Christmas break!

Well, it's finally here! Christmas break! It came two days later than expected (thankyouverymuch snow/ice/stupid winter weather to push exams back two days). BUT...it's now here. I got home (I still call the Raleigh area "home" even though I really feel like I just come here to visit and Boone is truly my home) Wednesday evening after Jon finally finished his last exam (:-P). Thanks to my professors, I finished up even earlier than I would have had the exams happened as scheduled...

My film "exam" (really, a presentation/pilot pitch for a television series) was originally scheduled for Monday at 9am. As of the Friday before (December 10) was moved to Wednesday (December 15) at 9am because of the impending winter storm. Well, the storm hit and canceling was the right move (just seemed silly to do it so far out). With the way the weather was behaving, my professor emailed our class on Monday afternoon and said to email our presentation and film clip of our pitch to her instead of attempting to come to class to present it there. Score. One out of the way.

My history and systems exam was also supposed to be on Monday at 6pm but was moved to Wednesday, along with the film exam. My professor emailed the class on Saturday and said that he was going to post the exam online and we were to complete it and submit it to him by 10am on Tuesday. This test was now open book and open note. Again...score.

My biological psychology exam was scheduled for Tuesday at 9am. On Monday, we were informed by the university that the 9am block of exams on Tuesday were going to be moved to noon on Thursday (the 16th...yesterday). Really? Really?! Well...my professor is my hero. He gave us three options: a) come take the exam; b) keep our current grade from the end of the semester; or c) take the final exam within the first two weeks of the spring semester, average that in with our current grade and that will be our final course grade. I took option 2 -- keep my current grade (a B). I knew I would not study over break and would be likely to forget a lot anyway so the third "option" was not even an option for me. The first one...stay and take it...wasn't really an option either. I had an appointment at the dentist that I knew I would have trouble rescheduling if I missed...and I needed to go. So...I took the second option and I'm quite satisfied.

Now, onto what I have done already on break (quite eventful) and what I have plans for...

As I mentioned, I went to the dentist yesterday. Before I say much more, I must say that I have had very poor experiences at the dentist every time I have gone. From how the office staff treat me to how the doctors and assistants/hygienists treat me...it has been terrible every single time. I realize it is not generally pleasurable but it couldn't be something that terrifies me at just the thought of it. So...I had been having a problem with a tooth that had been needed to be taken care of for a while. (Being in Boone for the last year (pretty much solid) didn't help with not getting it taken care of either...though it wasn't a problem for that whole time.) When I went to the dentist, he informed me that I needed a root canal. And not just one, but two. Yesterday, he did both and today he did my crown prep. Let me tell you that I had little fun but I think this is probably the best experience I have had with a dentist in recent memory. It still wasn't really good...but it was a definite improvement and that I appreciated. I go back in three weeks to get my permanent crowns. Can't wait. (*Sarcasm*)

Today (the much better part), I had a wonderful lunch date with my old roommate, Sammy! We went to Panera and had a blast sitting and talking for two hours. :) It was so much fun and I was so glad to be able to catch up with her. This is the first of several lunch dates with friends over the break...and I'm looking forward to the rest of them. :)

As for the rest of my break, here are the plans:

Tomorrow, Jon and I are going to a concert to see Straight No Chaser. I surprised him on Wednesday with tickets...and I think he liked it. He wanted to go last year but I was working the day they were here so that fell through (it was kind of a last minute thing, I think). Hopefully he'll enjoy it...I'm pretty sure I will. After that, we have a Christmas party to go to with some of our friends from around here that we affectionately call "the homeschool group" (just about everyone in the group was homeschooled at one point or another). It's really the only time of year we all get to see each other. I think, though, this will be the last year it's going to happen because so many people are going in different directions and getting spread so far across the country (and world) that it's just going to become impossible at some point. Right now, we're pretty limited to North Carolina and Virginia with stragglers in Washington (state) and one in Japan (soon to be joined by his fiancee after they get married on January 1!).

Next week, I'll be a busy work week: a reverse 24 starting Monday night and a regular 24 on Thursday. I'm at busy stations for all of those shifts but I'm hoping people will behave and I can really EMS (Earn Money Sleeping). (I'll run all day...just let me sleep at night! Please!) Monday, before I go to work, I have lunch with the wonderful Jordan who I haven't seen in a LONG time. I'm really looking forward to seeing her again. Should be lots of fun!

A week from today is Christmas eve. That night, I plan to join my parents and go see my mom's dad and his family to celebrate Christmas. Saturday...Christmas...I'm hoping for a nice, quiet day with mom and dad and maybe my lovely boyfriend somewhere in there. I don't plan to do a lot of traveling on Christmas day as I have in years past. The day after Christmas, however, I will be going to see mom's mom and her family to celebrate Christmas with them. I'm not sure when we're going to see dad's mom...that is still undecided, I do believe...though, I feel that will be sorted out sometime soon.

The week following, I will be working just a single shift on Tuesday only after having had lunch with the amazing Heather who has been away in India for the last...lots of months. I can't wait to see her beautiful face and catch up on everything in her life! The rest of that week looks slow...but I like that.

The end of that week, my wonderful boyfriend takes off and leaves the country for a few days. I'm not sure how I'm going to survive! He, along with his brothers and dad, are going to visit their family in Canada over the new year. I'm happy that he is getting the chance to do that (even though I'm going to miss him so very much). While he's gone, I'm going to spend 36 of those hours working (broken up into a 12 and 24 hour shift...with a 12-hour break in between). Good way to spend it. I'm also going to be attending the wedding Julie...who is marrying Lee. And they are moving to Japan (or, she is...he already lives there).

And then, I'll have one more visit to the dentist before I head back for my FINAL SEMESTER OF MY UNDERGRADUATE CAREER!! (Can you tell I'm excited?)

I think you have enough to read for now. And I'm tired. I'm going to watch a movie (I'm thinking The Blind Side) and think about sleep. Good night! :)