Christmas is coming!

...and the goose is getting fat! Well, this goose isn't getting fat, but she is going to be working a lot for the next few weeks.

The quarter is SO close to being done. I have half of a class worth of theory II finals to grade as a favor to one of my professors (who is currently on a tour in Asia...so cool!), some grades to adjust and put into blackboard for aural skills, and then I'm free! It's been quite the whirlwind of a quarter, and I'm so glad it's over. The realization that I'm a third of the way through my senior year is a bit mind-boggling.

I've also realized that all of those post-college plans I've made for the last few years are basically void. I have absolutely no clue where I'm going to be going after college, or what's going to be happening. Heck, I'm not even sure what's going to be going on in February and March. This year is turning into a long-lasting lesson in living each day as it comes, and not worrying about tomorrow. I'll find out this month if I get to audition for grad schools, then I start buying airline tickets, fly out to different schools, then in March and April find out if I'm even going to get to go to grad school at all. It's incredibly nerve-wracking, and yet, I'm learning peace.

I'm definitely going to enjoy a few weeks away from school. I'm very glad to see that I'm getting to work a lot, though still only part-time, so I'll have plenty of time for making Christmas presents and practicing horn. I finished my shawl that I've been working on for the last few months while spending some time up in Snohomish hanging out with Jordon. Since he's stuck on the couch after an ankle surgery, I got to have plenty of time to work through the long process of binding off somewhere around 350 stitches (the longest part of any shawl, it seems) while he played some Halo.

I've already cast on my next project...my mom's Christmas present :) (Yes, Mom, you're finally getting something hand knit by me! I finally have enough confidence to make you something that I know you'll show off to your friends!) I already purchased a few other presents, and decided to be as simple for all of my family as possible with my Christmas list.

You ready for this extensive list? Here it is:
1. Money to go to paying for my new horn.

Yup, I know. It's huge! (Also, my inner English lover is cringing that I made a list with a 1. but no 2.) But, realistically, I don't need more stuff. I could really use help paying off my horn before I start purchasing plane tickets. Things are looking pretty positive financially right now, though I'm trying to keep living fairly frugally so things stay positive.

I'm very thankful right now for all of my friends who have stuck with me through all of the turmoil this quarter. It's been insane for everyone, and I'm kind of amazed how we all stayed together, even when half our time was spent biting each others' heads off. Overall, I think it turned out rather positively. I still have all my friends, including some of the more awesome best friends a girl could ever ask for. (You know who you are!)

Now I get to go head towards bed because I get to work tomorrow morning first thing! Working all the hours, bringing in all the money!

Allison