Me + PDX = Hooray!

I get to meet Owen tomorrow. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm not excited about being at the airport by 5:00 am (MLB - you're the best), but I am excited that I don't have to drive to JAX.

I've decided to honor the occasion by compiling a list (again, I love lists).

Things I plan to do while in Oregon (aka Land that I Love):

1. Hold Owen. A lot.
2. Meet Amelia. (allthingsamelia.blogspot.com)
3. Catch up with Andrea B and Juilene.
4. Rock Travis at tennis.
5. See Mom & Dad - I suppose they deserve a spot on the list.
6. Not worry about work/life circumstances.

All in all, a pretty good time - no?

I'm still waiting on graduation pictures (Andrea #1 - that's you), but when I get some, I'll post them. I promise to take Owen/Amelia pics, though, so don't you worry!

I love the PNW!!

Realization of the week.

All of a sudden, Gainesville feels a bit more like home. I had a fantastic time with Andrea #1 last week, and was very sad at the prospect of leaving (I heart her). However, upon returning to G'ville I stopped at a birthday shin-dig and made an amazing realization; the whole gang was there and when I arrived, I realized I was so, so happy to see them! I now feel completely at ease with the group here (good timing, no?) and, so it may seem, even miss them when I go out of town. Hooray for finding people I like :)

I still find myself in that weird in-between place of not knowing where "home" is. Is M-F home? I haven't actually lived there in 7 years, so that seems a bit far fetched. Gainesville seems temporary, no matter how much I currently enjoy it, so it doesn't feel right to say this is "home" either. Am I homeless? Baltimore, no matter how sucky, felt like home because I was there with someone else, so new single-Steph feels homeless (though I do have the cats...).

The next place I find myself needs to be home - at least for awhile - so I'm going to go out of my way to make it feel like that from the start. I've got the furniture and the cats, so what more do I really need?

# 12 has been out of town.

But he's back now. Loud and clear, he's back. Stupid neighbor sex.

We did it!

I graduated! It was such a great day, and so nice to see everyone (that's you rtrax and buzz!). It was good to be in Baltimore under positive light, though I still hate it :)

I'll post pictures when I'm back in G'ville... if you're lucky there will be some cleavage shots.

Out of the office replies.

I can't decide how I feel about auto-"out of the office" messages. They seem like a good idea, in theory, but I often send many messages to the same people, and if they have one set, I will get many in return. This comes up because I need to decide if I should use one myself. I feel like everyone I correspond with knows I will be gone, so what's the point? But what if I'm wrong, and then I just don't respond to someone for a week and feel badly about it next week? Tough call, no? Anyway, I will be gone for the rest of the week! Hooray! I wish I could find a job in which I only had to work one day a week; I think that would be ideal. Knowing that I would be out for the rest of the week, today has been fantastic!

Graduation is Wednesday, and I'll be wearing my new dress! I tried to find it on the BR website, but to no avail. Sorry, folks. I will have andrea #1 take some photos and post upon my return.

I hope everyone has a great week!

1988 flashback.

The last two Saturdays there has been a middle-aged-ish blonde woman with a side-pony at the gym. I'm not even kidding. I had visions of Mrs. Agidius from 2nd grade... it was a bit frightening.

We are the champions... of the world.

Okay, not really of the world, but of the Gainesville co-ed adult softball league... spring 2007, anyway. Way to go, Gator Aluminum! I was told we'll be getting championship t-shirts. I'm pretty excited about it.

This week's randomness.

I am not good with secrets. While I may keep them, I do not enjoy it.

I am sick of stress. It hasn't been a great year for me. I think I am entiteld to one stress-free year at some point in the future.

I really, really want to meet/hold Owen. If it wouldn't be irritating to those reading this, I would have added a lot more "really"s - hopefully you understand.

I have mixed feelings about next week. While super excited about seeing andrea #1, rtrax, and buzz, the thought of face time with the b-man invokes nausea (and bad dreams all week).

I am starting all sentences with "I" this entry. I think this may be a sign that I am feeling a bit self-centered today. I'm going to keep it up, for consistency sake.

I have to make some phone calls, but the people aren't in yet. I feel guilty for blogging, but literally cannot do my work - tough spot.

I really like tennis; I learned how to slice the ball this week.

I hope Mrs. Brooke had a good birthday, ash isn't too bored today, and ko's boss is nice to her (but if he isn't, don't sush him!). I wish andrea #2 and rtrax would blog some more.

I made it.

I started the week somewhat apprehensive. I wasn't actually sure that I could make it through five days, but Friday has arrived! I have persevered! Last week I decided that I couldn't take it anymore, and that to preserve what was left of my sanity I needed to take Thursday and Friday off. It was wonderful. This, however, had the unfortunate consequence of making this week seem ridiculously long. Now common knowledge, I do not like my job. I truly enjoy my supervisor, but he's recently been gone a lot and my latest task is the yucky combination of not-so-challenging + not-so-fun + frustrating. Not a good combo. Thus, I am having some issues with my motivation. I'm hoping that once this task is complete I will move on to something more enjoyable (perhaps more sex surveys?). The week is almost over, though, and next week I will only be working Monday and Tuesday (look out Baltimore/DC, here I come!).

In honor of ko, who has recently been loving the lists (and disliking her job), I've decided to make one regarding my future employment.

Things I would like in a job:

1. Co-workers/team environment
2. Passion-invoking work/topic/area
3. Human interaction
4. Not 100% computer/cubicle based
5. Challenging/Masters skills required

That's a good start.

Hooray!

The championship game has been pushed up to this Friday! I can play (now we actually have a chance... hee hee)! NE Park @ 8:00 (if we lose that game we play again right after). Yay!

I could be a commercial.

Fun black heels: $22

Super-flattering, ridiculously cute dress: $128

Instant self-confidence: priceless



I found a dress! I hope it's worth it :)

Stephanie: A much-needed update.

Yeah, yeah, I know; I've been missing for awhile. Sorry, folks... my blogging enthusiasm seems to ebb and flow. Nice science terminology, no? Here's what's happening with me:

I still love the gym. Seriously. I really do. If only you could tell by looking at me. Tricky. I think the problem is that I also love cookies. Oh well.

I gave up soda. I know - I used to keep Mt. Dew in production, but alas, those days are over. It's been maybe 6 weeks or so and all's well so far. I have cheated and had one (and one only) the last two weekends. But really, sooo much better that 1-2 per day, no?

I rock at tennis. Okay, so that may be an exaggeration, but I'm definitely decent. The group I play with has improved so much! Way to go, us! How will I survive in a non-Florida climate when I can't play year-round??

I'm gearing up for convocation. Is convocation just a fancy word for graduation? Is commencement just another synonym? Why do we have so many words that just mean the same thing? Anyway, 2.5 weeks to go. I plan to find a dress this weekend. I bought a fun black dress a few weeks ago (For our Bond party, if you must know. And by the way, I am such a hot Bond girl!), but it's perhaps a little too risqué for the ceremony. Post-ceremony parties, however, are another matter altogether.

I can't wait to do fun wedding planning with Andrea (in the days following graduation)!! We've been looking at bridesmaids dresses the last few weeks - I can't wait until September [22nd]!

Owen is 4 weeks old today. How did that happen? His parents finally appeased us (out here in the blogging world) with some video footage - I have the cutest nephew EVER. I get to meet him in 28 days and 22 hours (not that I'm counting or anything).

I don't like my job. It was a powerful realization that hit me recently. I do love boss-man dan, but the work I do.... not so much. There's work stuff going on (fate, perhaps?), but that's a whole different entry (perhaps soon, though).

My softball team won our first playoff game! We play the #1 seed Friday night (we beat them in the "regular season", so hopefully we can pull it out). If we lose Friday we have a double header. It's been a long, long time since I've played that much softball in one day. On this note, I still cannot hit [well]. It's SLOW PITCH, for pete's sake. I just can't seem to get the timing down. I thought it was just because I've only hit fast pitch, but you'd think that 7-8 games into the season I would have figured it out. I feel like such an idiot.Oh well, at least I contribute during the defensive portions of the game.

We might be having a "game night" this weekend. I know it can't possibly compare to "game night at the Irving's", but it might be pretty good nonetheless. Cranium, anyone?

Grey's Anatomy 2 hour event tomorrow night. Everyone's invited to my house :)

I think I might take Friday off. Stupid work.