I would say that this has been a busy week, but that would be like saying that the ocean is a little damp or that “The Shining” is a little scary.
This week has been one of dinner guests, coffee dates, committee meetings, and haircuts. I have been home each evening for a total of about 1 hour before having to rush back out again only to return at bedtime.
I am completely wiped out…and it’s not over.
Tonight I have a release with work that I’m testing which I hope will not run into the wee hours of the morning (as they are sometimes prone to do). Tomorrow, it’s up early, weigh-in at Weight Watchers, and then hitting the ol’ westbound highway – destination: Lancaster.
I’m looking forward to a day in Lancaster for a few reasons:
- It’s been far too long since I’ve visited…going on 5 years.
- It’s Christmastime, so everything should be uber-pretty.
- I’ll be coming home with chocolate – Wilbur’s (famous for its Buds) & Hershey’s (just plain famous).
As to the “why” behind this visit, my reasons are many…and no, the Amish is not one of them. Contrary to popular belief, Lancaster County is not the only place where the Amish live. If I wanted to see them, I’d just go to the local Amish farmers market which is only a couple of miles from my house. Granted, there aren’t that many buggies running around my area, but that’s probably for the best. Bucks County is pretty, but grossly lacking horse-and-buggy-friendly road systems – not to mention drivers. It’s sad really, but I digress.
Rather, I’m going to Lancaster to kill a few different birds with one blunt object.
One of my former NYC roommates, Kim, is going to be there for a wedding. She’s actually arriving out there today, but with the wedding not being until tomorrow night, she’s got the whole day free to hang. Additionally, one of my childhood friends, Becky, and her family recently returned to the Lancaster area from Virginia. Beck has agreed to come down and meet Kim and me for lunch and some shopping around Lancaster. Then, while Kim is at the wedding, I’m going to take a short road trip with Beck & Co. out to Hershey Park to see the lights. And hey, who can turn down going to a place where the air itself smells of chocolate?
After Hershey and the wedding, Kim will come home with me, and then I’ll throw her on a train back to the city on Sunday after church.
So it’ll be a action-packed weekend which is befitting the preceding week…however, if I’m being honest, I have to admit that I’d really like some crashing time – but I guess that’ll just have to wait until [hopefully] Sunday night.
Here’s hoping I haven’t jinxed myself by saying that.
I’m taking the camera so will hopefully get some good pictures – especially of Hershey and the lights…and maybe I’ll score a shot of a buggy for all you Amish fanatics.
Say Anything
I have no idea what to write about today. None. In fact, I’ve had no idea what to write about for the last week – hence why I’ve posted nothing. But my blog keeps staring at me (that’s right, it has eyes) and telling me I shouldn’t neglect it (it has a mouth too – sometimes it’s right, but sometimes I wish it would just stuff a sock in it).
Here’s the thing – I’m a writer. No really, I am. I’m not a writer in the sense that I actually publish stuff (unless you count my blog – my blog would probably count itself, but I would disagree because I control the printing). So maybe I’m not a writer in the Pulitzer-Prize-winning-New-York-Times-Bestseller-Hollywood-wants-the-movie-rights sense, but I do write and always have.
I wrote my first full-length book at age 11 called “Dana of Warm Springs” which was inspired by and shamelessly modeled after – you guessed it – “Anne of Green Gables”. I should probably mention that my first full-length story at age 7 called “The Oddness of Andrew” was inspired by and shamelessly centered on a boy in my 1st grade class named – you guessed it – Andrew.
Given these real (and somewhat embarrassing) facts, I feel like it just shouldn’t be that hard to string together enough words to create a new blog post. And yet, it somehow is.
This is partially driven by the fact that I know I have readers, and I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want to bother writing something that would either offend, annoy, or cause any of you to fall into a coma or wish for death. I would hate to think that anyone would read my ramblings strictly out of a sense of duty either – I want this to be a fun and (dare I say) engaging experience for all. It would break my heart to think that reading one of my posts would be second only to a root canal in the amount of pain and anguish caused.
My blog is now telling me to shut-up and change the subject or it’s going to walk. Fine. Maybe if I just keep typing, something of interest will come to me. I can’t believe I’m listening to a stupid blog.
Okay, so I’m just going to aimlessly type now. Here goes… Wish me luck!
So, the bulk of 2008 is behind us (phew!) and the future is in front of us (isn’t it always?), and I find myself again staring at the calendar in bewilderment wondering where the time has gone. Seems to me I do this every year. How very déjà vu.
I love November in general, mainly because it’s Thanksgiving month which is one of my favorite holidays. Christmas would be top of that list, but Thanksgiving is just plain fun with its pre-Winter weather and fabulous food. Yum. I think Americans (or at least this one) tend to see Thanksgiving as the official start of the “Holiday Season” which of course runs through New Years.
Since we’re nearing the end of the year, I’ve been taking a look back and trying to see how I’m doing on my 2008 resolutions overall.
For those who haven’t been following along all year, my resolutions were:
To-date, I managed to get (and mostly stay) on Weight Watchers since January. From January through July, I got myself almost back to where I was when I moved from NYC. To be totally honest, I fell off the proverbial wagon and into a vat of junk food for about 2.5 months, but a couple of weeks ago I got my slightly-fatter ass back on track and am almost back to where I had landed in August. Of course the holidays will be tough, but I think I can do it.
The budget has been even better. For quite possibly the first time in my life, I can actually tell you where every single cent that has come into my possession this year has gone. I know what I’ve spent and where. I know how much I have currently, and I know exactly what my last 3 paychecks of the year are going to do. It is an amazing the control & peace that comes with being able to say that! Part of this budget living has been with the objective of paying off as much debt as possible this year. As I’ve said previously, my ultimate goal is to be debt-free by the end of 2010 (if not sooner) and I’m definitely on track to achieve that having gotten almost 50% paid off in 2008 alone.
Can I get a “WOW!”?
Now I know that 2009 will probably not allow me to make as huge a dent in this mountain – we’ve already been told that bonuses will be down and we may not see any raises this year. Additionally, it’s looking like thanks to a miscalculation on my part, I may end up owing taxes as well. But none of that matters right now because 2008 will still have been a smashing success in this area, and I am primed to at least keep moving forward. Considering I have acquired no new debt since January and my credit cards were hacked to pieces in February, I think it’s safe to say that I will end in a much much MUCH better place than I did last year.
It’s still too early to start writing my 2009 resolutions as 2008 isn’t over yet. But for what remains of the year, I just have to keep playing that line from the end of Star Wars where Luke and the other members of the Rebellion are out to destroy the Death Star and the one fighter pilot keeps saying to the others in this oddly calm voice: “Stay on target, stay on target.”
That will be my mantra for the next 7 weeks. I promise I will write before then, but in the meantime, “May the Force be with you.”