Quarterly post...

Well. Here we are again. That was one of the fastest 4 month stretches ever and so much happened, that I'm not sure where to start.

I did a semester of graduate school. It was very interesting and I loved going to class. I met a bunch of cool people and I now know that I am smart enough. I came out with a grade of AB. I haven't been to school yet to pick up my last paper and grade sheet, but I saw the grade online. While I loved going to the class and reading the articles and books assigned for class, I hated writing most of the papers. I was always happy with the end product, but the writing process, for me is so painful and with the distractions of home and work, it compounded the difficulty. I started grinding my teeth again and I was just so stressed out I couldn't relax at home because the assignments were weighing so heavily on my mind.

I decided mid term that the stress of it wasn't worth it to me right now. That I wanted to be able to relax and spend time with my family and have just.. some time to do things I like to do at home. I now know how much time I have to do things like this. I plan to savour it. I feel lighter with out a class to go to, but I already miss the class its self and the new friends I have made there. Hopefully I'll be able to keep those friendships up, even though I'm not part of the school right now.

One thing that this has done for me is make me more confident. I can drive around in Madison where before I was very nervous. I kind of get the layout, where before I had no idea where I was. I learned how to have something that was for me, and I liked it. The freedom was really different, a lot different fro whe I was getting my undergrad at OUC all those years ago.

I just bought a kiln from someone on Craigslist and I hope to learn how to fuse and slump glass. Just as soon as Chris wires me a 240V plug for it. I've been crocheting a lot, I really missed that this fall, and I had hoped to crochet all sorts of gifts for people, that just never got done because I had no time to work on them. I hope that I will spend my newly freed up time of more creative endeavors.

I had my annual review on Thursday. It went well. My boss is retiring in June and I get along with her so well, I'll be sad to see her go. She was a good mentor and at my review she said that she hoped I wouldn't wait too long to go back to school because she thinks I would be a great Librarian. That really made me feel good. :) Change is hard right. But most good things are hard, or is it really worth it? I'm a little apprehensive about what will happen when we get a new director, they may not have the same vision as we are used to and there may be even more changes ahead.

I turned 30 in November. A symbolic birthday, a leaving behind of youth, a certain responsibility has come and, I guess a power.. and confidence. I'm not really mourning the loss of the youth, but getting very nostalgic for everything that happened in my 20's. A whole lot of things... All contributing to what I have become.

I'm in a good place. It's almost Christmas and I'm looking ahead to the new year. Exciting... and full of possibility.

happy holidays people.

xox
-S