(no subject)
When I took over the Yearbook, I harbored some delusion about spending six or seven months putting together a book, sending it in, and getting it back all bound and ready to go in a few weeks. If I'd have known how big the numbers were that I'd be juggling, or that I'd have to take untrained staff from zero to production in under ten weeks, I'd have quietly accepted a class of afternoon frosh and called it good. Sadly, this blog suffers for it, and all I ever have time for is the occasional meme. I dig a good meme as much as the next meme lover, but I'm really hoping to get back to real writing soon.
(Non-sequitur: a special shot-out to Jon Stewart for reviving "jagoff" this week, the quintessential Pittsburgh cuss word.)
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? ------ Wrapping paper from family. Unwrapping presents and extracting presents are not the same thing.
2. Real tree or artificial? ----- Artificial and small. We'll get real ones when we have a house, as it makes David very happy.
3. When do you put up the tree?---- If and when we get around to it. This year, we have not retrieved our baby tree from storage. I may go out and get a tiny fresh tree, if I can find one.
4. When do you take the tree down? --- Sometime in January.
5. Do you like eggnog?----- I passionately hate it. It's basically uncooked custard. Ick.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? --- I got this kit by which one could make eye pencils and lip pencils at home. I made a couple of lumpy pencils and gave up, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, and it may have spawned my deep love of cosmetics.
7. Hardest person to buy for? ----- My parents
8. Easiest person to buy for? ------ David. If you can't find something for him at Think Geek or Fry's, he's truly lost his joie de vivre and should be medicated immediately.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? ----- Two: one from Lenox, although incomplete, and a white from...Branson, MO!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? ------ I'm leaning towards a combo, but will probably mail this year.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? ----- A black sweatshirt with a zebra done entirely in glitter, along with a white one with an embroidered plaid Christmas cat. WTF?
12. Favorite Christmas Movies? ------The Family Man and The Shop Around the Corner...not traditional, but nice Christmasy messages
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? ----- Varies by year. I've been done by Halloween some years, and just getting stated Dec 23rd during others.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? ------ Yes. I've also tossed them out. I have finally convinced my mom to stop spending her fixed income on shipping me clothing that I will never wear. Those pieces I tended to keep around for a couple of years, thinking I could work out the guilt with closet time.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? ------ Mom's stuffed squid when I'm in PA. My grandmother used to make these massive ravioli at Christmas time. Four to six ravioli constituted an entire meal for most adults. Grandma's ravioli spurred competitions among the cousins, and my brother's record was twenty-four. I thought we were going to have to hospitalize him.
16. Favorite Lights on the tree? ------- Retro-looking ones with the flowery plastic rings
17. Favorite Christmas song? ------ I tend to like religious ones, particularly "O, Come, O Come Emmanuel" in Latin, and traditional late 19th/early 20th century music.
***Of late, I have noticed a tendency for renditions of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" to state "Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents on the tree for me." On the tree? Can somebody please inform me if you put presents ON the tree?
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? ------- Travel to Pittsburgh when I can. If you've never been in NYC at Christmas, I demand you get on a plane and go right NOW.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?-----If I sing the song
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? --- I like both. I've been looking for a truly breathtaking treetop angel for a long time.
21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? --- Right now it's morning. Once I have a house, it will be Christmas Eve, which was Grandma's ravioli night. Still, I must watch Midnight Mass from the Vatican. It's the one thing that keeps me from attending Midnight Mass.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? --- The secularization of the holiday, the crowds, and really bad Christmas music. Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra are clearly on the Muzak in Hell all year long.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color?-- Don't currently have one. I'm still nostalgic about my mom's tree. I do like the red wooden apples I have.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? --- Italian: Feast of the Seven Fishes
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? --- Fragrances! L'Instant de Guerlain, Prada, Chanel Chance, and the list goes on.
(Non-sequitur: a special shot-out to Jon Stewart for reviving "jagoff" this week, the quintessential Pittsburgh cuss word.)
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? ------ Wrapping paper from family. Unwrapping presents and extracting presents are not the same thing.
2. Real tree or artificial? ----- Artificial and small. We'll get real ones when we have a house, as it makes David very happy.
3. When do you put up the tree?---- If and when we get around to it. This year, we have not retrieved our baby tree from storage. I may go out and get a tiny fresh tree, if I can find one.
4. When do you take the tree down? --- Sometime in January.
5. Do you like eggnog?----- I passionately hate it. It's basically uncooked custard. Ick.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? --- I got this kit by which one could make eye pencils and lip pencils at home. I made a couple of lumpy pencils and gave up, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, and it may have spawned my deep love of cosmetics.
7. Hardest person to buy for? ----- My parents
8. Easiest person to buy for? ------ David. If you can't find something for him at Think Geek or Fry's, he's truly lost his joie de vivre and should be medicated immediately.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? ----- Two: one from Lenox, although incomplete, and a white from...Branson, MO!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? ------ I'm leaning towards a combo, but will probably mail this year.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? ----- A black sweatshirt with a zebra done entirely in glitter, along with a white one with an embroidered plaid Christmas cat. WTF?
12. Favorite Christmas Movies? ------The Family Man and The Shop Around the Corner...not traditional, but nice Christmasy messages
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? ----- Varies by year. I've been done by Halloween some years, and just getting stated Dec 23rd during others.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? ------ Yes. I've also tossed them out. I have finally convinced my mom to stop spending her fixed income on shipping me clothing that I will never wear. Those pieces I tended to keep around for a couple of years, thinking I could work out the guilt with closet time.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? ------ Mom's stuffed squid when I'm in PA. My grandmother used to make these massive ravioli at Christmas time. Four to six ravioli constituted an entire meal for most adults. Grandma's ravioli spurred competitions among the cousins, and my brother's record was twenty-four. I thought we were going to have to hospitalize him.
16. Favorite Lights on the tree? ------- Retro-looking ones with the flowery plastic rings
17. Favorite Christmas song? ------ I tend to like religious ones, particularly "O, Come, O Come Emmanuel" in Latin, and traditional late 19th/early 20th century music.
***Of late, I have noticed a tendency for renditions of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" to state "Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents on the tree for me." On the tree? Can somebody please inform me if you put presents ON the tree?
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? ------- Travel to Pittsburgh when I can. If you've never been in NYC at Christmas, I demand you get on a plane and go right NOW.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?-----If I sing the song
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? --- I like both. I've been looking for a truly breathtaking treetop angel for a long time.
21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? --- Right now it's morning. Once I have a house, it will be Christmas Eve, which was Grandma's ravioli night. Still, I must watch Midnight Mass from the Vatican. It's the one thing that keeps me from attending Midnight Mass.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? --- The secularization of the holiday, the crowds, and really bad Christmas music. Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra are clearly on the Muzak in Hell all year long.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color?-- Don't currently have one. I'm still nostalgic about my mom's tree. I do like the red wooden apples I have.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? --- Italian: Feast of the Seven Fishes
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? --- Fragrances! L'Instant de Guerlain, Prada, Chanel Chance, and the list goes on.