Penguins!

I was such a slacker that I missed the boat on the Slacker Seekrit Santa thingy.

So far I have what I think is an excellent Christmas Present for one niece and NOT an excellent present for the other.

Yay for shiny new thread!

Also, sending out my Secret Santa gift today, for which I am feeling rather virtuous. As it's the only thing I'm likely to get accomplished today, I figure I should embrace the feeling.

I was such a slacker that I missed the boat on the Slacker Seekrit Santa thingy.

Sumi is me. I've barely been around enough to feel like a Buffista this year, anyway, so.

Usually I try to find the good in each year rather than concentrate on the bad.

This year.

Not so much.

May 2006 remind me that there are good things in the world and a couple of them can happen to me.

I am happy with this year. I have a new job which I like, am making real money, and am not crushingly depressed more than once a month.

I got a new kitty, who fights with my other cat and cuddles with her and me, and makes me laugh muchly.

My family is healthy and ok.

I have gotten laid more this year than any other year of my life.

I bought two new pairs of shoes this fall. For the first time in three years.

And next year, thank GOD, there are no wedding scheduled. Unlike the 4 I had this year.

Ok, so you guys likely know I didn't do Secret Santa this year...well, times are tight, and I seem to lack that fab instinct that y'all seem to have for putting the right stuff in the box, instead of the instinct that says "huh. huh. She said "box." So this year I decided to acknowledge ALL my online bunkies with a contribution here; [link] They are dedicated to keeping my fake hometown pretty, and you guys have been very warm and understanding about that particular obsession so it seemed appropriate. Click on the link about Ella Thompson if you want to know what inspired my interest in this *particular* project. Happy holidays!

Hey, I worked for an affiliated program of theirs, Erika--URI works both in Baltimore and in New Haven, so I was involved when I was at Yale. I can't speak specifically for the folks in Baltimore, but the New Haven program was great, and I took a really interesting course from the guy who started URI.

So, thanks. Good memories.

Erika! That's a lovely gift.

That's great to hear! You know, I was going to...I don't know, bake or something this season because I had so much generosity to reciprocate this year, but there has been so much that I was afraid I'd leave somebody out or send someone allergic something allergy making...and we are not strong in baking mojo either, even though I know everyone who would've gotten squashed sugar cookies with gloppy icing on them would have been totally gracious about it. It's how we are. But I didn't feel right about it, and there aren't red-and-green "Thanks for Talking Me Off The Ledge" cards(At least till I have my media empire.) So I thought something lasting would be good.

erika, What a wonderful thing for you to do.