NOOK-y

I truly wish they'd named the NOOK something else.

Thoughts on Brad Pitt

Do you ever imagine really meeting someone that you just think is the bomb? In my life and my imagination, there are many such folks. Most of them are still alive--although after just looking at who died in 2010, the live list is shorter. Some are already gone--long gone, but maybe if I'm a good girl, I'll get to meet 'em some day. The still living ones are on the top of my list though. In no particular order, just to name a few (i might add more as I think of them), they would be....

Jackson Browne
Brad Pitt
Jimmy Buffett
Martha Stewart
Ina Garten
Cher
Jane Fonda
Jill Conner Browne
Sting
Dianne Sawyer
Robin Roberts

Of course, you knew that Jackson would be at the top of my list. I have often imagined what my conversation with him would be. Mainly, I guess I'd want to know how he made all those words fit together so wonderfully and how he's kept his sanity through personal tragedy and the music world. Then, of course I'd ask him if he was happily married. ;-)
Brad Pitt...I'd ask him why he gave Jennifer up for Angie and what made him want all those kids. I do think Angie is gorgeous, but like I know them so well, Jen seemed far more down to earth. I'd ask him when he realized he was, in fact, the bomb, and what he thinks about that. I think I'd ask him if he was happily married. I'm old enough to be his mother, but hey, after all, this IS fantasy.
Martha...oh Martha. My idol for so many years--even through the prison thing. Hate she got caught and others get off scott free, but admired her for schlepping through it. Her business prowess is unparalleled. I'd wanna ask her lots of stuff, but mainly I'd want to know if she ever just spends the day in sweat pants and a dirty sweatshirt and surfs the web. I think not.
Jill Conner Browne...funniest author EVER!!! Not that I read that much. Although with my new NOOK, I might read more. She cracks me up...really.
The others for obvious reasons. I sometimes have imaginary conversations in my mind with all of them at one time..sitting around my dinner table. Wonder if I sent invitations they would show up?

Before.......

I go on and on about New Year's Resolutions and which ones I might actually keep, I'd like to talk about last year's resolutions and how that worked out.

The one thing I vowed to absolutely do all year was be a kinder, gentler person. Especially to my fellow human beings. I think I've always found it easier to be kind to four legged creatures and even some two legged ones like birds, but humans make it so, so difficult at times. I vowed that I would be less judgmental and keep my first impressions to myself. I actually think I've done a pretty good job until the last few weeks. I've discovered that some people that I've tried really hard to be nice to do actually get on my last nerve and all I can say is that I'm glad the year is almost over so I won't have to live up to that stupid resolution any more! Oh, I'm not gonna go off on 'em or anything, but I am not gonna go out of my way to be really nice either. I've decided life's too short to spend much time thinking about them one way or the other and I just may resolve to not think about them...period. We'll see how that works. (Insert rolling eyes smiley here).

Another resolution which lasted..oh....about one week was the losing weight thing. Every year, same thing. Not gonna make that mistake again either. If I lose some...groovy. If not...oh well.

I vowed to take better care of my skin. Yeah, I did that. For about a month. Now, my poor wrinkled dried up skin is lucky if it gets a slather every three or four days. I will not speak of make-up removal.

I vowed to read more. I have done that...on the computer.

So, in the end, I guess all those resolutions turned out pretty much like every one else's. I will think some more about this and get back to you before the ball drops.

An Old Fashioned Family Christmas

Wow..the days have flown by. Seems just like yesterday I was writing about bagels and Thanksgiving. Now, here we are two days past Christmas and looking forward to three months of crappy weather and no Christmas music. But, just so y'all will be grateful for your own Old Fashioned Family Christmas, I give you mine....

A few days before Thanksgiving, Christmas music commences on radio. Color me happy. I love it, can't help it. I think I mentioned there are a couple of songs I can do without, so I won't rehash that, but overall, I don't think I could ever hear "Mary Did You Know" too many times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN70R-3ao0U

December 1 comes...trees are up. Decorating has commenced and is in full on fluff. Party coming up on 12/11. Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Ornament exchange on www.sowal.com 
This is where we draw names and make an ornament for a fellow SoWaller. This year, I happened to draw my favorite of them all, Miss Kitty. It was a heck of a lot of funn (that's how we spell it) thinking up stuff to make for her. She's always such a funn recipient!! Ornament done by the 10th and delivered. Proper ooooooing and ahhhing done.
Party at the house for work peeps on the 11th. Much funn is had.
Next day....boom!! The crud sets in. Dammit all to hell. Lose at least 4 whole days hacking up a lung and going through at least a box of Kleenex. Don't want to use the Christmas Puffs in the pretty box in the bathroom, so I use the less than soft regular old Kleenex in my bathroom. Shoulda used the Puffs. Nose feels like sandpaper.
Flash forward four days...finally coming out of Nyquil induced haze enough to start shopping a little and making a few cards and goodies for far away friends.
Step-daughter who's been visiting from England and is supposed to stay through Christmas announces she has gotten a job in PAKISTAN (for the LOVE OF GOD!) and is leaving on the 19th. Her journey is a whole other blog, but suffice it to say the trip did not go smoothly.
12/18--Making candy and being bummed are not conducive to a happy holiday. Candy gets made, boxed up and ready to mail on the 20th. So late!! Effing cold...
12/19--Step-daughter leaves. Bummed.
12/20--On vacation!! Off to USPO. Second in line!!! Yippee!!! Stuff mailed in record time!!
12/21--More candy making for work peeps.
12/22--Deliver work peeps stuff. Take son shopping for his kids. Shop, shop, shop. Stop for a hamburger. Watch peeps at next table pick their teeth while AT table. Jeez.......
Shop some more. Come home. Wrap stuff.
12/23--Out of town uncle arrives. Cooking in full swing after the obligatory trip to WalMart.
12/24--Christmas Eve!! How did it get here so fast? Shop in the blinding rain. More wrapping. All kids arrive...4 grown kids, 1 boyfriend, 5 grandkids, 1 uncle and one ex-husband. Many cocktails are consumed, dinner is served without rolls because nobody fucking listens when I tell them three times we need rolls. Many more cocktails are consumed. Skyping going on with stranded Pakistan bound girl, more drinks consumed. Christmas Vacation watched and we all laughed like we hadn't seen it 300 times. Greatness. More drinks consumed. I finally go to bed around 2. Left them up drinking.
12/25--Bodies all over, but at least no one drove anywhere. Wait for ALL to get up before kids can open presents. Cook breakfast. Wait some more. Crap opened. Boxes and paper fly everywhere. Kids play with stuff. I go to couch. Watch Christmas Story two or three times. Try to stay warm. Toilet upstairs begins to revolt and stop up.
12/26--Other two toilets join revolt. Did I tell husband this was happening...yes. Did he listen...no. Did I tell him again....yes.  Did he listen...no.  Did he finally tell me at 8pm to call a plumber, he was going to bed...yes. Did I call plumber...yes. Did I cancel plumber after no fucking call back...yes.
12/27..Back to work! Blissful, peaceful, work. Were toilets fixed when I got home....yes.

Merry Christmas and Happy Effing New Year!!