Sunday, November 30, 2008

Done! (Almost)


I wrote out 26 holiday cards this afternoon. Each one includes a personal message, and I was careful not to send any reference to Christ (in either card or stamp) to my non-believing friends, nor the cat card to my feline unfriendly friends. After all, the point of this tradition is to reconnect and show appreciation for the people in my life, not to proselytize.

But I am, at heart, a Christian cat lover, so here is the combo most people received. If you still haven't purchased your cards, let me refer to you the American Human site, where I got this little angel. I enjoy doing this so much. I hope that I never become too busy to take pen in hand and send holiday wishes. Also, I'm proud of myself for not giving in to my cold and being able to cross off at least one item on my "to do" list.

I haven't done the cards for my coworkers yet. I'm toying with passing those out in person. I picked up some teeny-tiny dark chocolate bars and am considering taping one to each envelope and distributing them on the day before the office Christmas party. It's more personal, and it will save me the cost of more stamps. Yes, this seems like a plan. Unless, of course, we're all let go before the Christmas party, in which case I'll have a dozen teeny-tiny dark chocolate bars to comfort me.

I'm dreaming of $3.5 million

Or I was, until just now.

Saturday's Lotto drawing was for $18.7 million. When I bought two tickets, I didn't imagine myself the sole winner. That would be greedy and unrealistic. No, I saw myself as a modest, multiple winner whose after-tax take was a modest $3.5 million. What was I going to do with this tidy sum?

• Pay off my condo
• Pay off my credit cards
• Get hardwood flooring for my living/dining room and hallway
• New flooring, countertops and cabinets for the kitchen
• New sink, toilet and wall tiles for my bathroom
• Add exposed brick to the dining room
• Shampoo the carpet in the bedrooms
• New window coverings
• Fresh paint for the whole place
• A credit card for my mom to use when she grocery shops
• I'd "adopt" (or sponsor) more shelter animals each month
• Savings bonds for some of my friends for them to have "just in case"
• Savings bonds for my niece and nephew to help pay for college
• A Rolex Oyster watch for my best friend
• A trip to New York with my oldest friend
• Invest the rest into my retirement accounts

I only got two numbers of six. Oh, well. I spent $2 for a fun fantasy.

Ah-Choo!

I feel shitty. I'm rundown, my head hurts and I can't stop sneezing. I had so many plans for today: Writing up my Christmas cards, straightening out my closet, laundry, putting up my tree ... I don't see much of that happening today. I just want to fill up on Tropicana OJ and become one with the afghan.