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Thursday, December 29

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Tales from the Steppes


2006-01-02

2:33 p.m.
Monday, January 2

I took all the ornaments off the Christmas tree this morning. It is an activity that takes a bit longer than it should, even without all of my little helpers. My parents started giving everyone in the family special ornaments each year when I was very young and I have continued this tradition with my family. So ornaments are often not just ornaments - they are in some way a reflection on the year. For example, there is a terra cotta bell from when I was 10 or 11. My father spent much of that year in Los Alamos. And then there are some ratty painted felt ornaments that my nephew made a few years before he died of a brain tumor. There are the ornaments my parents gave us when they were in their "collectables" phase. Some of them make me shake my head, like the Muffy Vanderbear ornament. While I do not dwell on each ornament, still they are more special than mere pieces of glass.

And then there are the ornaments that I wish would go away. The plastic cartoon characters. These ornaments have no meaning to me. The plastic "Special Moments" ornament that one of the EM's friends gave her. Ugh. But yet I cannot get rid of these, as someone thought these were special enough to buy. SO I grit my teeth and wrap them in paper until next year. And secretly hope that the dog will break one of them instead of a German blown glass one.

This afternoon the SU has taken the mongols to the National Aquarium and left me with a bit of peace and quiet. So I am watching the Hokies play football while entering and formatting references for my thesis. I have to say that so far I am not happy with the football game. I would rather see the Hokies lose while playing cleanly than win with lots of personal fouls and behavior that is less sportsmanlike than usual. Of course, they may just lose while behaving poorly.

I have been trying to come up with a strategy for getting my thesis finished. Some friends have offered a room in their house for me to use as an office, so that I can work without interruption. That only takes care of part of the problem - I still have to find the time to work and that remains a mystery. I could ditch all of my fun activities - Twelfth Night, next months rogaine, all exercise, and that would get me a few extra days to work. And significantly less happiness. Not necessarily a good trade.

So I was feeling really grateful for the SU taking the kids off for the afternoon. But then it occurred to me. I take the kids out all the time - it is not special for me to go somewhere for the afternoon with them so the SU can get stuff done. Why do I accept less? Perhaps this should my New Year's resolution.

Well, ok, I don't believe in New Year's resolutions. But maybe I should.

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Thursday, October 26

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