There’s a frog at my typewriter.

Wildlife from my porch

Lookit all them crows!

Hello opposum! What’s your name?

This morning I was detained by two cats

Julian only visits when it’s sunny.

This one let me carry him around my apartment for a while.

I made a new friend.

I’m doing something clever with emoticons.

My spring semester finally starts on Tuesday. I’ve spent the last two weeks lounging like a champion lounger. I’ve never had so much time and so little to do. I am so decompressed my body is starting to drift apart.

Let’s review. How did I spend my winter break and how did that make me feel?

(Gleeful. Joyful. Let’s make merry.)

An early birthday with trifle and my new camera. Presents, just all around. My haircut. Sucking back two eggnog milkshakes and margaritas in three states. Adventurous walking with the dogs over xmas which included a bellycrawl, a frozen beach, and getting lost in my parents’ neighborhood. Officially finishing my freelance gig. Veronica Mars x 4 discs. Weeds x 4 discs. Waking up from exam-related nightmares. Excellent face-time with friends in Boston. Reading Murder Under the Mistletoe. Big silver hoops. Homemade soups.

(Pleasantly surprised. OMG. Glad to be here.)

Actually meeting up with high school friends when I was home. Living life without bacon is possible, at least so far. I’m only about three centiliters sick of winter so far. What’s my secret? Maybe killer boots and northern blood. Even I don’t know. New Year’s, an evening that has licked sweaty balls throughout history, was fun this year. My grades. Unpacking my last box. My it’s cold in the Middle West.

(Saucy. Conspiratorial. Smug.)

Running 5.72 miles on a cold cold day. Finally picking up a recycling bin at city hall. Take that my entire street of non-recyclers. Joining a gym. Innocently scoring my coffee table at a second-hand shop before this other guy got his paws on it. (He saw me and the table on our way out the door and he crumpled at the knees a little because he wanted it. I felt bad and yet, victory! It scales perfectly with my short chairs and tiny t.v.) Scraping my car in the airport parking lot with a metal spoon. Catching three rapid rounds of dog barf on the cover of an Anthropologie catalog. Didn’t spill a drop.

(Down. Dumpy. Go away.)

Not getting my mouth to the dentist while I had all that time. Not finishing my digitizing project. The overheated state of my apartment. Huckabee’s successes. Coming in second place in the gingerbread house smackdown. Seeing a guy getting tripped and no one saying sorry. My jeans are a tad snug. Snug like sausage casing. What the hell? I gave up bacon. There is hope. (See Saucy. Conspiratorial. Smug. Re: joining gym.)