I nearly finished my Christmas shopping tonight. In addition to Christmas presents, I needed to pick up a few more things for cookie decorating in a couple of days. I found myself at BB&B and realized I should have started there. As great as Wilton products may be, Betty Crocker is more my speed. (Not that I need that expensive Wilton kit either, but you get the point.) And I had a 20% an entire purchase coupon.
Anyway, I overheard a lady asking an employee if they have 20% off coupons (usually just off one item) available, which they do not. I am in the habit of keeping a BUNCH in my car though, and offered to go get her some. I brought back six or seven coupons, and she and her friend kept thanking me and saying how sweet that was and Merry Christmas.
I seriously do this type of thing all the time.
My reward is a new $300 starter for my car.
Karma fail.
18 December 2011
Ready for my close up
I do enjoy my digital camera - it is an easy-to-use point and click that takes great pictures. A while back, I said something about being ready to upgrade from my Canon Elph 850IS, and my Mom suggested I put it on my Christmas list. The camera I will eventually upgrade to will likely cost a little too much to put on a Christmas list, plus I have not put ANY thought into what camera I want! I do think it will be fun to learn to use a more advanced camera and a macro lens to take close up pictures. In the meantime, my camera does fine taking photos with the macro setting, it is just impossible to tell the camera exactly what I want it to focus on.
The High Line Park in NYC
Hot chocolate with handmade marshmallow from City Bakery.
Tiles on the floor at Ellis Island. (As an aside, if you have any ancestors who came through Ellis Island, the records are mostly or all online now and you can search them!)
Mushrooms from CF's yard.
My kitty...who was just chillin' on the dining room table watching us unlock the door when we came home last night?! She is NOT supposed to be up there.
Um, strawberries.
The High Line Park in NYC
15 December 2011
Reward
My reward for going to NYC with CF's sister was seeing friends. Yay! I got to see several college friends, some college friend partners, and a former coworker.
I also did touristy things.
I also did touristy things.
14 December 2011
Karma
I do not remember all the details of the happenings that have made me think of this post in the past two weeks. I am not sure I like the way karma is working out for me with the few examples I can recall.
I forgot my camera battery in the charger when CF's sister and I went to New York City for a few days. I managed to talk a guy down to $40 for a "Energizer" replacement that was already charged. I was afraid of how little charge it might have, so limited my photo taking. Sad, because it was NYC and there was plenty of which I could have taken photos.
I helped a lady on the subway in NYC pick up the papers she dropped all over the ground.
It was raining today, and there is a gigantic flock of crows that roosts at night in the town where I work. Walking to work, I got a rain drop in my eye, but at least I did not get pooped on by a bird.
My Ex is engaged. I accidently dropped a mug I like on a glass he gave me and broke both.
CF's family left last night. I had been driving his 2-door car, and he my 4-door car (with new tires) as he took his parents and sister around for almost two weeks. Today, I met with the associate pastor of the church I have been going to in order to talk about things in which I would be interested in getting involved. When I left work late (after talking about life with the other post-doc), and got in my car and turned the key? Nothing. Well, not nothing because the wipers (which were fixed over the summer), the radio, etc. all came on so the new battery I got before CF's family came works fine. Who knows what expensive wiring will have to be redone. On the bright side, I was near my mechanic, got it towed for free (thanks triple-A!), and CF still lives here so he could come pick me up.
CF is heading to look for a place to live in the New State on Sunday.
I invited people over to decorate cookies next week.
What else is coming my way?
I forgot my camera battery in the charger when CF's sister and I went to New York City for a few days. I managed to talk a guy down to $40 for a "Energizer" replacement that was already charged. I was afraid of how little charge it might have, so limited my photo taking. Sad, because it was NYC and there was plenty of which I could have taken photos.
I helped a lady on the subway in NYC pick up the papers she dropped all over the ground.
It was raining today, and there is a gigantic flock of crows that roosts at night in the town where I work. Walking to work, I got a rain drop in my eye, but at least I did not get pooped on by a bird.
My Ex is engaged. I accidently dropped a mug I like on a glass he gave me and broke both.
CF's family left last night. I had been driving his 2-door car, and he my 4-door car (with new tires) as he took his parents and sister around for almost two weeks. Today, I met with the associate pastor of the church I have been going to in order to talk about things in which I would be interested in getting involved. When I left work late (after talking about life with the other post-doc), and got in my car and turned the key? Nothing. Well, not nothing because the wipers (which were fixed over the summer), the radio, etc. all came on so the new battery I got before CF's family came works fine. Who knows what expensive wiring will have to be redone. On the bright side, I was near my mechanic, got it towed for free (thanks triple-A!), and CF still lives here so he could come pick me up.
CF is heading to look for a place to live in the New State on Sunday.
I invited people over to decorate cookies next week.
What else is coming my way?
01 December 2011
Very nice
Lest any of you wonder if CF is worth it. He is off picking up his parents and sister at the airport. I left work early and this was on the table...
...with two tickets to the Trans Siberian Orchestra for the weekend after his family leaves.
28 November 2011
Missing out
I am not quite sure how to explain this without you, the reader, thinking I am complaining or super depressed or something. It is true that the holiday season can be rough for the elderly who are alone. It can also be rough for other people who want to love the holidays but have lots of life stuff going on.
Basically, I feel like I am missing out on the big things in life that I really want to be taking part in for myself: marriage, children, hitting the last two continents (South America and Antarctica), being able to save money for a vacation, a car, retirement. Things a 32 year old could, and some would argue should, be able to do.
This is something I have been thinking about more than I should recently for obvious reasons: CF leaving for another state soon, seeing my family, not seeing friends, CF's family coming in two days for 12 days, friends having babies on the way or actually having them, family/friends/exes getting engaged and/or married, the holidays, travel.
Right now, I seriously feel like the only thing I have to show for this is a PhD. Some would argue that is impressive. Whatevs.
In addition to this, I do not feel like I have a place right now. I have no desire to move to where CF is moving. I want to move back to family and friends. If I end up not doing some of the things friends and family have done in their personal lives, I want to be close enough to be an actual part of their lives. Participate and live vicariously in real life, instead of just online.
I will keep applying to those jobs and trying to get my first post-doc publication finished and make it through the next couple months trying to be nice and finding reasons to be happy. Christmas music and a balsam-scented candle are doing it for me right now.
Basically, I feel like I am missing out on the big things in life that I really want to be taking part in for myself: marriage, children, hitting the last two continents (South America and Antarctica), being able to save money for a vacation, a car, retirement. Things a 32 year old could, and some would argue should, be able to do.
This is something I have been thinking about more than I should recently for obvious reasons: CF leaving for another state soon, seeing my family, not seeing friends, CF's family coming in two days for 12 days, friends having babies on the way or actually having them, family/friends/exes getting engaged and/or married, the holidays, travel.
Right now, I seriously feel like the only thing I have to show for this is a PhD. Some would argue that is impressive. Whatevs.
In addition to this, I do not feel like I have a place right now. I have no desire to move to where CF is moving. I want to move back to family and friends. If I end up not doing some of the things friends and family have done in their personal lives, I want to be close enough to be an actual part of their lives. Participate and live vicariously in real life, instead of just online.
I will keep applying to those jobs and trying to get my first post-doc publication finished and make it through the next couple months trying to be nice and finding reasons to be happy. Christmas music and a balsam-scented candle are doing it for me right now.
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