so much anticipation!

"“Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called."--A.A.Milne

The boy hates how much I plan ahead... (but I equally hate how much he doesn't). The feeling of anticipation and excitement about something that is going to happen is almost as good as the actual event!  That, and I'm obsessed with time and planning.  Today is Wednesday, and I'm already thinking about how on Friday I'll need to go to bed early and set my alarm clock so I can plan for Saturday.

I think I have every weekend accounted for from now until Labor Day... having things to look forward to is what keeps me going during some of these monotonous weeks.  This week has been particularly monotonous... but in some ways, that is good.  An easy, rote week is a nice change from last week's level of stress and hatred for medicare and workplace politics... but I digress.

I have had countdowns since I was a kid... I always had one for the last day of school (currently 0)... for Christmas (currently 5 months and 8 days)... and the next time I get to see the boy (currently unknown, as per usual).  Here are my current countdowns, laying out the next several weeks, and helping me survive the current one.

13 days = My 9-month anniversary retention bonus (praise the lord for this little boost with the recent changes)

15 days = The boy takes step 2 and I get to stop hearing "no" over and over in regards to seeing him (at least for a couple weeks...hopefully)

17 days = My grad-school friend K's wedding (which will be a blowout weekend with some awesome people because she has the best friends...)

24 days = The next time I get to see the boy (though I'm not "planning"..........)

30 days = Nashville trip with my best guy friends for one's 30th birthday (and just for the heck of it, as my closest guy BFF lives far away in St. Louis and I never get to see him!)

33 days = The boy starts back up with grad school and "no" starts again... on the other hand, this could also mean more frequent "yes"s with a somewhat lighter schedule.

35 days = Flying to Ohio with my Grandma for the nuclear family "reunion" and my parents' 40th anniversary shindig (my immediate family, meaning my 3 brothers, their wives, and one niece are all in one place but once per year, and we're thrilled Grandma is going to make the trip with me as her travel escort) and five whole days off of work!

43 days = Labor day weekend... which isn't an actual holiday in our company (what are those again?), but it does mark the day after which we're allowed to actually take time off again... girl needs a personal day, with no plans (ok lies, no plans except for all the boring grown up stuff that is impossible to accomplish when you work normal grown up hours).


In between these events I have two continuing ed courses that take up my Saturdays... but I really didn't think those deserved a countdown.  Fortunately, our company provides some occasional live continuing ed courses that are no cost for full time employees... which is pretty sweet, by the way, as these can be hundreds of dollars, and are required for yearly licensure... and because they help build your practice skills and keep us current with best practice.  One of them is a two-day course that I am pretty excited about... It is on physical agent modalities (electrical stimulation, ultrasound, short wave diathermy) with a lot of lab time and a focus on application to OT in our of setting... which I really need right now, but will make me look good to other employers when I have more training and experience in this.  The other is a full-day course this coming Saturday that is a nice two-hours drive away... wooommmmpppp.  The intimidating "clinical education specialists" in the company are encouraging everyone to take this course on cognition... and in light of all the cracking down and belt-tightening lately I figure it makes me look like a team player if I just suck it up and go to this.  This of course means leaving my house at 6:30 am on Saturday and missing my friend's baby's first birthday... sad sad sad day.  Free CEUs, however = a penny saved.

And the clock ticks!