Easy Peasy Christmas Meme...

Stolen and stolen again.

1. What is the best gift you received this year? (Tangible gifts only, please!)
I really got everything I asked for. Right now I'm leaning towards the tinsel tree because I'm staring at it lovingly. But I think in the future my answers will be the nice, new, hardcore computer on my desk upstairs, the microwave and the rice cooker. But honestly, I really loved everything I got. I'll answer for my cats too (they did not get any presents from me, bad owner huh?) but they did get some from my Mom. She gave me an ornament that they can knock off the tree (which they did when it was still standing) and some toys. But their favorite present is my new rug upstairs. Apparently flokati wool is a drug to cats.

2. What is the best gift you gave this year?
Probably the stocking I made for my Mom. Lovingly crafted over the past year and far from perfect, it was fun to add to her stockings. I also think all the buttons were fun to give out and plan. I truly enjoyed that. I think my Aunt loved her button more than most which is why I posted it today.

3. When did you do most of your shopping/creating?
I think I probably started at the beginning of December. I was done on the 22nd. So not too bad. But my sister got her present in June and I started the stocking in March...so it was a whole year thing.

4. Did you go shopping the day after Thanksgiving (U.S.)?
Ick. No way.
Day after Christmas?
Ick. No way. To be perfectly honest, I hate shopping.

5. What stands out already about Christmas 2005?
I've been sitting here trying to figure out what to write here for 5 minutes. It was Christmas. Christmas is always nice and memorable. Why does something have to stand out?

Nerdery ensues...

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. Mine was delightful. There was only a tiny bit of drama, and that all centers around my Grandma's senility/insanity. It was to be expected. I received everything (and more) I could have hoped for for Christmas. And I think all of the presents given went over well. Now I'm just excited to give out the few presents I have left. I heart giving presents.

Unexpectedly my brother loved the buttons. 97.5% of the time my brother dislikes most things about me. It's more about my being an uncool older sister, not about me personally. Buttons are hip I guess...

As for that "uncoolness", it's going strong since I recently received my schoolbooks. I read one of my syllabi and realize I could really help myself if I got a head start at reading. Yes, I am reading about systems design over the holidays. Greaaat.

Every year my sister, Mom and I exchange ugly ornaments. I received a beaut this year, a lovely computer with a wizards hat on. On the screen it says: Computer Wizard. I hope so...

P.S. - I just heard this sentence on TV: "Are there other actresses who are secretly bald? Ok..wow, and it looked like it was trying to be a hard-hitting interview.

Meme

I might as well follow the herd. Just call me cattle....

FOUR JOBS YOU'VE HELD:
1. Library Shelver (I did NOTHING except shelve books)
2. Backroom silk flower assistant
3. Retail cashier
4. Underwriting Assistant

FOUR MOVIES YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER:
1. Empire Records
2. Garden State
3. Harry Potter & Prisoner of Azkaban (probably Goblet as well)
4. Sadly, most Mandy Moore flicks

FOUR CITIES YOU'VE LIVED IN:
1. Geneva, IL
2. London, England
3. Champaign, IL
4. Chicago, IL

FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH:
1. Degrassi: The New Generation
2. Project Runway
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. Everwood

FOUR PLACES YOU'VE BEEN ON VACATION:
1. Maui & Kauai
2. Disney World
3. Barcelona & Madrid, Espana
4. Rome, Italy

FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY:
1. my sisters
2. the news
3. S's website
4. I follow the weather religiously

FOUR COSTUMES YOU'VE WORN ON HALLOWEEN:
1. Muggle (oh ho ho, I was clever!)
2. hot 70's chick
3. gray cat
4. witch

FOUR SCHOOLS YOU ATTENDED:
1. soon to attend Depaul CTI
2. University of Illinois down in good old Champaign-Urbana
3. Geneva High School, Geneva Middle School, Coultrap Middle School
4. Bartlett Elementary, Centennial Elementary, Western Avenue elementary and Eastview Elementary. I went to 4 different elementary schools, two middle schools and only moved once.

FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS:
1. S'More granola bars
2. Paneer Butter Masala
3. Tacos
4. French toast vs. Belgian waffles....that's a tough one.

Eerily similiar to my sisters, huh?

Christmas is coming...

I'm done! All my shopping is done and I only have one more little box to wrap. That is pretty impressive I think. Usually I'm shopping well into tomorrow (or not shopping at all, since last year I gave my friends dinner. Ooooh, bad girl). Not really enough to fill a whole post, but I wanted to share my Christmas cheer with you. The tree is now clogged with presents (which Mona and Boku are slowly ruining the bows on...and I found a foam reindeer smore all chewed and in the kitchen).

While on my last Christmas errand I saw a proposal. No, I did not see some schmuck on bended knee. I just happened to read the marquee on the Chicago theater. I'm not sure that I like this sort of public proposal. I also don't know how I feel about the "family at Christmas" proposal. If I ever get proposed to, I hope it's a quiet and personal proposal.

Why not?

I have nothing better to do.

[A is for age:] 24
[B is for booze of choice:] If I have to drink, I prefer vodka
[C is for career:] prof. student
[D is for your dog's name:] Oh, you mean cats? Mona and Boku
[E is for essential items you use everyday] My couch
[F is for favorite song at the moment:] N/A. I haven't been listening to music much lately.
[G is for favorite game:] No brainer, Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life
[H is for hometown:] Bartlett or Geneva
[I is for instruments you play] Belly drums?
[J is for jam or jelly you like:] Only jelly (no seeds allowed), strawberry
[K is for kids?] No.
[L is for last kiss] It was so long ago that it is inconsequential
[M is for mom's job:] She's my mom!
[N is for name of your crush:] um...I'm asexual right now?
[O is for overnight hospital stays] Nope.
[P is for phobias:] Right now I'm prone to say cancer. But, most days I'd say falling.
[Q is for quotes you like:] Drawing a blank.
[R is your relationship that lasted the longest]: Well, if you're thinking romantic- 2 months? Friendships...oh geez, I still have friends I met in 4th grade!
[S is for sexual preference:] the male
[T is for time you wake up:] Whenever I feel like it! HA! If I have to wake up I only wake up on odd numbers (and that doesn't include 5's)...so 8:21, 8:23, 8:27, 8:29. Get it? Yes, it is crazy.
[U is for underwear:] Lovely cotton numbers. I do not own white. I do not believe in white socks or white underwear.
[V is for vegetables you love] Spinach, corn and canned green beans
[W is for worst habit:] My hatred for the cell phone pisses some people off. But I always answer my home phone! I also habitually sit on my couch, which can enrage friends who would like me to leave it.
[X is for x-rays you've had] Only dental up to this point
[Y is for yummy food you make] The only thing I cook is tacos. But I have started trying new recipes (which will resume after the holidays)...so far, it's been a bust.
[Z is for zodiac sign:] I sting.

Don't you see, don't you see...

Today was arctic. I wandered far north to find this store that I've never been to, but always wanted to go. I made it there.....but it didn't open until noon. I was there far earlier than that. Waste of my time, huh?

So as you know, I'm online dating. I'm e-mailing with a few people, only one of which I think might actually be interesting. However, he's old. Disaster.

Yesterday I was told that I wouldn't be a good match for some guy (he emailed me) because I seemed like someone who couldn't date someone different than myself. When I questioned him on this he said this: The question of accepting difference remains a question though! It is not exactly difference, that's too vague. It is specific forms of difference that only a person exposed to really diverse, plural and cosmopolitan environments would be able to tolerate. At least that's what i have seen, and i'd like to think it's not because of individual idiosyncrasies. In any case, i'm not saying that you are this or that. I'm saying that's my experience, and i believe there are reasons for it. Wow. Who says that? A pompous asshole. I guess he emailed me to be friends...but why would I want to be friends with a guy that is obviously going to expostulate constantly??

I also got an email from a guy that has this in his profile: I enjoy going to church because it works for me but I dont push what I believe onto anyone. That sounds good for me...but then it says this: someone that also believes that God is soundtracking our lives. Now, why would he email me, a clearly stated atheist?? Maybe he doesn't know what it means. I am truly boggled by these men.

Christmas is what...5 days away? I still haven't finished shopping, and yet I'm not too worried about it...

I dig my toes into the sand...

I just unpacked my last box! You may be wondering if I moved...but no, that was the remains of my original move to Chicago. A year ago. Yes, I still had a box. It was that one box full of crap that everyone has...honestly, I'm pretty sure I packed it in Champaign. That's over a year and a half ago. There was a lot of useless stuff (crayons, clips, ink for a printer I haven't had for...well, a year and a half), but I also found school supplies. Which I will need in less than a month. So not a total bust. And now I can see a patch of floor I've never seen!

It's maybe a little disturbing that I never unpacked that box. Maybe. Felt really nice just now though.

By the way...I went with the red bag. The dirt thing was a really brilliant point.

Update: thievery...

So, Amazon has generously (and really politely and simply) agreed to replace the gift, no questions asked. They would 2nd day mail it (so that it would be here in time for the holidays - nice people, huh?) but the item is on backorder. So Dad, you'll be celebrating part of your Christmas in January! Lucky for you!

In other news: this is fun. This is alarming. I have lots of love for him...but he is looking a little old and pasty.

People suck.

I should say how nice cookie making was...but my day just jumped right into a vat of horribleness.

I got home and a package had been delivered to me (one of my Dad's Christmas presents). The box was open in the hall...present gone.

What the fuck am I going to do now???

Your opinion please...

Two posts in one day...it's a Christmas miracle...

Honestly, I'm not so good at deciding between two things that I like a lot. And this is the SAME bag, in two different patterns (for my laptop)...and I really like both. So I was hoping you all could give me your opinion. Everyone, let's hear it.



And then I'll probably do the opposite.

Pollution and me....

I think everyone should do this because it is extremely interesting. Yes, you do have to be a Chicago Tribune online subscriber...but it's free. So really, there is no reason not to. News is good.

My neighborhood in the city is 46.1 times more risky (health risk for industrial pollution) than the average in this nation. It is in the worst 10% of this state and in the worst 5% nationally.

Yummy, yummy air.

Also, in case you are interested, my neighborhood is 87% white, which seems really, really high for the city.

I'd be curious to know what you are...share your numbers!

Year in review...

A meme taken from my friend J's blog....

Instructions: take the first sentence (or 2) from the first post of each month of 2005, stir and enjoy!

January: Its been a rough day, but I do want to welcome the new year in a hopeful way. I hope all of you out there have big plans for 2005.

February: I was going to talk about the joy of cable splitting or all the crazy things I saw today, but I can't get over my bitterness, so I'm going to talk about that. Lately at work, a lot of people have been asking me to help them with things. (downward spiral towards work hate begins now)

March: I have very little to say. Just a few quick little rant-lets.

April: I'm not sure how well I'm going to sleep tonight due to the fact that I am going to be constantly concocting plans to get Boku into her carrier. While I was eating dinner tonight, she touched me for the first time. (oh the cat love)

May: I offer the following as proof that my second cat (not often seen by visitors) is not evil. My mom and her friends say she has evil coloring. (cat obsession maybe?)

June: Memes cannot be owned. Therefore I see no need to give permission to let someone else use it.

July: Bush is going to appoint an asshole. (this is a one line post)

August: I am currently in the process of filing a food spoilage claim for my great blackout of 2005. Who wants to wager on the outcome? (I was denied)

September: Three things have led me to a mood of disgust and outrage: I just want to say to my color book participants: I'm a little bit doubtful this is going to be happen. (big, ugly fight erupts)

October: Went to the Foo Fighters/Weezer concert tonight. Here are my thoughts: Dear Grohl, No one wants to hear you go, "Yaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

November: I have 100,000 things to say, but I thought I'd start it with a little song that I made up on my Disney trip and it goes like this... Epcot, Ooopcot, Ippy-cotty Epcot. Now that you are certain of my certifiable craziness, I'll continue with this marathon post.

December: This post is not intended for non-readers of Harry Potter or people who don't like cats. If you are either of those things, no point in reading on.

Hope that didn't bore you too much...

This and that...

Naked cats are hideous.

I used some of S's pretty pictures of me for my dating website and I think I need to put a not so flattering one in with the mix. Because while these pictures are me, I do not look like that on an everyday basis. Even though I technically do, I don't...

I agree 102% with my sister that for some reason the holidays sap my ability to do anything other than think about the holidays. Along that vein, cookie making with my mom and sister on Wednesday. Can't wait!

Since I'm done with HP series, I'm back in the mix with the Time 100. I'm about halfway through Catch-22, and I'm finding it's a quicker read than I expected. I can't say that I'm loving it much. It seems like a lot of these books so far are war related. And I don't dig that much...

You say take this...

Ok, so I have already drawn two conclusions today and it's only 10:46am.

First, people are cheeseballs. Yes, it is true. For about a month I got caught up in quitting my job/Christmas preparation that I completely ignored my commitment to try online dating. So I went back and tried to answer a months worth of emails. I think I would have a better time of it if cheesy romance movies didn't exist. Why? Because I think the boys on this particular website think girls want to hear cheeserific lines like "my favorite thing is spending time with you ;)" or anything involving the term "someone special." I'm too cynical for these people. Sometimes its good for a laugh though....but that isn't getting me any dates any time soon...

And second, this last Harry Potter book (Half-Blood Prince) is better than I remembered it. Yes, the ending is particularly horrifyingly awful, but the all around book is a splendid read. Much better than book 5. I would classify my overall interest in the book up there with book 4, which I can read over and over and still get so involved that I forget to sleep. Anyway, the conclusion I've drawn is that Dumbledore is indeed, deceased. If you haven't read the book and that ruined it for you, I have no sympathy because it has been months. When I first read the book I ran through all of these conspiracy theories where Dumbly-dorr was somehow alive. I do not think so. And furthermore, for some reason I am still not convinced that Snape is entirely bad. Why? I don't know. Lastly, Ginny and Malfoy are both going to end up saving the shit out of Harry's life somehow in the next book.

And finally, loving HP may just make me part cheeseball. But at least I didn't put in my dating service profile that I was looking for "that special someone to grow old with." Puke.

I heart the holidays...

Except New Years. I really have no love for New Years. But I'm going to try this year. That was a tangent. Moving on...

I would like to share my beautiful, perfect Christmas tree. Not the decorations mind, the decorations are probably sloppy compared to the Mom's. But the tree itself is perfectly shaped and beautiful. I love it. Here it is:

The cats have not been so bad. They love the tree a lot (Mona licks it a lot) and there is a lot of rattling of the lower ornaments (all non-breakable), but they love it. See? You'll notice the utter lack of ornaments towards the very bottom. Mona was pulling them off and chewing on them so they had to be moved. But the tree is still standing and that is a victory.

It is quite lovely outside right now, snowing up a storm. I am really enjoying the couch and the snow. Not that I haven't loved the couch a lot these past few weeks...