December 17, 1999

Sorry about the lack of entry yesterday, I sort of got sidetracked by work. We're putting out our final book of the quarter this week, and it HAS, repeat HAS, I said HAS to go out tonight, so last night was a bitch and tonight will be even bitchier. My boss told us to expect to be here until 11 PM. Oh, yay. Could I be any happier?

The good news is that once the book is out we'll have a nice six week break before the March quarterly updates have to go out. I can't wait.

Keith and I started decorating the tree last night. We put the lights up around it, and we put one ornament on it. After the lights, we were too tired to do most of the ornaments, but we did put up the Hallmark ornament I got us. It's a clear acrylic heart with the words "Our First Christmas Together, 1999" engraved on it. It's very pretty, and hanging it on the tree felt like a special and significant moment to me, somehow.

I feel content and happy this year at Christmas. I feel like I've made a transition into my adult life. All through college, at Christmastime I'd go home to be with my family. Now, I'm still going home to visit my family, but I'm also celebrating Christmas with my new family, namely Keith (and associated family members, but mostly Keith). We got our own tree, and put up our own lights, and bought each other our own presents, and we're celebrating Christmas in our own house. Christmas isn't something I have to travel to anymore. I have someone special to share it with right here at home. It's a nice feeling.

I am excited about going back to Ohio for Christmas, though. I'm really glad that Keith is finally going to meet my huge family. My extended family on my Mom's side is really close, and they mean a lot to me, and I want him to meet them, because he's important to me too.

I'm also excited about going Christmas shopping with Mom and my sister. On Christmas Eve, I made a salon appointment for all of us in the morning -- we're getting facials, hairdos, and manicures -- and afterward we're going to go do some shopping in Columbus. I think it's going to be a real kick. While I was in college, Mom and Larry would drive up every year to pick me up for Christmas break, so that we could do a little Christmas shopping in downtown Chicago. Well, this year we won't get to do that, but shopping in downtown Columbus will be a similar "busy city sidewalks" feeling, I think. And of course, we'll all be looking fab as we do it, too. I don't think Mom or Amanda have ever had their hair done by a really good stylist. They tend to stick with American Hairitage or something similar.

Mom was really anxious at first about the appointment. She was afraid the stylist would screw up her hair somehow. I told her that I was sure it would turn out OK, and that they wouldn't give her big fluffy '80s hair (like the stylists at home are wont to do). In light of this, I really hope the stylist doesn't give her hair she hates. I'm crossing my fingers.

OK, sorry about the shortish entry, but I have to go do work so that I won't be here until midnight instead of 11PM. Happy weekend, everybody.

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