I need a nanny

It's not that I've come to doubt at all my decision to go to grad school, it's just that I can now understand why a person would not want to do it. I'm keeping up with my school work just fine, but it is a constant race, and there's not much free time in my schedule, especially during the week, to pursue my own interests.

Fortunately, the weeks move quickly. Monday was a billion years ago, or so it seems. I have a short paper to write tonight, after stats lab gets out at 8pm, and a long list of work to catch up on for the weekend.

Still, it beats a lot of things.

Now that we're on the tail end of October and turning straight into November -- ugh, November, I'm feeling an urge to spend as much time outside as possible. There's still more than a few brightly colored trees out, yet the decks around my house need to be swept about every other day. We've built a few fires in the fireplace by now, and are starting to discuss stocking up on firewood for the winter.

It's no wonder we concentrate our holidays in the winter months. I'm excited that sweater-weather is finally here, and looking forward even more to coat weather, but not oppressively dark evenings, not missing out on all daylight hours because of a full-day's schedule. Fall is too short of a season, we should at least be able to get one more month out of it. Let's cut November and have a second October. We can have Thanksgiving still. We could call it Halloween II and dress up like turkeys and cranberry sauce.

Last night I phoned in a bill payment to ensure that our internet would not be cut off at the house. I can't seem to make time to take care of my basic life necessities -- I need a nanny. I can't even prepare my meals anymore. I'm running out of cash. I forget to go to bed. I certainly don't make my bed (though I've never been in the habit, so why should I be now?). The kitty litter needs to be changed. I haven't painted in... oof. I don't want to think about it. My calendar project is behind schedule.

But, all the same, it's the last day of October, it's Halloween, and I'm in a good mood, if a little tired this late in the evening. I like the cooler temperatures this year. I like the little refreshing jolt of chilled air when stepping out into a dark morning, coffee cup in one hand, car keys in the other. And though I miss friends and have suddenly (inexplicably) started referring to Cincinnati as 'back home,' I know nice people here. I'm comfortable in this town.