Aqua Regia

Or rather, a lack thereof. I totally didn't get back into writing during my November. Something between a lack of motivation and time ended up being my downfall, I think. Barely cracked a thousand words.

Thanksgiving was really nice, though. The forces of the universe must have all been in harmony, because I had Thursday through Monday off (five days total!), and it was really awesome. Did some shopping on Black Friday, but ended up spending more on Amazon and the Matty Collector Cyber Monday sale (Battle Cat is MINE). Still, it was great to spend the time just browsing around with my family and enjoying the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

I got a Christmas tree in Target (before Thanksgiving!) and now have it proudly set up with a few ornaments. Others should be hung this weekend when I have a bit more time. Just having the lights on really cheers me up after a long day at work, though! Ah, I'm such a sucker for all things Christmas.

Speaking of which, let me know if you want a Christmas card! I'm going to be working on them this weekend.

This is the first Christmas season that I've really spent away from home (not counting last year on my rotations when I went home every weekend), and I really miss the little things, like Mom making cookies and decorating the tree together. Watching Christmas specials or just enjoying the lights of the tree with a hot drink. I've got a few days off coming up in the middle of a week, and I think I'm going to go home and just try to soak up a little of that Christmas spirit that feels somehow lacking so far this year.

In other news, toys shopping in my new town was abysmal until a little while ago when I found not only the Wal-Mart exclusive DCUC Zatanna and Kamandi, but the Monster High plush Deuce and Cleo as well! I was so excited to FINALLY find something I'd been looking for actually in my area. If only I could snag a set of the Gloom Beach dolls. Though I did find out that a TRU Express opened up in the outlets just down the freeway from me, so I'm planning to check them on Monday and see if they've got the new MOTU Classics 2 packs or the new Fashionista Kens.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. These 10:30 to 9:00 days are really draining me; they're just so insufferably long and it feels as though they take up my entire day.

Wow, I've been meaning to update ever since Monday night, but obviously got run over by the Thanksgiving laziness train.

To start off, my Practicum went well on Monday. I practiced the four possibilities (blood pressure, smoking cessation, inhalers, and drug consultation) with two different groups of people from about one until close to seven. I was having a some problems hearing the top number on blood pressure, and REALLY didn't want to get it the next day. So of course, you know what I ended up getting for the Practicum. It was hard using their "two-headed" stethoscopes (one bell and two sets of earpieces: one for you, and one for the proctor), and different BP cuffs from the one I was accustomed to using. I heard so many weird extra sounds...-_- And I walked out of that room just certain that I'd failed. But thankfully, I didn't get the 6:00 pm email tell me I had to retest, so you can imagine the total relief. ^____^

Tuesday and Wednesday were spent attempting to do work, but failing miserably (especially after Nick came home!) Thanksgiving was nice: we went to my cousin's house for the first time. It was a little weird not having anything at our house, but it sure was nice to not have to do a major clean-up either! XD It was certainly ones of the nicest Thanksgivings is recent memories. Except that Dad has been laid low by some sort of flu/cold/bad cough bug, and stayed home to sleep it off. I've felt my throat getting a little scratchy, but have been taking Zicam pretty regularly (which seems to be holding it at bay - I can't afford to get sick right before finals again!).

Due to a lack of cash, I wasn't really planning on going out on Black Friday unless there was something that I really wanted at an incredible price. How foolish of me. We (including Nick, a very sick Dad and a reluctant Mom) started off at 6:00 at Staples, where I picked up a 256-CD/DVD binder and a pack of burnable DVDs for great prices. Staples is always a mad house, because nobody knows where the deals are going to be. XD But it's tradition that we start there every year, and so we do. We hopped over to Target for a few minutes afterward, where I picked up Spider-Man 2, Eragon, and the 300 2-Disc special edition for under $6 each. Then Dad and Mom picked up a few things in Lowe's and we made a pit-stop at Panera Bread for nourishment and coffee before heading into Stockton. We started at Circuit City (longest lines ever!) where I was able to get The Illusionist, Spider-Man 1, and Season 2 of Smallville. Ah, I love DVD bargains. :D
The rest of the day, I didn't buy anything else (though I was sorely tempted by the $5 Labyrinth in Best Buy!) due to still not having a job (which I may need to do something about shortly).

Anyway, Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you are all very blessed. :)