I must offer my sincerest apologies in advance during this holiday season.  On account of Snowpocalypse 2009, my Christmas cards are being mailed out later than usual.  I had planned on sending them out on Saturday, but Mother Nature’s fury scuttled my plans to visit the Post Office.

Be on the lookout for your annual dose of holiday cheer, coming to your mailbox soon!

Gonna make yo ass tired with all my tryptophan!

Indeed!

Enjoy the turkey and family today!

Enjoy your holiday with you and yours!

Gobble-Gobble!

MERRY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Enjoy the train scene in all its glory.

Click here to view the embedded video.

• BB&Y: I used a gift card to purchase some kitchen gadgets I had been meaning to replace--a can opener, some cooking utensils, a Pyrex measuring glass, and a paper-towel dispenser.  There were some small measuring cups I could not find there, but I spent just over my gift card, so it worked out quite nicely for me.
• Target: I used my gift card towards a new coffee maker.  I had been looking at the Caffe Nabucco for some time since my brief time living with my ex Linda exposed me to this machine.  I figured $100 was not a bad deal for it, and with the gift card I got it for half of that.

I still need to burn some money at L.L.Bean from my grandmother.  I have no idea what I am going to do there.

I am not at all disturbed by the comparison of where we are in our lives. My friends are married, and now a good number of them are having children. I am happy for them, and I wish them much more happiness and healthy children in the future.  I am not in the same position, and I am not in a terrible hurry to be in that position.

On some level, sending these cards seems to be a cop-out from the usual greeting card cop-out.  I think most folks would agree that cards are an accepted cop-out for writing something meaningful to someone for a special event--birthday, holiday, or some other momentous occasion.  Nonetheless, the photocard is taking our societal accepted cop-out to an even higher level.  Instead of a holiday card with some serious or witty message for the season, I get a photo of a small child with Santa.

I suppose it is the thought that counts, but I find myself vowing that if and when I ever get married and have children I will not send the photocard to anyone.  If I deign to send a photo, I will include a photo of the kids in the card.  Maybe that thinking is a bit old school, especially from someone as technically savvy as myself.  Nonetheless, I think it is a good compromise for all involved.  Not everyone gets a photocard, and the photo goes to those family and friends who are close and should get one.

I also find the photocard to be one step above the most onerous of Christmas card "improvements."  The update that some folks include in their cards is a pretentious undertaking.  Consider this something to add to my list of things that will never go into cards from a married JJT.

I appreciate the cards I have from my friends, but I just do not want to fall into this easy trap.  Besides, the shelf holding all of my Christmas cards is looking like a maternity ward.

As usual, the holidays are upon me much too quickly.  I still have to pick up some things for some family, but fortunately the amount of shopping I have to do is pretty minimal.  Although I had purchased my Christmas cards in advance, they were still mailed out late.  Apologies if for some reason I overlooked you in my usual list of Christmas cards. 

Add to this usual feverish pace for the holidays the amount of late night work I have had to get done, and that has compounded my ability to get things done.  Every night for the last two weeks I have worked late.  I am certainly not complaining, as I am really happy to be busy at work.  Still, working all day in the cube farm and then coming home to work again is pretty draining.  With the coming holiday, most folks will be away from the office.  Something tells me the feverish pace may let up slightly for the coming week. 

With all of this in mind, I need to do the following things tomorrow:

• Call my grandfather and let him know when I will be down on Saturday;
• Call my nephew and his foster parent to take care of the plans for Christmas Day;
• Rebuild the laptop for the nephew;
• Go through all of the rest of my mail and Christmas cards;
• Take care of my last minute shopping. 

All will get done, and this weekend should be somewhat relaxing since I will be at my grandfather's.  That should be some welcome rest.