Christmas is Going to the Dogs

May You're Day Be Merry and Bright

The Real Nightmare Before Christmas

May all of your shopping have been done long ago, and Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

New York City at Christmas

The Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center

Radio City Music Hall

These are from last Christmas.  I never got around to posting them.

Comic Corner: Global Warming

And Santa begins to regret giving all of those people coal for all of those years...

Let's Not Get Carried Away...

Enough Already!

What do you want for Christmas?

You should send your letters to Santa at Macy's Department Stores. For each letter the receive, they'll donate $1 to the Make A Wish Foundation (up to $1,000,000).

Thankfulness Journal

In this day and age, everyone is always complaining about something.  Do not get me wrong.  Life is not all lemon drops and gumdrops, I just think we should focus more on the things that are going right, rather than those that are going badly.

Even if you cannot see it right away, everyone has something to be thankful for.  When you are thankful for the blessings in your life, you begin to appreciate everything more.

I suggest that you (even if you love life), try keeping a Thankfulness Journal.  Every day, write down at least one thing you are thankful for.  It may be difficult to begin, and it is perfectly normal if your first entries look something like this:

Day 1:  I am so thankful that asshole that cut me off so dangerously on the highway did NOT cause an accident, which could have ended my life all too short in a fiery ball of death.

Day 2:  I am thankful they served something edible in the cafeteria today.

Eventually you will be able to look deeper than that, and see what you are truly appreciative for in life.  Everyone has their good and bad days, but dwelling on the good makes the bad all the more tolerable.

Be thankful for your life, and the people in it.

How To Tell Someone Something

     Have you ever needed to tell someone something, but was not sure how to do it?  Hopefully this will give you some ideas:

     First of all, if it has ANYTHING to do with a relationship, you do it RIGHT TO THEIR FACE.  None of this calling on the phone, writing a letter, emailing, or texting crap.  If you have to say something regarding your feelings about someone, you have the decency to do it to their FACE.  Not much is worse than getting a text: “wanted u 2 no its over between the 2 of us. l8r.”

     When you have a piece of news to tell someone that is urgent or needs to be acted on quickly, that is another matter where I recommend talking to the person directly.  Depending on the situation, a phone call may be acceptable.  If the person will be floored and the sheer shock of the news may put the person at risk, then speaking with the person in person may be best.

     Before putting anything on the internet, think about it.  That is a permanent record that will be there a FOREVER.  Even if you delete it, it can be recovered.  Do not post anything you are not comfortable with the whole world knowing.  Pretend you are writing for your grandmother to read.  If she would be upset, don’t post it.  Even if your settings are on “private,” people have access to what you post.

     Taking that into consideration, if you are debating how to inform your friends or family about something (you don’t care who finds out in the long run) about, posting about it nonchalantly on a social networking site is one way to go.  “Really nervous for my test later.  Hope I pass this time.”  Now something like this does not substitute for telling someone something.  There is no guarantee that the intended person will even read it, let alone get the full message.  But it is a nice way to break the ice.  Your dad might ask you later that week “so how did your test go?”  This would be a perfect time to tell him you are dropping out of high school to join the circus.  Each to his own.

     If a message goes unmentioned for a week or more, either try posting again (more direct this time), or in another location.  Perhaps the person you are calling out to is not stalking you on ALL of your social networking accounts.  It does not mean that they are not listening.  In today’s day in age we think that everyone is listening to EVERYTHING we have to say.  NOT always the case.

     The last thing you can do on the internet is to blog about it.  You can write all you want about how much you LOVE Paris, and cannot wait to return.  Then you can come right out and tell the “world” (whoever reads your blog: aka not as many people as you think) all about your plans to study abroad there this summer JUST so you can go again.

     Why the heck not?  They may or may not be reading, and you can get everything you could not muster the courage to say out.  If they read it, great, you told them.  If not, then you may just have to find the most understanding person to talk with first (I suggest a friend or close sibling before breaking into the weak parent).

     Nothing substitutes talking with someone in person, but sometimes you just need to buy yourself some time.  Hope this helps point you in the right direction (if at the very least you never break up with someone via text message).  Good luck!

DISCLAIMER: Not a psychologist, and not responsible for any fall-out of advice. Use to discretion.

Not Again...

     “Okay.  I’m just going to check the right one, and then we’re all done.”
     That sort of tickles.

     “Hmm.”

     She doubles back over the same spot and makes tighter, more concentric circles.

     “Does that hurt?”

     “No.  I can hardly feel it at all.”

     See hovers for another moment.

     “Oh-kay.  I’m just going to send you for an ultrasound.  I found a small mass in your right breast, and just want to have it checked out.  There should be nothing to worry about since it is mobile and doesn’t seem to hurt.  I just want to have a closer look at it.  You can schedule the appointment on your way out.  You can get dressed now.”

     See exits the room, leaving me to my imagination.

     Should be nothing to worry about.  Easier said than done.  She said it as if she were suggesting a new restaurant. 

     A mass.  What the hell?

     To anyone, being told they have a mass in their breast would be terrifying.  For a cancer survivor, it is even worse.  You are warned and warned time after time that each medicine and treatment you take, a secondary cancer is a possible side effect.  You live day to day with the threat of a possible relapse or recurrence hanging over your head like a heavy dark shadow.  But you hope for the best.  What are your other alternatives?  You think: how can you be “lucky” enough to draw the short stick twice in one lifetime?  It won’t be me.

     It might.

     It seems now, clearer than ever, that my run of luck is not yet over.

     It could be nothing.

     I hope it’s nothing.

     It might not be nothing.

     Can I really handle this all over again?

     Would I survive this time around?

     I would I be one of the lucky round two cancer survivors?

     It could be nothing.

     It might be nothing.

     Only time will tell.

     One day at a time.  No one is guaranteed a tomorrow.  At least I had today.

     My life is not yet over.  I still have a lot of living to do.

     It could be nothing.

     It might be nothing.

     PLEASE be nothing!

A prayer for everyone who has dealt with a threat like that above: I wish you all the best.  That your worrying is for nothing, and that if it is not, that you have the love and support you need to get you through every trial.  Good luck, and may God be with you (even if you do not believe).

Re-Gifting Guide

     Well, it’s that time of year again.  Thanksgiving is over and it is a little too early for Valentine’s Day, so it must be the Christmas Season once again.  The daunting task of gift shopping is once again upon us.  It is one thing to buy a special present for your loved ones, but once you factor in the cost of those, your friends, and your aunt’s nephew cousin twice removed, you can be facing a credit card bill as high as the sky. 

     What do we resort to?  Re-gifting. 

     Don’t worry.  We all do it.  It’s doing it right and not getting caught that is the trick. 

     But don’t fret.  There are a few simple rules to follow when re-gifting to another:

1) Be aware of the current packaging of the item in question.  Never re-gift a candle when the company has changed its design.  That is a dead giveaway.

2) Be aware of expiration dates.  Even lotions expire.  Check so you are not embarrassed.

3) When reusing wrapping, (hey! It’s recycling!), just make sure there are no used gift tags on it.

And MOST important:

     4) NEVER give the item to the person who gave it to you originally.

     If you ever get a gift you don’t want and can’t unload on some poor sap, either tag sale it, E-Bay, or donate it.  Again, just make sure it never crosses the path of the person who gave it to you.

     Remember, be smart, and there is nothing wrong with being resourceful in these economically difficult times.  Happy gifting!