PEACE ON EARTH

Whatever your celebration, whatever your beliefs, have a wonderful, blessed and prosperous one. I'm off to northern climes to celebrate with my family. See you soon!

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got some sting...

If you couldn't tell from the title, this is a rant. If you aren't in the mood, click away now.

Have you noticed an escalation in snarkitude lately? Reading and scanning the news it just seems to be feud after feud in every corner of industry and news. Now I'm sure this isn't a new phenomenon. As long as there were two people on the planet I'm sure there were disagreements. I'm just wondering when it became the norm to report it, add fuel to the fire and call it "news". It's boring and distressing. So much so that my usual Nosy Nora is skimming and skipping any article that smacks of authors behaving badly or Rosie O'Donnell sniping at someone. Really...who cares?

Okay, I'm not naive, lots of people must care or the wires wouldn't carry the articles. I'm just wondering if anyone else is as tired of the drama and cartoon caricuture behavior of people in the public eye. Is it me?

Yesterday while blog hopping and catching up I read in the comments at KarenS blog that Avid Reader (Keishon) noted that when her hosting contract was up she was taking a break from blogging because she sick of the author versus reader debates. I have to agree with her. While I have been utterly amazed at how people shoot themselves in the foot, it doesn't interest me to know the details any more and I'm frankly sick of people trying to be clever, witty, and nasty over pretty much forgettable or ridiculous commentary they make on their blogs, in interviews, etc.

Look I enjoy the fun of making observations of the absurdity of some of the situations, I appreciate the wit and sometimes, yeah even the snark. But I am really burnt on people's self importance and offering opinions for the sole purpose of being inflammatory. I used to be a huge Rosie O'Donnell fan and right now I just wish she would zip her lip. She seems unhappy and going out of her way to antagonize people. For what? Why? Is the average person who watches "The View" looking for that at 9 a.m.? I've never been a fan of Donald Trump and now the two of them are at each other's throats. You'd think they'd both be too busy to worry over something so ridiculous.

So, I'm in a "no snark" frame of mind. Have an opinion, make an observation, write a review, I love to read what you think, but I'd really appreciate it if you left snark at home.

Good God! A Stye in my Eye!

This has been the most unusual holiday season. My Christmas project has really taken me out of the loop and I occasionally emerge from my cocoon blinking at the bright lights and colors all around me. It's been no surprise I've lost some weight (just a few pounds), I got the flu and now I've got a stye in my eye.

So here I am ready to click my heels and jump for joy because I'm so close to being done (really!) that I can taste it and I have a stye in my eye. I've never had a stye in my eye before...or at least not that I can remember, so if I ever had one before it is so long ago I don't remember it. Trust me that would be long, long ago and in a far off place.

Anyway, here I am ready to finish my project and I have blurred vision and tearing eyes. It slows things down a tad to try and see through tear filled eyes. What a pain! No, don't sympathize because it is only a little stye and I'm sure will clear up as styes usually do in a couple of days, but it IS a royal pain in my caboose and my eye looks like I've been socked in it recently. It's just preventing me from doing what I want to do and, well...you know, that's really irritating! Besides, I just want to get my project done so my life, as I know it, can resume. Other than that...everything is just peachy.

Christmas cards done and packages mailed. Only one more item to shop for, some baking to do, packing for the trip and of course, finish this last part of the project. All doable before Christmas so I'm breathing a sigh of relief I made my self imposed deadline. Now it's time to just enjoy the rest of the holiday season.

After our trip north we will come home and get ready to go to Disneyland on New Year's Eve with our boys and their friends. We've been warned it is pandemonium at the happiest place on earth New Year's Eve, but you gotta try stuff once don't you? Anyway I love the energy of the kids and we should have fun.

I hope you don't have a stye in your eye, or the flu, or a cold and that your holiday season is lovely and joy filled with family and friends.

I'm Alive!

Have you ever gone some where for Christmas? You know, pack up the kids, the presents and gone out of town for Christmas? We haven't done it for years mostly because when we did try it years ago, when the kids were small, it wasn't fun. They missed being home and having Christmas in their own house. Now they are older and really excited about going to northern California to celebrate Christmas with my brother and his family and extended family by way of in-laws. We love it up there and I have to say I'm looking forward to it too.

This means however that normal Christmas routine has been sped up a bit in order for us to leave here on December 22nd. Normally the 22nd is about the time I start dropping Christmas gifts off to places like my drycleaners, my hair stylist, etc. Usually everything is pretty paced and I get a chance to really enjoy the whole holiday season, but this year has just been a whirlwind. Instead of watching the parade I feel like I'm in it!

I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel though and anxious to catch up with all of you. You will probably see me start popping in and commenting again. It will probably be after the holidays before I'm back in my groove with book reviews though. I did finally finish DROP DEAD GORGEOUS and enjoyed it. Currently I'm reading EYE OF HEAVEN by Marjorie Liu. So far, so good.

I even made it inside a bookstore for the first time in two weeks yesterday and purchased a couple of books. I picked up Nora Roberts' Circle Trilogy for my son's girlfriend. I already got her a Christmas present, but she's scrounging for something to read and I thought I'd surprise her. We are planning a trip to the UBS during her Christmas break...that should be fun. Another reader to share the addiction with!

Thanks for all your comments. It's remarkable how cheering it is when I receive a comment in my email from one of you. Kristie, I have switched to beta and I'm sorry you are having such a tough time commenting. I hope it gets better.

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season! See you around campus.

Flu anyone?

Has anyone else's household been bit by the flu bug? This past weekend my niece graduated from college. Many family members came to help celebrate the occasion. One of them my brother from Northern California brought the flu with him. Since he's returned home half of the family has been sick including me!

So what with Christmas parties, birthday parties, graduations, the flu and trying to complete my Christmas cards and projects...I haven't had much time for Romancelandia or the blogosphere.

I also want to thank everyone who keeps dropping by and all of you for your patience while I'm finishing my Christmas project. I miss checking out your blogs and finding out about your lives, what you are doing and reading. I think just one more week and I'll have this project knocked.

In the meantime, drop me a note in comments and tell me what you are up to...what you are reading...I miss you guys!

How big is that?

We just found out that the puppy I agreed to let my boys have because it was going to be a "small" dog is a miniature pinscher. Yes, you read that right. Our cute little baby is going to be closer to 40 lbs instead of the little terrier mutt I was expecting of about 20 lbs. You know what that means? I was duped!!!

Of course, we are all already in love with the little sweetie. She's been going to puppy training classes with my younger son. They are both learning alot and Emily is smart as a whip. No really, I'm not just a proud bragging Mom. She already knows lots of tricks. But a miniature pinscher? Yikes! 40 lbs? Yes, I know there are lots bigger dogs, but 40 lbs is a big dog to us. We had a miniature schnauzer before. What was I thinking?

It's Beginning to look alot like Christmas...

Yesterday we finished our Christmas decorating. I absolutely love decorating the Christmas tree. It's one of my favorite family traditions. We started buying a tree ornament each year for our boys from their first Christmas. When they leave home and begin having their own Christmases they will have an armful of memories from our house to take with them. Well, that's the theory anyway.

For now, each year when we decorate the tree, we talk about where we bought the ornament and the circumstances of the purchase. As they grow older, the boys remember the stories with a bit more detail or, lately, with a memory of their own they hadn't shared before. It's all part of the ebb and flow of putting the ornament hooks on and placing the decorations on the tree.

The ornaments vary widely in price, looks, and theme. There's a Darth Vader ornament and a ceramic Santa kneeling beside Baby Jesus. One year the boys picked cruise ship ornaments decorated with tiny little Christmas lights and wreaths in a store in Key West when we were visiting their paternal grandfather there. There's a Goofy kicking a soccer ball for the soccer years. That particular year my older son was on an all-star team and played through the month of December in tournaments which was fun but exhausting! Anyway, we have a little bit of everything on our tree.

So putting the ornaments on the tree, bickering and giving each other advice and me begging for some sort of order and symmetry is part of our annual ritual preparing for Christmas. I must say last night was no exception. With bellies full of take out Chinese we tackled the tree and laughed, teased, and debated over each ornament...the new and the old. I, of course, loved every minute. The men in my life always look at me baffled and wonder what the big deal is. Doesn't matter, everyone was home, no plans with girlfriends, no places to go or people to see, they were home decorating the tree with their family.

Bliss!