Stuff no one is interested in but I feel like writing about anyway

I had the longest day at work today. I think for the last 2 hours of it I just stared at my computer screen, I was so tired. I normally like my 10 hour days, but today I was pretty useless after the first 8.

It started out with the mystery of "Why is someone else's letter scanned into my case file and where did MY letter go?" Not thrilling, but I needed answers. I was seriously concerned that the mayor of Lynch, KY (I shit you not) got a letter intended for some random gas station. Turns out that all was well. He called me to tell me his mom's dying (there's always a dead relative lurking in the shadows in this job) and needs to reschedule our meeting. If I had a nickel...

So then I had to track down a missing check. The attorney for this case SWEARS they sent it in, but we do not have it. There was much hand wringing. I told them to just cancel the check and send us a new one. Seemed simple to me, but that's bureaucracy for you.

Umm, what else? A random pointless meeting to update us on stuff we could look up for ourselves, rescheduling of the afore mentioned meeting with Lynch, dealing with an upset citizen who's afraid she's getting black lung from a mine I used to have an open case on. Dealing with our regional office and mining's regional office to get one of them to actually do something about the coal ash all over this lady's house. Technical mysteries with data issues between our database and EPA's database and the software we use to report from ours to theirs.

What did I really want to do today? Start on the six new cases I got yesterday (it never ends!) and schedule some conferences.

Blah. I like my job and most days I have the luxury of dealing with whatever I feel like dealing with that day, which is nice. Today was just one of those days when everything happens all at once.

In less stress-y news, I am kicking ass in my family bracket challenge. Because I know all.

The end.

Hey ya.

So... Not a lot new beyond more wedding stuff. And some minor family drama which I don't really feel like getting into. But everything's rolling along pretty smoothly. I kind of thought I would have some horror stories about my future in-laws, or my co-workers or whatever and their reactions to our quasi-non-traditional nuptials, but people have been cool so far. Color me pleasantly surprised.

I guess the other thing consuming my non-work and non-wedding time is looking at houses. We're not QUITE ready yet, but we hope to be able to buy something to move into right around the time we get married. My lease is up in August, so it would be good to not have to renew. We shall see. And we need a new car. But that will have to come after house-buying due to credit and debt-to-income ratio strategy. I've got a plan! I'm lucky, Jimmy's cool with letting me do my thing.

I never know how to end these things.

Our Photographer

I am not a planner.

Some people are amazing planners. Me, not so much. I'm good at the whole conceptual part of planning but I'm awful at the practical making-it-happen part. Which is why I'm a good month or so behind on meeting caterers. But we have three appointments now, so thats underway. And I've narrowed photographers down to three choices, so we need to meet with them. thats next. And I ordered save the date magnets! Yay! And we got our request in to Jimmy's mom's timeshare company for the honeymoon...

Huh. I'm actually kind of on top of this. For me.

In other news, we're going to see Wicked this week! We have fancy box-seats. I'm pretty excited. Jimmy's been working way too much, so it will be fun to have a date night. We went to the UK-Vandy game last weekend and went to the martini bar across the street from where we got engaged. This weekend, however, is a lazy d0-nothing weekend. I'm really enjoying it.

I'm off to make some blueberry muffins and the Sungergos coffee I picked up at Whole Foods! Hope everyone's year has been fabulous so far.

Later Days,
Laura

2008

I'm not feeling particularly bloggy lately for some reason. But I think 2008 deserves a quick retrospective.

It was my first full year of being a real grown-up. My first full year of living completely on my own (in a manner of speaking). I moved to Shelbyville, into the first apartment I've really loved. I got engaged! and became obsessed with, then bored by wedding planning. I started saving for our first house and got my credit rating pretty high. I got approved for a raise, though I wont actually see it for another month or so. I spent more time hanging out with friends, which is fantastic. It helps living close to people. I saw my first UK game in Rupp Arena. I lost 20 pounds. The Columbus Crew won the MLS championship. I voted for my first presidential winner! Actually, I think I voted for my first winner at all, on the federal level. All in all, it was a pretty good year for me. I mean, the economy sucks and we're still at war and a lot of things are pretty uncertain. But I think I'll remember 2008 as a year of small victories.