(no subject)
Holy cow, Christmas is just a week away. Can you believe it? I for one can't, wow. Just appeared out of nowhere, but I guess my calendar would beg to differ. Oh well.
It hasn't been too bad the last couple of weeks, just busy like always. Last week was a little unnerving with a problem I had for my major customer, and it was making me jumpy, but when I called her with an update, she's like, calm down, I know you guys are working on it. In fact, she told me not to think about work all weekend. I have to admit, that as many headaches as I get out of that account, those people are pretty awesome. And this week everything decided to work, so I'm counting the good days. I hope they last longer than a week. Oh, and I must be doing something right in the business world, because our commercial person for big account asked me to go with her on a business trip in January to visit their Atlanta office and help train their people. Dude. Another sign that I'm becoming a responsible adult. Sometimes.
And we've started having meetings with another department, so we're finally combining our forces, and I think I like it. Everyone up on the twelfth floor seems really nice, and they also have more female peers for me to relate to instead of the five football-obsessed coworkers I have in my department. I am SO sick of college football. I really am. The season's freaking over and people still agonize over it. For crying out loud...
In other news, dancing continues to be my favorite social event. I think I'm improving a bit. The last couple of weeks have had some really awesome dancing in store for me. I also got into the Master Class, which I'm hoping will be good. I'm a little cautious because there are at least two leads in there whom I don't particularly like, they're both slightly creepy. It's really hard to get into dancing with someone who creeps me out, especially for something intimate like Balboa. But we'll see. I will at least try not to be such a snob about my leads.
Last weekend was my book club intensive weekend. Seriously, I had three book club meetings scheduled on Saturday. I would've gone to all three if the weather hadn't suddenly struck, but I made it to at least two. I gave Carl his present and was so glad that he didn't actually have it. Carl's my pal. I also attempted to wait out the snowstorm, which didn't really work, but I did enjoy being stuck in a book store. I may have spent a lot more money than I needed to on people, but frankly, Christmas is a time for generosity, and if I don't spend it on my friends, I'll just spend it on myself. Sharing gets more smiles. The snow didn't really quit, and actually it was the wind that made me nervous because it would cause the snow to drift and you couldn't see two feet in front of you, dangerous when the twit in front of you is driving his white SUV without his lights on. *rolls eyes* But I made it home alive and my dad could finally quit worrying.
I so need to move out.
That night I went to Jim and Susie's for the other book club Christmas gathering. Got to see baby Ellie, who is quite easily, the happiest baby ever. I mean, most kids get a little freaked out by a big crowd of strangers, but Ellie was working that room like she'd been doing it all her life. So cute. I treated myself to one of Jim's fine cocktails despite the icky weather, and we ate a ton of food. But it was a blast. By the end of the night, the only real challenge was the blistering cold. I stayed home the next day.
And this week was the work Christmas party, with our secret Santa project. My coworker Kim loved what I got her, which took a load off me, because I wasn't sure it would go over. Guessing what people like in hand lotion can be touchy. And Steve turned out to be my secret Santa, and gave me an iTunes card, which is awesome. I also managed to make pumpkin pie all by myself for the office feast, and after work I hung out with Jillian, Lee, the Beet, and Kara, which was a delight on such a frosty day. Last night was the Christmas party at Jitterbugs, where I was pleasantly surprised by many things. I wore my new swing dress which only needed a minor adjustment to the halter so it would stay put, but the skirt spins fabulously, and I am quite the cherry bomb in it. Eric gave me a present after expressly telling me not to get him anything which is a bit vexing, I am a firm believer in equality in relationships, especially in terms of gift giving, but I got him a card, so I think it balanced out. He gave me copy of one of his pictures that I absolutely adore. It reminds me of the lamp post in the snowy forest of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and for some reason I cannot explain, it makes me ridiculously happy. Must get that framed.
Jillian and Lee already understand the gift-giving balance in relationships, so we had things to trade. Jillian knitted me a beautiful scarf with question marks on it, therefore it is a "questionable" scarf, which makes us both giggle. I gave her the first book in the Jane Austen mystery series, and hopefully she will both read it and like it so I can finally discuss those with someone. Lee and I traded mix CDs, though hers is more impressive since she blinged out the case on mine. Girl is crafty. I'm so happy with my presents this year, they're so simplistically wonderful. Not to mention the fact that they come from purely wonderful and exceptional people. I also surprised Ben with more Sherlock Holmes books, but I still think we're close enough to give each other presents. He seemed pleased, which always works for me.
I was lot more tired last night than I thought, and went home right after the dance, nearly nodded off at a stoplight which doesn't happen to me often, and slept almost 14 hours. I think these last weeks have been harder on me than I thought. I think I will try to relax a bit more in the coming weeks, not let work and life get to me so easily, because they have been. And since it's supposed to snow tomorrow, I think I'll just stay indoors and wrap presents, get my Martha Stewart on.
Wow, that was a lot of writing. I really have to get to this more than once every two weeks.