Welcome: The New Year

I am extremely excited for the new year. Before I reflect on what I am so excited about, I'll move back a week or so and highlight you on what's been going on around here.

I had suggested to my grandmother that we get my maternal grandfather a cat. Yes. A cat. Their grouchy, mean Siamese Himalayan passed away just as they had moved north, so they have been pet-kidless for a year and a half now. Time to get a new kitty! A few days before, I had found a Himalayan, I should have known she would have her heart set on this cat. The damn thing likes to pee all over the house. Yea, the lady trying to find her a new home, bless her heart, has been telling people this. No wonder she still has it and trying to get rid of it! So, to remedy the heartbreak of not getting this cat, my call, I took her to the local county shelter. Cute kitties all around, but didn't find that perfect cat. A co-worker had suggested a local non-profit rescue center. Fortunately for me, it wasn't open. Unfortunately for my mother, she had to take over the cat hunt. They ended up finding the perfect little Persian cat, three years old, a sassy, long-haired grey white cat named Emma. It has been almost two weeks. Emma owns that house. Literally. But then again, today was their first experience to the vet together. We'll see how good she is once she gets home...Oh, and yes, Gpa loves the cat!

Christmas Eve: My maternal grandmother was set on having Turducin for dinner (that's Turkey, Duck, Chicken mashed together into one concation of goodness. It actually had sausage too!) It was good, however it lacked spice, which I thought the sausage would be enough. Lesson for next time. We opened gifts, I got a Mountain Hardware down jacket I have been wanting for so long and a Bose Sounddock for the POD. Quite nice.

Christmas Day: Oh, the Christmas' with the paternal family are always...interesting. The best part is that I had asked my paternal grandmother for a Wii. Didn't think that she could pull it off with the demand not meeting the supply, but she pulled it off! Hooked up the Wii at the aunt's house for dinner and everyone played it. Been quite exciting having it around. Yesterday I purchased, Trauma Center: New Blood. Played it last night, quite fun and more intriguing than watching crappy Discovery Channel plastic surgery shows. Probably will play tonight, get in as much playing now before it gets really busy.

New Years Eve: Drove up to the rents, went to a family NYE party. Didn't really drink. After the company Christmas party, drinking just hasn't sounded like fun. It was pretty low key. H had made some Muddy-Buddies, which were the hit on the munchies side, whereas the Jello-shots (not very strong) were the hit from a liquid's standpoint. Midnight hit, illegal fireworks were shot off, hugs and kisses all around, and bed we went.

Back to work. But, you see, 'tis a new year. New things will start in two week's time. My last full week will be next week. I start school January 14. Can you believe it? I think I'm ready. I have been reading and mentally preparing myself for the weeks to come: school, studying, homework, my love moving back to SeaWa, moving closer to school and work...list goes on.

I'll be poor again. I will go from 45-48 to 24-27 hrs/week. Yea...poor again. I had calculated my financial loss over the next 8 years and my gains after that to the established "ok to pull from retirement account" time frame. I'd still be ahead. Yes, the financial debt from med school loans seems daunting, but in reality, I don't really give a crap. I had calculated this roughly on a piece of paper. After looking at it for a mere moment and with delight, I crumbled the paper up, threw it in the wastepaper basket. I could care less. I know I will be much happier practicing medicine (whatever speciality I go into) than staying where I'm at.

So, here is to the New Year. A new journey, I welcome you with open arms.