Tagged a la Dawn

CHRISTMAS TAG

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg Nog
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? They're always wrapped. Who doesn't have wrapped presents?
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights for the house, coloured for the tree. I think the tree should be white too.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Anywhere from the first weekend to the second weekend.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? TURKEY
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: When John and I would sneak out to look at the presents under the tree, and then go downstairs. We'd pull the arm chair right up close to the TV and sit in it together and watch A Christmas Story. Then we'd open stockings in his room and fall asleep until it was time to open the rest.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? One year my friend Tara told me that there was no Santa Clause. I thought she was just stupid, but one day when colouring with Tawny I asked her if she believed in Santa. She assured me she did and I figured if she did, then he must be real. Then when I got older I started recognizing Mom's writing on the tags and I figured it out.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We used to. But now I like to wait.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Dad does lights, Mom does beads, and then Mom and I do the rest.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE it. Can't WAIT for it. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas for sure!
12. Can you ice skate? Not well. Although I do better on a frozen lake then an arena.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Let me think...Nope.
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Seeing people I don't normally see. And Christmas Mass :)
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Mexican Wedding Cakes. Why those are Christmas, I dunno. And I make them myself. I suck! lol.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Getting up at 7am every year to open presents. It just HAS to be 7am. Because it has been for as long as I can remember. Plus if you wait longer, it's light out and that's not fun. Oh, and on Christmas Eve we leave the house lights on all night, so I get to sleep with them the whole night :)
17. What tops your tree? An angel. And every year when Dad puts it up, he tells me the story about where Santa told the Angel to stick the tree :)
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? I'm no fool. I love receiving. I love giving when I am excited about the present because I know they'll love it. I hate buying presents with a PASSION though (see previous post).
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Aye, Aye, Aye, It's Christmas!!! I'm half kidding.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? YUM!!!
21. Favorite Christmas movie? Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, It's a Wonderful Life, Elf.
22. What do you leave for Santa? We used to leave cookies and milk. And carrots for the reindeer. Now, nothing lol.

I feel it in my fingers.

I love the anticipation of Christmas. The way so many stores and malls get decorated. I love seeing the expression of happiness wash over children's faces as they see Santa in a mall. I love baking and decorating cookies. I love decorating the tree, watching TV with my only lights being those on the tree and Daisy curled up beneath it. I love when Dad puts up the house lights and my frantic race to get in bed by 1130 every night, knowing they'll automatically shut off at 12. I love to fall asleep with the soft glow of the the lights filling my room. I love Christmas eve and watching movies like Elf, Home Alone, It's a Wonderful Life. I love Christmas morning and the excitment of opening presents. The quiet calm that settles over the house afterwards as everyone naps. I love mass at Christmas. Two words: EGG NOG.

But for everything I love, I hate...
Shopping. Specifically for people I have no idea what to buy. So if you have the slightest thought I might buy you something, do me a favor. Let me know what you'd like. Give me ideas.
Crowded malls. Especially when the kids are not so happy, and they're screaming bloody murder instead.
Oh, wait. Did I mention I hated Christmas shopping??

Frustration.

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with so many things over the past few weeks. Home life, personal life, social life, work life. It just seems like it keeps on piling up.

I'm going crazy in this house. I do not receive any privacy at all. This morning, I was sleeping away when I heard someone come in my room. Dad came in at 9AM just to "be a second" on the computer. Then later, I got up and went to the bathroom. When I came out, he was in here again! Earlier today, he took a bill off my desk and looked at it. Then grilled me about getting a mastercard. I'm going to change the logon password for my account on the computer, and I bet he'll ask me about that. I hate having him in my room. I feel like I'm not getting any privacy whatsoever. I could get him a router, but that's going to cost me money. Not to mention it will cause unwanted tension between him and Mom because she would be on his case about it all the time.

Yesterday I had a staff meeting and two people came in to talk to us about Nubody's new partnership with Simply For Life. After listening to them I wanted to do it more than I have since I found out about it. I do afterall, have 40 pounds I would like to lose. The only thing that stopped me before was the price. However, because of the new partnership and my being a staff member at Nubody's I receive 50% off whatever program I should wish to use. That all sound sgreat but then I have to think about the groceries I'm going to have to buy myself and I just don't have the finances to support that. I hate how miserable I am with my weight and I hate this feeling like no matter what I do, I won't be able to ever be happy with it. I mean, I've been working pretty steadily at the gym the past 3 weeks or so, and I've put ON like 6 pounds. It's just so frustrating.

Either way, most of what's bothering me lately is a result of money. I realize that I'm in school and I'm not suppose to have lots of it, but what am I suppose to do? Stay miserable until I'm done, which may very well be another 4 or more years? I can't even begin to explain how much fun that sounds like.

On a non-costly note, yesterday Dawn and I had a movie marathon in Bayers Lake. We went to see Babel and A Good Year. I'm pretty sure we both enjoyed both (I know I at least did), the company was good, and the food was good. Dawn was a dear and bought me my movie treats :). Overall it was a low-cost night. I cannot wait to do it again with her (and it also got me out of the house!!).

And now, I thnik I'm done. I'm not long back from the gym and I should probably go clean up.

The Parade of Lights!!

Tonight was the Chronical Herald Parade of Lights. Like always Empire Theatres and C100 got together to kick off their Toy Drive. Every year they collect unused, unwrapped donations for low-income families around metro who cannot afford presents for their children. Being a staff member at Empire allowed me to participate, and in honor of the new movie Happy Feet we designed our float around it (courtesy of Hatfield Farms) and some of us -including me!-dressed up in tuxedos to resemble penguins! The tuxedos were donated from Model Tuxedo, and I must say we looked sharp! I'm not sure if it was just the overall good feeling of what we were doing but it was a fantastic night. The looks on the childrens faces as they saw our float pass by were reward enough. I loved the "Hi Penguin!" calls that were shouted out to our person dressed as an actual penguin atop the float. My heart melted at a little girl who cried out "Happy Feet! I Looooove you!", and tears were brought to my eyes when I saw the children from the IWK bundled up in blankets in their wheelchairs, IV drips by their side. I was also moved to see the elderly from the hospitals and guest homes brought out to enjoy in the festivities as well.

I cannot wait for next year to arrive so that I can do it all over again!

This is all of us except one posing in our tuxedos. I told you we looked sharp!

The Sackville Crew posing outside our bus awaiting our float (and I got a cute Happy Feet shirt too!)

Andy and Me by our float.

Shari and me with decorations from our float on our faces :)

The Float!

The Penguins on our Float!

More Penguins!

This is how many toys we collected in one night! And it is just the beginning of the Toy Drive! Many thanks to those who helped out and to those who donated toys! For those who are interested in making a donation, you can drop one off at any Empire Theatres location until December 23rd!

Letting you know I'm all still alive.

This is my third time writing this post. I can't seem to say what I want to with words.

Movie Review?
Last night I went to see Stranger Than Fiction with Shari and Krystyna. Although it looked halarious from the trailers, I found myself bored within the first 15 minutes and it didn't get any better. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Queen Latifah were terribly annoying (but I never can stand Maggie Gyllenhaal), Dustin Hoffman's eating habits were nauseating, and Will Ferrell was BORING. A few times I found myself snickering aloud in the theatre, but for the most part I spent the time shifting in my seat and awaiting the beginning of the credits. It did nothing to explain the concept of the movie, and the idea behind it was weak and unimaginative. It's been awhile since I've been very happy that I don't pay for movies. This was one of them.

Final Verdict?
Don't even rent it. Just avoid it all together.

So, I guess that's all. I'm alive, working lots. That's about it.

Goodbye Sunfire

Yesterday Mom and I took Jody's car back to the dealership. Woah, what a rollercoaster of emotion that was. I was all set to turn over the car, I had accepted that it was going back. However, once in the office I was proposed the offer to buyout the car, it would be over 3 years for $240.00 a month. I didn't think anything of it, but when Mom seemed interested, I started getting excited. Mistake number one. Then I went on to learn that I could lease a brand new 2007 Pursuit for $270.00. That was only $30 more. I started thinking that this was the opportunity of a lifetime. Visions of the sunfire vanished and I started wondering what this Pursuit looked like. I was introduced to a salesman who had me sit in the Pursuit. Mistake number two. I immediately fell in love with the interior and the comfort of the car, I started envisioning being the envy of all of my friends. Through my mind ran $270.00. Only $30 more a month for a brand new car. I started thinking about what color I wanted it in. Another mistake. On the way home, Mom talked to me about how I should forget the new car and buy the sunfire. Once home I called Jody and discussed it with her and she too agreed that I shouldn't lease, that I should do the buyout. I decided yes, I was going to sacrifice my trip to see Jody and buy the car. That was the first thing that had me crying. After calling around and working out a budget, I realized I could not live on the approximate $85 I'd be left with every month paying for internet, my cell phone, a car payment, and insurance. That wasn't including bus passes, gas, and a little bit of spending money.

So I decided I wouldn't get the car. I cried some more. Whether it was the loss of the car, or the relief of knowing I could still afford to go to England, I'm not sure. Mom said she'd call to see if they could wait until Dad got home tonight to see what he could figure out about the insurance, but I haven't asked. I've dealt with losing the car.

Or so I thought.

Tonight I drove Mom's car to work again (I drove it last night as well). Going from a very nice, new car to a very old, not so nice car is difficult. After driving Jody's car for almost a year, here are the things I'm currently having trouble with:

• Every time I start the car, I go to put the clutch down. There is no clutch.
• Every time I stop, I reach to put it into first gear. I don't have to.
• The car SQUEALS as soon as I start it.
• There is no power breaking.
• The wiper switch goes in the opposite direction.
• The gas tank is on the other side (tonight I checked before I got to the gas station but still pulled up with the wrong side. I got back in and moved the car but it was STILL the wrong side. This resulted in me crying on the way home with frustration).

I realize that these are all little, insignificant problems that will disappear shortly. It's just making the transition hard. I realize how lucky I was to have been able to drive it at all. I also realize how lucky I am to have any car to drive. This is in no way a complaint about Mom's car. Just a statement at how much harder it's going to be to go back to driving that car than I thought it would be. I'm sure in a week's time I'll be back to normal with my driving. For now it's just really, really frustrating.

In other news...
I'm not sure what's wrong with me, or if there is anything wrong with me at all. However yesterday, I discovered slight bleeding in one of my ears. This morning I woke up with the worst headache I have ever experienced in my life, and I still have it now over 12 hours later. Earlier it was so bad that it nearly made me sick to my stomach. Maybe I'm just getting a cold, but the ear thing has me a tiny bit disturbed. I'm probably just paranoid and the two might be totally unrelated. The headache is most likely due to my lack of sleep. I'm so tired and I have two very long days ahead of me.

With that said, I should probably go to bed. Which is where I'm heading now.

Oh, sidenote:
I was talking to a girl tonight at work about how I was debating dying my hair. I've always been told that I have a really nice natural color. That I have the deep, shiny, rich brown that many people try to achieve via hair coloring. Well when I mentioned to this coworker tonight that I finally have my hair all my natural color, she told me she thought I dyed it because it's such a nice color. It's good to know that I'm not a boring brunette :)