It hasn't really bothered me all year, but now I'm feeling like I'm missing out on stuff back home.
Many of my friends from music school are having their grad recitals around this time. I would love to be there both to hear them and support them, but it's just not going to happen.

Also, yesterday my sister got a puppy! It flew in from Texas, so my parents had the opportunity to play with it during its layover in Winnipeg. I know they live in Thompson, so it's not like I would be seeing it all the time even if I was in Winnipeg, but at least I would have some chances. I realized the other day that the soonest I might see the puppy is during the summer - then it will be bigger than little cutesy puppy size already, but at least it will still be little playful puppy sized. If I'm not able to make it up there in summer, I won't see it until Christmas, and it will be full grown by then, though still energetic with puppy vitality.
Anyway, I got to see the puppy with my brother in law on their webcam yesterday evening, so I'm happy about that, but I really wanted to be there to hug it and hold it like the baby Jesus. For those of you who have never experienced Michael with animals - all animals who can be held, love to be held like the baby Jesus and have Christmas and/or other Jesus themed songs sung to them. ie "Rock-a-bye Jesus, in the tree top...".

On the other hand, I've made some new friends here who are also having some spectacular recitals and there are lots of good things going on here. I have lots of work to do which is keeping me busy. 2 weeks until I give a presentation for one of my classes, 3 weeks until the electroacoustic concert ( wow that's not much time.. EEK) and then a paper due shortly thereafter for my contemporary composers class. I guess also on that 3 week timeline are my orchestration work and a new composition in general. In other words, there's lots to do in the next few weeks.
It's crunch time!

Ok, the plan for today is to make and eat a big lunch and then go to the school and do lots of work. I need to make it into the electro lab and get some work done before my next class. Other people needing the lab have started to sign up for time, so I need to make sure I sign up for a couple slots to ensure that I can get my work done.