The weather here has been...decidedly un-Georgia like. It snowed in early December, then again on my birthday, and only the rain last night finally started to erase the accumulation on the ground. I always wanted snow on my birthday as a kid, and I only really got that once. For the past two years snow on my birthday has been a pain. That's how it goes, right?

My job is exhausting. And low-paying. I feel like I'm in a perpetual state of reviewing mental ledgers, and I would be even crazier about it if I weren't so tired all the time. There was something to be said for the ratio of kids to staff at IH. When there are 16 kindergarteners and two adults, you start to feel like oak tree being used as base for a 16 person indoor game of tag. Run, run away from someone who's chasing you, tell the oak tree he pushed you, run again, trip, fall, demand a spiderman ice pack from the oak tree. I like the kids. I like the potential I have in working with them, the way that they respond to books (sometimes) and crafts (sometimes) but the constant noise can wear on a person. Then again it's sweet to just sit down and draw dinosaurs, unicorns, fairies, princesses and horses for hours.

School starts in mid-January (after the day on not day off) and that's nerve-wracking too. It's crazy to me how little I thought about the scholastic side before I started college. It wasn't good, but it was certainly helpful in terms of assuaging self-doubt. I forget how to go to school, I think. My sister bought me an 8 pocket folder. My path is clear. I just wish I could merge more excitement in. I went to my orientation and marveled over how easily people walked up to each other and introduced themselves, talked about where they were from and why they were here. I keep to myself in those situations. It's always been like that. Without a check in, I can't bring myself to even say my name out loud. Thank you, name tag. Hopefully once classes begin I'll emerge from the cocoon I am holding tightly closed. If only I could commute like a butterfly. Parking is expensive.

I didn't realize how tightly wound I was until I wrote all of this down. That used to happen at IH too. I need to just cook some good veggie food and use my kick-ass new cake decorating airbrush (!) (thanks bf) to restore some self-esteem. Maybe buy some new notebooks.

I miss everyone...and Taco Mac. But my removal from Harbour food and limitless tortilla chips has done my body good. I am thinking about deep-frying some okra for my sister's dinner party tomorrow. I don't think it will be the same without everyone. Emily, if you move to the bay area I will just about cry thinking about you and Nick hanging out all the time. But I hope you do for that same reason. Frieeeeendship.

I want updates from everyone. I updated because Emily did. And it was depressing to see only one December post.

My name is Erinn, I'm feeling contemplative, aaaand my goal today is to make a really great tofu sandwich for lunch. Go one.