Until then...

Merry Christmas!

and a very happy new year

I am off to Mexico,

with a stop in San Diego,

so I will be back blogging

(with pictures from La Rebel!)

after the holiday.

The First and the Last?

I read this book recently. I thought I'd love it, because I love books and food and personal essays and all that.

And let me tell you, it was awful. So bad that I thought about writing a brutally honest on Amazon.com just to warn others to stay away. But then I rethought putting all that bad karma out there in the universe, because you never know when it will come back around, and the author might read those reviews, and if I ever wrote a book and read some anonymous person saying nasty things about it online I would pretty much want to vomit.

So I didn't. But I wanted to.

So I'll post it here instead, where she'll never read it - not broadcast to the entire universe, but a little word to the wise - if you think you liked the movie, don't be tempted to check out the source material.

The author is so whiny and complaining and has barely-controlled anger management issues. She seemingly hates her husband, hates her job, hates New York life, hates even cooking Julia Child's recipes. She expresses all this disdain with a constant stream of profanity, which doesn't bother me so much for it's own sake but for the part that it's very, very lazy writing.

Ugh.

Anyway, I watched the movie after that, and you know what?

It was so much better than the book.

And that's probably the first time in my life that I have ever said that.

Dear Hannah

Dear Hannah,

You are my only big sister. You taught me about how to properly lip sync to Amy Grant's "Baby Baby", and how NOT to serenade someone with a warbling rendition Bette Midler's "Under the Boardwalk". You taught me about Alanis Morissette and blue fingernail polish, and now that we're older you show me how to apply liquid eyeliner and powder foundation and what kind of bracelets don't slide up and down your arms all day (always get the stretchy kind).

You are having surgery today. Your gall bladder has been having an attitude lately and it's time to give it the old heave-ho. You have been waiting patiently in the hospital since Friday evening to be scheduled. I was THIS CLOSE to finding your surgeon myself and demanding an explanation.

I love you, big sister.

Gallbladder or not.

Love,
the middle child.

Giving

I feel approximately seven years old.

That's how psyched I am for Christmas morning this year.

Sure, I am excited to receive (who isn't, let's be honest).

But this year, I am jumping at the bit because I can't wait to give! I have a few things up my sleeve that I am hoping the gift recipients will love with all their might, because I love them with all my might.

Try using that logic in a court of law. I dare you.

P.S.
All philosophical implications aside
I am also excited
that the Christmas menu
includes prime rib
and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
does it get any better?
I submit to you
that it does not.

P.P.S.
How are we feeling about holiday cards this year?
The thing is
if I start a tradition now
I am not sure that I will ever be able to take a year off
without feeling guilty
(or so I'm told)
so -
I submit it to you
To card or not to card?

You Ask, I Deliver

A few weeks ago I wrote about my writer's block on coming up with an interesting article to write for Got2BGreen.com, which, (as I have gleefully repeated here ad nauseam), was named one of TIME's Best Blogs of 2009.

Anyway, you told me in the comments to write about traveling green(er) during the holiday season.

And I did. I DID!

Ask and ye shall get it eventually.

So, in case your enthusiasm hasn't wavered, you may read my article here.

And thank you very much for letting me steal your brilliant ideas.