Further Updates

• Taught the other 7-year old to knit. She picked it up quickly as well, but got bored just as quickly and went to play Wii. I am a dying breed!!

  
  

• I had dinner the other night with three people I worked with in Venice two years ago, the Traveler and her beau, Boyfriend and a friend from Austin. We ate delightful Turkish food, reminisced, talked about American politics and laughed our asses off. Yay!

  
  

• I got to spend a bit of time with Boyfriend's aunt and cousins, one of whom loved my homemade scarf and tried to abscond with it until I promised to make her one. I also took the opportunity, on my way back to the bus, to pick up souvenirs for the teen girls I mentor back home.

  
  

• Thanksgiving dinner was fantastic. Yes, it was sad to think about the last time we made these dishes and brought them over to share with my father, but it was good to share them with each other again.

  
  

• I am cosmically destined to be told by people over 50 that I am heavier than Sister, as if I hadn't noticed. Always at functions where I would like to enjoy myself eating, and this time, by someone who is not even a family member (of mine)! I must have picked on fat people in a past life.

  
  

• I head home tonight. Not too sad because I will see my family again in a few weeks, and happy to have a weekend to decompress before returning to work.

I'm sitting here with a cup of comfort and reflecting on my visit home so far. Highlights include:

• My very first Greek wedding, which was freaking awesome.

  
  

• Teaching a 7-year old how to knit, and watching her do it successfully, to my amazement.

  
  

• Watching a 2-year old pick up a plastic ball-in-a-maze toy and say in an exasperated voice, "How do you play this?? There's no mouse!"

I think I am becoming addicted to coffee. I used to eat when I was depressed, hence the lifelong battle of the bulge. More recently, I haven't been doing that and the weight has been coming off slowly but effortlessly. I am starting to notice, however, that while I used to pick up a cookie for comfort, I am now picking up a cup of coffee. Has coffee become my cigarettes? My crack?

Tomorrow I leave sunny, beautiful Austin for cold, chilly New York, but I am excited. Boyfriend and I will be there for a week, attending High School Friend's wedding, meeting up with old friends, and spending Thanksgiving with my lovable yet dysfunctional family. It should be great.

There will be more blogging shortly. I have more to say but I am swamped with last minute work to do at the office before I bounce :)

Special Comment

Andi at The Unlikely Activist posted this video, and I think it is really powerful.

I... can't... move... my... neck. I had to leave work on Thursday and stay out Friday because of a sick feeling accompanied by severe neck, shoulders and back pain. I hesitate to call it a cold outright because it is really characterized by feeling feverish, feeling like I am going to fall over, and having that overall sick feeling. Not coughing or sneezing, but I can barely move, and I didn't pull any muscles or perform any strenuous activity. Not sure what is going on.

Things That Make Me Happy: President-Elect Barack Obama

WE DID IT!!!!!!!!

Mama needs a cup of coffee...

I had a great Halloween, man. I rocked my Rosie the Riveter costume all the way to first prize in the "What Are You?" contest. *Rolls eyes* Whatever, I still won. Defending costume champ two years in a row. I am especially proud that I decided not to spend much money on a costume this year, and the total cost was $1.67 (for a yard of fabric for my head).

After doing absolutely no work and palling around with my coworkers in costume, I went to a party with one of the teen girls I mentor. It was held at the boys home, and the teen boys were just as sweet and lovable as my girls are. I made melon brains the night before, which were a big hit.

Today I am trying to recover from steadily eating garbage for 24 hours straight.