owwww...I am in pain.

It doesn't really matter what kind of pain, but I am in pain right now (of the physical kind), and I am hoping it passes soon. The joys of womanhood.

Anyhoo, I'm also home in Centralia. Daddy's 50th b-day is today (wow), and I'm celebrating with the family. As it turns out, he's not having his official "birthday" party today, he has postponed it for Super Bowl Sunday (which honestly sounds like a better idea, anyway), which he thinks will provide for a more entertaining party. Yep yep.

As for me, yesterday I got up, did some work, and then headed down to STL to hang out with a friend, had a great time, followed by meeting the family in Fairview Heights for dinner-our waiter was hysterical. I have a family of cut-ups, I'm not kidding you. Between my dad's jokes and Lori and Mitch playing their little game of "I hate you more!", me and my mother sometimes just sit there hoping to disappear. And did I mention Jami? Jami is the worst. She's like a female Dan Bolin. She has the quickest wit I've ever seen on a nearly 15-year old. This waiter's name was Ereck, btw (yes, that is the correct spelling), and his name tag simply said "RECK". Jami couldn't get enough of it, and insisted on questioning the waiter, who told her, "Well, the 'RECK' is more indicative of the life I've led so far, so everyone here calls me that." lol.

So that was dinner. I had the scallops wrapped with lobster tails, which were INCREDIBLE! Mmmmm...scallops. After that, I headed home, watched Wednesday night's American Idol, tried watching Apprentice, but ended up passing out. Yep. So that's been my weekend so far...

In other news, school is going amazingly well, I LOVE my classes, esp. my seminar on political elections and campaigns. The thesis is coming along as well. I have a lot of work ahead of me, I'm looking forward to summer, but in a way, I don't want school to end...weird. You only get to be a college student once, after all. I'm going to really miss my friends from school if I end up taking a job outside of Springfield, and heavens knows I'll miss the Chambanites, and all of my friends from home...I'm not thinking about it right now, because nothing is certain. I'm applying for jobs Springfield, with the hopes of finding something incredible, and as for Washington....the verdict is still out. A lot will be decided after I make my journey out there this spring to explore...

That's all for now. More later......