Wishing You The Merriest!

Let It Snow!

O Christmas Tree

Christmas Glitters

We need a little Christmas

right this very minute. (and by "We" I mean "I")

... It's either that or a nervous breakdown, so let a girl have some yuletide cheer alright?

Yes, I've begun decorating my little corner of the blog-o-sphere. Little things like this thrill me to no end. I've also dug my real decorations out of storage, and the rusty little wheels in my mind are spinning with ideas for decorating my apartment and workspace at Alaska Air.

I love virtual Christmas goodies so if you know of a cute Christmas widget, video, pic, etc.. send it my way!

Cheers!

A Change Is Gonna Come

Is this what Sam Cooke was singing about? I think so, don't you?

Although I still believe our government is lead mainly by greedy, corrupt bullies; although it seems that just about every politician out there is warming some wealthy corporation's pockets, while hiding a graveyard in his or her own closet; And although I am quite obviously disillusioned with our political system at the moment, there's just no denying the emotional power of this image.



Is President-Elect Obama the best candidate to turn this country around, does he have our best interest close to his heart and ever-present in his mind? I don't know and I can't see into his soul. I only know him as the image he projects, but looks can be deceiving and well - Americans have been deceived long enough. Time will reveal the truth behind the rhetoric and I hope Mr. Obama follows through and manifests the change he claims to be, in the here and now.

You see, the key word here is "hope". Like him or not, he represents hope for the future and his election to the office of President alone is a sign this country is beginning to separate itself from its ingrained history of evil deeds, ignorance, and intolerance. Lord knows we still have a long, long way to go, but this is the most obvious sign of progress and promise of hope we've ever seen. I only pray it continues to gather momentum and multiply and multiply, planting seeds in our nation's children and their children... If hope is contagious, let it spread. We could all use a little right now.

In the words of Mr. Sam Cooke, "It's been a long, a long time comin' but I know a change is gonna come. Oh, yes it will."

Bittersweet (but mostly bitter)

Hi Folks. This post will be a little different so bear with me. I have no new photos to share (gasp!). I titled this post 'Bittersweet' because for one, it's the name of my favorite song by Big Head Todd & The Monsters, but it also sums up how I've been feeling lately - sweet with a tinge of crabby bitterness. Okay, if I'm being honest it may be more than just a tinge. (Coincidentally it also aptly describes my cooking)

Taking stock of my recent conversations and moods I think I've discovered a pattern emerging. Here's a couple snippets from my IM conversation with Julian last night:

Me: I only had 3 knocks on my door. But the first little kid, who I should have known was shady because he was dressed like a ninja, says to me as I'm about to put a piece of candy in his bag "No, not that one"

Julian: lol

Me: I was like WTF?! Spoiled little brats these days. You'll eat what I give you and be happy it's not laced with razor blades you little cretin. Okay, I didn't say that but I probably would have if his mother wasn't there.

Julian: I bet you would have

Me: Hell yeah. He's lucky he got anything from me, I only bought the candy to bribe the little future criminals in the apartment complex, in hopes they'd leave my cat alone. *

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Me: Are you voting this year? I refuse. In fact, I'm going to be like everyone else and express my political opinions on the back of my car. I want two stickers on my back window, you know the little white drawings of a boy peeing on a Ford logo or something, except next to one will be a McCain sticker and next to the other an Obama sticker.

Julian: lol

Me: Piss on 'em all!

-------

Me: I can't believe some of the headlines these days. It's like they go out of their way to find the worst, most horrific crap they can find, slap it on a website and call it journalism. Here's a screenshot, these are on the very front page of Fox News:


(Click image to enlarge)

Me: They say they are just bringing the news to the people, but is this an attempt to be "Fair and Balanced" or scare us shitless?

Julian: lol, that is why I don't follow the news

______

Why am I being so negative lately? (BTW, Fox added another headline today "Boy Shot, Killed While Trick-or-Treating". It wasn't me, I swear.) Perhaps I'm just feeling a little frustrated and bummed that summer is over, the days are getting shorter, or just take your pick of reasons, but this time of year is always at least a little tough for me. Seasonal Affective Disorder or "SAD" I believe they call it. I just call it "CRAB" which stands for CAUTION: Really Annoying Bitchiness.

The one shining light for me is the holiday festivities that happen around this time of year. It's strange that although the holidays sometimes make me a little sad, they make feel warm and happy to a greater extent. Last year I vowed not to drag out my decorations but then I put them up well before Thanksgiving. In fact, I was so overcome with Christmas spirit that I stayed late at work one night and decorated our work area to look like a Winter Wonderland, so my co-workers would be surprised the next morning, much like a scene from one of my favorite Christmas movies, Elf. And Julian, bless his heart, displayed the patience of a saint by driving me around for hours and hours and hours so I could photograph Christmas light displays. He also took me to downtown St. Paul for their Winter Wonderland display of lights. On top of all that, he agreed to pose with me (I set the timer on the camera) for many takes until we had just the right photos for our greeting cards. And he doesn't even like the holidays, in fact, he says he hates them and all they stand for. So he truly deserves some kind of award for being so supportive and such a trooper.

Yes, each year I pine for Christmas earlier and earlier, but this year I'm not starting out in denial and I believe I've set a personal record: I started dreaming about Christmas at the beginning of October. I've been lighting a fire in my wood-burning fireplace and lighting a Balsam Fir scented candle. I would love a real tree this year but I've decided a real pine wreath hanging over the fireplace will do. I'm getting one the day they arrive at Wal-Mart (tight budget, you'll see why a couple sentences from now). I'm already designing a Holiday themed decorative layout for this blog. It might be up a little sooner than some of you would like. Bite me. err... I mean sorry if it's obnoxiously early. I've also been adding to my already ginormous collection of Christmas and Holiday music. I even went out and bought a new iPod last night because my old one didn't have enough room to contain all the Jingle Bell-Let it Snow-Joy to the World-White Christmas glee. Hey, don't judge me. We all do what we can to get by, and if latching onto the idyllic charm and magic of a winter wonderland Christmas fairytale fantasy makes me happy, then so be it. At least I haven't turned to heroin. Yet. Or done this:

And so it begins. I'll try to take it easy with all the Christmas stuff until Thanksgiving is over, I promise only to try :)

Catch ya next time!

My new logo?

*A few months back some little shit-for-brains thought it would be funny to throw brown soda pop on my white cat, who proceeded to run through the house, misting everything with sticky soda. You need only imagine my reaction.