Good Santa vs. Bad Santa

Phew! Done. I got all my boxes shipped today. I have to admit, I have found the past two days a tad harrowing. Yesterday, as I was at my computer, it dawned on me--DUH--only a week until Christmas. Which meant I needed to get all my presents in the mail. Not having any family local is a pain during present-giving-time. I had thought ahead and got all the stuff sent to the New York area; but I hadn't even thought of my Virginia family. Eeeegads. And so, today, I finished everything up because of course there was that lone present that I had to find and purchase and wrap and box and mail, etc. Done. Lord have mercy, my speed demon came out in me today. (Well, it's normally there, but I was just a little more anxious than I normally am.) I can't say that I was really Bad Santa because I continued to keep my smile and didn't curse anyone from my car as they drove 15 miles an hour in a 35 (I normally do 45). But my thoughts were that of Bad Santa. Under my breath and in my head the words were spurting through my brain, "C'mon, I gotta get to UPS BEFORE 5, C'mon, be a man, just pull out and go, they have breaks, they'll stop! C'mon, move it!" But thank goodness, no one here on earth heard my thoughts and I kept a smile on my face; and if I did burst a word out, it was to a tune playing on the radio and I tapped my finger to it so no one knew I was really being Bad Santa. I think my guardian angels were fanning me with their wings because I could have been worse. With all of that nonsense said, it's done. Woo hoo. I have to admit, I think I did make a world record of door-to-door and then return from UPS. Let me tell you, I have the UPS system down. I jump in there, click in my name and password into the computer, go to my address book, pick a name and BAM! (as Emeril would say), print that label and pass it on to the counter. Boom, done. No dazed look in my eye. Some folks get in there and just freeze--not knowing the "UPS system." Finally, after several years of doing it, I think I finally have it down to a science. That's one thing about getting older, you learn how to do things efficiently. Well, sometimes.

I forgot to post on one of my brother's birthday gifts to me, which I adore. I had first found Wiener Bronzen while we were in Brussels last year. There was a shop window full of the sweetest display of tiny little sculptures. Of course, I wanted to start with an entire set; that is until we went in and found they were all made of bronze and hand painted and found out the price (oy), we only purchased two of the less expensive ones. I could almost hear the sales clerk "Stupid American."

So, needless to say, when I opened my little red box and found a piece of Wiener Bronzen, I was so excited to add it to my little collection. Aren't they all just darling? Now mind you, they are all less than an inch in size. Can you imagine painting them? I can't.

My brother John got me two dvd's on Zappa Plays Zappa which I have yet to watch because I keep misplacing them. I spoke to him the other day, via IM, and told him I had them just didn't know where they were. When I hung up from him, daig if they weren't right on my desk the entire time. Now, they have moved once again. One day, and I can't wait, I will find them and sit down to watch. He says Dweezil was phenomenal as John went to the show in DC. Most excellent. I tell you what, if Dweezil continues to show, I'm going to have to make a trip somewhere to see it. Especially after my brother says it was so good. Hmmmmm. If you are a fan of Zappa's music, there is a Zappa radio link on this site. I wish I had known about it earlier. I spend an endless amount of time trying to get my Zappa music from my computer to play for my brother Jim while he was here. I never could get it copied on to either my iPod or on a disk. It was excruciatingly frustrating, to say the least. Now I know where to go for random Zappa. Here.

Now to be even more random, here are some shots from The Factory at Franklin. It used to be a stove factory way back when. Now, it has some artsy stores and The Viking Store which is shown in the photo above. Love it. I think I'm gonna have to take some of their classes in 2008.

This guy is pretty new to the place, I think. I think I would have noticed him if he had been there, don't you?

And last but not least, my mom's flowers of the month. Aren't they the prettiest!

PS Amy, I owe you a call. I just got your message from my cell today. Eeeeek. Love you --GGC.