I don't think I'm going to have much Christmas cheer this year. I'll be too busy watching the clock, hoping this god forsaken year will just end already. It isn't fun to wreck your first car in a snow storm in February, get it back, then total it in April, then watch your childhood friends move away in the summer (graduated from high school this year), start college, the day before school starts you get pulled over for doing 72 in a 55. Four pointer right there, lucky he didn't catch me 5 seconds sooner at 80. Second day of school your father tells you your only surviving grandparent isn't surviving anymore. So don't mind me if I say f**k 2005.

Anyway I'm not doing much for Xmas, I bought a DVD for my sister, my mom is buying my dads gift for the two of us supposedly, I'm hitting Bridgewater on monday with the sister to get candles for my mom, since she loves those, and getting my Xmas presents installed next wednesday, the 21st. My car is getting a bit of an audio makeover, lets just say . So if you ask me Dom, you're well on your way to Christmas spirit compared to others.

I don't think I'm going to have much Christmas cheer this year. I'll be too busy watching the clock, hoping this god forsaken year will just end already. It isn't fun to wreck your first car in a snow storm in February, get it back, then total it in April, then watch your childhood friends move away in the summer (graduated from high school this year), start college, the day before school starts you get pulled over for doing 72 in a 55. Four pointer right there, lucky he didn't catch me 5 seconds sooner at 80. Second day of school your father tells you your only surviving grandparent isn't surviving anymore. So don't mind me if I say f**k 2005.

 

Anyway I'm not doing much for Xmas, I bought a DVD for my sister, my mom is buying my dads gift for the two of us supposedly, I'm hitting Bridgewater on monday with the sister to get candles for my mom, since she loves those, and getting my Xmas presents installed next wednesday, the 21st. My car is getting a bit of an audio makeover, lets just say . So if you ask me Dom, you're well on your way to Christmas spirit compared to others.

Well, that

Ok, it's -3 degrees farenheit here, we have half a foot of snow, politicians are stalking you everywhere because there's a federal election on and my friends who are teachers are sending me a daily countdown on how many days they have left before they're free of the little bastards ( their affectionate term for students) for almost 3 weeks... a few suggestions for you Dom:

Christmas Shopping: CALL IN SICK... the best time to hit the mall is when everyone else is at work. The shopping will still suck but there will be less people that you'll be tempted to give a fistfull of Christmas cheer! Can't figure out what to get... gift certificates are the easy way out and then someone else can deal with the post-Christmas mall crowds while you sit at home!

Still can't remember where you left the Christmas spirit???

Buy yourself a totally indulgent gift (rKnapp is on the right track with the audio upgrade), wrap it and put it under the tree so you know that you'll get at least one kick-ass gift from the fat man in the red suit!

As a last resort before you call in for tracking dogs...

Grab a bunch of friends who don't annoy you with excessive Christmas spirit and have a party or a big "what-the-hell-did-I-do-last-night" kind of night on the town... remember that alcohol isn't only a pain killer but can act as anti-freeze for the body (at least that what we Canadians like to claim!)

If all else fails, when you're on hot Santa's lap, make sure you give his sugar plums a good squeeze!

Steve

Well Dom, I think I'll be getting the best present for Christmas. Hopefully my Mom (age 79) will be discharged from the hospital in time for the holiday. Check out my blog for the details. Neither I, nor my father have had time for ANY Christmas shopping thus far, we've spent all of our time at the hospital. It was touch and go for a while, she spent 2 weeks in ICU and her final diagnosis is Pulmonary Fibrosis. There is NO cure and the treatments are only effective in about 25% of those diagnosed. I thank God every day that my Mom falls into that 25%. Hopefully we'll have her around for a few more holidays. She's actually coherent about 80-90% of the time now too.

I haven't worked since prior to Thanksgiving, so it's definately a "hard-candy Christmas" for me. The savings is about empty and the cupboards are almost bare, so no Christmas Tree, no stockings, no presents, for me and my family. But we are the most blessed and the most lucky.

Now, I just read what I wrote. I didn't mean to lay a guilt trip on anyone. That was definately not my intention. Hasn't the Season become over commercialized anyway?

Happy Holidays!

May your god bless you!

Well Dom, I think I'll be getting the best present for Christmas. Hopefully my Mom (age 79) will be discharged from the hospital in time for the holiday. Check out my blog for the details. Neither I, nor my father have had time for ANY Christmas shopping thus far, we've spent all of our time at the hospital. It was touch and go for a while, she spent 2 weeks in ICU and her final diagnosis is Pulmonary Fibrosis. There is NO cure and the treatments are only effective in about 25% of those diagnosed. I thank God every day that my Mom falls into that 25%. Hopefully we'll have her around for a few more holidays. She's actually coherent about 80-90% of the time now too.

 

I haven't worked since prior to Thanksgiving, so it's definately a "hard-candy Christmas" for me. The savings is about empty and the cupboards are almost bare, so no Christmas Tree, no stockings, no presents, for me and my family. But we are the most blessed and the most lucky.

 

Now, I just read what I wrote. I didn't mean to lay a guilt trip on anyone. That was definately not my intention. Hasn't the Season become over commercialized anyway?

 

Happy Holidays!

May your god bless you!

I know where you're coming from. When I was a sophomore in high school my mom went under the knife for colon cancer, and was discharged a little while before thanksgiving. Since she couldn't do anything like driving until after my birthday (think MLK), we had to do the shopping ourselves. It's winters, I think, that are my favorite times of the year. I got closer to my family that year, then winter of my Junior year was when I classes with many hot guys Then there is snowboarding every winter.... still trying to make something of this winter though, I'll my military school friends on monday for winter break so we'll see what happens.

And don't get me started on the commercialization of Christmas, let's say I'm very Liberal and leave it at that, before someone gets hurt :ranger:

Sounds to me as though Dom's ski holiday was not a blast....

Here's hoping things improve for all y'all and that the Xmas Fairy visits each and every one of you and smites you w/his magic wand.....(hmmm, that's sounds pretty good to me. Send him my way when he is done w/you, ok?)

pax, notTed

Oh, Dom, you mean SOB! I just read Ch 18 and never saw that one coming! What a great chapter! (Whew, 3 exclamation points in a row....deep breath, calming now. Gonna be ok.) Of course, now I have to go re-read the first 17 and see what clues I missed. When I get yelled at tomorrow for falling asleep at my desk, I am gonna tell 'em it's all your fault.

Ooo! Santa is hot this year! *ahem.* I think you should sit on his lap, Dom. It might inspire a Christmas story. I look forward to reading The Spirit of James again this year... but perhaps a sequel to it might be possible... Ooo! Dress James up as Santa! Great job, Dom. I like how you think.