So, the most interesting thing lately is that I have been diagnosed with adult ADD! And here I always thought I was just flaky! My doctor thinks I should go on Ritalin. I am not kidding! I feel like Felicity Huffman's crazy kids on Desperate Housewives; I'm taking a couple of weeks to think about it. I hate to take drugs, even aspirin (although anti-depressants have made a big difference and I'm glad I take those -- ask
beautifulday72, I resisted those for years!).
This whole no-new-television thing, while leaving a gaping hole in my heart, has been a boon to my productivity.
teaching myself how to sew; I even bought a basic sewing machine! I have spent more time in fabric stores the last three weeks than in my own apartment!
re-learning how to embroider; I'm designing and sewing embroidered fabric wall art for my bedroom!
making a headboard for my bed!
cleaning out and reorganizing all of my closets and my dresser, leading to a number of trips to Goodwill (gotta get those 2007 tax deductions)
tossing a TON of paper -- law school notes, outlines, etc. that I haven't looked at in five years and probably will never need
painting and decorating ceramic piggy banks for my nieces for Christmas
Christmas shopping
making holiday decorations for work (these cool jingle bell wreaths for everyone's office)
reading all of your entries, trying to comment here and there so you know at least I am reading!
sputtering out bits of my Ryan fic
trying to stay on top of football so I can avoid embarrassment in my pick 'em leagues submitting resumes and cover letters for non-law jobs that are nevertheless related to my practice area, but never making the interview cut
But I haven't been:
getting much done at work
working out
sleeping much
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WGA STRIKE AND WRITING LONG-OVERDUE OFFICE METAS
And I still have to:
finish making Christmas stuff
ship gifts to Texas
shred old papers, bills, etc. from Great Purge of 2007
finish my Ryan fic!
finish bedroom improvements and take pictures to post on LJ
And on particular topics that may or may not be of interest:
WGA Strike
I sent some pencils in support of the WGA through their pencils-to-moguls campaign. I did eenie-meenie-miney-moe to choose which Office writer I was going to put on my form (Mike Schur won). And then I had to buy another box in order to write myself in, like Jane Espenson suggested. She is so awesome and empowering! I love reading her blog.
Work (ugh):
I asked my boss if I could transfer back to the other side of the Division, where I worked before my promotion. At the time I left that side, I hated it. I don't expect to like it any more than I like my current position, but at least I will be a little less stressed out than I am in my current position.My boss was pretty cool about it. We'll see if the Powers-That-Arbitrarily-Be actually follow through and allow me to do it. Should happen sometime in the first half of next quarter, maybe by mid-Feb.
I've been applying for jobs here and there outside of my current practice area, mostly poorly-paying non-law jobs that are still related in topic to my current job. As much as I tailor my experience and skills specifically to each of those jobs, I haven't had any luck -- just many mutliple strike-out games; call me Ryan Howard! {obnoxiousness} I know if I called up any number of law firms with a law practice in my area, they'd hire me in a heartbeat because of my 5+ years at the gov't, but I don't want to do this anymore! Sometimes I think I imagined my great educations and work experiences {/obnoxiousness}. I just... guess I have to keep faith that the right thing will come along and I'll enjoy the majority of my days again. *crosses fingers*
Sports:
I've been listening to the Flyers as much as I can, and I did watch the Pens/Flyers game last week -- what an awesome new rivalry! I hate Sidney Crosby.
I wish the new England manager were English. Not that they have many great options among Englishmen, but still. Something weird about an Italian being manager of the England squad. No worse than a Swede, I guess, but look how that turned out. Now look at how great Man City is playing this year. So... what's the deal, England squad? Do you not care about whether you play well for your country?
I am psyched for Kaka for winning FIFA player of the year but I think it's mostly because he beat out Christiano Ronaldo.
My Christmas plans:
I'll be in NJ this weekend, then back in NoVA on Christmas Day at my sister's. Then back to work.
The holidays are tough since the end of my long-term relationship, although there is so much less stress as a single person. No more tours of the East Coast from NoVA to Maine in one week, no more agonizing over gifts. Normally I pride myself on my general independence -- I go to movies by myself without a second thought, giving thanks that I'm able to see what I want to see and never have to compromise; I do DIY stuff myself; I drive everywhere myself, giving thanks that I can listen to whatever I want and even sing along at the top of my lungs if I want. But trying to load the materials for my home-made headboard into my Honda almost -- almost -- made me wish that I had someone with me as I stood in the Home Depot parking lot, struggling with and cursing out a piece of 3' x 6' plywood that just. Wouldn't. Fit. in my freaking little car. It took me 45 minutes but I finally did it. My proud Singlehood is secure!
2008 is going to see many changes in my life: I foresee improvement in my health, "wealth," sleep patterns, writing and sewing, a non-toxic work environment, and I desperately hope to rescue a dog finally -- maybe a beagle or basset type with a great personality who I can call Murphy. I hope to move to Atlanta or Boston. Mostly I just hope to be happy and I wish the same for all of you!