Sorry, no nature photos this week. I took the dog for her Sunday walk, but forgot the camera. But it's good because, this was a perfect week for just walking and being. It was too bloody cold to manage a camera. Instead I thought about how I expected Alaska to feel this cold in the winter, and I tried not to slip on the ice.
Which leads me to what I feel like blogging about this week.
My Four Late January '09 Complaints
1. I don't want to hear about layoffs anymore, ever again. Enough. And that's meant for you Perez Hilton. I only visit your site a few times a year when I'm desperate to clear my brain of anything meaningful, so when I do, I don't want to hear about the 7000 jobs that Caterpillar is cutting. Or any other company for that matter.
2. The dog ate my glasses. I needed a new pair anyway, but still. This was uncalled for.
3. I lost my keys somewhere in a deep pile of snow. We looked for a few hours, even shoveling out long paths where I chased after the dog. We even rented a metal detector. Still, no keys. Believe it or not, metal detecting was only fun for about 30 seconds. Then my arm just got tired.
4. While I appreciate that the life of a graduate student affords me long breaks that many don't enjoy, I don't appreciate the zero to sixty start each semester. I spent most of the weekend working and it's only week two. I'm already hopelessly behind.
My Four Late January '09 Gratitudes
1. I looked back on the blog and last year Matt and I were both sick with the flu around this time. I was reminded that we were both much less healthy on multiple levels. We have adopted some healthier habits and because Matt is not traveling non-stop for work, he doesn't bring home a constant flow of germs. Healthier = happier.
2. One of my friends invited some of us over Sunday at noon for hot chocolate and chocolate croissants. Brilliant. (Oh wait, did I just mention healthier habits? That doesn't apply to baked goods.)
3. We are making ends meet. We know someone who got their car repossessed last week, so this is nothing to take for granted.
4. Two more friends are coming over tomorrow so we can continue to devise expedient plans for moving on from our PhD lifestyles. I'm making jambalaya. In college, one of Matt's roommate's mom was Creole and she would bring over big pans of jambalaya. Good stuff. Wherever you are, I thank you Mrs. Cameron.
Okay, I feel a bit better.
And to the snow I say, it's time to melt, melt, melt. I haven't given up hope that I'll find my keys.
um, excuse me, but I was promised pics of the metal detector expedition!!!
Posted by: Stephanie | January 26, 2009 at 09:14 PM
Love your "this was uncalled for" comment on the chewed eyeware. haha (Easy for me to laugh, huh?) Bad dog...b-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-d. (Sorry, I still I think it's funny.)
Posted by: Beth | February 14, 2009 at 07:40 PM
I haven't given up hope yet on finding my cell phone, either! I'm quite certain it's still hiding somewhere inside this house - but, can you imagine what a metal detector would do here??!!
Anyway, great blogging - even without the photos (I actually typed "phone" instead of "photos," so you KNOW it's on my mind; but the good/bad news is that it's been lost since October. I wish better luck for you!!)
Posted by: Carla | February 18, 2009 at 11:03 PM