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I got an email from my professor with comments on my final paper and my grade for the course. I GOT AN A-. Even thought I am very happy and excited, but I cannot shake the feeling of wanting an A! I really worked hard and did well, or so I thought, but maybe not perfect. Beside the two papers, we had 10 quizzes, each with 10 points; I accumulated 91 out of 100. We had homework almost every week, 2 to 3 challenging questions per homework, accumulated to 75 questions. I got 69 of them correct. And on the two papers I got a "great job" comment. So yes, I was hoping for an A. I suppose the people who got an A got perfect scores on their quizzes and homework. Oh well!

A few weeks ago when I was trying to decide if I wanted to take a third course next semester, I came across a new special topic class. It is being taught by the same professor that I dropped his class this semester. I went to talk to him to find out more about the course. After he explained in details what he was going to cover, he summarized that it was the continuation of the course I dropped but was sitting in. Suddenly I got very mad and was about to kick myself for another round, when he told me that even thought the prerequisite was the course I dropped but he would sign for me to be admitted to the next semester's  class. He told me that he was very impressed by my dedication and I would have gotten an A in his class if I hadn't dropped it. So yes, I ended up kicking myself for a bit, but then I reasoned that I was at school for the learning, I learned the martial of one class for free, and now I could take another class for credit! Of course I would be at school a bit longer, but my goal is learning. You see, when I dropped that class, I continued to attend it with the professor's permission of course. The first couple of weeks I didn't do the homework, but then I decided to keep up. So I first turned in the couple of homework that I missed turning in on time, and after that I turned my homework on time. The professor was great and he did take time to grade my homework and write comments. Anyhow, the grade was based on the homework only. They were challenging and I spend a good 2 or 3 hours per question, in excess of 20 hours per homework. But I kept up, learned a lot, allowed myself to be able to take the next semester's course, and now I even feel real good that I could have gotten an A in it. But the little fact that it was not for credit is still bothersome to me, lol.

So next semester I shall be taking three classes. I have figured I can handle it, and since there is no prospect of employment, I have not heard from any of my friends and former colleagues who told me that they shall get back to be with good news and soon, so I figured I might as well not waste my time.

I have been at my sister's for five days now and all five days I have gone to gym. I weight myself today and I am down one pound since Saturday. If this gym's scale is as accurate as my old gym's scale I have lost over 10 pounds since September. As soon as I get to my parents I shall weight myself; I know the difference between that scale and my old gym's scale for accurate comparison. Anyhow, I have gone to gym everyday and have done cardio for 2 and half hours; 45 minutes on stationary bike, followed by another 45minutes on elliptical, and finally one hour on the treadmill. I did not push myself to go hard and at high level; I started at the lower levels than I was used to and I am building my stamina back. Even thought I have felt tired afterword, I am not in pain, and the reward is that I lost one pound; considering that I had eaten out every single day, I am very satisfied with this lost pound.

We went out to dinner Friday night, with my sister's boyfriend, and hopefully to be my brother-in-law soon. I had stake and cream brulee, amazing. Saturday we went to one of my sister's good friend for dinner. I didn't know her and if she had not emailed me earlier to invite me personally when she found out that I was going to be at my sister's, I would have not gone. But I am glad I went, she and her husband are great people. I had a great time and eat lots of delicious food. Sunday was Christmas shopping at the mall and we had pizza. I am proud to report that I did all my Christmas shopping in one day, lol, considering that I had to buy gifts for 20+ people.

Every year I put a lot of effort into Christmas gifts, but this year I didn't have that much time, so I decided either I was not going to give gifts to anyone, or just give gift cards. When my place got rented, and one month ahead of time, I decided to consider that I was still paying the mortgage and spend the rent, well maybe a good portion of it, on gifts. However, I decided to go with gift cards, for one there was no time to pick gifts for 20+ people and for another when I see something for someone and feel that it could be perfect for them, my budget for the gift for them goes out of the window; I couldn't do that this year. So I decided on the value of the gift cards for grownups, and then doubled it for the kids. Got gift cards from Apple store for my two brothers-in-law, one soon to be brother-in-law hopefully, three adopted brothers-in-law, lol (my best friends' husbands are truly like brothers-in-law) and their kids, except for my oldest niece who is no longer a kid! For my oldest niece, my sisters, and my two best friends who live here, I got gift cards from their favorite stores. For my best friend who lives oversee, I got a gift card from her local Amazon. I could have gotten her a gift card from her favorite store too, and I knew she might be here in the summer, but I wanted her to be able to spend it as soon as she wants. Thus I was only left to get gifts for my parents, which was fun to just concentrate on them.

Monday night my sister was going to dinner with four of her former classmates and their families, so I tagged along, and last night we went to her neighbor's apartment to celebrate the longest night of the year. It is a Persian celebration. I am familiar with this celebration since one of my college roommates was Persian and she had told me about it. So more eating was done and this morning I am still one pound lighter than the day I got here.

The plan for today is to bake cookies to take with us tomorrow to our parents. I have done the shopping and going to start soon, but shall wait to make couple of batches with my sister tonight. And tomorrow I shall use my last gym pass and then in the early afternoon we are headed to our parents for Christmas.

I have been thinking that since I am not that poor anymore, lol, maybe I could either join my old gym, or join my school gym, which is as good, but cheaper, or go the cheapest way and take up running. All I know is that I have been enjoying working out, and I want to lose weight without developing lose skin, so I have to exercise. I shall think about it some more and make my final decision by the new year, lol.

Right now, I feel so happy and excited. I wish that I knew how I have done on my other class, and if that grade is good also, I would be on the top of the world! I feel that I am finally guiding my future to where I would have wanted to go, happy and successful. There have been lots of uncertainly in the past few months, but I am so glad I took a chance, and when given the opportunity, I used it well. I am hoping that next year at this time, I would be even happier, thinner, and more satisfied with my decisions and where I am.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.