New Year 2009

No one can deny that New Year’s Eve in Boston was pretty damn cold. But, it didn’t stop Ellie and I from going in for the First Night celebration. She’d bought our buttons a few days before Christmas, and there was no way we were going to let them go to waste. It wasn’t terribly cold either–I’ve heard horror stories from some people. We did however not do the night in exactly the right order; we started at the Common to see the ice sculptures, then walked to the Hynes to see what was going on there and the beginning of the Grand Procession, then BACK past the Common to the Waterfront to get our FREE (well, we did pay for the buttons you needed to get the ticket) harbor cruise tickets. We’ll probably switch the Hynes and Common if we ever do this again–make better use of our time and take more advantage of the offerings.

Yesterday was another chapter of Christmas and continuation of the New Year revelry. Jere, Em and I went out to North Hampton for the 2nd annual Hot Tubbing Extravaganza. It was an absolute blast, and was definitely worth the crappy driving conditions (only for me of course!!) and the fact that I had to suck up my pride and let them pay for me. I also have to thank them for allowing me to put the money I WAS going to spend on Northeastern Gear (when my reimbursement comes in in a few weeks) onto more waterproof gear for my commuting, so that was a double-blessing. Yes, there WERE shenanigans, and we’re pretty sure our server for dinner wanted us dead, but that’s all really par for the course when we get together. Next year, massages will be back!!

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

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.

Today was my first official day of freedom after a hell of a semester. I’ve had a nagging at the back of my head that I need to be DOING something. Apparently I’m not recovered from the last few weeks that were nothing but papers and projects. I did however update my resume and submit it to the NODA internship program. Tomorrow I’m getting an oil change and wrapping gifts.

Are you all wondering what I have planned for the next three weeks? A whole lot of not much. I will probably try to visit friends that I haven’t seen in a while, I also need to work on a cross-stitch project and finish a couple books. I’m also going to be covering some shifts at the Northeastern Student Center to earn a few bucks since all the undergrads that work there are gone for the next three weeks.

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.

On a slightly less stressful note, wtbrosie FINALLY has a new car!!! It was not the easiest process, but we are really happy with it so can put all the bullsh** behind us. That ALSO means I have my car back and can now use my new-found time off (today is my last day of employment with the Girl Scouts) to run errands and visit the ‘Deis folks, or see my mom on her days off without having to worry about working out a car schedule. I really wish we had been able to be a one-car family, at least for a little bit longer to save money on insurance and car payments, but it was a huge hassle and I know it would have wound up ugly if we’d had to do it too much longer.

Now that she’s a Mass resident, wtbrosie no longer has to worry about places not accepting her ID for alcohol, which is nice. It also means she’s insured in MA, so I can be added to her policy to hopefully save a ton of money (yay governmental insurance!!)–going to be researching the hows and costs of that tonight.

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)?

Last night was our apartment warming party, and I must say it was a huge success! I’m really happy my school friends got along so well with D and her girl, and it was wonderful that Carrie just happened to be up from PA, so it was good to catch up with her, even though I wound up leaving other friends to cause mischief.

However, the pictures have left me a little less than pleased with myself…I really need to buy a scale and start actively getting into some shape other than round…

When I bought my computer a couple years ago, I was required to get it with Vista, otherwise Dell was going to charge me an additional $60 to get XP. Everyone knows that Vista sucks, even Microsoft, so they just came out with Windows 7.

I cannot afford a new computer, and I’m really not a fan of Macs, so I need to decide if I want to upgrade or not. Through school I can get a discount on Professional or Ultimate. Both of these would require a clean install, which I CANNOT do on my own–I know I’d f*** it up.

So, techie buddies, what say ye? Do I do it or wait and live with Vista longer? Or, do I buy the Personal edition (I can still get a discount, just not sure what it would be) and upgrade my laptop, wtbrosie’s laptop, and our desktop?

Saturday, we’re hosting an apartment warming party. Now, I don’t have nearly as many friends as wtbrosie and Steph, but I do have a good number, and I do consider all of them actual friends.

But I’m starting to question that of late. One group of friends has never once traveled to see me, despite me making plans to see them regularly–granted, I was already in the neighborhood at therapy, but I still had an hour ride home ahead of me and work in the morning. Every time I’ve had any kind of gathering, I invite them, but not one even responds. I’m hurt to be honest, especially because they don’t invite me to events anymore either.  But they still see my mom in PetCo all the time, and ask her to send their love, so it’s not like they don’t want to be friends with me anymore…(no, my mom wouldn’t know who they are, even after them talking to her fairly regularly:P)

I’m not sure what to do…I guess I should bring it up to them, but I HATE confrontation (with friends and family anyway). I could just let them fade out, but I kinda don’t want to. I don’t know…