This year, that is. How did it get to be December 29th already?!? I'll be working on New Year's Eve so I, as usual, have no plans. I don't really "do" parties anyway, so I most likely still wouldn't have any plans even if I weren't working. I don't think I'll be making New Year's Resolutions this year, either. I realized I never really stick to them when I do make them, so it's kind of pointless for me. I'm looking forward to 2008, though. I know at least two things that are exciting for me are going to happen: I'm finally going to get to see matchbox twenty live (twice that I know of so far if all goes as planned), and Criss Angel's live show opens in Vegas and I plan to go see that at some point. Neither of these things is particularly earth-shattering, but still, I'm excited about both! The trip to Vegas will be a big deal because (for reasons I'd really prefer not to go into, sorry) it will be the first time in my life that I've been able to go on vacation and not have to have someone with me! Of course if a friend or relative would like to come along they're welcome to, but that's not the same as someone having to be with me. It's hard to believe I'm finally at a point where I can be this independent! It's kind of a strange, but good, feeling.

Not my 26th post, though. I haven't done as well with Holidailies posting as I'd hoped to but I guess all things considered I've done okay! I haven't posted every day, but I've posted more often than I normally do so that's good at least.

We had a really nice Christmas. Saw some relatives we hadn't seen in years (none of us could remember exactly how long but we figured at least 15 to 20 years!), got some nice gifts, etc. I think we had at least a dozen people here for dinner, which is more than we usually have. It was fun, though.

I finally got two of my favorite Johnny Depp movies on DVD, Edward Scissorhands and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I can't believe I didn't have either of them long before now! They've both been favorites of mine since they were first released in theaters.

I also got some things from Bath & Body Works, a sweater, an iTunes gift card, and a few other things. I'll stop with the list - I'm starting to bore myself so it may be boring you, too! LOL

I'm going to go find a snack and then go to bed.

Things have gotten busy here the last few days, and I'm really sleepy tonight, but I just wanted to say Merry Christmas! I have the day off work tomorrow so I should have a chance to actually post something then.

Borrowing this from Brain Fluff Theater because I have writer's block tonight!

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? I really can't think of anything right now!

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't really make any, and haven't thought of any for next year so far.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No.

5. What countries did you visit? None except the one I live in!

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? The list is long, but the main thing and the one I've just about accomplished is independence (long story and not one I really want to get into here).

7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? October 4th. I had major, hopefully life changing surgery that day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Probably #7.

9. What was your biggest failure? I don't really know.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing out of the ordinary.

11. What was the best thing you bought? I'm not sure about the best, but my favorite so far has been the iPod Touch.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? I'll have to think about this one.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I don't think you even want to get me started on that list!

14. Where did most of your money go? Bills.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? matchbox twenty's album and tour announcement - I've been a fan for about 11 years and am finally going to get the chance to see them live!

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2007? Several, but mostly Josh Groban's "Awake" and Rob Thomas's "Little Wonders."

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. Happier or sadder? Happier.
II. Thinner or fatter? Probably fatter, unfortunately.
III. Richer or poorer? Neither.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Staying in touch with friends.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Worrying.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? Staying home with family.

23. (what happened to 21 and 22?) How many one night stands? None.

24. What was your favorite TV program? The Daily Show.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No.

26. What was the best book you read? So far I'd say "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" but I haven't actually finished it yet.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Probably Ben Folds. I knew who he was, but had never really listened to him until I saw him opening for John Mayer this summer, and now I really like him!

28. What did you want and get? Nothing really important enough to mention.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? I can't think of anything right now.

31. (30 is missing) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I didn't do anything for my 33rd birthday.

33. (no 32) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? No idea.

34. What kept you sane? Family. Music.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I can't really pick one.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? I don't know.

37. Who did you miss? A few friends and relatives.

38. Who was the best new person you met? I don't know.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. Um... ask me this when I've had enough sleep to be able to think.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"Let it go, let it roll right off your shoulder
Don't you know the hardest part is over" - Rob Thomas, "Little Wonders"

I completely forgot that my domain registration was going to expire today. Fortunately I remembered in time to get it renewed before it expired.

YouTube is making me want to try video blogging. So many people are doing that now! I'm not sure if I'd be any good at it or if anyone would watch, but I think it would be fun to try something new and see how it goes. I'll probably give it a shot one of these days, when I either get my video camera fixed (I think all it really needs is a new battery, but I'm not sure) or get a new one. I could use the one built into my computer but the light in my room is usually so bad that I'm afraid no one would be able to see anything most of the time!

I overslept and was late for work today. Which wouldn't be as bad if it weren't for the fact that I work from home! I think that's only the second time in almost three years that I've been late, other than a couple times when my internet connection was down and I couldn't get connected on time. I have to have a working internet connection in order to log on and connect to the office, etc.

I still have a sore back, which is now also making my neck and head hurt, so I'm going to cut this short and go find the heating pad!

No, we're not having one now, thank goodness, but we had a huge one this year in January. I may have posted about it but I'm pretty sure I haven't. We had an ice storm in 2005 that was supposed to be the worst one we'd ever had. During that one I can't remember how long we were without electricity, but I'm thinking it was at least 5 or 6 days. This time was worse and we were without it for about 8 days. We were able to get a generator after a few days, fortunately, so at least we had heat and lights after that. The first few days, though, we had to cook everything on the gas grill outside. I resorted to having a tuna salad sandwich for breakfast one day because I was so sick of bacon and eggs by then. I also started taking cold baths just because I couldn't stand going without one any longer. We had electricity at work, though, so I had something to do every day, at least. No TV, no internet, and bad radio stations (most of the ones we can get around here are country, which I'm really not a fan of, and there are no words to describe how horrific the others are - "Afternoon Delight", anyone? and that's not even close to the worst of it; it's just the worst one I know the name of right now) gets really boring after awhile. It's a good thing I like to read! Until we got the generator we stayed warm by bundling up and keeping a fire going in the fireplace. My uncle reminded us that a lot of people live without electricity, heat, hot water, etc. all the time, and I know he's right and we're lucky we were only without it for a fairly short time, but it still sucked. It affected pretty much the whole town, so other than going to work there was no way to "escape" it.

I'm going to have to stop there. I think I've pulled a muscle in my back or something, and sitting in this chair all day hasn't exactly made it feel better. Time to get out of it for awhile!

Unconscious Mutterings

Sorry, this is all I'm going to have time for tonight.

1. Interview :: Magazine


2. Army :: Navy


3. Unwrap :: Gifts


4. Evolve :: Grow


5. Bus :: Stop


6. The real thing :: Love


7. Streak :: Color


8. Gorge :: Eat


9. Spicy :: Chili


10. Course :: Study

Now I'm off to get some packages ready that have to be mailed tomorrow!

... needs to take my credit card away from me. With Christmas shopping, shopping for a few things for the swaps I'm in on Swap-Bot, and a little bit of shopping for myself, I'm probably going to cry when I get the bill! No, it's probably really not that bad. I'm just glad I'm almost done with the Christmas shopping.

We had some people here doing some work today (hard to explain exactly what they were doing) and the mess they left in my room is just annoying the hell out of me. They didn't push my desk back against the wall and there are wires and bent hangers (I have no idea) on the floor. I can and will clean it up myself, of course, it just irritates me that they didn't even clean up at least part of it.

I hope the weather is better tomorrow. I need to get out and go to the store. It's not really that bad, it's just bad enough (cold, rainy and I think it was freezing on the cars earlier) that I hate to get out in it if I don't have to. I think I'm going to have to tomorrow, though, so I'm hoping it'll be better instead of worse. There are some things I need to get and I rarely make it to the store during the week because of my work hours.

Today has felt like Sunday all day to me! I don't know why because I worked yesterday so I know yesterday couldn't have been Saturday. Today has been Sunday to me all day, though.

Apologies to the person I "borrowed" this from; I truly can't remember where I copied the questions from earlier!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both, but mostly gift bags.

2. Tree: real or artificial? We've had real ones in the past, but it's been artificial for the last few years.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually not long after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime around the beginning of January.

5. Do you like eggnog? I can't stand it!

6. Favorite gift received: I can't really think of a favorite.

7. Do you have a nativity scene set up? We have one but it's not up yet.

8. Hardest person to buy for: Usually my grandfather.

9. Easiest person to buy for: Usually my grandmother. She's good about just telling me exactly what I can get her.

10. Worst gift ever received: I don't know if this was really the worst, but the one that comes to mind now is a music box someone gave me one year that just wasn't my style at all. It was too "country" looking for me. I don't know how else to describe it.

11. Christmas cards: I love sending and receiving them! I sent out a ridiculous number of them this year but I'm getting a lot in return and I'm really enjoying it.

12. Favorite Christmas movie: "A Christmas Story"

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually not soon enough!

14. Have you ever "recycled" a Christmas present? Not that I can remember.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas: I can't pick a favorite.

16. Are the tree lights clear, colored, or both? Clear. We've had all clear lights for the last few years. I'd like to have multicolored next time just for a change.

17. Favorite seasonal song: Right now it's Josh Groban's "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear."

18. Do you travel or stay home for Christmas? We always stay home.

19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? I'm sure I couldn't name them all without having to cheat and look it up! LOL

20. Do you have an angel or a star on top of your tree? A star.

21. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Usually Christmas Eve, but I'll be working that evening this year so I'm not sure what we'll be doing.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year: The way some people start getting rude, cranky, etc. (like when you're out shopping and things like that).

23. Favorite seasonal tradition: I can't think of one.

24. Family member you try to stay away from: There really isn't one.

25. Do you attend any religious services in celebration? No. Sometimes I think I'd like to, though.

I wish whatever illness I have would either fully develop and get overwith or just go away! Preferably the latter. I've had a little bit of a stuffy nose and have been sneezing a little bit for the last few days, but it hasn't turned into a full blown cold. I guess that's a good thing, but the symptoms are annoying.

I think I finally got all my Christmas cards sent! I still have to send some e-mail cards, but the snail mail ones are done. I just hope they all get there on time. I'm frustrated with the postal service right now. I'm supposed to send a package to someone in time for Christmas, and something I ordered for it hasn't arrived yet! It was shipped awhile ago so it should've been here by now. If it doesn't get here soon I'm just going to have to send the package without it. I really hope I don't have to do that!

I'm sort of in an antihistamine fog again so that's all I've got for tonight!

And once again I can't think of a title. I guess since I didn't post Sunday this should really be day 10 for me.

Swap-Bot is going to be dangerous for me, I can tell! I keep finding new things there that I want to try. The latest is altered bottlecaps. I already have a few ideas for those and for matchboxes that I'd like to do. Now I just have to get everything I need to try to do them.

We're getting some winter weather here now. It was cold and rainy today, but not as bad as some other towns are getting it. I hope we don't get a repeat of last year! I don't remember if I wrote about the big ice storm on my blog or not. I don't think I did. If not I'll have to try to remember to do that later.

I tried the pens I got the other day. The yellow one was leaking so badly I had to throw it away, but I don't like yellow anyway, so no big loss for me! They don't work all that well on paper, but I used them on some little plastic boxes I have and they turned out fine. I was just playing, not really trying to do anything in particular but I think if I actually put a little thought and effort into it I could probably make something pretty nice with them. They may come in handy for future projects.

Yesterday I was kind of in an antihistamine-induced fog and couldn't even begin to think of anything to post. Tonight I have a couple of packages to get ready to mail, a few more Christmas cards to sign, and my internet connection has been ridiculously slow all day and so far isn't really improving. There's no telling how long it might take me to get this published and then posted to Holidailies. I'll be back to posting tomorrow.

I got some new toys today. I haven't used them yet but I'm going to try them on some blank notecards I have. I hope they work! I think I'll have fun with them if they do. But I hope they last awhile; I can't find them locally so I had to order them.

I'm going to have to take back part of my complaint about PBS from a few days ago. I found out they are showing John Mayer's "Austin City Limits," just not until the 20th.

I really don't have much to say today. I just didn't want to miss a day of posting. I don't know if anyone's actually reading my posts, but if you are I hope I'm not boring you too badly! I'm getting a cold and the medicine I took is making me sleepy so I'm going to shut up now. I hope tomorrow I'll be more coherent.

Our Christmas tree is a small one (about 4 feet tall) sitting on a table. It is now being held down with bungee cords; it's sort of hard to describe, I'd have to take a picture. The bungee cords were added after the tree was found upside down on the floor this morning. None of the three suspects (cats) has confessed. The only thing we know for sure is that it wasn't the dog since he couldn't get over the baby gate we have up to keep them all out. I guess we should've known the little tree wasn't safe since they've toppled big trees in the past!

I still haven't finished my Christmas cards! I have to do that this weekend. I think, at least for the ones going overseas, they should be mailed by the 11th in order to be sure they get there on time. I have most of them done but I still have quite a few to go. I signed up for about four different Christmas card exchanges this year, so that's a lot of cards to send! I like doing it, though, and it's been fun receiving them. I love going to the post office and actually getting something that isn't going to go immediately to the trash!

I've got to try to start posting in the morning more often. Waiting until after I get off work (I work evenings) and my brain is wiped out seems to make it harder to think of things to write.

The writing prompt today asks for charity ideas for the Holidailies charity project. I wish I were more familiar with some that have to do with literacy because that does sound like a great idea. I've seen a couple other people mention Donors Choose, and that was one of the first ones I thought of. It's not specifically related to literacy but I'm sure plenty of the projects listed there involve reading and/or writing. I'm thinking something international might be better, though, but I can't think of any to suggest. I also really like Any Soldier and Soldiers' Angels, but I'm not sure if those are "right" for this. I think the only thing I'm sure of right now is that I got up too early this morning and I need sleep!