Holly, it is a first for me. I am actually proud of myself for asking for an extra day off just for ME!

I'm an independent educational consultant (read "information resource/guide/support system/shoulder to cry on" for students/parents trying to work through the college planning/admissions process). I started doing "College Planning Made Easy" workshops this fall; and it sort of mushroomed. I'm now working on adding seminars on scholarship searches and preparing successfull college admissions applications. My goal is to keep costs low - after all, once the students/parents have the info they really can do it all on their own - and I do this by partnering with community ed. programs in local school districts. Its really working.

Lynn,

You are doing great work.

Wow, Lynn, what a great idea! Of course it would mushroom. People need that kind of guidance very much, and i'm sure your advice saves them so much money, not to mention spares them from the bewildering world of college applications!

It's very cold this morning, but i'm still determined not to turn on the heat until Thanksgiving! I'm sitting here with a hot water bottle in my lap and an alpaca blanket.

What can i look forward to today?

I made the GOOD coffee today.. I'm trying to hold off on getting my second cup so i can look forward to it. I'm trying to drink less coffee so i really need to savor it. The sun is shining in my bedroom windows and it's very pretty.

Yesterday i finished a knitting project, so today i get to pick a new one. I'm trying to write patterns for holiday knitting workshops so today i think i will begin a hat of my own design, and type up the pattern as i go.

I have a class tonight and i hope many students show up for it. Last week i had six students, which is a good size. The fall break at the college is done and students have returned, so late this afternoon i may see one of my favorite knitters.

I hope i am successful with work today. Every day is a challenge to do better. I hope too that a lot of people post in Self Development today... i enjoy reading others' posts so much.

Hi Holly:
I don't believe I ever answered the question in this thread.
It is a great question to ask yourself every morning.

My answer every morning is I am really looking forward to just having a happy day - any day when any of my loved ones are healthy and safe is a happy day.

Keep warm - it finally got cold here in PA this week :O)

still haven't got the heat on myself. I am actually surprised on how I actually don't need it. and I can imagine the money I am saving by not giving into temptation to turn it on before I actually truly need it.

For those of you trying to keep the heat off (not a problem for me as it's not cold here yet), one thing I've done in the past to warm things up is to boil water on the stove--it's like a little steam humidifier without the dirty, moldy [censored]. Increasing the humidity in the air increases the temperature.

I discovered this by accident when trying to humidify the air in the winter when I got sinus infections. I'd boil/simmer the water and next thing I knew, it was hot in the house and I had to turn down the heat.

Be careful not to let the pan boil dry! If you are making pasta, that works, too. Actually, anything liquidy will work a bit. So, cooking helps heat the house, and that's why I usually only use the oven when I'm not running the AC.

Running the dishwasher & then opening the door and letting the hot dishes air dry helps, too.

Oh, and if you do take baths, leave the water in the tub until it really cools off--that will also help heat the air in your house a bit.

Texas has weird weather this time of year. We wake up to 38 temps and by afternoon we're pushing almost 80. Since we're not used to cold, the heater goes on for a bit in the wee hours. I really hate the cold.

BRRRRRRRRR

Yeah thats how it's been here. Been getting down to about 30-35 at night then in the day high to mid 60's. But I live in west central illinois where this time of the year we get freak thunderstorms and high winds so sometimes 60 can feel like 40. BUt I have tried the boiling water trick. It has worked. Or washing clothes.