Happy Days Are Here Again!

How Can You Not Love This?

Let me announce right here my retroactive holiday break.  It should have lasted about a week and a half.  

Okay, now that that's over, back to your regularly scheduled Running With Fireworks Content.  But before we speak of the future, let's speak of the past.  Here's what has happened to me in the past few days:

• I learned to drink my coffee black because I was too lazy to hunt down milk and sugar at my parents house, knowing that those two items are kept on opposite sides of the kitchen from the coffee pot.
• I wrote a final exam!  In two days!
• I went to two different Christmas celebrations.  Other people's family traditions are weird.  But then again, so are ours.
• I went to Cebolla's twice.  If you have ever been to Cebolla's in Fort Wayne, Indiana, you know this is cause for celebration.  However, I had to go to the Fernhill location, because they closed the bar for the night at the Dupont location.  What is UP with that?  Who goes to a Mexican restaurant where they will be denied tequila-laden beverages?
• I played with Loki-fur.  If you play dead in front of him, he tries to wake you up, and then when you stand up, he jumps around excitedly.  "Hey, I'm Jesus Dog!"
• My parents won a new Wii at the company Christmas party.  Realizing I wouldn't get the new one, I started dropping hints that I wanted the old one.  Then I pleaded.  Then I begged.  Then, not receiving an answer one way or the other, I just boxed it up and stole it.  New Wii for me!

Next up?  Headed back to Chicago tomorrow to celebrate 2011 and better days for all of us.  Also to kill myself finishing up my article.  Also to start my reading for my first classes.  Also to try to remember where and when I said I'd volunteer this semester.  I know I'm at Pritzker and doing DV work, but....yeah.  

Anyway, while I'm not one for New Years Resolutions, I thought I'd throw a couple out there just for the fun of seeing how long I have until I break them.

• Stay a week ahead in my reading.  I've done this before and it really helps me stay on top of things.
• Exercise at least 3 times every week.  The goal is every day (except one day on the weekend of my choice) but 3x a week is much more manageable.
• Go do something social once every month.  (I can hear you all saying, "Really?  That's it?" but that's pretty good for me.)
• Buy coffee no more than 2x per week.

Four is probably plenty, since my resolutions never last past February and because I've got all my bases (academic, physical, social, financial) covered.  But hey!  I'll keep track of how things work and let you know how long I can hold out for!!!

How was your break?  Any New Year's Eve plans that you'd like me to join you for?  Do you have any resolutions that you intend to leave behind in less than two weeks?  Let me (and everyone else) know in the comments!!