There are only about 30 days left in the spring semester, and the daily rise in tension on campus is quickly becoming palpable. Everyone’s starting to stress about the stress… and honestly, that’s about to move into the realm of full-blown stress given the fact that our first big term paper is due a week from Monday. In the last 48 hours, all of us in the program have been talking about digging into the reading for our respective topics. Mine is on the idea of political inequality … specifically, can a democracy really be democratic if the people are not really equal? It’s a fascinating (and ginormous!) topic that I’ve enjoyed probing further. Now, I just have to spit out 12 pages of brilliance surveying the literature in the field. Piece of cake. (HA!)
In other news, I’m happy to report that our wedding announcements FINALLY went out Wednesday. I’ve been saying we were just about to send them out for weeks now, so I’m happy to say they’re all en route now. 🙂 We also got a wedding photographer, Jesse Perreira. That was a huge thing to get nailed down. I can’t believe the wedding’s a little over a month away!!!
My workouts at the gym continue. Yesterday was another grueling, ass-kicking hour with Chris. I think he just keeps pushing hoping I’ll pass out or throw up so he’ll know my limit. I had to climb the stairs five times yesterday holding 10 lbs. in each hand. I thought I was going to die. Then I had to do it again, and I REALLY thought I was going to die. Ten flights of stairs! Geez!
I couldn’t help but think how easy it would have been if I weighed 20 lbs. less. Maybe that’s the point of the exercise?
Today at the gym I swam for about 30 minutes (give or take). The last time Daniel and I went to the gym to swim, I got really frustrated because I knew physically I was capable of swimming much farther/longer than I really could comfortably because I was having (and have always had) trouble regulating my breathing. I breathe slower than I swim, so I’m not ready to take a breath every stroke, but two strokes is too long for me to wait. I ended up getting winded from not breathing properly, which ultimately limits the amount of swimming I can do.
So, to solve this dilemma, I chucked my self consciousness today and took along a snorkel/mask combination purchased at Sam’s for the trip to Hawaii. I had asked Chris if it would be totally dorky to swim in the pool with a snorkel, and he just looked at me funny and said, “Well, if that’s what it takes to get you in the pool, then you should do it.” Meaning, whatever means it takes to the end of more exercise. So, I figured, what the hell? I jumped in the pool, strapped on the gear, and set off to swim. HOLY COW! I was so impressed with myself, I swam for the whole time I was there nearly without stopping, kept my breathing in control, definitely got a great workout, and it was a piece of cake (relatively speaking!). In short, it was FANTASTIC. I will definitely be doing that more often. And, I’ve found, when I am able to get to the gym between 1-2:30 p.m. on weekdays, there’s nearly nobody there and I can basically do whatever I want. Even better.
Finally, yesterday I made my farewell visit to TWU in Denton. I officially was off the books March 15, but I had to go up yesterday to turn in my keys, purchasing card, and fill out HR paperwork. (I have NO hopes they’ll process it correctly, though, which is an entirely different story I don’t want to depress us all — especially me — by telling.) I had a wonderful lunch with my favorite coworker Catpants (I can express such sentiments now that I’m no longer working there) and left on what I think was a positive note. It was nice to see everyone there in my office again, but even nicer to get some closure on the whole thing. FINALLY.
In the meantime, I have been poking around my favorite online classifieds place, Craigslist, looking for a little freelance or part-time Web work to replace my lost TWU income. I will just say this: It never, ever ceases to amaze me the speed and efficiency with which employment changes in my life get filled. Seriously. I have been looking for Web sorts of things to do since last October, when I decided to quit my TWU job, and I have come up completely dry on everything… I sent dozens of e-mails and resumes to people with Craigslist ads up. Then, this week, literally HOURS after turning in my keys at TWU…? I got immediate response and basically immediate work. Who would’ve thunk it?
Which is good, since Daniel told me last week in response to his realization that I would soon be making far less money each month: “You know, you are going to HAVE to get another job.” Touche, touche.
Well, that’s all that’s new with me, my friends. Except, if I could afford it, I’d be going to see Bill Maher when he comes to town April 15. Oh, well. Next time, Bill. 🙂