PHD - Post Holiday Depression

Sometimes I feel like I don't matter.

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I don't say that so that everyone will go OOOH, OF COURSE YOU DO! and give me some validation.
Okay, maybe it is a LITTLE bit.
Sometimes I need validation as much as the next guy...if the next guy is incredibly needy and sometimes wallows in a bottomless pit of zero self-esteem.
It's the holidays and the wintertime getting me down. The upside is that the holiday hoopla is almost over and I can relax a little bit.

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Sometimes I feel left out.

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No, it's NOTHING that you've done/not done that makes me feel this way.
Yes, I have issues about not being good enough or smart enough or well-read enough or pretty enough or (fill in the blank) enough.

I'm not the only one, though, right?
Seriously. You can admit it to me. I won't tell anyone.
Promise.

Which brings me to another issue...I apologize if I've ever made you feel as though you don't matter to me, because you definitely do.

See, a lot of people think that because I don't ask questions and dig and pry into their lives, it means I don't care.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I WANT to know. I want to know the details. I want to be involved, I want to comfort you, and sometimes I just want to know the good gossip.

Some of my friends are quite comfortable with butting in and nosing around and digging into the root of someone else's problems or issues or troubles; I'm just not built that way.

I've always thought that if you WANT to tell me, you will. Also? I don't want to put someone in the position of having to lie to me if they simply do not want me to know something.

NOW I find out that guess what? You WANT to be asked. You WANT me to nag to get at the truth, because it shows that I truly care.

So, I'm sorry that I haven't asked and probed and gotten all up in your bizness.
What's weird is that I've never felt like it was my place to do that to YOU, but I've never minded someone doing it to ME.

But I will step outside my comfort zone and be nosier, because I want you to know that I care and that YOU MATTER TO ME.

Your friendships are the strong, colorful threads that weave the beautiful tapestry of my life.

Holiday Gift Idea #2!

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ALL YOUR LITTLE GAMERS!
oooh, you know how I loves me video games - I can often be found with my daughter's Nintendo DS playing Pokemon.
SHUT IT.
I don't ALWAYS trump up some offense so that I can ground her from playing with it so that *I* can use the game...

When offered the chance to test a new game, well, you know I jumped right on it.
The kids really loved the first Madagascar movie, and although we haven't had a chance to see the second one yet, I'm guessing they'll like that one too. But THE GAME! OH, it's fun. Luckily I grabbed the Madagascar 2 game first to try it out...the beginning is fairly easy, with short steps to get to the next level. It gets more complicated as you get further into the game - there was one part that took me FOREVER because I couldn't get the zebra to balance on the pole, but of course my daughter zipped right through that.

Also, she's gotten a lot further(farther?) than I've managed to do. I liked it because it has little mini-games in certain places in each level; again, they start really easy and a little boring but do get harder as you go.

Not only can you get the game for the DS, you can get it for Playstation 2 and even Wii!

It's fun, the graphics are good, the games get a little more challenging at each level and you can play using different characters with different moves...it's just what we like around my house.
Get your kid one for Christmas, and you can thank me later.
BECAUSE YOU WILL.

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ALSO!! I have FOUR sets of character DOG TAGS (each set contains four tags - one each for Marty, Melman, Gloria, and Alex) that I will give away to the first four people who COMMENT HERE & tell me you want one.
HURRY UP so I can get 'em out this week before Christmas!

Gift Idea #1!

I love to read. I love to find new authors - especially around the holidays because then I have stuff to add to my "All I Want For Christmas List".

The ladies of Mother Talk were kind enough to help feed my addiction and send me a copy of Knit Two by Kate Jacobs.
Usually I try to avoid coming in to the middle of a series when it's a new author, because sometimes the sequels or thirds don't stand alone very well.

I was a tad worried when I started reading Knit Two because the first few chapters were a little confusing, what with the introduction of a LOT of characters all at once.

Once I got 'em all sorted out in my mind, though, I was drawn right in. It's the story of the lives of a group of women - all ages, all lifestyles - that bonded over knitting.
I know firsthand how easily some bonds are formed, when you click together instantly with someone into lasting friendship.

They travel, they fight, they love, they have sex, they get married and divorced and give birth and grow up...
and the best thing was that from the oldest to the youngest, each character had some trait that I strongly identified with, when I thought, "EXACTLY!" or "RIGHT!" or "OH YEAH, been THERE!".

For me, that's the mark of a good book - once I got past the initial character muddle I was completely engaged.
Also it made me order the first book in the series, because I'm very curious as to what transpired before I came in.

I give it a thumbs up, and recommend that you give a copy to the Readers on your Christmas list.
Or better yet, give it to yourself.

Ultimate Meatballs!! NOMNOMNOM

Okay, so a lot of you know I don't cook.
That is not to say that I CAN'T cook - actually I'm quite a decent cook when I put my hand to it... I just DON'T.
See, my mom lives right next door and she cooks 'most every night for my dad & brother, and there's always plenty so...only a moron would turn that down, right?
And my mama didn't raise no fools.

Also? NO CLEAN UP for me (well, not much anyway, because mom has a dishwasher and I don't), which is a total BONUS.

But then the ladies at Mom Central offered me the chance to try the Ultimate Party Meatballs!
I said YES because:
1. It looked REALLY REALLY EASY
2. MINIMAL dish-dirtying, which also means minimal clean-up.
3. NUMMY.

Last year my friend made some meatballs for the Superbowl party, and when she told me the sauce was made with chili sauce and grape jelly I was all EWWW.
But? They were pretty darn tasty.

The Ultimate Party Meatball recipe is very similar, and EVEN YUMMIER.
Instead of grape jelly, it calls for CRANBERRY SAUCE. Got some left from Thanksgiving because you forgot to open it & put it on the table (and REALLY, who EATS that stuff, anyway?)? Get some delicious chili sauce, mix it with the jellied cranberry goo, and soak your balls heat up the meatballs in the sauce.

YUM-O.
A little tart (heehee, I said tart), a little sweet, and a little heat.
Delicious.

PERFECT for holiday dinners, New Year's Eve parties, Superbowl parties, lunch on Wednesdays, whatever.

Easy peasy, takes very little time and effort (SCORE!), and tastes delicious.

TRY IT. You know you want to.

Shoppin' from A-Z

First of all, anyone who really knows me knows that I HATE SHOPPING.
I hate spending money (okay, I like spending money on gifts for other people, but that's where I draw the line).
I hatehatehate the crowds - people become these horrible, fanged savage animals who trample innocent store employees just so they can satisfy their avaricious, greedy hearts and so their spoiled little brats do not have to go without The Very Latest (fill in the blank).
I hate dealing with people.
I don't like people in general.

But this time of year... well, shopping is a necessary evil.
SO!

I was introduced to a FANTASTICAL, MAGICAL website called SHOP.COM. I love it. AAAAAALLLL your favorite stores (and then some) consolidated into one user friendly website.
They do all the work for you!
Looking for clothes for the kids, a blue-tooth or golf clubs for the husband, jewelry or sexy FMPumps for the wife?
THEY HAVE THEM ALL.

Search for your item, and SHOP.COM gives you a list to choose from, with ALL SORTS OF PRICE RANGES listed for your convenience, and the stores from which they come. I saw iPod Touches from $300+ to $189. There were books, music, and videos. Clothes, shoes, handbags... perfume, toys, electronics, and game systems.

IT'S LIKE WONDERLAND, and I DO NOT HAVE TO BE SHOVED, KNOCKED AROUND, or most importantly, TALK TO ANYONE.

That makes me so happy I could almost cry, and I'm not even joking. No standing in interminable lines. No sour-faced idiots snatching the last (whatever) right out of your hand.

Shop.Com also offers recommendations for kids, teen boys & girls, men & women... this is helpful to me because really? I have NO IDEA what people like.
And it beats the hell out of giving gift cards (which personally I LOVE to receive, but then I have to go SHOP with them, so, catch-22) when I can't think of anything else.

I'd like to thank the wonderful ladies at Mom Central for turning me on to SHOP.COM...they are my holiday saviors.