Been away for a while, but a list of epic wins over the past couple months:
-Bought a house! Granted, it was RIDICULOUSLY cheap (<$15k) because it's a) in a really depressed area (center of Michigan) and b) fixxer-upper in relatively bad shape, but it's halfway between my school and my fiance's school, so it was cheaper than two rents in two cities an hour apart.
-Learning to fix a LOT of stuff (bonus for me!). I worked at a hardware store for two years, so I know the 'how' of fixing most of the stuff, but theory doesn't always translate into application...
-For your first two years as a PhD student, you're a pre-candidate. To become a candidate, you have to go through 'prelims' which are a fancy way of saying 'ball-bustingly hard two-week-long trial by fire'. I passed with flying colors, and was one of the first of my cohort to do so!
-Adopted another kitty! Pictures soon!