Christmas

Just wanted to wish everyone a safe and peaceful (yet still merry!) Christmas. I am spending the day with my family, and am, hopefully, drinking asti and opening presents even as you read this.

Now that I think of it, why the hell are you reading blogs on Christmas? (I wrote this post on the 22nd and saved it for later publishing).

The Case of the Missing Present

I knew when I left PetsMart yesterday that I had bought a present for Angel Kitty and the same thing for Jazz. I got home and set the bag on the other side of the baby gate, where Daisy couldn't get it while I had dinner.

I did not think of Angel Kitty's obsessive fondness for plastic bags.

I heard the rustling of the plastic bag while it was being investigated by Angel. When I went to wrap the presents, there was only one fur mouse in the bag.

I guess this means Angel likes her present. I haven't seen it since.

On the other hand, I can't convince Daisy to open her present no matter what I do. I thought that it was only fair to give my other child her present since Angel took hers already. Daisy is getting a squeaky frog. It's wrapped, and I gave it to her, but she won't open it. Oh well. If she doesn't figure it out today I'll have to help her.

Why I Feel Like Shopping

Actually, I don't know why I feel like shopping.

I probably should NOT feel like it, because I probably should not do any shopping. I don't need anything. But...if I keep breaking glasses, this will soon change. Soon I will need to buy more, or be forced to drink out of coffee cups. Although my coffee cups keep getting cracked, so that isn't very helpful either. And I do need a trash can for my bedroom because for some reason there are 2 in the bathroom. I really don't know how these things keep happening, but they do. (sigh)

I need to replace my black blazer for a couple of reasons, the first being because I am thoroughly sick of wearing my khaki colored one EVERY DAY. The second reason is because before I realized that it was dry clean only I washed it and dried it, causing it to shrink approximately 2 sizes, which isn't too bad considering, but it isn't good either. The third reason would be because the black jacket looks really stupid with my khaki trousers. So maybe I should feel like shopping.

I also have a little bit of Christmas shopping left to do. I still need to buy presents for Angel Kitty and Daisy, Lily and Squeaky (my mother's dog and cat, respectively), MOey and Manny (horses). And possibly even Laurie, except I don't know what she wants or even what I could buy that she would like. I know she would like a new car, but my finances haven't improved that much.

Today's plan is to buy a couple of things before I leave work, then to go to PetsMart and buy presents for the cat and dog children. Then possibly to Tractor Supply to buy presents for the horse children. All the animals are considered children, no matter how big or how old they are. It's just the way it is.

I'll try not to buy stuff for myself along the way.

Christmas Weirdos

Why do people only go Christmas shopping in a bad mood? Why is 50% of the shopping the weekend before Christmas done for the shopper, not for gifts? And exactly why the hell would anyone accidentally forget to send out Christmas cards?

Okay, I forgot to mail out Christmas cards because no one has yet sent me a Christmas card. I'm not too shocked by this because I have already annoyed most of my friends.

50% of my shopping this weekend will not be for myself because I am not doing any shopping this weekend. And to prove it (make sure of it, more like) I am leaving my debit card at home, where it belongs. Since I already spent all of my cash putting gas in my truck, I should be safe.

I never do my Christmas shopping when I am in a bad mood. I usually end up in a bad mood while Christmas shopping because of the rampant bad behavior and rudeness of my fellow shoppers. There is much to be said for shopping on the Internet. Best of all, you miss the companionship of crowded malls where people are: A)trying to quiet screaming children; B)screaming at their children; or C) ignoring the fact that their children have just destroyed the store. All in all, next year I will do even more shopping online. The longer I work in retail the more appealing that idea becomes. I will save my in-store shopping for times when the stores are not so busy. The cashier is less likely to forget to remove ink tags that way.

One final thought: if it's 10 degrees outside, why the hell are people going out dressed in Uggs, shorts, and hoodies? WEAR CLOTHES!! IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!!

Another Of THOSE Days

This working til midnight shit is killing me. Last night I wasn't tired so I didn't go to bed until after 2AM. Normally that wouldn't bother me, but I was counting on today for some important errands such as returning those research books that I borrowed from the library for the term paper that was completed and submitted more than 3 weeks ago and of course buying some groceries. I'm almost out of half and half which makes it really important that I go shopping (although I do have a canister of powdered coffee creamer for emergencies).

Also, I believe my Angel Kitty would be very happy if I were to open a can of tuna at some point today. So would Daisy, provided Angel decides to share the tuna juice with her.

I need to do some serious gift wrapping as well. While I finished Christmas shopping a few weeks ago, (except for those small gifts that will seem like a good idea between now and Christmas) I have not wrapped anything. For the first time, this means I have my tree decorated before the gifts are wrapped. Yes, I know I'm weird.

Anyways, since I did not get to bed until well after 2 AM, I did not wake up til a little after noon,. I hate when I do that, because it wastes the entire day, which means I have less time to return books, wrap gifts and shop for groceries, not to mention all the school work that I have to finish. And yet, for some reason, I just don't care.

Yes, I can see that it will be another one of those days.

Still Decorating

Today I decided it was necessary to finish decorating my nearly-naked Christmas tree. Before work yesterday, all I had time to do was put the star on top and put the lights on the tree. I did put approximately 4 ornaments on the tree, mostly because Angel Kitty insisted.

Daisy and Angel seem rather happy with the Christmas tree so far, but I suspect this may have more to do with my mother telling them that they will have presents under the tree. We all know just how spoiled my dog and cat are, so telling them they will be getting more stuff does tend to make them happier.

Jazz moved out last Saturday, so he hasn't been here to help with the tree decorating. Daisy and Angel both miss their friend - both have looked through Laurie's empty room for Jazz and Daisy has even stuck her head under the drapes in the hallway where Jazz liked to hide. As for me, it's just not the same being greeted by only 2 furry kids when I'm used to 3. On the plus side, Angel has been more sociable than usual and is spending lots of time in the living room.

After I decorated the tree, I found my other Christmas decorations that I wanted to put out to enjoy. This includes my reindeer and sleigh, 3 horse and sleigh figurines, and the Christmas cookie jar (A few years ago I put my guinea pig, Oreo in the cookie jar and took her picture. Sadly, that photo is on the hard drive of my laptop computer which is now indisposed).

My next project will be homemade English muffins and making a cheesecake in the spring form pan that Laurie just gave me. This will either be really good or really bad. Either way, I will let you know on Thursday, my next day off.

Rather Be A Bean Counter

I have coworkers who regularly tell me that I should be a comedian (Hi Betty!). As if I can spell that "comedian." I think it should be a requirement that if you can't spell the job title, you can't take the job. (And you should have to proofread your own memos and information that you post on the corporate web site and do so accurately, but this is another story for another post, some day when I'm equally bored).

So, while I appreciate that people think I am funny, I would still rather continue getting an education and becoming a Bean Counter. I mean Accountant.

Okay, so I did mean bean counter.

Seriously, while there are people out there who like numbers who have a great sense of humor and enjoy life, I have met exactly one of these people. This person enjoys having the numbers all add up. She does confess to having gone several years without balancing her checkbook, but the more she learns about accounting the more she enjoys it and is fascinated by the processes involved.

That person would be me.

I can't see myself becoming what I think of as a bean counter. That is the sort of humorless person who is still wearing suits with shoulder pads and ugly shoes and hasn't done anything fun in the last six months to a year, has always balanced her checkbook to the last penny, and probably considers a messy house to be a sin against nature. I would not like this person very much. Besides, shoulder pads make me look like the first string tackle, so let's just say I cut those out immediately (or have my mother do it, depending on which is easier). That is the sort of person who gives the entire profession of accountants a bad name. And that's exactly what I do not want to be when I grow up, if I ever grow up, which is getting more doubtful all the time.

Speaking of growing up, some day I'm going to realize that 12:30AM is past my bed time and I should not be at the computer writing blog entries. I will know that I can't turn the computer on "just to submit a couple of time off requests" (A few? 4 is a few!) because then I will have to "just check my email" then, well, next thing I know I'm writing a blog post.

Oh well. Guess I'll go to bed now, unless that makes me a bean counter. If it does, I'll stay up a while longer.