Done. Done. Done.

Last night, I finished my senior project, my last project as an undergrad. I talk about that a lot, but I am not sure that it has really sunk in... or that it ever will since I'm going straight into grad school.

I just finished my homework. Literally, all that is left now is to turn it all in and graduate. Bizarre.

At work, all the interns have closed their files. My last day is tomorrow, so I can't really start anything new. To sum it up, I have nothing to do. Nothing. I did homework, which I'm not allowed to do. I updated my Urban Outfitters wishlist. I checked Alice and Jane's wishlists. I checked for new blog updates, but alas there were none. If only I had more friends that blogged... Dad, Alice, Lauren. I e-mailed my mom and Evan (I'm really in to correspondence).

Now I'm contemplating Christmas lists. I have a few things already for Ev, but not everything. I have Alice, John, and Sheila covered (last year, Evan and I decided not to get gifts for each other's parents... he totally went behind my back and bought my parents trinkets). I have some ideas for my dad, and something in the works for Thomas. That leaves my mom, Jane, Lauren, and Erica. Some of my favorite people, and yet my mind is drawing a blank.... thank goodness I have another 6 hours at work to think on it.

I am eating dinner tonight with Aubrey and Rebecca. Times like these are what I live for... just talking and catching up... and eating. They're Evan's cousins, but they are so precious to me that they feel like my own family. They are at this really fascinating chapter in their lives, and I love to hear about the friends they are making, the boys they are crushing on, and the classes that are ruining their college experience.

I wish my blogs had fun themes like Chasley's, whose blog is possibly my favorite. She is as funny in cyber space as she is in real life. Unfortunately, mine are really just stream-of-thought... lists and plans and random thoughts.

Evan's funny thought for today: "I think XS and XL should be changed to 'Tiny' and 'Huge', respectively. And anyone wearing an XXL should lose weight."

Happy Thursday.

Career choices.

I officially have a grad school schedule. Did I already mention that?

Full-time status for a grad school student is 9 hours, not twelve. I thought I would at least give that a shot and make sure I make it out alive before I dive into the crazy, and almost never completed, world of 12-hours. My one class on campus is on Monday or Tuesday... either way, beginning of the week... and my other two are online. So...

I've decided to substitute teach. My dad says if you make it through substitute teaching, you might just like education. So I guess this'll be my test. I'm thinking that, since I can participate in class from anywhere with Internet access, I'll try to sub at my very on Alma Mater as well as some Tuscaloosa County schools (which, incidentally, are huge and terrifying compared to my sweet 4A high school). Ideally, I could work on homework while the kiddies watch movies or do the pointless writing assignments that teachers leave while they're away. Maybe it won't work out that, but if it doesn't the other perk of substitute teaching is that my schedule is completely at my discretion. Huge paper due tomorrow? That's cool, I can't teach today.

I hadn't planned to work since I'm a "full-time student" so I figure a little work here and there is better than no work at all, regardless.

I just hope grad school doesn't blow up my world so much that I can't fit in one day of substitute teaching every once and a while...

Closing a chapter. Opening a chapter.

This morning I drove to work and started my last week as an intern and my last week as an undergraduate student.

This morning I listened to Christmas music in my car for the first time this season. I had to turn it up loud in order to hear it over the blaring heat that was struggling to satisfy my 85 degree request.

Yesterday I started on the last project I'll ever do as an undergraduate student... as an Auburn student.

Yesterday I sat down for the first time in my new advisor's office on the campus of the University of Alabama. Together, we mapped out my grad school career. "God willing and if the creek don't rise," I'll be a certified school counselor and Master of Arts by May 2012.

This past week, I watched the Auburn Tigers put up a valiant fight against UA and shut down Mark Ingram's Heisman ambitions at my last home game in Jordan-Hare stadium.

This past week, I took two of my friends from high school to Auburn to meet up with all my friends from college... and I watched as a couple of them formed what could be lasting "friendships."

This age is strange for me. Sometimes I sit back and watch the world fly past me. Many of my friends are searching for or settling into "grown-up jobs" and the "real world." Lots of my friends are getting married and joining their lives and beings with another person. And a few are entering graduate or professional school to continue their education. When did we get this old? Five minutes ago I was worried about who I would take to prom, and now I'm fighting the urge to plan my own wedding as I watch some of my best friends plan theirs. It seems likes yesterday I was toasting to the New Years with all my single friends at the beach; within a year, everyone on that trip is now in a relationship... and we're already planning another New Year's celebration.

Don't get me wrong: I love to see it all happening. It's a thrilling part of life, seeing who becomes what and finding out about a new engagement every other weekend. But wow. How did I get here?

Okay, we lost, but...

I had a thoroughly fabulous break.

I spent time with the parents.
... shopped with Eureka.
... New Moon-ed with old friends. And gossiped. And gossiped. And gossiped.
... picked up my second bridesmaid's dress.
... reunited with old friends at a bar in my hometown.
... gave thanks with my family... gave thanks with Ev's family.
... drove to Auburn late at night and dished with my girlfriends about boyfriends, new and old.
... bar-hopped with the very best friends a girl could ask for.
... may or may not have witnessed the beginning of a beautiful friendship... or two.
... watched an incredible Auburn football team play with heart and pride.
... was a very, very proud almost-Auburn-alum.
... spent much-needed time in the town I love so dearly.
... ate lunch at my all-time favorite Auburn eatery: Big Blue Bagel.
... rode home with Evan and Marlena; whoa-incredible conversations.
... decorated for Christmas with my mom for, like, the 22nd time in my life.
... listened to Christmas tunes for the first time this season. Sing it to me, Bing.
... watched Glee with Ev.
And now I'll go to sleep in the home that I grew up with, and I'll sleep peacefully because I am blessed beyond belief.

One month from today...

I'll be an Auburn grad.

I'll be done with my undergrad career forever.

I'll be on Christmas break.

I'll be with my family and on the eve of a Marcum Family Christmas celebration.

I'll be kind of like a grown-up... but not really.

I'll be starting a new chapter in my life...

Thursday: so close to Friday, yet so far away.

Good news: I found my camera adaptor this morning! A much-needed photo upload is in order.
Bad news: I found it because I thought I must've left one of my Target bags in the car. As it turns out, I left my milk somewhere in Target. I had to make my oatmeal with water. I know that's how some people do it all the time, but, people, let me introduce you to the joys of oatmeal made with milk. You'll never go back. Promise.

In other news, I am so very excited to go home this weekend... to see my sweet puppy Maggie, to sleep in my old bed, to shop and lunch with my mommy, to watch Auburn (hopefully) beat Georgia, and to just spend time in one of the most beautiful cities in Alabama. We're stopping off in Birmingham on the way home Friday night to eat dinner at Cheesecake Factory with our newlywed friends, Ryan and Kaleigh (Ryan called himself a "Cheesecake Factory virgin" so we knew there was no other option for our dinner date).

Evan and I had a food intervention last night. I have a phobia of mass markets-- that's not to say that I'm afraid of people... I just really hate places like Target, Wal-Mart, grocery stores-- so I've been refusing to go grocery shopping. Unfortunately, one must eat... and this one has been going out to eat far too often. So we're restricting dining out (with the exception of weekends, I'm sure), and Evan convinced me to go to Target... and I did, and I bought groceries with a vengence. We literally spent two hours in Target, perusing the aisles of frozen food, canned food, health food, fresh food, accessories, clothes, electronics, books. I made it out alive... but with a little less money. Or a lot less money.

I should be working...

monotony.

I haven't had much to write about lately because everything's been moving at the same pace, a pace that is either busy or slow... I can't decide. Sometimes it feels slow because it's the same old routine day after day

Breakfast.

Get ready for work.

Check e-mail/Facebook (I mean something MAJOR could have happened overnight).

Drive to work (at this point in the season, when it's a chill 45 degrees in the morning, I know exactly at what point in my drive to work my heat will kick on)

Work.

Lunch.

Work.

Possible work out.

Shower.

Dinner.

TV/Quiet time/Reading/More Facebook

Bedtime.

But then again, I look back at the end of the week and think about how time has flown. Either way, fast or slow, there are no major developments in my life... none of which have inspired me to blog, at least.

Evan and I went to Auburn last weekend and watched the Tigers beat the Ole Miss Rebels, went to an excellent Halloween party at Jacob's, and then spent the afternoon at the Summit Sunday... and capped it all off with dinner with Alice and Blake. It was pretty much the perfect way to end October.

My current annoyance: I have all these incredible pictures of Halloween costumes and whatnot on my camera, but I have no way of uploading them to my computer. You see, sweet Evan sat on my old camera, rendering it useless, so in the meantime I've been using my dad's camera (which I have quickly grown to love despite it's inconvenient size). I don't have an adaptor or whatever technical equipment is necessary for the transfer. What's more annoying: I'm almost positive I have it somewhere, but I have searched my tiny apartment and found nothing. Maybe one day I'll get over my fear of large marketplaces and go to Target to buy a cardreader. Then, around Easter, the world will be introduced to Jacob's remarkable Halloween party.

Until then, more of the same.

There are some highlights to look forward to in November, though, and because I love a good list, I'll list them:

-Pre-LSU party tonight at Evan's

-LSU v. UA tomorrow at 2:30

-Church visit Sunday

-Going home next weekend for much-needed shopping and time with family

-Hays and possibly Harvey parents coming to Tuscaloosa the next weekend

-Sips N Strokes with Mommy

-A week off for Thanksgiving/"Fall Break"

-THANKSGIVING, duh.

And then we'll cap off November with a trip to Auburn for the...

-IRON BOWL.

Here I come, November.