Class was good last night. Long, but good. We ran over nearly 30 minutes, which may not seem like much, but when we're talking 8:30 in the evening, and looking at not actually arriving home until 9:15, it can make for a long day. Still, it was good. I got a lot of ideas from work shopping the two classmates' stories (and I imagine they did, too), as well as from the discussion we had on the two stories from the book ("The Things They Carried" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find"). While I'm still not entirely sure where I'm going to go with my own story, I do have a few more ideas to present and see if they work or not.

On the Home Front, I've given up on the idea of using the Q-bits for my bedroom furniture, and instead have decided to purchase the Vestby bedside table and matching dresser from IKEA. I might even go with this awesome bed, even though it sort-of reminds me of something you'd see lined up in the sterile, sparsely furnished wards of a sanitarium filled with moaning, screaming crazy people. Or something. Anyway, I've ordered the bedside table, and will hopefully get that soon, so I can see whether I like it or not before ordering the whole set. I had already ordered one two-drawer Q-bit and a box of the faux brushed nickel feet, and can't cancel the order now (even though they haven't even shipped yet, and aren't scheduled to arrive at my door until February 16), so I haven't decided what to do about that. I have, however, decided against repainting my room. For now.

I can't believe it's almost February already! When I look at my calendar, my eyes automatically land on a day in the middle of the month (the 14th or 15th), and I have to force them to move down to the bottom of the calender to see there's only two days left in January. Wow.

I have way too many things on my "To Do" list right now, and no time in which to actually do them.

1. I need to get my car Jiffy Lubed. I was supposed to do this almost 6,000 miles ago, but I keep putting it off.

2. I need to put money in my IRA. Preferably before I spend it all.

3. I need to pay a visit to Miz Blondie at California Blonde and see if any of my stuff has sold (or not).

4. I need to return the extra book I bought for class to Borders.

5. I need to finish "Clean Sweep"ing my bedroom so I can start having some fun on my weekends, and maybe start going places other than Home Depot!

6. I need to finish Animal Farm before my friend Jewel comes up here and kicks my lazy butt!

7. I need to write a short story to share with the class sometime over the next couple weeks.

8. I need to get rid of this headache, lose about 50 pounds, sell more junk . . . er, I mean, really cool stuff, on Ebay and to secondspin.com, get a pedicure, pay my bills, make an appointment with the allergist, watch Pirates of the Caribbean and Freaky Friday so I can return them to Netflix and get more movies, do some stamping, go to the beach, wash my filthy car, and, most importantly of all, get about 20 billion hours of sleep because I'm so darn tired!!!

Reading: You've Got to Read This ed. by Ron Hansen. This week's stories are "Goodbye, My Brother" by John Cheever, and "Paper Garden" by Jerome Wilson, as well as three short stories submitted by classmates.

Classic Book: Animal Farm by George Orwell. (I will be finished with AF by this weekend, Jewel, I promise!! We can start The Pickwick Papers Sunday or Monday. Promise!!!)

Listening to: Nothing.

Writing: Working on "False Memories." For now. I'm still thinking I should try to come up with something else. I have plenty of time. Three people volunteered to bring stories in for next week. I was going to volunteer this week, honest, but they just beat me to it. Really!

Gratitude: It's almost Friday.