Laura's right, it is time for my annual blog post. So here goes...

Life is pretty good right now. The fiancé and I bought a house last spring. It's an old house, but it's been pretty well kept up, so although we have a lot of work to do, most of it is within our abilities. Now we just have to find the time to get it all done. That's okay, we can't afford to buy another house for many, many years, so we have plenty of time to catch up with ourselves.

We're getting married Labor Day weekend this year, so wedding planning has finally begun. We'll be having the ceremony in the Outer Banks of NC, followed by a week-long vacation. Then we're having a reception a few weeks later in my hometown of Canton, OH. Our goal in all of it is a fun, relaxed time for all. I've decided that I don't want to do anything just because that's what we're supposed to do.

We're the proud parents of another hound dog, as of about a month ago. Rufus stumbled onto museum property, just like Polly did a couple years back. He's a sweetheart, and I couldn't bring myself to take him to the SPCA, so I brought him home. Polly loves him like a brother (which means she loves him but won't admit it, and is jealous of any attention we give him), and no one ever responded to our found ad in the paper, so he's a member of the family now.

The fiancé got a new job in the fall—a 9-5, no weekends office job—which has made our lives much calmer and much less about just surviving week to week. No more shift changes every three months (I will never miss second shift, but occasionally, when I would love to stretch out and have the whole bed to myself, I miss third shift...but, shh, don't tell), and we have our weekends to ourselves—to work on the house, to hang out with friends, to do homework.

Which reminds me...we are both still taking IT classes, working towards something, but we're not sure what yet. At this point, we have to keep going to school until one of us finds an actual IT job that pays actual IT money, because on these salaries, we can't afford to start paying back any loans. Oh well, it keeps us out of trouble, and I know it will lead to something better eventually. If nothing else, it's keeping my nearly-30-year-old (!) brain from falling into disrepair.

Let's see, what else? I bought my first ever new car (a 2008 Scion XB), and I have my first ever car payment now. We got a Wii for Christmas and are playing Super Mario Galaxy obsessively.

I'm going to make an honest effort to blog again—I know the fad has passed, but I always found it cathartic, so why stop just because it's not cool anymore? Which is not why I stopped in the first place—I stopped in the first place because I got happy, and happy just doesn't translate to interesting posts as much as depressed and broody does. But it looks like happy isn't going to go away anytime soon, so let's see if we can't find something entertaining and meaningful in it as well.

I'm engaged, saving for a house, still at the same job (though being paid much more than before), still in school (and still on the dean's list), losing weight, and happier than I've ever been in my life.

There is bad too, like how we got a second dog (Stan) and had to take him back a month later. He bit two people and couldn't be trusted, and we don't have the time or lifestyle to figure out how to fix a problem like that, at least not before something much worse happened. So we took him back, which was by leaps and bounds the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. The worst part was that it hurt so much that I couldn't even bring myself to look into his eyes and say goodbye and I'm sorry. I know he couldn't have understood the explanation, but I still think I owed him that much.

So, yes, there is definitely bad too, but even the bad feels good in its own way, because I don't have to face it alone. And the good, well the good is just amazing. I have never before felt like I belong, felt loved and adored just for being me, felt at peace.

How about you? How have you been? Is anybody still out there?

So much has happened in the past few months and I've neglected to blog about any of it. But now that I've finally organized three months' worth of digital camera photos (woohoo!) on a Flickr account, why not take the opportunity to catch you up on everything you've missed?


Let's start with the birth of my nephew on March 27...this happened before the digital camera purchase, so you'll have to live with looking at more recent photos of him. Isn't he adorable? His name is Paxson Michael Domenic, thus continuing in the grand tradition of my sister and me of having two middle names, the second of which connects him to his (and us to our) mother's family.


Next on the timeline is the morning of April 1, when Ken and I adopted our beagle, Polly. She originally showed up in the parking garage of the museum where I work, but I didn't meet her then. A coworker (Michelle) took her to the local SPCA, hoping her rightful owner would think to look for her there. Michelle checked the classifieds the next day and discovered an ad for a lost dog matching Polly's description. When she called the number, she found herself talking to the director of another arts organization (Lisa). Apparently Lisa had rescued Polly and was looking for a good home for her. She brought her to work one day and Polly bolted out the door (she's good at that) and ended up at my museum. Anyway, I had met Lisa a couple of times, but Ken knew her really well. Combine that with the fact that I have a soft spot for beagles, and we decided this was meant to be. She's a troublemaker and stubborn and ornery, but that's why we get along so well. And she's just so damn cute and fun that who cares if she chews up a book or a box of tissues or a $200 pair of eyeglasses now and then?

That evening, we celebrated our first anniversary (actually the next day, but since the date was somewhat arbitrary, due to our confusing and slow beginning, who cares?). Ken had been planning this night for months, and even though I guessed where we were going before we got there, I was wonderfully surprised. He made us reservations for a romantic night on a riverboat. We had dinner and dancing and stars and the river and best of all hours of no distractions from spending time with each other—a rarity in our lives. I had an amazing time, and I have never felt so special and loved. Thanks, honey.

Okay, class is ending, so I guess it's time to stop blogging for now. More catchup to follow soon.

I know I haven't written in forever, and I keep meaning to make myself jump back into the habit...not sure why, I guess I like the external validation...but life keeps getting in the way.

Said life is going well, in case you were wondering. We finally finished unpacking just in time for Ken's family to visit for Memorial Day, which, whew, stresful and fun all at the same time. But we did all sorts of touristy things that I'd never done, and it was somewhat good to see them, so I'd call the weekend a success. Anyway, finally unpacked—woohoo!

What else? Dean's List two quarters in a row, and started the third off well this evening. I'm having fun, and it's good for me to be reminded that I'm S-M-R-T smart, a feeling I lost during college-the-first-time-around. Of course it helps to have Ken around, constantly pushing me and never letting me forget that I have a big ol' brain and I better use it.

I'm job hunting again. Don't freak, I'm still employed, just not very happily, and more and more it's sinking in that I'm worth so much more money than what they're paying me, so I'm looking for a company that actually appreciates me. I had an interview, but it was over a week ago, so every day that passes, I lose hope that anything will come of it. Oh well, that was only my first stab.

Oh, hey, I finally got a digital camera, so I will make my first foray into posting pictures in the near future. And since we adopted a dog in April and my sister had a baby in March, I have oh so many picture to share. I know you're drooling in anticipation.

Okay, nothing more exciting right now...just a heads-up that I'm back and I plan to stay that way. See you soon.

Apparently they banned abortion in South Dakota recently (I've been blissfully ignorant of the news of late, having replaced The Daily Show with The Dog Whisperer as the show that accumulates on The DVR and takes up valuable space that could otherwise be used for Lifetime, television for me, movies). Anyway, a woman who's gonna die will be able to have one (gee, thanks for the bone), but even a woman who got pregnant by incest or rape will still be forced to have the baby. Beautiful.

Okay, so that was sarcastic, but what actually is beautiful is that the President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe has vowed: “I will personally establish a Planned Parenthood clinic on my own land which is within the boundaries of the Pine Ridge Reservation where the State of South Dakota has absolutely no jurisdiction.”

Here are instructions for how to send a donation, which I will be doing as soon as I get to work tomorrow and steal an envelope.

(Info and links stolen from my friend Jayne...thanks, Jayne!)

When I came home after work today, I found the following on the dry-erase board: "Still no poop from Lucy." (Lucy is Ken's dog, now, by association my dog as well, and a day does not pass without a discussion of her bodily functions.) This is my life—I have become domesticated. I'm all about feeding the dog and cleaning the bathroom and buying groceries so that I can cook every night. Not too long ago I was all about partying and drinking and casual sex, and now I'm looking for sales on bed sheets and clipping coupons.

It's amazing how quickly I became my mother, like all I needed was a man to take care of to bring it all rushing out of me (or, maybe, all I needed was a man who believes I can do anything to make me realize that myself). I'm not so sure turning into my mother is the bad thing I'm supposed to think it is, though. I have never met a more capable woman—she knows everything, knows how to do everything, and can fix any problem you throw her way. And if I can turn into my mother all while working full time and going to school (with a 4.0, no less), then maybe the reason I so easily gave up the partying, the drinking, and the casual sex for domestic bliss is that this is who I was supposed to be all along.

After all, Lucy pooped right away for me, so I guess I really am capable of anything.

Has it really been two months and ten days since my last post? Oh how time keeps getting the better of me lately. Months seem to disappear even though each week drags itself to Friday. That might have something to do with the fact that The Boyfriend switched shifts and I now only get to see him from Friday at midnight until Sunday at 2PM, which, if you weren't sure, is not very long. Conversely, though, Sunday at 2PM until Friday at midnight is an eternity. I never knew it was possible to miss one person so much.

But soon it will get a lot better. Moving day is in less than two weeks, and then I'll see him at least a little more often. Not much, but at least I'll be there when he crawls into bed at night, and I think I can survive on that for a while longer. I fear I'm putting too much stake in moving in together. I keep saying "that will get better once we move," and I wonder if I'm starting to believe that all of life's problems and inconveniences will magically vanish on February 4. I like to think I'm still grounded in reality—and that I realize that a whole new set of problems and inconveniences will probably crop up with this big change. But at least we can tackle these ones together.

Oh, and did I mention that I started classes this month? I know it's only been a few weeks, but already I'm impressed with how much more mature about school I am than I was the first time around. It makes a much deeper impression when it's your own money (or your own debt, anyway). A life of non-poverty, here I come!

P.S. I got a laptop for Christmas, so someday when I'm not spending all weekend holed up with The Boyfriend, soaking up every available second of his free time—someday when I don't have to do that because I will get to see him every day (!)—I will have to find myself a wi-fi'd coffee shop and try me some blogging without strings. Someday.

Today was election day, and I spent the day, as I did last year, working at a polling station as an election official. This year was much less exciting than last year with its presidential election, but it still involved dragging my ass out of bed at 5AM and working for 14 hours. Fun!

A non-sexy election equals lots of free time, so I started reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, which I've been meaning to read for a while now, but then again I've been meaning to read a lot of books for a while now. Anyway, fabulous, and I can't wait to see how it ends.

Um, I just realized I have no point to this post, but The Boyfriend texted me during my day of torture to say: "there's a big black lab outside our new apartment," which made me smile in that annoying "I'm in love" kind of way, but which made the whole rest of my day so much better, knowing that he took time out of his own day of torture to drive past our dream apartment and think of me. So cute. He totally deserves the free bottle of this that I plan to give him the next time I see him. (In case you were wondering, it smells swarthy.)

And I've decided I need to learn to crochet.

Yeah, I'm going to bed...

Oh, but P.S. Fallout Boy has the funniest song titles!

I haven't been writing much lately because it seems all I want to do is gush about The Boyfriend and how ridiculously happy I am, and I don't want to become one of those girls who can't talk about anything but her significant other. But he is the most dynamic force in my life at the moment. Every day we change and evolve in ways that the rest of my life (same apartment, same roommates, same job, same friends) just can't compete with. And, as this is my first real, healthy, long-term relationship, I'm taken aback by how it keeps getting better; every day I add another reason to smile to the list.

See, you're bored now, aren't you? Happiness and contentment just aren't bloggable.

I suppose I could tell you that I took major steps today toward starting back to school in January (which will hopefully make some of the rest of my life a little less stagnant).

Or I suppose I could tell you that my sister is pregnant and due in March (which will hopefully make some more of the rest of my life a little less stagnant as well, by proxy). I've been window shopping for baby clothes and toys for months now, and we should all be thankful that I'm poor and can't afford to buy everything I want to, or this child would be even more spoiled than it's already going to be.

Or I suppose I could even tell you that The Boyfriend and I have decided to move in together (even though it's not supposed to public knowledge to quite everybody yet...but you can keep a secret, can't you, Internet?), but not until April. And I could add that the decision to delay gratification until April, for purely practical reasons, was mostly mine. Impatient me is finally learning that I don't have to have it all right now, and insecure me is learning that the good stuff will stick around, even if I don't cling to it. More proof that he is good for me.

And, shit, I've found my way back to the forbidden topic...I give up...happy may be boring, but it's all I've got right now.

P.S. I've added some new quotes.