December 16: Yes, I won't be driving to Maryland. Hopefully I can drive back, if Dad and company can drive my car out during the summer sometime. I would love to be able to explore the sites of the East Coast while I'm so close. Can I tell you how much I'm looking forward to this Americorps thing? I can't wait. I know that it's going to be difficult and trying and ass-kicking. But that just makes me itch even more to get out there and prove my mettle. I can do it. I'm up to the challenge.

Finished my first week at my new job, training. This week it will be for real. Eek, I always feel unsure of myself in new places for a bit. I hope it goes okay. I've met some neat people. I'm told I did well and learned quickly. We'll see.

Today I had my first experience with home leg-waxing. It was interesting. Not what I thought. It was messy and awkward. It certainly hurt, but it wasn't the mind-blowing pain one hears about. Rather, it's a grit-your-teeth-and-just-get-it-done-with sort of pain. Like if men had to do it, they'd be clenching nails betwixt their teeth and grunting loudly. Actually, I grunted. In an attempt to transfer some of the energy from the pulling and the pain, like the noise-making distracts or surprises the nerve endings, so that instead of, "Yow!" they turn their little nerve endings and say, "Hey, what was that?" It certainly took a lot of grit to pull the damn things off. Talk about steeling oneself. Man. I didn't know I could do something like that.

I should say, though, that I only did a little bit. Maybe five on each leg. I figure that's a plenty good start, for my first time. Right?