The End of the End

Two posts in one day? It must be finals (procrastination) time. Two final exams until I am officially done with school... forever. Well, for a few years. I'll be a real person in the real world now.

Big news: just bought a new MacBook Pro and the new Office 2008 for Mac. Super excited.

I'm watching "It's a Wonderful Life." What could be better?! Jimmy Stuart, chocolate chip cookies and red wine.

I can't wait to head home for Christmas... every time I pass the trees being sold on the street (or a drunken Santa wandering around) I can't wait to spend time with the family and catch up with friends at home. We're starting a new tradition this year... Christmas in Manhattan. How modern. As long as there's ham and the smell of pine trees, I'm all set.

Can't wait for my long-awaited trip to London. Catching up with friends, eating meat pies, and meeting friendly and interesting people as is always the case at the pub. And I am infinitely excited to bum around Dublin with Kay. A city with old-world charm, a beautiful, natural landscape, AND casual, flannel-shirt appropriate social scene? Yes, please.

But more than anything I'm looking forward to a new chapter in my life. Beginning in February, I'll be working full time, which is more than just having a more regular daily schedule. No more breaks from normal life without having to take vacation time. No more Wednesday afternoons off to hit the gym. And no more casual attire.

But, more importantly, I think I'll have more control over the direction my life takes. I'm not progressing toward one goal (getting a degree) with thousands of other people all heading toward the same thing. It's up to me now to carve out my future. To take on particular projects, to enter a new social circle, to recognize the impact that small decisions along the way will have on where my life goes. It's exciting. Scary, too, but more exciting.

On that note, time to get dressed and head to the bar. Professor Tom's tonight.