I know it’s been all vacation slides, all the time, around here, and I want to thank y’all for putting up with that. Seriously? It was a week-long trip and I so don’t want to write that all out in my non-webby journal. I mean, I tried while I was there and only managed a paragraph and a half before something more fun came up. But I do want to capture it, so hang in there for a couple more posts, okay?

Since I’ve been back, though, some pretty things have been sorted, started, or settled — the combination has me up nights, except for this bit:

Unless my program director was faking her enthusiasm, I’ve got my thesis topic. I should be able to come out of the summer with the first three chapters done, then defend by the end of the year. It’s content analysis, it’s career-related, and it’s something I’m passionate about. Passionate enough to read a couple hundred items and fill out a codebook each time?

Let’s hope so.

***

Work has taken a dramatic shift. There’s a project on my plate that I’ve been CHOMPING AT THE BIT to do. To put it mildly. I’ve been in a no-man’s-land for a while — everyone has a use for me, but no one really knows what I do (I’ve had several roles and fill any of them, as needed). It’s tough to set objectives and expectations in that spot. Last week, though, I got a chance to show my boss some of what I can do…and now I have to do it.

Good thing I like it, right?

That almost makes up for the fact that my office is moving to Reston Town Center over Independence Day weekend. The upside of that (aside from a beautifully designed space with wi-fi on the balcony) is that we get a four-day weekend instead of a three-day. The downside, the somewhat mitigated but still looming downside, is that my commute will be nearly an hour each way, with tolls.

I’m not a good commuter. Thankfully, my organization has flexible hours and arrangements — for the rest of the summer, I’m working from home Wednesdays as well as Mondays. (I wouldn’t normally pick Wednesday, but I’ve got a class that I won’t be able to get to on time if I work a full day in Reston.)  I’m hoping the two-day thing works out, because the thought of spending the equivalent of an extra workday in my car every week makes me want to bust something.

So it helps that I’ve got something interesting to work on.

***

I’m still running and still drinking a lot of smoothies. I’m not doing a whole lot of cross-training at the moment. I don’t own a working scale, but somehow…well, let’s just say it turns out I do need cushions for the dining room chairs. I hadn’t really noticed before.

***

Running around Old Town at lunch today, I found a candy store that sells Nestle Smarties, toasted marshmallow jelly bellies, AND maple candy. Somewhere along I395, my dentist just revved his luxury car and started thinking of a vacation in Boca.

***

In a week or two, I’ll tell you why I was running around Old Town in at mid-day in 90-degree weather. It was worth it.