I have been sitting in silence for the past forty-five minutes extremely disoriented. After two wedges of this gingerbread-cake-type-thing I made, and the afore mentioned silence, I have finally regained enough composure to write --

Word of advice: avoid the mall at all costs for the next three days.

I got up at ten of eight, which could be considered sleeping in. As usual, I awoke in somewhat of a frenzy; I do that often. It's as though I wake and suddenly realize all the interesting things there are to, attempting to jolt myself out of sleep in seconds. Usually this is not as graceful as it sounds.

After completing a huge vat of plain yogurt with honey and apple spice tea with egg nog (in lo of the the Christmas spirit), I put in Julie and Julia, to settle down for some quality background noise while I began my homework. Following this I scrubbed the kitchen floor and worked my hands (literally) dry in the kitchen, trying to get it to my level of sanitary, but even with Christmas music on, my cleaning flair bunt out after a couple hours (which isn't too bad, I suppose). Feeling productive, feeling good ... about myself ... about my morning ... about the impending holiday. But, oh, then it happened --

A knock at the door (never good when you're indesposed). Let me define indesposed: loose tee-shirt, pj pants, wild-child hair, and well ... I'll stop there. I ran to cover up with a sweatshirt and opened the door to see a lovely boquet of Christmas flowers. "My" I thought. "Flowers for meee, you shouldn't have!" Well, they didn't. The man at the door told me to hold onto them for my neighbor who at the time wasn't home. Yes, if you're wondering, I said it: "I was hoping those were for me." Perhaps had a looked less like a creature and more like a lady he might have had pity, but he just said sorry and left.

Oh well, who needs Christmas roses?

I just finished doing what my Educational Psychology book would refer to as, self regulating. I wrote a list that covered everything I need to accomplish between now and Friday, bullet pointing everything short of this blog. Though I have to admit, accomplishing my list is pretty refreshing. While the completing the list feels Merry and bright, the tasks in themselves are quite the opposite. Personally, I would prefer a list that read:

-Go buy the Steve Madden boots you cannot afford
-Eat lot's of holiday treats!
-Lay around as much as possible
-Buy a plane ticket to Korea (even if it's 2,500 dollars)
-Take a bubble bath

... Well, you get the point. But (aside from buying the boots ... and maybe Korea ... OK, and the bubble bath) the list would not lead to a very fulfilling life. So, I remain a slave to my current master of discipline: the list.

I don't want to feel dread about the week, or section it off in cookie-cutter days, I want to enjoy the here and now, especially this Christmas season. It's just that this week is especially difficult. Mainly because Eric is on a business trip and I miss his company terribly when he's gone. I used to be (pre-boyfriend days) good at being alone, but once you've experienced the wonder of being with that special someone, it is hard to go back. Normally, this would be a good way to feel, but not this week.

I suppose I can look at the bright side (as opposed to the what, the dark side?) I have a place to live, a room to decorate, and in a week I'll be singing "Fa-la-la-la-la" as Christmas will only be a few days away! I don't care if it's silly, even at 22 I am giddy about Christmas.

So, here's to a week of (fun) lists!

Until tomorrow --

Sail away, sail away, sail away ...

So in the last twenty-four hours I have constructed the brilliant idea of going to Korea (or Thailand) in two weeks. You might be wondering how this came about?

It all started a couple weeks ago when I found out I got the last week in December off -- not just off, but paid and off. It's something Mariner's Church does for its employees. I also found out that I was out of school that whole week. The wheels in my head began to turn: Who can I visit? Where? How? But I talked myself out of my silly notions and concluded that I would use that time to study for the CSET.

Of course, this all changed yesterday when I found out I had the Sunday prior to that week off. Something that only happens three times a year. This, of course, led me to the belief that I had to go somewhere. It is my duty; I owe it to myself ... to my youth, to my unmarried life. And since three of my friends are in Korea -- Wallah!

After finding a flight for 600 dollars I was making travel arrangements in my head. Hopes were thwarted when I found out two of my friends were going to be in Thailand that week, but this was quickly remedied upon the new realization that I could go to Thailand. Ocean, jungle, beaches: better. But let me tell you, this excitement died a pitiful death, as both Wholesale Flights and ASAP Flights told me that the cost was really about 2, 000 for the dates I wanted. I still am confused why they so terribly misrepresented themselves. I guess Christmas is popular when it comes to trips to Southeast Asia. Go figure.

What's a girl to do? The world at my fingertips, adventure in my soul (or in this case, Seoul), and no where to go?

Until tomorrow --

I am so tired I can hardly function, but I made a silly promise to myself to blog every day or so, and while I could break the promise, seeing that the only person I'd be letting down is myself, or I could just skip a day, at this point in the game -- one day after I said I'd blog daily -- it would be bad form.

My thoughts tonight are on sleep. Why does not enough sleep make it hard to think? It also makes me grumpy. And restless. I really should get enough sleep.

I don't sleep well, though, I really don't. I toss and I turn for nearly an hour before I fall asleep and I wake up with the roosters. 8 a.m. is a serious sleep-in day for me. Oh, boy! What does this mean? I can see it now, 60-years-old and awake at 4:30 every day. But getting up early can keep a person young. It is a discipline, for one. It shows, or at least assumes, some sort of enthusiasm and zeal for life. And, it's pretty in-tune with society, seeing that businesses generally wake-up early, and successful adults don't usually lollygag in bed.

But, I'm done thinking about sleep. I'm ready to actually partake in it.

Hopefully my post tomorrow will be more thrilling than mumbles on sleep. But I cannot make any guarantees.

Until tomorrow --

I have decided to blog everyday. Yes, this goal sounds lofty, considering my last post was in October and it is now December, but I have very good intentions. While the challenge to myself is to blog daily, if I miss a day I won't really mind (but if I miss two ...), and if I'm on vacation then I am off the hook. Aside from that, here's to starting off the new year early with daily blogging!

Post I

I love to grocery shop. I know I've mentioned it before, but it really does get me that excited. I'm sitting here, in a home that is icy cold, drinking hot chocolate with a snuggly blanket and feeling excitement that I get to grocery shop. Grocery shopping is a very big deal for me. First, I allot a budget for myself to spend at the store, then I think through meals, ingredients I will need, sometimes I even make lists that I rarely use. When I'm there I almost always try to fit flowers into my budget (probably not the best habit), and I find myself excited by things like berry flavored sparkling water for 99 cents or food samples that leave a fragrance to, or not, be desired (depending on the sample that day). The other day I got enough cilantro to open my own Mexican restruant for 50 cents, naturally, this was exciting. I've had better cilantro, though ...

Either way, today is grocery day! (Don't worry, I don't shop on the exact same day every week). Now, if only I didn't have a ton of reading for my 1:30 class and two hours of work to fit in. That's the problem with grocery day, there's rarely time.

Because I'm always looking for good recipes, let me know if you have any!

Until tomorrow --