We made it! It’s Friday!  End of the work week!

• I have an exam for a certification in my job field coming up in the next few weeks, so I have started studying and it kind of  sucks. It’s really cutting into my blogging/watching iZombie on Netflix/reading/lying around time.  I’m about 1/3 of the way through my prep book, and it’s recommended that you work through it twice.  So I will be pretty consumed with that for the forseeable future and am very anxious to get the exam over with!

• Is anyone watching American Horror Story: Hotel?  (Apparently the studying is not cutting into my time THAT much, haha)  I love this show, but was reeaalllyyy disappointed in last season (Freak Show).  This season had a bit of a jumbled start for me, but I think the last few episodes have been great.  I’ve never been a HUGE Lady Gaga fan, but I think she’s really great in this.  And Angela Bassett is amazing as usual.

• I decided to take my strength workouts to the gym this week, despite my apprehension at using the big scary weight room, so that I could have more options. I’m still getting used to it and working on figuring out weight room etiquette. One day, I was using a cable machine and a guy came over and asked if I was done. I got kind of flustered and was like “Uh….yeah.”  (I wasn’t.  I don’t know why I said that.)  He could sense my hesitation and was like “Are you sure?” But I was already committed to being done and wasn’t about to admit that I basically just lied for no reason, so I confirmed that I was done and slunk away. The next few days were more successful and I didn’t turn into a complete weenie when someone asked if I was using a machine. Yay!

• On that same note, my workouts this week were pretty great!  I am really liking the new plan.  I did a full body strength workout, a tempo run, upper body volume, and lower body volume (based on this calendar).  I’m taking a rest day today and will shoot for a longer (and by longer I mean 4-5 miles) run outside tomorrow.

• We have a Friendsgiving celebration this weekend and I’m in charge of mashed potatoes and gravy.  Gravy might be my absolute favorite holiday thing to make (and eat).  It’s kind of turned into my “thing” in our family, on Christmas day I sometimes end up making three batches of gravy between all of our celebrations.  Nick is making smoked duck for the event, so I might try DUCK gravy which would be new and different.  With a regular turkey gravy as a back-up, of course.

• With the above mentioned exam and studying on deck for this weekend, I’ve adjusted my expectations for getting a big house project done, as mentioned last week.  I started organizing our dining room (in preparation for painting and de-popcorning the ceiling) so I will be pleased if I can get that finished off this weekend amidst the studying.

Talk to me!  What are your guys plans for the weekend?  What is your favorite thing to eat at Thanksgiving (besides the obvious answer of gravy)?