Dear Christmas: End, already!

I realized this morning, when I couldn’t drag myself out of bed to go to my kid’s school Santa Breakfast that I am really, really over the holidays this year. I think I said that a week or so ago, but this time I’m really over them.

I’m over them to the point of being pretty down. After Brian and Clara Jane came home from breakfast (Clara Jane said that the Santa was a “dress-up Santa”), I went back to bed and stayed there most of the day. It’s not that I was tired. I just couldn’t think of anyplace I’d rather be.

Sad thing is, shortly before I went to bed I listened to Clara Jane recite the bulk of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” to the cat. I must be funked out, because something like that would normally send me to the roof with glee. Today, I just wanted quiet.

Grinch. I am her.

Perhaps today is Festivus and I need to be airing grievances. Okay. I’m pissed that we spent one night this week reattaching our kitchen/dining room door, which decided to not be attached to the top of the door jam anymore. I’m even more pissed that we spent the next day cleaning up Christmas tree. I’m fed up with my house being a clutter pit. As soon as I get it under control, a new Christmas tornado tears through it. I’m not pleased that a member of my family I prefer to avoid is pestering my mom for my contact information which she direly needs before Christmas. Gee, wonder what she wants? Did I mention that my kid informed me today that she loves Daddy more than me, and that my parents were nice and icy to me on the phone? Feel the holiday love, everyone!

Is it time for the feats of strength, or can I sleep another eight hours first?

And yet, I did Christmas cards during one of my few waking hours. Envelopes filled with holiday glee, right there.

I want to knit, but the thought of going downstairs to get it makes me want to weep.  I’ll probably go back to bed instead.

But this was cool. CatPants picked me as her favorite blog!  I usually don’t do the awards thing, but today I needed the ego boost. So here’s the deal:

I must list six characteristics that are important to me as well as six that I find impossible to tolerate. I then get to pass this award to six of my favorite blog.

Characteristics I Value:

1.  Honesty and integrity, especially as it pertains to being true to who one is as a person. Also, honesty in terms of not lying by omission or silence. Speak up, and even if I don’t like what you have to say, I’ll respect your integrity and courage.
2. Forgiveness: I think the ability to not carry grudges shows the highest degree of character. This isn’t to say that I admire doormats. No, I admire people who are able to take the shitty things that have happened to them and move on. I admire people who honor our human fragility and imperfection by cutting some slack when necessary.
3. Sense of humor/lack of a sense of drama: Life’s too damn short. Laugh at shit. Have some fun. Don’t take things that seriously because there’s slim chance that anything is that serious.
4. Kindness: The older I get, the more those little bits of kindness mean. It’s hard to be kind sometimes. I flipped off someone who made a driving error the other day and I couldn’t help but hope the other driver realized what an ass I was being, the jerk with peace-proclaiming bumper stickers, waving her middle finger. I admire people who don’t act like I did in that instance.
5. Empathy: Everyone has her reasons for the things that she does. I think if people tried to understand where others are coming from, we’d all be doing much better.
6. A complete lack of shame: See #3. They go hand-in-hand.

Abhorrent Crap:

1. Self-pity: Ironic, I know, since this post it loaded with it.
2. Jealousy: I really don’t get jealousy at all. I don’t understand it and it drives me nuts when people can’t see the good in their own lives because they’re too busy whining about what they don’t have.
3. Superficiality: If someone can’t be bothered to dig beyond the surface, there’s a good chance I’m not going to bother myself with her.
4. Selfishness
5. Dishonesty
6. Meanness

Blogs I love:

1. Two Dolla gets my nepotism award – favorite blog written by a relative.
2. Five Dollar Radio gets my award for favorite music blog that’s not written and populated by pretensious hipster dufuses.
3. Courtney gets the award for my favorite Mrs. Rock n Roll crafter chick blog.
4. Fluid Pudding is my favorite blog that you already read.
5. South City Confidential wins for my favorite recent read. I don’t know why it took me so damn long to start reading this one.
6. I Will Dare wins for the blog I’ve read the longest, and keep reading because it’s still awesome.