Running through my head, running through my head

That Tatu song was pretty good. Whatever happened to them? That video was so holocaust-y.

-Some mornings, nothing's better than a cold can of soda first thing. Mother taught me to be obsessive about cleaning the rim before drinking (which makes total sense...we don't put our lips on anything else that hasn't been washed, to our knowledge).

-Although this week has gone by a little slowly, it's been a good one. I was alone at work, and was able to move at my own pace with very little interruption.

-Neil and I opened our first official wedding present tonight! We had a little meeting at our newly repurposed-for-its-original-purpose dining room table, and tore into it.

-The week was pretty eventful: Neil accepted a job offer at Westminster, and we met with our officiant Kristin, both within a few hours of each other. It was a fantastic afternoon, first with the great news (he starts tomorrow!), then sitting for a couple hours talking about our relationship with a family friend who has the power vested in her to marry us. At the end, she said "I approve!" just like a real interview!

-Lately, I've been craving historical romances, with tons (had to look that up the first time I read one) and calling cards and large manor estates in the country for the holidays. I never liked them before working for Harlequin, and I don't usually read them unbidden, but for some reason I feel like being transported to another era. Well, either that or just a nice sugary holiday romance novel with crisp air and scarves (outside only, please. I'll never understand indoor scarves).

-It's getting close now. Less than three weeks! September seemed to go by in a flash of worry and cool temperatures and flashes of good, and now it's almost October. Will I get everything done in time? Will I go into Panic Mode again, or is that behind us? Will I manage to stay on the low-carb track until October 18? I dunno...I told Neil I was getting a G&D's pizza if I get the Jeff City job!!

-Neil did an awesome rearrangement-job this week, putting Phoenix in the second bedroom (he's a total loner, and we suspect he may not like being in a high-traffic area out here), the big TV up high on the media cabinet, the desk relocated to the living room (where it's less isolated, which I like), and the aforementioned dining table in its rightful place, with all four chairs around it. We can play games again!

-It's been a major TV week. I'm saving "Ugly" and "Desperate" for...I don't know, for when I won't be interrupting football, but we of course caught "The Office" on Thursday, then re-watched it on Friday. I don't know exactly what I even thought of it! I certainly wasn't satisfied, and felt so many questions were left unanswered that should have been addressed (why was Meredith's face absolutely covered in red welts for two weigh-ins, then suddenly was clear for the rest? This had BETTER be in the deleted scenes, Universal!)...I didn't like Ryan's return, but then, I stopped liking him when he was so mean to Kelly. I wondered why they stopped the Kevin-retardo joke, because it was absolutely so perfect; I wondered about Michael and Jan's relationship, and why did Jim say Michael had told everyone the baby was his, then said "Who's your daddy? We don't KNOW!" to her stomach in front of everyone...and why the hell was she the same size as the season finale, when it was a month later...and what was up with making us think Pam was flirting with the doughy guy? Only to shock us even more at the proposal? (Okay, that proposal kinda made up for everything.) All I know is, Michael looks like a jack-hole with a goatee. But it does a surprising amount of good to Dwight's square-ass face.

-Sorry for the ramble-rant.

-In "yum" news, I'm this minute eating Lime 'n Chili Blue Diamond Bold almonds. Also, Lily and I were talking about low-carb (Gilbert is doing it too! Welcome to 2003, future lil-bro-in-law! Glad to have you), and she mentioned how delicious the Crystal Light On-The-Go Lemonade was, and I was all "No, Lily, I don't do anything resembling Country Time" and she was all "Dude, stop being unreasonable, try it" and I was all "Are you telling me you won't come to the wedding if I don't?" and she was all "I mean, I didn't want to have to pull that, but yeah" and I was all "I was once witness to a fatal accident involving Crystal Light and a scimitar, so I actually have psychological reasons for not trying it" and she was all "That's your tough luck, unless you want to go get our Sister-Bonding mani-pedis alone the day before you get married" and so I bought some because I don't like going places alone. And it is DELICIOUS!!

-Y'all will flip when you see the floor Dad's laying for the porch. I suggested the "Snickerdoodle" paint chip to accompany, so we'll see if I get my way. Who doesn't love a nice soft snickerdoodle?

-Gerbes was out of garlic tonight! Have you ever heard of such a thing? I had to buy the prepackaged bag of like three heads or whatever. I only needed one, so it was quite painful. They did, however, have the hugest, greenest artichokes I'd ever seen at $3 a pop. I lurrrrrrve artichokes!! (But not stuffed, and not with butter. Only mom and dad's mayo-with-lemon-juice, -and-other-ingredients-I'm-not-sure-of sauce will do)

-Good luck this upcoming week to:
Paul and his family...with so many unanswered questions, I hope some get resolved soon!
Neil, at his new job!
Lily and Gilbert--I hope good news comes for you!
Me, gosh dang it! (I should hear back about the position...they said it would be about two weeks)