I have just double-checked my time off, and in addition to the days I was planning to take at Christmas, I have to take seven days off before the end of the year. I don't know when I have time to do that AND do my job. ARgh.

We're talking about writing with a million qualifiers, excuses, rationalizations.

I dunno, they didn't read as qualifiers or rationalizations to me. They read like she expects readers to nod and think, "I can relate!"

And I dunno, maybe they do. I don't know who the Atlantic's typical subscriber is. Maybe it's Elizabeth Gilbert.

I dunno, they didn't read as qualifiers or rationalizations to me.

I have to qualify this by saying I only read the first page, but to me it simply came off as setup. The thing about many previous relationships seemed like a way to explain why she assumed she would have one again, after she broke up with whoever, for instance. And that seemed logical to me; I probably would have assumed the same in her place.

It's all a matter of perspective to me, the grass is always greener thing. I can envy her chances to travel widely and have this fantastic career, but maybe she would look at me and say, "Pfft. You have a husband and three kids."

I need to step away from facebook. Someone I'm friends with -- like, actual friends, not just facebook friends, we've known each other since first grade -- posted something relatively innocuous that just happened to hit a bunch of things that were already bothering me from other sources today, and I responded fairly non-confrontationally, but I know that I'm going to get more annoyed if I keep thinking about it, so I need to just stop responding to that post altogether.

Why not fly and rent a car down there, Tommy?

I have to say I was pretty stoked to be able to register for some wedding gifts. We didn't register for a ton of stuff but I did ask for a KitchenAid mixer, something I've always wanted and never could justify buying myself. And my crazy, awesome aunts got it for me as well as a bunch of accessories (like a pasta maker!) that I hadn't asked for. It was kind of mind blowing. I felt completely spoiled. And my mixer is gorgeous!

[link]

I was really grumpy because my bus was late and I missed the line-up (in Rochester they all line up every hour in the middle of the city and everyone changes buses at once). I decided to go to Family Dollar, which is the only business open after 5 in our ghosttown of a downtown. And I found super cheap wall art for my office at work! Like 5 - 10 dollars. It isn't the best or anything, but it will do for work!

Why not fly and rent a car down there, Tommy?

It's fairly expensive. For the same amount of money I can take a train to Jackson, MS and have a sleeper car on the way down. (I'm doing an experiment to see if I can sleep in coach on the way back, arrive in Chicago 9:00 AM, walk two blocks and catch a train to work.)

On the one hand, I love the growing up Goth article. On the other hand, I'm having to rein in my reaction of "obvious news IS OBVIOUS!"

But still, external validation is nice.

It's fairly expensive.

I know Southwest has had some great deals lately and they fly from Midway to Birmingham. I don't have a ton of vacation time so I'd rather pay a bit more and get someplace faster, though, if the point of a trip is getting to the place and not the trip itself. Also, my car has quite a few miles on it and I wouldn't trust it to go too far afield. It is fun tooling around in Bob's convertible though when the weather is nice!

I know Southwest has had some great deals lately and they fly from Midway to Birmingham.

Huh. Yeah, they do. I searched airfares on Yahoo Travel (force of habit) and no Soutwest flights showed up. Oh well--the train will be fun and next time I can fly down. Thanks for the tip!

eta: Oops, fares I saw were for one-way! But Southwest is still cheaper than other airlines....