Back from Albany and beginning 2012

We returned about a week ago from our annual holiday trip to Upstate New York where temps hovered in the lower teens. I couldn't take time off the week after Christmas because four other employees had already put in for those days. The next available time was New Year's and into last week which I happily took it.

Right off, here's the BIG NEWS....the last drips and drabs of my immediate belongs that were stored at my Mom's are now officially* here! WOOHOO!!! Rebecca had all 18 packages (including 4 poster tubes) shipped directly to her work. The first six boxes arrived last Friday and she'll be bringing over the remaining ones tonight. I originally envisioned a final load of 5 boxes in all. However it seemed safer to pack smaller boxes this trip as opposed to the three-smaller-boxes-in-one-large-box mentality from Christmas 2010. Last time the tops and sides of some of those larger ones were pushed in a bit. No worries though. Luckily I've always packed my stuff in inner boxes surrounded by peanuts, then the outside box around that. Everything has always arrived safely and I now count myself amongst some of the best and safest packers since my lengthy experience of moving all my belongings from one coast to the other.

(* - there are still a handful of CDs left but can easily be brought on a plane the next trip)

Going back to work last Thursday turned out to be more hectic than I anticipated. I was immediately slammed with a new Oscar broadcast spot for "My Week with Marilyn" and some changes on a spot I'd cut for "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (yes, this is my first official reveal of that project). The "Marilyn" spot went to finish by end of day Friday, where at that point I was SO ready for the weekend!

Then the cold and fever set in.

The rapid change from Southern California temps in the 80's to 11 degrees with a wind chill factor of 0 - 5 in Upstate New York, then back to 73 degrees when we got off the plane back here in LA played complete havoc with my system. I was sniffling and sneezing and blowing my nose every 5 minutes. It was good to rest over Saturday and Sunday but when Sunday night arrived and I seemed to be getting no better, I took it upon myself to take Monday off from work for just one more day of rest. The extra time definitely did wonders for my health....AND I was able to load a substantial number of DVDs onto the hard drive!

Today I feel much better, plus it was a pretty easy day. Ready to head home in 45 minutes!