Happy Boxing Day, Y'all!

I hope you had a great Christmas and are enjoying a Boxing Day full of leftovers. I've spent most of my week off working out, reading, drinking copious amounts of wine, and baking. Zach's parents had a party Sunday night, and one of the guests wore the exact same sweater I got for the Ugly Christmas Sweaterpalooza (scroll down a few posts for reference, if needed). Of course, I didn't say anything to her--I couldn't think of any way that conversation could go without my either coming off like a jerk who was making fun of her sweater or as a 29-year-old with the fashion sense of a 65-year-old.

I've actually managed to run every day except Christmas, which is good, because my daily pie intake has skyrocketed since arriving in Milan. I've been going to the Y with Josh & Stephanie, who are into working out since they got back from Iraq. Josh said I was in "good shape for a civilian", which I took as high praise. I just now signed up for George Washington Birthday 10K (February 16) and the George Washington Parkway Classic 10-Miler (April 27th). Now I have formal goals, so that should keep me motivated (the fact that I just paid $70 in various registration fees will help too)!

I watched my new DVD of La Vie en Rose last night (Thanks Mom!), which was really good, although nobody else wanted to watch a depressing movie with subtitles, so I watched it by myself. I'm also reading Long Way Gone, which is a memoir of a child soldier in the Sierra Leonean civil war. Again, kinda depressing, but I figured it would be timely since I'm going to Freetown at the end of January!

P.S.--I have also stopped answering to "Stephanie". After so many false alarms for the other Stephanie, I now wait until someone either comes and finds me to see why I didn't answer, or I wait for them to clarify with "Stephanie Beth" or "Stephanie Jo". Note: I only go by "Stephanie Beth" in Tennessee; don't expect me to answer to that anywhere else!