Sending you strength, Pix. Dealing with a beloved parent who is beginning to show the signs of age is so hard. And with COVID on top of it... I'm sorry.

If it wasn't for the kids, Steph (well, relatively speaking, 17 and 23), I wouldn't bother with the tree or anything this year. Which would make it all worse, but I'm out of energy.

And the bakery owner just announced when we'll be closed (for almost a week after Christmas, but then again NYE), and I'm panicking about money now.

This has been a total whine, so a few happy things: my neighbor was listening to Latino music with lots of tuba and accordion while shoveling the other night, and it was delightful. Plus, getting holiday cards always cheers me up.

I hope everything goes as smoothly as possible, Pix. I don't envy your situation.

Amy, I'm sorry about the new med, that sucks. Is the nausea supposed to wear off?

meara, I'm sorry this is so hard for you. We just need it to be over.

Oh, man, that is a hard situation to be in without the extra pandemic fun, Pix. My sympathies.

I don't give a single damn about Christmas.

This made me laugh. Christmas Day means nothing this year (and likely years to come), just a day off, but I do love the decorations and I hope to do some baking this weekend.

In decorating in the new house and figuring where things can go and whatnot, I am likely getting rid of some things and looking to get some others. I am slowly moving to the idea of having rotational decorative stuff out all year round so there is less out at any one time. I am packing things away now as I put out the Christmas things and am liking it much better.

We have a department meeting every Friday at 12:30 which seems like something I would be able to remember because it's an extremely irritating time to to have a recurring meeting, but I do not. I probably miss around half of them. I finally thought to put an alert on the calendar last week, got it at 12:20, thought to myself "right, just finish this one thing and switch to Zoom" and next thing I know it's 1:45 and I have missed another one.

I am saying all this in the hopes that it will be one more thumbtack in my very unreliable mental bulletin board of Stuff To Not Miss, No Really, Do This

I don't give a single damn about Christmas.

I don’t care about Christmas qua Christmas, but I do like meeting up with family every year and having an excuse to buy them things and catch up on their interests. Nephew wants an $800 camera lens? Well, he ain’t getting it from me, but it’s cool that he’s really gotten into photography, ya know?

Pix, I hope the stuff with your dad, and attendant travels, go as smoothly as possible.

I am not handling Christmas well this year. It’s not like I have any particular desire to see my family, but I’m still bitter about being alone. I haven’t sent my family any cards, I haven’t bought my nieces and nephew anything, and I know I’m just being spiteful about it. I keep trying to psych myself up to get the energy to put something in the mail, but it isn’t happening.

condolences to David and SJ and hugs to Amy. I hope the meds do right by you soon.

I think I am done with grading? At least I have turned them in? The grading continues in my head, meanwhile. And now I have to do all the writing. Or a nap.

You're allowed, Scola.

I'm not doinganything Christmasy but I haven't for many years. However, I have only recently come to the realization that I am in general not really okay. It was hard to admit to myself (and I have yet to figure out anything to do about it) because all the particular things that have made this year so hard for everyone have been relatively easy for me - I don't mind being alone, I still have a job and a paycheck, I haven't been physically suffering, so I should be ok. But I'm not.

Not looking for hairpats or advice, just want to let everyone else who maybe isn't ok and is having a hard time with that fact for similar reasons that we are allowed to be not ok.

Pix I am sorry things are so hard and there are no good or easy answers.

Amy, sorry for sick and the loss of work.

Tom, be kind to yourself. How old are the nieces and nephews now? teen-ish?