Humbug

Don't get me wrong - I like Christmas. Who doesn't? I don't really like the trappings of Christmas, though... the cheesy music that starts playing before Halloween, the ridiculous crowds at every establishment that sells anything, having to mail Christmas cards (I swear I have a medically legitimate allergy to the Post Office) and most of all, Christmas decorations.

I don't mind seeing decorations, especially tasteful ones. My problem is decorating. I hate pulling out three (three!) boxes of holiday cheer and spending hours putting it up... and then feel like I have no decorations. And what happens four weeks later? I have to take them all back down, dust them, and figure out how I got all that crap to fit in those three little boxes. And we aren't even going to be at home this Christmas. We're going to my mom's house and trust me - that woman has decorated. I told the youth group at my church that their service project this week should be decorating my living room and hanging lights.

The hardest part of my decoration avoidance is X... his cute little pouty face every night when he isn't greeted by twinkling happiness and tinsel dust. Okay, I'm over it now.

With any luck, this will be the first year I pull off a decoration-free Christmas. You may say I'm completely Scrooge-tastic, but I'll roll my eyes and ignore you. Why? Because X and his buddy are currently cheering their butts off at the Las Vegas bowl (where the 'Cats are currently beating the Y). Pretty sweet Christmas gift if you ask me. Check out the view from their seats.


This means of course that I'm alone at home with a pan of fresh Rice Crispy Treats... and my hastily-hidden Christmas presents. I haven't even ransacked the house looking for them.

Yet.

Don't tell my emo subconscious

X laughs and says that I like any music that's in a minor key and has piano in it. I would add to that list emo, alternative, and rock. I'm not a huge fan of pop, but sometimes it's okay.

Unless, of course, you're talking about the new Britney Spears album. Then I'm a crazed lunatic. I listen to it constantly and love the permanent spot it has carved out in my memory. I'm seriously thinking about wearing glitter makeup and tight jeans and rocking out at a Britney concert with Julia.


Hey, if I'm unemployed, I don't have to take time off, right?

I may be crazy

For some reason, I have it in my head that I would like a Masters degree in Accounting. Yeah, you read that right. Yes, that would require me going back to school and yes, I would need to stop the consolidation of my student loans.

I meet with the program coordinator today, where I'm sure she'll tell me that I am completely insane.

Finger Shake

I hate Christmas shopping. I agonize over the perfect gift and this year have the added qualifier of finding the perfect gift in my price range. X is the hardest of all to shop for, especially when his birthday is November 21 and he just doesn't ever stop buying himself the things he wants/needs.

After finally coming up with one or two ideas for Christmas, Arizona beat ASU in the Territorial Cup (woot), securing the Wildcats a berth in the Las Vegas bowl, where they will play BYU. X is a diehard Wildcats fan and remembers a time (pure myth, I'm sure) when they had an awesome football team. At the beginning of every season, he tells me that if they make it to a bowl game, he wants to go. Scratch that, when they make it to a bowl game, he is going. And so the bulk of my Christmas shopping for Xav is tied up in my bowl game attendance. Whew.

Unfortunately, that also means that my two other ideas are out - too much money for accessory gifts. Now all I have to do is come up with one or two things for Christmas morning so he actually has something to unwrap. And what happens? After being threatened every year with awful punishments if he purchases anything after November 1st... he just walked in the door with new ink and a pen case.* A pen case that would have been a perfect Christmas present.**

It won't be my fault if the man has nothing to unwrap Christmas morning. That's all I'm saying.

*I outdid myself on our very first anniversary last year with a Dupont pen.
**That is, of course, if I had even known that fancy pens had cases. No excuse. He could have hinted.

Dilbert school of motivation

It's rather difficult to be motivated about a work assignment and to even care about the outcome when I know that I'll only be here a few more weeks.

Especially when doing a bang-up job takes a lot of effort and will make the person who is responsible for my future lack of employment look really, really good. (i.e., This person will take full credit after I'm gone.)

Meh.

Neener neener

This is what grows in Arizona in December, which is why you should come visit me.