Dear Diary

Well, I am battling the Dreaded D (dissertation, though I rarely speak the name of the monster out loud.). It's slow, frustrating, tedious, as one would expect.
I did pick up boxing along the way though. That's quite an exciting experiment. Except for me and my colleague all the rest of the trainees are guys. Guys from Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia. One Polish guy, few Austrian, one Azerbeijani. People I'd have never met otherwise, from very different walks of life. So other than boxing I like also hanging around the boxzentrum and chat with them.
Eh, I am exhausted. It's right after training and I still have work to do before tomorrow. I shall return at a more favourable time.

Four years ago my daughter-in-law gave birth to baby boy, that was after a breast cancer operation and 8 months of treatment. This same lady, this past year, discovered boxing, then he husband joined the venture. Within 8 months one of the coaches offered to prepare her for competition. Interesting, the sport continues to build their emotional/physical lives.

Dag, when you have time, tell us more about your dissertation. And, I am really interested about your experiences with the diverse group of individuals.

Dear Diary,

Life is calming down. And improving immensely.

*deep breath*

Ahhhhhh!

Dear Diary,

Good for you marycat. Can you write about one thing that happened that was a big plus?

Dear Diary,

I have finally moved into a room of my own! After a rough few years in a seriously bad relationship, I trekked back across the country. That was a year and a half ago. I didn't have anywhere to live, but a friend offered crash space in his house. I stayed far longer than I intended while trying to get back on my feet, due to massive debt incurred in my name by my ex. I couldn't afford to live there, and I couldn't afford to leave. I had no privacy, as my room was treated like a major thoroughfare. My friend and I were constantly in each other's way. It was not a constructive situation. There was a big fight toward the end that remains unresolved. I fear I have lost a good friend. That makes me very sad.

Finally I was able to scrape together rent for this little room in an apartment with some younger twenty-somethings. It's not fancy, but I don't need fancy. My room is small and cozy, and the roommates are good, honest folk. And the kitchen works. Well. Which is very different from where I was staying before. And the neighborhood is safe. Which is extremely different from where I was before. It's a huge improvement all aorund.

So I'm unpacking and calming down and getting used to my new surroundings and taking deep breaths and trying to get healthy again after a series of illnesses, and life is pretty good.

Also I'm in love! Which is very nice indeed. I'll write more about that soon, but for now I'm off to bed.

"Finally I was able to scrape together rent for this little room in an apartment with some younger twenty-somethings. It's not fancy, but I don't need fancy. My room is small and cozy, and the roommates are good, honest folk. And the kitchen works. Well. Which is very different from where I was staying before. And the neighborhood is safe. Which is extremely different from where I was before. It's a huge improvement all aorund."

W E L L....I believe you have a lot of pluses...cozy...good, honest folk...kitchen works...safe and love you say. Sounds comfy...all you need now is a rainy day, a good book, a comfortable pillow....aaah.

Dear Diary,

I haven't been here for so long, I don't even try to read all the posts...

There's no real reason for not writing or reading since October 3 which was the last time I logged on. My life is not that busy. I do go out quite a bit to meet friends lately, more than I used to. But now winter is almost here, it's cold and we had the first snow. So that will most likely mean I will stay home more.

What happened these last weeks? The most important and my favourite was our trip to Florida. We had booked a flight to Fort Lauderdale via Washington. We booked a nice hotel in Fort Lauderdale, we surfed the net and made all these plans... Then we arrived in Washington on the same day that Wilma arrived in Florida... And our plans were changed just like that. We stayed one night in Washington and then went on to Tampa where our friends stayed. We spent a couple of days in St. Pete Beach and it was great. Windy and cool, but great. Then we drove on to Cocoa Beach and we saw Rae! We spent the remainder of our vacation in Cocoa Beach and it just feels like home. I got my first real suntan this year!

Now we are back, working, freezing. But next weekend we will have our christmas market in our town. So there are also nice things about this time of the year. I still don't like winter, though...

Urs what exactly is winter like there in terms of cold and snowfall? Better yet what American city is it most comparable to in winter climate? I was brought up in up-state New York where there was a lot of snow every winter and cold. Later I lived in Missouri for many years where winter snow was really hit and miss and the temp a little more temperate. Does Germany have similar variation according to local?

Dear Diary,

I have always enjoyed the give-and-take of the learning process. However, In recent days, I haven't been been visiting A2K. Sometimes, I am discouraged by the string of light-hearted comments which sometimes dominant serious topics.

My daughter is doing well. Her MS condition has not kept her from pursuing jobs in agencies which serve public needs like Spousal Abuse, Hearing and Alsheimers (spelling). Someday, I'm hoping she will work in the area of MS.

I envy the members attending the Chicago A2K event. These days, traveling comes with a physical cost. I'm hoping the members will instigate a thread that runs parallel with the event. I enjoy viewing the pictures and connecting faces to names.

Maple please hang around, brush off those light-hearted comments.. We love ya and want you around here!!

Ahhhhh some time off, all to myself. That would be wonderful! But yes, things really are coming together for the most part. Thanks, Maple!

Dear Diary,

I spent the Thanksgiving weekend with most of my family, which is always stressful. One sister and her husband were unable to make it. (Due to their careers as biologists, they were unable to spend it together as well. That's the saddest part. But they'll be reunited for good in a few months.) And it's the first Thanksgiving without my grandfather. So that was rough. Spending so much time in close quarters with my parents and brother and other sister was even rougher, I think. It was good that I brought one of my roommates with me to moderate some of the insanity. She seemed to have a great time, because she didn't have to get into any of the nonsense going on between my family members.

There isn't a lot of yelling or anything, just an undercurrent of hyper-critical-ness and generally not getting along. My family is very competitive, and not in a good or sporting sort of way. Everyone wants to run the show, and it just doesn't work well.

I used to think of Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday. In recent years it has gotten tenser and tenser. I'm glad to be on the other side of it.

When I have my own children, I will have my own Thanksgiving. And it will be calm.

I got back Saturday night and went almost straight to bed from exhaustion and a migraine that (thankfully) waited to strike until after I finished the drive. I slept for 12 hours and did not make it to church in the morning. I did get my room a little more unpacked and organized, and that was good.

Then I picked up Taylor and his brother at the airport. They had had a lovely time in Florida at their uncle and aunt's 50th wedding anniversary. We dropped off the brother and went to Cafe Pamplona for garlic soup and tea, then back to my aparment to catch up. And that was very nice indeed.

He'll be joining my family for Christmas. I am trying to focus on how nice it will be to have him there at the holiday, and not on how difficult my family will try to make it.

I hope everyone else out there who celebrates the American Thanksgiving tradition had a relaxing, calm, happy long weekend with their loved ones.

marycat,
One of the advantages of the GOLDEN YEARS is the willingness to let loose and observe others "organizing". Of course, it could be my depression meds. Anyway, we have some professional organizers in the family who continue their trade at family events. When the situation overwhelms me, I go walking and such. Now, if they should begin to behave as though I'm not present....that would be another story.

Enjoy your boy friend.
Take care,
Maple

Dear Diary
I'm unable to reply PM's, maybe someday I'll be cleansed enough to earn back that privilege. I returned to working full days in the office and man is it tough!! It's about lunch and I feel like the crap has been whipped out of me, need sleep in a bad way or anyway that's what my body is saying. The Doc was a little angry with me on Friday for returning to work full days but I explained I really had little choice, so keep me filled up with anitobiotics. Today I also began a new antibiotic to take daily for the next year or so. I'm trying to keep my leg elevated but it is very difficult with all the moving around that I do and distractions that come with being in the office all day. Have to try and make up for it when I get home in about 4.5 hours.

Pitter, here in the south of Germany where it is hilly and we live higher up than in other parts of Germany, we usually get snow in December, then it might be warmer. More snow in January and February and freezing temperatures. I think it is not so much different than New York. Today it is a bit warmer, very windy and raining. This weather started on Friday evening so there were a lot of icy streets that night and a lot of traffic accidents. In the Rhine valley, the weather is a lot milder and warmer with hardly any snow. Yesterday, we went to the Christmas market in Donaueschingen which is at the edge of the Black Forrest, just about an hour from our town. They had a lot more snow there.

The Christmas market was absolutely wonderful. It was in parts of the castle's stables and whatever you call the buildings belonging to it. And also in the house where the 'Fuerst' (something like a count) and his family still lived a couple of years ago. It was so romantic and so different than the 'normal' Christmas markets. I went there with two of my best friends which added to the pleasure.

Mapleleaf, I am always glad to read your thoughts. Be sure to let me read them...

urs, You made my day

I believe the expression is, "Get a life" and move on. The threads I instigated many months ago are not being used on a regular basis; therefore, I need to search the threads of others or get creative.

So, where are the members of the A2K family congregating these days? And what are some of the threads wherein thinking and education are dominant themes?

Thank you Urs now I've got a better picture of your climate there.

We had some snow this morning but it's all gone now. Yesterday was Santa Claus day which we celebrate by putting out our boots and Santa Claus fills them with candy and little gifts if you were good. I put a little bag with a CD (Cajun Christmas - hillarious!), chocolate and pictures of our cats at our neighbours' door last night. When I opened our door this morning, there was a beautiful cake in the shape of two cats! Our neighbour must have made it very early this morning. I am really, really happy that we share the house with nice people.

And I have a couple of days off from work - even a free Monday so that Stefan and I can go to the Stuttgart Christmas market. Yeah! Five free days!

Mapleleaf, I am sure you will find threads where you will feel at home. Yes, you have to move on sometimes...

How's the weather in Colombia these days, Pitter?

Weather's fine here but when the temperature plumets to say seventy eight the caleños all go around in jackets and sweaters. Silliest thing you ever saw. At my mountain retreat however it never gets above sixty eight in the house and I go about in jackets and sweaters.