Alleluia! I'm back!

I SURVIVED THE SIX WEEKS! And now I am back, and hopefully better! Let me tell you that the first week of going blogless for Lent was awesome. I had so much free time! But, by week two, I was missing you guys and this place in a major way. I became an incessant Facebooker and Tweeter (note to self: next year, give up all social media!). I cheated a tiny bit last week and cleaned up my Reader in preparation for today, but overall, I totally did without any type of blogging for the entirety of Lent.

The good news? I'm back, and I'm not giving up blogging in any way anytime soon.

The bad news? Well, I'm going to miss the free time, and to protect that time that I need to spend doing things other than hanging out in blog-land, I have had to make some tough decisions. I am back blogging here at Nifer Musings, but I'm not sure of my posting schedule yet (I do have some great things in store for you though!). Also, I am trimming the blogs I follow. It hasn't been easy; in fact, it's been really sad. I've unsubscribed to many blogs that I have been reading since before I started blogging myself. It needs to be done, and I'm sorry. If I'm not around your blog as much as I used to be, I hope you'll stick around here reading and commenting. The bonus is, now that I'm not reading as many blogs, I will have time to visit all of my commenters and comment back, which is something I've been wanting to do for a while.

So, we're still friends, right?

If you've made it this far, I'm glad you're still here, and I want to catch you up on what I have been doing since March 9 (seems so long ago, doesn't it???). For the sake of brevity, I'm using a bulleted list.

• I got back into freelancing for a local newspaper (I had been on a several months long hiatus).
• We resurrected "group night:" dinner every other week with two other couples we're friends with and went to high school with. This is my core group of friends, and I love hanging out with them on the regular again.
• Jed and I celebrated our three-year anniversary of dating! We played Monster mini-golf (since it was too chilly to play outside and enjoyed a romantic dinner at The Melting Pot.
• I joined a gym! I was in seventh heaven when I visited this place and signed a contract immediately. It is everything I have been looking for, 12 minutes from home. :)
• I got another eye infection. Nastiness. Now I am completely OCD about my eyes and contact lenses.
• I reunited with some old friends and made a point of hanging out with them.
• I bowled for charity (Junior Achievement) with Jed's company.
• I went to see my old cover band (ok, I was a groupie) and had an awesome night catching up with the guys and hanging out with my girl I don't get to do that with very often.
• We attended our friend's son's first birthday party. He is the cutest!
• My sister started taking up residence at my house every weekend...
• I started running and signed up for my first race: the Harpoon Brewery Annual Five-Miler on May 22! 
• I got a bad cold, which impeded upon training for above-mentioned race.
• I finally found a new primary care doctor... mandated by above-mentioned cold and the fact that I had to fly in four days with blocked ears and sinuses.
• Jed and I went to Orlando, FL, for my work trip. I coordinated my company's annual sales fiscal year kickoff meeting at the lovely Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. It was kicka$$. I met some great people and learned what a 15-hour work day feels like.
• Oh yeah, and I went to SeaWorld for the first time where I fed dolphins and met Shamu!
• My mom and I attended an old coworker's bridal shower, and I was disappointed about missing her bachelorette party due to above-mentioned cold.
• I got my hair cut. Finally!
• I made my dad's ribs for the first time and successfully!
• We went to see the Pawtucket Red Sox play, in a luxury box, for Jed's 30th birthday.
• I finally finished reading David Copperfield.
• We celebrated a happy Easter with Jed's family and my family.

I think that just about covers it! What have all of you been up to? Tell me the highlight of your last six weeks!