it's not life that matters but the journey...

I think it might be a bit difficult to find something that makes me happy today... but here goes:

I'm happy that my car started this morning, and that I made it to work in one piece.
even though I was an hour late!
this is given that when I woke up at 7 a.m., it was only 5 degrees F outside, and as I was driving to work I saw no less than 5 ambulances, and two car accidents!

the facts are these: For the second time in the last couple weeks, there has been such an accumulation of ice on my car, from freezing rain and super cold temperatures, that I couldn't get my car doors open. they were iced shut! same thing happened to my hubby's car too. We've had such weird weather lately: snow and freezing temps, followed by rain and warmer temps - and then after all the rain yesterday, the temperature went down below 0 last night and froze all the moisture on the ground and the cars, causing such as as I've never seen in my life. it seriously took me 50 minutes to get the ice off of my windshield, and to get into my car - and this was even with the help of boiling hot water that I poured onto the door frames and windows. Thankfully, I got the passenger door open (so that i could start my engine and the heater/defrosters), but the driver's side door is still iced shut! it wouldn't budge, so I had to crawl in through the passenger side. When I was driving to work, I did not go more than 25-30 mph, because I was afraid of skidding and crashing on the icy roads - and of course, I was an hour late!!! Thank goodness my boss is cool. he even bought me a bottle of windshield de-icer!

I can't believe it's not even officially the beginning of winter yet and we've already had more dreadful weather than I remember in all of last winter.

but I also fear for my friend dawnie1970 and anyone else in New England who suffered from the ice storms. here I am complaining about ice on windshields, but the concept of an ice storm terrifies me. I hope you are okay Dawnie!

I'm not nearly as happy as that cat ....

why, you ask?

It's the beginning of December. Thanksgiving is over – 25 days until Christmas, and only a month until we begin a new year. December means different things for different people. And after living in the Midwest for more than 3 years, it means the beginning of a long and cold winter: Months and months of nothing but cloudy, cold days, and snow on the ground until April.
I know there are some of you out there who like winter, and who love snow. I have loved snow in the past, especially when I was a kid and could play in it, and miss school. And when I visited an onsen in the mountains in Japan (just above Nikko) in the middle of winter, I sat in a steaming hot outdoor “rotenburo” surrounded by ice and falling snow, and I was in heaven! Snow is so pretty when it is falling and blanketing the earth in white and peace.

But then there was this morning. For the third year in a row, Mother Nature decided that December 1st was a good day to dump the first major snowstorm of the year onto those of us in the Chicago area. The first day back to work after four heavenly days of rest (and even decent weather). It wasn’t like the snow was a surprise or anything. It “snowed” all day yesterday, but the temps weren’t cold enough for it to settle – so it was more like frozen rain all day Sunday. However, overnight the temps dropped and the snow continued to fall. I woke up several times during the night, wondering how much had accumulated, but I wasn’t worried. It didn’t seem like so much from my window, so I allowed myself 15 minutes extra time to clear my car of snow and get going to work. 30 minutes later, I was still struggling with the thick ice that had built up on the windows, and I had to use all of the strength I could muster to get the heavy piled snow off of my car. And to top it off, the stupid snow plows had dumped a bunch of heavy snow and ice BEHIND my car, so I had to shovel that out of the way before I could back my car out.
Then there were the roads. Apparently I live in a suburb that can’t afford to salt the roads, because I was sliding all over the place for the first few miles of my drive. And then when I got to the next suburb, where my company is located, the roads were all nice and clear. Yea that’s so nice – I guess I live in the ghetto suburb! The traffic wasn’t bad, but I had to drive slowly – my car is old and small and not good on icy roads. So I arrived to work 20 minutes late – thankfully I think everyone was a bit lenient because it was the first snow of the season – and the first day back after the holiday. But still, it was more stress than I needed on Monday!

Otherwise, though, I was truly happy with my long weekend. I was so organized, and got so much done: wrote out and addressed all my cards (now I need to get them in the mail); got presents for family and materials for my little Christmas gift craft project (I’m gonna make little bags of lavender and other herb potpourri for my friends); cleaned (except I didn’t defrost my freezer which I had intended to do); read 70 pages of my textbook (about 60 more to go before the final); organized; baked cookies; and slept. Strangely enough, I hardly watched any shows or movies, except for ones I’ve seen (which I watched while I wrote out x-mas cards and knitted). Saturday night I went with my friend Sarah and her boyfriend to see my hubby play some funky blues at a little dive bar near where Sarah lives. It was a late night – we didn’t get home until 3 a.m. (we waited for almost an hour to get his money!)

Work today was so busy – and now I need to brave the roads again to get home. Let’s hope the snow is all done for at least this week!

I think my head is going to explode. I've read about 200 pages this weekend and still have 150 to go before the test on Thursday. This weekend it's been family and criminal law, and now I have to read 3 chapters on legal research. You might be asking: why are you reading it all in one week? well, the last two months of my life were hijacked by life and other circumstances, and all of my energy was gone. So I'm really catching up now. Luckily, my estate planning teacher pushed our final up to the 18th - so I have one test this week and one next week. I'm more than ready for it to all be over. don't get me wrong - I love the material, and I want to get into this field, but I don't want to be a student anymore. I want my free time back. I want to knit, watch movies, waste time on LJ (oh but that's not waste of time is it?), and even study Japanese. I know that's also learning, but it's not the learning I mind. I just don't want to go to classes. it's such a waste of time for me.

anyway, soon it will be done. then I can also focus on getting another job. I haven't forgotten how miserable I am at this company - but I'm just too busy to extend any effort to get out.

in other news, it's ridiculously cold and miserable weather here. see my icon? i am not that elated with the snow that we had last week. I don't remember last winter being so ugly -but it probably was. I spent 20 minutes getting a thick layer of ice off of my car windows today before I could even leave. ICE!?? it was so thick I could only break it with hot water. did I mention I want to live in Hawaii??

finally, I think I'm the only person still watching Smallville - I just finished the DVD's of Season 6, and now I need to catch up on Season 7 - but there are hardly any downloads. it's ridiculous - and I can't watch it on The CW site - the episodes aren't available. I could watch Supernatural on there though...

speaking of Supernatural - I can't believe the next episode (and the last B4 another hiatus) is on the same night as my final!!

oh and last but not least - cards are on the way tomorrow. it's a bit late, and I hope that they arrive before the 25th, but at least they'll arrive before the end of the year - that's still the season right?

i miss you all!! sorry I'm not around - I will be very very soon!!

these first ones are stolen from moondropz

( meme away )

the last one I found on my own.

( I really didn't know I was this bad!! )

it snowed here today. I think this is the beginning of a long, cold winter.

I'm so tired that I can't even really think or see straight. I worked 10 hours today and I don't even really like my job. and I don't even have time to find a new one. that's not right is it?

well, I've been really scarce on here lately, which makes me sad. I miss LJ and my LJ friends. I miss having tons of time to post and chat and email. And I'm about to become even more scarce. I have three weeks left of my classes, and I don't want to ruin my straight A average so far! So, I will be reading and cramming a lot in the next couple of weeks. Finals will be hellish. the only reward? my estate planning teacher is buying us pizza after the final. should be fun, but only if I don't bomb the test - then I won't even be able to eat. wish me luck!

I hope to drop by LJ as much as possible between now and the end of the year, but I might not be posting. I do have your addresses, and plan to get cards out soon. That is something I will definitely do!

well, Happy December everyone - it is coming up soon! by the way, is anyone else having extremely cold weather? we had about three weeks of fall and then it became bitter cold.

goodnight!