Alright, alright, so it’s been a while. Like, quite a while. I am happy, though, to have my site back up and running. I am looking forward to getting back into the habit of documenting my life through blogging. Considering I have had a blog on-and-off-again since the late 90s, it only seems fair to give it a try again. We’ll see how it goes, so stay tuned!

I am home in Arkansas for the holidays. Boy, how I love this place. I can pretty much sum it up in three words: family, food, and fun. My partner, Daniel, and our pug, Ebony, made the nine hour drive from Atlanta to Little Rock on Tuesday. We actually celebrated our first Christmas together at my apartment in Atlanta, as last year we both spent the holiday with our respective families. It makes this year that much more special to share it with him. I have gotten to visit with family, play with my adorable niece Adalyne, do some shopping, eat some delicious food, and, of course, share some wonderful presents. I made out like a bandit this year! From clothes to technology, this year was quite the year in terms of gifts for me. I also was able to share quite a number of gifts with family and friends, so I really feel blessed that this holiday was such a generous one.

I am looking forward to spending more time with family this weekend, as well as making a trip up to Fayetteville to spend New Years with my best friend, Chad, and his boyfriend, Pete. This will be Daniel’s first visit to Fayetteville and my first time there since Chad moved into a new house. For Chad and me, this feels like our fifteenth New Years spent together, but I think we began to lose track after ten. It is our tradition that New Years is the one holiday that we always spend together–no matter where we go. From on a dance floor to in a car, we have always managed to be together when the clock strikes twelve. I am confident that, like all the years before, we will bring in the new year right!

As we quickly approach 2012, I have much to be thankful for and a lot to look forward to. As silly as it sounds, I have always felt like odd number years are, well, a little odd, whereas even number years are more balanced and stable. Despite this belief, my 2011 was filled with notable highlights. From moving forward with school to starting a new job in a new city, this year was full of exciting changes and sometimes tough transitions. I am so grateful for where I am in life, who I share my life with, and where my life is heading. This coming year, I look forward to finishing my doctorate, traveling, and continuing to build a life here in Atlanta. As I do this, I hope I can take more time to pause, reflect, and write about it. I hope the same for all of you!

So, I won’t lie.

I have a love-hate relationship with my scale these days.

This morning, it told me I had gained almost 15 pounds in just over 13 weeks.

I love my scale because it motivated me to hit the gym this morning (which I had not done in probably over 13 weeks!). Six a.m. really came too soon and if my boyfriend had not called me, I probably would have put it off. Thanks accountability partner!

On the other hand, I hate my scale, of course, for all the obvious reasons. I wish I could say the weight gain was from all of the massive amounts of working out and muscle I have put on, but I won’t kind myself (or you). The holidays, work, school, and life have just all gotten the best of me (and my waist line). I miss wearing my black slacks, because they look more like spandex, than slacks on me now.

Hopefully, I can start just loving my scale (and, most importantly, my body) again soon. I really want to, even more than that chocolate chip cookie I resisted at lunch. Or, maybe my scale can just start lying to me like I have been for a while now? But, if it isn’t my scale, then I know it is my clothes, or the mirror, or even the windows I pass and see (or, check out) myself in at work. So, no lies, no treats, and no wasting time. It’s work out time!