRE this semester. I hope to take it this summer to get it out of the way so I can continue with my grad classes. I hope to have all my school done before los bebes arrive. (So obviously, it will be a few years.)

Ok, last ramble-y thing - this January, I start classes to become a volunteer for Crisis Intervention Services in North Iowa. Once I am "certified," I can respond to emergency cases (come to represent victims of abuse, sexual/domestic assault, etc), help at the shelter, and advocate for victim's rights. This is kind of my first step on my way to pave the road for - hopefully - North Iowa Vagina Monologues 2012! More on that later...

Well, hopefully that will suffice for an update for the next three months. Kidding - but who knows, it might be that long again. Peace out, homies.