Two Oh One One

This is probably the latest I’ve ever wrote a "new year" entry. Ah well!

I’m really not sure where 2010 went, to be totally honest. It started with my last semester of college plus a huge surgery and ended with another surgery and a new job. Quite the whirlwind of events. In between all of this I started two different jobs and moved in with The Boy.

My holidays were okay. There were a few events that happened which upset me greatly. The one great part of the holiday was when we went up to New Hampshire right before Christmas to spend some time with my dad and his wife. We stayed at a cute B&B nestled in the quiet woods. When we got out of the car The Boy’s first reaction was "it’s completely and utterly silent." It was refreshing to be in a silent, snow covered yard after dealing with loud city traffic and messy plowed roads.

Much to my dislike, we spent our Christmas apart this year. I really didn’t want to do it, but we’re working through some discourse with his mother. She and I don’t see eye to eye…and there are some things that need to be ironed out before we can spend a holiday together. My family is sort of up in arms about this because we see him as part of our family…but I’m apparently not welcomed the same way on his side.

We did spend New Years Eve together, which is something we have managed to do for the last 3 consecutive years…even with him in AmeriCorps last year. I can’t believe this was our third one together. Two days later he and his family went to Florida to visit his grandparents. Again, I wasn’t invited. I was honestly upset about this, and he knows it. My family always invites him to all our vacations and family events. It’s never really a question of "if" he can join us…it’s just expected. He didn’t realize that me not being invited was weird and offensive so this is something that will also have to be addressed…on top of the rest of it. My entire family also gave him gifts, down to my step-grandmother and my aunt. I didn’t even receive a card from his family. Now, I don’t care about getting the gifts. However, I’ve never seen something like this before. Every couple I know shares the holidays together and each set of parents gives them gifts. It’s just…polite. He was thoroughly uncomfortable by my family giving him gifts. I actually had to (gracefully) explain to him that his family was the anomaly in this and that it was rather offensive that I didn’t even get a card this year. I mean, we live together and been in a relationship for over two years. Not to mention we’ve been friends since middle school. Talk about a slap in the face.

Frankly, I’m at the point of being entirely fed up with her passive aggressive behavior. The tension is palpable and I hate being at his family’s house because it’s always uncomfortable for me knowing how she feels. Somehow, she’s always civil to me in person…but her subtle actions really tell a different story. I mean, I know I’m not exactly the easiest person to get along with. However, I’m a decent human being. I’m not perfect, nor do I strive to be…so if that’s what she is looking for than she’s going to be sorely disappointed. But I love her son and I would do anything for him. As would my family. If she can’t get over her petty dislike of me than we’re going to have a huge problem on our hands. Hopefully this year a new leaf is turned over. If not, well…I’m not really sure where we can go from here if nothing changes. Time will tell.

Other than the "future-mother-in-law" problems I think things are going well. It looks like my surgery was a success. I’m no longer in pain which is a HUGE blessing. I can’t even begin to tell you how horrible I felt before my surgery. Now, I can get into the gym and lose some of this weight. My new (new) job is amazing. I’m working from home 40 hours a week now, but in two weeks I’ll be starting 20 in the office and 20 out of the office so I can start collaborating with the marketing team in the office. My stress levels are so much lower now that I’m at a job that I fit in. I can’t believe how anxious I was this summer at that other hell hole. I’m glad that’s behind me!

So, here’s to 2011 being less stress free and more healthy in my body, relationships, and workplace.

Happy New Year!