sj, seconding everyone else's thoughts on getting something she likes but may not be able to get in Italy. Another thought -- maybe a picture frame for photos of people back home, who she can't see very often.

I'm quite capable of driving, and performing physical tasks by rote--even some quite complex ones.

yes, this. Although, I have to be careful if I'm going somewhere else besides work, because I will suddenly realize that I'm not paying attention and I should have turned left.

Coffee syrup, Del's lemonade, and clam chowder are not easily packable.

*sob*

I guess I just hate shopping for my parents and siblings and nieces and nephews. I just never know what to get.

This year, I am the person everyone hates -- I'm already 95% finished with my Christmas shopping.

I should note that a BIG reason why that's so is because when I went to California earlier this year, I bought a case of wine, half of which I bought specifically to give as Christmas gifts. That took care of 4 people in one fell swoop (Mom + Stepdad; 2 close friends).

I don't understand the people who can get up as soon as the alarm goes off. I have to hit snooze at least three times before I can drag myself out of bed. And that's down from eight or nine snoozes when I was a teenager, so I'm actually pretty proud. Boy can get up and be going as soon as he hears the first beep though.

When I was a teenager, my mother used to use the snooze button on her radio alarm clock repeatedly. As her radio was set to a volume louder than we kids were allowed to play ours at times when no one was sleeping, after the second snooze hit, I would get out of bed, go shut her alarm off, and threaten to not make her lunch if she didn't get up.

When I was in my twenties, I used to wake up and turn the alarm off between the time it clicked and the time it started to ring. Then I got sick while working full time and taking classes, and I ended up so wiped out that it was easier to lie there listening to the buzzing sound that it was to reach over and turn off the alarm, nevermind actually getting up and doing something productive.

If I don't need to eat before I leave, I can be up and out the door in 15 minutes. That includes showering and brushing my teeth. That does not include makeup.

I have my radio alarm set 45 minutes before a different buzzing alarm so that I can lie there and listen to NPR while drifting in and out of sleep. When I get up - I feed the cats and then take a shower. Unless it's the weekend in which case I feed the cats and then putter around the apartment until I feel like showering.

Aimee, I just added spaces between parts of that long hyphenated MM post because ND says it's making the board wide. Could you do the same in yours?

I like the alarm to go off pretty close to when I need to get up. and I like to have the alarm be a CD. I can guess what time it is by listening to the music. Unfortunately DH is a snooze button, lets set the alarm 30 minutes before he has to get up. Shower - for me it depends - I don't like to take one right away - but it depends when I have to go to work. Which might be as early as 9 or as late as 1 ( occasionally 5pm - but that is when I am working extra hours)

I have to go to the store, because the cat wants snacks and we are out.

K-Bug's flight is already delayed. Oh, joy.

K-Bug's flight is already delayed. Oh, joy.

Poor K-Bug. (Maybe you should remind her that if she picks a college close to home she won't have to deal with holiday flight delays/traffic.)