I’m finally home. Got in yesterday, my flight to Austin was only delayed an hour and a half–the plane was late from Rhode Island because of weather. It’s good to be back….but I’m getting the feeling my mother isn’t as happy to have me home.

I really dislike United Airlines. Not only do their airplanes seem to be constantly having mechanical difficulties, but their service is awful. I hope after this holiday I never have to fly with them again. Knock on wood.

That being said, I am not back in Austin yet. My flight on Friday was delayed to Saturday because of weather, which turned out to be a good thing since it allowed me to actually finish my thesis. Today’s flight was cancelled after waiting on the plane for three hours. Due to a leak. Of WATER.

BUT it turned out to be a good thing! My grandfather just HAPPENED to be driving past DC on his way to North Carolina to visit my cousins for Christmas, so he stopped by the airport to pick me up and now I’m staying with them for two nights, until I fly back to Austin (via DC–figure that one out) on Monday. They tried to put me on a flight through Chicago. From North Carolina. To Austin. Yeah. When EVERYONE is trying to get to Chicago. And it’s snowing. And the holidays. yeah.

But it’s really great to see my cousins here, because I have’t seen them in probably at least two yaers (what with leaving the country and everything) so it’s a blessing in disguise. They’re threatening to hold me hostage to force my family to drive up to NC. I’m not sure it’s going to work, but it’s a nice thought.

Anyways, time for bed. I still have a whole night’s sleep to make up.

so…my flight tomorrow got cancelled. I will be arriving on Saturday afternoon (knock on wood) instead of Friday. Just FYI.

Glad they emailed me tonight. I would’ve been so pissed if I got to the airport tomorrow for a 6am flight. Plus this gives me more time to finish my thesis and actually do laundry before I leave. :)

“I thought you might be interested in this. I believe the yen is now at its highest relative value today since 1945, with 100 yen equal to approx. US $1.14, and at 87.74 yen per 1 dollar US. I’ve attached a cross-rate chart which also gives values relative to the euro and to the British pound.

You have definitely picked a good language to study.

Best Wishes For 2009,

Michael McCaskey”

Yesterday was mostly awesome, with a little bit of OHSHITSCARY thrown in. I woke up and was served french toast by my awesome roommates Stef and Juline, after being pleasantly surprised by two lovely birthday messages in the bathroom and the hallway. Arti came over for breakfast, then the two of us headed to the tech center and opened (We got there *just* in time, and there was a long line waiting to get in! On a Saturday morning!!) After 2 hours of work, we went to lunch at Leo’s (Arti has to use all of her meals before the semester ends so she treated me) and she made me dessert :) Then I went back to the apartment and pretended to do work until my skype date with Lorene. It was really nice to talk to her, even if it was only through skype.

So while I was procrastinating until it was time to get ready to go ice skating, Ricky knocked on our door and said that Victoria had been in a car accident and she needed her insurance card. That was the really scary part. The guy driving the car (she was in the passenger seat) HIT A TREE. A FUCKING TREE. Thankfully, she was ok and could walk away with a few bruises and a jammed finger. But SO SCARY.

Since Victoria went on to the chemistry dept. Christmas party she had been planning to go to, we went ahead with the ice skating plans. It was mostly ballroom people at the skating, which was kind of funny. I had a lot of fun, even though we had to wait out in the cold for an hour and a half (the bus was late, so they sold out of the 7:00 skating round and we had to wait for the 8:00). We skated for an hour then came back to Georgetown, where Stef and Raleigh and Juline and Victoria had prepared hot chocolate and brownies and a brownie cake! A few other people stopped by to stay hi so we had a nice little gathering until around midnight. After cleaning up, Victoria and I watched a fluffy chick flick to keep her mind off the accident and fell asleep.

So yesterday was *almost* the perfect birthday–I could’ve done without the scare of my roommate getting in a car wreck, but I am so very thankful that she was ok. I am going to see this as we are so lucky for her to walk away from it.

Today, I’ve been working on my thesis–I have almost 5 pages written. Out of 25. Slow going, but now it’s time to study for philosophy for a little before I work on The Thesis more. ><

I finished my Chinese final no problem, but now I need to work on the THESIS. I think I’m going to tell JICC I can’t come in this afternoon, and just go in for the movie tonight.

Wish me luck!!

I managed to study for my Chinese final (which is tomorrow) all day today, with one short trip to OIP to get a form signed. I’m done studying Chinese for better or worse, but now I need to work on my thesis for at least a few hours. I’ve spent the last hour trying to start. After I finish off these olives and a quick post, I WILL work on it. REALLY.

I’ve been working a lot at the tech center this week, which is good because that means I’m earning more money. But bad, because I don’t seem to be very productive when I’m working at the tech center (in terms of studying). Tomorrow I have to go into JICC for a half day, or rather, a full day that starts after lunch b/c we have a movie event tomorrow night.

Saturday is my birthday, I’m working at the tech center with Arti for 2 hours in the morning, then planning to THESIS and STUDY for a good chunk of the day, then go ice skating and come back for hot chocolate with people. Sunday, STUDY. Monday, Philosophy final. Tuesday, last day of JICC. Wednesday, Japanese Final. Thursday, FINISH THESIS and Bus. Japanese project. Then go to dinner with roommates. Friday, go home. Anyone interested in blues dancing next Friday?

Ok, time to get to work. O.O