1) On Saturday, some guy backed into my dad at the gas station. It was but a fender bender, but the damage is about $600 (the whole side panel has to be replaced.) On Saturday, we couldn't find his cellphone, prescription sunglasses, and his DSL stopped working. We found his sunglasses, and the DSL kicked on later that night. On Sunday we found his cellphone. However, he also hit a deer and did about $1800 worth of damage to the car. Today is his and my mom's 38th anniversary. What a shitty year 2003 has been. I look forward to 2004... it can't be worse than 2003.

2) Seeing my grandma in the nusring home when I was WV was hard. She's ok there. I think she knows it's the best place for her. She looks so much like my mom in the face, though, it's just hard. I found out my Aunt Joanna died, too. She was 93 years old. She'd been in a nursing home for years, and her health had been deteriorating for a long time. She was the last of my grandma's original family. Aunt Joanna led an interesting life. She was named Daisy May at birth, in honor of the beloved family cow. She got married in secret, and her husband would sneak in at night to see her after they got married. At some point, she changed her name to Joanna. She drove across country by herself (with two puppies) in the late 20's early 30's to California, to meet up with her husband. She converted to Catholicism, and when her husband died she decided to become a nun. She was getting ready to take her vows when she decided otherwise. She remarried, and was later widowed. Her husband left her several million dollars, but she lived in a mobile home with her canary. Grandma went out to California to see her a couple years of ago, with my uncle. I'm glad she got to take that trip.

3) I met my friend Craig's girlfriend from Canada (Quebec). I really like her! I'd be her friend even if she wasn't dating Craig. She knits! She's a Kevin Smith fangirl! She's a francophone! She's a Good Eats/Alton Brown fan! I'm so happy he's found someone that's right for me...er...him!

4) I'm done with my first scarf. It took me, what, over a month? I started on my second, for Jay, and it's already halfway done (to be fair, though, it's huge yarn, and huge needles.)

5) My washing machine died. :( This makes me sad. We need a new one now. I want a really big one this time, so I can wash big stuff like my quilt on my bed. It's good for allergy-purposes.
Update: I just got approved for credit at Best Buy.com and bought a washer in under 15 minutes. I love technology.

6) Dammit. I want some winter weather. None of this 50° crap. I have winter clothes to wear. I can park my car in the garage. I just bought a new wool coat.

7) I made Jay eat Thai today. He liked it alot. We'd tried it at this place downstairs, but it wasn't very good then. This time it was. Yay for green curry!

A list of What I Got for Christmas:
-- The Gigantic DVD
-- NO!
-- Ms. Pac Man for PC (might have to go back, not sure if it takes a 3-D card)
-- a s'mores set
-- a blue short-sleeved shirt
-- a 20" flat-screen (not flat panel) TV
-- a stereo/DVD player
-- a hat and gloves
-- a DVD player with surround sound speakers
-- Chicago on DVD
-- Trivial Pursuit, v. 6
-- a lap desk (I love those things. this is a really nice one.)
-- a stuffed Rottweiller puppy
-- lots of bathy-girly type stuff. You know, lotions, facial kits, etc.
-- this really cool set of cat rice bowls and chopsticks. (like these, but blue), with cat chopstick holders
-- Tastykakes!!!!! (from Beth, and probably from Nathan too. Because they rock.)
-- Oh-so-yummy cookies from Nicole. Because she rocks.
-- Jay got Dial-a-song, which I have appropriated for my own purposes. hehe.

I apologize for not getting cards/presents to those of you not nearby. Despite my wonderful gift list, the Christmas spirit has been pretty absent in me this year, with all the shitty stuff that's happened. Christmas was my mom's holiday, and I feel like it's a sham celebrating it without her. Maybe I'll do some non-Christmas cards/presents. hehe.

I hate this "working on Christmas Eve" thing.

Merry Christmas!

Mmm. I just got wonderful chocolate chip cookies from Nicole. They are quite yummy. and she wrapped the box in Muppet (!) paper, TV-style, where the lid comes off separate from the box. I'm so impressed. I will keep the box. hehe.

I had another weird dream last night. My sister was trying to steal Erika's boyfriend Jayro from her. In my dream, I told my sister that Erika was living with him (which I knew was a lie, even in the dream), and that she couldn't do that. My sister was still married in the dream, too, but she had gone to northern Kentucky (where Jayro worked in my dream) to see him, and he brought her back to WV. I tried to tell Erika, but she didn't believe me. It was all very odd.

This is what happens when I'm bored at work.

Merry Holiday of your Choice!




Princess Claus





He's aging Well





Aren't we jolly?





Hmm. I knew there was something odd about him.
Check out the elf ears





"He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly."





Eleanor with your nose so bright,
won't you guide my sleigh tonight





Sophie would lead the sleigh, but she'd probably get lost.





Much like her good friend Jay,
Princess is all about the candy.





Can Anastasia get more jolly than this?
(answer: No. If I tried that in real life, I'd lose an arm.)

I just got shot.

(with allergens. It was my first allergy shot.)

And I bit my tongue, and it bled.

I'm whiny today. I've still only bought ONE Christmas present (well, and some little ones for Aimee.) I have a lot of shopping to do.

After knitting for two hours, my hands went numb.

That really sucks. Stupid carpal tunnel syndrome. Grr.

For anyone that was at my party on Friday night.. I FINALLY FOUND MY *#$&*!)^ CLARITIN! (It was in a box in my room.)

When I was tired yesterday here at work, I went downstairs and made myself some green tea. That made me feel immensely better, so I've been drinking it all day. I'm not a huge believer in the power homeopathic/natural drugs, but the green tea really does have me feeling better.

I'm having one of those days where I'm miserably tired. My theory is that I'm (successfully) fighting the flu, and it's wearing me down. I will persevere!

On Friday night I had a little Christmas/housewarming soiree, which went well. Only about 10 people, which was fine. We drank a lot of (non-alcoholic) punch. Princess was in heaven with so many people there to give her attention. Of course, she has a sixth sense, and seeks the most attention from the one girl that's allergic to dogs.

On Saturday I went to see Deb Stoller (Editor of Bust and author of Stitch 'n' Bitch) talk at Jo-Beth. I actually spoke to her. I knew who she was, vaguely, I think via Tara's blog, so I thought that was cool. I really should read Bust. She seems like the kinda feminist I can really agree with. I also need to buy her book, too.

Saturday day/night it snowed. I'd say maybe about two inches, but a good half inch of that was icky slush. I've dug out my customary winter-time wear, my trusty Timberlands. They have to be about seven years old or so, but they seem to be holding up.

Congratulations to Beth on her new kitten, Wally! He's actually about Murray's age, I think. I can't wait to see pictures. It seems like he's getting along pretty well with the other animals in her house.

We still have a lot of Christmas shopping to do. The only person I've really shopped for is my sister (she's easy: Buy something with Eyeore on it), and a few little things for Aimee. My grandma gave me money for Christmas. I'm going to buy a combo stereo/DVD player for my room. That should rock.

Ok, enough of my babbling. Now back to sleep...er...work.

So I had the weirdest weirdest dream last night.

I was in a gas station, talking to the guy that worked the front counter, flirting with him. Somehow I won $263 dollars, and eventually I left. The guy kept hitting on me, but I turned him down.

Then I'm at my friend Craig's parent's house, and I find out that this guy lives there, but isn't really a guy at all. It's a girl, and it's Craig's sister. Either his mom had or his dad sired a baby out of wedlock, and when things were going badly with the people the girl/guy was living with, she moved in with them. And his brother Brian wasn't really his brother. Sometimes the girl dressed like a girl, sometimes the girl dressed like a guy. Then s/he tells me that I didn't really win that money, but s/he gave it to me out of their own pocket. It was all really freaky. At one point I was at my cousin Emily's high school in Northwestern Connecticut, which somehow had an exit in New York City.

1) Wow. I made some homemade Chex mix last night. In memory of my mother, I put a ton of garlic salt on it. I just had some. Now the vampires will leave me alone. Mmm. Garlic.
A few minutes later: Regretting so much garlic at 9:30 am. I had to bum gum.

2) The scarf I'm knitting is about 10 inches long now. go me! Hopefully I'll finish it before winter's over. What's a good length for a scarf, Erika and/or Liz?

3) Both the flu and a bad cold have been going around at work. I'm determines not to get it. I've been washing my hands singing the ABCs to make sure I'm washing them enough. My dad was here this weekend and started to get a cold. Two of my co-workers had the flu, and now another one does. Various other sick co-workers have the cold (while not as bad as the flu, still misrable.) I have a theory, though. My allergies and psoriasis are both caused by an overactive immune system. It's been a long while since I've had an actual cold. I used to get a few a year, and I think I maybe had one in the past year. I think in this case, the overactive immune system is helping me.

4) I used a power tool all by myself this weekend! Jay and I put up some coat hooks (well, stocking hangers for now), and I drilled the holes for them. It wasn't hard at all. I've always been afraid of power tools. I'm so clumsy. I've always been afraid I'll be a Tim Taylor type person from Home Improvement. The ER will know me on sight. hehe.

5) We put up the Christmas tree on Saturday. I bought a new one at Wal Mart, 7.5 feet. I didn't realize just how big it was until I went to put it up. It's probably 5 feet across at the bottom. Even with all the ornaments I bought on clearance last year, there still wasn't enough. I made a trip to Wal Mart to fix that. There are still some holes, but some of those might be caused by Murray going, "Oh, wow, you bought me a big cat toy! *bat bat bat*" I found a bulb in my room that had been knocked through the whole house.

6) Soon I will have to watch Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas (hahaha. It says "Popular in: West Virginia"). I didn't realize it was out on DVD. I will have to get that. hehe. The video copy will wear out eventually. Hmm. On second thought maybe I did know about the DVD. Anyhow, Dad got me a 20" TV for my bedroom for Christmas, which I got early. It's flat screen. Right now I'm listening to the John Denver/Muppets Christmas album. I love Muppets.

Comment, dammit!

(on previous posts, that is. This one is not worth commenting on.)

ohmy.

I was just looking over my medical claims over the past few years (my insurance has a website where you can do that.) I'm SOOOO glad I have health insurance. My allergy test was $865. My eye exam was $385 (and that doesn't get paid for this year. wahhhh.) My bone scan was $440.

Since September 2001, I've had $4360 in medical bills. This is not including dental. Jesus.

Over the Thanksgiving break I saw a few movies.

On Wednesday night, Jay, Dad, and I rented The Pianist. It's the story of a Jewish pianist and his survival in Nazi-occupied Poland. It was pretty good. Very long, and depressing, but I've never seen a movie about WWII that isn't (and rightfully so.) It makes me angry at humanity in general.

Thursday night, Dad and I saw Secondhand Lions. It was great. Funny and poignant (as my father is so fond of saying. Several times a day.) I recommend it when it comes on video.

Saturday night Jay and I saw The Haunted Mansion. It wasn't bad for a kid's movie, although I'm of the opinion that far too many young children were there. It probably would have scared me before the age of 10 or so. There were some nice special effects, and a few funny moments.

On Sunday afternoon Aimee and I saw Love Actually. It was great, and I highly recommend you see it. It was hilarious. There were a few too many storylines for my brain, although, and I confused Liam Neeson's character with Colin Firth's. Other than that, it rocked. I love Hugh Grant.

In other happenings, I received the Treat Box started by Tara. It's really fun. I'm glad she started it. I've gained new books, which is always good. I'm excited about putting things in it, too. I'm a geek. hehe.

And on one more note: might I say that I think people that use hacker/leet speak in an ironic manner, yet integrate it in their everyday speech, are every bit as guilty as those who use it seriously. That's an awkward sentence. My apologies.

I had a dream that Beth and Nathan were coming to visit me, but somehow I ended up in a hospital getting my kidneys checked out. I was afraid they'd get there (they were visiting me in WV for some reason) and not be able to find me. They found me in the hospital and after I got out (I was fine, and the doctor gave me Skittles), we went to eat and stuff. But it was a weird dream. When I woke up to the news on my clock radio, there was a short blurb about the quality of dialysis patients are receiving. I thought that was a bit odd.

I'm in a pissy mood today, for on apparent reason. Maybe being off for four days has spoiled me. Yet it's not that I mind doing work. I just mind dealing with people sometimes.