What's making me happy tonight is ... my BeeBee, my Siamese queen who saw me through chemo (she fussed over me, slept with me, tucked herself under my sore arm when I needed a small 'pillow', and woke me up in the morning with a cat kiss) - is cuddling with me now. In a few minutes I'm going to pour myself a little wine and sit in the hot tub, check out the night sky.

I am happy to be in my space, on my property, where silence is the rule - not jets taking off every 50 seconds from Reagan Int'nl Airport.

My brother's band is on the short list for Grammy nomination. I wasn't aware there was such a thing, but apparently they start with about 30,000 submissions, somebody whittles it down to about a 1,000 for the short list, and then some special subset of Academy voters narrows it down to choose the actual nominees. Anyway, they're up for 5 different categories. I'd be rather stunned if they got beyond this stage, but then again I'm stunned they got this far, so it's pretty cool.

Wow, that's cool!

That is supercool! Whats the name of their band?

Hello Caller, www.hellocaller.com

They have a strict rule about not starting any big social media campaigns to try to influence the Academy voters, though I don't even know who those people would be at this stage anyway. I got to vote one year in the main Grammy voting when I was interning at a music studio, but I think the people who choose the nominees are a pretty select group.

Pretty damn cool, clod!

I'm happy about the way my thesis is going. I've been in a bit of a funk with it lately. and time is short.

But last week I spent a few days bringing disparate chunks together into coherent sections. I now have a more or less complete first draft introduction - just needs a little round up of what's in each chapter, which I will do when the rest is finished. And half of a first draft Chapter 1.

was feeling good about that, but wasn't sure on the quality of some of it. Have just had a meeting with my supervisor and he seems to think it passes muster. Just a few alterations needed to what's there. Am hoping to finish that chapter over the next week and a half.

Realistically, I need to be doing a chapter a month now in order to get this in in time. It's a big ask, especially as I have only done some of the statistical analysis needed for the major sections, but I am feeling more capable of producing the goods than i have in a long time.

From now on I am sticking to a single chapter at a time until it's finished, rather than jumping about doing odds and sods as the mood takes me and as conference papers dictate.

So...yeah...feeling quite fired up.

Good to hear, Dana!

I'm happy tonight because I'm going to go spend the evening with my oldest son. Relax, have a beer, chat. Yay!

I am happy because there is auto correct :lol: some NSFW words

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/394839092301861124/

Aden got a letter in the mail inviting him to the course he wants to do at uni next year. We knew it was coming, but still such a relief to know the first one is on his way. :)

Congratulations to Aden! And to you, who made it possible. Great news, Ali!

Thanks Ortho. We are very pleased for him.

So, is this like the American equivalent of getting accepted into a particular school? Or was he already in the university, and now he's allowed to pursue specific coursework? Sounds like good news, whichever it is. Congratulations!

He's just finishing high school. He's been in a program for the last two years where if he fulfills certain criteria, including passing exams etc, he had a chance of being offered admission to the course he wants even before his final results come out. So anyway, he did all the stuff he had to do and passed the exams and did well in all his other subjects, so now we know for sure that he's going to university to study Exercise Science next year. It's a three year course which will leave the door open to a multitude of pathways for future study and employment. He doesn't start any earlier. He just doesn't have to sweat on his results and waiting to see if he is offered a place later on. Takes a lot of stress out of the summer holiday for him (and us). :)

Sound more like UK unis where you choose your course/major before you apply?

Yep thats right monster, except he doesnt have to wait like everyone else. He already knows hes in.