Yay for me!

So much good news!

First, and most important, tomorrow will mark two weeks that I have been diet coke free.

I estimate I have saved $15 (at least).  If I remain d.c. free for the whole year, I will likely have saved about $1,000. But I'm also betting that I will lose that tenacious 20 lbs. I do still have a nagging headache, even two weeks later. Ibuprofen doesn't help. I remember 14 years ago, when I gave up coffee, the headache lasted about 2 months. So, I'm looking forward to March.

Second bit of big news: It looks like I have earned promotion and tenure at OSU! It's not certain until July, when the Board of Trustees votes, but I've been told that their vote is a rubber stamp, and that the letter I received from my dean yesterday is the clincher. It's not official until October 2012, when I earn both the raise and the title of Associate Professor.

And yes, you read the above correctly. It's more important to me that I've been diet coke free than that I now have a job jor life. I think the first is going to go a long way to lengthening my life and second to shortening it.

I'm a happy camper today!

Do I Miss 2011?

Not really.

If cortisol really causes belly fat and stress creates cortisol then that has to be why I grew a paunch this year. 2011 was 'tenure year.' I'm still waiting to hear if it was successful. My only resolution is to get rid of that daggone paunch, whether I lose weight or not.

On the other hand, 2011 will be fondly remembered as the last year of toddlerhood for my precious BonnieBlue. She is just so 'grown up' now. Today, she wore jeans for the first time (since she was 20 or so months) because her friends were wearing belts, and so she wanted to wear her belt. And so it begins. She just looks so darn mature in those jeans and snazzy, sparkly belt. I miss my baby.

Well, it's a new year and I have a list a mile long to get started on as far as quilting projects, household to-dos, and of course, work projects. And I have to figure out what where we're going to send BonnieBlue for Kindergarten. Already!

I guess I should start by taking down the Christmas decorations.

I shall do that now. But I leave you with this sentiment:

HAPPY