Sorry about that sad Christmas post. I'm working on eliminating negative thoughts from my consciousness, but it's taking some time and more effort than I expected.
I'll do better next year.
I promise.
What are some of your New Year's resolutions?
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Is there any eggnog left? Is it spiked?
It doesn't feel like Christmas.
Yes, it's cold outside (but the snow melted in a bizarre 50 degree day yesterday), but I don't have a single decoration in my home. Of course, if you count the Christmas cards I've received (mostly from former coworkers), then, yes, I have decorations.
For the first time EVER, my home does not have a Christmas tree. And for those that know me, my Christmas tree -- with its glass ornaments from all over the world and the wildest assortment of shapes and sizes of lights -- is a true highlight of the season for me. Putting my tree up always puts me in the holiday mood. That, and about six candy canes!
In past years, I've held a Christmas party where I continue my father's tradition and ask each guest to guess the number of lights on the tree. With lights shaped like icicles and poinsettias and giftboxes and flickering lanterns and snowflakes, it's not an easy task to count them all.
Two years ago, one of my German colleagues (a very well-educated fella) worked up a scientific formula to come up with a number. And he won a bottle of tequila for closest guess!
As disappointing as it is, there is one good reason for the lack of arboreal decor. My bathroom remodel, which was supposed to be finished by mid-December at the latest! is still going on. Although it's only my bathroom that's under construction, the dust and debris and truckload full of tools throughout my apartment made cleaning (let alone decorating) impossible up until a few days ago. I just couldn't bring myself to clean and decorate after Dec. 20, knowing I'd be taking it all down in only a week or two.
Christmas shopping has been one of my great and rewarding challenges these last few years. I've been lucky enough to make a decent salary, so I use my good fortune to buy what I think are pretty cool presents for my family. Finding a gift that will make someone say "Wow!" when they open it is really fun for me.
I said it's a 'challenge' and never has that been more true than this year. To begin with, I spent my first few weeks post-Australia visiting my brother in the hospital, so no Christmas shopping then. I came home from vacation to a HUGE mess and a less-than-ideal situation with regards to personal hygiene (i.e. sponge baths and hair washing in the kitchen sink!)
Not one of my family members gave me a hint as to their needs and wants for Christmas this year, so my creative juices really worked overtime to come up with good gifts.
And my job, in a word - sucks! So much so that I have an appointment with a career counselor next week and if the stars align and I don't lose my nerve, I will be leaving my shitty job in 2008.
Can you say 'stressed'?
Finally!! I finished my Christmas shopping on Thursday (although my mother's gift - - which is usually really great since I set the bar so high with her past gifts- -is back-ordered!). The back-up plan for her gift is strangely back-ordered also. I say strangely because I wanted to purchase the DVD of an old British TV show that my mom and I used to watch when I was younger. It wasn't a very popular show in the US, but apparently, it's the No.1 gift this year because every store and every online outlet has it backordered!! WTF!!!
Oh, get this! While purchasing my brother's family's gift, I messed up my shoulder.
Any doctors in the house? Let me ask you: if my right arm hurts after lugging around a large heavy box and during the night, I roll over onto it and hear a loud 'pop' and, in the morning, it feels better, does that mean I dislocated it?
I've decided that 2008 will bring changes for me. I just hope they're good ones!
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope Santa brings you everything you've wished for!
Yes, it's cold outside (but the snow melted in a bizarre 50 degree day yesterday), but I don't have a single decoration in my home. Of course, if you count the Christmas cards I've received (mostly from former coworkers), then, yes, I have decorations.
For the first time EVER, my home does not have a Christmas tree. And for those that know me, my Christmas tree -- with its glass ornaments from all over the world and the wildest assortment of shapes and sizes of lights -- is a true highlight of the season for me. Putting my tree up always puts me in the holiday mood. That, and about six candy canes!
In past years, I've held a Christmas party where I continue my father's tradition and ask each guest to guess the number of lights on the tree. With lights shaped like icicles and poinsettias and giftboxes and flickering lanterns and snowflakes, it's not an easy task to count them all.
Two years ago, one of my German colleagues (a very well-educated fella) worked up a scientific formula to come up with a number. And he won a bottle of tequila for closest guess!
As disappointing as it is, there is one good reason for the lack of arboreal decor. My bathroom remodel, which was supposed to be finished by mid-December at the latest! is still going on. Although it's only my bathroom that's under construction, the dust and debris and truckload full of tools throughout my apartment made cleaning (let alone decorating) impossible up until a few days ago. I just couldn't bring myself to clean and decorate after Dec. 20, knowing I'd be taking it all down in only a week or two.
Christmas shopping has been one of my great and rewarding challenges these last few years. I've been lucky enough to make a decent salary, so I use my good fortune to buy what I think are pretty cool presents for my family. Finding a gift that will make someone say "Wow!" when they open it is really fun for me.
I said it's a 'challenge' and never has that been more true than this year. To begin with, I spent my first few weeks post-Australia visiting my brother in the hospital, so no Christmas shopping then. I came home from vacation to a HUGE mess and a less-than-ideal situation with regards to personal hygiene (i.e. sponge baths and hair washing in the kitchen sink!)
Not one of my family members gave me a hint as to their needs and wants for Christmas this year, so my creative juices really worked overtime to come up with good gifts.
And my job, in a word - sucks! So much so that I have an appointment with a career counselor next week and if the stars align and I don't lose my nerve, I will be leaving my shitty job in 2008.
Can you say 'stressed'?
Finally!! I finished my Christmas shopping on Thursday (although my mother's gift - - which is usually really great since I set the bar so high with her past gifts- -is back-ordered!). The back-up plan for her gift is strangely back-ordered also. I say strangely because I wanted to purchase the DVD of an old British TV show that my mom and I used to watch when I was younger. It wasn't a very popular show in the US, but apparently, it's the No.1 gift this year because every store and every online outlet has it backordered!! WTF!!!
Oh, get this! While purchasing my brother's family's gift, I messed up my shoulder.
Any doctors in the house? Let me ask you: if my right arm hurts after lugging around a large heavy box and during the night, I roll over onto it and hear a loud 'pop' and, in the morning, it feels better, does that mean I dislocated it?
I've decided that 2008 will bring changes for me. I just hope they're good ones!
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope Santa brings you everything you've wished for!
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