Life is not about finding yourself, but about creating yourself.

I got a spam comment! I'm leaving it because it's about secret shoppers and some of you may remember how I got a 47 shop score and so I wanted to see how they picked these damn people so I tried to sign up to be one and really all I got was spam. A LOT of spam. So I'm leaving the comment.

I'm also excited someone's addicted to reading this. Wait, they're secretly addicted! I like that even better, Anonymous. Please don't fess up, whoever you are. It's so much more fun for me to think it's not a good friend.

In Thanksgiving news, my stuffing and three pies were all keepers. The stuffing especially, darn that Emeril. The exciting story was that we caught one of the ovens on fire and had to use an extinguisher on it and no food was ruined but it was stinky so we ate outside and were glad we were in Arizona and not Virginia. And it was so good to see Jess. San Francisco doesn't know what's hit it, the way she seems to be taking it by storm. Instead of being filled with jealousy (which I am), I'm filled with renewed commitment to do new things in Tucson.

Oh, and I started running again. It hurts. In a good way.

So it's kind of a big deal to the Sykes clan that we're all together for Thanksgiving AND not a one of us has to work on the actual day (that border needs to be protected 24-7, you know), no one is traveling in that morning, nothing weird at all. Since the last time this happened, and actually the last time I had Thanksgiving prepared by my dad, I have become quite educated in matters of cooking (even if I don't put it into practice).

I gently brought up the subject of brining the turkey, of trying some pecan bars (from Barefoot Contessa) instead of pecan pie, that sort of thing, just some gentle modifications to the normal plan. I won on the brining, once he realized I hadn't said frying and in fact, I think we're all pretty excited about trying it. But the pecan bars were emphatically nixed. There will be no in lieu of, only additions to, when it comes to Thanksgiving. So I can make Emeril's cornbread and andouille dressing (sounds good, no?) but my dad will still be making Stove Top.

Save travels and/or safe cooking, my friends. God, I love this holiday. :)

1. Get some limited edition pumpkin ice cream now. NOW. It's LIMITED, people.
2. I fight with an insurance company person, a benefits person, really anyone over why I am being told I don’t have health insurance.
3. Why does fresh salsa taste like an entirely different product than salsa in a jar? I begin to eat it on nearly everything.
4. Overheard in the Pima Community College cafeteria: “well, I mean, she hooked up with some guy who was over 21 AND from Phoenix.” was being over 21 bad? Was being from Phoenix? I giggle either way.
5. I call another set of 800 numbers about my insurance. I scream my answers at the automated answering services “CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE”
6. Those fantastic election results. Purple’s better than red. Conservative Dems are remarkably less scary Liberal Republicans.
7. My sister may live in Nancy Pelosi’s district, but I live in the only state that didn’t pass a gay marriage ban. Best reason why, from The Daily Show, “Well, it’s different out here, it’s a dry gay…”
8. I talk to one person about my insurance who tells me to “go down to the HR office” Um, have you ever worked in retail? Even when I explain I am in TUCSON, HR is in SAN FRANCISCO, he reiterates his suggestion. I hang up, I cry.
9. I sit through a biology lecture on genetics which takes a side turn into fertility. I think of my upcoming birthday. I promptly go back to taking notes.
10. Someone in class asks a question that clearly shows she doesn’t understand the difference between bacteria and a virus (which at this point in the semester, you should just know). I really hope we aren’t getting the same grade in this class.
11. I ponder how Fall used to be my High Dating Season. Seriously, over the last couple years, I’ve been the hottest thing since spiked apple cider come October. I fondly remember how last year on my birthday I was juggling approximately 4 different boys. Sure, they were all emotional train wrecks, selfish and/or toxic in the end, but for a couple weeks it was damn fun. Earlier I’d so boldly declared this The Year of Yes. And now I haven’t met a single man in his 30s since I moved here. It’s still the year of yes, as I’d definitely say yes to anyone who bothered to ask me out. Maybe I should think about giving a crap about my appearance.
12. My insurance finally gets fixed. I rejoice and get a prescription filled to allow me to continue to win the battle against my adult acne. I buy mascara too, since, you know, I’ve decided maybe I should give a crap about my appearance.
13. I visit a doctor a week later who tells me the prescription I just got filled might be worsening the symptoms I am there to complain about. I cry in the car after the visit. My mascara, thankfully, is waterproof.
14. I broke my toe at work. Culprit? My own clumsiness? No, not really. Gravity decided to act upon a roll of wrapping paper. FYI: wrapping paper in the retail world weighs about 55 pounds. (now you get it)
15. Worker’s comp is a pain in the ass. Or, in the big toe. I can’t believe I am now talking to a DIFFERENT set of automated health care 800 numbers.
16. Oh, the horrible timing of buying new running shoes, printing out the half marathon training schedule and as you tape it to the closet door saying to yourself, awesome, I have 2 weeks to get in shape to start this, 3 days later, breaking your toe and being told it will take 2 weeks to heal.
17. Pumpkin ice cream is incredibly good. Ice cream has calcium. Calcium builds bones. I should have another bite or two.
18. The toe is a fantastic purple at this time. Can’t quite bend it, but it no longer hurts while standing.
19. A couple people at work, I’ve started to wonder, maybe are just not that bright? I don’t want to be mean, but. And I think you can all imagine how well I’m dealing with holiday retail stress (YOU try finding room for 24 boxes of turkey gravy. It’s stressful.) AND stupid people. Right. I can do this. Whore for the health insurance (despite all its flaws, it’s good coverage), it’s a job that works with school. Right. Do not throw gravy at the nice woman.
20. I’m reading a book about Christian rock. It’s the kind of book that makes me wish I was in a book club again. But a book club made up of music fans.
21. Not being one to listen much to Christian radio, I didn’t know that a lot of them only play U2 covers, not U2 songs since the group’s Christianity is up for debate since they drink and curse. Right. Nevermind their work to create awareness around social justice issues, that’s not something Jesus would be into. Clearly there’s something I’m missing, in my agnostic upbringing, or maybe it was the bad influence of all those Beatles, Beach Boys and Motown records.
22. I spend a lot of time researching PT schools since it seems the requirements are slightly different enough that where I want to go impacts my choices for next semester.
23. I freak out. So I make an excel spreadsheet. Why is that such a calming exercise?
24. I decide to take 3 classes next semester.
25. I find out I have to take a placement test to get into anatomy, for reasons that make sense, but don’t.
26. I freak out over this test since the plan I came to with help of the calming spreadsheet works only if I take anatomy this spring. I have to get a 70% on a test or else my plans through 2011 go awry? How did this happen?
27. I have dinner with Dad and Donna for my birthday the Friday night before, as Dad will be out of town. Lovely samosas for everyone, a wireless router for me. Yay. Blogging via the couch.
28. I spend the day studying biology on Saturday for an upcoming test. I have nothing to do that night. I get a little sad. Not that I make a big deal out of my birthday, I so don’t, but going out for a beer would be great right about now. Am I not trying hard enough to make friends? Does it really just take this long? Can’t these people tell how much fun I could be? Or is my overly serious approach to school throwing them off the Fun Kristen trail? In the end, I think I had some pumpkin ice cream and called it a night.
29. 40 may be the new 30, but I wake up and now I am 31 flavors and then some. (I KNOW it’s 32, but it’s the best I could come up with for this year’s birthday catchphrase and Baskin-Robbins only has 31 flavors, so really, Ani, shouldn’t it have been 31?)
30. I receive many e-cards. In fact, I get the same one twice. It involves monkeys. I try not to read into that too much. I get many voicemail messages, some with singing, some that start singing only to say, I’ll spare you the rest of the verse. I smile, I feel so loved. I have plenty of friends.
31. I study biology obsessively the rest of the week. I place into anatomy without a problem. I register for my 3 classes. I get stuck in El Tour de Tucson traffic and get to cheer on bike riders as they go up a big hill. I decide I should do the ride next year.

I did my part for democracy today. Here in my decidedly purple district where the House seat is up for grabs. In my state where we have a abysmally low voter turnout. Where we had 20 propositions, at least 2 pairs of which were contradictory and confusing. Love that Tim Russert already has the white board out.

Okay, so I lost my planner at least 2 weeks ago, since that was the last time I was really hardcore looking for it. (is it this week I switch my birth control or next week? hmm. Oh screw it, it's not like I'm worried about getting pregnant...)

Clearly the whole concept of planner as way to be organized in life and whatnot has been lost on me.

Just found it.

Under the couch.

Highlight of my weekend.

Yes, really.

Let the mocking begin.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/03/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main2149835.shtml
He's still just yummy, isn't he? 2:45 with shin splints? Yeah, me too.

But I did go for a hard run and get new shoes as mine were spent. The store I went to has you run barefoot on a treadmill to see what's going on with your stride. Fascinating stuff. I didn't know that my arches were falling (as is normal with age) and that's why my shoe size has gone up over the last 10 years. My feet haven't grown, they just take up more space when I'm bearing weight on them. Which means I'm fully justified in buying new hiking boots now too, as it's not just my imagination that they don't fit. Yay.