This is a post both sad and yet triumphant.
The sadness is because---I don't think I said it here yet---but my Aunt J. died of cancer in October. When we talk about people having hearts of gold, well, she had one. This isn't to say she was perfect (she had some views, particularly political ones and particularly views about the Arab world, that were a bit unpleasant). However, she was also a thoughtful, generous, supportive woman, with a love for poetry and books and cats and travel. When I think of people I want to be like, she's on my list. Suffice to say that I miss her, and think of her often, and am only glad that she's no longer suffering from her disease.
As I said, she was a generous and supportive woman. For most of my life, that support came in letters---she wanted to read my poetry, wanted to know about my schoolwork, called me "her scholar". In the last year, though, she also gave me some financial support. Part of it was in the form of a rather large cash gift, which went partly into paying off loan interest and partly into my emergency fund. As it turns out, she also left me an insurance policy from her days as an Army nurse.
Because of said policy, I have now been able to pay off all the interest on my Key loan (yes, all $2652.50 remaining interest), with some to spare for the emergency fund. It's difficult to describe exactly how much weight is lifted off me with that paid off. It's not going to capitalize; I can easily pay the $50 a month that accumulates; I am that much more freed from debt.
And so, I'm grateful.
26 November 2012
15 November 2012
A long overdue roundup (Thursday)
Again, I've not posted in ages, like a bad, bad person. In my defense, I've been travelling like a madwoman---a week and a half with my parents, a week and a half with N., four days in Spain, and now five days here in the UK. It's been quite busy.
A rundown of things (and hopefully a more detailed travelogue will follow):
1. Afghan: My hands are feeling better, but I'm so far from my yarn. ;_; I'm looking forward to getting back to it.
13. New dish: I made a squash soup with sage and thyme while at Nick's. It's not a really new thing for me---I've made squash soup before---but the exact recipe was new, off of Smitten Kitchen. It wasn't my favorite soup I've ever made, but I also forgot the cumin, so perhaps I'll try it again some time.
15. Key interest is still under $3000, at least. I should be getting a big chunk of money some time soon, which I will probably most put towards that, but I'm not counting on it yet.
21/22. Fruits and veggies: I've been kind of average recently---not a great job of keeping track of the noms, but not super horrible, either. I was exercising with C. quite a bit before leaving for this trip, but have been travelling and therefore my only exercise is from walking (which has been not bad at least). The most fun thing about this is that I started a walking challenge at Walker Tracker with a few folks, which has been really fun. I'm 4th out of 15 people, although I suspect several of those people have given up on updating. Still! I'm over the goal I'm trying to meet, which is 7k a day, and that pleases me. I'd love to be able to get it up to 10k, though. I'd feel very nice about that.
25/26. Skin and teeth are going pretty well, though I need to remember to set up an appointment to get my damn wisdom tooth out. :(
29. I've been better about contacting Mum and Dad, though still not perfect.
37/45. Utter fail on language practice and Lang-8. So sad.
40. I've completed my Goodreads for this year already! (Actually, I did this at the end of October. I've been reading like mad this year.)
61/62. I went on a lovely hike over the moors with W. the other day (to be recounted in more detail in a later entry). It was incredibly pleasant. I'd also been biking more, what with trying to bike to school. I'm really hoping to just be more active this year---I feel like utter shite whenever I'm just doing school stuff ALL the time.
84. I AM IN THE UK RIGHT NOW OMG. More later.
91. I've been to enough conferences this year---been to the (Mis)match workshop in Berlin, plus the workshop I just presented at in Spain. And now, for the Annual Meeting in January!
So, things are not looking too terribly desperate right now, although of course I'm freaking out over my dissertation and the job hunt. I'll ignore that now, though, and think of doing Other Things with life. :)
A rundown of things (and hopefully a more detailed travelogue will follow):
1. Afghan: My hands are feeling better, but I'm so far from my yarn. ;_; I'm looking forward to getting back to it.
13. New dish: I made a squash soup with sage and thyme while at Nick's. It's not a really new thing for me---I've made squash soup before---but the exact recipe was new, off of Smitten Kitchen. It wasn't my favorite soup I've ever made, but I also forgot the cumin, so perhaps I'll try it again some time.
15. Key interest is still under $3000, at least. I should be getting a big chunk of money some time soon, which I will probably most put towards that, but I'm not counting on it yet.
21/22. Fruits and veggies: I've been kind of average recently---not a great job of keeping track of the noms, but not super horrible, either. I was exercising with C. quite a bit before leaving for this trip, but have been travelling and therefore my only exercise is from walking (which has been not bad at least). The most fun thing about this is that I started a walking challenge at Walker Tracker with a few folks, which has been really fun. I'm 4th out of 15 people, although I suspect several of those people have given up on updating. Still! I'm over the goal I'm trying to meet, which is 7k a day, and that pleases me. I'd love to be able to get it up to 10k, though. I'd feel very nice about that.
25/26. Skin and teeth are going pretty well, though I need to remember to set up an appointment to get my damn wisdom tooth out. :(
29. I've been better about contacting Mum and Dad, though still not perfect.
37/45. Utter fail on language practice and Lang-8. So sad.
40. I've completed my Goodreads for this year already! (Actually, I did this at the end of October. I've been reading like mad this year.)
61/62. I went on a lovely hike over the moors with W. the other day (to be recounted in more detail in a later entry). It was incredibly pleasant. I'd also been biking more, what with trying to bike to school. I'm really hoping to just be more active this year---I feel like utter shite whenever I'm just doing school stuff ALL the time.
84. I AM IN THE UK RIGHT NOW OMG. More later.
91. I've been to enough conferences this year---been to the (Mis)match workshop in Berlin, plus the workshop I just presented at in Spain. And now, for the Annual Meeting in January!
So, things are not looking too terribly desperate right now, although of course I'm freaking out over my dissertation and the job hunt. I'll ignore that now, though, and think of doing Other Things with life. :)
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