First night of Hannukah presents here was a plastic dreidel full of gelt for Dylan and what turned out to be some lovely cloth napkins for DH and me. (My parents dropped off a bag of gifts all labeled with what night they should be opened when they stopped here after Thanksgiving.)

I think Saturday or Sunday will be our big latke night. Maybe I'll invite the other atheist Jews in the building to celebrate fried foods and lighting small fires with us.

Oh, and my Mom also gave us an adorable mini-menorah which came with teeny little candles. On the box of candles was the warning "Always use a non-flammable menorah," which seems like anyone old enough to light candles shouldn't have to be told.

Hey, guys, happy Hannukah! (Have I mentioned how much I looove have Jewish Buffistae, so I can keep up with Jewish holidays and have AWESOME resources for being a good stepmom to a Jewish stepson?! Cause I do...)

I was sooooo tired and crazy busy to post more than a couple of line in Natter Monday and yesterday, but the upshot is that my new job is really good so far, but being dropped in midyear with a teacher who's been gone for a month -- poor guy, I met him briefly and we spoke about the class yesterday, his wife is failing fast and gis dad died last month. God. -- is so busy.

But it's good, tonight I don't feel like falling down and dying, and I can actually eat dinner and read a bit.

Also (x-post with Natter) finally talked to HR today. You know how first paychecks are usually weird; a month or so to get the first one, and you usually get some weird amount, like two days, or what have you? I was totally expecting that, but GUYS! I get a full months pay on the 17th!!!!

I can buy Xmas prezzies for the first time in year!! Ain't no one getting an iPad, but I can get a little something for my nearest and dearest!

Urgh-- minor First World Whine ahead:

I didn't expect it to hit quite this quickly, but I've definitely been slammed with the post-launch letdown blues. I'm exhausted, I feel like a failure, like I whored myself out too much, like it wasn't quite enough and that no publisher will ever want to buy another book from me, ever again.

Hell, I was vacuuming my house today. I hit nooks and crannies that I don't think have been vacuumed since before we moved into the house.

I hope this passes quickly.

Talk about your damned diamond shoes being too tight. Don't mind me. I'll be over the corner swilling rum.

Yay Erin! That's so great to hear.

I just ate too much pasta after eating waaaay too much chips and salsa. Oof.

I'm spending my evening making Xmas ornaments out of crap I salvaged off our job site, b/c our org is participating in this decorate a tree, get votes, win 5K thing. Would have been nice to have more than a day's notice, but I like this kind of thing, so.

Still no word from Maybe Future Boss Lady. But B called to chat for a bit, so that was nice.

I remember seeing, somewhere, a sort of wax putty that you put on the bottom of candles so that they don't tip over when the candle holder is too loose. Anyone know what this is called and where I can find it? None of the google terms I tried got me what I was looking for.

Barb, I don't know if by "whored yourself out" too much you meant PR? I have to assume so, and if so, THWAP. It's marketing your book, and you have to do tons to get even a medium response, unless you are some crazy-successful Name.

A week? Your book is doing tequila shots at its 21st birthday party, in your mind, because you have been living with it so long, but to the general reading public, the sweat is still drying on the sheets. Give it time, put down the vacuum attachments and back away from the corners. And the Amazon page; it's like coke -- a rush, but pretty soon, you're on the toilet at 3 am, "just checking e-mail" on your phone when you wake up to pee.

One brand name is Candle Stick-Um, Hil. [link]

And the Amazon page; it's like coke -- a rush, but pretty soon, you're on the toilet at 3 am, "just checking e-mail" on your phone when you wake up to pee.

Oh god, so true. So, so true.

Thanks! It looks like they sell it at Michael's, and there's one of those sort of near here, so I can go get it tomorrow afternoon. (I need it for my menorah. I bought fancy candles, and they don't fit in my menorah properly.)

Looks like a lot of sites refer to it as candle putty, Hil.

What? Why yes, I am waiting for that manual to finish converting to pdf, thus giving me some unsanctioned posting time.