Tidings of Discomfort and Ennui

I was playing around with some of the Blogger features last night and added the little random Flickr panel on the left. I’m still not sure if I like everything, but at least I’m trying to keep things a little fresh for my faithful readers!

I probably won’t keep the post labels since I won’t be able to remember what they are from one day to the next. Maybe I should just say “Random Labels” and be done with it – many more comic possibilities that way . . .

I’ve been thinking a lot more about what I want to do in the coming year. I need to focus on just two things and not try to do everything that I’m interested in at the moment. That’s always been my main problem – I try to focus on everything and then wear myself out with over scheduling and stress.

As much as I would like to do the middle school tutoring one night a week, I can’t focus on that AND teach ESL one night a week AND do Choir AND do photography AND do other random volunteering AND work full-time AND have some sort of social life that I would enjoy. I mean, it is not impossible, but it would mean more training, a different curriculum to finesse, and another organization to deal with. If I’m going to do more photography, I have to spend time and focus on it – I have to stop being such a poseur, and DO something . . .

My mood is still at an all time low. I’m tired and cranky. My energy is starting to flag. My greatest desire is to stay at home and sleep and read all day. The Random Non-profit has been a ghost town so far this week and will get worse as the weeks go on toward the end of December. I am drinking a lot more water and tea these days, if only to keep myself from eating all of the candy that’s lying around. The air has also been very dry with heaters going full blast everywhere . . . yes, I know – whine, whine, whine . . .

I had hoped to get tickets to a choir concert at the National Cathedral for next weekend, but they fell through. I had really looked forward to going and absorbing the immense wonderfulness of the place, but it was not to be . . .

Mr. Random continues to be extremely busy with his reporting class. On Saturday, he had to go cover an event in DC where he had an opportunity to speak with the DC new female Police Chief, which was very cool. He had to go to the event, write an article and submit it by the 5 PM deadline, which is much harder than it sounds. He’s been working so, so hard that I really want to get him something nice for Christmas . . .

So I am making arrangements with some “elves” to make sure that Mr. Random will get the electronic toy that he wants this Christmas – the local Santa (me) can’t quite swing the bucks for it this time. My drooling over the twin-lens reflex camera was just a crazy dream – I need to just suck up and be happy with what I’ve got for now. You can’t shop your way to happiness, even though I’d really like to try it sometime . . .

I was reading a blog where they talked about driving down a street where everyone had inflatable Santas on their lawn. Most of the comments chided in on how incredibly tacky that was . . . I hope to never live in a neighborhood where people think that inflatable Santas, snow globes, snowmen, or whatever are considered tacky. Just because they aren’t my cup of tea, I can see the seasonal humor factor in them – I’m all for people getting into the spirit, even if I don’t have the same strength of feeling. Maybe it was growing up in Philly, where neighborhood colored light displays are a high art form. Whenever I see a house outlined in oh-so-tasteful white lights, horrible as I feel to admit it, the first thought that pops into my head is “how snooty!” I’m a “colored lights” girl from way back . . . HAVE to have them on the tree. Not fond of blinking lights too much, it’s a little too neon sign-like for me, but I can see the attraction of the twinkling . . .

Wait . . . was that a little too Andy Rooney for today? Let’s try again later . . . I hope to be cheerier next time . . .