Things

Thing #1:  I am not dead!  I am attempting to adjust to the new schedule.  It's quite a change.


Thing #2:  I am having such a great time learning my new job.  Love it.  And you know what is great?  Being appreciated.  SERIOUSLY.  I re-organize a file.  Boss #1 walks by with Boss #2, picks up said file, shows it to Boss #2, giggles, and actually says, "Isn't that AWESOME?"  Then, Boss #2 says again how much they appreciate me.  *happy glow*


Thing #3:  The kids are now in "Latchkey" after school care 3 days a week.  I still get off early on Wednesdays, drive to Warrenton to pick them up, drive them to Wentzville for lessons, then drive them back home to Warrenton.  They also ride the bus one day a week.  It's a lot to remember.


Thing #4:  The weather has been so bad that I have yet to have a normal week.


Thing #5:  Pretty much no progress in Winter's Tale last week.  I just haven't really figured out when my reading time will be.


Thing #6:  Taxes.  Meh.


Thing #7:  Driving in reverse.  Meh.


Thing #8:  Taiko!  Finally getting the Oodaiko and chuu that we sent for repairs returned.  It was a fiasco, and a long story.  The short version:  UPS girl gave us wrong info, so when return-shipped to us, they were refused by local UPS.  Awesome.  On the totally un-necessary way back to CA, they were damaged.  After researching, I found that since the drums were okay, and the cases were trashed, filing a claim would be useless.  Only the drums were covered by insurance.  Then...they were shipped again.  Got to MO yesterday evening.  I will be going with Andrew to pick them up Tuesday after work.


Thing #9:  Celebrate the World show next Sunday!  Free!  Open to the public!  Family friendly! Indoor and climate controlled!!!  You know you want to come.  https://www.facebook.com/events/293044974176442/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming


Love you all!


Post Script:  I actually wrote this yesterday.  Don't know why it didn't publish correctly.  Here goes Take 2!

On The Eve (again)

Hi.  Today is my last day off before my new job.  It didn't really go as I had planned.  Mainly, that is because of the weather.  Yesterday and today were snow days for the kids, so not much of my unofficial list got checked off.


It really has been pretty pleasant.


Just now, though, I am starting to feel down.  Less than confident.  Less than content.  Less than willing.  Less than excited.  Less than energized.  It was all of a sudden.  I don't know what to blame, or assign it to.  Maybe it's just the weather getting to me.


But - ignoring that!


The weekend was fun!  Saturday, we braved the freezing rain and attended a friend's 5th birthday party at the bouncy house place.  Kids had a blast, and I got to meet my friend's new baby.  Always sweet.


In the evening, we took the kids to another friend's house, and went to celebrate Josh's birthday by seeing Alton Brown at The Fabulous Fox theater.  Very awesome.


The sidewalks did get icy, but the roads weren't bad.  Even so, I drove after we picked up the kids.
The next day I spent in bed with a headache.  I had not consumed a single drop of alcohol, so it seemed a little unfair to be burdened with a  hangover.  I was very afraid that I was becoming sick.
Monday I got lots of small tasks done, like paying bills, fighting with UPS about a taiko shipment, and doing laundry.  I also researched summer child care options, since I am going to need them now. 
I nearly forgot, in my business (busy-ness) that I had agreed to play taiko for some photography students to photograph.  Originally there were to be 3 of us, but one couldn't make it.  That made song selection a lot more difficult.  We jumped right into playing - without our usual 15-20 minutes of extensive warm ups.  We played, among other things: Hachijou, Matsuri Taiko, movement drill, Isami Goma, yatai Tobihi, Ashura, 2 person Tenchi (forgot to plan the wave and suffered for it), and Hanabi, pretty much without stopping.  I was tired at the end, but couldn't understand it.  "Man!" said I to one of the students, "I can play an hour long set when I'm in shape.  I must need practice!" Little did I realize, we had been playing for just over an hour and a half.  Without warm-ups.  I.AM.SORE.


Yesterday, the weather was bad and we stayed home.  Josh came home early, and taiko practice was cancelled.  Today we stayed home, Josh did not come home early, and music lessons were cancelled.


Tomorrow is my first day of work.  I really wish, on my first day, I didn't have to worry about road conditions and potential accidents of myself and/or others on my 45 minute commute.  I also wish I could think of something good to pack for lunch.  I want to use my new bento box.


Books I Read In January:
House of Leaves
A Passage to India
The Sugar Queen
Divergent
Storm Front


I am now reading Winter's Tale.  I like it, and can't think of what it reminds me of.


Hope you are all well, and if you are not, that you are improving with haste.  Perhaps on my way home from my new work tomorrow, I will buy a chocolate bar.  My hot chocolate today was not completely satisfactory.


Anyway, wish me luck!