A Very Merry Christmas.

Well I know I said that I probably wasn't going to be doing too much more blogging before the end of the year but it's Christmas and I'm at work and nobody else is in the building and since there's no one to talk to, I wound up turning to the one place where I feel I can be myself and speak candidly about anything I feel like talking about.

I just got off the phone with my family. They're all gathered at my Uncle David's house in Sanford. My younger cousin just got engaged and upon hearing the news I was instantly relieved that I wasn't there to feel like the familial leper...the one pushing 30, single and living a like an untamed savage on the west coast. Even if that isn't their opinion of me, sometimes it's easier to assume that it is.



So far, I've thoroughly enjoyed my quiet Christmas. The only thing that really sucks is that everything is closed today. If I could go get a cup of coffee from Starbucks and hang out at home watching old movies all day, I'd be happy as a clam. Last night I saw "It's a Wonderful Life" for the first time ever. My friend Jenny said that a lot of people cry upon watching it...but I didn't. It actually made me grateful for the life I have out here. Sure, I get homesick sometimes and sure I get lonely...but at the end of the day I can say that I did it. Poor Geroge Bailey. Even in his happy ending he never got to do all of the things he dreamed of.



Anyways, I brought my dogs to work with me because my IT guy still has my laptop (see last post) and as I'm sitting here I can tell they're starting to get antsy. I took a picture of Parker sitting in a chair across from me a few minutes ago and he might be hard to see against the purple chair...but I did find one thing particularly amusing.







Look at the magazine in front of him. I said, "Parker are those your homies?" and he cocked his head to the side like he understood. God, I love this dog.

Rock on.

Christmas in California is an interesting experience. Besides Christmas lights on palm trees, I've also noticed an over-abundance of Raider nation themed Christmas paraphernalia. Case in point, our studio decorations. Please notice all of the liquor bottles under the tree. Classy.


Well, this will probably be my last post of 2009. I finished out the year with a pleasant little trojan virus on my laptop so my IT guy has had my computer for about a week now. I figure I'll be lucky to have it back sometime in January.

Last week I made a trip to San Francisco to see some friends. We had dinner at The Cliff House and it was the best night I've had in a long time. Years from now when I've long left CA and have a normal life back home I'll remember the four of us sitting at our table overlooking the Pacific...laughing and talking. For a moment, it felt like a scene from a movie. Three radio dj's and a Capitol Records rep (just hours after learning of her promotion) sharing our work stories...a bitchy Katy Perry, meeting Janet Jackson, and groping Lenny Kravitz. If you're ever in San Francisco make sure you have dinner at The Cliff House...it's majestic.


This past weekend we did a charity event with Danny Glover. It was a Christmas dinner giveaway for struggling single-parent families in Northern California. My biceps were burning after slinging 16 pound frozen turkeys for three hours...of course that's the job I would get. Every time the frozen turkey bin started running low, I'd grab three or four (if I could carry that many) from the truck parked outside in to where they were being distributed...yeah, I broke a sweat but it was worth it.


And finally yesterday was our ugly holiday sweater party at work. And yes, I tied for best ugly sweater with one of my co-hosts. We each got Rock Band 2 Special Edition bundles and I almost cried I was so excited. The only problem is that I don't own a Play Station (which I definitely have to have to play my Rock Band on). Never fear, I'll track one down somehow and I will spend my Christmas on a world tour!

Rock on.

Ms. Grinch

We're having an ugly sweater holiday party at work this year. Everyone is acting like this is some amazingly original idea, which it is not. I don't have the heart to tell them that people have been doing these types of soirees for years. The impending party, however, presents a problem for me as I do not own a sweater of the Christmas persuasion...ugly or otherwise. So I've decided to make my own instead of purchasing one from God-knows-where. This is the picture I will be using:

These are actually two of my coworkers and this is the (photoshopped) picture used on the party invitation that has been circulating around our office. The guy in the blue is my boss and the guy in the red is our producer. I hope I win the ugly sweater contest...I think you get a $10 gift card or something for winning and if nothing else, I should get points or creativity. And if I'm not able to pull it off, I have a back-up plan. My plan B is a t-shirt which simply reads, "Happy Birthday Sweet Litte 8 Pound 6 Ounce Baby Jesus." I'm somewhat concerned that that shirt would offend some of the hardcore thumpers I work with...but I would think it was funny...and even if I didn't win with that one, I think it would be a nice conversation piece.

Well one of the things I will never get used to (living in California) is Christmas on the West Coast. They put lights on palm trees!

Not only that, but I saw a guy dressed up like Santa Claus...he was one of those sign holders who stands on a street corner advertising for stuff...anyways he had the beard, the hat, the glasses, the black gloves...and then he had on red gym shorts and flip flops. WTF...it's Christmas...put on some damn red velvet pants and black boots for Christ's sake!

One thing I have to admit, is that the holidays make me a little testy. It's got to be some kind of weird combination of holiday stress mixed with general exhaustion resulting from too many months of working with no vacation time...add in some cold weather and the obligatory gift-giving traditions with friends, family and coworkers...I tell you, it's enough to make me a little nutty. I gave some poor woman the "death stare" in Target the other day because she couldn't decide which Zhu Zhu pet to buy. Lady, it's a robotic hamster...it does not matter to little Timmy Tommy if you get Mr. Squiggles or Num Nums or Chunk or Pipsqueak...two weeks from now when these stupid little toys are irrelevant and your kid doesn't want anything to do with them anymore you'll regret wasting your time (and mine) deciding which one to buy...now move your damn cart out of my way before I hurl this economy size bottle of Ultra Tide 96 Load at your head!

See what I mean? Testy.

Well, I better get back to work now. I'm starting to get myself all worked up.