I am feeling better this week-thank you all for your comments, emails, and advice. Yesterday morning I was shopping at the Colonial Market downtown (which is directly across from the beach), and I realized how happy I was just to be running errands. I walked slowly through the aisle, glancing at the gourmet ravioli; fresh bruschetta; and artichoke hearts, olives, and mozzarella lined up neatly in the Greek/Italian station. This may sound silly...but I actually felt kind of classy. There's something about that New Englandy feeling--sunglasses on top of my head, cute red flats and a fairly put-together outfit wandering around inside an oceanside market--that made me feel like I have truly come to embrace my life. Remember back in October when I was writing about how I longed for new material things such as a snazzy car or professional wardrobe (in addition to an exciting new career, of course)? Well, now I have all of that. And this may sound even more Connecticut snobbish, but my next stop yesterday morning was through the drive-thru at Starbucks...how cliche is that? I felt like if I only had a cardigan tied around my shoulders, then I could seriously pass for a Nantucket stepford wife or something. However, just as certain people think corporate America is evil or overrated (and I am still very much in the habit of romanticizing the entire experience), I think that the snobbish New England image is okay, as long as you yourself are not a snob. I've decided that it's possible to look the part and yet still be a very down-to-earth and friendly person.

As many of you already know by now, we've also added a kitten to our "family"--a 9-week-old calico that we affectionately named Nutmeg. I am thrilled to have a cat to come home to after a long day, and it makes daily life even that much more interesting and fun. I guess the only aspect of our lives that is missing is children, and that day will come soon enough, I'm sure. But for now I am just going to enjoy being a New England snob in evil corporate America, because I am the happiest I've been in years. Life is great.