12/18/2004 Entry: "So Where Exactly Do I Stick The Snail?"

Five days off so far and I still haven't done my Christmas cards.

Frankly I don't know for sure what it takes to "do" Christmas cards. Mostly it's just addressing, signing, adding a short note if I feel like it...right? They were never part of our holiday tradition growing up. It's just that I suddenly decided that I ought to, and have a polite stack of impolitely illustrated cards sitting next to me on the desk. And there they have sat since I brought them home.

The same can't be said for me. It's been five days now away from work and I'm still in production mode, for the most part. I haven't even turned on the PlayStation for even a moment this week. Mostly I've been hustling about the neighborhood trying to finish shopping before we go back to Virginia for another Christmas. It's always a bit of a challenge to shop for The Boyfriend's large family, but neither of us has been feeling well either. That doesn't make wandering around in crowded stores any more pleasant. I keep having to remind myself that there is still time before we leave and a whole week once we return. But I'm always one to work in a panic. This year everything about the holiday feels a bit rushed, like I'm riding a comet and trying to steer. (I think I made a reindeer joke. I wasn't even trying; you can bet on it.)

So if you don't get a Christmas card from me, please don't feel slighted. I might not have gotten to them at all.

Addendum: If nothing else, attempting to collect addresses for these cards has made it clear that 1. I have a whole lot of outdated contact information for my friends, and 2. I need a much better way to organize all this information. All I'm saying is that you might want to drive past the place you used to live and look there, just in case.