Procrastination Catches Up

so, i've been putting off this whole presentation/paper thing pretty much since i got back from spain way back in september. i can't really say that it snuck up on me, but really, where did the time go? my presentation about my maine project is friday! as in three days from now! and my paper is due in a week! and i haven't started it yet! like, i don't even have any references!

i did manage to get the backbone of my presentation done last night. it only took about an hour. it's only a 10(ish) minute presentation, after all. i have 17 slides. now i'm trying to compile some references and fill out all the parts where i just made notes for myself. like ADD REFERENCE or MAP or PHOTO or just random words to remind me what i wanted to put on that slide. so far, i've dug up three or four papers that i already had in the file boxes in my office at home.

i've also been hella pissed at my dsl modem, which keeps randomly crapping out on me. for the most part, i really love my dsl, but it's a good thing i can still use the dial-up when i need to. for the last few days, my dsl modem just refuses to work at the most random and inopportune moments. and no matter what troubleshooting techniques i try, it just refuses to be fixed... until i check again in a few hours and it's magically better for a couple of hours. then it craps out again. the little dsl light just flashes and the stupid thing keeps thinking the cables aren't connected, even though i know they are, 'cause i haven't changed anything in the three months since we got it. a technician is coming out tomorrow to check it out. but just you wait and see, it will work like a charm for the tech and he'll think i'm on crack. then as soon as he steps out the door and i try to check my email it will start that evil flashing again. stupid dsl light, why can't you just be solid green? why do you insist on flashing? at least it's working for now.

so, i cooked thanksgiving dinner for the very first time this year, and i have to say that it was a brilliant success. who knew i could cook? the turkey was lovely and brown and perfect, and i picked a really tasty (and easy) dressing recipe from the food network site, and i made mashed potatoes (like, a ton of 'em) and gravy (my 1st attempt at gravy - it probably could have been better) and green beans and apple pie and cranberry sauce from a can. i had tons of leftovers.

i didn't go shopping on black friday (does anyone know why they call it that, btw?), though i was tempted. then i decided that it wasn't worth waking up that early. the only thing i was really interested in was an mp3 player that was way cheap and a 1GB flash drive that was also way cheap from walmart. but walmart the day after thanksgiving is scary. and i ended up getting a flash drive for, like, 87 cents more than walmart's 5 am sale price at best buy on saturday. i was excited. it had a $35 instant rebate, so i was way excited. chad and i also bought a wireless router (so i'm not chained to the office when i wanna surf the net on my spiffy laptop), which i can't use until i figure what the hell is up with my frickin' modem.

i did hit the mall on monday afternoon for a little christmas shopping. i had some coupons that needed to be used before december 4th ('cause they were for 30% off my entire purchase, and who wants to waste that? 30% off one item, i can let that go. but off everything? i can't pass it up, especially when everything is on sale anyway). first i hit up new york and co. (complete with giant mcdreamy and meredith in the window), where i scored HUGE. i bought 2 sweaters (BOGO 1/2 off), a pair of sweet gray cords ($10 off), and some earrings (50% off), then i got 15% off everything for opening a credit acct (i can't believe i didn't already have one there, actually. i shop there a lot), THEN i got my 30% off THAT. so i saved, like $35 just from the 15% and 30% off discounts, on top of the money the sales took off. all together, i think i saved about $68. i only spent $50. i went back later and bought some socks and a scarf and glove set for my granny.

after NY&Co. i spent quite a bit of $ in bath and body works. most of it was on christmas presents. i got $15 off in there, too, so i was happy. i bought four gift sets in there for my female family members (including the mother-in-law. chad thought it was sweet of me). i was tempted to buy some of the 3 for $10 soaps and lotions, but i didn't... mainly because i stocked up last week when they were 4 for $10.

finally, i went in victoria's secret (i got $10 off in there, plus everything i bought was on sale). i got another gift set... but it was for myself. dream angels desire. i like it a lot (i knew that already, 'cause i got a free teeny bottle of the perfume a couple of weeks ago). i also bought some lip gloss... which was of course on sale. ooh! and i got a free eye shadow! full sized, even! score!

deva and vanessa already know that i've done some online christmas shopping, as well (since i spilled the beans about ordering their gifts). pretty much the only people i don't have something for are damien and dylan. and i want to get something else for chad. plenty of time for that, though.

i put up my baby christmas tree yesterday. (see how much procrastinating i can do when i put my mind to it?) i intended to do actual work, but my dsl was having one of its bitchy moments, and downloading pdf's with dial-up is scary slow.

dudes! my internet light on my modem just went all devil red on me! that's a first. usually, the little dsl light just flashes and the internet light is off.

ok. all lights green and steady again. i better publish this thing while i still can.