Busy weekends

Hi All,

I just got told by my friend Lauren, who has taken herself away to Australia for a year (in case I haven't mentioned it), for not blogging enough. Which, I admit, I was aware I was neglecting. With Mom in BC now and Lauren on the other side of the world, I really should be updating now more than ever, but life's been getting in my way.
It kind of surprises me, that I'm this busy. When I was living with Mom, most of the things I had planned for after work on a weekday had to do with what she and I were doing, having for dinner, or where we were shopping. I kind of expected, once she was gone, that my life would be even more quiet, more sedentary. It's not.
I joined a gym (urgh). A few weeks ago I would have thought that 'urgh' was an automatic inclusion- it had to be there- but now I hesitate to include it. Other than a rocky start (cause I wasn't prepared for bubbly gym personel to reveal themselves as used-car-salesmen in disguise), I'm actually not minding the gym. Enjoying it?...I don't think I'd go that far. But, it's definitely more okay than I expected it to be. I go at least twice a week (except for last week, when I didn't go at all cause I twisted my knee), and the only problem I'm having right now is that when I'm there I work hard, till I'm sweaty and gross and my muscles are all jelloey, but the next day I don't hurt, and if I'm working hard enough...well, shouldn't I? I talked this over with kev, who said I should do more reps with the same amount of weight, which I've been trying.
Speaking of which, I went to visit Kev a few weekends ago. The plan was to go up Friday after work, but he was working late (again; it sounds like work is really a bitch for him, lately), so I went up Saturday morning. One major reason for going was to get my tattoo touched up (by my very cute tattoo artist, Sean), which I did, and I must say, Sean does beautiful work. Then Kev and I bought food and rented movies, and then spent the rest of the weekend mostly asleep. It was a great recharge-of-batteries weekend, for both of us.
Which was great, cause work is crazy right now. I'm kind of the administrator for a huge division-wide projecty thing right now. It's not as impressive as that makes it sound- this is actually part of my regular duties- it's just a ton of work, and a big headache, and I hate having to tell higher-ups what to do, which is part of what it entails. You want me to direct people who are lower than me on the workforce totem? Sure. Co-work with a peer? No problem. Tell a superior what to do...that's what gives me pause. And sweaty palms. Never thought of myself as that authority-oriented, but there it is.
Last weekend (getting back to the list of things that have been taking up my time), I went with the brother to my aunt's house, for dinner and a movie. Me, her fiancee, her brother and mine got together, and while we only watched half the movie, we did scarf down a ton of thai food and talk for- no kidding- the whole night. Seriously; my aunt picked us up at 7pm and dropped me at home at 7am. It was awesome, and it makes me super pumped for Florida, which is my family reunion that is coming up. I love staying up late with my Mom and her sisters and cousins, talking for hours. Also, we're talking about going to the beach, and on a boat, and fishing and a bunch of other things that I cannot wait for. Not to mention that it will be right over my birthday, so for the first time since I was, like, 16, I get to have lobster for my birthday, which rocks (he he, 'Rock Lobster!'- Lauren is ROTF). Plus, Hugh was over tonight, and VERY KINDLY (can you tell I'm grateful?) agreed to come and take care of my cats while I'm away, which is awesome of him, and it means that I have nothing more to worry about!
Everything lately seems to focus on this trip- last week I bought and hung (all by myself!) a full-body mirror, so that I could take a look at the summer clothes I have to bring with me and figure out what I need to buy. I went to the mall today and had some capris hemmed and got my hair cut (I usually go to the cheapy places, cause my hair is way too basic to need that expensive treatment), but the place I wanted was full, so I went to check out the price of another place (and this one was a salon/spa place), and then faster than I could figure out what was going on, I was getting into one of those hair-resistant, armless raincoat getups they make you wear, and this nice fellow was washing my hair (with a head massage thrown in- amazing), and then this girl was clipping away, and it was a little more than I'm used to paying, but was still doable, and I'm pleased enough with the outcome that I think I'm going back there. Hugh even called my hair 'sexy', which was pretty cool to hear. And come to think of it, I spent the same amount on my hair as I did on my new sandals, so maybe that is okay after all (don't you love how I justify spending money by spending the same amount of money on other things? That logic totally works for me...)
Anyway, there's other things going on, but it's all litte stuff. My apartment is still making baby steps towards being 'complete'. I decided I hated the couch cover I bought, and am going to exchange it. This means I am overhauling my entire blue-and-brown design for my livingspace- yay shopping! I would be dropping the brown completely (I'm actually very into black-and-white right now), but I'm still in love with the giant brown pillows I got for the ugly couch, so the new design is to be green, with brown highlights. Next week I'm going to get the new bookcase that my TV is going to be going on, and then I need the new couch cover, and then a duvet with cover, new pillows, and throw blankets. This is going to be so much fun! The only hard part about it is fighting with myself to hold off doing any of it (much of it) before I go on my trip. I should be waiting until I get back, to make sure the $ works out okay...but you know what it's like- you want to have your place the way you want it, asap! Well, at least I have a plan.

Happy New Year, Everybody

Good morning. It's very early and I'm a little dopey, though not hung over and sick, like Hugh (yeah, just needed to razz him a bit for that).
Last night was great. The clique (Kev, Laur, Hugh and I) went out to the Keg, had drinks at the bar while we waited for our table (hour and a half wait; double what they old us it'd be) and then had the best meal.
Then we rushed off to Hugh's place, cause he was supposed to be having a party and he was already late.
The party was great; there were lots of sweets, drinks, and music...we watched the ball drop and played Guitar Hero, which some of the med students said ruined the party, but med students are cracked, cause Guitar Hero rocks.
I called both Mom and the brother at midnight, which is a little awkward now as my midnight happens at their 9pm. But I figured I'd rather not have them call me at THEIR midnight, so it was a preemptive strike, so to speak (though as it turned out the party was still going here when the west coast was celebrating, so they could have called after all).
As for the rest of the holidays? (I'll go chronologically backwards); Hugh and I and his friend Veronica (med student) went out pubbing then came home to watch Talladega Nights (which wasn't as excruciating as I'd expected).
Laura and I got together for dinner, which turned into dinner and shopping and a movie. We went to see Night at the Museum, which was fun- lots of laughs, though it was kid-friendly humour.
The Robins and I went out for dim sum (my first time doing dim sum, but damn, that was good!), and also shopping and a movie...so, basically I did what all Jews do over christmas; I watched movies and ate Chinese food.
It was good, though- a nice break from work and I've enjoyed the rest. Am I ready to go back to it tomorrow? Ask me in a few more hours, I have to go back to sleep.