The potential new job hasn't called any of my references yet...not a good sign. Internet, send positive thoughts this way!

I Can Feel My Toes Again

We're still in the middle of a deep freeze, with no sign of it abating any time this week. It's pretty hard to get motivated when just getting the mail requires 10 layers of clothes to avoid frostbite in these -45 temps. Thankfully, the house is toasty warm, the pups are curled up with us on the bed and iTunes is scrolling through the holiday play list.

Packages are being hidden in the closets daily and are a gentle reminder that I allowed myself to go a little overboard in exchange for not going south for the holidays. I'm trying to explain it away as necessary to doing my part for the economy, but I'm not really buying it. On the other hand, even I remember how exciting this holiday is when still heaped in mystery... a jolly fat man in a red suit, flying reindeer, mountains of presents appearing in the night. I don't know how many more years will be able to keep this day shrouded in magic, but I guess I'd like to give the kids a few experiences to tuck away for future fond reminiscing.

In other news, IKEA is finally making its way to our fair city. As my girlfriend so eloquently put it, 'Now all the houses can look the same on the inside as well as the outside'. Long-live the evil box store...I wonder how much worse our economy has to get before people wake up and see the importance of supporting local business, even if it takes a few extra shekels out of their pockets. My guess is sometime around the emergence of new and funky viruses/diseases as a result of using products made without any regard for health and safety standards (yes China, I'm talkin' bout you).

OK, I'm banishing Whining Wanda to the corner again. In happier news, I had a second interview today for a job that seems quite promising. In terms of responsibility and utilization of my skills, it is a lateral move, but the salary and benefits knocked my socks off. I might actually get a job getting paid appropriately for my experience and expertise. Can't say I'd be breaking through any glass ceilings on this one, but I won't give up hope that sometime, somewhere this might actually happen. If anyone has any concrete advice on this perplexing problem (that doesn't involved selling your soul to the company store), I'd love to hear it.

Hey Baby, it's cold outside...
and all I want to do is curl up with my book under the covers. It's finally winter here, and reality has set in...we're not going to Mexico for the holidays this year. Hubby has been depressed about this for over a month, but it has just sunk in for me now. This of course explains the endless surfing of Mexico related websites which I know isn't helping the situation any. Could someone please tell me, is there any way we can make this happen? DH is a teacher, so he could home school if we needed. I know we are both dying for an adventure. Even if we have to take the girls kicking and screaming I think they would thank us for it later in life. I guess I'm just having one of those days where I wonder if this is all there is. I know I have a habit of waiting for life to start, even when on some level I know I'm right in the thick of it...someone yell at me to get my shit together and get on with it already. I have a character flaw that requires being made to feel like crap and then getting angry enough about it to be motivated to do something. Anyone want to take up the cause?