Happy New Year's Eve!

Well, we're back from Florida. We left yesterday morning at 10:45 and drove straight through getting home at 8:46 this morning. I'm pretty exhausted, but I don't want to sleep the day away, you know?

The trip was great and once I'm back at school, I'll make a post with the stories and pictures of the trip.


Happy New Year's!

Panic Mode!

So, it's getting down to the wire on my upcoming holiday trip and I'm panicking about packing. We're driving, and with 6 people in a minivan plus luggage, it's imperative that we pack efficiently! I have a small suitcase, but I decided that it wasn't the best, so yesterday I bought a biggish duffle bag (being that it's entirely soft, it'll "fit" better). This is a great plan, except that my suitcase is already packed and waiting for me in Columbus to finish the last minute things I have here at home. Ack. I'm also having difficulty because I have to pack for Florida and a few days at the end of the trip in Cincinnati. Sigh, it's the typical panic. It'll all work out!

I leave for Columbus on Friday morning, and get picked up and taken to Cincy on Friday afternoon. Bright and early Saturday we'll be on the road and in Florida on Sunday. Excitement!

New Shoes...

I've been looking casually for new dress shoes for quite awhile. I had a pair of black ballerina flats that I gave up wearing a long time ago (too tight in the toe box to wear for very long) and have since worn either my black knee high boots (fabulous boots) or a pair of Steve Madden slides (most comfortable dress-ish shoes ever). Neither really cuts the cake as dressy enough, especially when I don't want to wear knee high boots with a skirt. So anytime I was in Famous Footwear (far too often), I'd look and perhaps try on a pair or two without really finding anything that worked.

I decided that my trip to Florida required a pair of dress shoes, both for Christmas Mass and any fancy restaurants we might attend. I began my search online, but didn't really see anything I liked. I looked at Kohl's--same result. Today I spent an absurd amount of time in Famous Footwear and walked away with two pair of shoes (I'm not entirely sure I'll keep both).

First, a pair of Connie peep toe pumps:

I like these because they're classic with a twist. They fit the best of all the shoes I tried on, so they won by default.

And these Bandolino flats:
These are actually similar to my now too small ballarina flats. I'm considering keeping both because these fit decently without any adjustment and are good for being dressy while still being okay for walking long distances (to class, etc).

Of course, to make either pair actually fit I need heel liners (both pair) and gel ball-of-foot insoles to prevent my foot from sliding forward (the pumps). The woes of having very narrow heels! I'm pretty happy I found shoes that might work (and they better work for quite awhile! too much hassle...). I wish my feet were easier to please in the shoe department!

Year In Review....

I was reading through some of my old posts, and I didn't realize that I started blogger last December! It feels like much less time than that.

So what has happened to me this year? I found a great place to live with some seemingly great roommates, only to find out that sometimes living with friends is a bad idea, even when they're good friends. I packed up and moved my belongings without much help from my mommy (I'm a grown-up!). I also realized just how much of my grandmother is instilled in me. I firmly decided on the optometry career path, and thought I'd be done with school by now, but as it turns out, I'll still be taking a class in Spring (though I'll be graduating in March). I've alternately enjoyed school (Women in Film, Psychology) and loathed in (Electronic Properties of Ceramic Materials). I survived my 14th quarter at OSU. I attended graduation for the first time, for my roommate. I embarked on some culinary adventures--some failures, some successes. My family has had to deal with some hard times, both within my small 6-person family unit, and my extended family. My mommy lost her job, and got it "back" in a different capacity. My boyfriend's mom thanked me for being part of her family which was a great moment. I got a job for the first time in years and it only took the better part of a month and a half. More importantly, I enjoy my job, and am very excited to work again once I'm back for school. And to top off the year, I'm going to the Florida Keys with my second family (my almost in-laws, really) and I couldn't ask for a better Christmas gift.

Overall, I think this has been a good year. There have been some hairy times more recently, but overall it was good.

How has your 2007 been?

One More Down...

One more quarter down (that would make...14 quarters of classes for me), and one more to go till graduation. I made it through with excellent grades even though this quarter was mentally exhausting. I think I'm most proud of my biochemistry grade--I got a 98/100 on the final! I studied pretty hard for that, so I really earned that grade. I thought for sure it'd be a lot lower because there was one topic I missed in class and couldn't really understand, but I guess I managed to bs the question on the test.

So far my Christmas break has consisted of working and being lazy, a good combination. I'm through with work until after the new year, which is both happy and sad. Today my boyfriend and I went to an exhibit of William Wegman's art, which was pretty cool. I knew him from the pictures of Weimaraners, but I didn't know of his other art. Very quirky art! It was cool to see, and it was free. Cultural exposure for free is a good deal! I bought a poster (above) of a picture taken especially for Ohio State, largely because of the "special" quality of it. My boyfriend bought a frame for it, so now it's like a real picture hung above my bed. It matches the picture "theme" of my room as my brother pointed out--all the pictures hung on my walls have black frames. It really makes my room feel like home, instead just a place to stay.

Tomorrow I'm heading to graduation for my roommate, then heading home for a week and a half. Then it's off to Florida!

First Snow!

This morning I woke up to the first substantial snow of the winter season here in Columbus! It makes me happy! I like snow! For the first month of winter anyway...then, like everyone else, I'm wishing it would go away. But today! Snow! I can't help but smile about it! The biggest downside is that I have to go to work tonight, and as much as I like snow, driving in it is a slightly different story.

Today is my last day of finals, I have one at 11:30. I realized that after my final, I'm done with MSE forever! I'm pretty excited. I just have to get through this last final, which I don't feel prepared for (and don't know how I could prepare any better!). This class has been the worst of the quarter, because the professor doesn't explain the material very well and it's hard to know what to expect on her tests. Oh well. I know everyone else feels the same way, so hopefully we'll all do about the same.

As of Sunday, I'll be back home enjoying some time with my family. On December 21st, we'll be leaving on our trip to Florida. I'm sad that we're driving, and it will be mighty uncomfortable, but I'm looking forward to the trip overall.

Edit: Now I am finished with this quarter and MSE, whee!

Sick...

I got that niggling little feeling yesterday that I was coming down with a cold or some other awful illness. And by golly, I was right on the money. Today I've been feeling blech: one side of my nose is runny, my throat is irritated, and my ear is feeling blocked up (and it's now popping, fabulous). I'm a miserable sick person, and I know it. I think it stems from the fact that I'm not sick very often. In fact, downright infrequently sick. Aside from the week of allergy death that I suffer in the spring, I usually only get sick once a year, if that! So yes, I'm whiny.

Tonight was particularly bad--I worked for the first time since the Sunday before Thanksgiving. My night was compounded by the fact that there were tickets lost and thus my food took FOREVER to come out and I'm still learning the ropes of the ordering system (it's all abbreviations, and for the most part I know them, but tonight the ones I don't know threw me off my game). I think my manager was understanding, but I still feel like a pain due to my need to do everything right! I'm praying that tomorrow is very easy, and it should be: Sunday mornings are a brunch buffet, so I worry about drinks.

Of course, it's finals week too! Oh joy of sickness.