Musings

I'm almost ready to leave... for another week of hanging out with the family. Orlando vacation part five thousand will commence in one week. My dad used to take my sister and I on vacation to Walt Disney World every winter in high school. Once he invited our family friends, Becca and Leis. Shortly thereafter, Sami and I decided that we had simply experienced all the magic that the magical kingdom had to offer. My dad continued to go, either by himself or with Leis for a couple of years. After a long enough hiatus, we seem to be ready to return. This time, Sami is bringing her boyfriend, my dad is bringing his girlfriend, and Leis and Becca are coming. We are also not staying at Walt Disney World. I'm sure we'll be going to the theme parks, but we are staying at some Orlando resort timeshare. It's really all the same to me because I'll surely be sleeping on the foldout couch.

I have already done most of my packing/planning for this trip because when everyone else returns to the west coast, I'll be flying across the Atlantic to meet up with Alex and Justin (FINALLY!). I hadn't been home for nearly a year until this break, and I plan on doing roughly the same this coming year. I am so excited to live on my own and cook food and be a cute ex-pat. I don't think I actually qualify for that description, but so what?

Before I can begin the first steps toward my freedom, I have to finish my Richter proposal. If you don't know, I'm applying to do independent research over the summer in London. It would be amazing for someone else to pay for me to live in London for the summer, but right now that isn't enough motivation for me to work on it. I would much rather stay my room all day, only leaving to go for walks and to get coffee.

I just hope this week goes by at the right speed. I want it to be fast, but there are certain things I need to get done before I can leave in a sane fashion. We'll see how that goes.

I also think I might make a new year's resolution or two:

1. I will not eat high fructose corn syrup knowingly.
   
2. I will do more things that I enjoy--time you enjoy wasting is not time wasted! Bertrand Russell told me so.
3. I won't do things just because they are "good" for me, and I won't not do things just because they are "bad" for me.

At this point, I think I'm just making resolutions that will serve as excuses somewhere down the road. I like the idea of making a resolution that will improve your life, but I don't know how easy that is.

Another day is almost over, which brings me closer to what I've been waiting for.