Just in case

The next few days are going to be pretty hectic in my household, like millions around the world, heading up to Christmas Day.

And so I thought, just in case I can't find a moment before then, I'd do my holiday wishes today.

Happy Hannukah!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Happy New Year!

Happy Kwanzaa!

so... did I forget anyone?? lol

anyway, May God's blessings protect us all, keep us safe from harm, keep us healthy and happy, and bring us all together again as the new year begins. . . .

amen.

Signs of the times

I hear it in the news every time I watch the news, which, granted, is not every day: the economy is bad.

And, yes, I see that in the stock market declines, in the dropping price of gasoline, on the front pages of my daily Wall Street Journal and Financial Times.

But I'm beginning to really "see" it for myself.

Yesterday, I went Christmas shopping. It was 8 days before Christmas; the stores should have been buzzing. They weren't. In fact, some of them were downright empty.

I went to a Marshall's, a company I worked for back in the day for 6 years. We NEVER, ever did markdowns on Christmas merchandise before Christmas!! But, yesterday, what to my wondering eyes should appear? An aisle full of Christmas decor clearance priced, on December 17. And the aisles of "my" Marshall's were always jammed full of shoppers this close to the holiday; yesterday, the store was largely empty.

Then, I went to TJ Maxx, Marshalls' sister store, where there were more customers, but also, a lot more merchandise on the shelves which leads me to think that sales have been slow, thus far. The Christmas merchandise should be almost gone, and it wasn't.

Stops at WalMart, Target, and Lowe's also revealed few shoppers, compared to this time of years past, and early markdowns.

Another "odd" sign.... very few Christmas cards in my mailbox. I don't think I've offended that many people in the past year that they would drop me from their mailing list for personal reasons; I can only assume people are cutting out the non-essentials, like Christmas cards.

It's just weird, I tell you. I "know" people are hurting; I know businesses are going under; I know these things intellectually. But to see them with my own eyes, in my little space of midwest America, is weird. And scary. And humbling.

I still believe the best advice (for most of us) is to live frugally, practice simplicity, hunker down and don't panic. And if cutting out Christmas cards helps keep food on your table, I won't be offended that I didn't get one this year.

Taking the Bypass

Last night, as I was lying awake in bed, not sure why I was awake, I had a realization. A moment of "duh."

So, last Monday, my GP, who is a DO by the way (which has nothing to do with anything, just for the record), said he thinks I have "torn cartilage" in my knee which 99% of the time means torn meniscus. He sent me for an x-ray which was negative, which is what he expected. He said I'd return to see him in 2 weeks, at which time he'd order an MRI which would show the tear and then he'd refer me to an orthopedist.

I don't need a referral. Duh.

I called the orthopedist's office this morning and referred myself. Done.

Why wait for all that other unnecessary hoop-jumping?

Duh.

OY, the stress

My senior year, my last semester of college was NOT that long ago. I returned to college at the ripe old age of 41 to finish my degree, so I remember it clearly. As a matter of fact, I remember most of that insane time very clearly. I did 3 years' worth of college work in 2 years + a summer, cramming in overloaded semester after overloaded semester. Heck, 18 hours was nothing unusual for me. I took 21 hours one semester so I could graduate as soon as possible.

My major was history; my minor art history. Both subjects are reading and writing intensive, to say the least. I read constantly; I wrote almost constantly. Yet, I never came down to the wire with grades at stake. (Well, actually once, I did, but that's a whole 'nuther story about a crazy prof....) I knew, going into finals' week, where I stood. And I pretty much knew what I would get in every class I was taking.

How was this possible?? Because I banked points during the semester, so that my grade would not depend on the final test or paper. More than once, all I really needed to do was show up for the final and give a half-ass effort, and I could walk away with a B. However, I'm a little anal about grades, and for me, anything less than an A might as well be failing. Yes, it's a sickness, and yes, it's hard living that way, but it is how I is.

So you can imagine my stress as I sit here and watch my son, the senior poli sci student, slogging thru take home finals and studying for in-class exams while pausing every so often to re-run yet another GPA scenario. . . .

This Week

Saturday, my firstborn graduates from college.

big huge sigh. . . .

Without his permission, I won't divulge too much private info, but let's just say it's been a while coming.

He changed majors 3 times, maybe 4. He changed schools 3 or 4 times. Moved from the Woods to San Antonio, back to the Woods, and then to Ohio with us. You could say he took the scenic route. But he never gave up. And we never gave up on him. So, no, he didn't finish early, like his brother. He didn't finish in 4 years like a lot of kids. But he DID finish, unlike a lot of kids.

I'm very proud of him, for hanging in there and not giving up.

And he's not taking any time off; he's going straight into a Master's program.

Lots of changes 'round the corner for both of us. . . .

So, here's to him. (imagine me raising a glass of expensive champagne)

I Got Nothin'

I wish I had something to talk about today....

But I got nothin'.

Mostly, because I don't want to whine (I have whining), and because Mama taught me, "If you can't say something nice, just don't say anything."

LOL

I seem to have lost yet another month running around taking care of other people's stuff, putting out fires, so to speak, and accomplishing exactly zippo.

So, I find myself at the beginning of December, 3 weeks from Christmas Day, torn up knee, hobbling hubby, awaiting son's graduation, and without any ambition. There is nothing I want to do. Nothing I want to cook. Not really anything good on TV. What I'd really like to do is go shopping with my girlfriend. Go to lunch, maybe catch a movie, have a glass of wine, sit and giggle at silliness. Small problem- she's in TX and I'm in OH. Therefore, nothing.

I got nothin'.

Seriously?

torn meniscus?

seriously??

uh, no thank you. . . .