New Year Resolutions

I haven't made a Resolution in many years. Then it used to be to lose weight and/or to exercise. This year I have made one: to put emergency items in our family van.

When our Kiddies were babies, I had all kinds of things in there: blankets, extra diapers, canned formula, crackers & Cheerios, cheese&peanut butter crackers, water and of course a first aid kit and jumper cables. Now all there is left are the cables and the kit. That sounds like enough, right? But now that winter is here there should be blankets in case we get stranded (recently, travelers in Indiana were stranded on the highways for hours during a heavy snow storm) and kitty litter or sand in case of ice. Water and some food like the cheese/peanut butter crackers wouldn't hurt. I need to make sure that the first aid kit is filled - does it have gloves? How about a flash light? And to be paranoid, I want to get a nail punch or hammer in case we need to exit thru a window. (I heard on a news report years ago that more people drown in their cars than you would think.)

So, leaving that pleasant thought ... I forgot to mention a very fun thing that happened at my In-Laws. My BIL has been giving us Lottery tickets for almost 20 years. A dollar here and there, but mostly zilch. Well, this year we hit it big - at least for us! The Kiddies won $20 between them, and I won $110!! Yippee!

Blogging & Other Blogs

Occasionally I use the button in the upper right corner to see what other people are blogging. Once I came across one by an atheist who was being harassed by her Christian mother. Then the next several were very much evangelical in nature. Interesting.

Just a few moments ago I came across the blog of Maureen McHugh, a novelist. (look her up on Amazon). It's the first time I've ever commented on another's blog ... our blogs have been used for family communication. There were three things about her and the blog that I felt some connection: that she has written Science Fiction, her comments about her friend in the military, and her hair loss.

The latter really strikes me, probably because of Uncle Mike's Xmas card. Still urks me that he remarried so quickly. Yes, we all knew he would, but two months later?! I obviously need to get over it, but his little note just made me mad. #!&%

On a purely materialistic note, working at the Call Center was more pleasant today, since Xmas is over. People are looking for sales, but not for gifts. Now we just wait for calls on the new catalog that isn't supposed to be delivered until January 4, but is out already 'cause the stores are handing them out! And not all the items are available yet - LOL. "But I just got the catalog, what do you mean it's not available!"

Twas the Day Before Christmas ...

... and all thru the house there is evidence of it. Most of the presents are wrapped and cookies have been baked (thx to my culinarily-inclined SO). Just realized that we don't have the gag gifts bought yet, but that'll be fun and easy to do.

At the Call Center, we've taken in very few orders, as nothing related to Xmas is still available or could be shipped in time for The Big Day. Our Memphis warehouse was closed Wednesday night -- so much snow that workers couldn't get in to work. So they were given the rest of the week off. After all, if it couldn't go out Wednesday or Thursday, was was the use for rushing? So Customer Service will be taking WISMO calls (Where IS My Order?!) - what fun.

Here and everywhere people have been complaining about retail employees and others wishing "Happy Holidays" as opposed to "Merry Christmas". Articles and letters have been written about it, radio talk show hosts have discussed and fielded calls about it. Geeesh. Can't Christians realize that there are plenty of Non-Christians around in December? I think that Jesus would have been happy to share December with everyone.

Just as how you greet people during December gets touchy, people are still a little touchy about the election. Bumper stickers are staying on cars (mine, for example). I may take a look at what businesses supported the Republicans and make my purchases accordingly. For fun shopping, take a look here.

Happy Holidays - whatever you might be celebrating, including my Atheist friends who celebrated Human Light Day on the 23rd.
(a side note, just as Unitarian Universalists maintain a "celebrity" list, so do Atheists.)

Cold as a WHAT?!

GEEEZZZ it is SO COLD all of a sudden! SO sez that the weatherpersons forcast 58 degrees on Thursday, but that doesn't help the 8 degrees that it was this morning -- and the wind made it colder. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Not ready for winter, am I? Thank goodness I don't have to do much outside now. The Kiddies are hoping for snow so that they can go skiing.

Back at work, it has slowed down considerably, but there are still people calling to see if they can get an item in time for Xmas (as of this morning, yes via regular UPS, but now it'll be an extra charge for rush). This week we get product training for the next catalog. January is frequently busier than December because of the new items but especially because of our Sale By Mail. All the leftovers need to cleared out so that the new stuff has room. We'll soon have the Ebay sellers calling us looking for bargains that they can sell for ridiculous prices.

A Pain in the Butt ...

... and down my leg. I've had a bad lower backache for several days, and now the doc thinks that it's my siatic nerve, which runs from the spine down to the foot. Sitting, standing, walking, putting on socks and pants, tying shoes, even going to the bathroom and sneezing are all painful. I have to sleep in either a fetal position or on my back with my legs raised up by pillows. Geeez! So I'm on prednisone for a week plus a strong painkiller.

Now I lay me down to sleep ... painkiller telling me to lay down now ... lol

Mexico Bound

My two Kiddies will be going to Our Cabaña in Mexico in July 2006 with ten other Girl Scouts! Our Cabaña is one of four World Centers run by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The other World Centers are in London (Pax Lodge), Switzerland (Our Chalet) and India (Sangam).

I'm really excited for them, this will be such a great experience for them! They will meet 80 other girls from all over the world, plus spend a few days in Mexico City at Tacalli, a hostel run by Girl Guides of Mexico.

Rainy Days & Mondays . . .

And Tuesdays, And Wednesdays AND THURSDAYS . . . always get me down. Ugh, what an ugly week this has been; dreary and wet. The kiddies say that it should be illegal to have rain instead of snow in December. They're anxious to hit the ski slopes. oh, well Here at home, away from the Call Center where we continue to run out of items, my kiddies have been playing the new Sims game, Urbz and I'm trying to buy a Fiestaware chartreuse cereal bowl on Ebay 'cause my SO broke ours.

M.C.O.L.

For years now my family has called me the "Cat Couch." Today's Pickles comic strip really struck a chord with us:



After Kiddie B read it, she said that I was M.C.O.L. -- Multiple Cats On Lap. Then, referring to Kiddie A, she said that her sister is G.O.S. -- for Girl On Shoulder, since Kiddie A loves to lean on whoever is nearest.

Christmas is Coming ...

Well, another day of "I'm sorry, we've sold out of that" at the Call Center. Almost half of my calls did not end with an order because we were out of the item the customer wanted to order.

My SO and I have barely started our own shopping, but my sister Lucinda Sans and her SO started AND finished theirs on Black Friday! I guess we need to get on the ball.

Not much else to say ... oh, and Ken Jennings lost on Jeopardy!. I'd like to be on HIS Christmas list!