that was the year that was

i had this grand idea to make a post of a year in review.

then i got soooo bored reading about my life that i trashed it.

so instead, here's what i'm grateful for:

• my marriage. it ain't perfect, but it is a work in progress
• my job. again, it ain't perfect, but i'm grateful for one
• all my blessings. a car, books, computer, the internet, a camera...of course it's not necessary to run a life, but it sure does make it more entertaining
• the fact that i eat too much. not that i do, but that i have the ability to buy & cook food. i don't have to rely on soup kitchens, or trash cans. (besides, there's Weight Watchers, which we're joining after tomorrow.)
• for modern medicine. if it weren't for that, i would probably still be on pain killers with a back that would just get worse
• i'm so thankful for the friendships i've made here. you girls (and guys) offer me strength, laughter and most importantly your friendship & love.

let's make a date for next year: either your place or mine. i'll bring the chex mix.

happy 2007!

yo. WASPs rap!

yo, yo, yo. dis is for all my girlz (and boyz) out there.
http://veryfunnyads.com/ads/25044.html
word.

Happiness, Sickness & Distress

When i was in Rainbow for Girls, we conducted meetings twice a month. It taught us (well, me anyways) poise in public speaking, walking & sitting like a lady (sort of) and the basics of running an organization.

We were responsible for creating a budget for each term, raising money as well as planning service projects and just having fun.

We had a notebook with three sections: Happiness, Sickness & Distress. Before each meeting, anyone could write under each section what made them happy or distressed (generally getting an B on a tough math test, not getting a B on the math test, having David Hunter ask you to the movies. *sigh*), then read them during the meeting.

So now, 30 years (?! good grief) later, i give you the internet version of H,S & D:

Happiness
New Year's is just around the corner (that can also be Distress)
i'm sitting here, snuggled under a quilt, eating homemade fudge (like i need it)
i have a snoozing kitty on my lap
"Good Eats" is on TV right now, and my beloved Alton is discussing bar basics and mixing some old-school drinks. makes me wish i had a swanky dress with some kitten heels, listening to Dave Brubeck in a jazz bar at Surfside 6.
did i mention the homemade fudge?
Distress
New Year's is just around the corner (told ya)
i decided to have some split pea soup for dinner. from.a.can. i almost hurled. that was the grossest thing i have seen in a while. thankfully it tasted better than i looked, but it still looked like ca-ca. all i can say is that it sure wasn't my sister-in-law's ever-so-yummy homemade soup.
we believe our downstairs neighbor, an older gentleman could be in the hospital. i say "believe" because on Christmas eve the fire department were in our parking lot, with an ambulance AND a passenger, but neither of us could see who was in there. he does have some intestinal problems, but the bottom line is we don't know for sure. he has a girlfriend living with him (it's weird. kinda like my grandma living with a fella.) but we haven't caught her at home to find out for sure.
Sickness
while the Husband & Cat have seemed to overcome their illness, today i woke up with a touch of a sore throat. But after a two hour nap, i feel better. Well, face it: naps & homemade fudge are a good cure-all.

As for New Year's, we will be making reservations at a local teppan (think Benihana) restaurant, then home to probably watch Dick Clark...or whoever is playing Dick this year. nice. quiet. i dig that.

Cheers. 2006 will not pass into oblivion without another rambling missive from yours truly.

Christmas 2006

so here it is...my Christmas in a nutshell.

Sleeping on Christmas eve...waiting for Santa.
Bouncing on a moon bounce.
Discovering the joys of Dora's Talking House.
Being a little overwhelmed at all the gifts Santa left, but also convinced it was because we left a special Santa key outside for Santa to get in the house (since their house doesn't have a chimney).
Merry & Bright, indeed.

apparently, Blogger hates me.

kids, i would love to post photos, but for whatever reason, Blogger isn't allowing it.

whatever.

so in the meantime, i hang out here with the Husband, snuggled under quilts, watching "Dead Like Me" season one dvds...a Christmas present from the Husband.

let's hope Blogger heals itself soon. i'd love to share some photos.

now i gotta get the Husband to decide on dinner.

life's back to normal.

**edited: apparently, Blogger does not hate me, but instead just had a little PMS (see, Linda? you WERE right!). Oh, and the fact that Husband upgraded our Internet Explorer & Blogger doesn't recognize it yet. Have to post photos when i log in to Mozilla Firefox. Sigh.**

recap

final score: kids: 1,000 presents. adults: a bazillion dollars in debt.

just kidding.

by all accounts, Christmas was low key. the kids got some big presents, but there were only a few of 'em, so it all worked out. the Nephew ended up getting sick with a bit of a fever, and of course, since we were paying attention to him, the Niece wanted a piece of the action attention-wise as well.

too much fun.

the kids bounced on Moon Bounces from Santa (remember them? back in my day, we called 'em Hippity Hops). we fed Baby Alive (consider me officially freaked out by this doll. i had one, too when i was a kid, but it didn't look this weird. reminded me of an old Twilight Zone episode when a girl's doll came to life, but only to the father: "i'm Talking Tina and i'm going to kill you."

good times.

and as soon as Blogger gets over its PMS, i will be able to post photos. right now, i'm off for a peppermint mocha frappachino with the Husband.

life is good. and i'm ready for the New Year.

isn't this what Christmas is all about?

eating homemade fudge. spending time with family. scrapbook shopping for the cousin in Ireland. having a glass (or two!) of hot buttered rum. watching kids open their presents to giggles and exclaiming "i've wanted this my whole life." and "this is exactly what i wanted!"

it's about wrapping presents on Christmas eve until midnight, eating the cookies & drinking the milk for Santa, and making the carrots & oats disappear. it's about taking pictures, making memories and playing Monopoly Here & Now.

it's about snow.

it's about arriving at the airport to discover your flight is 30 minutes delayed. you feel annoyed, until you find that the flight before yours is still at the gate, not even boarded. and they were supposed to leave @ 5pm, but now it's after 7.

but mostly it's about a sleeping husband and a really pissed off cat.
oh, and our socks strewn about our abode...courtesy of pissed off cat.

we got home an hour ago. it's time for both of us to snooze. pictures to follow.

Feliz Navidad.

The Merriest of Christmases to you, Gentle Reader.

By this time tomorrow night (Lord willing) we will be cooling our heels in Reno. I will be soaking up the love only provided by a certain six & three year olds (even if part of it is motivated by the fact that Auntie brings presents. Good presents.).

We will be going online to check Santa's progress on NORAD.

Oh, and of course, wrapping presents till midnight, since the ones i'm bringing for Typhoid Harry, er..Brendan to open can't be wrapped and put in my luggage.

I will read "The Polar Express." And probably cry.

The six year old and i will play endless games of "I Spy" in his many books.

I will take endless pictures until the three year old tells me i'm "agg-a-vating" her. Good thing i brought lots of nickles & quarters. i'm likely gonna have to pay for the privilege.

But most of all, i will be basking in the goodness of a Father who has blessed me beyond reason (and beyond what i deserve) with my family.

And with your friendship.

Wishing you a peaceful, magical Christmas.

i'm dreaming of a Nyquil Christmas...

Oh yeah. Nothing says "Christmas" than a Nyquil Christmas.

Especially if the Husband is the one illin'.

Mind you, i am not the best of nurses. i used to be, when we first married, but according to him, he just wants to be left alone. "Come in occasionally, check that i'm still breathing, and move on," he says.

Fine. i can do that. Let me also add that Husband is also a crappy nurse. Like a lot of guys, the center of his world can sometimes end in a 6 inch radius around him. Seriously.

This guy, who can be moved to tears at the death of a co-worker, is the same guy who, last time i had the stomach flu, asked me what was for dinner.

Hey, if i'm not dead, then i can cook. Makes sense to me.

So yesterday, he complained he had a horrible headache. Then come to find out he also didn't eat but a small Cup-o-Soup.

Hello?! Diabetic Boy?! What the blankety-blank are you thinking?

It's like having a kid. Albeit a 46 year old kid.

Today...we've got the fever & chills. And still not eating. (oh excuse me, he did eat a Dream Bar. THAT'S good eats for Diabetic Boy. hey...maybe that could be my new superhero name: CrankyGirl. Look! Coming down the street! It's Diabetic Boy and CrankyGirl! He won't eat! She doesn't like you! Together, they'll suck the life outta the room!)

i have put him to bed. Along with the cat, who also has the sniffles. Mind you, i've been sick all this week. Today is the first day i've felt good.

So here's my Christmas wish list:
1) that he doesn't give it to me. Again.
2) he gets over this before Sunday. Nothing's worse than being snuffly on an airplane.

May all your Christmases be congestion free.



in other news....
* i got to move today. in case i hadn't mentioned it before, i've got a temporary assignment as the lead for the night supervisor, who's coming to days to learn the support side of my department. so i got to pack up and move to the other side of the building, along with my computer and my phone. right smack dab in the middle of two chatty cathys and across from a real Kathy who talks to herself. it's good to be me.

*i'm watching "Weird U.S." on the History channel. i LOVE this show, because they look for the offbeat, and i like offbeat. this show is spotlighting a man who couldn't throw anything away...and he kept his gallstones. dang. no wonder i thought i was dying when i had mine removed. those things are huge!! (silly me, i thought it'd be like kidney stones...small dirt-like things. these were small pebbles about the size of my pinkie nail)

* i will be MIA 12/24-12/27. we're off to Reno to share Christmas with my sister in law's family.
thankfully, there's no snow in Reno. it would really suck to be me, flying to Denver right now.

Off to check on Typhoid Harry. i've gotta do it so he doesn't know i'm doing it. Who knew i had to join the CIA to check on sick boys.

my Christmas card to you, Gentle Reader.

was singing this today on the way to work. made me cry. but, there's not much that doesn't make me cry lately. stress? perhaps.

the digression train has pulled in the station. again.

but i love this song. the lyrics are so powerful, yet simple. so picture me, belting songs out at the top of my lungs, and sobbing like a fiend.

so...from the soundtrack of "Wicked", to you. my thanks for hanging with me this year, and let's do it all again next year. whaddya say?

"For Good"

I've hear it said

that people come into our lives, for a reason

bringing something we must learn

and we are led

to those who help us most to grow

if we let them

and we help them in return.

Well, i don't know if i believe that's true,

but i know i'm who i am today, because i knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit, as it passes a sun

like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood -

Who can say, if i've been changed for the better?

But because i knew you

i have been changed for good.,

Well it may be

that we may never meet again in this lifetime

so let me say before we part

so much of me

is made of what i learned from you

you'll be with me

like a handprint on my heart.

And now whatever way our stories end

i know you have rewritten mine

from being my friend

Like a ship blown from its mooring

by a wind off the sea

like a seed dropped by a skybird

in a distant wood.

Who can say if i've been changed for the better?

But because i knew you

i have been changed for good.

Thanks for the present of your friendship.

last i heard...your name ain't in the title.

In this, the most holy time of the year, we are reminded of all our blessings.

Like being able to afford the gas, the car & the time to go to the mall & be pummelled & molested by our fellow man.

Blessed indeed.

i've been dealing with not-so-festive feelings the last few weeks, and just when i think i can actually get over it & enjoy this Season, i go to the mall and get it shot to h-e-double hockey sticks.

Case in point: last night, i decided to stop @ Target to get a few extra things for some work gifts. i actually watched a woman pushing a cart say "excuse me" to two ladies in her way. Nice, right?


It would be, but what galled me was the fact that there was no one else in the aisle. All she had to do was to push the cart around these two. But nooooo...we can't be inconvenienced these days.

i made some sarcastic remark...loud enough for the lady with the cart to hear me. Not my usual m.o., but i'm tired of people only looking out for themselves.

Case in point #2: Friday night, a group of girls from my work got together for a little party. We always do a white elephant gift exchange, then have a "nice" gift exchange. One of the guys we work with also was there, having gotten himself invited years ago. He never gives me or my friend gifts.

Except for this past Friday.

My friend & i did double takes and there were also lotsa mutterings under our breaths. Now granted, everyone got the same thing: calendar from the 99Cent Store and incense (incense? don't you use that to cover the smell of pot?), BUT it was a gift. So i reciprocated, i left him an In-n-Out gift card for him. (check out the link...for those of you NOT in the West, this is one of the best dang burgers EVAH!)

He has opened the card. i see it on his desk.

He has not thanked me for the gift card.

Hmmmm...last i heard, even if it's a gift you hate, the gracious thing to do is to thank the giver.

i'm disgruntled all over again.

When did we get so dang selfish? How did it become accepted behaviour to be self centered & to always look out for number one (and treat everyone else like number two)? i realize i sound like the Cranky Old Mrs. Brown that lived on your street when you were a kid (remember? she was soooo cranky & mean, you knew she was a witch.), but i don't get it.

i probably never will.

This should be a time when we stop. Breathe. Drop to our knees and thank the Lord for the gifts we are given. Gifts we do not deserve, except by His Grace.
The time to remember that it's not called Davemas. Or SelfishladyinTargetmas. Or even Valeriemas.

It's called Christmas for a reason. And i need to be reminded of that every day. Peace.

bad karma. good karma? or just a full moon?

it started off like any other day.

then the Husband got up, just before i was ready to leave for work...wanting me to read some letters he had written. he then reads them out loud.

baby, i love you, but if read them a) it'll go faster & b) i can actually see if you need anything rewritten.

i leave. i stop at the bagel place for a hot chocolate & bagel. i reach in my purse for my wallet, and find this big boxy black thing that strangely looks like the Husband's wallet.

CRAP!!!!!

after i get to work, i call him & tell him i have it. OK, i'll come get it later he said.

i worked in our Holiday Boutique again. oh, and i took home my items, since i didn't sell a single thing.

then i had scheduled a meeting with some people to brainstorm some ideas for next year. my boss, in the meeting with me, proceeds to take it over & run with it. then one of the team members proceeds to go on a rant about how everyone is getting a break at work but her.

ohhhhh kayyyyyyy.

finally, this frustrating day is done. i decide to stop at the grocery store to get some ingredients so i can do some baking & fudge making. i'm feeling better. grocery shopping does that for me.

OK, so i'm weird.

i get home. i'm making the Dream Bars, when i turn to the sink.

the pan of scalloped potatoes that i made for dinner last night are in there. covered.with.water.

aaarrgggghhhh!

apparently Husband decided the potatoes weren't good. i mourn. i move on.

Dream Bars are in the oven. i'm making fudge.

i don't have enough sugar.

dang.it.to.heck.

Husband calls...he's on his way home from turning in his resignation...so i ask him to stop & get me some sugar.oh, and why did you soak the potatoes?

i thought you were done with them, he says.

oh holy heck. i'm now in the market for a good glass of wine.

something that goes with Dream Bars.

well, it didn't take long for me to find my happy place, did it?

just like most So. Californians - we're all on TV or in the movies, see stars every day, are all blond, have had plastic surgery and/or botox, and are shallow & self absorbed.

what - you didn't know?

oh but wait. i've once again hijacked the digression train.

in all of my years on this planet, i always dreamed of being on the cover of Time...mostly because i wrote the Great American Novel. now, apparently i've made it.

(insert visual of Mary Tyler Moore tossing her hat up in the air)

but apparently, kids, you, me, everyone who blogs, who has a page on MySpace, who posts a short movie about their hairless iguana on YouTube, well - we are the ones featured on the cover of Time this week.

which is kinda cool.

although, as a shallow, self-absorbed non-blond plastic surgery virgin who has been on TV, but not the movies and has actually met some celebrities, well, i'd rather be on the cover by myself.

**sigh**

but it's all good. i can't think of anyone else i'd rather share this honor with than you.

now i'm mad.

while waste is bad, foolish needless waster makes me angry.

like the quote from the movie "Network", i'm as mad as hell, and i'm not gonna take it anymore.

except for the fact that i have no choice but to take it.

yesterday, i mentioned that one of Husband's employees was killed the night before on a motorcycle, along with her husband, leaving a grown son, and a 7 year old son.

well, now the facts of the matter are coming out - and that's why i'm mad.

this woman's husband picked her up from work that night. they drove off. a few miles from the workplace, he ran a red light. they drove into a tanker. both were killed instantly.

why am i angry? he had "a few drinks" before he picked her up.

foolish. wasteful. and waste makes me angry.

because he chose to have a few beers (or whatever), i know he thought like anyone else who goes out drinking with the girls..or boys: i can hold my liquor. i'm fine. besides, i gotta get home.
but he made a choice.

and because of it, a seven year old will grow up with his parents.

that is what kills me.

(i'm always a little sensitive about kids being left, abandoned or orphaned - one of the never ending side effects of infertility)

we all make choices every day. silly, insignificant choices. to let the laundry go one more day. if we want fries with that. paper or plastic.

rarely, thank God, do our everyday choices effect the rest of our lives.

so i guess the point of this little rant is this: if you choose, choose wisely.

whether you think about the future or not - your silly choice today might seriously effect your future - and the future of your family.

happier posts later, i promise.

a record amount of babbling in one day, perhaps?

just because...it's cold here. we have a storm a-coming, and right now it's windy & blustery. good snuggling under the quilt time.

just random things going on....

• Brendan has taken the job offer - he'll start next year
• on his way out to work he found out one of his employees & her husband were killed in a motorcycle accident last night. they left a 10 year old daughter. prayers for the Stewarts, if you please.
• while wrapping gifts for his Christmas party tonight, i asked the husband if we were going to bring something to open while in Reno. he said yes, but that he doesn't have anything for me yet. "i'm gonna do some shopping when we get there," he says. i start laughing - since we get there on Christmas eve. "what are you gonna do," MissSmartAss sez, "go shopping in the airport? because nothing says 'i love you, baby,' like a travel pillow." aren't i bad?
• have i mentioned it's cold?
• there is NOTHING on TV. so i'm watching Back to the Future III.
• if you haven't watched "Santa Baby" on ABC Family, do. it's a cute, sweet movie.
• anyone know what to do with a cat that has a bald spot, growing down his spine? it's not much wider than my pinky, but long. i put some neosporem creme on it. if we take him to the vet, i worry he will have a seizure from the stress. that, i do not need.
• if i could shake this headache, i would bake. latent Jewish mom that i am, i thought if i made some Dream Bars & gingerman cookies, B would feel better (this woman's passing really upset him)
• cold. cold. cold. it's beginning to feel alot like Christmas.

hope your day is going better.

defining my state of mind.

in·san·i·ty [in-san-i-tee]
the condition of being insane; a derangement of the mind.
2.
Law. such unsoundness of mind as affects legal responsibility or capacity.
3.
Psychiatry. (formerly) psychosis.
4.
extreme folly; senselessness; foolhardiness.
5.
shopping at Wal-Mart the last full weekend before Christmas.

wait. #5 is not as crazy as you think. well, not as crazy as i thought.

i hustled through, getting these super-cute 1/2 gallon decorated paint cans for Husband's Christmas gifts to his fellow managers. tissue paper. boxes. candy. Bounce. popcorn. hot cocoa mix. (yes, all but the Bounce sheets will go in the cans. although if i did, they would smell of chocolate AND Bounce citrus. which ain't such a bad thing.)

the insanity of it all was, of 20 registers, only four were open. four. with at least ten+ people in each line
who manages that store? the Marquis de Sade?

but...

the Garden center was open. and ready to check me out.
happy dance time, kids. happy dance.

i believe by the time i was pushing the cart out of the garden center, there still were some schmucks standing in line. waiting. while i skipped my way to the truck, where a peppermint mocha frappachino waited for me..courtesy of the Husband.

all in all, a lucrative morning's work. with no insanity in sight.

merry & bright.

halleujah!!

after working my bum off yesterday @ work (our department had it's Christmas lunch & white elephant gift exchange)- setting up tables, the food, serving, cleaning up...then last night a dinner group i play with had our white elephant & real gift exchange.

by the way...nothing says Christmas like two New Kids on the Block concert videos, plus an Angela Lansbury exercise video.

but in between work & the party, was some serious shopping.

first, it was off to the Dollar Tree. i had the bright idea to give my brother in law a family Christmas gift, and had seen some VERY cute mugs...white with red snowflakes. so my idea was to put a basket together with mugs, cocoa mix, popcorn, Kisses and sour worms and some gift cards for the video store.
(by the way - i got an email from BIL, listing off some DVDs the kids want. even better. now i don't have to worry about which store is closest to him.)

next to my Dollar Tree is Kohl's. off i went.

hey - what are all these people doing here? you'd think it was...some kind of holiday. a huge, outta control gift-giving holiday. like...Guy Fawkes day.

wait...what? Christmas? oh crud. well, that explains all the happy smiling faces in the store, looking oh, so happy to be there. oh, and the people!
people stopping to let others pass by in a narrow aisle. people talking on their cellphones without using a certain f-word. people who...

oh forget it. it sucked.

but, my intention, if possible, was to finish shopping for the Husband before the weekend struck. i did not want to be near a store this weekend, if possible...and all i had was a bag of socks and a John Gresham book.

not good.

even worse...i had no idea what else to get him. the few ideas i did have, i gave to my mom & sister in law. what the heck.

but at Kohl's, at least i found Docker pants...in a 29'' length. do you know how hard that is? bloody short legged husband. so here comes four pairs, along with a couple of nice shirts.

thanks be.

oh, but the entertainment factor doesn't end there. standing in line for the checkout, the line stretched almost back to the other end of the store. and behind me in line was a woman talking on her cellphone.

such novelty!

but this chick was talking to someone, and quietly dropping the f-bomb. as in, "no. (pause) it is my money. (pause) go ask a judge (pause. pause. pause). you do not do sh*t around here, and you do not deserve any of it.(pause. hey, i think - this is good stuff) why? you break rules. you eff up daily. (pause) go ask a judge. it is my money. (pause. pause) don't call me again."

this went on the entire time i stood in line.

ah, the Season of Magic. it's all around us. but at least i got my shopping done.

blame SusieQ...

for setting up this throwdown.

Just for fun on a Friday...
4 jobs I've had:
waitress (i blew at that one), greeting card sales (not at a store. door to door), jr. loan processor, receptionist @ a car dealership

4 movies I could watch over and over:
Young Frankenstein (RIP Peter Boyle), any James Bond flick (pick any three)

4 places I have lived:
sorry...only two. Long Beach & Buena Park. unless the business trip counts...

4 TV shows I love:
CSI, Shark, Family Guy & Standoff

4 places I have been on a vacation:
Orlando, FL., Washington DC., California's wine country, Reno, NV (if visiting family counts...and it does)

4 favorite foods:
fresh baked bread, Knott's Berry Farm's fried chicken, chicken fried steak, Mexican brownies (do you see a trend? no wonder my arse is where it is today)

4 places I would love to visit:
Ireland, Japan, Hawaii, Canada

4 Living Women I Admire:
hmmmmm...lemme come back to that one...

4 Favorite Actors:
Hugh Jackman, Bill Pullman, Sean Connery, George Clooney

4 Concerts I Have Attended:
Barry Manilow (yes, Barry Manilow. i was in high school, 'K? i'll give you a moment to get over it.), Styx, Shaun Cassidy, Donny Osmond

iffn' you're interested in playing, post a comment & i'll check your answers.

we have box.

yep, the box chock full o' Christmas goodies have arrived at the sister-in-law's.

and, already the kids are all over it like ants on a sucker.

i told her she could open the box, everything is wrapped (at great personal emotional expense to me, i might add).

nope...it's under the tree. waiting. for us.

if you have or had kids, you know what hell these children are gonna go through between now and Christmas.
{snark}

it just ain't right. i remember December being the longest month & that week before Christmas being interminable.

hey...at least now the kids can pass some time tracking Santa. why, back in mah day (insert lipsmacking sound here), all i could do was stand in a really long line to sit on his lap.

and cry.

the Nephew informed me tonight that he wrote a letter to the Jolly Old Elf, and cut out pictures of the gifts he wanted. i told him that was a good thing, because Santa needed pictures to help him, in case he forgot the name of the gift each kid wanted.

the Nephew laughed.
years from now, he'll be telling either his therapist or his kids about what a weirdo his Auntie was.

ah well...at least i'll be a legend. hopefully for the memories i gave them, and not for the crazy old broad i could become wearing green plaid pants, yellow checkered top, high-top sneakers with a gawdawful hat.

eeeh. legacy is legacy.

wow. a trifecta of babbling.

currently watching this killer show on the History channel...go here to find the next showing...

i love history anyway. i'd love the History channel SO much more if it didn't seem to be all WWII all the time.

my father in law LOVED that channel. drove his wife nutzo. made her even crazier when we would visit and her #1Son would join FIL at the TV for non-stop WWII antics.

aren't memories precious?

ah yes...

Sam must go.

Sam must die.

Sam's a schmuck

it ain't no lie.

dumb things you see when driving -

seen on the way to my job today: a bumper sticker reading, "BE American. BUY American."
on the back of a Toyota Tercel.

no lie.

now granted, most Toyotas are built here, but kids...let's use our brains, shall we?

also seen on the way to work...

a couple parked in front of the high school near my job. tonsil grabbing.
normally not a big thing...high schooler, right? hormones a-raging.
they were my age. my age.

what th'?! GET A ROOM!!!

taking a page from the Book of Jolene...here comes some random thoughts...

• tomorrow should be Friday. i've already worked a week in just three days.
• when Friday does come, we will not only have our Christmas lunch & white elephant gift exchange (always a hoot) during the day, and that night a group of my friends will also have a white elephant gift exchange, along with pizza & beer.
• last weekend, my dear Husband worked his arse off @ the in-laws, hanging Christmas lights and other assorted decorations. let's face it, my step-pop is 80. he has no business climbing up a ladder.
• my dear Linda, this past Sunday, hit a patch of black ice on the way to church and rolled her truck - along with her son & herself. no serious injuries, altho' she has a concussion and feels like crap. poor girl was stuck in the truck for about 20 minutes...she said it was the longest mammogram she'd ever had.
• Christmas gifts were finally shipped to the sister-in-law. thank heavens THAT'S off my list.
• i still need to shop for the Husband - any ideas?
• the Husband got an early Christmas gift today...the job he really wanted called & asked him to come in Friday to discuss a starting salary & date. i am more grateful to you for your prayers & to God for allowing it to happen...he's been sooo stressed (his own doing!) from work and now that he sees an end to his hell, he's a happy boy. however, when he's about four weeks into the new job, i will be reminding him non-stop about how much he wanted this job...especially when he starts whining that the job sucks!
• still needing to finish some shopping - and no ideas. it may just be gift cards and to heck with the Husband (he feels it's tacky to give gift cards - i say walk a mile in my heels and try to come up with something original for friends & family!).
• i think we need to move to northern CA..i want to work for Google. they have a HUGE, buffet cafeteria. and the food looks faboo.

alright. enough boredom for one post. a happy hump day to you & yours. only 11 more shopping days - crap!!!

a little weird...

i'm sitting here, listening to what sounds like wood creaking.

like possibly the apartment is settling.

or like the support beams are cracking and eventually the whole thing's gonna come around my ears.

but i'm tired. and i'm stressed.

have a good night.

edited: Melissa posted about it being an earthquake, or the possibility thereof. here in Mostly Smoggy So. Cal., we know our earthquakes. i'm the first one under the table, big brave girl that i am. 'sides, it's always centered @ one corner of our apartment.

well, i tried to get out of it.

tried oh so hard.

but there was no escape. no escape at all.

last night, some of my work friends met at another friend's house to learn how to make ribbon bows.

oh and drink a glass or two of vino.

and eat some pretty decent veggie lasagna.

did i mention the vino?

BTW - i didn't drink any vino - mostly because it was all red, and red wine makes me nauseous. so instead, here's a recipe for the newly christened "Mellietini":
a shot of Apple Pucker
Sprite to taste
maraschino cherries
a spoonful or two of the cherry juice.

yum-oh-goodness.

so, after several lame attempts at bow making (which, in my case would still have been lame, with or without alcohol. i'm just not coordinated), toasting (and getting toasted), we started the old "what if" game.

the question of the day: what would you do if money were no object?

of course, the usual - start my own business...pay off my bills....buy a better car...put my kids in college.

believe me, i tried to avoid my turn like the plague.

because i know - this is a hyper-emotional time of year. i'm a hyper-emotional girl. so, i cleaned up. put food away. washed up.

all to no avail.

i was cornered. the question was asked. i tried to laugh it off, but found it coming out before i could stop it.

i would go to the baby store and pick me out one.

then, the whole sea of questions come out. why can't you have kids? is it you? (nice. thoughtful.) no adoption stories?

blah, blah, blah.

i'm thankful i held it together. i have no desire to bawl in front of people i work with. nope. not gonna happen today.

but, any time this gets brought up, i die a little again. it's like the hurt can never heal, whether by someone's words, or my seeing a newborn, or the really fun one: duel baby showers at work yesterday.

it's hard. i have so many blessings, yet all i can concentrate on at times is the one thing i can't seem to be allowed to have.

it's just hard to concentrate on the positive.

always remember: it's the season to remember your blessings. and to believe in miracles.

the biggest sappiest sentimentialst of 'em all...

in the past, i have written of my love for "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg.

for those that don't have kids, or are just completely out of it, "The Polar Express" is the story of a boy who isn't sure he believes in Santa any more...until one Christmas Eve, when a train suddenly appears in front of his home, taking him on a journey to the North Pole - to meet Santa.

and, as any regular reader knows, i am not much of an adult.
i love this book.

so, a few years ago, when this movie first came out, i was hot to see it.

until i found it was a CG movie. suddenly, for me, some of the magic was lost. it's not that i don't love Tom Hanks...it's just that the concept of a CG movie for this book wasn't doing it for me.

fast forward to tonight...and ABC Family is playing a Christmas movie marathon all day. "The Year Without a Santa Claus," "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town," "Rudolph's Shiny New Year."

"The Polar Express."

so, with a little trepidation, i'm watching.

and sobbing like a Christmas fiend.

why? because i still believe. i believe in the beauty of Christmas.
of the Truth of the Story.
that, as Anne Frank said, "i still believe that people are good at heart."

i still believe. i hope you do, too.

ho.ho.ho.

You Are a Traditional Christmas Tree

For a good Christmas, you don't have to re-invent the wheel.You already have traditions, foods, and special things you bring out every year.

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whatchristmastreeareyouquiz/">What Christmas Tree Are You?

i almost peed myself when i read the question "what's the best way to wrap a gift?" and i was torn between "get a professional to do it" (Linda, where are you?!) & "in a gift bag."

i chose the gift bag. life imitates blog.

addendum....when you add a little something extra...

just a few updates.....

• just when i thought the holiday boutique couldn't get any worse...it got worse. i walked in today for my shift to find a holiday music cd playing...someone in our building actually recorded holiday music played on the piano...and wants $11 per cd for this stuff. which i realize is reasonable, except for the fact that it sounds like what your kids play at a piano recital. i'm not trying to be petty, but really...it's not even a good arrangement - nothing fancy, just straightforward piano playing. but like i said, it's like listening to your kid play, and frankly, i'd rather give $11 to a kid for their cd.

• the Husband's job search continues...he actually has a fourth interview scheduled for tomorrow morning...prayers, fingers crossed, candles burned, whatever you do - i would appreciate it and i know he would as well. both our lives could be a LOT less stressed if something like this new job could just work out.

i'm ready for bed. nightie, night kids.

looking for the answers to life's unanswered questions...

today is Thursday. this means that the Holiday Boutique @work will be open and i will work my shift as usual.

riddle me this: why is it that cool handmade stuff like earrings, crocheted scarfs and yes, paper bag books AREN'T selling, but some things like jars filled with cookies from last year (no i am not kidding) are selling like hotcakes.

huh?

this boutique is doing some good, 10% of the proceeds goes to a youth shelter nearby. but what i don't get is how can most of the stuff in it be crap from a cheesy gift store...and sell. while some really cool homemade things don't even move.

seriously. one of the mail room workers is selling his collection of mini Beany Babies. from McDonalds.

i don't get it. not a bit.

i'll see if i can take a picture. but i'm annoyed. not only that my handiwork isn't selling, but that the two coordinators of this thing insist on using really strong potpourri in the store. it's really, really strong. it made one lady lose her voice. when i said something, i was treated as if i had spat on the grave of their grandmother.

come on.

can't we all just get along? oh, and buy some of the handmade works while you're at it.

now i know my ABC's...

well - since i wasn't really tagged, i can't tag you. but i check blogs daily and just like Santa, i'll know...i'll know...

thanks Jolene!

A - Available or single: SO unavailable
B - Best Friend: My husband
C - Cake or Pie: how about white cake with chocolate frosting? yummmmmm
D - Drink of choice: diet Coke with True Lime (a faboo powdered real lime, comes in envelopes or in bulk and it RAWKS!!)
E- Essential Item(s) you use everyday: computer, my truck & mascara
F - Favorite color: colbalt blue
G - Gummy Bears or worms: gummy bears
H - Hometown: Born in Long Beach, CA & didn't move till we got married
I - Indulgence: mocha frappachino w/a shot of orange..except i have them so often, they probably don't count as an indulgence
J - January or February: February..January is such a let-down after Christmas!
K - Kids & Names: does the cat count?
L - Life is Incomplete Without? My faith, my family, and my friends
M - Marriage Date: 10/25/97
N- Number of Siblings: nope. nada. zip. (well, none that i know of..who knows what my "father" did after he left my mom)
O - Oranges or Apples: oranges!!! (unless there's caramel dip nearby)
P - Phobias or Fears: does styrofoam count? if not, then - when i was a kid, i was TERRIFIED of being in a store when it was closing. seriously. i would flip out, begging whichever adult i was with for us to leave. i think that all stems from a TV movie-of-the-week i vaguely remember that involved someone in a store after it closed & there were doberman guard dogs terrorizing them. aren't you sorry you asked?!
Q - Fave Quote: Don't worry about the world coming to an end. It's already tomorrow in Australia.
R - Reason to Smile: i find a new one every day.
S - Season: i LOVE winter. probably because we really don't have much of a winter here, but i'd SO rather be cold than hot.
T - Tag 3 or 4 people: I'm so not picking names. How about whoever wants to do it please do because I would love to read more about all of you on your blogs.
U - Unknown Fact about Me: i have a square freckle on the side of my nose. Freaked my grandmother out.
V - Vegetable You Don't Like: broccoli & califlower
W - Worst Habit: just one?
X - Xrays: Back, ankle, hand
Y - Your Fave Food: fresh baked goods, GOOD Mexican food and Southern cooking (again, my mom has NO idea where i came from)
Z - Zodiac Sign: Gemini. Split personality. Devil's advocate. Life of the party (which would be good, if i wasn't rather shy. stop laughing. i really am!)

couldn't have said it better myself...

as you may or may not know...i love most cartoons. well, at least the ones i grew up with.
classic Looney Toones, Secret Squirrl, Rocky & Bullwinkle, and the killer Rankin/Bass specials.

like "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town."

and my favorite character: Burgermeister Meisterburger.

being an odd one, i always appreciated the "evil" characters. they had, well...character. far more interesting than the heroes and heroines...who were a little too sickening sweet for my taste...even as a kid.

but back to "Santa".

by far, the hardest working man in this show (and perhaps the whole of show business) is Paul Frees. he does at minimum four voices in this show.

He's done more voice-overs than you could shake a stick at, and if you heard his voice, you'd go "ohhhhh yeah! i know who he is." and, if you've ever been to Disneyland or DisneyWorld, you've heard Paul Frees' work in the Haunted Mansion as the Ghost Host.

recently, i found a quote from Mr. Frees that made me laugh. HARD. someone once asked him if he had any regrets about his choice of professions. his response: "Sometimes, yes. But it's nothing I can't overcome when I look at the bank balance."

love it. finally truth in advertising.

not to toot my own horn...

but i submitted a photo i took of the sunset recently to the latimes.com on their photo page. it's viewable online here.
easiest way to find it: search by Title & look for a southern california sunset.

you can vote iffn you want...i don't win anything, except the occasional comment (oh and the two comments almost having an argument on the usage of words. it's kinda like being online @ the CKMB.

anyways - the photos are super cool, lots of sunsets, and other things.

tomorrow: off to San Diego. i should have lots of photo ops, and Day 3 of a Photo a Day in December.

Happy weekends.

all i want for Christmas...

i'm not a "typical" chick. i'm not looking for a Coach bag for Christmas.

My favorite jewelry: silver.

My favorite store: Target.

(i do, however, really like makeup & gettin' mah hair fixed.)

So if you have an inclination, here's what's on my list.

• i want Britney to put some panties on.
• i want actors to quit thinking they can sing, and for singers to quit thinking they can act (Toby Keith & Don Johnson, i'm talking to you!)
• i want politicians to really be acting in the Public Interest.
• i want more cooking shows like Paula Deen's. say it with me: butter is good.
• i want fashion designers, society & the media to stop promoting that size six is what everyone wants to be, when the average size in America is 12.
• i want Botox to go away.
• ditto commercials for "natural male enhancement."
• i don't want Sylvester Stallone to make another "Rocky" movie.
• ooops. too late.

For some reason, i don't think you'll be able to get these at your local megamall. So i'll settle for warm good wishes and a few hugs.

Even if they're only cyber ones.

snappy answers to stupid questions

because everyone sticks their foot in their mouth sometimes. but that doesn't mean you have to take it.

"omygorsh - have you put on weight?"
"no - but your eyes probably have swelled. that's why my arse looks bigger to you."

"is that your real hair color?"
"is that your original nose?"

(the following was said to my friend {as i stood there}, who is, like me, not a skinny girl)
"so i was asking little Chelsie" (yes, my friend is also Chelsie. my friend & i looked at each other, dumbstruck)
"um, that's not what i meant."
"so are you saying i'm big Chelsie?"
"um, no...that's not what i meant."

p.s. this is the same fella, who, after i gave a presentation to my entire department and asked if anyone had any questions, asked me what my real hair color was. my response wasn't the one about the nose, but that i would tell him, if he would tell me where he got his hair plugs.

and this guy reproduced. scary.

{overheard at the last trip to Disneyland, standing in front of a HUGE sign reading "Restrooms")
"can you tell me where the restroom is?"

"so - ya going camping?"
(asked of my friend, hitching up her trailer before going camping last weekend)

and perhaps the most stupid (and slightly off color) question of them all:

"was it good for you?"

Happy Weekends!

cash rewards to you, the reader

serious. cashola.

all you have to do is wrap my freaking Christmas presents for me.

really.

i HATE wrapping presents. i'm terrible at it. can't cut a straight line. curling ribbon? yeah, right. might as well just hand it to someone in the bag the store i bought the gift at gave me, because it would look better.

i have all these grand ideas for wrapping. this year, all the gifts (i decided) would be in red paper, red ribbon & silver bows.

i just keep forgetting that i'm the one wrapping them.

my mom, however, wraps beautifully. her presents always look like they were professionally done. but that gene, Gentle Reader, did not come across to her daughter.

kids - i'm 44 years old. my presents look like the six year old nephew wrapped 'em. (actually, that's probably not fair to the six year old)

corners matching? nope. even sides on the paper? not gonna happen.

you know that saying "measure twice, cut once?" i can measure 20 times, but i guarantee i'll be cutting more than once.

last night, my goal was to finish wrapping the presents for the sister-in-law's family & get 'em UPSd today. instead, i threw a hissy fit halfway through wrapping, flinging ribbon one way, the third attempt at cut paper the other and my paper cutter at the cat. (don't worry, by the time i started flinging ribbon, he was out of there. besides - not only can i wrap, i have no aim as well)

therefore - i will be at some store tonight, purchasing gift bags.

there's nothing wrong with embracing your limitations.