The new semester is going well at work, and along with all my kids from last semester, I have a new student who is bright and reasonably motivated. I like her a lot, probably in part because she is an 8th waver (freshman) and therefore not yet jaded and crabby (which is not to say that I hold it against my 6th wavers--i.e. seniors--for being jaded and crabby; I certainly acted that way when I was a senior).
Last weekend DWE was finally back in town, and we had a great time. Friday night he picked me up from work, and we went to Albany, which is just northwest of Berkeley. We walked all around the downtown area, then ate at a really good Nepalese restaurant. The thing I had was sort of like a yellow curry and it rocked my world. On our way home from dinner, we spontaneously decided to drive to Bakersfield the next morning. DWE got to meet my brother, sister-in-law, and step-mom, and everyone seemed to like everyone else. And DWE got to see how I'm the loudest, most obnoxious person in my family and how they all make fun of me. And he endeared himself further to my mother by being enthusiastic about playing with Emma (who, I should note, really is a bit calmer and better behaved than her predecessor, Hannah, who is the dog that some of you may have met).
This past Tuesday and/or Thursday was the anniversary of my dad's death (Tuesday if you go by two years to the day, Thursday if you go by date). I didn't end up doing much on either day, even though DWE made an effort to be home on Tuesday night. It was sad, and maybe a bit harder than last year, but it was also nice to spend time thinking about him and telling DWE stories about him. It's kind of amazing that it has been two years already, and it's good to remind myself that I can be sad sometimes but that life still goes happily on.
I guess my semi-big news for the moment is that DWE is planning to quit his job. The reasons why are complex, but can be most easily be summarized as "he is unhappy and frustrated for a variety of reasons, and he thinks that his talents can be of more use somewhere else." (This is more or less how he would summarize the reasons; my summary would be more along the lines of "his boss is a weaselly, smarmy little dick who doesn't deserve all the time and energy that DWE gives him.") The reason that this is big news in my life is that it is entirely possible, if not fairly likely, that DWE will find a new job that is not in the bay area, and if he relocates, so will I (although not before June, when my obligation to my current job ends). It could end up being a big step for us, though, because I told him I wouldn't move unless we are engaged (yes, I'm demanding, but hey, a girl's got to be practical).
I mentioned in my last post that I didn't get to see AK when I was in Oregon because she was poppin' out a baby, so I will close this post with a funny story and a cute picture. AK sent out pictures of her new daughter, KK, but somehow they didn't get sent to me even though they were supposed to. So she wrote to me last week to say hi and see how I liked the "nipple shot." Apparently, when she mass-emailed pictures of her and the baby (and her hubby and her older daughter G, who is looking so grown up and adorable that I can't even stand it) from the hospital, she accidentally sent one where her nipple is hanging out of her hospital gown. She forwarded them to me, and it's pretty hilarious, but lieu of posting her booby on the internet, I will just show you how cute newborn little K is.
Rebel and B being adorable at AB and IB's "grown up" party.
The view of the Hawthorne Bridge from our hotel room on New Year's Eve.