Catch-Up and Christmas Preparations

A little catch-up. If you don't want to read that, skip to the last two paragraphs.

Last Monday, I had a Thanksgiving dinner at the institute with a bunch of Americans (mostly missionaries) and Mike. I wished I'd made the stuffing, but just to have such a big dinner was awesome, and the apple pie was amazing! I can't believe all the work Sister Taylor must have done to turn a pumpkin into filling. (Good thing it was P-Day.)

That night, I went home with that feeling that means you're not going to be doing well the next day. I've been way sick for the last week, with crazy happenings in the sinus area, and a crazy cough that won't stop when I'm in quiet public places. At least I can sleep again. The first three days, I woke up at 3 AM because I couldn't breathe. Now I just don't have enough time to get the recuperative rest I need.

In the peak of my sickness, I hurriedly wrote a paper and sent it to my peers and a professor. Bad idea. When I re-read and then went to hear their opinions, I couldn't believe it myself. Luckily, I used my public disappointment in myself to fuel a lot of good, hard work that has turned it into a paper at least suitable.

I have been Struggling (yes, with a capital S) with formulating what I want to argue in my Master's thesis. Everything I come up with still seems to be descriptive instead of analytical. Help! And I don't feel like I know enough about related theories to really turn in a proposal on the 15th. Needless to say, I'm doing a lot of reading. I wish I'd been at this point several months ago, there's still a lot to learn.

My one source of income at the moment, editing for doctoral students, happens to be on a tight deadline. Yikes. Why now?

PhD apps are coming along, but the troubles with my Master's thesis are making me doubt that I could accomplish such a feat, or they at least make me wonder if I want to try.

On Sunday, I made two awesome loaves of banana bread. I've share several pieces with people and all the rest has been my breakfast and lunch every day. Yummmmy!

One of my favorite sisters left to go home. I was sad to see her go.

Sigh.

Another Christmas without my immediate family. I think about this time of year, we'd be cutting out snowflakes. At least I can do that virtually.

However, I have good news: I will be spending Christmas with my Swiss rellies. I was afraid to ask, but I finally did and they said yes! Also, they live conveniently near where the young single adult get-together for New Years is. Happy birthday to Matt and Kota.