I'm thrilled to have the chance to move to a larger apartment in a little over a month. Living in an efficiency worked, but has started wearing on me. I will be glad to be sleeping in an actual bed again, instead of on my Ike@ pull-out couch.

Serendipity - it meets all the requirements I verbalized a month or so ago - one bedroom, first floor, dishwasher. Especially happy about the latter.

I was at the presentation of LOTR: The Return of the King with live orchestra and choir tonight. It was amazing; just blew me away. I kept glancing down from the screen and watching the violinists. It was especially exhilarating watching the musicians during the highly dramatic music. Also, the soloists were wonderful, especially the young woman. Her rendition of "Into the West" during the end credits was gorgeous.

This has to be the most epic movie of all time. I remember declaring it my favorite movie after watching it in the theater in 2003. This experience was even better - large screen, HD, excitement from all the fan-boys and fan-girls, live orchestration, and weather. The weather was beautiful, a bit cool, so I was glad I brought my sweater. This was at Wolf Trap, an outdoor venue, though the seating is covered. In one battlefield scene, when Eowyn was comforting her uncle as he died, her hair was blowing in the wind, his hair was blowing in the wind, and so was mine. It was as interesting experience, and I felt more immersed in the movie. People clapped at uplifting parts of the story, and there was a standing ovation at the end of the credits. People were definitely invigorated.

It was a long night. The movie went from 7:30 to 9, had a fifteen minute intermission, and then went to after 11. Then getting out of the parking lots with the hordes of people, though that didn't take as long as I thought it would. And before the movie, I actually ran into someone I knew, an old colleague.

It's now 1 a.m. and I still don't feel like going to sleep. This was a good night, a great birthday present.

Just worked 14 hours on my birthday. I find that rather depressing. At least I had two cards when I got home at 9:30. And three messages on my machine, though I was too tired to call anyone back.

My niece will be born in January. I really thought it would probably be another boy. Of course, I already bought tons of baby clothes on Am@zon and sent them to the parents. It will be fun having a niece! I even know her name already.

I'm getting really extreme with procrastinating my graduate work. And I need it all done by tomorrow. Classes don't officially end until Tuesday, but I'm going out of town. I will be visiting my brother's family in MT with my parents. It will be my only week of vacation - one week between grad courses and starting back for teacher week.

Of course this is all procrastination, too. Must work.

My brother is going to be a dad again - his fiancee is due January 11. Here is my new niece or nephew:




And my nephew R just turned 1 at the end of April.




If it's a boy - that would make 4 (for the mom). Happy either way.