The last few days I've been incessantly listening to this song by Azure Ray. I really like songs with dark resonant piano notes, strings, and soulful voices. Because I don't really feel like blogging about day to day events right now...here's the lyrics to the song that I listen to walking to work, on the bus, at lunch, waiting at the bus station again...kinda fits because I haven't been sleeping well for, almost a year, actually. Hopefully once I can get in to see my new PCP I can get that figured out and re-signed up for a sleep study...

fill these spaces up with days
in my room you can go
you can stay
i can't sleep
i can't speak to you
i can't sleep

now these years locked in my drawer
i'll open to see
just to be sure
i can't sleep
i can't speak to you
i can't sleep

and so i'm reaching out for the one
and so i've learned the meaning of the sun
and all this like a message comes to shift my point of view
i'm watching through my own light
as it tints the shade of you...

hold my wine
hold it in
nobody's lost but nobody wins

i can't sleep
i can't speak to you
i can't sleep

and so i'm reaching out for the one
and so i've learned the meaning of the sun
and all this like a message comes to shift my point of view
i'm watching through my own light
as it tints the shade of you...

i can't sleep
i can't speak to you
i can't sleep
i can't speak to you
i can't sleep
i can't speak to you...

Although I just started my job last Thursday (going well) the following Friday (yesterday) I had jury duty at Suffolk Co. Superior Court.

The summary of my day:

8am - Arrived at the courthouse
Read quite a bit
9am - Watched a dumb orientation video
9:15am - Judge came in and blathered to us
9:30am - Dismissed for a break - went to Dunkin' Donuts, picked up a greeting card
Then read quite a bit more
10:30am - Back at the jury pool
Read, read, read
12:30pm - Dismissed for lunch - half the people were dismissed-dismissed (d'oh)
Read, more
1:45pm - Everyone that was supposed to stay were supposed to be back
Read, read, read, read, read
3:45pm - A whole bunch of people (myself included) were syphoned off to the 9th floor courtroom for inpanelment. I assume the rest were going to another floor.

We were then brought up to the courtroom, had to answer questions as to whether or not we would be impartial or not. The judge brought most of us one by one to the sidebar for clarification (like being concerned about just starting a new job and not being there, if the trial goes on for a while). I was promptly put in seat 9 and with all the contesting and whatnot that they do to select jurors. So there I was, and there I stayed.

So, I am looking forward to being a juror in a criminal trial (involving multiple indictments). It is likely to go to court Tuesday or Wednesday (so I am going to be sitting around and doing more reading... whee).

I am supposed to keep mum about the details, but needless to say it sucks - I just want to go back to work and do my thing. Moreover, it is absolutely insane that I had to wait around forever and ever. Bleh. I will keep everyone up to date.

...I know I have not commented on the results of this past Tuesday's elections. (See previous blogs "Blogger working dodgy" and "Blogger is toast.") Suffice it to say though, this past week has been one of the best ever, for the following reasons

• My work is going well and I seem to be getting the hang of things
• I had a nice restful past weekend, and I had a weekend to look forward to with my Mom visiting
• Keith ended things well with his old job, and began his new job

But most of all, I was riding high when I saw the Democrats took the House and unbelievably, the Senate. My excitement is slightly dimmed through to hear Republicans begin to deride this new Congress before they even take their oaths.

Here's what I am way too diplomatic to point out (Republicans, read on at your OWN peril--I warned you):

• To those worried about "tax and spend" Democrats: Have the last six years of solely Republican controlled government been an exercise in fiscal constraint? We had a surplus when it began, now it is gone. Who decided that we should enter a war at a cost of 1.8 BILLION dollars a week while our schools are underfunded and Americans in record numbers are barely able to make ends meet? (Americans like myself and my husband and nearly every other twenty-something I know. Not homeless bums.) Americans who are uninsured (including large numbers of children) because their jobs and their parent's jobs don't provide health care or they can't afford the premiums? Who set those priorities? Sure wasn't as hell the Democrats. Have you compared your tax bills during Democrat administrations and Republican administrations? Do you really find a significant difference? I'd gladly pay more in taxes (yes gladly) if I could be assured that my roads aren't falling apart, I have guaranteed health care that I can afford between jobs, and that my kids can go to college if they prove their intellectual worth, providing I can live with (maybe not lavishly) on what's left over. Have you stopped to compare your quality of life (be honest) during the Clinton years versus the Reagan years or now?

• To those worried about "liberal Democrats": What did gays ever do to you? When Massachusetts decided that all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation, could marry--the skies did not rain fireballs like all social conservatives said they would. God has not sent a plague of locusts here. In nature, there is documented and indisputed evidence of mammals, reptiles, and even fish attempting to mate with the same sex. Did you choose to be heterosexual? Of course not. Then why, oh why, do you persist in caveman-like thinking (and its always a heterosexual male who babbles derogatory remarks or cracks jokes about gays) and believe that gays choose to be gay? Given the attitudes of society today and the constant scrunity that homosexuals are under--why would any rational being choose to be gay? The American Psychological Association has that figured out already. What's your scientifically based evidence? I'm waiting. That being all said...everyone deserves the same rights in this great society where tyranny of one race, ethnicity or religion is not permitted. Some of us choose to demonstrate a true meaning of what is to be Christian--not to judge others and to be kind and assume the best of each other understanding that the greatest commandment of all is to forgive and love one another. To evangelicals, not all of us share your beliefs. Do what you want in your own homes, I'll do/be/befriend who I want providing as I am not hurting other citizens. If I go to hell that's my problem, on my conscious. I firmly believe though that God will recognize my humanity, my empathy, and my good-heartedness when my time comes. You worry about you--there's plenty there for you to work on. Trust me.

This is what I take away from the Bible. Jesus spent a lot of time with tax collectors and many other undesirables of society. He wanted His actions to show what the Bible talks about, not what so many self-proclaimed "Christians" today talk about but never demonstrate. He also said that it was easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle, rather than a rich man enter the Kingdom of Heaven, his life was led humbly, without possessions, and without prestige...this sort of fits in with my next point...

• To all business owners worried about a possible minimum wage increase: Pay your employees. They work hard and deserve a living wage. What? You say your employees don't work hard? Then why are they your employees? In this country, we deride and look down on individuals who collect from the government. We expect that they should work. Have you ever tried to live on $5.15 an hour at 40 hours a week? Hmm? Thought not. If you can't stay in business and pay your employees fairly, well, that's capitalism. Someone can probably do it better than you. So I guess you should find a way. After all, you've had since 1996, when the last increase was approved.
  

You business executives making the obscenely high salaries whilst your stocks are tanking, your investors are losing money, and your employees are being laid on en masse. You honestly think you deserve it or work any harder than the janitor cleaning your executive bathroom? Maybe you are better educated or had more advantages, but that's not the American way. The American way rewards hard work with a good living wage. Too many Americans aren't getting this, in fact, I would ante that most Americans aren't.

• Don't get me started on the Iraq War. People my age and even younger are coming home in body bags or their lives forever altered. Families broken, limbs lost, dreams shattered. Depression, suicide, domestic abuse, and post traumatic stress syndrome. All the while, the Bush Administration and his soon to be extinct Republican Congress proposed to reduce funding to VA hospitals. This is so despicable it makes my skin crawl. I guess its more important that Republicans' buddies (the aforementioned business execs making millions of dollars and properly paying their hardworking employees) get millions of dollars more in tax cuts. For a very brief moment, I'll humor war supporters and say maybe the war was warranted. I certainly don't think that Saddam Hussein is innocent. But then why lie? If it was in our national interest to be there, there is no need to lie. If this is a humanitarian mission, say it. And if it is a humanitarian mission--what about the Ivory Coast, Darfur, and Rwanda? There are dictators and war lords killing people there just as Saddam murdered Shiites and Kurds. I see one key difference--natural resources. Guess what Iraq has which the others don't. Oil? *ding, ding, ding, ding ding*

I could go on and on...but I'll cut to the chase and state...

Why the Republicans lost and why voters went Democratic:

• You can fool people some of the time, but not all the time.
• If you profess to be the party of morals and family values don't lie, choke your mistress, better yet--don't cheat on your wife, don't chase teenagers for sex. Got that?
  
• You can talk the talk, but people know whether or not their quality of life is improved or worse. Even if the opposite party can't come up with a cohesive message, citizens sure as hell aren't going to continue to vote for people when their quality of life is reduced. What people affectively said this time: "Anyone's better than who's in office now."
  
• A true patriot recognizes the values of honest hard work and reward. Republicans had the opportunity to raise the minimum wage, just prior to the elections. They proposed an ridiculously modest increase thrown in with some pork spending for their districts. Tax and spend Democrats indeed, eh?
  
• A good citizen recognizes that perhaps the best support of soldiers is to remember them, their families, and not treat them like chess pieces on some global game board. A patriot remembers and appreciates the sacrifices those families and soldiers make, it rewards them with guaranteed health care and tuition funding upon their return to secure their lives in time of peace. Widows and children should also be guaranteed those things without being spoon-fed some bullshit about how "socialist" that is while Republicans self-proclaim their patriotism.
  
• Good politicians give tax cuts to business with the solid understanding that they only improve the lives of Americans if they are passed back to workers, who spend the extra money, which funds business at companies, which again allows them to feed the money back into the firm and its employees. When the money goes to a CEO who spends it on a 4 million Ferrari (an actual recent news story) this cycle doesn't happen and it doesn't contribute to the general prosperity of the state. If this doesn't happen, those businesses shouldn't get repeated breaks. Without infastructure and our educational system there can be no business and no educated workers. Business must fund this religiously.
  
• Governments admit to their miscalculations and make adjustments and changes to your strategy. Set an example. We're all human.
  
• Doesn't resort to name calling, stating that anyone who disagrees with them is unpatriotic or supporting terrorism. As Voltaire, great author of the French enlightenment that created many of the principals our founders held dear, once said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." That's what this country is all about--health dissention and checks on tyranny.

To Democrats:

• Don't blow this. Come up with an agenda and a strategy. This nation is counting on you. And as tempting as it is, don't go out for petty revenge. I believe as you do that Clinton's fooling around with an intern isn't nearly as bad as sending thousands of Americans to die about a war you lied and misled the general public about. But, I want you (as do many others) want you to work on our schools, the minimum wage, and coming up with a guideline to get us out of the Vietnam II the Republicans have created in the Middle East. Moreover, Cheney as President could never be an improvement.

To Voters:

• Thanks for coming out. Did you know that higher levels of turnout favor Democratic outcomes? That's why Republicans spend election days praying for rain...but I digress. I'm a little upset with you actually. Where were many of you years ago? Why does it take several sex scandals to bring out voter outrage and increase turnout? And why did so many of you vote for Bush in 2004? I can only figure out that you thought consistency was better during wartime. Please continue to vote no matter what your allegiance. Its important to our democracy and gives much needed weight to the decisions our politicians make each and every day.

If you made it to the end of this manifesto, congratulations. If you are a Republican you doubtlessly want to tell me that I'm influenced by a liberal media or that I'm young and don't know what I'm talking about. I do know though what's best for me, and I know that the politics and policies espoused by "liberals" (and since when did "liberal" become a dirty word I ask) best matches my core values of being concerned about the lot of Americans, not the few with influence and power. That's a quality that nearly all Americans sorely lack--no sense of community responsibility. But my soul won't honestly won't permit me to feel any differently.

So. As I mentioned in my last blog, I rounded out today (the last day of my weekend) by heading over to purchase and get autographed a copy of Martha Stewart's latest book.
The sign stated that Martha would visit from 12-1 pm, but that wristbands would be handed out starting at 9 am. So I arose at 8:00 am, got showered, teeth brushed, and made myself presentable before setting out for the Prudential Mall. Keith and I entered the line after reading the rules which were as follows:

• No personalization of autographs. They would simply be signed "Martha Stewart."
• No posing of photographs with the domestic diva.
• A maximum of three books per wristband.
• Books must be purchased at Barnes and Noble.

No surprises here, really...but it was admittedly disappointing deep down. I wasn't really going to presume she would pose for photos, but, a "To Alyssa, From Martha Stewart" would have been nice. But its understandable given the crowds that showed up to meet her--hundreds and hundreds, and a much more popular guest than most.

We spoke with a young married woman from Lynn, who says that she often attends book signings over her lunch (she worked in a nearby office building) but that they usually personalize. They do this by giving each person a post-it note on which to write their name, so they can keep conversations about spellings to a minimum. Oh well.

Keith and I bought two copies (one for us, one for Corrie and Phin--who couldn't make it) and then headed over to see my mother and David once again. Upon hearing that we had time to kill between 10 am and 12 pm, we decided to have breakfast together at their hotel.

What was also interesting was the type of person who showed up to this event. There was no type. Single men, married men, men with small children. Old women, young women, women students. The folks in front of us was an obnoxious father with his little girl "Olivia," not more than 4-5 years old. He was fussing and so overprotective as to think that we were lining up for death metal concert tickets and that there was going to be a riot at any given moment, rather than quiet book signing by a home economics propagandist.

So after breakfast with Dave and Mom, we headed back into the mall, and queued again at 11:45. This time, we were much farther away than where we queued for wrist bands, and were a little miffed to find out that they hadn't run out of wrist bands yet anyway. (I believe the total giveaway number was 300.) So our early rising was really for naught, although it would have been worth it had we remained in line and been amongst the first to see Martha.

So, 11:45-1:20 we moved up in queue steadily and surely, moving from different queues in the corridors, finally to one in front of the store to one inside B&N. Heavy security checked to make sure we had a blue wristband. Keith attempted to take a picture of Martha at her table as we drew into the store, but inconveniently people kept stepping in front of view to get their book signed. The one photo we may have been able to get came out blurry due to our despised tempermental, but supposedly high quality Olympus digital camera. As we drew closer in line, a manager informed us that we could not use our camera at front, and that so many people were disobeying those orders that they were going to have to take cameras. We stated that we understood there was no close up shots or posing, and she thanked us for understanding (apparently Martha's people were making a fuss).

Therefore, I have photos of me waiting in line, Keith waiting in line, and the finished product--the signed book. Hopefully I can find another picture online through a newsfeed or perhaps a more lucky visitor's blog.

So, when we came up front, Keith and I were separated...mostly because the little girl Olivia was much commented on by Martha. Martha sat at a typical table, with a plate of cookies on *gasp* a plastic plate. Each person was welcome to take a cookie. Oddly enough, Martha's three dogs were also in the store next to her table--three dogs of different but indeterminate breeds (I think one was a chow). When my time came, because she had spent so much time with the girl in front of me, I calmly smiled and said "Thank you." Martha nodded and I moved on. While I admire her empire, and love her magazines (Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings and Real Simple) I am frankly not one to gush--too proud, and not wanting to be an obnoxious or annoying fan.

Keith, however, engaged Martha a bit. He asked her if she was enjoying Boston. Martha responded that she had come directly via car to Boston, but that she would be enjoying the city tonight. He thanked her for her signature, and Martha thanked Keith for coming.

We got our parking validated, drove to Corrie and Phins, gave them their copy, and headed home. After walking 4-5 miles yesterday and standing on my feet so much today, I was simply eager to a) sit down on my couch, b) watch the new free movies that I wanted to see on On Demand, and c) relax. So I did.

So that was our brush with celebrity. Clean house, tour around my favorite American city and current homebase, and a brush with my favorite celebrity--that's a pretty nice weekend.

This weekend Keith and I were visited by my mother and her boyfriend David, since it was a long Veteran's Day weekend it worked out pretty good for everyone's schedules for them to drive up and see the town. Luckily for them, they didn't have to crash out on our awful futon-like pullout, but stayed at the Hilton in Back Bay instead.

Our weekend began Thursday night where we had Dan and Mandy over for breakfast-for-dinner and some Gamecube. I was pretty wiped though and as soon as they left, I crashed into bed. Keith and I awoke relatively early Friday to clean up the place as Mom was eager to see our new apartment. Her last trip here was in May, prior to our move to 65 Ashford Street.

Mom and David got a late start driving here, so it wasn't actually until dinner when we saw them. After dropping off Dan's forgotten cell phone to his lab (we walked from our home into BU's campus) we hopped the train to Hynes Convention Center stop, and met them at the hotel. After chatting and talking about my new job, we went to Legal Sea Foods at the Prudential Center for dinner. We were all zonked afterwards, and Keith and I took a taxi (courtesy of Mom) back to our home to sleep. We awoke the next day, did some more cleaning, and then Keith took the car out to fetch our guests.

The apartment was "Mom approved." Then, we headed to our lunch reservations at "Top of the Hub." The food at Top of the Hub is INCREDIBLE. I had clam chowder and one of their gourmet pizzas. The clam chowder was unbelievable as well as the spicy lobster soup I sampled from Keith. The best part was the cookies. I know, you are thinking- "Cookies? There's nothing special about cookies!?" Not these cookies. There's a 10-15 minute wait and they come out warm with cinnamon and brown sugar whipped cream intermixed with raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. In a word....YUMMY.

What was also fantastic was the pictures we took of the Boston area. We knew from being there for Keith's going away party that the view during the day would be spectacular and a fantastic way to point out all the different areas of Boston proper.

Might I also add that the weather could not have been better. It was upper 50s and low 60s all day Saturday, bright and sunny, which really flattered the lingering fall foliage, still bright and still clinging to trees around the city.

After our long lunch, we set off on foot to walk throughout the town. Down to Trinity Church plaza, down Boylston, we stopped to look at shops (for David--he was looking for men's shoes and us, looking at couches at Jennifer Convertibles) to the Boston Garden. There we winded through the paths around the ornamental pond and exited onto Beacon Street. There we saw Cheers (actually the Bull and Finch) where David and Mom wanted to catch a drink, but it was waaay too crowded. So, we went into the gift shop, did a little browsing, and set further on foot. We walked up Beacon Street into Beacon Hill and pausing in front of the State House, headed down into the Shopping District/Downtown Crossing area. We preceeded past graveyards, the final resting places of patriots, governors, and mayors.

Then it was past the South Meeting Hall, Boston's first Town Hall, the Old State House, and then into Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. We browsed the shops, sat on a bench outside and were briefly and oddly accosted by a strange homeless man, who seemed in a rush to be elsewhere, but told us how nice he thought it was to see people huddled cozily side by side admiring the view--holiday decorations going up, bustling shoppers, busy restaurants--all the sites that characterize a Saturday night in Boston. He told us of his wife who was also homeless and HIV positive, and how she had gone missing after a quarrel. He eventually found her (in a hospital) but said that he remembered never to never leave her with harsh words again. He never asked for money, although we all expected him to, but just as quick he was off into the night, walking towards the North End.

We headed across Goverment Center and took the T back to Hynes, since we were planning to go candlepin bowling at a place in the neighborhood near the Hilton. However, it looked there was a whole troupe of young people (about 12-13) in suits with parents and grandparents and such in suits and dressed (it looked like a Bar/Bat Mitzvah).

So we eventually made our way back to our apartment and decided our next plan. The Milky Way in Jamaica Plains was booked until 11:30, so we figured candlepin may have been out. So we retreated to Dave and Mom's hotel room to regroup, catch a taxi to our apartment, and then we headed out to Quincy to our favorite Chinese restaurant. After a nice meal, we dropped off Mom and Dave at their hotel and said goodbye.

But our weekend wasn't over. While milling about the Mall at Prudential waiting for our table at Legal Sea Foods, I noticed one important thing in front of Barnes and Noble book store. A notice stating that Martha Stewart (yes, Martha Stewart) would be in house on November 12th to sign her latest book Martha Stewart's Housekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home.

But this interlude is covered in the next blog entry...

Pictures from the day (our camera is not focusing quite right):

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

In the last week and a half, I rounded out my time at NIS. It was of course somewhat eventful.

Now, as is tradition at NIS, when someone who has been around for a while leaves, Richard takes the whole group out to the Top of the Hub (which is the restaurant at the top of the Prudential Tower).

So on Thursday, since it was the best day for availablity, etc. Alyssa came down to my office after she was done work and we all went over about 5:30 to the Top of the Hub. We all drank and talked and had fun. This was Alyssa's first time to the Top of the Hub (not the first time with the NIS crew), so she was looking around at the view of the city. It is really pretty great.

So we spent the night drinking and eating and laughing with everyone. The people at NIS passed around a card wishing me well and hinting upon little inside jokes and they gave me a $100 gift cheque.

The best part of it, was as always, was Alyssa - Alyssa is always a ton of fun in any social situation, even with people she just met. I love taking her out with friends (whether or not I am footing the bill). Although several people weren't able to show, it was a fun night saying goodbye to everyone - even though I had nearly a week left of work. Fun stuff.

The last week of work was busy with getting projects finished up and everything documented and handed over. And time shuffled quickly along until Wednesday - my last day. By this point, I had packed up my office into a corner of the cube and I was running of my personal laptop. My shiny, new dual-core Macbook Pro was already packed away and in Richard's office... eveything was just about wrapped up. A spent the morning prettying up the resources for Ron to take over Dental School work, and talked with people in my group about taking over stuff.

I had a late lunch with Toby and Todd - they took me out on my last day to Bertucci's, which was quite fun. We definitely need to keep in touch now that I am leaving.

In the end, everyone more or less made and effort to wish me well and see me off. After emptying my office, I rushed home and collasped. We hung out and I readied myself for my new day ahead.

On Thursday, I started my job at the Volpe Center. I took the bus over to Kendall Square early in the morning and after arriving a little early, I met with Rosanna, the HR/Office Administrator person... she did a bit of orientation and toured around. After meeting my office mate, and getting my computer equipment, I filled out more forms and installed some software. I talked with my immediate supervisor and was finger printed for security.

I went out for lunch after security to a nearby pub. It was actually a little overpriced but the food was good. I will learn the ins and outs of Kendall, but its a pretty cool area.

Afterwards, more setting in and meeting people before heading home.

The commute home was long, but I will get the swing of the bus as well. In the evening we hung out with the Potters playing Mario Party, etc.

Once I get security clearance and get acclaimated to the way P3I does things, this job will be pretty easy to do with some good room to improve the procedures and quality of the web content (and my supervisor - Micky - seems to be thinking the same thing).

Should be some good fun.

Please note that today's entries are actually from Sunday and earlier in the week. We are not happy campers. We've completely missed the opportunity to post about the elections Tuesday (and the capital mood I've been in!). I'm going to have to talk to Keith about immediately implementing changes that are needed NOW. Otherwise, we will be posting November entries next year...

Hey all,

Even though blogger is set up to publish on my site (e.g. everything should be serving fine), its really not working well for new posts. In the coming weeks, I will be working on a new design and install WordPress on the server so that everything is local to this host.

This weekend has turned out to be mostly uneventful, although luckily we managed to hang out with Corrie and Phin, who we haven't had quality time with since my birthday. It was good to connect over at Sunset Grill, see their new kitchen and how much its come along, and watch a DVD together.

Saturday came and was mostly expended by running lots of errands. We got groceries, some more things for my office (I'm adding items piece by piece) and some fabric to reupholster our dining room chairs. Mom and David (her boyfriend) are visiting this upcoming Veteran's Day weekend, so its a good motivator to finish up all the loose ends around here that need finishing. Of course, Saturday night we got to have a little fun with Corrie & Phin.

Today we arouse, loaded pork tenderloin, potatoes, and onions to cook our dinner all day long, and headed over to HBS. If its not enough that I work there Monday-Friday, I wanted to go over there and once and for all, get it more set up "my way." Keith came along too and scraped off remnants of scotch tape that were everywhere with a blade, helped me dust shelves, and clean out the horror of a place that was my pen drawer.

Then we walked around the campus a bit and took photos! Now you too can see where I work! Yaaaaay!

I'm hoping that as each week goes by I'll find it easier and easier to dig up resources and feel settled. I probably won't feel completely settled until after the holidays and my three month performance review (where they decide to keep me or not).

Enjoy the photos! My hubby will be on shortly to describe his going away party Thursday night and transition into his new job (oh, the anticipation!).

I survived my first week as a faculty assistant at Harvard Business School and spent my weekend alternating between lounging in bed, running errands, going out to breakfast with friends, and visiting other friends for dinner at their home.

This week has a different feel to it. Frustrated with working constantly from 9-5 and feeling like I was getting nowhere, in addition to all organization that needs to take place at the desk and in the files I inherited, I spoke with the Faculty Assistant Coordinator to ask her permission to work late a few nights this week. She agreed (thankfully). In the last couple days I have been mind blowingly exhausted from the long hours, however, I am starting to see the light at the end of a tunnel. Still, the workload is not yet manageable between deadlines coming up (an FA who would have been here sooner would have seen these coming and been able to plan) and my taking twice as long to get everything done--being unsure about protocol, programs, and resources.

The resource list at HBS quite extensive and impressive. However, the battle is knowing what resources to use and when. I have only begun to scratch the surface and am a very impatient person. I have my own agendas--doctors check-ups, dental checkups, joining a gym, holidays coming that add a hint of desperation to my desire to get settled, organized, and into some sort of a routine.

When people ask how I am doing and I mention that I am doing fine, but have a lot of work to do getting settled, they seem a bit bewildered almost. Certainly, my desk isn't as cluttered as many. But its not up to "Alyssa Standards." I took a JASPER profile on Monster.com just prior to my hiring and it defines me as an "Organizer: Type 6" which is one of the rarer breeds of workers, relatively unique. Well, that hit the nail on the head. I am an Organizer. Organizer Squared.

Before Keith starts his new job next week we are motivating ourselves to get started on some projects we've neglected, such as following up with the Boston police about any recent busts. November 10th will mark six months since the robbery, but a day doesn't go by that I don't think about the momentos I lost as I get dressed each day. Its a fading, almost nonsensical, hope that any of it will ever show, but stranger things have happened (we've heard stories from two co-workers about their getting called almost a year after they were robbed and getting things back). I feel as though while we have to get on with life and accept our losses, I have to do what I can so I at least know in my heart that Keith and I did what we could.

It is November already. Does anyone else in the cyberworld beyond find that amazing? I've already started thinking about how I will look back at 2006 on New Year's Eve, and largely, I think I will be thinking about the robbery. It was the catalyst for everything else that occured thereafter--issues with landlord, moving, unpacking, deciding then and there to quit BU to make the move easier... I'm sad that May 10th has essentially, however inadvertently, defined our year--just as our wedding defined 2005.