Office? What office?

As of last Thursday, I am done working for the next several months.  I’m looking forward to the opportunity to concentrate on finishing up my econ degree, and dreading the coming internal struggle between the sudden distractions of free time and the need to put time into research papers.  Because when you get down to it, econometric analysis is much less fun than learning how to get really good at Jenga.

As I was cutting out on my last day, I said goodbye to my former boss and walked across the hall to meet with my new (future) one to try to work out a start date.  He dangerously offered to let me start as late as June 15, which is a full month after I finish finals.   Although I’m still burnt out, I dare say that a month of nothing whatsoever to do would be both wonderful and terrible.  I’m torn at this point.  On one hand, there are so few opportunities in adult life to voluntarily take such an extended vacation (I’m hoping to avoid involuntary long vacations, unless they come with a big severance check).  On the other foot, doing so also means not getting paid for that month.  My new salary will be MUCH more than I was making in the past, so its kind of hard to throw away that much money so I can sit around in my underwear and attempt to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy (Extended Edition) and eat an entire box of cereal in one sitting.

It amuses me how much your concept of money changes as you get older.  M and I were driving past a Mongolian BBQ in one of my old college stomping grounds and talking about how we need some special occasion to go there.  I’ve never gone in there without it being for a celebration or a work function.   I felt kind of silly realizing that, as an adult, I no longer need a special occasion to spend $14 on dinner, and can actually go to that restaurant whenever I want.

Ah, adult money.  I’m reaching the point where I no longer feel I have to justify spending $8 on going to see a movie or buying the cheaper beer.  At the same time, I feel insecure about money to a degree that I never did in college.  In part its because the economy is, for lack of a better term, tanking, and will probably continue to do so for some time.  (did you know that the average US family makes less now, after inflation, than they did 5 years ago?  Even scarier,  some measures have that total being lower than 30 years ago)  But moreso its the cumulative effects of 6 years, going on 8, of higher education.  I may be renting an apartment, but I’ve already got a pretty good sized mortgage out on my head.

*****

I’m quite excited to have a new nephew, as of this week.  Especially because when it comes to teaching kids things their parents don’t want them to know, there are so many more options with boys.

“Look Mommy!  Worms!!!!