Happy 2008!

Zowie, it's been a long time since my last posting! I had thought I might post during the holidays, but it just didn't happen. I hope everyone had a fab-o holiday and was able to start 2008 off on a good note!

I had Christmas with the fam in Houston, came home for a day, then went to Fabulous Las Vegas with a friend for several days. We gambled, ate, did a bunch of sight-seeing and spent a lot of time on the bus - a slow, but cheap form of transportation for the city that never sleeps...or is that New York? Our hotel was downtown, right by Freemont Street, so it was a trek for us to go to the Strip. Thus the bus. But I lodge no complaints, since a day pass for the bus was only $5, and we did go back and forth several times. You see some interesting folks on the bus. I'll leave it at that.

After returning from the desert, I got to ring in the new year with my wonderful friends and loved ones. It was one of the best New Year's Eves I've had in a very long time, and I hope it bodes well for a fantastic 2008. For now, I'm back to work, which is...work. I always adjust so easily to not working when I'm off. Surely I must be destined for a life of leisure. Maybe this will be the year I achieve that. Everyone needs a dream.

Jingle bells and Batman don't smell

Finally did something last night that felt like Christmas. I haven't been into the season at all this year - I've only half-decorated; I've already blogged about the marginal satisfaction of shopping this year; I've done NO baking; I haven't seen any Christmas shows - it just feels like the whole season is slipping away.

But last night, after a fabulous dinner with My Girls at Fino, we went down to 37th Street and looked at the lights. We went to Starbucks, and I got a peppermint hot chocolate, and we walked the length of the street, oooing and ahhing and even singing some Christmas carols. It was really nice. :) First time all season that I've really felt like it was the season.

Of course, that's all gone this morning. Crazy day at work, temps in the upper 70s today, and tons of non-Christmas stuff to do today (including going to court on that b.s. speeding ticket tonight - power to the people!), but at least for a moment, it was Christmas.

One step closer

Christmas is almost here - as in, like, a week away. Or not even "like" a week away. It's an actual week away!

I sent out Christmas cards last week. That was step one. Then Saturday, I finished (or, you know, did all at once) my Christmas shopping. Step two. Then after the shopping, I decorated my house. That was step three. Though I must confess, I only decorated the inside. If I'm going to the trouble of putting up outside lights, which I usually do, they need to be up at least 3 weeks before Christmas. That's too much work for only a week or two's enjoyment. And I take them down right after New Year's. Since I was too far beyond the 3-week limit this year, it's inside-only decorating this year. But the inside looks very festive!

I didn't mind cranking out all my shopping in one day, but I must say that I've discovered a certain element of my shopping that's less fun than it used to be. There are not a huge number of people on my list, but the people who are there are, in many cases, hard to buy for. Either they buy themselves whatever they want when they want it, leaving you with no idea what to buy them that they don't already have, or they're likely to get what I buy them from more than one source. So, I found myself attaching the gift receipt to a record number of presents this year before I wrapped them.

That was kind of a damper on the joy of giving - this *expectation* that the recipient would probably return it. The fun of giving a gift is trying to think what someone wants and then the awesome feeling when they open it and you can tell they're genuinely excited - you nailed it. When you can't even make it out of the store without thinking, "Well, I guess they can take it back," it sort of leaves you with the feeling, "Why am I doing this?"

But it's done, so I can move on to the part of the season where I go to holiday dinners and parties (that's already started actually...) and then see my family. In other words, the good stuff. Just a few more days of work, and I'm off until January 2! Woo-hoo!

Where does the tree skirt go?

It's a beautiful day here in the neighborhood - in fact, it's unseasonably beautiful. It'll be in the 80s (as in a high of almost 90) today here in Austin, Texas, and that's just craaaaazy! It is November, right? Thanksgiving is only two weeks away, and I'm in a sleeveless shirt today (a zippy little number with a leopard print and these little fringe things all over to make it look furry. My co-worker said it's "super cute" and she's a fashionista - she knows.). I can't even begin to think about Christmas (only 6 weeks away!) until I'm at least in a jacket, and I've done no Christmas shopping at all. I'm not really complaining, because a beautiful day is beautiful no matter what month it comes. I'm just having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit when it feels like May.

But fear not! Retailers have indicated their wish to get me in the spirit whether it feels natural or not. In fact, some are going to make sure I don't confuse the biggest shopping season of the year with anything natural OR spiritual: http://www.hammacher.com/publish/72376.asp. Sure, you'd look like a half-wit to anyone who entered your home, but there'd be so much more room for presents!!! And isn't that really what Christmas is all about? (sniff!)