I hate reading books for school.

Hello.
I was going to make a nice Thanksgiving post about all the things I am thankful for. However, I am sick, and have been for several days, and I feel nasty and don't really want to do anything. I haven't done a third of the things I had planned to do this weekend. I have more homework to do than I'm going to be able to finish. I'm doomed, really. But at least I'm not dying (I don't think) so I'll try not to complain so much. I'll save a "thankfulness" post for New Years, or Christmas, or something.
I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving, and be sure to wash your hands a lot, because there's something nasty going around. Blech.

Not for the faint of heart.

Look! A Christmas Survey! Yay!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping paper, I think. It takes more time. And I like taping things.

2. Real tree or Artificial?

For most of my life, I've had an artificial tree. I hear that real ones can spontaneously burst into flames, so I'll probably keep using fake ones when I move out.

3. When do you put up the tree?

That isn't really up to me, but again, once I move out, I'm sure I'll start decorating as soon as all the trick-or-treaters are gone on Halloween. I love Christmas. It's insane.

4. When do you take the tree down?
After New Year's? I'm not sure.

5. Do you like eggnog?

A sip here or there.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Hmm, not sure about that one. My parents always get us really good presents.

7. Hardest person to buy for?

I think my dad. Because he only likes plants, and Hawaii. There's only so much Lilo and Stitch stuff a person can find for holiday gifts. This year I did well, though.

8. Easiest person to buy for?

Brandon, because we have a running list of movies and books that we are on the lookout for at the used bookstore. So, I just get the list and get a bunch of movies for him, and he's happy. As long as there's candy in his stocking.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?

Mom has about four thousand. One of the ones she got here was actually pretty cute.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

Mail, duh. I never get emails from anyone, and I hardly ever send them. Everything is facebook now. But I like buying Christmas cards.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

Does surgery the day after Christmas count? Probably not, because that year I got more presents than usual.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

Elf is awesome, it's really funny. I also like The Santa Clause. But my favorite one is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. It's been my favorite since I was little (don't worry, when I saw it then, it was taped off of network television. Minimal language.)

13. When do you start shopping?

As soon as I see something I think someone will like and if Christmas is closer than their next birthday. I've had Kelli's present since...June? Her birthday is in August. Christmas is December. Yeah. I'm pretty pathetic.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Probably like, in middle school. Take something random and give it to someone I wanted to be my friend. That worked out really well...

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Erm...I'm not sure. Cream puffs are good. Also we have chicken nuggets at my aunt's house. And potato salad. I'm pretty simple. All Christmas food is yummy, and I'm excited to be eating it soon.

16. Lights on the tree?

Of course!

17. Favorite Christmas song?

"Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth" by Bing Crosby and DAVID BOWIE

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

Stay home. I don't know that I have anywhere to travel.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder (yes, it's Donder) & Blitzen, and Rudolph

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?

Star, or bow.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Both. I went to Brandon's house last Christmas eve (I think), then my house Christmas morning, then Mammaw's for lunch, then Dia's for dinner. Presents are fun.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

I'm not a fan of giant inflatable yard art, but other than that, I can't think of anything. Like I said, I love Christmas.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?

Dunno. Silver is pretty.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?,

Ham, and oven macaroni and cheese, and...hmm. Sweet potato casserole (no one in my family makes this), and chocolate chip cookies. That's a combination of the best of the holiday, though.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?

Some fun stuff, like books and DVDs, because next year it's pretty much going to be wedding stuff and house stuff. Which is really fun, too, but I'm hoping that getting random frivolous things for Christmas will help control my urges to buy these things for myself throughout the year.

26. Who is most likely to respond to this?

My mom, I suppose.

27. Who is least likely to respond to this?

Oh, everyone else.

28. What was your most memorable magical memory from your adulthood?

Last year's Christmas service at church. Kyle finished it by talking about how Jesus whites out our sin like snow, and Brian started singing a cool song, and when he got to a climactic part, it started snowing. Like, in church. It was amazing. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

29. Have you ever been involved in a Christmas gift prank?

No....and I want to share with you that whenever I take part in "White Elephant", I always get the horrible gift. A used lightbulb, for instance. Or a McDonald's toy. Despite the fact that that's completely against the rules. It's like Jim Halpert said- you might as well call that game "Nasty Christmas".

30. Favorite Christmas Cartoon?

I really love the Muppet Family Christmas. Muppets aren't cartoons, of course, but I think it should still count. And Jim Henson is at the end of it! That makes me both very happy and very sad.

I think I love Taft.

Hi, people.
Before I talk about ugly stuff, I should share one very happy thing with you. My dear friend Jess (who is going to be one of my bridesmaids) got engaged Thursday night! In the parking lot of the library, no less. Congratulations! Yay! I am very excited for her. I took her a gigantic stack of bridal magazines for her to look through on Saturday.

Meanwhile, things are getting kind of scary at work. Our city's mayor recently announced that we are going to have a $20 million dollar budget shortfall. The city library (where I work) is a branch of the city government. We've already been tightening our proverbial belts by limiting printing, keeping office supplies like paper clips and rubber bands out of view (because we may not be able to replace them) and we are on our last supply of plastic bags- after this we aren't getting any more. It's been an inconvenience, but I think the hardest part has been being bad-mouthed by patrons who expect so much more (they can become quite angry when they find out we don't have a fax machine, we don't offer color printing or sell stamps, etc.) We just found out this weekend, though, that there will be "furloughs" for employees of the city government, and this supposedly means us. Meaning that (as far as we know right now), the libraries will likely be closed for a few select days over the next few months, and we won't get paid for the time off. While I've said in the past that basically my paychecks are spoken for before I even get them, I don't have a family to support, like so many of my coworkers. This is a pretty scary time for all of us. I would much rather have a few days without pay than be laid off, of course. But anyway, I'd appreciate it if, should you think about it, you could offer up a prayer on behalf of us: the city, to make wise choices when it comes to coming up with this money; the families who will be affected by smaller paychecks; and myself, that I'll be able to put my trust in God when it comes to my well-being and my wallet.

And now, I must get back to catching up with my homework. Here is what I accomplished today, for my U.S. Presidency class (we had to make a campaign video- not a PowerPoint, and I learned how to use MovieMaker. Yay, me.)

I have to go to work now.

Mom recently posted a survey on her blog, and here I am stealing it from her, since I have nothing to update my blog about anyway (other than I have a mountain of schoolwork ahead of me, and I've only got a fraction of it finished).

8 TV shows I love to watch:

The Office
LOST (I miss it)
The Soup
Ghost Hunters
The Cosby Show
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Frasier
The Golden Girls



8 favorite restaurants:
Red Lobster
Macaroni Grill
McAlister's Deli
the Colorado Fondue Company
No Way Jose's
Earl of Sandwich
Outback Steakhouse
O'Charley's (wow, this list is really sad)

8 things that happened today:
I woke up
I was up until 2:30 working on a paper
I went to work


8 things I look forward to:
Black Friday Shopping
Thanksgiving
Finishing school this semester
Christmas food
Giving other people their Christmas presents
Graduating (or dropping out, I really don't care which at this point. And I'm only joking a little bit)
Getting married
Going to Disney World with Brandon


8 things on my wish list:
A house
Enough money to do some big things that are coming my way in the next fourteen months
Also money to pay off student loans
The ability to travel all over the world some day
A trip to the Indianapolis Zoo
Something yummy for dinner tonight
The tiny, shivering chihuahua puppy at the pet store
A happy, stress-free Christmas for everyone that I have to deal with on a daily basis. Ha.

I'm the Snow Miser.

I think winter has officially arrived. Here is why I think this:

*It has been cold several days in a row.
* I am actually wearing socks around the house, at the risk of slipping and falling down (they're fuzzy and dangerous)
*Both dogs are sleeping on my bed at night, occasionally under the covers
*I'm wearing a blanket (along with regular clothes, of course).

Classes tonight were canceled, so I'm shivering in my room and waiting for dinner to be done. I don't even know what we're having. I hope it's warm.

That's all I really have to say. Wherever you are, anonymous blog readers, I hope you're not cold like I am.

Doom doom doom.

Though I don't really feel like saying it right now, apparently it's a law.

"God is sovereign and will provide. He is still in control. Everything is going to be alright."

Exercising my 19th Amendment rights.

Go rock the vote!


And remind yourself that no matter who wins, we're still in God's hands.