November Rain

Raleigh continues to be an unusually wet place considering its reputation as a drought hot spot.

My upstairs neighbor has a knack for finding all the floor boards in my ceiling that squeek when they bear weight. And he shifts his weight on... and he shifts his weight off... squeek-a screetch!

I can't seem to muster up more than twenty minutes of energy to do anything besides eating or watching TV.

The Christmas card is going to be a little late this year.

My breath smells like pesto. It's not a disease; I ate pesto for dinner.

If I had to play football in a driving rain, I'd probably suck at it too. Actually, I'm sure I would suck at it anyway. I know me.

I haven't shaved in over three days.

The Thanksgiving trip was fun. The following two nights of 10-12 hours of sleep were also fun. Getting a sore throat... not so fun.

My heat seems to be on more than makes sense for how cold it's not outside.

Axl Rose is still not my hero.

The one in which Paul passes his LEED exam and prepares to visit Massachusetts

So the big news, and one of very few highlights of my time since moving to Raleigh, is that I passed my LEED exam last Tuesday. For those who may not be "in the know" on architecture-related credentials, this is one that says I know how to guide a project through the LEED Green Building rating system, which is basically the foremost standard for rating the sustainability of building projects. Having this credential may not be particularly relevant in my day-to-day work, but certainly it is a credential that employers (including my own) believe is valuable, enough that some require it to be considered for employment. So, with that exam out of the way, I can begin to focus on the ARE exams (for licensure). But first, perhaps a few weeks of breaking from studying...

I have my first substantial time off from work this coming week--all week, in fact. I've always liked to take Thanksgiving week off from work because I can be thrifty with vacation days. That's especially important when you start a job in July and are given barely a week of vacation days for the rest of the year. I'm still feeling very unmotivated and dissatisfied at work, too, so hopefully a week of seeing friends and family from back home and eating and drinking copiously will put me in the right frame of mind for enjoying life a little more. Or perhaps it will so drastically contrast with my life in Raleigh that I won't want to go back?

Four months and counting

November 1 was my four monthiversary here in North Carolina. I'm not sure if that should feel like a long time or a short time... depending on the situation, it could feel one or the other. I still don't know many people here in town (short time), but I've already been here longer than some folks I've met (long time). My car is beginning to commute itself to work (long time), but I'm still anxious about the I-40 traffic (short time). I still feel like a newbie at work (short time) and yet I had a laundry list of complaints at my 3-month work review that would suggest a seasoned disgruntlement (long time). Not a girl, not yet a woman, as I guess Britney Spears would say. I at least think the deer-in-the-headlights phase is passing. Slowly.

No grand promenade around Raleigh today, though the weather was (allegedly) perfect; I made a pact with myself that I would do all my chores and errands yesterday and focus on LEED exam studying today--I've only opened my door twice (once for the paper, once for the Obama greeters). I took a practice test today and didn't do great, although doing badly was the point--figuring out where the gaps are in my knowledge. I have just over two weeks of studying left, and though I feel like some of the information is starting to settle into the synapses, I'm unsure of my ability to master the knowledge in time. It would be a costly failure ($300), embarassing considering all the people who know I'm taking it, and a big confidence deflater at a time when I'm not brimming with it already, but... well, no one's life (or livelihood) depends on it. I'm not angling for a career as a sustainability consultant. But it sure will be tough heading into seven registration exams already in the hole.

I'm still eager for things to settle down. Thought I'm very excited about the election on Tuesday, I can't wait for it to be over and to know what we have to deal with for the next four years. I can't wait for the construction at our office to be done so I can actually concentrate on my job and--perhaps--do well at it. New things are on the horizon, though--possible business trip to Cambridge, then back again for Thanksgiving two weeks later; the exam; scheduling the next exams; deadlines; gift shopping; tons of birthdays to remember...

Thank goodness I'm not following any sports, or I would run out of brain.