Highs and Lows

HIGHS

1 - It's already been two weeks, but I'm still quite thrilled to have successfully completed NaNoWriMo. I mean, I've written a novel. How many people can say that?

(Okay, probably a few, but even so...)

I (finally) started the revision process last night, lying in bed with my laptop, pen and paper, and a Billy Joel CD on the stereo. It was a good night.


2 - It's been a week for renewing old acquaintances. Sunday, I ran into one of my best friends from college - a woman I haven't seen in what feels like forever. Turns out she goes to the same church building I do, just an hour earlier. While I was talking to her, I got a text message from one of my all-time favorite people I met on my mission.

If that's not enough, I actually had the opportunity to chat with one of my best friends from the Czech Republic. He isn't doing so hot (just had something of a breakup). It turns out consoling someone in a language you haven't spoken in five years is pretty tough.

Lucky I remembered how to swear.

3 - I've been a member of The Jesters Royale improv comedy troupe for over two years now, and some of you know I've been getting incredibly frustrated with how things for the team have been going. Well, I recently met with the artistic director of the Empress Theatre where the Jesters call home, and the discussion did a lot to alleviate some of my concerns. There's been talk of the team putting increased focus on teaching in local high schools, which is something I can TOTALLY get behind.

Plus, our shows have been completely awesome recently.

"Back in my day, we didn't have math. Numbers and music got all messed up. Back then, we sang, 'There's only three ways four say two words.'"

4 - I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how cool my ward has been recently. I've been meeting a lot of great new people (in this ward where I've spent the last two years of my life). New friends are always a good thing.

LOWS

1 - Okay, this one's a bit embarassing. A good friend invited me to go to a movie night/pajama party with a bunch of her friends. Now, I don't do big groups anyway - unless I'm the center of attention, they make me uncomfortable. The party was in Murray in a rather nice neighborhood (much nicer than my own, by the way, where the walls are falling apart piece by piece each day). It's the weirdest thing - in addition to the usual unease I feel in large group settings, I was hit with a severe case of status anxiety to the point where I completely shut down.

Luckily, it was a movie night, so I didn't really have to interact with anyone. Still, the whole night was a... disconcerting experience.

I got better.

2 - I'm pretty strapped for cash right now - first time this has happened in a LONG time. I've only got about $100, and with bills to pay, food to buy, and Christmas presents to... present... I'll be cutting it close this month. I DO have some savings, but I'm trying not to touch them. This is the first time I've had actual, genuine savings, after all, and I'd like not to blow it THIS quickly.

3 - You might recall that yesterday I posted a well-reasoned and impartial analysis of the movie Elf. Well, some parties took offense at my obviously superior line of reasoning and have decided to respond in a most aggressive way. Now, I could spend the time pointing out the gaps in this person's logic, or her complete failure to understand how to properly identify a Christ-figure in cinema, but I'm above that kind of thing.