Packed and Read to Roll!

This is a late blog tonight. I really should be in bed, especially since I have to be up at 4am. But here I am, typing away. This always happens. The night before I travel, I run around trying to get so much done that I end up staying up half the night. The fact that I didn't get home from work until 7:15 didn't help matters much.

I think I'm all packed. I just have my toiletries left to pack and I'm good to go. My iPod and cell phone are both charging. I located the case for my camera. I printed off my boarding passes (you can do that for the train now) so I think I'm set.

And of course, it has started to snow. In fact, we have a snow storm warning in place. Fantastic. Thankfully, my friend Steph and her hubby are coming to get me at 5am and are driving me to the train station. This way I don't have to worry about a cab. Steph is very good at winter driving as she often works at schools in the middle of nowhere :) I'm hoping that knowing that she's coming to get me will ease my anxiety in the morning. It hasn't been too bad today (knock on wood).

Work was a blur. The party went off without a hitch and the food was really good. Everyone enjoyed it. My secret Santa gave me a new cookbook, so that's awesome. I also got a set of The Big Bang Theory bobble heads for my desk from another co-worker. They're kick ass! I thought that I'd gotten everything done at work but I remembered something while I was in the shower. D'oh. I may email a co-worker tomorrow and ask her to do it or I might just decide to leave it until I'm back. Either way, I refuse to stress over it.

I should get to bed since I have to be up in 4.5 hours. I plan on sleeping on the train :)

Just 1 more sleep!

Good Night,

Sarah

Bah, Humbug.

It was a "meh" day but a good evening. The Big Bang Theory was pretty darn funny, my football team is winning at the half and Glee didn't butcher Grease so that was awesome. And I managed to make dinner and do the dishes in there somewhere too. I just need to get through work tomorrow and OT on Saturday and I'm good!

Speaking of Saturday, the Ottawa Santa Claus Parade is Saturday. For some reason, that seems really friggin' early to me. Why do so many people feel the need to rush the season?? CTS is already advertising that they're the Christmas station and will be showing Christmas movies starting this weekend. Almost every mall in the city had their Christmas decorations up last week, if not sooner (except Carlingwood Mall and kudos to them for waiting until after Remembrance Day to do it!) and stores are already playing Christmas music. Christmas is still more than a month away. It's insane.

I quite like Christmas. It's my favourite holiday. But I don't like how rushed it is. I don't see why it has to be ushered in so soon. For the love of pete, let November un-fold on its own. Don't try to morph it into the Christmas season too. That's what December is for. Even my damn Christmas cactus is blooming already.

And if one more person tells me that they just want a "gift card" or "nothing really" for Christmas, I think I just might snap and take them out. I like giving gifts. I don't care if it's a $2 novelty toy I found at a discount store or a $200 necklace that I've been saving up to buy, I like giving thoughtful gifts that make people smile and feel appreciated. Picking up a piece of plastic and loading money onto it is not creative. I don't have much money, so when I actually venture out to spend my savings on gifts, I want to be special. A child's eyes do not light up when they open a card and a gift card falls out. We live in such a consumer driven society that most of us go out and buy the crap we want for ourselves right away, so there's nothing left to ask for for Christmas.  On the flip side, people keep harassing me for my Christmas list and then end buying me a bunch of stuff that isn't on the damn list and that I didn't want/can't use in the first place. Yes dad, I'm talking to you. Where's my jersey!!!!!!!!??????????? With the NHL being locked out this year, you should be able to find it on sale.
I have too much crap to begin with. If I ask for something, it's either something I really need or something that I want but have not been able to justify buying it for myself.

And there's part of the rub too. I don't live in the same city as my family. So when I got home, I take the train. I don't have the luggage space to bring very much back with me, so I do end up asking for gift cards because they're easy to transport. I also try to ask for other small gifts that are easy to pack, like perfume or an Ottawa Senators Heritage Hockey Jersey. I'd love to get a new tv or a Blu Ray player for Christmas - but guess what? They don't fit in my luggage. I can't even buy one on Boxing Day - same problem.

I know, I know. Christmas is not about gifts. And all in all, it's supposed to be the thought that counts. Which is why I'm pretty damn sure I'm going to be giving a lot of "Charity" gifts this year. If people tell me that they don't need/want anything, well there are millions of people around the world who do. And I think I have an idea how to help.

Yes, I know this rant/blog is all over the place tonight but I'm kind of cheesed off at the moment at some people are frustrating the hell out of me so this is my chance to vent before bed. This way I don't lie awake all night thinking about it.

Please people - don't rush the damn season and try to put some damn thought into gifts. It's not about buying just any gift, it's supposed to be about the person you're buying the gift for.

Bah, humbug.

Good Night.

Sarah