And not only because I have been so lazy about posting since my vacation.
NYC looks like this right now.
All of those Christmas trees need to go somewhere. This one is more my speed.
The tumbleweeds will be gone soon, including from my blog. I’ll be back soon. XO
I had never thought to make a list of questions I don’t want to be asked in the presence of my mother. That is, not until my mother took me to a hometown ER for the first time in my adult life this past Saturday.
Upon my arrival in triage, the ER nurse spoke.
“What is your weight? Please step on the scale.”
WEIGHED IN FRONT OF MY MOTHER? THANKS DUDE-NURSE.
I wobbled in that direction–partly from illness, mostly from dread. I had been sick for about three days, but unfortunately my appetite for Christmas cookies was unaffected. My weight, a number carefully hidden from Mom, would soon be revealed. Continue reading
If you follow me on Twitter, you know that the Starbucks closest to the house where I grew up closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It tortures me. Yes, I know I should care about the baristas spending time with their families but…ugh.
On some holidays, I have found that a local Dunkin Donuts is sometimes open. But if you follow me on Twitter, you also know that I think Dunkin’s coffee is a poor substitute for Starbucks or a good independent cafe.* To try to come anywhere close to satisfaction at Dunkin, I order their largest iced latte with an extra shot of espresso and decline all of their ridiculous flavorings.
But I’m still left craving my daily iced venti latte.
This year, it occurred to me: why not order tomorrow’s coffee today?
On Christmas Eve, I popped into Starbucks and ordered one latte to drink immediately and one for Christmas morning.
I would exclaim “GENIUS!” but the real exclamation warranted here is “DUH!” because I should have thought of this a long time ago.
If you decide to try this for yourself, here are a few things to keep in mind:
On Christmas morning, I woke up horribly sick (that’s another blog post to come) but at least I had my iced latte. Oh, and PRESENTS.
As Adrienne, Christina and I walked through the crowded Union Square holiday market, I cracked a terrible joke. We’d just had brunch at Javelina. Maybe it was the margarita.
Remembering the money I spent last Christmas on gifts for Dad at that same market, I asked “think I can get my money back?” before mumbling “gallows humor.”
It probably wasn’t funny to my friends and if anything, I might have made them uncomfortable. Fortunately the subject was changed for us as the hordes of Christmas shoppers pushed us through the market like leaves floating in a strong current.
Briefly separated, I was left thinking about how different this Christmas will be without my sweet Dad.
Last Christmas, I went to one of Dad’s doctor’s appointments with him and my mother. He seemed to be doing well and proudly posed in front of a hospital sign featuring his terrific specialist. Dad’s breathing was pretty good and he was able to walk longer distances than he had in recent history. I was thrilled.
Even grinches like me have wish lists. And in year’s like this [extraordinarily rough] one, I won’t let anyone take that from me.
Not that this group of kind people would try. You have been so lovely to me.
This Kate Spade coat*
Via KateSpade.com
You know from past posts that I’m a huge fan of the brand’s outerwear. While I love the pale pink of this coat, what I really need is a basic black coat–with some flair, of course. I’m waiting for this one to go on sale. Continue reading
…the next, you’re out.
On the curb.
Also, check out the Christmas wishes some folks hung on the tree. Yes, I’m judging.
R-rated Nutcracker ballet? OK. Sure.
Twitter Spotlight will return in 2013. Today this gal is traveling back to NYC after a few entertaining days in the Scranton area.
If you’re really sad about the lack of a new Twitter Spotlight, I’m sorry. How about you console yourself by taking a walk down Twitter Spotlight memory lane here.
This Modern Love column Carolyn S. Briggs really held my attention and brought back some old feelings about family, holidays and expectations.
Consider the opening:
MY three vegetarian, activist, urban, multi-degreed, agnostic, adult children have rejected Christmas as a consumerist sham of a holiday, one in which they will not be participating. Oh, they’ll take the day off and drink organic wine, but they won’t be buying presents, putting up a tree, baking cookies, lighting candles or decking any halls. There will be no taking of a family picture for their card and no sending of that card or any other.
My parents didn’t have a Christmas tree this year. When I visited for Thanksgiving, my mother gingerly broached the subject.
“How would you feel…if we didn’t have a tree?”
OneChicklette 