Remember the Alamo!

Dear Internets,

Achilles and I are headed to San Antonio to celebrate the New Year. [Christmas newsletter interlude: I can't believe it's almost 2009!! 2008 was quite a year for the Distractible family!] We're going to hang out with one of A's law school friends and walk around the Riverwalk like the tourists we are. Hooray tourism.



What about you, Internets? Any exciting plans/resolutions/non-resolutions for tonight and beyond?

Love always,
Jane

Early resolutions

Dear blog reading list that I have been neglecting,

If I promise never to ignore you again, will you magically disappear?

Love,
Jane

P.S. Just kidding, Internets. I love your blogs, and am slowly catching up on my blog reading. I am hopeless without the built-in structure of work to schedule out my days, but I'm trying. I hope you're having a wonderful break. XOXOXO

New! Now with more falling down!

Dear Internets,

I am still alive. Here are some things I have learned over the holidays so far:

• Playing your brother-in-law's Wii for several hours may lead to crippling back pain
• Falling down a flight of stairs can worsen said back pain
• It is not a good idea to talk to someone over your shoulder while walking down a flight of stairs
• Hosting house guests, while fun, can make it difficult to get much blogging done

What have you learned so far over the holidays, Internets?

Love,
Jane

I am a silly goat

Dear Internets,

You know I love bullet points, especially when I'm feeling extra distracted. Things that are keeping my mind occupied today:

• Whether or not I should start another blog (I have a good idea, but 2 blogs + 2 jobs = too much?)
• My two week vacation that starts in a few hours (that I don't have to use vacation days for! SCORE!)
• How much I love the "chocolate milk bath" I made for Christmas presents this year (it smells like you're swimming in hot cocoa)*
• How amazing my 2 1/2 year-old nephew's communication skills are, even if he sometimes uses those skills to communicate that he doesn't especially want Aunt Jane around that much
• What I should pack for my weekend mini-vacation
• How lucky I am to have such awesome friends and family
• How I wish I had taken better pictures of my friend Lyn's Christmas gifts
• How excited I am to have TWO WEEKS OFF! I seriously want to jump around and sing and dance. And I'm not exactly the world's bounciest person.
• How awesome it is to hang out with other bloggers and find out that they are as awesome in person as they are on their blogs.
• How weird it is that one of the top Google search terms leading people to my blog this month was "meth." Sorry dears, but I do not have drugs here.
  

I hope your Friday is going as well as mine, Internets. Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Jane

*If I could figure out a way to send the chocolate milk bath in the mail without it breaking and getting everywhere, I would send some to you, Internets.** It's HEAVENLY.
**Seriously... I am open to suggestions.

Switching to Decaf

Dear Caffeine,

Slowly weaning myself off of you has been, surprisingly, not the most terrible experience of my life. Who knew?

Love,
Jane


Dear Financial Crisis,

You suck. Keep your filthy paws off my family.

-Jane


Dear Lyn,

I'm so glad that you liked (or were able to fake appreciation for) your Christmas present. You are more fabulous than you know.

Love,
Jane


Dear Eyeball,

Please stop itching.

XOXO,
Jane


Dear Weather,

Warmish and drizzly is better than cold and drizzly. Keep it up.

Love,
Jane

Is it time for the Christmas break yet?

Dear random coworker I have met twice,

Thanks for throwing me under the bus. Instead of emailing my boss to say "We were too busy to get to that," you said "We were too busy to get to that, and Jane said that you all were in a similar situation anyway."

Um... For the record? I ran into you in the alley when I was walking into my building. You started saying how busy you were and how badly you felt that you hadn't gotten to our project. I said, "oh, I can understand that. It's a busy time of year."

You suck.
Jane

2008: A year in review

Dear Internets,

I suppose it's still a bit early for a "year in review" post, but I saw this on Harrassed Single Mom's site and liked it. I decided to take out some of the questions in case the Internets' attention span is as short as mine.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
I completed my first Danskin triathlon. I had done other triathlons, but this was my first (and probably last) Danskin.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I don't really remember my New Year's resolutions, but I think I resolved to get into better shape. I got into better shape... and slowly, slowly declined almost back to square one.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, but my sister got pregnant.

4. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
I feel truly fortunate - I don't feel that I lacked anything important in 2008. I wouldn't complain if someone gave me a Sleeptracker, though.

5. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 30th - Ran the entire Capitol 10K - with the stomach flu.
June 2nd - I started a new job.
June 8th - Completed the Danskin.
June 13th - Achilles got laid off.
June 28th - my triathlon coach was killed in an accident.
(June was a stressful month.)
September 14th - Achilles moved in.
November 4th - One word: Obama.

6. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Sticking with this blogging thing. Paying off one of my student loans. Making the two job thing work.

7. What was your biggest failure in 2008?
Probably dropping out of my half marathon training program.

8. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage payments. Woo! Exciting.

9. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder? Happier.
b) Thinner or fatter? About the same.
c) Richer or poorer? Richer, I suppose, but this time last year I had just bought my condo, so it's not really a good comparison.

10. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travel.

11. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Work. Worry. Feel sad.

12. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I was already in love, and still am. (Don't vomit, Internets.)

13. What was your favorite TV program?
Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies, The Office.

14. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. Wow! Good for me!

15. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I kept it low key, and just went to dinner with close friends. I was/am 28.


16. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Winning the lotto? I can't really think of much. I had ups and downs, but overall, I feel very lucky and fulfilled.

17. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Lazy business professional.

18. What kept you sane?
At different times - Achilles, my friends, my family, running, the Internets.

19. What political issue stirred you the most?
The 2008 U.S. Presidential election.

20. Who was the best new person you met?
I met a ton of wonderful new people through training, my new job, blogging, Achilles, and just in general. I feel very fortunate to have so many great people in my life.

I feel especially lucky to have met my triathlon coach, Michael. He was an extraordinary kind and giving person.

21. Tell us what valuable life lessons you learned in 2008.
Life is short. Don't wait to start living.

I may still do a "best blog posts of '08" post, if I have the energy. I hope you have a wonderful day, Internets!

Love,
Jane

Cold, sleepy, etc.

Dear Internets,

I am finding it impossible to concentrate on anything except how nice it would be to go home and snuggle in bed until Daylight Saving Time returns. How do those of you who live in colder/darker places than Texas survive the winter?

Yours curiously,
Jane

Excited as Jessie Spano at a dance competition

Dear Internets,

My mom is the third of six children that came in girl/boy/girl/boy/girl/boy order. As the middle daughter, she was usually considered the keeper of secrets by her siblings, and sometimes even her parents. As the family confidante, my mother gave up on being surprised by gifts at a very early age.

According to my mom, my grandmother was the worst at keeping secrets. After Grandma planned and got a gift together, she was too eager to wait until a birthday or holiday came along to give it to the recipient. Every year, my grandmother would come along with a gleam in her eye and pull my mother aside.

"Prissy*," she'd say. "What if I show you just one of your gifts?"

The next thing my mom knew, my grandmother would have gleefully shown her all of her presents, as well as those of her siblings.

***

I'm a lot like my grandma.

Although I have neglected my Internets this week, I haven't been totally lazy: I've been working on putting together Christmas presents for my friends and family. I think they're going well, and I really want to show them to someone. However since they're all somewhat similar, I can't really show my mom what I made for my friend without spoiling the surprise of my mom's gift and vice versa.

Here's the thing: I really want to put pictures of the gifts up here, but most of my friends and family know about my blog. I have told them not to look at my blog until after Christmas, but if they're anything like me, they won't be able to stand the suspense and they'll end up peeking.

What do you think, Internets? Is it safe to reveal my handiwork to the Internets? If you had been told not to look at my blog, would you peek or would you wait? If you peeked, would you tell me or fake surprise when I gave you your gift?

Love,
Jane

*My mom's name is Priscilla, so while "Prissy" is sort of a horrible nickname to be stuck with, at least she wasn't given the name due to some sort of personality flaw.

I am not a $30 cookie sheet kind of girl

Dear Internets,

I told my family I'd rather not get birthday or Christmas gifts this year. They complied (mostly) and didn't get me gifts for my birthday, but my mom told me that she felt really bad not buying me anything.

Since making people feel bad pretty much defeats the whole purpose of "no gifts, please," I decided to send my family a link to my Amazon.com wish list so they'd have ideas for things I might like if they decided to buy me a Christmas gift.

BIG MISTAKE! I keep the list mostly to use as a reference for things I might like to someday buy myself. Apparently, I don't self-censor as much as I should*. My mom told me she thought my list was "weird," and that she's buying me "a nice, high-quality cookie sheet" instead.

Now, I have nothing against cookie sheets (lately I love baking, and at one point actually requested a couple of cookie sheets or a hand mixer), but I'm not really a $27 (plus tax!) cookie sheet kind of girl. To me, that would mean that I'd have to commit to 1.) not finding something new and exciting to replace my baking hobby for at least 54 batches of cookies**, and 2.) not accidentally losing or misplacing the cookie sheet. (I could just as easily be Disorganized or Forgetful Jane as Distractible Jane.)

Also, what exactly makes my list weird? It's like she doesn't even know me (sniff!). I'm tempted to show my mom weird and give her a stocking full of these for Christmas. Hmpf.

Love always,
Jane

P.S. Stay tuned for a Christmas giveaway.

*I did put the Mr. T bobblehead on there mostly as a joke. Is it uncouth to be facetious on a wish list?
**I figure after about 54 batches of cookies, the cost of the upgraded cookie sheet would average out to be about an extra $.02 per cookie, which doesn't seem too unreasonable.

Quote of the day

There are those of us who are always about to live. We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down -- until, until, until. It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living.

- Sheehan, George

Ah-choo

Dear Cedar Fever,

Please go away. You are the worst part about living in Austin.

No love for you,
Jane

P.S. Mold - you are a close second.

You better work.

Dear Bailey,

Turn to the left. Now turn to the right.



Good boy.

Love,
Momma

Happy 75th Anniversary!

Dear United States,

Happy 75th Anniversary of the end of Prohibition!

I encourage you to celebrate an anniversary that marks a date in history when Americans realized that the U.S. Constitution should give rights, not take them away.

(Also? As one of my friends pointed out, Prohibition laid the foundation for NASCAR. We should maybe celebrate that it ended before it spawned anything else. I'm just sayin...)

Love always,
Jane

Break.

I got a "Happy Birthday" text from an unknown number on my birthday. It turned out to be from M.

M and I only went out a couple of times. After our second date, when he told me about his drug use, I told M that we couldn't have a relationship but that I would be there for him if he ever wanted to talk. He did end up calling a couple of times over several months, mostly to tell me his side of stories that usually started with him making some really bad choices. He never asked for anything from me but a few minutes of sympathy, so I would listen, and suggest that he get help. The last time I heard from M several years ago, he said he was moving to another town to live with his grandparents. I later heard that he had actually been arrested.

It was surreal to hear from M after so long. Of course, I am glad to know that he's OK, but in a way, it makes me sad to know that someone who was so capable of caring about other people didn't think he deserved to take care of himself.

Belated thank you...

Dear Internets,

Thank you for the happy birthday wishes! You are the frosting on my cupcakes, the bananas in my pudding, the wind beneath my wings.

I meant to do a super-fancy birthday post - 101 things about me, 29 things to do before my 29th birthday, etc - but I fell asleep early last night. (I was a little down-in-the-dumps yesterday after spending all day at a rather depressing motivational seminar. Forget what I said about the world needing demotivational speakers; motivational speakers are depressing enough by themselves.)

Anyhoo, aside from watching what sort of felt like the decline of civilization all day, my birthday was fun. Achilles wasn't supposed to get me a present (he got me tickets to see the Jim Gaffigan Comedy Central taping this weekend), but he got me Guitar Hero World Tour and my very own wireless guitar controller. I don't like to brag, but I am kind of a Guitar Hero rockstar, and I think the wireless controller will help me reach new heights in my faux-rockstar-dom*.

I also plan to buy the fake drum set so I can also be a fake drummer. Based on what my friend Margot (who is in a real metal band in which she plays her own music at real clubs) says, this mostly means that I will show up late to practice and quit the band right when they are supposed to record an album because I got my sometimes-girlfriend pregnant. Fingers crossed!

Love always,
Jane

*Ooh! Apparently GH World Tour is compatible with Rock Band. You may not hear from me for a while Internets. I'm just warning you.

Maybe celebrity years are like dog years...

Dear Britney Spears,

Why did you have to be born on my birthday?

I don't think 28 is old at all. Well, at least not until I look at you. I mean, you're a year younger than me, and you've already gotten famous, seen your star begin to fall a bit, gotten married, had two babies, gone mental, gotten divorced, been to rehab, made out with Madonna, and gotten your life "back on track." I mean, none of that really appeals to me (at least not at the moment, except maybe the getting my life back on track part), but you're starting to make me feel like I haven't accomplished anything in life.

I guess I do have a pretty sweet Corolla to show for the years I spent in school and working rather than pursuing a pop music career. Ha HA! Take that, Britney!

Happy birthday anyway.

Love,
Jane

P.S. Internets - I will officially turn 28 in less than 18 hours. I figure at that point, I will have to start considering myself an adult. (Dammit.) Any suggestions for things to do before I'm officially in my late twenties?