Well. I am still alive, although a few of you have wondered where I've been with my weekly telephone calls (family), MySpace community, etc.

The bottom line is that I have been distracted. Very distracted. By a video game called Animal Crossing.

A couple weeks ago I caved and decided to buy a Nintendo GameCube. This really doesn't make much sense, considering we have a old school Sega Genesis and the original gray box Nintendo to goof around on when the mood strikes, and Keith wants the Nintendo Wii when it comes out at the end of the year, and I have a million other things to be working on (job search, recovering stolen property, arranging for our move in one month, going to the gym for a change, etc). This decision was somewhat un-Alyssa like since when I usually get gift money I tend to spend it on a dinner out maybe and then whatever items our household tends to need...at Target, maybe a few items of clothing I've been meaning to pick up, etc. I tend to be pretty responsible in this manner. I don't use the funds for groceries or anything, just things we've been meaning to pick up that make our life a little nicer. Generally the feedback on this purchase has been surprised and very positive. Like "Gee, never would think you'd do that, but that's cool. Wish I had a GameCube." They seem refreshed and like they gain a different perspective on me.

But frankly, I've needed a distraction. Badly. Work in June is pretty stressful, and despite the fact that Chocorua and I really met our assigning goals fairly regularly and neatly, there's still been a lot of pressure to account for vacant spaces (*each* must have a set purpose--even though I cannot predict what kind of issues might come up before August 31, 2006--yadda yadda yadda). All I can say about this is: CHILL. It will get done. We have ALL of July and August to make room changes. Rome was not built in a day. Now let me do my job instead of constantly (and I mean constantly) interrupting me. Geez.

Can you tell that I'm a little stressed? Well, I don't have much longer to worry about it, regardless of how my job search and the interviews I've had lately and the ones scheduled have gone and will go. Many of you will know exactly what I mean by that comment. Others of you will find out, in, oh, about a week. Ask me on July 8th.

So that's that. Animal Crossing is an awesome game. Its kind of like "The Sims" but is far more cutesy and there's none of the boring eating, sleeping, and going to the bathroom that goes on in "The Sims." What's crazy is that it runs on actual time, versus simulated time. Some of the activities must be completed in a particular month, season, time of day...you cannot "beat" this game, and even if there was winning--you'd need about a year. Typical pastimes in the game include fishing, catching bugs, planting trees, plucking fruit, decorating your home, finding hidden money caches, and making the world a better place. I leave it up to you to check it out. But I warn you, it is video game crack for the first week you try it. Now I'm a little Animal Crossing fatigued.