Time's a Wasting

Work was slow today.
My desk phone rang three times. I received four emails. I worked on the Newsletter for just about an hour. Did some math, and took mental notes. The rest of the time I surfed the web.

Which is worse, watching paint dry, or waiting for five o'clock when there's nothing left for you to do?

Well, Christmas has come and gone. Had a grand time, and enjoyed the time spent with family, immensely.

Christmas Eve we dine at my mother's. We play games while the food cooks, and while waiting for midnight. At midnight we open presents, and then we gather our bounty and leave. This year we had a mostly nontraditional meal. The traditional part: antipasto and Caprese salad. The nontraditional (for our family): baked penne pasta, chicken breast, parsley potatoes, and asparagus. Our Italian panettone and pandoro were nowhere to be found, so instead we had cakes from IKEA. We played the Family Edition of Trivial Pursuit. My 6 year old niece blew everyone's socks off!! Way to go Hannah!

Christmas Day I slept late, spent hours on the phone with my sister, and went to my cousin's for dinner. Christmas with the cousin's is always interesting. I'm finding that I am enjoying this "quality" time more and more as I age. I find that interesting...

I was feeling rather happy about being able to pay off my debt soon. Excited by the prospect of possibly owning my own home. So while on the phone with my sister, I asked her to look up houses for sale in my town. The good news: there are "cheap" homes for sale here. The bad news: I can't afford anything that doesn't need to be gutted and scraped back together. Even with the extra cash I'll have on hand, I won't be able to afford a home for a few years yet. That was disappointing. Foolishly, I drove by one of the homes that didn't need much repair... I didn't exactly "fall in love" with it, but I thought it was really cute and could already picture what I could do with the breezeway... Sigh. One day.

The problem is, the town I live in doesn't usually have homes of such prices. Once I do save up enough to purchase, the market might have resuscitated itself, and these prices might no longer be available. I'm trying to tell myself that this just isn't the right time for me to buy, and I will have to wait. When the time is right, something will be there for me. Something even better than what I've seen so far.

This is much easier to accept when we're talking about a purchase, versus talking about something closer to one's heart...

I have some big purchases ahead of me this year...
I'm thinking I need a computer (laptop maybe.) This whole living without a computer at home thing is ridiculous. I haven't really cared to be online all that much lately, but the moments that I do want to check something are always late at night, when I'm at home. Convenience. I lack it. I'm acutely aware that I am missing all the after-Christmas sales...

I also want bedroom furniture!
I currently have a bed, and a dresser. I really want a headboard, and nightstand, etc... and I'd love for all the pieces to match in style. I've had my eye on a particular set for a couple years now, HEMNES at IKEA... and every time they come up with a new piece to the set, I want that one too. So, piece by piece I will purchase my future bedroom. Starting with my bed frame. The goal of said purchase? By the end of February. God willing.

I'm wasting time.
I should be home reading my book. Poe's Children. It's due tomorrow, and I started it yesterday. It's non-renewable. Oh well. I can always check it out once it's off the waiting list.
I should be home making dinner too. I'm feeling it.

I should also be trying to figure out what we're doing on New Year's.
Why am I always the one who has to make plans?
What I would really like to do is stay at home. I'd like to have friends over for a meal, and play games all night. Doesn't that sound like fun!?! I spoke to some gals last week and this weekend, and they love the idea. But my other friend refuses to stay in. She wants to go out to "better her chances of finding a man." There's a tiny part of me that wants to dress up, and wants to go out for cocktails and good music. But for the most part, hanging out with friends, playing games, eating homemade food, and being silly sounds absolutely fabulous!
I feel guilty. Like I'm betraying my friend. As if all her hope hangs on my word... I can't do that to myself! If that's how I want to spend ringing in the New Year, that's how I should spend it. Next year might be different.

Is it wrong that I've been raised to be conscientious of other people? Of trying to find a middle road, a compromise? Is it wrong that most of the time I have no problem making sacrifices? If I choose to sacrifice, it doesn't make me a weaker person. It should only be wrong if it leaves me feeling unhappy. They are my choices to make. I know what I can and cannot live with.

Hmm.. I was rather defensive there for a minute, eh? Sheesh.

That's it then. I've decided.
Dinner and games at Laila's.

Now I need a menu.
Pork chops; potatoes; Swiss chard or collard greens; sauerkraut for Nicole; seafood salad; grapes; and some sort of cake... Egads! Do I have time to make all this? And clean? Looks like I have some shopping and prepping to do.
Good night, then.