Direct from the batcave...
For those of you not privy to my last [screened] journal entry, I am a) on a bit of a holiday-/work-induced LJ sabbatical and b) not dead. I present this journal entry - typed by my own decidedly not-dead hands - as evidence of continuing existence. For dead girls cannot type. At least, not particularly well.Good* After five years of payments, my 2000 Chevy Prizm is just that...mine, thus freeing up an additional $265.33 per month. This girl - who has been steadily digging herself out of considerable debt (think tens of thousands, the majority of which were incurred as a stupid teenager/20-year old) - looks forward to actually maintaining a savings account for the first time in five years. Baby steps.* Similarly, an impending annual raise and X-mas bonus has set my financially-beleagured heart a-flutter. * Had a good conversation with my manager - the infamous E. - in which I outlined my list of work-related grievances and told her the direction in which I wanted my job to go. She listened and agreed with the majority of what I had to say. The end results are: administrative support for the Contracts department (which will alleviate a lot of the crap that falls onto my shoulders, being the youngest/newest member of our three-head team); more management-level responsibilities; and approval to pursue a Master's certificate in Federal Contracting. * Company Holiday Party. A nice evening out - all gussied up, and laden with yummy food and alcohol (no expense), at a facility conveniently adjacent to a sweet hotel in downtown Baltimore - with my man? Damn near utopian. Kodak moments are as follows: hor d'oeuvres indulgence; obligatory Prom-night-out shot with Jess and Nice!Eric; and the Jon and I.* The Jon. God damn that boy makes me happy. And - by his constant and oh-so sweet testimonies - I appear to be doing the same for him. So, woot. :)* Nathan Scott Phillips. See Cuteness, the embodiment of. Just don't interrupt his nightly grooming sessions, lest he set you aflame with the power of his devil eyes.* Addictive television - Project Runway and Top Model marathons, specifically - to fuel my knit-focused nights, of which there have been many. Quotas to meet and all.* Holiday goodness. Eee.Bad* Yet another near-death experience for Grandma, who spent a good portion of this week in Intensive Care due to massive internal bleeding. At time of writing, she is being prepared for a few weeks in nursing home rehab. * Finding out - second-hand - that Mom had a growth removed from her uterus. Her doctor is "almost certain" that it's benign, but lab-work has yet to confirm his almost certainty and - until this happens - Rachel-the-Cancer-Phobe remains tense.* It is Friday and yet there are no Krispy Kremes in the office kitchen. Will be more consistent with my entries/comments come the new year. In the meantime, however, hope that everyone is doing splendidly. Happy holidays to you and yours and - most especially - Jerry Falwell.