Who Said Holidays Are Relaxing?

This past holiday weekend was eventful even though I didn't do much.

Thursday, I sat at work and prayed, hoped, and wished on freshly fallen snow that they would let us go home early. They did not. Which is ok. I went and had family Christmas where I gots my Nook! The gift exchange was awesome. We all got our annual Christmas pajamas and even Mr. T had a good time.

Later that night I met Averi and her hubs at our favorite watering hole.

Sidebar: This is the first time I've met hubs. He's a prior Marine and good Lord is he a hugger! Major hugs! Apparently, Av has nothing but good things to say about me and so he felt like he knew me. Except for the part about personal space. He must've missed that.

But we passed up a Christmas Eve's Eve concert to just drink beers and shoot some pool. Only Av started drinking beers at 8p and I was with the fam until a little after 10p. Which is totally her fault because originally we weren't supposed to meet until 11p. You can see how I was actually early and not late as she tried to bill it. But we shoot a few games. I'm preoccupied, Av is talking to everyone that she makes eye contact with and the Marine is looking tired.

We grab a bite to eat at a local diner that I lived across the street from for FIVE YEARS but never knew existed. Go figure! The food is good and the pancakes are humongous (they call them "manhole covers"). There was a serious conversation about having more than one child. The Marine thinks that you can't love more than one child; its not possible. Av was drunk so we won't talk about what she thinks. But I tried to help him see that you can love each child the way they need. It is haaaaaaaaaaaaaaard being sober when everyone else is lit! Reasonable conversations take a dark, twisty turn for no reason. I was told way too much info about his family that shall not be disclosed because... DAMN!

Friday I sat at home and cleaned half of what I own. Taking on the whole apartment just seemed like too much. I also waited until 9:15p to decide that I was hungry and that nothing in my house would do. Which resulted in Donatos because they were the only ones open. I paid $2.95 for a side salad. I can't even use an exclamation point because its just so damn sad.

Christmas Day I put on my holiday jammies and met with some of my favorite ladies for a gift exchange. Just super cute small stuff. We also allow a Yankee swap of things you got from friends/family earlier in the day that you just can't stand to keep. I took some things that I'd won at various other parties since the summer. I mean, how many lotions and body washes does a girl need?


Sunday was my Fundaaaaaaayy! I watched my beloved Bengals play without distraction (ahem! T. O. & Ocho) and win against the Chargers! WHO DEY! I went with my birthday buddy who is an avid Chargers fan and a sore loser. It was all extra special because I'd never seen the Bengals win before. *queue tear drops*
Pic found here

Monday, I stayed home and did nothing... at all... except  read. And walk the dog. It was a spectacular plan really. I was supposed to meet Nat at my mom's around 10p but I dutifully fell asleep on my futon around 9:30. TV was just that boring.

So there you have it. My holiday weekend was way more exciting than I had planned on it being and I enjoyed every minute of it. There was no pressure to please anyone or do anything "seasonal" and I think that's what made it so fine.

P. S. - Who dey? Who dey? Who think they gonna beat them BENGALS!!!!!

Giving Thanks and Such

Sometimes, when you think it's all ready to come to an end you have to go back to where it all began. Today I want to give thanks for:

• six degrees of separation
• friends who insist that you come out among the living simply because they need to be out among the living
• having people who will celebrate the day of my birth again and again until I say stop
• side hustles
• pizza, beer, rum, and Wii
• cash as presents
• surprise flower deliveries.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand, Scene!

Whew!

On Sunday, I was headed to my Mom's in the thick of our first real winter snow when I watched this minivan breeze off the ramp and lose control. The vehicle hit another vehicle in oncoming traffic and then went head on into the median. I didn't stop driving. I did call 911. I told my mom about it when I got to her house and we both shook our heads.Where could this person be headed to that they wouldn't risk missing a green light?

Tuesday night after cheer practice, April came home to tell me that one of the boys in her class was in an accident. The accident happened on Sunday. She wanted to know if I'd heard about it because it was by my house. The boy and his sister are fine; their mother died. I cried. I lament the fact that I these children are now homeless orphans. How often do we hear of tragedy and overlook it because it doesn't affect us directly? This incident humbled me again.

Yesterday, I received the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. I've never been one to put much stock in gifts but I loved the feeling of being remembered by someone! Anyone! I had almost forgotten what it feels like to get flowers. This brought all those bubbly feelings back to the surface.

I need you all to know that I did not stay true to my New Year's Resolutions to lose 50 pounds or work my MLM business. But I did manage to meet my MLM minimums every quarter without fail. Tips to all MLMers out there. Leaving catalogs in hair/nail salons, dentist offices, and spas really does work. Just be smarter than me and remember to update your business cards when you change your information. *gives wink*

Michael Vick wants a dog.

BAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHA!

He says that it will help people see that he really is a good guy. Now. I love Michael Vick. And I was all about letting him back in the NFL. I was serious when I said that dogs are not people and that there are rapists, drug users, and wife beaters among the ranks of the overpaid. But there is no way in hell I condone giving him another dog. That's like letting a pedophile run an at-home daycare.