Random Bits and Pieces

So it's a new year. So far it isn't proving to be much better than the last one, though it has potential, and I think I can safely say that 2008 was the worst year of my life thusfar.

Yesterday I took a ballet class! I even made it all the way through! My calves are really sore now though. I decided that I will slack off no longer. I will hold myself to the same standards of work ethic as all the other aspiring dancers in the class, and strive to improve technically and artistically, and not to judge my body but let it be what it is, and let God make it what it needs to be to accomplish his purposes.

I talked to Dan a couple days ago, which accomplished two very good things. Firstly, he is no longer mad at me or bitter towards me (unless it is a very little bit) and secondly he made it clear that he does not want to be in a relationship with me, and that I need to move on. Ouch, yes, but I think this rejection will be very good for me in the long term; it will help dissuade the "maybe if I..." notions. We decided against the "no talking ever" rule, but we will only call each other infrequetly, when we "need" to, and if we see each other, it will only be as part of a group. I think that should work well.

Speaking of work, I think I've cursed Saturday Night business at Victoria's. Typically, it is after 8:30 by the time all the people lined up on the benches waiting for a table have been seated. Last Saturday I had only two tables, and we closed early. In fact, every Saturday since the beginning of December has been slow. Every one, that is, except for the one I wasn't there for. Anyway, I gave away my shift tomorrow night so I can spend time with the Ribbens, who are coming to visit from Door County. Maybe everyone else can make some money now.
Really, I know that the drop in business has more to do with the post-Christmas frugality, the current economic climate, and the snow storms than anything else. Every other shift I've worked this week has been slow too. Yesterday in fact I had a net loss on my shift; the $6.35 I earned in tips from my two tables wasn't enough to cover my $3.61 lunch and my $5 parking ticket. Which I still have to pay...

Today was actually a pretty good day though. I saw Heidi twice; first I went to her house to watch dance videos, and then later she came over for dinner (kind-of), and we went to Crossing, the young adult group at Christ the Rock. She let me dump my feelings on her on the car ride home, and I must say, it was really nice to do so. It was a piece of that human connection that I crave so dearly right now. And Heidi's a really good listener. Heidi is an overall really good friend.

I had a lot of fun at the mall today. I spent about two hours looking for a cross necklace, (because after it's being on my wishlist for two years with no results, I decided it was time to buy it for myself). It was a bit lonely, especially since I have had no associations with fine jewelry other than from Dan, but I'm going to have to get used to lonely I suppose. The salespeople were nice, funnily enough the nicest ones were the ones I ended up buying from. I took three home, planning to return two of them, though perhaps I'll end up returning them all in the end.