Something I'm almost as excited about as Dr. T's upcoming wedding in Hawaii is the fact that The Mountain Goats are playing here in Champaign two days before my birthday, and then again in Chicago the next night. John Darnielle's music always makes my heart lift, and the last few weeks it's needed a little bit of lifting. Most of you know this already, but I recently ended my two year relationship with the Aussie. I definitely got the easier side of things, but it's still hard to make a decision you know is right when you also know it's going to hurt someone you care about.

Probably the most difficult thing has been adjusting to not being part of a couple and having that built in companionship. I'm in the same town I went to grad school in, but in the years since I graduated friends have moved away, and my social circle has gotten smaller and smaller. And since some of those friends were the Aussie's first or were friends with us after we became a couple, that reduces the pool even further. Not that it's one of those breakups where friends have to choose sides -- I fervently hope that the Aussie and I will be friends again someday -- but it's going to take a long time to get there, and I really don't want to make things any harder for him by showing up at things we used to go to together. So I guess I need to re-build my social circle and get out there and meet new people, which scares the poo out of me, because when it comes to meeting new people I'm painfully shy. Appropriately enough, there was an article in this month's Oprah Magazine (I know) that reminded me that when you're new to a place you take more chances and try more things. And that sometimes what you need to do is act like the new kid, even when you're not. As a child, I probably had more experience being the new kid than any one resonably should, which also probably has something to do with why I get so nervous about going into new social situations. Still, I'm willing to give it a shot.

"Hi, my name is Molly, and I'm new here."

Well, the last time I entered a contest over at Apartment Therapy, it didn't go so well. And yet I try again. :) This time I've entered their Fall Colors contest. I suspect I might lose points with a lot of people because I'm unable to paint the walls in my apartment, but my contention is that color in the home is about more than just slapping some paint up on the wall and calling it a day. So if you get the urge, go check out my entry and vote for me!

I sold my Pepper Pad on eBay today, and you'll never guess where it's going! It was purchased by someone who works at the University of Alaska Fairbanks -- where the Pepper went with me when I had my job interview in March, and where I ultimately decided not to move. Hope it liked the cold weather. It's going to be seeing a lot of it.

Can I just say that sometimes I love nothing in the world so much as 12 year old geeks? While riding home from campus this afternoon, I noticed three little boys with glasses get on the bus at the engineering campus stop. Halfway through the bus ride I paused my music player to try to figure out the subject of their vociferous debate.

"Predator vs. Chuck Norris?"... "Chuck Norris!"
"Wolverine vs. Chuck Norris?"... "Chuck Norris!"
"Dude, your Mom could beat up Wolverine!"

Then somehow Bob Dylan and Doritos were added to the equation, with the difference apparently being that, while Chuck Norris was about strength, "Doritos are about awesomeness!" There was also something about Chuck Norris having more mitichlorians in his blood than Yoda. Unfortunately, I had to get off the bus then, so I didn't get to find out how the one kid's Mom would do vs. Doritos.