Finally, a Good Monday Morning!

I would like to begin this Monday morning blog by NOT complaining that it's Monday and that I didn't want to get out of bed. That is a rare, rare statement and one I had to log for posterity's sake.

I'm late blogging today. I find this rather ironic since I'm actually at home, working from my personal computer. You'd think this would mean I'd be able to get my blog out as soon as I was logged on.

Sadly, this is not the case. For the most part, I've become accustomed to my computer booting up, given me a strange flicker of relief at knowing I have an open window to the virtual world as soon as I bring up an internet browser only to laugh at me and present me with one of Microsoft's infamous Blue Screens of Death (BSOD).

For the most part, I have narrowed down my BSOD issue to the fact that I have a hardware conflict, specifically with my wireless router or my sound card. Since, currently, it usually restarts and lets me in eventually, I am working around it, being sure to save whatever work I'm doing.

So, I've already had one of those this morning. Also, it's important to be online on our office Instant Messenger system so people know I'm actually logged in, ready to work. That way I can't be accused of being a giant slacker even if, in fact, I am abandoning my computer for a few minutes to put a load of laundry in. I've even done a little bit of work which, I know, is shocking.

That's the thing about working at home. I have a cup of tea in my favourite Harry Potter mug, my iTunes is blaring and I'm wearing old sweat trousers because my jeans are in the laundry. This is my type of workday.

I know, I know, I'm rubbing it in for all you folks that have to work in an office. Believe me, this is a huge treat for me and one that's not likely to happen again in the near future. Thus, I'm intent on enjoying it as much as possible.

Even though I do have the luxury of working at home for two days this week, I do still feel like my weekend flew by. To be honest, I'm not even sure where it went. I know I did a lot. I mean, I got my car serviced, I wrote...I cleaned. I did manage to get my Christmas lights up outside. I had planned on hanging those icicle lights on the roof. I bought these nifty hooks and bought two sets of lights. Then it occured to me that those two sets would only cover 16 feet. So I got another set. Then I realized that even three sets was not going to be enough. To top things off, I climbed up to the roof on my rickety ladder only to discover that the hooks I had bought weren't going to work since I didn't appear to have a normal overhang and there was really no good place to hook them. Thus, I ended up returning the icicle lights and just using regular mini multicoloured lights on my juniper bushes instead.

Of course, it turns out that I'm allergic to juniper bushes. As I boldly wound the light strings around the prickly bushes, my hands began to sting. I thought it was just because the needles were scratchy. By the time I had finished winding the lights, my hands were rather sore. When I got inside, I realized I'd developed a rash that stings when you wash your hands. On the plus side, I've finally realized why, if I've been working outside, my hands sometimes sting when I wash them. Next time, I'll wear gloves.

My yard looks quite nice though. I used my timer to test my lights last night and I got to look at them in the dark. I quickly turned them off. Given how much I've complained about people decorating early for Christmas, I don't want to be a hypocrite. I just wanted to get them up before the weather turns cold.

It's supposed to get cold this week, just in time for Thanksgiving. I've even heard my favourite "s" word I'm supposed to call it now. This superstition my family and friends have of my doing the snow dance or even just saying "Snow, Sausage!" and then having it snow seems to be a little silly. Still, I fully intend on doing the snow dance and trying to make Sausage join in when I'm home for Thanksgiving. I think I've been very patient. This time last year, we'd already had several snow instances and I'd probably started my blogging obsession with the stuff. This year, I've enjoyed the Indian summer but now I'm ready for snow. I want to break out my Cocoa Latte machine and make my first steaming mug of Williams Sonoma peppermint hot chocolate. I want to build my very first snowman in my own backyard.

Of course, I'm not expecting that amount of snow...yet. I'll wait until December.

I love the holidays. I know that as a Singleton, the holidays are traditionally supposed to be hard. I won't admit that it's not a lonely time but it doesn't mean I don't enjoy everything that goes along with Christmas. In some ways, I think I am a little lucky to have so much freedom. I mean, I can watch "Elf" and "Love Actually" as often as I like without anyone throwing a pillow at my head. It's a trade off, I suppose; being alone and having freedom or having to compromise but have someone to share the holidays with.

Right now, though, the holiday that lies in front of us is Thanksgiving, not Christmas. Though, I confess, I have plans to be up at 4 a.m. with my sister on Friday morning to go Christmas shopping. I don't actually need to buy that many gifts but, as insane as I am, I actually rather enjoy that pandemonium. It's the thrill of the hunt. I love to be out and about but be home by 1 p.m. and have had a full day of shopping. I'm strange like that. For as much as I complain about getting up in the mornings, once I'm up, I'm up. I love to do things in the morning. I'm much more productive. Then I can spend the rest of the day being lazy if I'm so inclined.

For now, though, being that it's morning, I suppose I should be productive at work. This silly work ethic of mine is getting in the way of a perfectly good potential day of slacking off. Perhaps if I get everything done, I won't feel quite so lazy. We'll see.

Happy Monday!

Thursday Randomness

It snowed a little last night. It's very pretty but not icy which means I'm feeling poetical about snow again. Don't worry, I won't write about it today. I'll give it a couple more snowfalls before I start talking about the twirling, whirling flakes that create their buffer of peace for the world.

It's Thursday, as I'm sure you know. Unless you're one of those people who can't remember what day it is when you wake up and don't bother checking because knowing doesn't really alter your day all that much. I have a friend like that. I have a feeling he only knows it's the weekend because there are movies opening and he's got a radar for those things. I always know what day it is because I'm a regular TV viewer and I know what show is on that night. This time of year is a little tricky for that though because it's coming up on the winter hiatus and most of my shows are off the air now until January. I probably should just rely on a calendar. I love calendars.

This morning, I took my stray to campus again. He's getting sneaky. I went to leave my apartment and he was waiting outside the building. I'd started to leave a few minutes before but realized I forgot to turn my thermostat down. When I'd left then, he'd been coming down the stairs and I knew he was headed to my place. When I went outside to my car, there he was. He had his cell-phone out but wasn't dialing. He seemed surprised when I politely asked if he needed a ride but it was the type of surprise you feign when you're secretely hoping for something. Like when someone says "let's have lunch, my treat" and you're supposed to say, "Oh, really, are you sure? It doesn't have to be your treat" and then you hope they insist so that you get a nice free lunch. Of course, this backfires if they say, "Oh, alright then, we'll go dutch."

I didn't mind giving him a ride though. It's the last time since his class is over. Of course, had I know that he was stuck for a ride because his class was ICE SKATING, I might have been a little less generous. I mean, Ice-Skating? Seriously? Not that there is anything wrong with ice skating- I can fall on my bottom with the best of amateurs but I thought it was one of those " I stayed up all night to get ready for it and now I'm going to flunk because I can't make it to campus" classes. Ice skating wasn't what I imagined his crisis was. Oh well, glad I could help him become a better skater. Or something.

Anyway, being Thursday, it is The Office and 30 Rock night. Normally, it'd be "Grey's Anatomy" but that's done until January. This is actually a good thing. I used to love my Thursday night ritual of glass of wine and Grey's. Lately, as I've mentioned in my other blog, I'm a little worried about that show. The last three episodes have made me angry. I don't like being angry at Grey's. It's like having a fight with my best friend. It means I can't rely on it for escapism at the moment because the storylines have been making me want to escape from the show.

So, without Grey's, I think I'm going to get festive. I have Christmas cards to send and presents to wrap and some nice holiday movies to entertain me while I do so. My absolute favourite is "Love, Actually" because it's a fantastic film, I love everyone in it and it makes me extremely happy and hopeful that everyone can find love. I'm very susceptible to a good, non-sappy, romantic film like that. Also, I love British actors and it's rare that you find one film that has as many great British actors in it as that one. Except, maybe, Harry Potter but they're all split up. "Love, Actually" has Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant along with many others who I love. I won't watch that tonight though: "Love, Actually" deserves it's own evening, not to be spent multi-tasking. That's what "Elf" is for. I can feel my mother cringing as she reads that. She's not big on movies like "Elf." She also hates "The Santa Clause" which is my dad and my tradition for Christmas Eve. Sadly, I enjoy "The Santa Clause," mostly because it's syrupy and silly and a nice habit to have for the holidays.

I think I'm going to have to apologize for the randomness of my blogs this week. I haven't had a great week. I got myself into a nasty dark mood as I indicated earlier. It's better now but I hate getting into a funk like that. It makes me doubt myself which is definitely not a good thing. Self-delusion is so much less painful and makes the world all shiny and pretty. Like snow. Snow can be shiny. Snow is pretty. And there's still snow on the ground outside. But I promised to hold my lyrical musings on that for the day and so I'll honour my promise. For now.

Happy Thursday.