Congratulations, bon bon!!!!

Congratulations, bon! May you never need to take another standardized test again!

Msbelle, I can only second everyone else's good wishes for you & Mac.

In five years, I have changed jobs (thank god), traveled to China, the UK, Canada, & Italy, become an aunt again (twice over), officiated a wedding, lost a dog, gained a new dog (just as neurotic but much smarter), written a lot, and lost 20 or so pounds, and done a lot more running than in the previous five years. Really, not a bad run.

That's awesome, bon!!

If I passed all of the exams I took in these last two weeks, I'll have earned my University of London (lead college Goldsmiths) degree in English Lit.

I don't find out until August, and the suspense is going to keeeeeel me. I had some personal stress the day I took the postcolonial lit exam, and was so distracted that I may not have passed. If that's the case, I have to wait until next May to re-sit.

But if I have passed, I will go to London next May and receive my degree from HRH, the Princess Royal. Which is kinda funny, because I am probably one of the least-impressed-by-"royalty" people you could ever meet.

Congratulations, bon!

And msbelle, poor Mac. He's very lucky to have you. May there be increasingly peaceful times ahead for you two.

Fingers crossed for you, java.

Wow, Java, that's awesome!

Thanks. I'm pretty low-key about it, mostly because I "snuck" in to my current position that usually requires a Master's - so I really don't want to draw attention to the lack of degree up until now. I've never lied on my CV (or in person) about my lack of degree; it's simply never come up. I assume because I am so old that bigwigs infer that I musta graduated a zillion years ago. I managed to drop out of two of the best schools that CA has to offer (UCLA, CAL) when I was in my 20's. I just didn't have focus or discipline then.

I found the focus in my 30s, I guess.

Thanks, guys! Just returned from celebratory margaritas and fajitas and such.

Congratulations bon bon! And javachik, that'll be hellacool, even if you aren't into royalty.

And now for an awkward transition: Ugh, msbelle. I am so sorry. I wish it were easier.

To avoid another one, I think I'll put off my last 5 years for another post. Although for me I think the crucial chunk of time would be the past 10 years.

It is probably a good thing Loki is across the country from me.

Am I too late for this? Happy anniversary Zmayhem!

What's changed in your life in the last five years?

In the last five years I:
received the CFA charter
moved continents (moved between them, you understand, not... anyway)
had one last Christmas with my mother
got divorced after 12 years' marriage
moved in with my brother
started online dating
revisited America twice
remarried (in China)
built a new house (or rather paid other people to do it for me)
remarried in China
FAUNAPALOOZA! twice - Phillip Island (penguins!) and Tasmania (echidnas!)
got laid off after 14 years with the one company
created new life.

My 30s have not been dull.