I'll Be Home For Christmas.

If the world doesn't end, that is. I actually dislike that Christmas song because of the "if only in my dreams" lyric. It's like, you get me all excited that you're coming home and then psyche! Just kidding, I lied. I'm just gonna dream about it, you're on your own. How depressing? Thanks for the holiday spirit. Although I will listen to it if Michael Bublé is singing, just as any other female human being would. Totally cliché, but I don't care. So many fancy é's happening, it's like I'm in Francé. Anyway, I'm pumped because I'll be home for a whole week! Weeeeweeweeee! Or should I say, oui?

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More exciting news, I went to the ER last week. Can't say I've done that before, except I think I went once for an ear infection but I don't count that one. Warning: pictures are coming. 

So I was twitching a horse... 

(it's like this) 

Used as restraint it's a distraction technique where typically (but not always) the
horse will think about it's nose and not whatever the Dr. is doing.
It also releases endorphins, so it's not painful or abusive by any means.

and it unexpectedly jumped forward, pinching my hand (of course it had to be my right hand) between the twitch and the metal pole of our stocks. Afterwards I thought, gee my thumb hurts. So I looked at it and it was bleeding. Then I thought, cool, it happens, whatever. But I looked closer and saw deeper tissue that I shouldn't be able to see. Basically I had a chunk of skin that could just flap in the breeze. I was good for a minute, but after I ran some water over it I got veryyy lightheaded and leaned over the counter. I don't recall the next part because I was passing out, but reportedly my face was smeared on the counter until I started sliding backward. Thankfully Dr. Tull caught my limp noodle, passed out body before I could add a concussion to my injury count. Next thing I know I was lying on the floor with my feet propped up and an ice pack on my forehead. It was strangely similar to waking up from a normal sleep, there was some dream-like scenario playing in my head that I can't remember for anything. 

Anyway, this is what it looked like:

Then I got here:

After cleaning it (ew):

Suturing:

And finished! 11 stitches.

I'm really not sure why I passed out since I watched the doctor put in every stitch and was fine. Blood and needles and that kinda thing don't bother me. I have no good explanation, but I wish I could've seen it, apparently it was funny. I couldn't use it for a couple days at first, so washing my hair, working out, starting my car and holding anything was either difficult or didn't happen. Today my thumb is doing well, still attached and all.

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We had our work Christmas party the day before that crap happened, and I became an official brownie!

Too legit to quit.

I thought about not wearing it to work so that it wouldn't smell like the clinic, but that would be rude and I'd probably never wear it. I love it so much, that's all I wanted and I got it! 

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That was enough excitement for one week.

It's Official.

I'm a Pennsylvanian! I got my driver's license a couple weeks ago and now I won't get in trouble if I get pulled over. Well, not in trouble for that, at least. This is one of the many things that has happened in the past month which I am so so so so so sososososossosoosososoososoooooooo sorry I'm not sorry for lacking on the updates. It's part of my New Year's resolution to write more, but we all know how those resolutions (don't) work.

I went riding again with Latasha & her mom, but it was a slightly colder than last time. I was inadequately dressed. But it was fun and great to sit on on a horse again. It makes me want one. And then I want a puppy. I've tortured myself too many times by looking at the adoptable dogs around here. And everyone knows you can't have just one horse. Or dog. They're like potato chips. Or french fries.

Strollin' down the driveway.

Okay, Tash. Sorry I called him ugly... he is kinda cute.

Now before we got to this picturesque, happy moment, something happened. We were about to ride up a hill and Ginger (Mrs. Tomlinson's horse) decided to race the other two without notice. They didn't go incredibly fast because Ginger's old, but it was enough to freak her mom out a little. Now, when a horse takes off you have to do the opposite of what instinct tells you and squeeze tight to the horse, otherwise if you're loosey goosey then you'll surely fall off. So Tasha yells after her mom, telling her to sit tight, and to make the point further she goes: "Sit deep in the saddle, Mom, like you're taking a shit!"

Omg I just about died, I was laughing so hard. I was still laughing about it an hour later and I'm even laughing about it right now.

Crazy face.

It's so pretty out here!

We made it back alive, everyone in the saddle.

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I WENT TO A STEELERS GAME!!! It was a blast, even though they lost. Tailgating was the best part, of course. We threw a football around, talked to homeless people, saw a car crash, you'll see it all in a second.

Me, Kyle, Melissa, Eric, Dakota & Jamie.

Being weirdos.

Aaaand we're down.

Dakota made friends with the homeless people.

A fender bender happened right at our intersection. The lady in the grass was suuuuper pissed, and the red car is facing oncoming traffic...it was his fault. Clearly not too bright.

Can't live without technology.

We met a couple of homeless guys, different ones than Dakota talked to. I spoke with Bob, on the far left. I hope he's doing well after moving to Indiana for his new lady friend.

Dakota?

Also, nice handshake going on back there.

This picture is as clear as my vision that day.

KIDDING MOM, I was not that bad. Although I did trip over myself and bruised my knee...

Heading up to our nosebleed seats!

Look at the city and the lights and the people. So many people.

Before the game.

During the game. Looks pretty much the same, except they're actually playing football.

We stayed at the William-Penn hotel, which was extraordinary. I don't think I've stayed in anywhere fancier. One of the doormen, Daryl, showed us around a little bit before we went tailgating, which was unusual but very nice of him and super cool. He dropped names of celebrities who've stayed there like they were on fire. I just remember a bunch of presidents and Lady Gaga, but his list went on and on and on. I took a couple videos of him showing us around but it won't load on this site or facebook or youtube and it's super frustrating and I just wish it would work but it won't because it's a rebellious 14 year old going through puberty and not listening to anything authority says. So instead I have the 2 pictures I took since the videos sucked all of the life out of my battery. I bought a new battery, but I would like a new camera. (ahem..Christmas? Mommy?)

The lobby.

Next to the main elevators on each floor there's a mailbox. These are in the older hotels so that anyone, no matter what floor, could send mail without going to the main level. These are functional and are still used today.

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I went home for Thanksgiving, although I was debating whether or not to. It's just a long trip, costs a couple hundred dollars, I only had like, 2.5 days to spend and I didn't get to see my Dad because he was visiting my brother in Texas. But I am glad I went. Ate turkey, saw family, blah blah the usual. I went out on Wednesday night, aka the biggest bar night of the year. I went with my friend, Kati, from years ago when we jumped and showed our horses. I'm so glad we could be reunited and still get along! I also met up with a couple girls from my class in college, found basically a high school reunion at McFadden's, and hung out with Salvador, also a friend from way back.

Kati and I at Eve. Clearly we haven't started dancing yet, we're not very sweaty.

Salvador, Kati and I. He's trying to look tough, but he's really a teddy bear.

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My work schedule has changed twice in the past few weeks. It's now the complete opposite of what I was hired for: Mon-Thurs from 3-11 pm. I don't mind at all, and I think I may like it even better since now I get the weekend, but it's going to force me to become partially a night person. Usually the only thing I see at 11 pm is the inside of my eyelids. I plan on posting more about work, since that's why I moved here in the first place. I found a bunch of pictures about some interesting cases that I've forgotten about so maybe I'll do that next time. And I want to give a tour of my townhouse so everyone can see where I live. If my frickin videos would work, that is.

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Other things thus far:

• We had a pumpkin drawing contest at work for Halloween which I WON! And then I never took a picture of it. I drew Exacto, the horse who has been here since I started except he finally just left this week! Anyway, I had him bucking with the jolly ball toy in his mouth, bandage on his leg, and farting because he did that all the time. Horses usually pass gas when they buck, but it's always funny.
• Took Hannah and Ethan's engagement pictures (I work with Hannah in case you forgot). They're on Facebook, so check them out. I'm pretty proud of them!
• Went to Lancaster today to pick up Mom's sewing machine she found on Craigslist. It's 2.5 hours away. I just became the favorite daughter!
• Had the longest day of work to date yesterday. Started at 8 am and left at 11:30 pm. We had three surgeries and every stall but one was occupied = 11 horses. That's a lot of shit.