Back

It feels good to be back. At work. With a combination of my 4-day work week, company holidays and 3 vacation days, I scored a 17-day break from the daily grind. It was so long that I spent most of yesterday fumbling over the keyboard, re-learning how to type. And while it was awesome, I managed to screw up my sleep schedule and I've seen enough of the Lifetime Network to last me another year. Also, believe it or not, I got tired of wearing only pajamas and other elastic-waist pants. It's time for belt buckles and zippers. Not to mention daily showers.

I've always worked best under a consistent schedule. The two years in college where I had a steady boyfriend and our patterns were the semesters I made the dean's list and headed for magna cum laude. The semesters where I was single, I landed myself in academic probation (which I also attributed to the bout of mono I had during finals, another side effect of singledom). So even though it means I have to get up before 6 a.m., it feels good to be back.

2008 and everything I hate about it is gone, and so far 2009 is going swimmingly. All the goals I've set for myself—opening a second retirement account, funding an emergency savings and getting rid of my credit card debt—have all been put into motion, the most notable being that I am officially debt free again. Just a few months ago I felt so helpless, but with the aid of time and some great medication, I am once again organized and in control. I'm back in more ways than one.

Stay tuned. The pink is going away.