Santa, I want a milkbone

Last night Lisa and I were at the mall getting some Christmas shopping done when we saw a long line of dogs. Turns out it was “Pet Pictures with Santa” night. Lisa called mom who scooped up Bo and drove him over to us. We stood in line for 3 hours. Finally we got to the head of the line. Bo was placed on Santa’s lap and the picture was snapped.

I grabbed this pic with my cell phone:
Bo and Santa
The official photo is with Lisa. Hopefully she will send me a copy.

Bo was a good boy. He didn’t poop or pee. He even met a girl Japanese Chin in line named Bella. They were so cute together. Japanese Chins are one of the few breeds who prefer the company of other Japanese Chins. They like their own kind. I figure this is the reason why Bo loves stuffed animals that are black and white.

It’s getting closer

Got snowed in this weekend. 18 inches or thereabout dropped on us. Friday I decorated the tree. Saturday I baked cookies, made chicken pot pie, built a fire, listened to a ton of Christmas Carols, and went sledding with the neighborhood kids. It was really lovely. Sunday my neighbors had a blizzard party and I spent the evening with them talking up a storm.

I understand more snow is on the way for Christmas. It will be nice having a white Christmas. Haven’t had one of those in years.

It’s amazing how simple it is… put up the Christmas tree, watch snow sprinkle down… Christmas spirit takes over!

I am my mother…

I set up the manger scene and I covered baby Jesus with toilet paper.

Brings back such sweet memories…

“Mom, why is there toilet paper in the manger?”
“Because I’m covering Baby Jesus.”
“Why?”
“BECAUSE BABY JESUS HASN’T BEEN BORN YET!”

Is this just an odd PA Coal-region thing or does everyone do it?

Let it Snow!

Last night I FINALLY decorated my Christmas Tree! I got motivated by listening to SLADE and then when the energy built up and motivation arrived, I switched to Ultra Lounge Christmas Cocktails and decorated.

Are you guys familiar with Slade? Pookie introduced them to me. I had never heard of them. Holy moly they are a great band. And I have only begun to listen to them because they were unavailable on Rhapsody for ages. Rhapsody has them now. So here’s a playlist, check them out, let me know what you think:

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The Goose is Getting Fat

10 days until Christmas. And I haven’t gotten a single Christmas decoration out of my attic. The season is just rushing by me… I hear it whooshing by! It doesn’t much feel like Christmas, but why should it? All my decorations are in the attic! What would probably help is if I did some Christmas shopping.

And It was ONE YEAR AGO (a few days ago) that I was laid off. ONE YEAR!?! In a weird way it feels longer than a year. What a year it’s been. At least I can say I am back on track to where I had wanted to be after the reeling had stopped. On my own. Doing my own thing. Every now and then I think back to the train ride in to Philly. And I am so happy I am not riding it. And I think back to the 50 phone calls before 11. I am so happy I am not churning those out… using a computer that couldn’t keep up. So it turned out that last year’s Christmas gift (from God) was a much longer term gift that I ever realized.

So what do you guys want for Christmas?

Mean People

Here’s a question…

Looking back at my life, I can’t help but notice that I seem to attract an inordinate amount of aggressive rudeness and insults from people. I got some heaped upon me just today! You’d think I’d get used to it but I am almost always surprised by it. Especially because I try to be nice and I try to make people feel comfortable. I have no clue what it is about me that attracts such abusive behavior.

So after the aggressively rude comment hit me today, and I thought to myself, “Why are people so downright insulting to me?” that I was visited by a brilliant idea… Perhaps it’s not just me! Maybe everyone experiences myriads of cutting insults and aggressive rudeness!?! Maybe it is totally normal and I am being silly thinking it’s just me!

I was so excited by this realization that I called my sister to tell her. And she said, “No, you really do seem to get a much larger dishing of rudeness than most.”

So the question is…. In your life, are most people kind to you or are you besieged by aggressive rudeness from strangers and people you thought were friends or at least acquaintances?

What I want for Christmas

Dear Santa,

I’ve been a very good girl this year. It’s been very stressful and I never once screamed out the string of obscenities that I wanted to at the top of my lungs. I was a good sister and daughter and a relatively good friend and girlfriend. And because I was so relatively good, I ask for the following items:

Bare Minerals Foundation or something similar
Flight of the Conchords, Season 2 (I think Peter is going to pirate this for me)
L’Oreal Double Extend Mascara, in black
A carrying case for my HTC Hero
Flannel Sheets
(analog) Journal (or two)
Old Navy has some cute shirts.. just search stripes.
I totally need new yoga/exercise pants, I love Targets Champion line.
Dutch Oven, Walmart has some affordable ones

I am so boring.

Hugs and Kisses,

–Donna

A Scratch n’ Sniff for a Smurfette

Realization #2: I am self-employed but I am still trading my time for money.

You can give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. You can give a man a fishing rod and he’ll eat until he can no longer physically fish. Or you can show the man how to build a fish trap so he doesn’t have to spend his entire life fishing alongside the stinkin’ river.

I need to get me some fish traps.

And again, the idiots never stop

I think I am fine and it happens. I get jerked around. Someone does something that I would never do… and I find myself pretending all is fine but instead I am insulted and fuming inside. STOP. STOP. I am in control of my reaction and I have decided that I am not going to be angry or hurt. I am just going to move on. Learn and move on.

Is there a book on the art of using people and making them feel grateful for being used? I clearly need to bone up. Or at least learn their tactics so I don’t get them used on me.