Wednesday, November 25, 2009

it's all about choices

So yesterday (the tuesday before thanksgiving) I was painfully homesick and sad that I would not be spending thanksgiving with family this year. This will be my first thanksgiving without family (not counting my mission - which I spent with my mission president and mission mom (who are kinda like family)).  While I spent the last 3 years far from home, I was fortunate enough to be close to my very doting Aunt Nate and Uncle John, as well as my wicked awesome sister, Ashley. So when I found myself unsure of whether or not I'd even be eating turkey on thursday, I sorta had a little melt down.

I was so embarrassingly distraught over the whole thing that I finally decided to find out how much it would cost to fly home for the weekend. I went to the alaska airlines website, entered my dates and searched for the lowest fare. In case you're curious, it would have cost over $2000 to fly home for thanksgiving. I actually considered it for a moment - I truthfully have it in my bank account - and then decided that as much as I'd love love love to spend thanksgiving with my family, I'm not sure that it'd be worth $2000.

I will be spending thanksgiving with friends here in Fairbanks and the $2000 that I saved can go towards something much less fun but far more practical - my student loans.

Monday, November 23, 2009

baby stepping to Christmas

While talking on the phone with my Mom today, I realized that I have exactly a month before I go home for Chirstmas. A month feels like a really long time to wait - here's hoping that the time flies.  

I watched one of my favorite movies this weekend, What About Bob? - an absolute classic (if you haven't seen it, just watch it, it WILL change your life).  So, I'm taking Dr. Leo Marvin's advice and baby stepping. I'm not going to think about the long dark month that looms ahead, I'm going to take it one day at a time, one hour at at time if needs be. And if that doesn't work, there's always death therapy - which was ultimately more effective for Bob.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

This morning as I was getting ready for work, I was listening to the radio (npr of coarse) and was more than a little shocked when I heard that it was -22 degrees outside.  My bedroom was so toasty it was hard to believe that there was a 90 degree temperature difference across my threshold.  So this is winter in Alaska - yikes! I do not like it one bit. 

Time to look to the list....................

2. My boss

I first met the Judge when he called me back in October of last year.  I had sent my application to the Alaska Courts a week before and was a little surprised to get his call. It was past 8pm and I was watching America's Next Top Model in my PJ's when my phone rang. I ran out onto our splintery porch (only place we could get good cell reception) to answer the call.  He introduced himself and said that he noticed that I had served a mission in Finland and that he had served in Denmark. After asking me a few questions about why I wanted to go to Alaska, he offered me a job - right then and there barefoot on a splintery porch in New Hampshire. I shrieked as I hung up the phone - shocked, amazed and terrified. Needless to say I accepted the position. As scared as I was, it just felt right - also the job market was such that I didn't dare turn down a perfectly good offer for fear of not receiving another. 

A few months later I got an email from the Judge. He told me that he had just been called as the branch president of the singles branch. So not only is he my boss, he is also my branch president.