taking an eamil and posting cause it kinda says everything i'd say in an entry anyway
Hi [Friend who originally got this email - and all my friends online as well!],
I hope you had a good Christmas and New Year's! I did get to see Matt for about a week, and even though it was pretty much wedding planning bootcamp, we did very well at it - I think wedding planning, registry, etc. is a good trial for any couple convinced they want to get married b/c it really tests your mutual plan-making and ability to compromise. We held up great, though, and it has me even more excited about our future! I was glad with how much Matt got into the planning, and we got along great with the priest who will preside over our ceremony. My extended family got to know him better, too, with the anticipated positive reviews :)
Things are pretty good here in MA. Kristina has a new BF from Australia who is is real sweetie, and we've kinda gotten recruited into his social circle, thereby about tripling my # of friends in the area. I am enjoying my time as a nanny and it's a pretty easy-going year. My employers are very flexible about time off, which makes wedding planning and seeing Matt a heck of a lot easier! Things are a little lonely at times b/c Kristina spends a lot of time at Dean's and I end up home alone, but she is really happy and they try to include me as much as possible, which is sweet. The people in her grad program are fun too and they treat me like an extension of the program. I got to go ice skating last month as part of their Christmas party - i was terrified my whole time on the ice, but successfully made it around the rink a few times before settling down with my hot cocoa for the night.
I understand what you mean about struggling to enjoy the freedom of our age/status/lifestyles. It's a lot harder than I would have expected. I live in this great historic college town and across the river from an exciting historic city, but it's easy to fall into bad routines such as coming home from work and sinking into the couch to watch TV. Damn the cable that comes with our Comcast internet package! But I've got 6 months left on my lease and I really want to make the most of it. Because I have some extra time and not a lot of obligations (the weird thing about non-studenthood), I am looking for ways to volunteer or otherwise get more active in the community. I am also trying to get into a decent exercise routine. It is so hard to get motivated with nothing to train for, but I know I'd feel better if I did more than just occasional walking around the city. I have the option of joining MIT's gym for cheap and am looking into taking some fitness classes there just for fun. These things are easier said than followed through on, so ask me next month how I’m doing and hopefully I’ll have good news for you!!
I miss you and I wish you the very best in your pursuit of joy as well. I’m convinced the one thing ND didn’t prepare me for was the fact that life after college can be just as hard, just in different ways. On this note, and because I can be a huge cornball, I have a favorite quote to share with you, supposedly by a priest named Alfred D'Souza:
For a long time is seemed to me that life was about to begin -- real life.
But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first,
some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.
At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.
This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way.
I can't tell if it's uplifting or just completely overwhelming, but it's definitely something that reminds me to find joy and possibility in the present, wherever that might be :)
Love you! Hope you are doing well!
Cat
I hope you had a good Christmas and New Year's! I did get to see Matt for about a week, and even though it was pretty much wedding planning bootcamp, we did very well at it - I think wedding planning, registry, etc. is a good trial for any couple convinced they want to get married b/c it really tests your mutual plan-making and ability to compromise. We held up great, though, and it has me even more excited about our future! I was glad with how much Matt got into the planning, and we got along great with the priest who will preside over our ceremony. My extended family got to know him better, too, with the anticipated positive reviews :)
Things are pretty good here in MA. Kristina has a new BF from Australia who is is real sweetie, and we've kinda gotten recruited into his social circle, thereby about tripling my # of friends in the area. I am enjoying my time as a nanny and it's a pretty easy-going year. My employers are very flexible about time off, which makes wedding planning and seeing Matt a heck of a lot easier! Things are a little lonely at times b/c Kristina spends a lot of time at Dean's and I end up home alone, but she is really happy and they try to include me as much as possible, which is sweet. The people in her grad program are fun too and they treat me like an extension of the program. I got to go ice skating last month as part of their Christmas party - i was terrified my whole time on the ice, but successfully made it around the rink a few times before settling down with my hot cocoa for the night.
I understand what you mean about struggling to enjoy the freedom of our age/status/lifestyles. It's a lot harder than I would have expected. I live in this great historic college town and across the river from an exciting historic city, but it's easy to fall into bad routines such as coming home from work and sinking into the couch to watch TV. Damn the cable that comes with our Comcast internet package! But I've got 6 months left on my lease and I really want to make the most of it. Because I have some extra time and not a lot of obligations (the weird thing about non-studenthood), I am looking for ways to volunteer or otherwise get more active in the community. I am also trying to get into a decent exercise routine. It is so hard to get motivated with nothing to train for, but I know I'd feel better if I did more than just occasional walking around the city. I have the option of joining MIT's gym for cheap and am looking into taking some fitness classes there just for fun. These things are easier said than followed through on, so ask me next month how I’m doing and hopefully I’ll have good news for you!!
I miss you and I wish you the very best in your pursuit of joy as well. I’m convinced the one thing ND didn’t prepare me for was the fact that life after college can be just as hard, just in different ways. On this note, and because I can be a huge cornball, I have a favorite quote to share with you, supposedly by a priest named Alfred D'Souza:
For a long time is seemed to me that life was about to begin -- real life.
But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first,
some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.
At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.
This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way.
I can't tell if it's uplifting or just completely overwhelming, but it's definitely something that reminds me to find joy and possibility in the present, wherever that might be :)
Love you! Hope you are doing well!
Cat