Whew! It’s been somewhat of a roller coaster week with a bunch of ups and downs and some crazy times in between. This week I finished up my grad school finals for the quarter (yay!) and scored a big job interview for early next week (fingers crossed!). I made batches of cookies and put up awesome new Christmas decorations around the house. I finished a blanket I’ve been working on for a long time. I developed the worst pain I’ve ever had in my life. I scored a super cheap KitchenAid mixer from amazon.
But this weekend two main big things happened that I wanted to write about. Friday night I spent out and about with my great friend Smack, sitting on my car in parking lots and looking at the sky. Sounds a little daft maybe, but recall that it was an insanely clear night and the big night of the Geminids meteor shower. So we put on multiple shirts, pairs of pants, hats, and gloves and sat under blankets on the roof of my car with hot cocoa, cookies, and cake. It was cold and it was windy and it was a little awkward sitting on the car without rolling off. But we talked and sipped and ate and saw some really amazing meteors light up the sky. I pointed out my astronomical knowledge to Smack and showed her where all the cool constellations were and how to find the north star. And we had a really good time.
Saturday night I spent out at a local (nice) hole in the wall bar with some of my best friends for Franklin’s birthday. It was nice to just chill out and enjoy each other’s company over a pint. Old friends stopped by and new friends were made. We drank, we laughed, we toasted. And it was good. I actually stayed the whole night, until the bar closed, which I think makes it the latest I’ve been out all year. Even on my own birthday I pooped out at 12:30. Of course, I was drunker for my birthday, which always makes me sleepy. But anyway, here’s to my friend Franklin! Happy birthday, dude! He’s not one for mushy stuff, and really neither am I, so I’ll make it quick: You’re one of my best friends dude; my family. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. So I hope you had a great birthday and don’t forget to bring over “Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas” sometime 
Congrats on the finals, the interview, and the crafty stuff all done! Now go and get that pain checked out… I don’t like the sound of it.