Spring Spring Spring

I've been in NH for a little over a week, and had several things confirmed to me. One, I got my old job back, for the summer, so will not have to worry too much about money. Things will be tight and frugal, but I'll definitely be able to afford gas. Two, Xiang is only interested in me as a friend.  I've not really heard from him since semester's end. (Which reminds me, I need to send Helmut a "happy spring, enjoy the holiday with your family" message.) I do think he may end up dating Photographer, though. He's already added her as a friend of FaceBook. (And he is a one who doesn't use FB that much. Three, I will most likely not be taking Spanish. In my past, when choosing a language to study I would make up my mind based upon the criteria of being able to communicate with a sibling. My career goals do not necessarily mean staying stateside. Also, Spanish is not that interesting a language to me. I am spending the next 5 months figuring out whether it is to be Mandarin Chinese, or Japanese. Both are difficult languages. Both come attached with ancient, and fascinating cultures. I'll just have to work, pray, and ponder over which direction to go.

So here's some personal/family information. Its actually a good thing I opted to not stay on campus. My mum is having both her knees replaced. That will leave me driving Miss Daisy, acting as nursemaid, and also working and doing online classes. I hope my dad steps up to shoulder the burden. The old habit of putting me in the middle, and placing inappropriate burdens upon my shoulders, is going to need reassessment. I just don't have the time, nor the inclination, to bear that anymore. I've come to believe that firm boundaries are necessary for life; some of which are never to be even approached.

Another personal thing: my dad is planning to get gastric bypass surgery. I wouldn't ordinarily mention this, save at one point in my life I thought that was where I would need to go. Once upon a time, Zuzu was very overweight. (Think 80-90 lbs overweight.) I couldn't seem to drop an ounce, and was despairing. The thing is, I know a few people who've had it done, and I couldn't make the lifestyle changes necessary to succeed. I eat healthy, but to call 6-8 oz a meal is just not in my life plan.

Meanwhile, what happened to the excessively thick Zuzu? She cut out all carbonated beverages(except for the migraine Coke), began to exercise, trained herself to make the average mealtime be 30 minutes of eating, and stopped eating as though she would never see another meal again. Its kinda funny. I was building up a winter store of fat, when it was unnecessary. I don't live anywhere near the Arctic Circle. I've since dropped 60 lbs, and discovered that I love the way it feels to move. I can no longer eat large quantities of food. It makes me sick to my stomach. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a foodie. I just learned portion control, when to say "no", and how to listen to my body. By the way, I think I look as fabulous as I feel.

Life has been very good. I have a loving, albeit damaged, family. I am getting a college education at a great university. My body works properly, and is in one piece. I have a lot of friends, even more acquaintances. God has blessed me with a fairly generous spirit.  I gain strength through my faith and in my convictions. I could go on endlessly listing my blessings. Suffice it to say, they are numerous and extensive. I hope through my future work I am able to help others obtain similar blessings.

The warm weather has made a perfect climate for new growth. Check between snow patches, you may see bulbs!!!

Please comment and share.

Thank you,

The Tallgurrl