I keep attempting to have a blog...

I remember one time when my friend Joshua said that too many blogs turn more into blah blah blah-gs.  For me, it's hard to find enough stuff to write about that keeps me and whoever may be reading equally engaged.  I'm going to give another go at it, in a form with little organization.  I want to still (try again to) write about new foods, restaurants, and beers that I try.  Maybe about some travel I have on the horizon.  And about whatever else is going on in my life. 

So to start that off, yesterday I finally received my job offer from Temple.  This is for a job that I was "supposed" to start on December 1st, and now I will be officially starting on January 5th.  Th extra month that I had off was really great.  People kept asking me what I was doing.  I finished the last Harry Potter book(LINK).  A few other books too.  I've been working on my French with Rosetta Stone, and the more challenging, and rewarding, Pimsuler(LINK).  I've watched a bunch of movies, had a lot of time to enjoy my wonderful girlfriend's cooking, and played a little too much NHL 2005 on the Gamecube.  During this time, I've really been the recipient of generosity from a lot of my close friends, and its a testament to how great these people are.

Some deats (my favorite slang for details) for my new job.  Eleven paid holidays, two weeks vacation, and ten sick days, give me a total of 31 paid days off.  And that's not even really the best part.  On Friday afternoon, I was offered the job.  Everything was being done over the phone.  They offered me a salary, and I asked for more, hoping that we could just settle on an amount in the middle.  So I asked for more, which meant the HR person I was talking to had to call the dean.  Because it was Friday afternoon and very close to the holiday, I knew that this might be difficult.  Further, I had to accept the job on Friday, because I needed to schedule a drug test and physical before I flew out of Philly on Monday morning, at 11:30.  I was getting anxious, and decided to call back and accept the initial offer.  This disicon was solidified by the fact that I called my old boss who told me there was almost no chance of me getting more than they offered.  I decided to accept the first offer on the phone with my mom, and about 15 seconds after I decided, they called on the other line and told me that I would have the full amount I asked for.  It was great!  All of my phone calls took place at the mall, while Lana was shopping for a dress.  The only shopping I did was to pick up Pan's Labyrinth, for $3.99.  Nice.