LIFE UPDATE, STAT!

Exam week
I had two exams. They were easy. I got a C+ in my art class and cried. I found out that my favorite new kid at work got fired and cried. Bieneman said we could turn in our final projects on Friday but the weather was bad and our internet was out so I didn't. I emailed him on December 23rd to let him know it was coming. I looked at my grade and saw it was an F and emailed him apologizing on its tardiness.

CHRISTMAS
The Eve: Nick worked until 4:30 so we weren't able to leave until he got home. Then, me being awesome, I had to wrap all the presents with pirate and wedding wrapping paper. Or I would have if I didn't drag Katti to Meijer with me to grab the first wrapping paper I saw. I quickly wrapped all the things I had made in my art class for my family and gathered up the roomies. Around 6 we finally started up to my parents' house where we exchanged family gifts and Nick got money then we went up to Nick's parents' house and pigged out. We spent the night there and I barely slept because I always get so excited for Christmas.

I'm boring myself.

I got awesome PJs from my dad and everyone loved them. Christmas Day was weird because I'm usually there to see everyone open their presents but this was the first year I didn't.

I got ice skates from my parents and cried.

BREAK
I played WoW with Katti and Oliver and only worked last week. I found out that Bieneman actually meant to give me an incomplete and put in the wrong date so he's okay that I'm handing it in super late. I still have to do it and I'm lazy but that's my project for this week.

Oliver started at Comcast on the 6th. Which is cool because now they have money and they will maybe pay bills for the third time since we've lived together.

I also found out that the book I requested through interlibrary loan last semester finally came in. So I can start my French paper before the incomplete deadline and get both my incompletes done early.

If I'm not lazy.

Nick got me WiiFit. Did not cry but felt guilty.

So that's what you've been missing.

I am already excited for this semester to be over and it's only the first week.

Graduation, here I come!

P.S. Ben and his stupid girlfriend got engaged. Everyone hates her and the two of them as a couple. They have not been together a year. They are so poor, both their parents are helping to pay their bills and rent. Ben did not tell us they were engaged, facebook did. Katti railed on Ben for not telling us. He said he didn't know facebook told everyone and he was planning on telling us. He suggested we all get together to celebrate some weekend. Katti's reply: "Oliver works on Saturday." We (Katti, Oliver, Nick and I) agreed that we would never celebrate their engagement because we are not happy for them. And that was that.

The Way We Were and Holiday Inn

I finally got to watch the end of The Way We Were. I watched part of it before we went to France but Nick and I had to leave for some reason so I never saw the end of it. Well. It suffered from Roman Holiday syndrome in that spoiler alert the main characters don't get together and I end up being upset with my ovaries in overdrive.

Then today I watched (my favorite holiday movie) Holiday Inn. Every single time I watch that movie I forget how racist it is. Blackface? Check. Minstrel show? Check. African American cook with terrible racist lines and a racist role? Check. Besides Lincoln's birthday, it's great! And it's good to see where the song White Christmas came from too. And Bing Crosby? Sigh...that man and Irving Berlin will always have my heart.

And that was my weekend.

Oh and remember how our car only had two doors that would open from the outside? Well after work on Friday those two doors were frozen shut. I tried for half an hour to get into the car before my boss' boss came by and I asked him for help. He got me into the car but he broke one of the handles. So now we have one door that opens from the outside. He felt awful about it. I told him it was just a door handle. He's probably going to offer to pay for it tomorrow but he was just trying to help. There's no way I can take his money.

And our cats still have fleas.

Especially in Michigan

I am very blessed. I have a boyfriend who loves me (and lets me sleep and makes me bagels with cream cheese and turkey (when I don't feel well and when he thinks it sounds disgusting)) and whom I love. I have a family that despite my coming home from a semester in Europe and immediately moving out, still loves me.

I am blessed because I had two Thanksgivings. And I will have two Christmases.

I talked to one of the new student workers today. His father lost his factory job and his mother lost her greenhouse job. Downsizing. He had Spaghetti O's for Thanksgiving. In his dorm room. He says Christmas doesn't look too great either.

I left work crying.

I've always had a Christmas. I've always had a Thanksgiving. No matter how poor my parents said they were that year. I can't imagine not having one. But this kid did. This kid will.

My mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas and if I had made a list. She told me to scale my wants to the current economy.

I truthfully haven't even thought about it. Even when I did think about it, I couldn't think of a single thing.

I don't really want anything but I can't send her a blank list. Maybe books or clothes or something...?

I don't know. I haven't wanted anything lately.

I'm watching Justice for Annie. I hope I see her mom get Justice this time.


I am so excited for Thanksgiving tomorrow. The food, pies, food, family, food. And I will finally be able to listen to Christmas music without getting lectured by Katti the grouch. I'm making hot brandy apple cinder for tomorrow. I'm excited for it. Katti made it a year ago and it was so good.

Our Thanksgiving plans: We're going up to Nick and Katti's parents' first tomorrow. We're eating at 1 there then going to my parents' after dropping Katti and Oliver off at Oliver's brother's house. His brother lives a street down from my parents' house. Then we're lying around and not doing anything for the rest of the week.


Oliver got a call from Comcast and he has an interview next week. .الحمد لله They gave him shift times already too and Nick thinks it's in the bag. I hope so.


It's hard to split all of these holidays between our two families. I told Nick we can swap holidays (my family one year, his the next) but it's hard.

Nick put some of our Christmas lights up on Sunday. Yay! I'm going to start listening to my Christmas albums and Katti can't stop me. I get to wear my Christmas earrings soon too.