Christmas was fantastic. It was nice and mellow, even with all the people here. Oh, and there was way way too much food. I'm pretty sure that we made enough to feed two small countries.

I received my very first DVD as a present from my older brother. I also got a frog toothbrush holder, a pair of hugging stuffed frogs, a stuffed frog that doubles as a tiny fm radio with headphones, a squishy sticky frog, and christmas decorations. I always get decorations as presents because I'm a total decoration freak, and you can see, my frog obsession is alive and kickin'. What a bunch of enablers I have in my life.

Yesterday I spent most of the day driving to Tillamook and back, in between the driving I lost horribly at a game of Monopoly. This I think is further proof that I really just need a sugar daddy, rather then trying to make my own money. I'm just no good at it.

Today, it's back to work for me. I really still wish it was Sunday, but it's not, so I have to stop dinkering around and actually get something done so I can scribble it off my never-ending list. Classes start back up in exactly one week. Where did that month go? I feel like I hardly got anything done. Now I have to buckle down and really get things completed. In the end though, I think being able to squeak over something gleefully with a black maker and have it banished from my list is almost worth the misery of working.

Bowling is the planned celebration on New Years. You can come if you want, just give me a call. Just to forewarn you, I don't plan on losing this time. Even if I have to hire Guido to hide behide the ball racks with a bat.

HotD:


Oh, goodbye Christmas!
Take down all the lights now,
Before March gets here.

A very merry to you and yours, from me and all my figments.

I'm cursed. Every time I've gone to buy stamps I've forgotten, for some reason or another, and I haven't sent out my Christmas cards. So, for those of you whom I owe cards to, they're so totally going to be late.

Do they make belated Christmas cards?

The fact that Dead Like Me was canceled further proves to me that the current people in charge of running television stations have no clue what is good television. I now only watch one show, which is Lost. I also used to watch Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (The fact that Dominic Monaghan is in both of those series is a complete coincidence, honest) but Mystery! isn't showing it right now. So, it's just Lost. Not that I've got time for T.V. but damn, give a girl some options besides Big Man On Campus and The O.C.

I swear, someone should let me run a T.V. Station, preferably while I'm Queen of the World, everyone would watch it because I would run only good stuff. No more Rock Hard Adenoids infomercials at three in the afternoon on a Saturday, no sir. I'll show only good stuff. What would be your ideal programming on a T.V. station? We're all about customer feedback here in Jamieland.

Fletched from Mac at Pesky'Apostrophy:

1. Start your MP3 player.
2. Put your whole collection on random play.
3. List the first 10 songs.


1. Natalie Merchant - Jealousy

2. Bon Jovi - It's My Life

3. Sarah McLachlan - Push

4. London Symphony Orchestra - The Return to Oz Ragtime March)

5. Aretha Franklin - A Rose Is Still A Rose

6. Love Hina - Kimi Sae Ireba

7. Deep Forest - Media Luna

8. Dave Matthews Band - Where Are You Going

9. Baltimora - Tarzan Boy

10. Mediaeval Baebes - Dance of the Trolls


Proof that I listen to weird stuff. Yesterday had no HotD, because yesterday I misplaced my last marble. Today however, my marble has been found and returned to it's rightful place no worse for ware - albeit a tad dusty - and I'm all better. So...

HotD:


Giving away disks.
I always worry because,
Who knows what's on them.

So I'm on a Freecycle list, and I posted yesterday saying that I noticed that there were lots of families in need, and for families who still needed help to contact me and I'd see what I can do.

For those of you who don't know, I used to run a preschool so I had (at one time) fifty thousand dollars worth of toys and supplies. I kid you not. Now, over the years in all the giving away and selling, it's down to maybe nine thousand dollars worth. Most is books and learning supplies, but I have some toys left. So, I post thinking that maybe I can help someone out and get rid of some of this stuff. Most is new, some is used, all is in good condition.

I got up this morning to sixteen E-mails from local families saying they needed help because they weren't going to be able to get anything for their kids this year. Sixteen. How screwed up is our countries priorities if sixteen families on one mailing list that represent only a fraction of the area are going without? Sixteen families, who all together totaled 41 children. 41 children who were not going to get any presents from Santa this year.

I was really overwhelmed, in fact, I cried. I spent about an hour trying to figure out how I was going to make sure each kid got something. I had stuff, but I didn't have that much stuff, and I had mostly preschool stuff, and a large majority of the kids were older.

But, I gathered everything I had, and managed to give away a huge amount of toys. Everything from Little Tykes Kitchens with dishes and plastic food, to 90% of my Mr. Potato Head collection (I had like...sixty potato heads). I got rid of a ton of new coloring books and kids books, brand new boxes of crayons, gave away brand new games, and nine brand new never opened cartoon movies on DVD. Baby dolls, barbies, nasty Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you name it, I got rid of it. See, now, I wasn't playing with all that stuff, so why keep it?

The only thing I've got left of any of my collections is my Betty Spagetti's. I guess I'm just selfish like that. I even got rid of my entire Arthur book collection...I had them all.

Yes, I love me my preschool toys!

So I've managed to get bags all ready for everyone, and one person has already picked their stuff up. I even gave away a frozen turkey and a complete trimmings sack. It pisses me off, to tell you the truth. This should not happen, nobody should have to respond on a mailing list to someone to beg for help because they can't afford to get their kids anything. There is more then enough in this world, nobody should have to go without. This is the kind of stuff our government and society should be taking care of, not scuttling money from schools to buy more weapons or figuring out how to steal oil from other countries. Someone tell me when it's gonna change, because I'm pretty damn bummed about the whole thing.

It's almost time for cooking baking. This year I'm making Sugar Cookies, Gingerbread Men, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lemon bars, and Lime bars. I was going to mix the Lemon and Lime bars but I was told that if I did that, I'd be eating Christmas dinner outside with the cats this year. Nobody has any sense of adventure anymore.

I love baking, and I like baking sweets the best, even though I'm not a big sweet eater. In fact, I hate cake and really can't stand cookies. This last part is odd, because I obsess over cookies all the time, and collect cookie paraphernalia. Cutters, presses, jars, posters. I'm sure I've got some kind of sickness.

Shockingly, this post has a point. I'm looking for your favorite cookie recipes, especially for gingerbread. I've found that I don't like how most gingerbread recipes turn out. I'd like, if possible, a recipe for softer, more sensitive gingerbread man, instead of the hard brittle ones that won't let you spend their dough and want you to wear dresses around the house because that's what a good little woman does. Dresses, bah. So, hurry hurry and get me your favorite recipes `cause time, it is arunnin' out.

So I survived the party, I actually had quite a bit of fun. I got a Calla Lily growing kit as a present, which is perfect, because lilies are my favorite. I didn't get drunk, but hey, there is always next year.

I paid for it yesterday though, I had YCC in the morning, and by the time I got home I was pretty whiny. Nobody wanted to be around me, so I ended up spending the day moping around my bed watching bad Christmas movies and reading books that I'd been meaning to read for ages. It was kind of nice. I feel a bit better today, stiff and sore, but it doesn't hurt as bad to sit in my computer chair.

Since I can move, I guess I'm going to get the Christmas shopping I thought I had done, done. Really. This is the last trip. Honest.

Happy belated Birthday to Michael, who is a fantastic friend. :)

Hotd:


Oh, fingers and toes.
I am missing most of those.
It's fun changing words.

On Thursday I was stricken by Chinese food that - although tasting fantastic - made me completely sick. Hence the vomiting in public post. Nothing is worse then throwing up in the Post Office parking lot in front of lots of jolly holiday people shipping off presents to far-away lands. It's really not a tradition I'd like to keep.

Yesterday I pinched my sciatic nerve, probably from all projectile vomiting I did. I don't mean to overshare, but at one point I really think I broke a world record. Anyway, this thing, it's killing me. Nothing is worse then not being able to stand/sit/lie because of shooting and throbbing back pain. I have to go to a Christmas Party tonight and I'm thinking that maybe it's time to give up my lifelong abhorrence to alcohol and swipe me some festive holiday rum. I betcha I'm a hoot when I'm drunk. I'll let you know when I get back.

For those of you who weren't around last year at this time, let me fill you in about Santa. Santa is an honorary member of my cities fire department. Aren't you impressed? Every year he rides around town on a big shiny red firetruck and waves while he gives out candy canes to kids (and adults, if you ask for them...erm, not that I do or anything). He also yacks on a big blow horn, cajoling all the kids to be good these last few days before Christmas.

"Come on out!" He yells repeatedly in an extremely overexcited tone, which makes me kind of glad he only comes around once a year. "Come see Santa and get a candy cane! I hope you come out to meet me!" Then of course all the little kids rush out of their house to meet him, but then stop dead when they actually see him and hide behind their parents legs. He's taller in person, you know. It takes all sorts of bribery to get the kids to let go and actually take the candy cane. That Santa, he's an intimidating man. Also, Santa is seriously hot in a fireman suit, ok?

He's driving past my house right now, yelling "All the kids on Wolf St. come out and meet Santa!". I would take take Michael out to see him, but last year he made Michael cry, and I'm thinking taking a baby outside just to see him cry will definitely get me on the naughty list, and I really really want presents this year.

HotD:


Christmas party time.

Or if you're not Christmasy,

Then movies at home.

Vomiting in public is highly embarrassing. If you've ever wondered.

HotD:


Froggies are the best.
Passionately collect them,
Covet them till death.

Lane needs a song to choreograph a Colorguard routine to for her final. Wow, that sentence was ackward.

It needs to be more then two minutes but no longer then three, and poppy enough she can move to it, but not too fast or two slow. It needs to have some spikes or changes in score so that she can do tosses.

Any ideas? I've suggested a bunch, but she said the theme to Love Boat was "just wrong".

So in an attempt to make those of us who never win (or even get nominated) for anything feel worse, there is another new Blog Award thing out there. The BoB (Best of Blog) Awards. This one is a bit different, as it actually is aimed at giving awards to blogs who are lesser known, or not considered 'real blogs' by people who think they're real bloggers.

Categories include: Best Overall Blog (whom I nominated two people for, and will probably nominate more people for...hell, I might nominate my entire blogroll, save the people on it who were already nominated.), Best New Blog, Most humorous Blog, Biggest Blog Whore, Best Mommy Blog, Best Daddy Blog, Best Adoption/Fertility Blog, Best Book/Literary Blog, Best Sex Blog, Most inspirational Blog, Best LGTG Blog, Snarkiest Blog, Best Weight Loss/Fitness Blog, Best Education/Homeschooling Blog, Best Knitting/Craft Blog, Best Cooking/recipes Blog, Best Sports Blog, Best Music Blog, Best Photo/Poetry/Art Blog.

As you can see, they're really trying to find good blogs in categories that are often overlooked because they're not political, religious, or have a zillion readers (read: brainwashing. I'm tellin' you) Which, is nice. I hope good people win! I know who I'll be rooting for and no, I didn't nominate myself so no, it won't be me. Give me more credit then that.

HotD:


Michael is a boy.
But he shops like a big girl.
Baby complex time.

I just got the best birthday present ever. Ever, ever, ever. Even better then the DVD player I coveted until someone finally got the hint and bought it for me. I have no DVDs but that is really besides the point. I have a player now. It's tiny and silver and cute.

Anyway, the best present ever. Check it out:



32683 CG100 Preparing for College A

33570 CG101 Planning College Finances A

34381 CG225 4-Year College Transition A

30603 HPE295 Health and Fitness for Life A

34720 WR122 Eng Composition-Logic & Style/Argumentive Writing A

30646 ZOO101 General Zoology A


I'm stoked. Waiting for grades is killer. I was really worried Zoology would be a B, because I didn't know the grade of the Final or the last big project/presentation we did. I know to a lot of people it's no big deal, but it's a big deal to me. I'll probably have a complete mental breakdown the first time I get a B and they'll have to institutionalize me, but for now...YAY!

I'm having covers made for all Robin's furniture for Christmas. I'm off to pick out the fabric for it right now. I'm thinking something blue that will match the carpet in her living room. Or maybe bright orange, we'll see. While I'm at the fabric store, I'll be picking up a couple Christmas gifts for the artsy people.

I never know what to get them, so I'll just get them a gift certificate. Like for the knitter, what do I get her? I don't even know what type of yarn is good and what isn't or anything. Knowing my luck I'd get her something horrid, like "Knitting With Elvis" or something she already has. Then there would be that awkward silence and then the forced thank-you that you always get when it's a bad gift. I just don't think I can handle it, I'm pretty sure the knitting police would arrest me. Why do people have to be so hard to shop for?

I think I'm going to start a new rule: Submit your Christmas list by the 5th or forego any presents because you're all too damn hard to shop for which hurts my very small brain. Submitting your list late is an automatic flogging, and not the kind you like. I'm serious, man.

HotD:


Happy Birthday, yay.
I am so having Chinese.
The food, you pervert.

So I, in my never-ending quest for grace and poise, fell down some stairs yesterday. I was going down the back flight of stairs at the Center to head to the office to make copies of the Secret Santa instructions, and I wasn't paying attention. In fact, I was reading the sheet I was heading to copy. This in itself was sad, because I wrote it.

So I misstep and end up falling - well more sliding - down the stairs and twisting my foot in the process. I'm really way too hard on my feet and ankles, one of these days they're just going to disown me and go live with some girl who isn't breaking them or spraining them all the time. One good thing though, nobody saw me do it. I guess getting up early is good for something, no sane people are around to see you be a moron.

Now I'm just sore and my right ankle and foot are all bruised up. My pride isn't bruised at all, since I don't have any. Oh, wait, maybe that was shame.

HotD:


Painful on your feet.
My office is now a box,
For sharp little toys.

Happy Birthday to Ally, the best friend. For those of you who don't know, Ally is two days older then I am. Of course, she holds this over my head at every single opportunity, usually as an attempt to put me in my place. It doesn't work, but kudos to her for trying.

Aside from that, she's absolutely fantastic, and I wouldn't change her for anything. Honest I wouldn't. Since she's in Memphis, we don't get to see each other often, so we have to resort to letters and e-mails and phone calls. The only good thing about this is, she doesn't know what I got her for her birthday, because she wasn't here to go shopping with me. This, of course, could completely backfire on me when she finds out what it is that I got her.

Oh well.

Happy Birthday Kins! I love ya!

HotD:


Happy Birthday, yo.
Two days older means you are
Older then dirt first.

Classes are all happy scheduled. This is what I'm taking and when, if you'd like to stalk me. I wouldn't mind, just as long as you don't spit. If you do, then I'll just have to get out my castratin' tools.

Zoology 202 (M/W/F - 10:30 to 11:20)
Zoolab (T - 8:30 to 11:20)
Intro To Work Based Learning (W - 11:30 to 12:20)
Observing Preschool Experiences: Guiding behavior (TBA cause they like jerking my chain)
Prenatal, Infant & Toddler Development (TBA. Again, chain jerking)
Preschool Child Development (M/W - 8:30 to 9:50)

The Work Based Learning class is my overview class for the middle school child mentoring I'll be doing for the next two terms. The other classes are stupid ECE classes that I'm actually going to go see the head of the ECE department about challenging. Not because I think I'm better then their classes, but because I've been doing ECE stuff for so long (and own a business that writes classes just like the ones for the degree) that I really don't think I need to spend two years working on it. I know for sure that there are eight classes I can challenge and pass right now, and hopefully they'll let me challenge my Co-Op and Practicum stuff as well, since I've worked and own preschools and have the experience hours.

Zoology is my only Bio course, that and a Math, but the Math is a stow-away from this term, and doesn't count (I have ind. study and it overlapped, it's a long story as to why). I don't think I'll add a second Math since I'm already doing the tail end of another Math. I might change my mind though, I've been known to do that. Math's a nasty little bugger though, and I'd rather just ignore it all together.

I need to know when the TBA classes are to make sure they don't overlap other classes, if they do, it's back to the catalog for me. Maybe I'll take bowling.

Finally managed to get into Blogger to post. It's like trying to hussle my way into Fort Knox, or a bar. People always think I'm underage. Maybe it's because I sound like a six year old.

I finished up the majority of my Christmas shopping today. I have a list of the final few things I need that I'll go out and get next week. One includes a birthday present for my brother, I'd say what he's getting but he reads this sporadically, and what fun would that be? I don't want him to find out I bought him Pet Fat like that.

While we're on the subject of shopping. Why do people spit? I saw six people spit today while I was shopping. It's disgusting, spitting. I'll just be walking along and all of the sudden someone ahead of me just hocks it up and spits, right on the ground, right where people walk. It wigs me out worse then brushing your teeth in the kitchen does, or eating in the bathroom.

Of course, since it bothers me someone upstairs is making me see people spitting everywhere. Shopping, on campus outside, on campus inside, outside of resturants, out their car windows. It makes me dry heave, seriously. I see girls do it more then I see guys do it too. What's up with that? It's not ladylike! Didn't their parents teach them to do that into a toilet or a tissue? Stupid spitters, make them spit in a cup and drink it, that's what I'll do. It's just....blahlahahahahhew.

The HotD:


Shopping is lovely.
People who spit while they shop,
Are not so lovely.

Ladies and gentlemen, term is over.

Can I get a hallelujah? Can I get an amen?

I'm officially free for exactly 29 days, then it's time to get back to the grindstone and throw myself back to the grubby little parasites because next term is a half-and-half. Half classes for my Biology degree, and half classes for my Early Childhood Education degree. That's right, disgusting, dirty little children. Would someone remind me again why I did this?

Since I have nothing to do tomorrow, besides watch Robin's Christmas present be delivered and installed by cute delivery men (I bought her a new stove, because I'm cool like that) I'm going to finish up my Christmas shopping. I have everyone left to shop for, so it will take me the rest of December to complete. Personally, I think everyone deserves coal, but since they'll cry if I actually give it to them, (or chuck it at my head) I'll get them real presents instead. Nobody appreciates good quality coal these days.

The Haiku of the Day, yo:


It is such a shame!
Baby Jesus is weeping,
Santa stole his sweets.

Part of the reason I haven't been posting often, is because Blogger has become an enormous pain to log into. It takes roughly ten minutes just to get to the create post screen, and I have "high speed" internet. I think I may have to bite the pellets and move this thing to my domain...but I probably won't. And thus, my laziness will be the death of me.

It's also time for a Christmas layout! I'm quite partial to my surfing snowman one, mainly because (as before stated) I'm a terrible good-for-nothing lazy bumess and don't want to make a new one. Plus, I'm not really coming up with any ideas that crisp my cracker. Maybe I'll be smacked upside the head with something soon, until then, I'm pretty sure it's going to be the snowman one. Is it breaking holy thou shall not be tacky layout rules to use the same holiday themed layout three years in a row?

Edit: There you go, the Snowman layout. Yeah, I think I'll just use this one this year again. For now, anyway. This one works in Firefox too. Groovy.

Does anyone want a Christmas card from me this year? You don't even have to know me, or celebrate Christmas. Everybody loves mail. So if you want one (or want to exchange with me, even) pop me an E-mail at me(at)brighterskyte(dot)com and I shall add you to my list.

My cards this year are cute, even cuter then last years cards. Which, were for those of you who didn't get one, cartoony Christmas cards in cute little cut-out shapes for kids. Fantastic.

I want to start some kind of program where low-income families - especally single parents - can get a low cost to free Christmas tree and decorations. All too often low-income families can scape buy with a little food and one or two presents for their kids but just can't afford the tree, especally when they can start as high as $24.00, and this is freaking Oregon, a state that has trees up the wazoo. To a child (AND the parents) the tree is a really important part of the holiday and it's kind of sad that they don't have one. I've seen alot of requests on FreeCycle and other places for Christmas trees.

How would I go about doing this?

Oh, before I forget, because people are beyond my comprehension and actually asked for it back: The Haiku of the Day.


Christmas time again.
Santa won't bring me a thing.
Beard and fire don't mix.

I spent a couple hours yesterday decorating the blasphemous 4 1/2 foot fake Christmas tree that has been designated as the childrens yesterday. I set it up in the library, which also is located on a very long balcony type room on the second floor of the building.

Personally I think fake trees are an abomination before whatever divine entity was sub-contracted to come up with the design for trees, and they smell like plastic butt, there isn't a whole lot I can do about it. Unless I sneak in at 3 A.M. wearing my commando jammies and swap it for a new one, and that would really excert far too much energy, so I'll just let it go.

This year it was decorated with multi-colored lights and mini-stuffed animals. Next year I'm thinking of doing a snowman theme, that is of course if I don't get fired in between now and then. This is always a possibility. We're doing another Secret Santa, I decided to make paper ornaments they fill out and put on the tree, and then they can slyly take someone elses off the tree and nobody'll know. Of course, it won't work this way, because what will really happen is they'll pick someone off the tree and run directly to whoever (whomever?) they picked using that scary kid-dar and blather "Guess who I picked!" in a tone that tells the person and everyone else within 500 yards exactly who they picked.

I could swap it around so you never put your name on it, and so nobody knows who they have, maybe they'll just have a symbol. "%! The Child formally known as" and then the rest will be scribbled out. Or maybe assign everyone a number that only they'll know. Then I'll lose everyones numbers and the presents will get all mixed up and one of the boys will end up with lip gloss or a Ryan Cabrera CD. Yeah, maybe numbers are a bad idea.

Happy Birthday Robin!