Up for a quickie?

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Merry Christmas!

Remember those relatives who couldn't make it for Thanksgiving? The ones I was expecting "after the holidays, when the weather gets better"? The hubby invited them to come for Christmas. A couple of days ago.

They're lovely folks, really, but major neat freaks and used to everything made from scratch. And we'll need stuff under the tree for them. So I am, as they say, hip deep in alligators: baking real cookies, exterminating dust bunnies, and trekking across frozen parking lots with icicles hanging off my ass.

With only snippets of time to spare, I've been spending it reading all of your blogs rather than posting here, because you guys totally rock. But I just had to stop by and wish all of you a wonderful holiday, peace and happiness. Love to all!

Tag, I'm it...

Bon and Mal ask: "List 10 things that make you deliriously happy." So here goes:

1. Having my whole family safe and sound and gathered around the dinner table. Or piled around in the family room, watching a movie and sharing popcorn. Either one.

2. Being married to somebody I love as much today as I did when I met him 37 years ago -- and knowing without question that he still loves me back.

3. That happy tired you get after a long day's work that meant something.

4. A book so good you want to read it slowly to make it last.

5. Lying in bed under the warm blankets, listening to rain and thunder.

6. Staring up at stars on a cold, clear night.

7. Watching a baby taste real food for the very first time.

8. Dreams in which I can fly.

9. Daffodils in the Spring.

10. The world all dressed in gold for Fall.

Bonus # 11: The joy of making new friends like Bon and Mal.

I'm going to have to think about whom to tag, though. I think nearly everyone I know has done this already, from the looks of things.
:-)

Mention of AOL ads on National Public Radio

Check out today's Diane Rehm Show on NPR. She hosted Dan Burstein, author of the new book 'Blog' (CDS Books) -- "A look at how blogs are changing politics, business and culture."

Open the link under Listen to This Show (I used AOL Media Player), and move the slider to the section directly underneath the Play button, the very middle section. She quotes an email from one of our own Refugees -- "Judith in Maryland" -- about the AOL ads and the exodus to Blogspot. (OUR Judith?? Was that you?) The author agrees that no advertising should ever run without consent of the blogger. He did seem to miss the fact that AOL, not the bloggers, get the ad revenue, though.

Also see the next-to-last section for more commentary on control, AOL, and the future of free services.

Heads up

With all the headaches and sniffles this time of year, I thought I'd share this article from the NY Times: Poisonings From a Popular Pain Reliever Are Rising. Apparently, Tylenol is an ingredient in any number of over the counter cold and pain medications, and overdosing is both easier and more serious than you'd think.

Just passing it along, yanno. Cause I hate it when friends croak.

;-)
Vicki

Santa.com

Man, I love to stay home. I missed the era (just by a hair) when women could do that, and I must say that really ticks me off. Time was, one income could support a family, and it was understood that "homemaker" is a full-time job. I woulda been a great one, I tell ya. Great. Martha Stewart great.

Is it just me, or did life used to be cheaper? After spending around $5,000 on orthodonture for one of my kids, I discovered yesterday that the bridges or implants for after the braces come off will run another $5,000. Somehow, I must have missed the memo on that part. And he starts college in two years. Can you say Second Job, boys and girls? I think you can...

But anyway. It's my day off, and I'm Christmas shopping online, as I have for a couple of years now. My husband cannot fathom this. He's into the whole crowded-store thing.

Hubby: "You have Thursday off this week. That would be a good day to go out and get some shopping done. "(Hint.)

Me: "Uh huh."

Long pause. Hubby: "You're not going, are you."

Me: "Nope. If it ain't at Amazon, nobody's getting one."

Hubby chuckles indulgently and gives up. (This is why I love him so.)

So here I am, watching snow come down, drinking a large bowl of coffee, wiggling my toes in my fluffy warm slippers -- and frittering away a couple weeks' salary on mostly useless stuff.

Ooops. Note of humbuggery there. Sorry. I really do love Christmas, once the whole present thing is out of the way.

So, back to it. The boss needs a fruit basket like I need a thong bikini, but hey. I'm on it.

Keep in touch...

There's a really nice post in Coming to Terms, by mlraminiak, on Families and Friends. It reminds us of what we all still share, and also of a really neat, free, easy service called Bloglines. It lets you subscribe to blogs all over the Web. I have yet to sign up there, but it's definitely on my to-do list.

Though I don't comment as often as I should, I've always read blogs all over the place -- and J-Land is still included, of course. Friends and good authors remain so, regardless of their address. Hope you feel the same.

The URL here is: http://mymaracas.blogspot.com/

:-)