December Recap

The past month has been hectic to say the least. All my bullet points in the last post came true, and then some. But it is the most wonderful time of the year and amidst all the long days and stress was a lot of good as well.

My mom and sister came up for a weekend for fun Christmas shopping and activities. We were lucky enough to score a White House tour and got to see it all decked out for the Obama's first Christmas. This is my second time seeing the WH at Christmas and it was even better than the last.

Outside the WH after the tour

We also stopped by the National Christmas tree, the Newseum, and just did some talking, shopping, and laughing.

Melissa and me at the National Christmas tree

The next week was my work Christmas party. I took the roommate as my date -- and then made her pose in front of our Christmas tree -- and we ate a ton, drank a little, and got lost in Maryland. Fun for all.

The next weekend I left for home, just as a crazy blizzard turned a good portion of the east coast into a not-quite winter wonderland. When I left Saturday there was already about 8 inches on the ground and it just kept falling as I made my way through Virginia and to my sweet Carolina. It took me eight hours on the train instead of four, but I made it.

Accumulating snow at Union Station

Statue on Capitol just barely visible through the snow

View from train in Alexandria

The next day we celebrated Christmas with the nieces, and spent the evening playing with their new gift: Rock Band. I've never played rock band before and I think that's for the best. I had fun but to say I'm awful would be an understatement. I possess the triple threat of anti-musical ability: lack of coordination, rhythm, and tune. Therefore, I should never be let near a musical instrument. Never ever.

Joe Cool

Actual Christmas came a few days later and we were all spoiled beyond what we deserve, as usual. To say I am blessed doesn't begin to cover it.

To cap off the week was a day I live for every year: the annual reunion of my best friends from college. It gets sweeter and sweeter every year, harder and harder to say goodbye, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
Tomorrow is CHAPEL HILL for Franklin Street dining and shopping, walking on campus, and of course, Tar Heel basketball!!

Busy B

I had about a day to recover from Thanksgiving goodness -- and to DECORATE the apartment -- before a big project at work came up that consumed me for the better part of last week, nearly my entire weekend, and all of today. But it's done, for now, and I'll have to wait and see how the next two weeks go before it's HOMEWARD BOUND yet again. Oh but not so fast, as I have a lot to cram into those 11 days, such as:

• Shopping, shopping, shopping
• Volunteering
• Wrapping
• Cleaning
• Sightseeing with the Mom and sister as they come up this weekend
• Touring the White House with said family members
• Attending a holiday party or two, perhaps
• Working
  
• Packing
• Shopping, shopping, shopping

I have no idea how I'm going to get everything done. I just need to pause, breathe, and remember that it's the season to be jolly, not panicky. Yeah, we shall see.

Overheard: My Life

"I've never heard of an advent calendar...is it Jewish?"
-Anonymous friend

I'm pretty sure he or she was joking about the Jewish part. But he or she really had not heard of an Advent calendar before. I bought one after Christmas last year at Target that I had had my eye on all season. It looks like a house and has 25 little doors the perfect size for a treat. (Or two, as I told he or she that I would put one in for each of us.) When I was younger we had one that we tied peppermints to and ate one each day.

I love little things like this.

The most wonderful time of the year!

I listened to Christmas music almost the entire way back to D.C. on the train today. (Only "almost the entire way back" because my battery died.) I normally start listening to Christmas music on November 1. Don't judge. I never decorate until after T'giving, but I have an obscene amount of music and like to get as much play from it as possible. But this year, I got hooked on some other music, and didn't start the Christmas joy until this weekend. I don't know what I was waiting for. Christmas music makes me as happy as fountains and chandeliers and chocolate!

Oh My Sweet Carolina

Today I had Bojangles for breakfast and Chick-Fil-A for lunch. I listened to Woody Durham call the Tar Heels game. A game that was actually shown on TV.

This is why I come back down south.

(And as for that game. Ugh. I can't believe we lost to a team that has players named Jarvis, Leroy, and Dwayne. Ugh ugh.)

Friday Soapbox

Why are the things that I've bought in the past month, that I didn't think would be on sale anytime soon, of course on sale today, Black Friday? Why are the things that I really do need to buy to give as gifts, the first things to be sold out? But the things I don't need, that I just want for myself, are all over the place?

And how happy am I that Mom and I didn' t leave the house until noon today? And even though we were racing through JCPenney's, and even though we still were surrounded by crazy shoppers and spent way too much money, the fact that we didn't start until most people had already been out for six or seven hours, means we scored a little victory over the Black Friday overlords.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Getting there

Even though I get absolutely nothing done on days like today, when a holiday is right around the corner and everyone is just working for the extended weekend, I LOVE days like this. I love how silly people are, how no one wants to do work, how everyone is contemplating how early they can leave without feeling guilty.

As for me, I'm leaving in just more than an hour, and I have no intention of feeling guilty until Monday, when I realize how much more work I should have done before I left.

Almost there

Just a little more work, a little bit of play, (as in a play at the Kennedy Center, August: Osage County), a little bit of packing, a little more work, a 4-hour train ride, and then I'm HOME.

And what's making this day more bearable? Burgundy tights, that's what. I'd take a picture but I'm still operating on the "Dial Down the Crazy Plan" at work. It has been almost 2 years and I still feel they need to be eased into my eccentricities. Like taking pictures of my legs.

Two more sleeps

For the past few days I've been singing the sea shanty from Jaws in my head:

I'm tired and I want to go home
Had a drink about an hour ago and
it went straight to my head

I don't even know if those are the right words, but I've been singing it anyway. Anyway, the point is,

I'm tired and I want to go home.