Monday

Just a list of the things I want to say today:

1. I got a new roommate. My friend Eric moved in on Friday night. This will thankfully add more than $1K to my monthly budget, and when you balance that with the fact that I truly love Eric, I clearly come out way ahead.
2. I had some new storage shelves built in my laundry room and it's as if I suddenly have plenty of room to hoard pointless material things. Not that I will, but I can.
3. Andrew is coming to visit in one month.
4. I may be buying another house in Tahoe as an investment together with my friend Nicole.
5. I am taking my niece Renee and our family friend Erin to Tahoe this weekend. They are both 16. I've been taking Renee snowboarding since she was 11 and we always have a fun (but challenging) time together. This tradition has been the one thing that keeps us close since Renee lives in Phoenix. It's wonderful watching her grow up. I'm really proud of her. However, I am also watching for signs that the neglect she suffered for years under drug-addicted parents have affected her self-esteem.
6. I was one of 3 chaperones for my niece Erika's 13th birthday slumber party at a local hotel on Saturday night. It was grueling. My one chaperone moment was when I heard one girl say: I weigh too god-damn much. I said "you need to watch your language, young lady." She said "Oh." Aren't I tough? Oh yeah, I also prank-called the girls, told them I was hotel security and that they were being too loud...totally fooled them...they were pretty well-behaved overall.
7. Yesterday I cooked some healthy food so that I would have it to eat all week. I'm totally eating vegetables these days: broccoli, snow peas, asparagus, red peppers, carrots, and onions all went into the three recipes I made.
8. I want to make note of the fact that there is a number 8 but I can't talk about it yet. Too fresh.