Nervous and Excited

Today is officially my last day before starting my new job on Monday. I am excited as I am tired of having conversations with the cats "hey guys, what do you think about this outfit? and I wonder who Ellen will have on today." But it will be an adjustment for them too, as I won't be home all day to poke them while they sleep in the sun and whine "pay attention to me!" I know...what has my life come to?

Anyway, I am also very nervous to start my job. I am pretty sure I can handle the responsibilities and hope that I will live up to the expectations that they have for me...but, it still freaks me out. I hate to fail (okay, so I am not sure who likes to fail...but you know what I mean). In addition, in 13 years since my graduation from college, this will officially only be my 5th job. I worked for the state of Missouri between undergrad and grad school and then only had three jobs after grad school (including the one I left prior to moving to Chicago). I know some of you might be thinking "Wow, get over yourself." But there is always something frightening about starting a new job. New people, new systems and applications to get used to, finding the right mix of being friendly but not looking like I am trying too hard. Because quite honestly, I have always wanted people to like me...and it scares me to death to think my new co-workers might not! It's a small office and if one person says "Whoa, she's weird..." it might permeate throughout the organization. So keep your fingers crossed that my weirdness will only show itself after I have won their hearts.

So tonight some of my friends and I are going to celebrate my return to employment. I know it will be fun and it will be my last big hurrah for awhile. July will be filled with many travels including a trip back to Dallas to see my Bestie and celebrate her daughter's 3rd birthday (I can hardly believe she's 3!) Because of the planned trips, I need to re-hibernate my credit card after tonight. It has reappeared in celebration of my job - we've celebrated A LOT. I am looking forward to trying some new establishments in Chicago tonight and am going to try to control myself so I don't spend the evening praying to the porcelain god or worse yet, fall down, which I tend to do a lot of when I have been imbibing adult beverages.

Enjoy the weather and good friendships, Nora