1. I need to type up my revised outline

2. I really should type out that outline.

3. GOD DAMMIT JUST TYPE UP THE DAMN OUTLINE.

My update is all about surprise. First, still eating pretty much exclusively vegetarian but for some fish now and then. I'm surprised how easy this is and how much I like the way I feel.

Also mostly staying away from alcohol, including my favorite, red wine, and surprised how little I miss it.

And finally, totally surprised by how much I love my new Kindle and in particular the ability to read the NYT on it. I don't know how cost effective this is for the NYT but I love getting my paper this way. I may switch over my WSJ subscription to the same format.

Kindles are the BEST!!! I just bought three new books thanks to a v-day giftcard from my parents!

I keep accidentally printing emails from Outlook when I want to move things to a folder or send a new email . . . I wish that button was somewhere else.

I am currently heartbroken b/c I think thin mints made me feel sick (apparently chocolate and mint are both bad for acid reflux). Boo.

1. Finally trying to rollover the retirement account from my previous employer to the current one. Old plan folx (i.e. evil large corporation) are making it very difficult and charging me money, because they can. Grump.

2. I've tried most of the things in this thread. They're not working. Instead of feeling better, I have the added burden of guilt for being in a first-world country, etc.

3. C'mon, God/Whomever, I've been praying to you for a long time. Can't you help out even a little?

1. I've had a very productive working-from-home day today. I got so much work done, with time to spare.

2. I got a cheque from HMCR - a tax rebate. Only £44.41, but a nice surprise anyway, given the amount of tax I pay each month.

3. Lucy spent the last hour asleep on my lap, which was wonderful, especially as she'd spent the previous 20 minutes kneading me with her sharp little nails.

1. Slowly working on pulling myself into sanity from this mess with state employees. Hard to do, since I a) work in our PR office and b) live a block from the Capitol. Hey, maybe we can get a Billy Bragg concert out of it! He likes unions, right?

2. Slowly working on ordering my damn wedding dress and objectively proving, via measurements, whether I am actually too fat for their biggest size. You know who should be ashamed here? It ain't me, that's for sure. There is no reason I should not fit into a goddamn bridesmaid's gown.

3. I AM A USEFUL MEMBER OF SOCIETY, DAMMIT. I AM NICE, AND I LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL GOOD.

Man, tomorrow I am totally wearing my bitch boots to the office.

1. I have some pear-ginger quickbread in the oven right now. It smells really good.

2. Today was my first day back at providing childcare for our neighbor whose daughter is close in age to my first. We are just doing one day a week, but it's really lovely to have my older daughter engaged and occupied all day. This permitted me to pop the baby in the sling and fold two loads of laundry that had been languishing for days and days. And wash/dry two additional loads. And get dinner in the crockpot. And unload/reload the dishwasher. And clear the kitchen counters. And bake aforementioned bread.

3. Despite having done all that, I still feel like I accomplished nothing, since it will all have to be done again tomorrow. Being a stay-at-home mom is kind of depressingly futile like that. *sigh*

1. Feeling relieved to have survived the quarter-year-long depressing chunk of time that begins with the holiday trifecta (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's) and ends with the last stinger, Valentine's Day. No more of that stuff until next November.

2. Still working lots of overtime. They've even cancelled one of our shutdown days. MoneyMoneyMoney.

3. Can't decide if a couple of kittens would be fun for my elderly cat or hellish for him.

JL: It may end up being loads of fun for you. Or maybe the elderly cat will surprise you with his magnanimousity?

1. After hearing him tease a new broker about dating another broker in the office, I began a brief strategy meeting with my sales manager with, "First off, there's no way Mr. X will date Ms. Y because clearly he likes Ms. R better." And then we got down to brass tacks.

2. New relationship is moving along very well. The best part is that he's a stealth MeFite, and has never been to a meetup (that I know of).

3. I am going to purposefully ruin my intestines with White Castle tonight. How can something so bad for you be so good?

1) Got a reminder today that while the kitty is friendly, she is not tame. Mr. G stopped by Petsmart today and picked up some toys and treats for her. She was in my lap; I opened a toy package. She ran back into the crate, spun, and hissed at me. Poor kid.

2) Hurts to breathe today.

3) Tired.

fancyoats: It's not futile. It just sometimes feels that way. But it's valuable and important, even though nobody will ever tell you that, or thank you for doing your job well.

1. Ate too much indian food at our lunchtime lecture today.

2. The weather is teasing use with 60 degree days, I'm sure that there will be a blizzard next week.

3. Hot Waffles!

1. I feel a sickness coming on. The sore throat started last night, has not cleared up during the day but added stomach crankiness to the mix (which seems to have cleared up...for now) and so I'm on the fence about going into work tomorrow or not. It is only a 4 hour day for me and if I took off, it would give me a 3 day weekend and I am taking a day off next week already. Maybe it can just hold off until tomorrow afternoon after therapy and then I am willing to give into it and let it be all miserable. My family has the 3-5 day illness schedule down to a science. Day 1-2: slight ickiness (sore throat, maybe a little bit of nose running), Day 3: DEATH. Day 4-5: slight ickiness clearing up, with chest congestion being the last to go.

2. FINALLY got the professor revised version of this paper I'm working on with him for publication. And I'm sure pleased that he only put in about 10 comments on a 25 page paper. And most of them are pretty minor things like adding an extra citation or two or slightly changing a paragraph to put it in a better place. (This is in addition to the 2 other papers I currently have out for publication that are in the process of being reviewed. *bites nails* I'm hoping I can get at least one success before my performance appraisal in October.)

3. Have finally come to the realization today that my novel[1] has become completely unfuckingmanagable. I have too many questions that need to be answered and plots within subplots to be navigating this monstrosity on my computer any longer. It is time to break out the index cards and posterboards. I'm seriously contemplating taking a week off work to do just this, which is probably completely batshit of me but I have the vacation time, it's almost the summer when we are slow as can be, and this novel is hoping what I can be a super epic awesome novel with a movie deal and all that because I can see it so clearly in my head and I even see all sorts of marketing opportunities and how I want movie posters to look and I know it makes me completely crazy but this novel has been my own little personal movie that I can rewind and watch favorite scenes over and over again and even though it's something that has a pretty much zero chance of occuring, I'm not dying until it's done, damnit.

[1]Novel meaning currently 3 separate works written during 3 Nanowrimo seasons when I was in college and first started at Trinity. I'm hoping to make it a solid trilogy since I like sets of 3 things.

1. I am woefully behind on correspondence of any kind. *waves to Senyar*

2. Our air mattress died, which wasn't that big a deal because we were only using it as a temporary couch and we're buying a real couch this weekend. But all that plastic in the landfill breaks my heart.

3. Been wasting time at work drawing a floor plan of our new apartment, so we can position said new couch perfectly.

1. Still feeling hopeless.

2. Hard to get myself to do anything. Incl. suck it up and deal.

3. Going to my alma mater for a sketch comedy reunion this weekend. So, there's that.

wah, wah, whiny whine. I'm no fun to be around right now. Still going to post this, though I hope it don't bring the thread down.

1. I went up to Cheyenne Mountain today. That was cool in a kind of "holy crap... I'm having a cheeseburger inside a mountain!" way.
2. I am performing at the level of the job I should have, which puts me in a good position to get that job, and makes me look like a shit-hot performer in the job I have now.
3. I've swam every day this week so far, and forgot how much I missed it, even though it's really hard. I also bought a swim suit appropriate for lap swimming, and even though I feel old and fat most of the time, I don't look too embarrassing in it. Yes, guys too think about these things.

Don't worry, Eide; I'm right behind you with my whining.

1. I had one of the most frustrating, trying days of work I've ever had. There are extenuating circumstances, and it'll only be two more days that I have to deal with this, but oh, I am weary. My goal for tomorrow is to spend less time crying, more time yelling. Yelling scares people and gets them to do what I need them to do.

2. Realized that I'm being too ambitious with my financial goals and that I need to relax them. I do not need to put half my income into investments/savings accounts. I can buy things when I need to.

3. Had cabbage for the first time ever tonight; it's fucking delicious. My mother did a great job feeding us, but she was totally locked into the more traditional, kid-friendly vegetables.

Oh wait, I have a good thing. I finally yelled and complained enough so that my landlord threatened to evict my downstairs neighbors if they continue to smoke inside the building. And the smoking has stopped. And I'm so so relieved.

1. On a mission to change the kid's sleeping patterns. At the moment, if she wakes before about 7.30, she'll roll over and go back to sleep for up to another hour. We are so attuned to waking when she does, that we are oversleeping, and so's she, and so she isn't getting to sleep until about 9, 9.30 every night. Which sucks for adult time. Starting this morning, it's alarm for 7am and up and busy and making noise so she wakes up. (Kid is very like her mother in that she turns into a harridan if someone actually comes into her room to wake her... just need to wake her by being loud.)

2. Husband and I started watching S1 of Community. It's funny.

3. Debating whether I should sign up for more work. At the moment, I can get through my work (ostensibly a full week's worth, and in fact a lot more than many of my colleagues do) in 4 workdays. I could sign up for just enough more that would give me another half day of work and another $450 or so a month. The money would be valuable, but the time is too. I tend to use it to run all the accumulated errands from the week, cook some meals to freeze, meet a friend for lunch sometimes, and do housework. And I pick up the kid early and we go play with one of her friends. Hrm. Stuck on this decision.

(1a. She's still awake. She's been in her crib for 1.5 hours and she's still fucking awake. Sigh.)

1. The mister made scrumptious BLTs (minus the "L") for dinner tonight.

2. Doc appointment tomorrow to check on crazy meds. I'm happy to say that upping my Seroquel dose has really seemed to help. (Although there was an out-of-nowhere crying spell yesterday.)

3. Still not motivated to do things in spite of feeling better. Showering more than once or twice a week would be good, yes?

PS to Specklet: I see who got the bigger closet! And I love all the windows.

1) tired and grumpy for NO REASON WHATSOEVER today, bleh.

2) so. much. busywork. to. do.

3) the mister was watching the worlds most hilariously bad / cheesy middle eastern fantasy type movie when I got home and we are both laughing at its over-the-topness, so the rest doesn't matter.

I tend to use it to run all the accumulated errands from the week, cook some meals to freeze, meet a friend for lunch sometimes, and do housework.

That stuff is really valuable. If I could cut that deal right now, I would. When I lose my day to do that stuff, the rest of the week feels like a chaotic game of catch-up-and-compromise. YMMV, but I think time is worth more than money, once you have enough to get by reasonably, and if you're not trying to stock up for something specific.

Thanks, Kangaroo. I needed to hear that.

1. For some reason, today I was moved to tears by a wave of nostalgia for the raver kid I used to be. I emailed something between a rant and a manifesto to some of my old raver buddies. My body is failing on me, and the pressures of being an adult weigh really fucking heavy sometimes. I want to be that kid again, that fairy-wing, glitter-wearing raver chick who dances until her feet fail.
2. Maybe related to number one, but today I was also moved to tears when I realized that hour-long MRIs are now going to be a common part of my life, and will be for the rest of said life.
3. As such, I am on a mission to score some really pure MDMA and dance my fucking ass off with a lollipop in my mouth. Company happily accepted.

Oh yeah, and hugs to all that need them. Sounds like quite a few of us do!

1) I half-assed something at work and I'm feeling royally cruddy as a result. It's not anything big or visible, but one of the things I love about my job is that in general we're good at what we do, and responsible, and smart, and I'm not feeling much like any of those things right now.

2) It's cold here at my place.

3) My mind keeps circling back to 1).

1. One of the other therapists at my agency is being all petty and passive aggressive with me, and I was pissed off about it this morning, but she just sent an email to the ENTIRE AGENCY (80+ people) complaining that "something was really concerning her" at the agency: someone has been drinking her vitamin waters. She can't imagine anyone at the agency would do so, but she would like anyone with any information to email her. I mean, seriously? That's so petty and ridiculous that I now feel completely released from thinking of her as petty, because it's just so out there for all to see.

2. I am completely exhausted because I keep waking up in the middle of the night stressing out about various things.

3. I think I've worked out one of the major stressors, however, and I feel good about my decision. And people who are important to me seem to agree with my thinking, which makes me feel validated.

1. This coffee isn't working

2. Hoping for a day and a half of gaspode-style errands, starting this afternoon. Sorely needed as my house is a pigsty.

3. Sperose, I'll buy your books.

1. Had a fabulous spur-of-the-moment NYC night last night- met up with zarq, got a sneak peek into NY Fashion Week, then went to the theater to see "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore". I could've been at home cleaning, keeping my animals from going bonkers and doing work, but this was way more fun.

2. Work I need to do includes applying for a job at this place that might be a better fit for my skills and interests. Re-writing the ole' resume as we speak!

3. 3 trips to look forward to in the next 3 months- NC in March, FL in April, NJ in May! And this weekend has a holiday Monday attached to it! I am pleased.

Update to #1: Called out sick today and trying to figure out what to do with all this spare time I now have.