Jessica, health~ma to your grandfather.

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So what do you all think?

I think I'd present it as a story and play it like a game.

I'm not sure just how I'd go about that, mind you.

And I'm pretty sure I'd act like Laura.

Yeah, it'll be tricky.

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I have two days off.

In a row.

wonders never cease.

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Kristin, tell me that eventually you have enough assignments written up to reuse them. I'm so tired of creating assignment sheets from scratch, figuring out what information should be included, how to grade it, how to communicate it... blah.

Yes! Not to say that you never make up newer, better assignments, but you definitely will have a foundation to draw on after a year or two.

Stephanie, I used to think that I wouldn't do the Santa thing because I didn't want my children to think I would ever intentionally lie to them, but seeing friends and family raise their children has changed my mind. I like the idea of preserving the magic of Santa and treating the revelation that Santa isn't real as an initiation into the adult side of maintaining the magic for the children. I don't know if I'll ever be lucky enough to have a child, but I think I'll be telling him or her about Santa if I do.

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I'm with Laura and Suzi on the Santa issue. Growing up, we were exactly as Laura's family and still are. We still get Santa gifts, we still put out cookies. I'll bring Em and any others that come our way up the same.

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See, if I had kids of my own I'd be tempted to come up with a totally new tradition. Like how every year, Acting Secretary of Agriculture Charles F. Conner stocks his briefcase with presents that he brings to all the good children of North America....

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Ok - this conversation has me thinking why do I keep up with the Santa gifts and such.

To me, it is the spirit of the season. Giving. It is my chance to step away from being mom, wife, daughter, friend, whatever and give anonymously. Since each family member (except CJ at the moment) contributes to the stockings and any Santa gifts, it is often hard to tell who chose what for whom...(yes, organizing this is a PIA).

But the bottom line is that I'm not looking for personal recognition or thanks for finding that special something. Seeing their smiles is enough.

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Andi and I were supposed to have all of next week off.

Five people have quit at the helpdesk in recent weeks.

I'll have three days off with Andi next week.

Only one will be a paid vacation day. I had to give up my usual biweekly sunday off to have the three days grouped together next week.

I may need a better job.

I'd settle for better pay. And better benefits.

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No bad mouthing the fat man.

I know I've mentioned this before -- my mom, Demi-Goddess of Whimsy, still labels all the gifts as being from Santa, the Fat Man, Fat Elf, etc. Sometimes the label will match the gift, like a bottle of wine of from Drunken Elf.

And when she e-mails me to ask for my Xmas list, she always, ALWAYS says that it's so she can pass it on to Santa (who she calls "Channey," which is from her bastardized pronunciation of Santa Claus as "Channey Chaus," also referred to as Chanster, Chan-Man, etc. [Like I've said before, she bestows at least 5 nicknames on EVERYONE. Even the dog. Even Santa Claus.]).

And on Christmas morning* she always woke us up with "Get up! The Fat Man's been here!" (To which my brother replied, "Chef Paul Prudhomme?")

*(This will be -- literally -- the first Christmas of my LIFE that I won't wake up in my mom's house. Which, even though I'm 36, is kind of sad. But mostly, I want to wake up on Christmas morning next to The Boy. Which more than makes up for the sad.)

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But mostly, I want to wake up on Christmas morning next to The Boy

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Tomorrow is THE DAY...right?

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