R.I.P.

Rest in Peace Austin.

Let's just say it's been a long month, and this couldn't have come at a worse time.

Good night

Christmas in the Park + Kelsey + nearly a bottle of wine in a rootbeer bottle = one good night!

Monday Monday Monday

So it's Monday and I'm back at work.

The weekend was everything I hoped it would be. Relaxing, reading, Christmas shopping and hanging out with friends.

But I'm back at work now and I can't help but still feel the tug of unsatisfaction about what happened on Thursday, with the whole promotion thing. I'm trying to put it out of my head, but it's hard. In a way I feel its made me more aloof about my job here. I don't know I wish I had the guts to bring it up, but Monday is just not the day for it and if I do it tomorrow it's almost like I waited too long to bring it up.

Maybe I can bring it up at my review, if that ever happens.

I just wish today was happier, good news is people really pulled through on Friday so I don't have a lot of catch up work today which is nice. Bad news: my section was so large that I am basically starting from scratch tomorrow.

Obligatory pat on the back

So I guess my pat on the back wasn't really anything. I don't know, everyone else who got title changes got official titles and I got "Special Sections Editor," which really doesn't even sound like an upgrade, more of an additional role.

Some other collegues got more official titles like "associate" and "managing" editors. I feel I do as much as them but on another level, I guess the "special section" level, but really that doesn't even begin to describe it.

I think I would have been happier with even just a deadline editor.

It just seems like I got an upgrade because Bruce was handing them out or something, not really because I actually deserved it.

Grumble, this day needs to be over with already. Like now.

New title-same responsibility

So I guess I just got a verbal pat on the back (which will hopefully turn into a monetary pat on the back within the next six months).

My editor called me in to ask me if he could give me an additional title, being that I oversee so much on Mondays and am really taking a strong lead on making sure the sections get out I am now not only Schools editor but Special Sections editor.

What I really should be called is the...... making sure things are efficient so we meet deadlines editor.

I guess he thought Special Sections summed it up better.

Fall/winter weather

Today is just one of those gorgeous days. It's crisp and wintery outside but the sun is shining bright and it is literally raining leaves everywhere you go.

I'm surprised. This time last year I could swear all the trees were bare and the leaves had long since been blown out of the streets. It seems fall is lingering this year, which is fine by me, I absolutely love it when the leaves fall and dance along the streets in the crisp winter air.

Not a lot to update. I got to hang out with Marie yesterday which was fun, we had Thai food and walked her dog. I like hanging out with her, she is fun. I also got to hang out with Mike, caught up on Heroes a bit.

Still need to pack, but I took a step in the right direction yesterday and picked up a ton of boxes from Barnes & Noble. . Hung out with my old co-worker Pingel for a bit which was fun. Oh and if you ever want to read a funny comic about life as a bookseller, take a look at this.

Well that's about it for me today, but I am keeping on top of writing this which is good.

November

There is just something about the month of November that makes me sick. I really do like this month, I swear. But for some reason I get sick during it and I end up sleepwalking through the entire month.

So I have my last short week this week. I am going home on Friday. Don't know how that will work out, what with me feeling not so hot again and having a lot to do in with the paper. Ugh, I think I ruined November for myself this month. I gave myself too much to do, what with working for my mom, working for the paper and having the move in the back of my mind.

Another thing keeping me from being productive is I've gotten unorganized at work. Just these past two weeks because I have been too busy getting things done early, I haven't had time to do my normal upkeep of my desk. It's messy, just like my room, and that keeps me from doing anything really proactive. Ugh.

Here is a picture.

I realize this post doesn't really have a point, but my head is fuzzy and I don't know what to write about right now.

Hope you guys are all having a pleasant Tuesday, I hope to get out of here a bit early so I can seriously nap.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hey everyone, just wanted to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

I just finished walking the Turkey Trot in Downtown San Jose. It was really fun but it was crowded, I think over 6,000 people participated.

Anyway just a quick post to say hello, have a great weekend. I'll be stuck in a booth with my head down most of the time. I will also be wearing that idiotic elf hat. Oh joy!

But my dad and I talked TVs last night and he will be shoppin' around for me tomorrow. I'm very excited, looks like I'll be gettin' a new TV either 32''-40''. Thank goodness I have a dad who enjoys braving the crowds.

Well time for me to nap. Then I have to cook. Then I'm off to celebrate Thanksgiving with family.

Hope you guys have a great day filled with fun, family and food!

Expensive pet

So my chinchilla has a tooth problem, which requires me to take him to the vet every 9 months and shell out $200 to get his teeth filed. That had to happen today, and my pocketbook is hurting because of it. It's very unfortunate that this has to happen at this time of year, what with Christmas shopping around the corner. Argh. Anyway, I'll leave you with a cute picture of Austin.

Hurdles

Journalists really have to jump hurdles around the holidays. It's not just the fact that we have to put too many issues out in December, it's the fact that no one is during the holidays.

For the real news stories we need to talk to officials. I just spent the better part of this morning calling every contact I had at the district to get official language for something that was voted on last week (the board meeting where I was running a high fever).

So no one is in the district office today. The secretary who I rely on did not send me the information I requested last week like she promised, which is why I have been jumping hurdles today trying to find the information. I finally caught a board member at work.

Now board members are harder though because they never remember the correct language and they are just going off of the confusing discussion which I was trying to clarify anyway. So I got my answers but am disappointed to realize how many people actually get this entire week off.

All I have to say is (and this is a throw back to my elementary school days) ...... no fair.

Traci the Christmas elf

Yes, this is the new elf hat I am wearing this year selling Christmas ornaments for my mother. She better be paying me top dollar.

Blogging

So I am tired of not posting more often. It's ridiculous. I am a writer. Why can't I write a stinkin' blog every once in awhile. So here we go. It is my goal to write three times a week (at least) through the end of the year. Here we go....

So life has been very busy as of late. I worked (dressed as an elf, ugh) for my mom this past weekend in Sacramento, I work the San Jose show with her this weekend. Oy, the people who go to these shows are such soccer moms. And the stuff sold at these shows are oh so cutsie. Blech.

The money I am making working for my mom is going toward a new TV, for my new room. Yes folks, I am moving up the Peninsula to Sunnyvale. Yipee to cutting my commute in half (no more freeway)! The house is owned by a woman named Rhonda, she seems pretty nice. She and her part-time daughter Caitlyn live in the guesthouse. I am renting the master bedroom and another lady (who I haven't met) is renting two rooms on the opposite side of the house. The house is huge with all wood floors and the best part is the ginormous kitchen! It has a huge island and it is just amazing! I'm inspired by it, I'm going to look into taking cooking classes so I can test things in a large kitchen.

My room is pretty large, 9.5' by 15.5' and the bathroom is connected to the room. One whole wall is all closet space with cabinet storage space above. My mom is going to drive up one of our old easy chairs and I am going to put it in the room so I can feel like I have a living room/bedroom in one. I'm excited to move, very excited...

...and stressed. This weekend is occupied with work for my mom, next weekend I am going home and that leaves me two weekends to devote to boxing things up. And that also leaves only two weekends for shopping for Christmas gifts. Ugh. And the paper is about to go into warp speed what with putting 6 issues out in the month of December. Meh.

But I digress, there is plenty to be happy about. A new room. A new TV (32-40'' flat screen). A weekend at home to lolly-gag and have fun. New music that has been perfect for my moods lately. AND Mike may be switching to day shifts soon! That is what makes me most happy at all. I can't believe we would be on similar schedules again. It's been too long.

So to send you off I will reccomend some of the music I have been jammin on lately....
Mirah- You Think it's like this but it's really like this - Thanks Amanda!
Ingrid Michaelson- Girls and Boys - If you haven't heard this you must go download it immediately, it is great!
Colbie Caillat- Coco - She sings the "Bubbly" song the radio plays incessantly, but the rest of the CD is really wonderful.
Damien Rice- 9 - It's a year old CD that I just sampled this week, it's good.