The days are getting shorter, but my semester is coming to a close soon (10 days left not that anyone is counting).  I want to take a few minutes to reflect on and take record of the month.

The Celebrations

The first Om-Nom Acres event was a huge success!  You can read the details over here.

I had a wonderful catch-up dinner with two friends and former coworkers of mine, Catherine and Riley.  We ate great food from Seva in Ann Arbor, talked academics and politics, and laughed for a good portion of two hours.

There was the whole election business.  Yay democracy!

My 26th Birthday rocked.  I had a laid back day where I didn’t have to wake up early.  I stood in line with stranger-friends for hours while waiting for my pastured turkey; the weather was warm and the smell of supporting local farms was in the air – beautiful! Devin and I raided the salad bar at the grocery store toppings and enjoyed delicious individual homemade pizzas with some of my dearest friends, Yolanda and Lisa.  After dinner we decorated mini-cakes (and ate them) then snuggled in on the couch to watch two great films, the 8-time award winning “Waking Ned Divine” and the viral internet sensation “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.”

While I had some really amazing birthday presents (like Yolanda’s fantastic tea-spoon, Lisa’s nostalgic pie-bite treats from the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market, and Sammit’s surprise-you-thought-I-had-to-work-a-24-hour-shift-on-your-birthday-but-really-I-swapped-with-a-fellow-employee-so-I-could-come-home-early-and-spend-the-night-with-you homecoming and complimentary extra thin-slicing food processor blade and edible arrangement) my absolute favorite was from my sister, Devin.  She spent time contacting people I’ve worked with, gone to school with, and grown up with to solicit wonderful memories from them.  She decorated these memories, put them in envelopes, and wrapped them in string with a plain brown tag.  I opened 26 heart-warming memories, pictures, and letters from the people in my life.  It was such a gift.

I started my new internship this month and it has been a great experience already.  I’m working in my and neighboring communities doing communications and organizing work for TimeBanking.

I spent a great afternoon with Devin and Sammit at our aunt and uncle’s house for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  We had all the fixin’s and enjoyed my aunt’s legendary cheesecake while watching the dog show and the Detroit Lion’s lose (wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it).  My unit of three moved to my father and stepmother’s house for a second dinner in the evening.  I blessed my mother for understanding a blended family and forgoing dinner at her house as well.  On Saturday everyone trucked there way over to my house to enjoy yet another great Thanksgiving.  Devin and I made almost everything the day before and cooked the rolls, turkey, and green bean/kale dish the day of – it was all pretty relaxed.

Our 2012 Menu:

• Brined and High-Temp Roasted Turkey (the previously mentioned one from the farm)
• Bacon & Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes
• Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables (squash, sweet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, parsnips, beets, carrots, onions, etc. – 400F for an hour)
• Rolls (I won’t share the recipe because I’m going to try for a better one)
• Pumpkin Pie with homemade crust
• Green Beans & Kale
• Wine, Water, Milk, & Sparkling Cider

The Sad-Faces

I’m dealing with some serious end-of-the-semester burnout.  I’ve been trying to keep on the self-care wagon but I’m waning.  10 days.

When I sit down to read:

When I try to write papers:

When I try to compartmentalize:

When I try to take my mind of school by doing anything else: