Starting the New Year off right

Okay, so I realize that I haven't updated in a really long time. So here's a summary of the highs and lows of the past month or so.

- Actually managed to get all my stuff moved to N.C. in less than two weeks, at Christmas, which is NOT something I highly recommend. I also do not recommend using World Moving Services to manage your move, because despite their high ratings online, they are about as helpful as my cats at making sure things go smoothly. /end rant.
- I now live in a lovely house in North Raleigh that's really close to a lot of stuff that I knew from my previous time here, about eight years ago. For instance, the mall where I worked for Hecht's is right up the road. The Wal-Mart where me and my ex used to spend a lot of time is less than a mile away. But while there's so much that's somewhat familiar, there's so much new stuff that it's really disconcerting.
- My roommate's cool, and as much of a workaholic as I am. Unfortunately, her brother got really sick between Christmas and New Year's and ended up in the hospital, making things tough on her. But that did have the side effect of letting me babysit his two huge dogs, who were sweet enough to (almost) get me over my fear of canines.
- My job is amazing. I've never talked about work before, so I'm not going to start now. But so far it's been really great here.
- I spent Christmas Eve unpacking, Christmas working from home remotely, and New Year's unpacking and nursing a cold. Exciting stuff, I know.
- I attended the service at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh yesterday, where they were celebrating the New Year in the traditional Japanese way, including the listing of the 108 Buddhist weaknesses that we could renounce for the year, the throwing of coins and tacking up a special card with your resolution on it. It was a gorgeous ceremony, and actually helped me feel like I really can make a fresh start for 2006. However, the church itself seemed to have a more sedate feel to it than the one I attended in Nashville, and I'm not sure it's where I'll end up. Next week I'm actually dragging my butt to Chapel Hill to give their UU congregation a try.
- Speaking of Buddhist things, I'm going to my first meditation group, based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn, who's been very influential to me in the past. Kinda interested in how this turns out. The idea of a quiet mind appeals to me.
- I have found a Japanese fast-food place with decent sushi, a place with the best cheesesteak I've had outside of Philly, and a Caribou Coffee that opened last week a couple of miles from my place (soooo much better than Starbucks.) Once I find a good Indian place, I'll be set. Of course, this would be when I'm starting Jenny Craig.
- And there's a Whole Foods here! It was like entering a shrine or something. Sorry Wild Oats, but you do not even come close to Whole Foods (or as some friends say, Whole Paycheck.) I can't wait to have enough money to dabble in the attached Whole Body store, which has every organic and herbal body product and vitamin known to man in it. I'll have to stay out of the food part of the store, lest I be permanently broke.
- Speaking of groceries, N.C. is cool enough to actually sell wine in their grocery stores. Hell, they even have wine at Target! That means the prices are excellent and the selection is primo. Too bad the liquor stores are state-owned and seem to be hidden in weird places.
- Something that's not related to N.C. - I got two great presents for Christmas - a Mac Mini and an XM Radio. The Mini is teeny-tiny and looks great. However, it turned out that my existing keyboards and mice don't work with it (damn PS/2s) so I'm currently awaiting a shipment from NewEgg so I can actually use it. Same goes for the AirPort card that I need to connect to the wireless. And I won't even go into the hoops I have to go through to get wireless for my PC. On the other hand, my XM works perfectly, and ESPN and Fox Sports Radio made my trip across the looooooong Carolinas much more entertaining.
- Oh, have I mentioned how nice it is to see the Tar Heels on a basic channel?
- "House" is coming to the USA Network on Friday nights starting this week. Nevermind I have the Season 1 DVDs - I can never get enough.
- Adult Swim has become the highlight of my week. "Huey Freeman's Christmas Play" on "The Boondocks" was so kickass that I'm shocked that it ever made it on the air.
- So the Titans managed to get third-place in the Reggie Bush Bowl. I predict either Cutler or Leinart will be suiting up in Tennessee colors next season, and either would make a nice pick. I would personally prefer Cutler, but Norm Chow might get a lot outta Leinart, despite the snarking about his weak arm. Poor Volek.

So that's it. Hope that the holidays treated you and yours well, and stay outta trouble.