It's November 5th. When did that happen? Fall has passed in a blur of long work days, volunteer events, and never enough sleep. I was promoted at work, which just means I have an appropriate title for the job I do, and I no longer receive overtime pay. I have been averaging 50 hour work weeks, even with hiring more staff for our campus. But, I generally like my job and continue to be thankful that I am working in the field I have my graduate degree in. It's just starting to take a toll on me, mentally and physically. Example: I forgot to put makeup on this morning.
I am trying to find the awesome video from the Lakewood Wine & Craft Beer Festival that I chaired at the end of September, but it seems to have been lost in the internet abyss. It was the first time an event of this kind had been put on in downtown Lakewood, and it was a huge success. It was also a huge undertaking. Meetings in a bar are still meetings and were putting me up to at least 60 hours a week, because I am part of the organization through my job.
Because of how much I have been working, I have been packing entirely too much into my 1-day weekends, which is making me even more exhausted. I packed a zoo trip, brunch, and dinner into this past Sunday. There was also a 2 hours couch nap in there. I am grouchy and pretty awful to be around at the moment.
There are some upcoming events that I am really excited about. We are bucking tradition for Thanksgiving this year. It's been a rough few months in my family, and to avoid additional Thanksgiving dinner arguments, my boyfriend just called my mom up and invited my parents to dinner at our house. Problem solved. I am looking forward to cooking a meal for my family, and have been scouring my Martha Stewart magazines for recipes. Two highlights: green bean casserole from scratch, and pumpkin icebox pie. Yum!
Even more exciting than Thanksgiving dinner is our upcoming trip to Europe. I can't believe it's only 40 days away! We will be spending 10 days in Ireland, 1 day in London, and 9 days in Paris. I can't wait. Planning this trip has given me something to look forward to, a light at the end of the tunnel.
Let the 40 day countdown begin!
