You've got to be kidding me!

I had a lovely evening out last night. Despite the overall wonderfulness, I must say that I was shocked (shocked!) by the general disregard for movie theatre etiquette displayed by movie-goers in White Marsh, MD.

We went to see The Lovely Bones -- Stanley Tucci's turn as a completely disturbing (is there any other kind?) serial killer. The movie was well-made, and I think I would've possibly enjoyed the performances, except for the ridiculous crowd.

Teenagers. Boatloads of teenagers -- the worst of whom were escorted out of the theater before the show started -- who apparently had nothing better to do on a cold Saturday night in January but sit in a movie theater, and demonstrate the fact that they clearly were raised without manners.

It did, to their credit, make a potentially scary movie less scary -- but it also was a generally disappointing commentary on 'kids today' -- and their parents, for that matter. Note to self: maybe the polite people go to matinees ...

Feeling sad.

Sometimes, being a grown-up and a professional means doing things that make you unhappy. Today was one of those days, and since specifics wouldn't be prudent, suffice to say that I'm really not as much of a bitch as people think, and having to make decisions that affect other people's lives is never easy or comfortable.

Two things that made me happy today, though:

- finding out that Virginia does not have an open container law. Just in case you needed to know. (I believe the appropriate response to that is, 'What *don't* you know?')

- eating a Cara Cara orange. They're pink, and really quite delicious.

New Year's resolutions?

To make or not to make ... that is always my question. My training in behavior analysis tells me that New Year's resolutions are about as realistic as winning the lottery -- but my romantic side says, hey: someone's gotta win, right?

So, while I'm sitting here, listening to the wind howl, I've given it a little thought, and come up with a bit of a list. A few are easy, and not even really resolutions, like doing the 3-Day in October again (and praying for sunny skies), and walking another 1000 miles, in preparation for the 3-Day.

Another is silly, and at 30 years old (almost 31, good grief ... ), I should've mastered this by now: I'm resolving to take my thyroid medicine every day. I know, I know -- how hard is that, really? -- but, well, there it is.

But, it's my biggest resolution that's by far the most exciting -- I'm resolving to venture into that very serious and grown-up arena known as home-ownership. Yup, that's right -- I'm going to buy a house. Me, myself. Bring on the ugly wallpaper and bad carpet and retro-tiled bathrooms and cottage-cheese ceilings, I am up for the challenge.

In the meantime, I'm getting my financial ducks in a row, making a list of non-negotiables and nice-to-haves, and hoping that whatever new place I find will be a little better insulated than my current abode. So long, waking up in a 62 degree bedroom! Farewell, frozen toes! (And tomorrow, I'll be hitting the Lowe's for some plastic window insulation sheets ... )