Work has been my life the last week or so. Woopideedoo. Today I was even helping with a "retreat" which ended up being pretty fun, especially the part where Monice brought cupcakes--my fave lavender frosting--from Cupcake Royale. Yum! I'm helping to redesign a seminar class, and I led the first session with the course TA this week, too. I like doing new things and improving existing programs, so this felt rewarding, especially since the students seemed to enjoy it so much.

This week I'm off to the Grace Hopper Conference in Keystone. I always enjoy this conference, so I'm looking forward to going again this year. It looks like the weather is going to be mild and warm. We're staying at the Keystone Lodge & Spa, which looks cushy and nice. While I'd *love* to fit in a massage to relax my slightly stressed self, I think what I'll be able to manage is squeezing in some gym time. That's ok too.

I guess.

I started tutoring again last week, and I absolutely love it. I didn't feel like going this time because of everything else going on, but once I got there, I totally became absorbed in working with the kids. They are so cute and animated and challenging. The center doesn't have much money, but it's so well run and has a great, friendly vibe. And, can I say that it's just so cool looking through the kids' textbooks? It takes me back--the look, the smell, the font type, the examples. It's all so familiar and comforting in a strange, nostalgic way.

My family is getting together for a Polar Express adventure in Mt. Hood in mid-November (uh ya, I'm sure you all know this isn't really my thing, but I'm looking forward to time with the fam), and I think I'm going to take a few days before to visit my lovely "twin" in Las Vegas. I'm super excited to see her and talk about, well, everything, but in particular for me, Israel. She and I are so much on the same spiritual wavelength that I'm practically bursting with all I want to share about the trip and my experiences. She just gets it. Only an in-person conversation will do. I can hardly wait!

I'm involved in a strange obsession with the PCC by my house. I end up visiting it a few times a week. A) It's a hotbed of cute boys, so the eye candy is plentiful. Somehow I usually end up having little chats with some of them by the cheese. I don't know what that's about. Why the cheese? 2) For a person who's trying to eat locally grown, organic, vegetarian/vegan food, there are so many options! I've bought delicious soups, avocados, fake "meat", vegenaise (a hundred times better than mayo), vegan cookies from the bakery (so delicious), soy pudding and ice cream, etc. I'm also really into making thai spring rolls, and they sell the hard to find rice wrappers. This is fun.

Something else that is fun is now owning the Sex and the City movie. :)

More soon from the GHC, I'm sure.

- Megan R.