For most of America, the Thanksgiving holiday is a 4 day weekend where people trade the stresses of the workplace for the stresses of Thanksgiving dinner and shopping malls. For me, it was not only a break from work, but a much needed break from school. Normally, we’re given a week off between 10-week quarters, but due to a scheduling quirk, we received no such break, and up until two days ago, had class for 11 straight weeks. While that might not sound that bad do you, consider that I’m in class all day Saturday and have missed out on various birthday parties and baby showers while studying finance and marketing. School is essentially a 6th day of work, and overtime for the other 5. What did I have to be thankful for this year? That I only have 9 months of school left.

The weekend started off with dinner in Studio City with Kristin and her neighbor, who may or may not have had a few screws loose, and a couple glasses of sangria. Thursday morning, I was off to Palmdale to spend the day with the family. After watching the traditional football game, I helped my dad knock out a clogged kitchen sink. Thankfully, after plunging, Liquid Plumbering (twice), taking the pipes apart, and snaking, the drain opened and water was flowing. Crisis adverted. Washing all those dishes would have been a bitch in the bathroom sink. Friday afternoon’s destination was the ‘hood, Inglewood that is, for betting the horses at Hollywood Park, which was coincidentally also the home of my high school prom. After breaking even, and rejecting Mikey’s absurd request to throw his birthday party at my house, I still prefer Santa Anita, where there aren’t 747’s flying over the track. At least one thing hasn’t changed about the race track: there are still an eclectic group of people hoping to strike it rich on a trifecta.

After leaving the track without blowing my paycheck, I headed south to Hermosa Beach for some Cajun food and spent the evening at a couple bars on the pier, which were very quiet. I think the combination of the holiday weekend and the wind kept most of the drunks at home. Though the one highlight was clowning on some Rico Suave with a half unzipped shirt trying to pick up on girls at the bar. My one free Saturday in 3 months was spent in Rancho Cucamonga, helping Matee and Kelly paint their new townhouse. It took us the better part of 8 hours, but along with Mike, we were able to finish the entire downstairs, two coats and all. Sunday was spent catching up on the homework I had been putting off all weekend and waiting for Jeanine to return from her weekend in Sacramento. Sadly, I’m back at work Monday, and wishing I was back painting Matee and Kelly’s townhouse. You could say I have a case of the Monday’s, which I believe are magnified when coming off a holiday break.

Sorry I don’t have anything more interesting, like I said the last 11 weeks of school have been a bitch, and this weekend was the only time I was really able to get out and see the world. It was amazing seeing all the yard sales and what-not going on. I had forgotten what normal people do on a Saturday morning. 27 more Saturdays…27 more…