Uh, yeah. Jessica definitely gets a pass.

I've got one more thing for Secret Santa-ing, and then it's off. Phew.

I want to do Secret Santa one year. My problem is usually not the shopping for the gift (I see shit I want to get for y'all all the time), it's the sticking it in the mail thing I have trouble with.

As for 2007? I don't even know what. I started the year down two close friends to one here. Lost my grandfather, quickly followed by my grandmother and then my uncle. Mr. Jane's teenage cousin committed suicide. I've become disillusioned with my do-gooder job, and that's just personal stuff.

On the other hand, I've made new friends-better friends. I've taken dream vacations and taken some time to really figure out who and what I am. I'm much happier, I think, than I was this time last year.

2007 consisted of:

• Terminally ill FiL
• Grad school (I'm halfway done, y'all!)
• Bathroom remodel (still in progress)
• Work (I survived 2 rounds of layoffs)
• New job and recent layoff from new job for GF
• Move to new office (I miss my office - open seating sucks)
• A few fun trips (SF, San Diego [Comic-Con!], Edisto Island, Atlanta)

A mixed bag. I have very low expectations for 2008 (see first bullet above), so maybe it'll surprise me.

You're welcome, babe. Glad you liked it! Because one of the things about having Kay Howard as a role model is that you don't learn to do cute things with people's Christmas gifts or carve ornaments out of soap and junk like that, so I'm always afraid my SS's get sort of cheated.

Because one of the things about having Kay Howard as a role model is that you don't learn to do cute things with people's Christmas gifts

Not true.

carve ornaments out of soap

Of course, you could use John Dillinger as a role model and carve guns out of soap, instead!

Yeah, that's true.

My mail carrier is friendly, but not too bright. I ran into him yesterday and he asked if he'd left a package slip for me recently. "Um, no, but I am waiting on a package." "Oh, I think I have a package for you sitting next to my locker. I didn't catch you the last couple of days but I guess I didn't leave a package slip."

Sigh.

SS gift might make it before New Years.

Could be worse, aurelia. I found a notice on my mailbox this morning reading:

"Customers: mailboxes tilt out all at one time, but mailboxes do not stay tilted to disperse mail in. There boxes consider unsafe for until problem is resolved mail is held at post office."

Ookay.

Gotta love Chicago mail service.

Last week I got a "we're sorry you've declined your contract" e-mail from my summer job. I had to reply saying I never received a contract.