Today marked the delivery of TWO large envelope packages, which is always exciting. Even if you’ve completely initiated whatever order that sends the package your way, I think we can agree that receiving them is universally exciting and heartily patronize the post office whenever possible.

The first package, however, has been in transit for OVER THREE MONTHS. Literally. How in the world could the German and/or American postal services be unable to deliver this, and yet actually keep track of this little bundle for so long?!? Bizarrrre. Thank goodness the artificially sugar-free Halloween candy inside is scientifically incapable of aging. Katie, get ready for your housewarming present! ;)

In other postal news, my electronic attempt to get more fit has resulted in the actual responsibility to start getting up early and jumping around my living room. Let’s hope I don’t pull the muscles required to study… oh wait. Learning and fitness are almost mutually exclusive. Atrophy be banished!

I am very excited to be nearly done with our 2009 taxes. I have enjoyed preparing taxes ever since my first filing in 1999, because it always means a big REFUND and exciting cash flow surge to start the new year off ballin’.

Last year was a kick in the teeth since we actually had to pay Uncle Sam, but the same mistakes were NOT made this year and again we can now look forward to a personal micro-bail-out in the form of another lovely refund. Hooray!

I love me some Turbotax, but the screen above was almost too much to handle. REFUNDABLE DAIRY CREDIT? SENIOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CREDIT?? SEPTIC CREDIT?!??! This is nonsense! This state has some wild tax practices, but I’ll trust the machine and hope that I haven’t missed out on some opportunities to save money.

I hope your own tax process is going well. Cheers to taxation with representation… or something like that.

Yesterday my fell outside and hit and hurt her rearend. She couldn’t be a lunch Lady because of it. She said that she would go to the doctor if the wouldn’t go away in a few days. “

1. I’m moderately concerned about my diction here, given the obvious absence of “mom” in line one and “pain” in line 2. Was I so upset about this that I couldn’t write out those two words, as a sign of weird aphasic empathy for my mom’s severe pain?

2. She must not have been in that much pain given that I don’t remember this incident whatsoever. I do remember one time she fell up a few concrete stairs and got a nasty big shin cut. Good story.

3. GREENERIE TRIVIA: My mother was my husband’s lunch lady during middle school. Mine too. It’s a great sign that she has no recollection of him, because she only remembers the kids who are now incarcerated. Some middleschoolers are just memorable like that.

I spilled a little chicken stirfy on me pantleg this evening, and the ensuing stain was quite a surprise. I hope this is NOT a message from Beyond.

I recently registered for a ginormous exam called “THE BOARDS” that will measure my scientific competence through 400 multiple choice questions. It’s less than four months away. May 19. It’s an expensive way to get a number attached to my name on all future applications for further dental study, since Harvard runs a pass-fail show and there are few ways to differentiate oneself from ones classmates. This study marathon is fully underway, as shown by a 5 hour review session at school that the majority of my class attended in order to thicken our knowledge base further. We are crazy. But, hopefully better off safe than sorry.

Tomorrow Jon and I will embark on a long road to an ACTUAL marathon, by signing up for the 2010 Chicago Marathon. Woot woot! October 10. Having ran cross country in college, I’m pretty much a huge loser for not having run a dozen marathons by now as my beautiful teammates have done, but it’s never too late to try. Jon has one big ten mile run under his belt, and I’ve waddled through a 1/2 marathon before, but this will definitely be the biggest physical challenge we’ve attempted. And, thank goodness, will do so together. :) I’m not always the most patient during a long jog, but this will be a great way to work on that thing called quiet-time-together-talking, which is way too easy to avoid during an average work/school week.

What’s the best way to balance my study stresses AND reconcile winter with fitness? BILLY BLANKS. Just ordered a couple DVDs and look forward to popping them in very soon. The last time I did his workouts in front of a TV screen was with VHS tapes in HIGH SCHOOL, so hopefully this new fancy technology will still get the old heart rate up. I can hardly wait. It’s too soon to tell which obstacle will be more challenging, working out the noggin or the legs, but hopefully I’ll just feel like an overall badass by October 11.

It’s been awhile since last sharing any delectable images. The consumption continues, with slightly stranger items than usual. Tele-enjoy!

“Dear Journal, [date unknown - 1993?]

Yesterday night I went to Plymouth and saw all sorts of ice sculptures. Kim came with me. Her favorite was the sculpture of a horse head. I like the one of a whale with feet sticking out of his mouth. Actually they were all good except I think that was the best.”

Kim and I sound like a couple of vindictive blood-thirsty second graders here, with her preference of the Godfather-esque icy horse head, and mine of the Jonas-didn’t-quite-make-it-out-alive man-eating whale! Where were the sculptures of butterflies and puppies? HMM? Ice sculptures SOUND so innocent, but you really have to second guess the impact such public art has on children. Terrifying.

Am I being selfish to imagine that the removal of limbs might be worth just a few more bones???

GET IT??

Ha!

Ha! Ha!

This is what happens when I stay conscious beyond 11:30pm.

On a more serious note, is this policy void if I become dismembered but don’t also die? Like, that use of “and” is mighty suspicious. I would rest more easily with an “OR” there. Alas.

We officially survived our first encounter with the devilish attractions of Las Vegas. It was a brief trip, but high density and thoroughly exhausting. Apparently I couldn’t be bothered to take many photos, and certainly no documentation as ridiculous as the camera found in “The Hangover”. Unlike that Sin City story, no one in our group was lost, and all teeth remain firmly embedded in their respective jaws.

Quite the view from our room.

Even the flight from Boston had some above average thrills, such as the terrifying announcement, “If there is a doctor or RN on board, please ring your call button!”. AAAAHHH. I immediately shrank in my seat, terrified that if someone didn’t come forward soon then they would start screaming, “If there is an under-qualified and over-tired fake medical student on board, we need you to futilely perform CPR on a hemorrhaging elder!” Thankfully, the crisis was a simple case of pre-party vomiting and blackouts. Such chaos is probably a standard feature on Nevada-bound flights.

Our casino experiences were nowhere near as lucky as our Christmastime Roulette streak, but the rest of the Vegasity was definitely as impressive as hoped for. The Bellagio Buffet, for example, left us satisfied to the point of requiring no further nutrition all day – save for a just-because-it-looks-good gelato and a couple of we’re-losing-so-we-deserve-them free drinks around the slots machines.

The most memorable experience by far was the “O” show by Cirque du Soleil last night. It was overwhelmingly creative and far more thrilling than any meager winnings that came and went while gambling. Boatloads of danger, magic and gymnastic glory, with a surprisingly beautiful soundtrack and inspiring water tricks that made me wish I had taken that one diving class more seriously in 8^th grade.

Overall, it’s definitely time to tone down our hedonistic vacation streak and focus on tapering to more humble local trips this summer, such as hiking and camping around New England. Time to save pennies instead of shoveling them into others’ pockets, and to quietly enjoy nature instead of caging ourselves within crowded, overfed party zones. It’s been fun, but I’m looking forward to embracing the simple things this year.