feeling good

I'm almost done. My paper on the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, my last project for the semester, is 99-percent done. I just need a few more citations. And the presentation looks good. It will be highlighted with photos from the rez. I'm billing it as a combination of breaking stereotypes about Indian casinos and "Here's what I did on my summer vacation."

I don't know what I'm going to do with myself after Friday. Besides those citations, I didn't have any project work that needed to get done this evening. (Hence, this blog post.) And it feels weird. But I deserve the break. Plus, one of the professors I'll have next semester already sent out an e-mail about what to expect in January. Good grief. Like I'm even thinking about that.

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A while back, I went to an orientation at the Humane Society to see about volunteering. My intention was to go over to walk dogs once a week. I like dogs and miss not having one. I only went twice before school took over my life. In that short amount of time, you should have seen the number of dogs I let escape from their cages to run free through the kennel.

But I'm making up for it on Sunday as I play Santa Claus at a local pet store. Yes, I'll be dressed in the whole Santa suit as I sit for photos with dogs, cats, and whatever other pets folks bring in. I wonder what the weirdest pet will be? I'm just hoping not to get pissed on. The afternoon's comedic potential is quite high. This could be one of the funniest things I've ever done. Stay tuned.

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I finally kicked my running back into gear. Thankfully, we've had a warm, dry spell (temps in the 40s), so the snow line has moved way up the foothills. That means the trails are mostly clear. I really shouldn't go so long without running. And running on the paved Greenbelt just doesn't do it for me.

Speaking of running, I've pretty much decided I'm going to try my first ultra-marathon next summer. I think I can do it. I'm going to shoot for a 50-miler before deciding whether I can do a full 100 miles one day. There's a race in the Bay Area in July that I'm currently targeting. I need a big goal outside of school to work toward.