I Survived!

The week is just about over. Everything is winding down. And I'm still sane. (Well, as sane as I can be.) Yes, it's been a busy and stressful week but things have been good. I got to play with my students during our Christmas party (in which they had relay races and the boys had to skip. I laughed so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks.) I visited my local family to play Santa. I finished up my shopping, made out some bills. I finished rereading my CP's manuscript. Started a little packing. Got some cool food and candles from my students. A few other things too, which were nice and a pleasant surprise. Oh! And I managed to come away with a copy of Suz Brockmann's Breaking Point at my local RWA book exchange. I was thrilled. I got a copy and had it signed during Nationals, but I specifically got that one for my best friend. For myself, I was just going to wait until it came out in paperback. Now I don't have to!

My plane leaves tomorrow morning bright and early. I expect to see snow when I land in Rhode Island, but I don't mind. I just can't wait to get there. I've got 4 books packed and two notebooks. I've got my computer disk with my current manuscript on it in my carry-on and I've left every scrap of teacher paper on the kitchen table. Even though I only visit New England twice a year and can't imagine moving back permanently, there's just something about going back for Christmas to the place I grew up. I still call it home even though I haven't lived there in over 12 1/2 years. Maybe it's being around family. Maybe it's the cold, snowy weather. Maybe it's the memories of growing up.

Wherever you are, I wish you and your family the merriest of holidays and the happiest of new years. May all our dreams come true in 2006. See you when I get back!

Time Travels

It's already almost Monday! Every day is flying by for me. Let's see. Thursday I didn't actually get to cleaning the house. Now, come on. Did you really think I would on my bad-weather day?

My 7th grade play of "A Christmas Carol" (the hiphop version the kids wrote) went great at the PTO meeting Friday night. I was so proud I almost started crying!

Yesterday I took that hellish exam to add ESL to my teaching certificate. Wow. It was a LOT harder than I thought it would be. Still, I'm glad it's over. The rest of the day I just read- my CP's work and my brother's Aerosmith autobiography. (Not done with either.)

Today I started the day wrapping Christmas presents, making a list of the gifts I still need to get and then I went to my other brother's house for my 4-year-old niece's birthday. I hadn't seen them in a while so it was a nice, relaxing afternoon.

When I left their house I did a very bad thing. I went to Barnes & Noble. I had to go in for a book for my local RWA book exchange (for our Christmas party), but even before I got out of my brother's driveway I knew that I'd end up buying a new book for myself. It didn't matter that I bought 2 last week. Or that I have about 31 in my TBR pile. I HAD to buy one for myself. I swear, it's like a sickness. So, I bought Julie Garwood's Murder List for my Austin RWA meeting and I bought Jennifer Crusie's Getting Rid of Bradley for myself. I've never read anything by Crusie, but she's just so hilarious in person, I thought I'd treat myself to one of her books. So now I have 32 books to read, which should take me through to next Christmas. Great! I won't have to buy a book at all in 2006.

And yet, somehow I know the sickness will once again take over.

Woohoo! Snow Day!!!

Okay, so it's actually an ice day, but I'll take it! Yes, we'll have to make it up in the spring, but right now I DON'T CARE! Besides, we've only had one other bad weather day in the 4 1/2 years I've been here in Austin. It's a nice little break every once in a while.

Austinites don't know a thing about bad winter weather. (I did learn a thing or two about blizzards and cold weather growing up in New England.) Yes, I got freaked out driving home last night. But it wasn't the weather that worried me. It was the people who don't know how to drive in icy conditions. It's quite funny really. The whole city seems to be freaking out. Most schools are closed, along with a bunch of city offices. And yet, people are still trying to get out and about. Of course there are tons of accidents, which aren't funny at all.

So, what am I doing on my surprise day off? Well, I promised myself that if we had the day off I would do some cleaning. Haven't started that yet, but I do plan to. (You know, so I don't have to face the studying I should be doing.) Since I got up at 8 (2 hours later than normal), I've watched stupid TV shows, had a couple of cups of tea, looked outside at the layer of ice on my car, answered & sent some e-mails and I even ordered a care package for a soldier through Treats for Troops. (Can't tell you what a wonderful feeling I had as I shopped for the soldier I "adopted" a couple of months ago) I also plan to read my CP's manuscript. I've been promising her a complete read through for over a week. She must think I've abandoned her! And yes, I've even scheduled some time for me to study as well. A couple of hours anyway. I thought about reading. I have to finish that Biography of Aerosmith in time to return it to my brother over Christmas. And I bought a couple new books last night. Christmas stories, of course. (Maybe I knew that we'd be out of school today when I stopped at the bookstore?!)

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, I hope you have a great day!

Procrastination

Hmm, such a big word and such a bigger mess it creates! I should be studying for my exam on Saturday. But I'm not. I'm blogging, reading other blogs (gotta stay caught up, don't I?), making out bills, decorating for Christmas, and even considering CLEANING instead of studying. The idea of working on my book or reading has not really occurred to me. Well, that's not ENTIRELY true. I did pick up a book of 3 short Christmas stories that I bought last year and never had a chance to read. (Found it in one of those boxes of decorations!) But, I promised myself I wouldn't even think about reading or writing until my hectic days were over and my Christmas shopping was done. We're probably looking at Saturday, December 17th. I say that because I'll be out of town for the holidays and that's the day I leave. I plan to have a very relaxing 2 weeks of reading and writing. Yeah, I just remembered that my mom and stepdad now have the computer hooked up in the house (they've only been living in it for a couple of years) so I'll be able to take my new WIP with me to work on! Well, those dishes won't get done with me sitting up here. Until next time I want to procrastinate...