first day of break

so i've gotten into my real "vacation" time--when most of the rest of the world is still working and, as a benefit of being a 10 month employee in a school, i get some time off. i took advantage of it by scheduling an appointment with women's clinic here to get set up as a regular patient. it was fairly painless (except for the finger-pricking part--i HATE that) and i got recommendation for regular doctors in the area as well. i really liked this doctor--redheaded, irish heritage, an ecu grad, pretty young and just very nice. afterwards, i ran a variety of errands including some last minute christmas shopping and getting the apartment and cats ready for the vacation. justin'll be watching them for the first half of the time that i'm gone, and matt and patrice are checking in on them for the second half. so for the first time in a while, i don't have to make them travel anywhere and they can keep each other company. so i ended up with a huge bag of cat food, lots of litter and that fun sort of stuff.

my neighbor (i think on the interior of the building) smokes in their apartment, and for some reason, it has begun filtering into my apartment. it's gotten to the point where i really felt i needed to do something about it, because i can smell it on my clothes when i'm out of the apartment and though it typically comes from my bathroom, it has started coming out into the living room and bedroom as well. so after doing some research online, i've decided to bypass the whole legal action thing (which is the most recommended thing on the internet, but i've caused enough trouble for this year in my apartment complex) and make use of some well-placed filters. a couple in the ceiling vents, and a large one taped to a box fan that acts as circulating filter. we'll see if it makes any significant differences.

i purchased a pair of sperry's today as a sort of christmas present to myself (plus i got a good deal on them). sperry's are very much a boating shoe and the kind that you wear until they mold to your feet, making each pair uniquely and completely your own. it's known that i will wear my rainbows until my toes freeze, and i've been searching the past couple of years for a pair of "winter rainbows." so they may be a bit of an investment, but they certainly are comfortable. i love the quote on the box, "top to bottom, ours is a brand that talks to sailors, kayakers, windsurfers, powerboaters and fishermen. to all men and women who are proficient at marine sports and activities. but it also serves those who delight in just strolling a dock or relaxing on a dock at sunset, watching the waves break. in short, we're for everyone who loves the water or wants to be close to it." true that.

tonight--housewarming party/bunco for one of the women at work and my last time socializing with school people for a while. then, it's off to fayetteville tomorrow until the 26th, and then leaving on the 26th from greenville for west virginia until the 30th (where we have the possibility of skiing and, as always, getting snowed in). i'll have my computer with me at home, though, so feel free to drop me a line or two :)

later, y'all.