Recovery

Well, it’s been way too long since my last post, and I really have no interest in doing a redux post, so I’m not going to. I do plan to post about Christmas and New Year separately however.

Christmas 2009

Christmas was great!! Ellie and I had a 4-part holiday this year because she was required to work. So we opened stockings in the AM, then gifts when she came home. Afterward we hit the road: first my dad’s house for dinner and presents with my folks, then NJ for her annual reunion party and Christmas with her family. Although we were EXHAUSTED when we finally made it back to MA, we had a lot of fun and came bar with a car full of gifts, which are now still mostly spread all over the spare room, although most of the kitchen supplies are put away, as well as the stuff my mom gave us to make over the bathroom (just need to paint and hang shelves, and buy liquid soap for the soap dispenser). BUT, Christmas still isn’t over…I’m getting together with Jere and Em tomorrow for our 2nd annual hot tubbing extravaganza, and we still have to make plans to make the trip to MD for Christmas with her other brother–there was just no way we could physically, mentally or time-wise make the trip then since it was our 3rd trip in 6 weeks. Hopefully we’ll be able to coordinate schedules in the next few weeks to make the trip–but I’m totally leaving THAT up to her

 

In Hopes that St. Nick Soon Will Be Here

Christmas is in just two days, and I don’t feel like I’m set for it. I know that everyone will enjoy their gifts, but I still feel like I didn’t do a great job with the shopping. Tomorrow is going to be dedicated to wrapping till my fingers bleed. Friday is going to be a HUGE day of more wrapping, visiting my folks, then Jersey for the weekend. As much as I love wtbrosie’s family, I’m happy this will probably be the last drive for a little while–three trips in a month is a lot.

I love the holidays, but I will be happy when they’re over. I think having SUCH a stressful period of time with finals and the end of semester right at the beginning of the holiday season is not conducive to the way I work mentally. I’m sure that being off meds for the first time in…6-ish years is part of the situation too. I’m not saying I’m having real problems this year, but it’s definitely more difficult than in previous years.

 

Thanksgiving Redux

I would have posted sooner, but I’ve had so much work due this week (and next, but I haven’t started thinking about that yet). wtbrosie and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner for my family and her friend. I think it went pretty well, although we STILL have leftovers. If we do this again next year, I’ll make sure to start cooking the turkey sooner, and will have people show up a little later–I was pretty anxious about trying to ensure my parents and uncle were entertained, even though I know that I really don’t need to worry, it’s not like they would have been doing anything different at home.

Friday, wtbrosie was lucky enough to get out of work super early, so we were on the road to New Jersey by 6pm–her brother and future sister-in-law (whom we were staying with) weren’t even in bed yet!! Saturday morning was the drive to Baltimore for dinner with her other brother and the family; I was super happy they had roast beef instead of turkey! That evening we made the ride back up to Jersey to stay with her sister, who didn’t go to dinner, and to cut a few hours off the ride home Sunday. Sunday was seeing the kids and then into the car to try and get home at a reasonable time–8 hours later, we were finally home, even before I would have been home from class!

I will say I’m happy we have the bigger car, and I’m taking ginger pills before I travel; they make the trip a lot more comfortable.

 

Summer Planning

I want to do a study abroad class this summer–it’s been a HUGE thing for me since I found out about the opportunity to do so through this program. However, I’m looking at spending about 5000 to do so.

I found out about a program that will take me to New Zealand for about half the cost if I’m doing it for CEU’s instead of credits–not that I’d actually take that option–but they are already full.

So, do I hold off a year and apply for a summer internship that will give me about $3000-5000 for the summer or go on one of the other study abroad trips (England or Rome)?

 

First things first: my broken ass is feeling much better now, thanks!!

Today’s my first day back at work after a vacation–took Wed-Wed off, and was in Tampa/St. Pete from Friday-Tuesday. One of Ellie’s friends from high school was getting married, and we decided to make a real vacation out of it. Saturday we went to the Salvador Dali Museum, which was awesome once we finally got there. Too bad we weren’t allowed to take pics. We did find a great cajun restaurant on our walk, where I finally got to try crawfish.

Sunday was the wedding, which was beautiful although small. I will say BBQ was probably NOT the best idea for lunch, but I didn’t hear about any mishaps. The date of one of the bridesmaids created a new drink which we have all dubbed ‘The Screaming Fox’ after the bride’s Fennec Fox. Not really sure what was in it, but it was bright green and delicious!!

Monday was supposed to be Busch Gardens, but it was pouring and thundering in Tampa, so we had to bail on that idea. Instead, we joined some of the bridal party on an excursion to the Florida Aquarium, which is WAY better than the New England Aquarium. The rain had mostly let up, so we wandered around the beaches at Ft. De Soto Park and collected shells, saved some sea urchins and witnessed an osprey eating a fish–I can’t WAIT to see those photos.

 

Yet ANOTHER Reason to Visit Japan

As if Hello Kitty, Manga/Anime, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan#History and cherry blossoms weren’t enough, they have 86 different flavors of Kit Kats!!!

I’m interested in trying: Strawberry Cheesecake, Cherry Blossom, Jasmine Tea-Chocolate, Raspberry, Green Tea & Milk, Cookies & Milk, Wine, Kyoto Green Tea, Strawberry, Tiramisu, Peanut Butter, Cookies, Cacao 61% & 72%, Strawberry Pistacio Almond Thyme, Grilled Corn, Candies Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, Chocolate Banana.

 

Missing Out

I don’t really have many real regrets, probably one or two at most. But looking back, there are opportunities I wish I’d been able to take advantage of. Most of them involve Girl Scouts, which I think it one of the main reasons I am so heavily involved with it now. I really wish I’d been able to go on a Wider Opportunity, which is a program for girls to travel to different places to take part in activities related to any number of topics. From the first time I was eligible, I would pour over the booklet choosing which ones I wanted to apply for. But I never did so because of  a fear of rejection, knowing my parents didn’t have the money, and fear of the unknown (probably the biggest deterrent). These were the same reasons I never tried to be a CiT, or went to camp more than just the 2 summers. As I got older and experience more and more rejection by my peers, I became more and more hesitant about doing anything that even remotely set me up for rejection or failure.

That hesitation wasn’t really as present in FFA. I think a lot of that was because I was around people that mostly accepted me, unlike in Girl Scouts which was cliquey and competitive. I was still super shy, but reveled in attending National Conventions and participating in contests. The only opportunities I really feel like I missed out on in High School are the trip to Belize and the cross-country road trip. With Belize, I had to choose between that and competing at the National FFA Convention–really not a choice. The road trip though, I knew I’d never be able to afford it, and I also knew that I’d be REALLY out of place since it was all the cool kids from the entire school going. If I’d gone, I would have been setting myself up for more rejection and failure.

Gods, I’ve just realized it’s always been money that has been a major factor in my missed opportunities. I was thinking about what I missed out on in college and realized that the main two were studying abroad and The Washington Center (a non-profit internship program). Yes I was fearful of being rejected for them, but I didn’t even apply because I knew that I’d never be able to afford the program or required materials (in the case of the internship).

I think all of this is one of the biggest motivating factors in me being involved with Girl Scouting. I want to be able to make up for those things I missed out on. I also, in a way, want to make up for the sometimes shoddy leadership I had in Girl Scouts by being a good and effective leader for my troop. Sure, there are other programs out there, but I can’t join the Adventurers because they are affiliated with the Boy Scouts and I can’t join that organization because I’m gay. There is also Campfire, which I was actually a member of in Kindergarten and 1st grade, but I really know nothing about the program. I know there are other organizations to, but I know even less about them. I think I’ll stick with Girl Scouts for now.

 

2009 Sox Traveling

The 2009 Sox schedule is now available!

M has already claimed me for a Mets-Sox game when they come to town, and I’m going to plan a trip to Philly to see C and go to a Phillies-Sox game. I’m hoping to make it to the DC area for a Nationals game and also for an Orioles game (wtbrosie, think the bro and SIL will let us crash?)

I think I’m going to concentrate on seeing the Sox away next season rather than tying up ALL my money on tickets here. Not saying I won’t be seeing games at Fenway, but if I really do want to see every park, I need to get working.

 

Wet and Wild

Last weekend wtbrosie, fitzer_42, the woman she’s dating and I all went camping up in Franconia Notch. We were all prepared for it to be freezing, but I don’t think any of us were fully prepared for the rain. I’m not saying we didn’t KNOWit was going to rain, but I think we were in slight denial of just how bad it would be.

We set up the tents and tarp in the rain, making for a damp night’s sleep despite using two towels to dry the tent. At least the rain stopped in time for us to have a fire (which wtbrosie worded her ass off at making) for cooking dinner and s’mores. Although we couldn’t get a fire started Saturday morning, we had an amazing fire that night cooked out whole dinner over it, plus dough boys ( HUGE hit) and even more marshmallows. The highlight of the night though was the fact that our fire was hot enough to melt glass–several empty beer bottles gave their lives to provide us entertainment.

Saturday we had the phenomenal idea to go on a hike. fitzer_42’s boss is a hiker and gave her a set of trails to follow. It was absolutely beautiful–what we did of it. What he didn’t realize is that none of us are really hikers, and what we didn’t realize was that it was a hike UP A MOUNTAIN. Not realizing just how difficult it was, we left at noon thinking we’d have plenty of time–not so much. Over an hour in we’d only gone about a mile, and when we asked some people coming down how much further to the top, they told us it was 2 more hours to the top! So yeah, I had to put a stop to the hike right then and there because of my legs and dehydration (I went through a Nalgene bottle in that hour). Not to mention the fact that it’d be dark before we got back to our campsite. Next time, we take lower-level trails

But honestly, despite the little SNAFU’s it was a great time, and I’m really looking forward to going camping with wtbrosie and her sister’s family in November–here’s hoping we’re a little better prepared!!

 

Time, or Lack Thereof

I will admit that I have been a shit-tastic blogger of late, but other than gushing about how wonderful wtbrosie is and all the fun stuff we’ve done, there is really nothing much going on in my life. And I’m not entirely sure how much y’all want to hear about the wedding we went to last Saturday, where I got to meet one of her oldest friends, and we spent the whole evening hanging out with her and her wife, way after the other guests had left. Or about going into NYC Sunday and wandering around Grant’s tomb, and down into Times Square where she patiently waited for me to collect squished pennies at the M&M store (I would have collected more around Times Square, but it was getting late, and we were hanging with another one of her friends), then went to the Sanrio store where wtbrosie bought me a pair of Hello Kitty chopsticks, I got myself a camera case, and her friend bought me a bookmark! I kinda made out like a bandit, especially at dinner (I forget the name of the place) where we got the biggest slices of pizza I have ever seen! The pizza pan they came from must have been about 24″.

I’m looking for a new car, and am looking at Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas–I have a contact at a Toyota dealer in Auburn via one of my dad’s co-workers, so here’s hoping I can get something to work out. Tomorrow I’m swapping rooms with one of my roommates, so I’ll have a big room, and won’t even have to leave my room to access my closet! So yet another full weekend…in fact, I looked at my calendar and EVERY weekend is full! No wonder I’m so freaking tired all the time.