Photo(s) of the Day: Artsy Fartsy Christmas

I couldn't resist sharing more than one! Happy Holidays, all!






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drunken Christmas eve blogging

I'm writing from gorgeous rarely, but it was today, sunny Seattle. Though it's not sunny right now. Right now it's nighttime and I just got back to my hotel after eating my body's weight in sushi and green tea ice cream and wine.

I'm in my happy place finally. Also: a little sloshed. Which was the point of this trip.

Why am I in Seattle? Well why the fuck not? All my friends and fam are in California and I had no absolutely no place to go because I have all of one friend in Portland anymore (more on that in a bit) and what else was I going to do? Sit at home and feel shitty? Nope. So I jumped in the car and drive the three hours to Seattle.

And, as it turns out, the drive was important. I cried almost the whole way. Not in a pathetic way, really, more of a I really needed to fucking cry kind of way. I've cried since the breakup, for sure, but not in a just letting go purging and crying it all out. I've been crying in furtive spurts, trying to keep it in so as not to scare my friends or make them feel uncomfortable. Crying like I did, all alone in the car, freely and without reserve, felt fucking great. I needed a good cry.

Then I was feeling much better for a while.

Buuuut then the holidays crept up and I got homesick and I realized that all but one of HP's friends had dumped me too and, god love her, but she of course has her own life and I understand that she's going to spend time with the group before me. And that leaves the one of my two besties, the one who lives in Portland. She's been so damned supportive and I so really appreciate that I get to be in the same city with her because what the hell would I do without her? She's my only friend here (well, there, in Portland). But more than that, there's a reason she's my best friend, because she's just so awesome.

But, like I said, she's really my only friend right now. Not that I need hoards of friends necessarily, and I do get that I have tons of friends down in California and I miss them all so immensely much right now. But it's the holidays, a time of year which does its damn best to make the alone feel more alone. And I am making some cool, new friends lately, but they're new and I feel pathetic insinuating myself into their lives just yet.

Can't you just see it?

"After a most tumultuous relationship, my tool of a boyfriend dumped my ass and took all his friends with him. Please be my friend and love me!"

Ugg.

When I graduated college, all my friends moved away. They went to grad school or went to their hometowns or got jobs and internships elsewhere. But for a while, because I stayed and worked, I found myself completely friendless. Of course, I made new friends in time, but it was odd to suddenly be left behind. That's sort of how I feel right now. Only it's slightly more depressing to have to start all over because one guy decided he didn't want me.

Not that I would change things or want him back, because I really really really don't. It's just awfully bad timing.

So I just needed an adventure, to choose aloneness for a bit, to explore and discover and think. Sometimes a girl just needs to get away.

So here I am, in Seattle, in a cushy hotel room (have I mentioned how much I love hotel rooms?) after having a great first day of vacation. I plan to stay up watching movies and drinking wine and tomorrow I can't wait to explore the city. While everyone is home eating and exchanging presents and arguing and stressing, I'll be tromping around the city and taking photos. Doesn't that sound lovely? Yeah, I think so too.

from Rugby to Boxing

Ah Christmas, you're so much better when done nontraditional aren't you? That's right. You like it quirky. Oh. Baby.

Okayyy enough of that.

I had a good christmas day, in case you were wondering, Internet. I slept in. Exchanged gifts with Morgan. Then we went to the movies and saw Invictus. And I must say, I enjoyed it and even though the Nelson Mandela element was somewhat of a side story, any film with dirty, sweaty men running into each other with no padding is okay by me. Fine holiday fun. Rugby is awesome in that way. I knew a girl once who played Rugby. She was tough! Hot too. Oh, Rugby. And Matt Damon is SO pretty. Seriously. He's so damn pretty. Not too pretty now. When they get too pretty, they lose brain cells in kind. He's just pretty enough to still use his brain and that makes him even prettier. *sigh*

After the movie, we went for Thai food where we were served by the cutest littler server with belly button rings for earrings. And she was seriously adorable. I wanted to put her in my pocket and take her everywhere. Every time she came to our table, she'd say "excuse me" in the sweetest, apologetic tone that we were always sure she was bringing us terrible news. Like:

"Excuse me, you can't have the lunch special after all."

"Excuse me, we don't have any more food."

"Excuse me, we just revived a call that your families are dead."

"Excuse me, it's the Apocalypse and the world is in flames. We're all going to die."

Yeah. Of course, she never brought bad news, let alone news of the Apocalypse. She just made asking if our meals were good or if we needed any more water or if we wanted dessert sound like I imagine she would also tell a kid that his puppy just died. Which made our dining experience incredible, I must say.

After that, we went back to my cottage to watch another movie and eat Oreos, always a good combination. We watched 500 Days of Summer, which oh em gee was one of the best films I've seen in a LONG time! Everything about it was fantastic. Great story, brilliantly told with absolutely delicious direction. If you love artsy, non-linear films, you'll love it. If you love quirky, anti-love stories with quirky, flawed characters, you'll love it. If you love beautiful films that feel like decadent indulgences something akin to eating Tiramisu and sipping champagne in MOMA while the paintings and installations are paraded in front of you while you sit in a plush chair for a couple of hours, then you'll love it.

Plus, I've decided I'm going to look like Zooey Deschanel when I grow up. I've decided. So don't try to talk me out of it.

And then, despite the lovely day, I proceeded to have terrifying nightmares all night. After running for my life all night in my dreams, I was just a little tired this morning. Strange. But don't you worry. I took it easy today and had a very good Boxing day as well. By the way, does anyone really know what Boxing day is all about? When I was in London for Boxing day, no one I asked knew other than it's a big shopping day. So if anyone can tell me the real story behind it, I'll be your best friend. At least until the next time I need something. That's the way these things go, sorry.

Photo of the Day: Berry Christmas

I was told recently that this photo would make a good holiday card. So, here you are, Internet, a holiday card just for you! I shot this last weekend whilst tromping around my town, taking advantage of the grey light and taking as many photos as I could. What I love about this photo is it was one of the last I took because my camera's batteries were getting tired. So it's slightly blurry and I think that makes the berries look that much more sumptuous. Pretty sure you can't eat them though. Oh well.

Happy Holidays everyone. If you celebrate christmas, may you have a very (as the Brits say) happy christmas. If not, enjoy the day off work. Unless you work in a Chinese, Japanese, Turkish, Indian (well, you get the idea) restaurant. Then, enjoy the extra business from those who don't celebrate or don't cook. Or thought they could cook and learned a hard lesson. Either way, have a good day.

Ho Ho Ho

Back at work today. Are there 4 words more depressing? I don't think so. If there are, I defy you to find them.

Nonetheless, I felt ready to be back at work today. It had been a long and relaxing weekend and I was ready to go back to the norm. Well, kind of ready. I had gotten so used to life without an alarm clock that when my alarm went off this morning, I literally had no idea what was going on. I had one of those disoriented moments like you have in a hotel. For a good 2 minutes, I was running through questions. Who am I? Where am I? What time is it? Why do I have to be up at this time? Oh wait, if I snooze, what time do I actually have to be up? All those very important existential questions. Ah. Life is complicated.

And today was somewhat of a blur anyway. Catching up on a thousand emails and phone calls and meetings and to-dos. This week should be pretty crazy too, on into the holiday season. Ugg. I've said this before and I truly apologize to those who love Christmas, but I just hate the holidays. I envy you people. Maybe it's a religious holiday for you with tons of significance. Or maybe you get to spend time with your loving family. Or maybe you enjoy buying gifts for everyone in your life. Well, for me, I don't really get any of that. I'll explain.

Warning: Debbie Downer! Those who want to maintain a childlike innocence please redirect your browser here.

Okay, can I continue? Only cynical grownups in the room? Awesome.

I am not religious. I was raised in a Christian religion, but (and without delineating my entire theory on ideologies) I've made my own way. And I must also assert that Yule was a pagan holiday hijacked by the Christians to convert them. Even if you're Christian, you have to know that Jesus couldn't have been born in December. There. So, I do love the winter season. I love snow and snowmen and snowflakes and the cold sparkliness of December (or what should be December. I wouldn't know in Southern fucking California). But I don't go to a church. I don't put up nativities. That's not me.

And my family circle is small. I'm close with my dad but we've agreed not to spend Christmas together. Have I mentioned I'm estranged from my mother? I am. And I won't make my dad pick between us, so he spends a good chunk of time supporting me and my mom gets him for the holidays. And I'm okay with that. My childhood Christmases were never memorable in a good way anyhow. It's always been stressful for me, as long as I can remember. So a family-free Christmas is A-okay.

In fact, I'll probably just go see a movie with Morgan this year. Just how I like it. Last year, I treated myself to a Harry Potter marathon. It was fantastic. In fact, the best Christmas I ever had was in London. I had been backpacking with my cousin and my bestest friend in the world Lynnette through the UK and we ended up in London for Christmas day. The three of us exchanged cheesy souvenirs and Lynnette and I (Linds was sicky, poor thing) tromped around the city in the freezing cold. And the tube was shut down so we literally walked all over London. It was a blast! And we saw things we never would have seen on a bustly day taking the tourist routes. And we discovered the best Turkish food you will ever have in your whole damn life. Oh my god it was AH MAY ZING! Best Christmas ever.

So that brings me to...what...oh yeah. Shopping. First off, have I mentioned I used to work retail? For years I worked retail. And let me tell you, Christmas time in the malls is like guerrilla warfare. Perfectly sane people lose their minds. All of a sudden, all that stands between them and their perfect Christmas is a book or a bra or a sweater. And they just don't understand that you don't have a printing press in the back of the store. Or a sewing machine. Or a magic fucking wand. Or maybe the nice lady in front of them took the last one of whatever it is...they will turn into goddamn Galahad and fight to the death for the damn item. Or maybe they're just cranky from all the shopping, all the spending. That credit card starts to get heavy after a while so no matter how fast the lines go, how many registers are open, how nice you are, you (innocent, underpaid retail worker) are the devil incarnate and must be put in your place. You wouldn't believe the hideously mean things I've heard people say to employees during this festive holiday season. Spirit of the season my ass.

So you can see why I'm a little wound up about Christmas shopping. If I don't absolutely have to, I do not enter the stores, malls, or the like from Black Friday until New Years. I shop online, I make shit, whatever I have to do to survive by not going near the mania that is shopping around the holidays.

Plus I'm buhroke. Broke. Po. So fucking poor. And I want to be generous. I do. But oh my god do the charities come out of the closet (he he) in December! I am a good person. I build houses in New Orleans. I give to HRC and Courage Campaign. I've worked at emergency shelters and tutored kids. But that kind of giving should be spread out, all year. When it all piles on at once, it really pushes my finances out the window. And at my work (love you coworkers!) we have a million events in which we're expected to bring toys and canned goods, etc. And it's a very good thing. But I really can't afford it all. This year, I have to choose which things I can go to depending on what I can afford to give. I even made artsy Christmas gifts this year (mentioned that already) so it's not as if I'm spending on me and can afford it. Nope, I'm on a budget all the way around.

Side story: I used to work in a book store and we used to ask people to donate cheap books (like maybe $3 or $4 books) to charity. If someone really seemed like they couldn't afford it, or afford it right then, I got that. But people would spend 500 plus dollars and throw it all on an AMEX and they can't afford three more dollars for a needy kid? That I don't get. Same with me. I give where I can. And I when I can give more, I will. But I just can't right now.

Okay Debbie Downer is finished. But you can see why this season is so stressful right, Internet? I'd really like to keep an open mind, though. If one of those categories changed its mind and jumped in my lap, I'd really try to learn to love the Christmas season, I really would. Ho ho ho and all that. I can't even seem to get the ho part down. Looks like I have a long way to go.