December.

I hate leaving my house, much less venturing out into Atlanta, this time of year. People obsessing over what they are going to give (but really what they are going to get) for Christmas, driving like they should never have been giving a license, cramped parking lots, packed stores. I can't even go into WalMart to get freakin' contact solution and razors without having to wait behind someone with their carts filled to the brim with toys their kids won't play with in a year. Oh, American consumerism, you never fail me.

That said, I am glad my family isn't "doing" Christmas this year. The tree is still up & decorated at my parents' house, and I still will go home to visit & eat that day, but it's nice to not have to stress over the whole gift situation. The things I want this year aren't tangible (an acceptance letter and an assistantship paying my tuition, much?), and I have hardly any extra money to spend on gifts. Luckily for me, my parents (and boyfriend) aren't big on material things lately. I guess that comes with getting older, although I could argue against it for some 50-somethings I see...

Financial situation is stressful as ever. Hours have been majorly cut at work yet again, and literally 60% of my monthly income is going to rent when it should be something like 30%. I desperately need to pay off my credit card & save for grad school, and I'm not seeing it happening right now. I have a couple of options (really, just one - but it's a doozy) for moving, and I'm trying to weigh them out. Still have seven months before I move to Mississippi, so wherever I go until then has to be permanent.

I think my little brother is joining the Coast Guard. At first, I kind of freaked because it was out of the blue & it obviously still is considered themilitary, but after reading about it, it sounds like something he'd be really good at. He has to go to two months of basic training in NJ where our only contact with him is letters, which will be hard - we have never gone two months without talking. After he graduates from boot camp, he has five days of leave then gets stationed somewhere. I think he wants to be in Miami ("chasing drug lords & modern day pirates on the high seas" - his words, not mine). Dad knows, but Mom doesn't...yet. That's the Leonard children for you...always throwing Mom for a loop.

January brings the big guns out - AHC internship interview, grad school application being completed, the start of what will be the most stressful & exciting year of my life - and I can't wait.

Ok, and maybe I lied. There is something I would like for Christmas: