The last few weeks have been very interesting. Lots has happened. I feel like my summer is running away from me all of a sudden. Weekends are booking up rapidly (five days in Tucson followed immediately by two days in NYC; friends visiting from all over the place; a bachelor party to plan; birthdays; weddings; and on and on it goes)... Not to mention that I'm STILL taking three classes (eight credits), and have to take an exam, before the 15th of July, for a class in which I have an incomplete. Add to that the fact that today I started a new job at a restaurant in my town, and I'll be working at least three shifts a week. I went in for training tonight, and seven hours later, I return home. Let me also add that I have four more training shifts before I start working unassisted. There's lots to be learned, but I'm glad that at this point my time is not exactly my own. It makes me focus.

My birthday weekend was absolutely lovely. I had already had my big party, so all the pressure was pretty much off, and I had planned to spend the weekend with NB and the boys of my family, bonding and relaxing. We went to the Harpoon Brewstock, as previously mentioned, and I enjoyed myself immensely. Since then, I've more or less spent my time mooning around the house, trying to stay cool. Then, out of the blue, I was offered a job last Friday night, which I accepted, and the necessity of budgeting my time finally became crystal clear to me. I realized last night (as I was trying to fall asleep -- never a good time to have huge revelations) that I have exactly four weeks to study and ace this exam that I postponed last semester. This is much less time than it seems. I also have a rather large paper due next Wednesday in one class, and another assignment for a different class that is already past due that I have to complete in the next twelve hours.

In the next two weeks (starting tomorrow morning -- Wednesday) I have to do the following, in this order: I have to pack for five days away, and plan my entire weekend of running around; from an induction ceremony, to class, to an evening with NB, back to Salem the next morning for errands, then to work, to errands, to laundry, then to work again on Friday, and again on Saturday, then directly to a Sox game, on a train ten minutes after I get off work, and again directly to home after the game, to the airport four hours later, to five days in Arizona, back to Boston, then to New York five hours after I arrive home, then back to work for a solid week. And you all thought you had a lot to do in the next fourteen days. When the hell am I going to study for this exam?! The ideal answer is on the plane, but lord knows I'll more than likely be sleeping...

I'm actually glad for the trip to Arizona, and glad for the new job and the opportunity to realize how precious my time is, instead of wasting it away almost each and every night. And there have been other things going on in my life that I'm very happy about... NB has officially ceased being the New Boy and has become the Boyfriend, although he will continue to be referred to as his alias, NB. We had a conversation this weekend wherein we both concurred that we really enjoy each others' company and we're not really interested in dating anyone else, and this is how it became official. Not that either of us really had any doubts about that fact for the last four months or so; we just got it all out in the open. It was really a very sweet moment. He was in the process of spending his first night here with me at the house -- with the entire family (and then some), since Brendan's graduation party was the following day. I (admittedly) was feeling a little vulnerable (alright, I was a little bitchy), and since we're fast approaching eight months of dating, I kind of wanted a little more definition to the whole thing. Not that anything has changed -- in fact, I feel infinitely more comfortable with things exactly as they are, and very secure. I've got my boy, the boy who has taken the best care of me for the last eight months, the boy who has helped me learn so much about myself, and taught me the best kind of tolerance and acceptance and caring. He expressed some reservations about me wanting "more from him," but, to be completely honest, there's nothing more I could want. He is the most kind, most wonderful, most caring man I have ever met in my life, and I love every minute I spend with him. And even better, he gave me birthday kisses, and let my brother capture it for all time. I couldn't be happier...