Christmas 2010

Happy holidays,

It’s a few days before Christmas and I’m amazed at the lack of Christmas letters I’ve received. More and more cards are coming with only signatures or maybe a photo. Can we thank Facebook and the other social networking sites for the death of the dreaded Christmas letter? Or did my friends realize, as I have, that really the only way to do Christmas is to start in June when the first decorations pop out at Hobby Lobby; otherwise, it’s the Sunday before Christmas and you realize the only décor at your house is a candy dish and holiday-themed wine glass charms, and there’s no friggin’ way you’re putting up a tree now.

With this letter I am not attempting to bring back a tradition that can be as painful as eating Grandma’s fruitcake, but instead realizing I’m just too behind the power curve (i.e. lazy) to write separate cards, address envelopes and go buy stamps. Instead, I’m calling this a letter, putting it here, on my blog, and letting people know it’s there. I’m embracing the whole social networking thing. And hoping they don’t notice I’ve been too damn lazy to write in this thing since June.

I gave up communicating for Lent – which was roughly the same time I received my master’s degree from Gonzaga. After all my work, those damn Mackerel Snappers (I’m a Catholic, I’m allowed) sent me the wrong diploma. Almost $50,000 later, and according to diploma No. 1, I was awarded a master’s in Organizational Leadership. I shouldn’t complain too much, they did spell my name correctly. After a couple emails to a variety of people, the error was corrected – after I sent back the bogus degree. And for my diligence in actually taking the sheepskin from the envelope and noticing the error, the school sent me three extra official transcripts with the correct diploma stating I is s-m-art in Communication & Leadership Studies. Transcripts? Really? Do employers actually want to know which classes I took in Fall B 2009? “But you’ll need them for your doctorate,” a close, yet psychotic, friend told me. I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. I’ll not be doing school again. Ever. Had they knocked a couple grand off my student loan, maybe. But for transcripts?

In other news, and in no particular order:

Drove from Cheyenne to Denver to Dubois to Denver to Cheyenne to Afton to Worland to Cheyenne in fewer days than this sentence has “to” in it. But finally figured out what those weird alien dots/dashes on the highways in central Wyoming mean.
Annual Vegas Girls Weekend was spent in a suite at Caesar’s.
Same girls rode a flight line in Bootleg Canyon.
Lost 10 pounds. Gained 7. Lost 4. Gained 2. Lost 8.
Spent a great weekend with amazing friends in Dubois.
Continued my streak of wanting men who don’t want me.
Marked 10 years at my current job. Marveled I am still enjoying it (and that I’ve done something for 10 years) but thinking I’m not enjoying it enough to do another 10.
Watched as Dad remodeled my basement into my favorite space in the house.
Finally converted my land line to a cell phone. That number, if you want to note it, is 307-63-you can email me for the rest.
Went on happy pills. I felt too dark and gloomy for words.
Actually gave 17 pairs of shoes to charity. Swore I wouldn’t buy anymore shoes for at least a year. Made it 3 weeks.
Only traveled to DC once. But also went to Seattle, Phoenix, Vegas and my sister’s.
Refinanced my house to make it a bit easier to pay for all those official transcripts.
Tried to be a good person. Or a mostly good except on select evenings person.
Remain constantly amazed at how wonderful my friends are, both as friends and as persons.