Everyone at work is thrilled. Ana doesn't get a vacation! Ana's gonna work every day forever! Hooray!! Jeez. They could have been a little less obviously enthusiastic about it.

***

Oh, and D's getting laid off for two weeks. Pain, itemized:

1)HE doesn't have to work.

2)I most definitely do. Meet my friend Bill. Meet my other friend, also Bill. Meet his big brother, Mr. CarPayment.

3)Did I mention the part about how he doesn't have to work??

***

Actually, it won't be that bad, moneywise. As a full time employee, he can get unemployment. It won't be like last winter, with two weeks unpaid followed by maybe a day or two of work each week for the next two months. But I'm still gonna have to work as much as I can for a while.

***

Time to talk about something else.

We have a Tree. It's kind of odd. We're not planning on doing any holiday entertaining. We have no small children. But we've got this six-foot tree with lights and ornaments and everything.

Actually, I'm glad D. talked me into it. It makes me feel Christmassy.

And in case you're wondering, George is handling the Large Kitty Toy Covered With Numerous Smaller Kitty Toys with surprising restraint. While I was putting it together, he was engaged in a to-the-death wrestling match with one of the branches. But the whole tree is completely beyond his understanding. He comes into the living room and just stares at it.

It--it's soooo big! And soooo shiny! Too much sensory input! Brain melting! Meeeelllltttiiiinnnnggg!! And, yes, as a matter of fact. That is exactly what he's thinking. He told me.

He's tried to bat at the lower ornaments a few times, but then I yell at him, and he stops.

***

I thought I was all done shopping, but then I got an e-mail from my uncle. He said he had drawn D's name for the gift exchange for that part of the family. I thought about this. If someone drew D's name, then D must have drawn a name, which means I probably did too. Aw, crap!

A few frantic phone calls, and I established that we had two of my stepcousins who I've barely spoken six words to. Aw, crap! So, I called my uncle, who in my entire adult life, I've spoken to maybe a dozen times, and not even that much as a kid. I was always more comfortable around the other uncle, the one who had sent me the e-mail.

"Um, hi. This is Ana Ng. (Note the full name) Uh, your niece. (Just clearing that up for you) I have Rachel and Jesse for the party in Springfield on the 30th. (Watch me trying desperately to establish that I wasn't just some completely random freak) Please call me at, um....(Oh my god. Ana, this is your brain. If you've seriously forgotten your phone number here, I will smack you.) Thanksalotgoodbye."

Yeek. I loves me some awkward social situations. I left an e-mail address too, so maybe he'll just write, and I won't even have to talk to him.

***

Lots more I wanted to mention, but I've gotta get to work.

previous--next