1. Oliver's first day at daycare! Why is it when you visit, there are 3 workers and 5 happy babies, and when you dropoff, there are 2 workers and 10,000 screaming babies? I think he's gonna have a good time. He was already checking out the ladies- he's only 3 months but nearly as big as the 6-month in the little pink outfit. He goes 2-days a week through the end of the month and then starts full-time when I do.

2. Still working at home through the end of the month. Already put this in the slow cooker (though I used a roast instead of a brisket). Hoping to use my "lunch hour" to do my Blogilates and get this place organized.

3. Considering doing a "30-day shred" like workout with the Blogilates calendar. Could be something to do during a boring gray winter month. But maybe I'll stick to a short one, like February :P

1. I started waking up at 6 am over the weekend by scheduling an mp3 to play every morning via Task Scheduler on my laptop. My efforts at getting into bed at 10 pm the night are not going so well, and so far, my success at actually getting up at 6 am has been spotty.

2. Last week, I came up with a premise for a steampunk novel that, among other things, will breeze past the Bechdel test with nary a wince, replacing the vapors with verve. "They claimed to be sisters, but their relation was suspect."

3. Seattle appears to be entering its rainy season starting Friday. Yay, Mr. Gloom!

1. Today I have dance class in the evening and we have a performance at the end of the month and I feel quite unprepared since I might be doing a new solo then, but I haven't decided yet. (It's more of a cheeky spunky solo that's tribalish and I'll be using a cane!)

2. Been spending way too much money lately. This week so far I've ordered cat food (had a coupon), my cane for said dance performance, and bath fizzies. Of course, my bank accounts don't actually look sad because pops has been transferring money over for when I refinance my mortgage.

3. I keep thinking of things that I need/want to do but there aren't enough hours in the day where I have motivation to do said things. However, I need to prioritize and finish A New Earth by Thursday afternoon because I have a meeting with my South pillar person and that was the reading assignment he gave us. One of my sisters has already met with him and said that they just wound up talking for 2 hours and he didn't actually give her the next assignment yet.

1-3. I need a new job or I'm going to die. Or near enough as makes no difference.

"Is it living, or just existence?"

1. Just got back from a week at the beach. Somehow I managed to get all the credit for pulling off my father-in-law's 75th birthday party. I did the invites and catering, but little else. I am embarrassed by the praise I am receiving for something I didn't really do. Furthermore, I camped out upstairs for damn near the entire duration of the party with my equally shy 4 year old nephew. I didn't even attend the party I have been accused of planning and executing. I am amused.

2. Having just gotten back from a week at the beach, I am packing for our west coast trip next week. We'll be in Seattle, then San Diego over the course of two weeks, and now that my FIL's party is out of the way, I can dedicate all of my neurotic freak-out energy to that trip. I am excited about the trip (I get to see some very old and dear friends), but I am nervous about leaving my dog with the in-laws.

3. It's cold and rainy in Chapel Hill today.

1. Screwed up and forgot to schedule a meeting at work. I need a new system for tracking the metric ton of stuff I need to do.
Any recommendations for task/check list things?

2. My dad's wedding was this weekend and it was a very trying time for me both logistically and emotionally. They had the wedding at their house and didn't hire a planner, and since they are both incredibly disorganized, my sister, bf, and I ended up doing A TON of work (and buying trips and housekeeping and gardening and tent-building and table setting and placecard making.....). I'm pretty worn out and frustrated. The worst was that so many people were expecting me to be so happy when I just wasn't.

3. Friend wanted to visit this weekend and I had to say no because I am too overwhelmed and busy, and I felt bad telling her not to come. Even if it is best for the both of us because I wouldnt be good enough company at this point.

1. Payday tomorrow thank goodness. I need many things.

2. Am reading a grisly book about the history of the Chicago mob scene.

3. Opera this weekend. First one of the season.

1. Work is going very well. And yesterday 150 of us were treated to afternoon tea at The Four Seasons Hotel in London as a reward for long service. It was really lovely. I had a big handbag into which I stuffed leftover scones, to the envy of all those with tiny bags (I wasn't the only one making off with scone swag, and the scones were soooo good it would've been a crime to left them go to waste). Then on the way out they gave us a little box containing 12 pieces of patisserie.

2. The patisserie is in the fridge, as a gift for P, who's coming over tomorrow afternoon to help me hang a picture on the wall. It cost me a lot to frame the picture so I want to make sure it's displayed properly.

3. I love this time of year but I need to do some gardening this weekend, plant some more daffodils and tulips for the spring and have a tidy-up. But already The Leaves have begun. The Leaves that fall from the trees for months and months and Never Go Away No Matter How Many Times You Sweep Them Up. One of the downsides of living next to a forest, I suppose.

1. Endlessly nursing and changing nappies and soothing a fussy baby. Swooning and forgetting all the work when he smiles at me.

2. The amazing weather that we've had since July looks like it's ending on Friday, along with Ardiril's. I'm super bummed about this, but glad for what we got.

3. Cardamom ice cream is the best thing ever.

3. Cardamom ice cream is the best thing ever.

Agreed!

1. I have been having serious problems with the horrible state of my living room. Trash and dishes and yarn and junk from old work bag and... it was bad. So bad that I just didn't know where to start.

But LO! KathrynT turned me on to Unfuck Your Habitat -- and it has an iPhone app! It's like FlyLady for... well, exactly the opposite of those at whom FlyLady aims. And surprisingly, it only took my husband and I about 20 minutes to clear off the floor and get the trash out. I was SO HAPPY. Now... the bedroom. (Oy.)

2. Day 2 of my first non-crazy week at work. So far I've been good. Better than good. Just 26 more weeks until I pass probation!

3. Along with both of those items... I should really tidy up this new office.

1. Once again I got pulled into a fabric store, and once again I bought some nifty new shirt fabric. I had absolutely no control over this, the store has this magnetic field in front of it that pulls me in. I now have about 15 sewing projects to complete, and it's occurring to me that they might be done faster if I hire someone to do them. *sigh* Maybe I'll post this to Jobs.

2. With sewing time freed up (see #1), that'll allow me to focus on knitting and spinning projects (only about 4 or 5 of those, not 15).

3. Going to the gym tonight, so that by the time the sewing projects are finished, I will fit into them better.

1. So not in a good mood today. My normally delightful boss is annoying the living snot out of me, my fav coworker is on vacation this week, and this cloudy chilly weather is not helping. So I went home early.

2. The only bright spot is I had a dr appt this morning. Still pregnant (and will admit to be paranoid about it).

3. She also said my blood sugar levels look good so I think I'll finish off the peanut butter cup ice cream while avoiding work.

went to vote early because i'll be in ontario on electipn day

emailed someone who went to breadloaf with the poet

need to write something about her and i keep being drawn to the sexton poem about plath......but it WASN'T LIKE THAT

1. Little Napoleon boss was his usual self today to everyone. Sigh. Makes it hard to go in to work.

2. Pre-op doctor visit went well, so Friday will be the big day. A bit anxious about how it will work out.

So much to get done in advance. I visited the nifty independent vitamin store which is run by a pharmacist; purchased some supplements to help speed healing and such. Feel good about that. Still have to buy cat food and empty perishibles out of fridge since I'll be staying with my Mom for a week or so. I'm sure there's more on the list.

3. I'm treating myself to chocolate mousse tonight and have been eating some of my favorite foods for the last several days. Yay, food indulgence!

1. I am one click away from applying for my PhD. I have a supervisor lined up, two academic referees fairly champing at the bit (one of whom will put the form in before my application is finalised I think) but I'm still anxious and nervous and have not hit the final button.

2. Still no jobs for either of us.

3. My daughter hid behind the toilet door so when I exited I was met face-to-face with her disembodied horse head toy. She held it at exactly eye height and laughed silently at me the whole time. I cannot work out if I should be pleased at her skills, irritated at her burgeoning sense of humour or scared at exactly what she plans next.

1. I spent today Getting Things Done. It felt great to check off some necessary tasks (and finding out that The State Of Things is better than I expected).

2. Health Month has been such a positive experience for me. It's a great way to turn goals into habits: 30 days each of reinforcing good behaviors, complete with team support, abstract rewards, and accountability. I'm all about the DO goals, not the DON'T goals. So far, I have stuck to the 3-rule tier (limited goals keep me motivated; too many and I just lose track), but it's having a ripple effect on other, unrelated aspects of my daily life.

3. I made brownies. HURRAY FOR BROWNIES.

geek anachronism, if a child did that to me, I would NEVER STOP LAUGHING.

Yeah, I gotta go with Elsa here, geek anachronism; your daughter sounds like a genius to me.

Did I mention that she's three? Between this and the jokes about yoga and yoghurt...

1. This election is going to kill me. Can't it just be over?

2. More work on the house, contractors spend all weekend blasting paint off the brick on the side of the house. Looks great, especially for 150 year old brick and mortar but it made a mess and two solid days of pressure washing gave me a serious headache.

3. Not much else to talk about.