Weekend Wrap-Up

What a seriously long weekend! Last year, we started getting the Friday after Thanksgiving off, too, so it's been 4 days with no work. Weird. But good, of course!

After we got back from Disneyland, I watched The Woodsman. Depressing, moving, and incredibly well-acted. On Friday, we woke up really really late (for us), we had lunch and went bowling with a family friend of ours. This was the girls' first bowling trip. Riley would've done a little better had she had a 6-lb ball, I think, but she still managed to place 3rd. Sylvia placed last, but she didn't seem to mind. We were all just enjoying the company, and the chance to throw hard objects.

After one game, however, I was spent. I was desperate to get home and just relax for a while. Still, I managed to do six loads of laundry! After the girls went to bed (they were pretty spent, too), I watched The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), which was so much fun!

Saturday, I alternated from relaxing/reading/Reader catch-up and cleaning, cooking, etc. Today, I'll be doing much of the same. I have only ONE New Yorker left before I'm caught up!

Next week, on Wed., I finally get to move into my own office. YAY!!! The head of our department really went to bat for me, which I totally appreciate. He knows, however, that it's not just a matter of wanting it for the sake of having an office. My cube is right next to the kitchen, where people inevitably convene for water-cooler conversation, and sometimes, I can't even hear someone on the phone. I always have to borrow someone else's space for a conference call. Not to mention, I don't have nearly enough space for the twenty or so files I have open at any given time. (Oh, and for my veteran readers, you'll appreciate how much I'll enjoy being away from Coolio finally for once and for all.)

I also have my parent-teacher conference with Riley's teacher on Monday. We've emailed a few times about the problems I've been having getting Riley to do her homework (which I wrote about here and here), and I urged her to grade Riley appropriately for the missing assignments. It's still a frustration, but I've tried to let go a little and see how the conference goes.

I've certainly had my moments of frustration at being outnumbered in this household the last three days, but eventually, I can usually prevail. I hate that it can feel like a power struggle, but it is what it is.

We did NOT participate in Black Friday. Given my natural dislike for shopping as it is, nothing sounds more like hell to me than trying to shop when everyone else in the country is shopping. The Wal-Mart story is disturbing, to say the least. What I haven't heard (and it's possible that I haven't been paying enough attention) is the blame that should be placed on the store. How on earth did the powers-that-be decide that only one person should be standing in front of a crowd like that?

On Thanksgiving Eve, I watched the 20/20 special on Barack and Michelle Obama. Somehow, it just doesn't seem real still that they will be our next First Family. You mean, someone is going to represent the United States that I actually like? Incredible.

So I leave this rambling, all over the place post on that note. There will continue to be bad stuff, and annoying moments, but overall, things are good indeed.