It's a big weekend. A chilly football game tonight, Halloween karaoke tomorrow night, and maybe something to celebrate our anniversary on Sunday. Oh, and now that I'm a student again I have to ensure there's some reading in there somewhere. Right.

I'm so ready for the real boss lady to come back on Monday. The first two and a half weeks of doing her job were okay, but the last half a week has nearly killed me. I'm ready to rip out my super-teased 80s-style hair.

Three hundred beers

We make fun of ourselves for acting old. For enjoying a bottle of wine and playing cribbage, boggle or rummy. For making supper together and watching downloaded TV for the rest of the night.

Friday was the opposite of old and boring. It was slow dancing in the living room, a serenade while I wrote in the dust on his guitar. It was wandering over to the nearby pub, where we've never been, to watch the football game. It was being pleasantly surprised that it was also karaoke night. It was feeling popular when random girls asked if they could sing with me when my song came up -- Journey, Don't Stop Believin', of course. It was drinking three hundred beers before wrapping the night up with some Boston [More Than a Feeling]. 

Saturday was a write off. A three-hour nap before watching our Roughriders win, and watch grown men beat each other senseless at a friends' place. 

It was a whirlwind weekend of music, football, friends and a bit [maybe more than a bit] of a hangover. It was a weekend that made my heart swell and my knees go weak. A weekend where you want to say, "I love you" so many more times but it just seems like overkill. 

It's a weekend that makes the resulting week of reading worth it.

Quote of the day: Mark Twain

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Mark Twain

I was thinking all night about writing a post today, outlining how excited I am to be in school and be learning all that I'm learning. I was thinking about sharing my somewhat hilarious, but really just embarrassing, tale of how I sprained my ankle/foot yesterday morning as I left the house. 

But right now I can't bring myself to talk about any of that.

Instead, I'm home early checking the media alerts like it's my job, unable to even pull out my school work and get down to it.

All I can think about is this. It's scary enough to be in the building beside the WCB, to work with people who could see the gunman through their windows. It's even more terrible to try to think about those poor people who are stuck inside there with him still, nearly 8 hours later.

I just can't imagine ever going to work, thinking it's going to be a regular day, and have this happen. 

My thoughts and prayers are going out to the people who were taken hostage, their family and friends. I hope yours will too. 

Jitters

I'm a bundle of nervous energy. It may or may not be the full contents of the French press inside my stomach. It may or may not be the very exciting Skype conversation I had this morning, about a web project that rocks my political nerd world. It may or may not be the fact that my Masters program went live yesterday, and begins officially tomorrow. It may or may not be the fact that I've been so totally overwhelmed at work, both in a good way and in a not so good way, over the past week. It probably has something to do with the fact that one of my most favourite people in the world is finally following me across the country -- even if it is to Calgary. A three-hour drive is way cooler than a five-hour plane trip.

On another note: the Boy and I have been very popular lately, which is exciting after becoming hermits in September. It was necessary to have some kind of post-summer break, but now we're back out in the world... and finding out that bowling too much may make your butt hurt.

Note to self: don't consume copious amounts of Bubbles before going to Beerfest. Drunk face.

I've been wound up, uptight, stressed out. Even playing video games, I just feel the tension in my body, not willing to let go. I've been huddled over papers, correcting and rewriting others' work. People who get paid more than I do. I've been ranting and raving with my coworkers. Sighing in exasperation. I've been unable to believe that any professional would hand in this crap. I've been angry that their own boss would see the pretty version and not the lazy crap they submitted. I've been frustrated that my coworkers have to step up because they're slacking off.

And then, it all disappeared when my boss, coworker, mentor, the tap-dancing queen, sent this to me and my other fab coworker pal:

Thank you for all your hard work. I really appreciate all your thought, effort, and dedication to trying to make sure we deliver a quality product. Also, thank you for being such smart, fun, and happy people to work with. Even on days like today when crappy things happen at work, you both find the strength to bounce back and be that much more positive, and put things into perspective. I appreciate that very rare quality. In closing, I heart you both. Thank you for being such an important part of my everyday.

I'm glad to be where I am. I love my job, though I may not always love what happens at that job. I love my coworker and my boss. I love that we show up to work in unplanned matching outfits. I love that we're known for being fun and happy and smart. I love that my boss is more excited for me than I am when good things happen to me. I love that these people get me. I love that though the work is often stressful, these ladies make coming to work enjoyable.

And like that, the week's stress just melts away.