Well, it�s that time of year again! How are you all doing? From those of you I�ve heard from already, I�m glad mostly everything is going well; everyone is so busy nowadays! I suppose I am too - days go by so fast, but sometimes things seem to drag.
This year has been less exciting than say, last year, when I got to go to Japan, but exciting enough in its own way.
I found out recently that I will be graduating from college in the spring of next year (�04) for sure. I will have a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics with a minor in Foreign Languages. The next question is, of course, then what?? Well, I�m not sure yet. I�ve thought about a few different options such as going to Japan to teach English for a year or two, but then I�m not sure if I want to be gone for that long. I�ve even looked into the Peace Corps and went to one of their information presentation here in town, but they want people with volunteering experience - something I don�t have right now. Ugh! It seems like institutions and businesses want so much from one person - to get a job one needs experience, to get experience one needs qualifications, to get those, one needs education, etc. etc. etc.! It�s kinda mind boggling, but I�m figuring it out. More and more people have been telling me lately that I should just go on to graduate school. Ahh! I�m so tired of writing papers! My senior seminar class burned me out on papers last spring. My "professor" was a complete witch and we just seemed to butt heads the entire semester. It was the only class I needed for my major that I got a C in. But at least I passed. One of my classmates that had been in all of my linguistic classes actually dropped that class because of the teacher, which is a shame because that class only comes around every other year.
Anyway, enough about school. In July, I went with mom and Don down to Seward and took a half-day cruise down to the Gulf of Alaska and back up the bay. It was a beautiful day in Seward, probably one of the only non-rainy days they had! We were really lucky and saw 2 or 3 humpback whales in the gulf as well. They sneakily came up for a breath of air, then dove deep and disappeared. But it was awesome to see. We also went to the Sea life aquarium that they have in Seward and spent hours watching sea lions and other sea life that they have there.
In August, I took a couple weeks off work to visit my best friend Angela, who now lives in Spokane, WA. with her husband, who�s in the Air Force. She has a 1-year-old daughter named Makayla, so I got to be there for her 1st birthday party. In October, I found out that my friend is now pregnant again and due in June! So I�m going to go down there when she�s due to see the new baby. I guess they�re the closest to nieces and nephews as I can get, so I like to buy Makayla presents and I have a ton of pictures of her in my room. Plus, I really like kids at the age when they just begin to learn how to talk. It�s kinda made me wonder if I should get a job at a preschool or something. Yet another option to consider.. *sigh*
The closest things I have to kids right now are my pets. I still have a pair of gerbils, which refuse to give me grandbabies (they�re so cute when they�re babies!) and my new baby, a 7" Oranda goldfish that�s about a year old. His tank sits next to my computer, so I see him a lot! I bought him when he was only about an inch long, and have gone through two tank sizes, and I think he�s still growing!
Ah, the life of a single college girl, huh? I have to amuse myself somehow!! But I like it this way for now. I�m enjoying the freedom and lack of strings in my life. All of my friends are either married or moved away to be with someone, so I�ve come to enjoy staying at home with mom and Don in the evenings. I keep dreaming of owning my own home, but then keep thinking, But I�d be here all the time!! Oh well.. There�s still time!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and takes advantage of the coming New Year! I love you all - Happy Holidays!

Love,