Reading books makes me happy

I love books. I love reading books.

I work all day in a place filled with books. Which means I accumulate them faster than I can read them. My all time high was when I once had 92 books checked out. I never did read them all, I ended up doing a sort of book triage and only reading the ones I really really wanted to. Which was roughly 50 of them.

It hasn't been that bad lately, but it has started to get close. I was down to five (5!!!) books. Okay, really, eight, but two were borrowed from friends and one was purchased, so I really only had five checked out from work. And one of them was a gardening book, which barely even counts! Right.

And then today I went crazy. Book after book after book went into my pile of must-reads. Luckily sanity returned before quitting time and I ended up leaving one at work to read during lunch and brining the other one home.

So now I'm trying to be good and read my "old" books (since they are due in two days!) instead of the shiny new fun one. I'm not sure I have enough willpower left, honestly.

Sometimes I forget

I was talking with a good friend from undergrad today. After we had gotten caught up on her news (she is recently engaged, yay!) and were just chatting, it came up in conversation that Einstein has what is basically a 12 year commitment to the AF (roughly 2 years pre pilot training + 10 years after). I've known this was how it was going to be for a long time-at least the last 2 years, but apparently my friend either a) never knew or b) forgot this little tidbit.

She was shocked. Once she finished choking on her water she said "Are you going to be in (insert city name) for 12 years, then?"

It was my turn to be shocked.

Uhm, no. We will not be here for 12 years (please, God). Another year or so, then 9 months in another locale, and then on to Einstein's "first" "permanent" station. For four years or so. When I told her that in the next twelve years I am planning on moving at least 4-5 times (at least!!!), there was silence. When I reeled off place names of a couple of the bases we would love to be stationed at, she got even quieter.

It was so strange to have someone who I consider a great friend be so ignorant about the basics of the military lifestyle I live and breathe every day. She was shocked that we hoped to move abroad, shocked that I am fine with moving("Can't you just stay if you like it someplace?"), shocked about everything.

And I was shocked to realize that to her way of thinking, the military is just a job. I wonder how many people think like that?

I found a new snack!

I have an addiction to potato chips. It's a little sad, actually. Show me a bag and I have no self control. I'm not an advocate of completely cutting a food out, but I have HAD to do that with chips. Even if I have a little snack bag, the next time I see them I can't resist.

And while I like potato chips in general, I really like chips and dip. Especially French Onion dip. I used to eat an entire bag of chips with one (or two) containers of dip for a meal. Or for all my meals for a day. It was disgusting, and I am glad that I don't do it anymore. Although I have to admit I did have some while Einstein was TDY this last fall, but I ate fruits and veggies too! :-)

At any rate, I found a great new snack that gives me the crunch and the yum of my favorite snack without the calories and greasiness! Whole wheat Ritz crackers with Laughing Cow Light French Onion cheese!! Oh my gosh, I had some this morning and it made my day!!

What is it with spring time?!?

To my Minnesota raised mind, it is very strange indeed to think that March is actually a spring month. But it is! What I really mean by spring, however, is Spring Semester- or at least that time frame, January to May.

For a long, long time (high school for sure, possibly earlier) I have overbooked myself in the spring. Doesn't matter that I have supposedly "learned my lesson" and that I know better- I always end up running around frantically like a chicken with my head cut off, with no time to do anything that needs to get done.

This year is no different. I feel as if I am constantly running from one thing to the next, with a massive list of things left undone trailing behind me like a banner that says "Over-committed! Bad time manager!" I also feel bad because pilot training is completely sucking up Einstein's free time, which means that no one is doing the dishes, laundry or cleaning. And while I don't like living in squalor, I can cope with it. But Einstein has a little Air Force supplied chip in his brain that sees a pile of (clean!) laundry or a floor in need of vacuuming and completely melts down. He can't study in our house. So I struggle to keep things tidy and mostly clean (and he helps a lot, don't get me wrong!) but during the week-especially by Thursday, the house looks like rampaging monsters have hit it.

I think what is really making this spring overbooking harder to deal with than usual is the fact that I don't see an end in sight- at least not until after next spring. But you know what? It will be okay! I will persevere!