Okay everyone, I REALLY need your help choosing a present for my roomate.  Lemme tell ya what she's like so you all can give me suggestions:

She LOVES electronic gizmos, board games, and movies. 

She always talks about liking the kinds of kids toys where you build things, like models & stuff.... I saw this electronics kit at Radio Shack that I thought she might like, and that would give all of us something fun to work on, so we wouldn't JUST have to talk on Christmas day. 

Her favorite things she has at the moment are a remote-controlled car (it really IS too cool, that thing FLYS!), an Electronic Clue game, and an Electronic Sorry game. 

So, you guys got any ideas for fun things to buy her? 

Well, today after our work Christmas party, we got to leave... it was about 1PM, so I went home, took a nice nap until 4, and now I'm feeling much better. 

I don't have to go in to job #1 again until Tuesday AM!!!!! I'm excited about that for sure... 4 days of sleeping in! Yeah!

Tomorrow I'll shop for my roomate and my mom.  I also have GOT to buy myself some type of black warm thing to wear... my blue hooded "zippie" (Like a hoodie except it zips too) is cute and new looking but it clashes with almost everything I wear.  So... I have to buy something new... something that will keep me warm, look professional, be comfy, and go with EVERYTHING!

What a "blah" kinda day.  The Memes I could find for Thursday all stink, and I'm not really in the mood to surf and make new blogger friends. 

Today is our Christmas party at work, (not to be confused with last nights party, which was for the employees and their spouses... this one is HERE, in the office, just for the employees) so that will be interesting.  Last night's party was SO nice.  No one carded me when I entered the restaurant (they serve alcohol) or anything, I was comfortable and didn't say or do anything embarassing... none of my food went flying, I didn't knock over any drinks, or make any loud clatters... I got to meet the wives of the men I work with (well, some of them... There were only 3 there that I didn't know), and it was just a nice evening.  I'm glad I went.

So, today I'm kinda bummed.  My roomate's family is coming over for Christmas, and I feel like an intruder. My opinion wasn't asked about anything concerning  the holiday, it was more like "this year I have decided to actually celebrate Christmas, so we are going to..."   But, where do you go when your house is being taken over by someone elses company?   

I think I may go to my Dad's (if he's not busy with a girlfriend) or something.  I really would like to just rest and relax in  my own home, instead of entertaining someone elses company.  (They get offended if I leave the room *sigh*)  But my roomate invited them, plus her best friends 3 kids for the eveningtime, so what can ya do?  I guess I could pop in at James mom's house, but that'd be ackward.  I'd be welcome though. 

Being single and childless at Christmas stinks!  

I just heard the other secretary here use the word "officially"!

She used my word!!! Do you know what that means??

I am "officially" CONTAGIOUS!!!!!!!!!

Wooooooo hoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm back on the MeMe kick today, as nothing truly exciting is happening in my life at the moment.  Oh, except our work Christmas party (Job #1) is tonight.  This should be interesting... I'll post about it after the fact!  I'm looking forward to meeting the spouses of our employees, since I talk to them on the phone so often.

Are you more...  (My answers are green)

01) Someone whose inner child still believes in Santa Claus or someone whose inner child is dead and you are heartless and bah humbug?
02) Enjoying all the "Christmas" decorations hither and yon or enjoying all the "Holiday" decorations hither and yon?  Both?
03) Likely to try the Baked Fettuccini w/Chicken dish at a restaurant or likely to try the New York Steak at a restaurant?
04) Despite having to shovel snow, a lover of winter or because of things like having to shovel snow, a hater of winter? 
05) An indulger of cookies during Christmas or an abstainer of cookies during Christmas? (Does anyone really abstain from cookies at Christmas?!)
06) Scholarly or hard-working? 
07) More easily turned on with video (tv, movies) of sexy looking people or more easily turned on by seeing sexy looking people in person? 
08) A mall Christmas shopper or an online Christmas shopper? (At least until I have a debit card again LOL)
09) Someone who always knows approximately what time it is or someone who often couldn't really tell you to within a half-hour what time it is? 
10) A pear or a carrot?

Wednesday Mind Hump:

1.  Where are your forefathers from? Everywhere! USA (Native Americans), Holland, Germany, England, Scotland,...  Ever been to those countries?  unfortunately not.

2.  Are you related to any famous people?  Any kings or queens in your family tree? Well, I'm related to a woman who was arrested back in Colonial New England for cussing her neighbor and her dog.  Twice.  Does that count? 

3.  Think about the first person in your family to come to this country from somewhere else.  If you could ask that person anything, what would you ask them? "So how was your trip?"  LOL No, just kidding.  I'd ask them what things were like in their old country, how they learned English, if it was hard to fit in here, how they started their new life in the USA, and a million other questions.

Last question is general:

4.  What's one thing you want to do before the year ends? Hmmm... I'd like to learn enough HTML to re-do my blog, but that's not really realistic. 

MY BOSS IS GONE TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*blaring party horn*

I'm enjoying the day off.  Catching up on some filing, and on lots of blogging. :) 

Not even attempting to catch up on mail... *sigh*... I'm up to 92 messages in my inbox.  It's too overwhelming to even think about!

Hung out a little at ValancyJane's Blog today.  I had fun reading her posts, and guess what, she has BUBBLE WRAP!!!!!!! So I popped a bubble while I was there! *giggle*

Now I also found some MEMEs, which you all know I dearly love!

1. Family Gathering
2. Bakers baking
3. Me eating
4. Holiday cheer and love
5. Lights! On trees, houses,...
6. Eggnog! (The store-bought kind in the carton)
7. Cute holiday socks
8. Country Christmas Music
9. Taping Christmas music off the radio
10. Fudge!

When I look at who I am,

I wonder what others see.

Not knowing all my inner thoughts,

Or goals, or hopes, or dreams.

Do they wonder what I'm thinking?

How I'm feeling deep inside?

Do they hurry on about their way

Never pondering the secrets I hide?

I thought today you might all appreciate a quote from Jane Eyre that I read today. 

(Schoolmaster talking to 10-year-old Jane)

"No sight so sad as that of a naughty child," he began, "especially
a naughty little girl.  Do you know where the wicked go after
death?"

"They go to hell," was my ready and orthodox answer.

"And what is hell?  Can you tell me that?"

"A pit full of fire."

"And should you like to fall into that pit, and to be burning there
for ever?"

"No, sir."

"What must you do to avoid it?"

I deliberated a moment; my answer, when it did come, was
objectionable:  "I must keep in good health, and not die."

Hahahaha isn't that TOO cute??  (Well, except for the schoolmaster being such a freak... he really annoys me.)

Thought I'd share that with you all

I had a great day today.  Started it out badly... my church starts at 9:45 AM on Sundays.  Today I woke up at 9:46.  LOL Yeah, seriously... I woke up ONE minute after church started!  *sigh*  So I got up, folded some laundry, ate a little breakfast, and piddled around the house for a while.  Got dressed and went to my moms.

Looked through pictures, for something we're doing for Christmas.  Found a lot of REALLY good ones from when mom was a kid.  Saw an AWESOME one of Grandma and Grandpa! It looked like a movie shot... taken on a street, with Grandpa in his Navy uniform.   I bravely struggled to hold back tears.

Ate a special dinner with my mom.  Watched Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark!!! She had made green beans... Her green beans are UNBEATABLE!!!!    She asked me to pray first... it was so soon after seeing the pics of Grandpa - I burst into tears. 

I sorted stuff in my old room, while mom went through her keepsake box looking for more pics.  I think the woman saved every picture I'd drawn my entire life.  Crafts I'd made every mother's day, a drawing I must have made after being bad, and the first time I'd written my name.  (Complete with the exact date!)  And one where I'd drawn her a scene including a horse... When did I forget how to draw horses??!!!!  I sure couldn't draw one now!  Realizing she'd kept so much of my stuff overwhelmed my emotions - bravely held back tears again.

Sorted, sorted, loaded and loaded stuff into the car... realized it was time to leave.  Realized I'd been so busy working that we hadn't really spent that much time together.  Burst into tears again. 

Came home and unloaded my file cabinet from the car.  Moved my crafts from a small drawer into a big one in the file cabinet.  Found all my childhood pics.  Realized that my mom really did love me. Burst into tears again. 

Thought about my family, and how blessed I've been.  Yeah, the roads been rough... but I do have family that really do love me.  And considering how hard I am to love a lot of the time, that's really saying something! LOL

Listened to "Beautiful" by Bethany Dillon.  Thought of Mrs D.  :)

Realized that it's a week before Christmas, and I haven't had hardly any twinges of holiday depression!  Five years ago, I was still battling thoughts of suicide all through the season.  Whew... all kinds of healings are going on in my life eh?  Talk about being blessed!

Now I'm sitting here at my puter, blogging this, and guess what else I've been doing?  Yep, bursting into tears!!!

Do I even NEED to tell you that I think I have PMS? Hahahahaha

Took some more pics... here's the new craft drawer of my filing cabinet, and our Christmas tree (that I set up today... makes Charlie Browns look good in comparison huh?? LOL)

I never knew how fun (and difficult) doing a self-portrait could be.  Here are the shots I took: (Only pics 1-3, and 5, are ones I'm considering for the self-portrait. 4, 6, and the hair pic were just for fun! )  Right now I'm getting ready to download a free Paint Shop Pro trial, so after I get that I'll do some work on these... but I decided to show you them "raw"! So please, let me know which one you think is the best.