It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog..

So in the past week, I've overcome the first of two expected bouts of extreme homesickness (missing Halloween back home), seen my Yankees win the WORLD SERIES (at 5:30am.. 2 hrs before I had to get up), handed in a legitimately tough paper and completed the second of many obnoxious powerpoint presentations. Oh yeah, and I started a little thing called my internship...

For googling purposes, I won't name the organization that I'm working with on here, but if your facebook friends with me (or friends with me at all haha) you should probably know... anyway, I'm working with a daily financial newspaper, I'll give you that much.

And guess what. I don't know a THING about finance.

I literally was shaking in my heels as I walked to the tube on Wednesday for my first day. I know I've been nervous for every first day of work that I've ever had (yes, even Dairy Queen - which, believe it or not, the first day at DQ is really tough). But to be thrown in a scenario where you know in a matter of hours you're expected to have interviewed half a dozen people written half a dozen stories using terms and accounts of events that you've never even heard of - (particularly because all the banks and firms are UK BANKS AND FIRMS.) it's a terrifying thought. And oh yeah, these people are accountable for SIX CREDITS of my 15 credit GPA this semester. Talk about excruciating amounts of pressure.

But, I got through that first day - honestly, I said a prayer of gratitude before I even made it to the stairwell to leave the building. I was in absolute complete shock. I had turned in a story about God knows what - literally, I don't even remember, much less understand what it is I turned in - and interviewed half a dozen people on the streets about a topic which I understood very little. Oh, and I worked from quarter to 10am until quarter to 7pm with no breaks - thank you DQ for preparing me for that little facet in life.

But, the things these people turn out in such a limited amount of time on a DAILY basis - it's absolutely astonishing.. and what's even more crippling, is that I'm pretty sure one of the editors is about my age, if I understood her correctly. Talk about feeling humbled.

Thursday was a little better - particularly because I wrote a story that gave me my first byline in their paper!! So exciting, although I have SO MUCH to improve upon that it literally terrifies me.

Yesterday, alleluia, I worked for the features desk because the financial people don't report on Fridays.. whereas the office normally has close to 40-50 people in the newsroom alone M-TH, this time, there were maybe 8 people - and that was after it took a few hours for people to come in. It was so much more laid back, and I was much less terrified despite the fact that they had actually technically given me almost 3 times the amount of work that the finance desks have handed to me. Nevertheless, it was suchhhh a breath of relief to write about properties for sale and the latest in ski fashions rather than pre-tax profits and revenues and overweight ratings.

So this weekend? I spent last night sitting on my computer watching episodes of Boy Meets World because the thought of going out just sounded like waaay too much stress haha. It wasn't the same kind of staying-in as last week where I was absolutely depressed at the thought of lying in bed all weekend. I NEEDED to just sit there and allow braincells to commit suicide while watching hours upon hours of American sitcoms. It felt SO GOOD. Although, the damper is that I have a major paper due Tuesday and God help me, I have no clue how to write it.

It's also difficult because now I'm already seeing why so many people told me Christmas in London is phenomenal.. I thought they were just referring to shopping and pretty lights but OHMYGOSH there are SO MANY free events including more Christmas lightings, TWO PARADES, a pillow fight flash mob and (da da da DA!) SANTA CLAUS!!! Harrod's has NYC's Macy's beat by a good 3 weeks on that one.. it's so excting yet SO SO frustrating because my work load has quadrupled in the past 8 days.. but I'm sorry, I cannot keep turning down free CHRISTMAS events. And, thank you God for B101's online Christmas music feed... honestly, when I'm at work I crave Christmas music.. it's so calming and reassuring and, yes, it serves as a reminder that I'll be home in 6 weeks. Perry Como's (There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays has ALWAYS been my favorite Christmas song since I was a little girl, but it takes on new meaning here... I hit the nail on the head when I said that starting work would help dull the homesickness because it keeps me busy (and stressed!) and it allows for less time for me to sit on my top bunk and stare at the ceiling and think about how I'm missing homecooked meals and Yankee parades and my 3rd favorite holiday (Halloween's over and I missed it, you blockheads!)...

Although while we're discussing things to be depressed about - I won't even go into detail about the status of my bank account. Ohmygoodness it's absolutely painful, I can't even describe. For a person as anal about finance as I am, to see my bank account officially dip into the triple digits literally makes me sick to my stomach. Then again, it happened after buying tickets to see U2 in NJ and booking a hostel for me and Christopher, so that really helps to alleviate the pain quite a bit. Spring semester is going to be TOUGH though because I HAVE HAVE HAVE to find a job with a lot of hours. There's no other alternative. Oh, and I may be taking 18 credits. OUCCCHH.

Speaking of Christopher, I'm stealing a page from his book and I've elected to get up early to walk to Kensington Gardens - not so much to take photos (although I'm sure I will) but just to enjoy it. It's a beautiful, cold day in London today with absolute clear bluer than blue skies and I have to start learning to make time to enjoy that. After all, with the status of my bank account, it may be a long, long time before I ever do again.