Heard This On The Radio... It Felt Appropriate.

Snowy nights and Christmas lights,
Icy windowpanes,
Make me wish that we could be
Together again.
And the windy winter avenues
Just don't seem the same,
And the Christmas carols sound like blues,
But the choir is not to blame.

But it doesn't have to be that way.
What we had should never have ended.
I'll be dropping by today.
We could easily get it together tonight.
It's only right.

Crowded stores, the corner Santa Claus,
Tinseled afternoons,
And the sidewalk bands play their songs
Slightly out of tune.
Down the windy winter avenues
There walks a lonely man,
And if I told you who he is,
Well I think you'd understand.

But it doesn't have to be that way.
What we had should never have ended.
I'll be dropping by today.
We could easily get it together tonight.
It's only right.

No, it doesn't have to be that way.
What we had should never have ended.
I'll be dropping by today.
We could easily get it together tonight.
It's only right.

Christmas: Part II. The Not So Merry Side

When someone loves you, and you love them... sometimes, it feels like fresh air. Like you never had a chance to breathe before. And sometimes, when that person you love has things bigger than them, they have to stop loving you. At that point, you can't fix it. You can't do anything to get the love back, they totally detach in a matter of hours... days... not even a week.

When that person breaks the news, the other doesn't see it coming. Which is the bad part. And they're crushed and feel like they can't breathe anymore. That's the worse part. And then they feel selfish because as much as they HATE everything the break brings... it makes sense. It has to be that way. This is not the biggest thing in their life... but it's the biggest thing in yours. So you're a mess, and they aren't.

But they have bigger things. This is tiny. So you should get over it...

Easier said than done. But, at least you understand it. Even if you never had a chance to start.

Good things last the shortest amount of time.

All The Way Home I'll Be Warm!

"In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'" -- Dave Barry

Let It Snow is my favorite carol to sing. O Holy Night is my favorite all time Christmas carol. These are all good things. I'm a big fan of Christmas. We're going to spend time with the extended family next week and all will be well. I have a bit of shopping to do yet, though. Not a ton, but a little. I'll get to see some of the girls for laser tag before I leave, and that'll be fun. Fingers crossed.

It's funny how easy it is to miss someone. Especially around holiday time.

Being home is good in small doses, something Ryan and I figured out about three days ago. We went to the South Side and grabbed dinner. And he taught me that when in Pittsburgh, whatever you do "Don't go to Edna." Sarah McP helped us figure out what we wanted to do around the 'Burgh, bless her heart. She's a guru, and I love her for that. I texted him a reminder of this learned lesson as I headed into Oakland to use Hillman Library today for various graduate school and recreational uses. His response was "Amen, sister! Don't even think about it." Apparently for his senior project next fall, he's having a Ryan Show which will be awesome. Go him. Speaking of senior projects: when will Dr. Eatman get back to me on that, eh? Perhaps a well-placed reminder email is in order. If next semester doesn't kill me, I'll be graduating. Heaven help me.

Oh! P.S.! Totally in the play "Almost, Maine" and I'm super excited to say that I'm re-uniting the Team Theatre Kids duo with John to be an unhappily married couple. Head shots after I get home, that's a tid bit nerve wracking. But not as much as the insane and intense amount of work I have to do to get graduate school applications in. Yikes.

Went to Reconciliation at church on Monday night. It was the weirdest/best I've had in a while. I knew the priest was going to be sweet. First, his name is Father McCool, and second he's straight from Ireland. All good things. So I say 'here's my sins! I'm a dipshit!' and he literally said 'It's not the end of the world'. No lecture, no 'cut that out', no nothing. I like that. Too bad a lot of the time it's all 'Jesus loves you but if you don't stop you're probably going to burn'. Well, I'll just take the good, thank ya.

My mom just called and offered me free food at her Holiday Themes From Around The World office party. I had to hang print outs of the flags for every state in the USA and every territory in Canada on a Christmas Tree. Yes, you too can birth children and let them grow up to be your personal office assistants for times of good tidings and comfort and joy! :-P I'm not bitter, just annoyed that I had to tie flags to a tree for a Christmas party no one in her office was excited about. But! I got twenty bucks for having a cute face out of it (thanks mom) so I can't complaine.

Got all A's and a B+. I think I need to write Jim Moore about that B+. Because these are the last grades that go out to grad school, and it's only the second B+ in my whole major so - I'd like to see what I got on the final, etc. It'll drive me nuts otherwise, I did four extra credit assignments and worked way hard on my final project (if the morons who filmed each other impersonating Brittany Spears have an A, I'll be furious). Wait and see, I suppose.

I'm not actually saying that much here. Let's see: Graduate school, stressful but good if accomplished. Christmas, very good. Friends and love, also good. Family, good in small doses. Reading! Oh am I reading. I'm taking books galore out of the library and just devouring them. It's an addiction, but I don't think I'll be recovering anytime soon.

So, this is Christmas.

Happy happy whatever you celebrate, friends!