Sleeping pill

I was prescribed a sleeping pill to help me not stay up until 4am from my 4-midnight job. I took 1/2 like the doc said around 1am; I felt it hadn't worked, was still up at 3am, so took the other 1/2. I quickly felt the effect of that; slight headache. I woke up almost 9hrs later, groggy and still a headache. I thought I was gonna accomplish a lot today! Have to go to the post office to send my French and Norwegian friends presents. Guess no hair cut today or library.

Balmy December day in VA

I really like the Radio on iTunes. Right now I'm listening to a Celtic French radio station. It was listed in the "Ambient" category.
Walked to the dentist today since it's so nice and the office is less than a mile away. Then I went into the Tae Kwon do place that has a grand opening. If my sister wanted to take classes for 3 mo, it's half-price right now, and I could do a cardio class (whatever that consists of) mornings for free as a family member.
My best friend called during her lunch break. Was good to talk and let things out..
Looked at Clist room ads. I feel it's such a leap, I've never lived on my own in the States before, but it needs to be done. I received the fortune cookie fortune "A new environment makes all the difference" a while ago, and now have it taped to my wallet to remind me I need to change my environment to thrive.
Waiting until after my dentist apt to eat my sister's pasta dish with onions: smart. Eating it before the alumnae holiday dinner: not so smart. Oh well!

Tgiving Day

Fitting that the dictionary word of the day is "scrumptious."
Last night my shift ended at 8pm. It was rather nice to be there before 4pm. I didn't eat much before work, so made the smiley face potatoes and chicken "poppers" I store in the work freezer. I shared one with my pastor coworker because she, like me, doesn't consider our job a real job and hence, has a sarcastic and wry sense of humor.
Before work, cutting close, I looked at Babies R' Us website to see if they have the colored ring toy that I thought to give the 1 yr old girl my dept "adopted" for Angel Tree. It's only about $6, so decided to get a connecting shape toy, as well. (I had both of these as a child and saw my sis play with them years later; nostalgia).
I thought I'd leave work after 8pm, swim, do hydromassage and steamroom one last time on my last day of gym membership, but didn't leave until 9 and had plans to go to the nearby bar. I thought to go after the bar (past midnight) but that's technically the next day; missed my window of opportunity! So I want to join a yoga studio. There are a good # around; have to compare class times and price. I just need one with beginner's classes. It would be awesome if one had a steam and shower room, but I doubt it.

Saturday in November

Yesterday was my last opportunity to do zumba with the cute (as in little), dough-boyish instructor with a dazzling smile. My friend's mom was there; she's funny to watch.
I counteracted that exercise by getting a milkshake.. it was chocolate, expresso, and orange liqueur. I didn't realize she put in two shots. I didn't finish half of it and felt jittery, but maybe that was also due to me rushing around and making a dish for the potluck. I used a coupon at Dillard's but it wasn't much savings. I don't like paying over $20 for a shirt. But it was worth it in that I got a coupon to get a foundation supply at Estee Lauder, and the girl, hearing from me I work every other weekend and was going out tonight , asked if I wanted her to do full make-up! That was great, didn't have to do it myself. She said I have really long lashes, which I don't think about b/c I don't like to wear mascara.
Then I went to the groc store for pie crust, yogurt, cheese, peppers, and onions for the quiche. I put in the oven when I should have been leaving, if I wanted to be on time. I was surprised when I arrived that it was 2 couples. Rae, who went to R-M, was there pregnant and with her 2 yr old daughter, who is my friend's goddaughter. They had already eaten, and I was surprised at the slim pickings. One couple brought Ruffles and French onion dip-- that's not potluck food! Potluck is supposed to be something you make. K, my friend, made an interesting chili- cheese, apple, and ground chicken. I got 2 servings since there wasn't much other food. Another friend brought deviled eggs, and when K's upstair neighbors came down, just when we started Scene it, they came with choc chip cookies fresh from the oven. This neighbor was funny (or creepy, depending how you look at it) when I knocked on his door 3 months ago; I didn't know K lived downstairs. I said when he answered the door, "I'm looking for my friend." He replied, "Well, we can be your friends!" ha.
So that couple won Seinfeld Scene it. When asked our knowledge level of Seinfeld, I said "Advanced," but my team lost! Summers in college I would watch it because we didn't have cable. I won a 5 point "All Play" but the tie breaker was who could say a funnier joke, and I had nothing! He told a lame "knock knock" joke; better than my no answer.
I would have asked to stay with K cuz I don't like driving, esp at night, and figured her friend and toddler would stay; they didn't. But K was getting tired, and I wanted to dance in Richmond. Which I did.. I had invited a friend, W, earlier and thought I'd be in Richmond by 10, but I ending up leaving Cville after 10 because K and I had a deep talk, which was good, but I was kinda worrying that W was waiting for me, I should go. My coworker also invited me to a bar. I went to W's friend's house in the West End, and from there we and her friend went to Cha Cha's, where I had been in the summer.
Agh, long story short, I stood up on a bench (under a spotlight) and danced with my friend and 2 others for what seemed a long time. It was funny! My 1 gin and tonic helped that happen; my friend and her friend didn't drink. I also saw my next door neighbor, senior in college, there.
After that, W, who had been hungry for a while, thought about IHOP, where I haven't been in a while, but decided it's too filling a meal before bed. So we did Taco Bell drive thru and I got a crunchy potato taco.

Hope

I'm trying not to think how I've let a lot of time pass without improving my situation.. look forward, rather, and have hope that things will work out (if I work toward my goal).

4 day weekend!
Going to Cville for a potluck Sat, will see Christmas Carol Sunday, drive to Lburg Monday and come back Tuesday.

Serendipity

Yesterday my Mom and I planned to go to Costco and didn't go until after 2pm because I had some things to do first. It was so cool to see upon arriving, at the photo center, Mrs. Yaffe, whose 4th grade class I taught French to senior year of high school! I told her where I work now, that it uses French a little but I want a new job, that I taught English in China after graduation, and that my co-teacher did become a primary school teacher in Northern VA. An accomplishment, now that I think about it, is that I didn't start to tear up. I sometimes do this when I see people I haven't seen for a while and feel sad when they ask how I've been.
I didn't tell her I called the school back in April, I guess, to ask if she was still there (I figured she retired. That was when I was housesitting at my cousin's, who lives near the school.) She said I could consider subbing (no, thank you!) and teaching, in general, because it's a fairly secure job. (I was about to tell her the native French teacher I know around here said her job is in jeopardy and thinks of learning Spanish in case there isn't need for French).
Going out last night was definitely what I needed. I don't really care for the dance spaces I've been to in Richmond, but they'll have to do for now. I didn't feel it appropriate to grind with anyone since I was with a circle of friends. Guess I feel more comfortable grinding when it's darker and a huge space! Anonymity. We went to Shauna's, and Yennhi dragged her out even though she said she's sick. Hope I don't get more sick from her, because we danced (holding hands), and I didn't wash my hands before eating fries and pizza at Aladdin. I didn't know about that place, which is open til 3 and has houkka. Who would want prune flavor? haha.
I saw a guy from high school who may have been in my homeroom since his last name starts "Hu." I talked to him and then his gf came back, and I realized it may look like I was hitting on him! I told her we went to high school together, but my voice isn't that strong right now and it was so loud. I also recognized a guy who msged me on the meetup site, but I didn't say hi. Funny to recognize people you haven't met, just from a photo!
A really funny thing: Thursday I put up (in multiple tries) the beginning of my photos from Cali. Stella, my Chinese acquaintance who I thought I'd see in San Francisco but then she had to leave a day earlier, liked my photos of Santa Cruz, and thinking they were San Fran, asked if she could put them in her photo album! So 2 or 3 of my photos, one with sea lions(!), has her tagged. I don't care if she does that, but my friend did say "A random Chinese girl tagged herself." I don't think Stella understands tagging means you are in the photo.

Rejection

The only job I applied to in the last year (I know, terrible) gave me a rejection, which blows, but can't say I didn't expect it. It involved natural resources, in which I don't have a background.
I seriously think this 4-12 shift is the least productive of all. People think "You have plenty of time to make contacts before work" but the truth of the matter is, I can't sleep until 4am, therefore waking up after 11am. Today I watched a movie, need to cook something, get some exercise, drop off books at library, and that's it, my day is done.
I'm really glad I'm going to the west coast in 3 days. I love flying on planes. Excited to see the Pacific!