oh that time of the year

I'm sitting in my living room flipping back and forth from whatever is on HBO and the Iowa Game. I can't take this pressure.

I can't believe that it's November already. The holiday season is here. blah. It's not that I don't like Thanksgiving and Christmas, it's just I work in retail. So the holiday's are our busiest time of the year. So that's good. It does make the work go faster but it's also the pressure filled. We are expected to have and know everything and we don't this is somehow our fault. The holidays really bring out the worse in people. The best too but you only really you only remember the bad things. It also makes me miss my family more. At least, that won't be a problem. Next weekend, I'm meeting Mom in Minneapolis for our annual Christmas shopping. Even though, we really don't do that much actual Christmas shopping. I'm actually thinking of taking my big suitcase because I want to look for a new winter coat. My coat is fine but it ends at my waist. It doens't get that cold here in New York or at least not as cold as Iowa but I do seem to spend more time outside then I did before. So I want a coat that is a little bit longer. Covering more of my legs because that's what was really cold last year. I also want to look for new work pants because mine are getting kind of warn But mostly, I'm going to spend time with my Mom. I haven't seen her since August.

For Thanksgiving, Dad and Kat are coming here like last year. I am determined to get more time off from work so I can actually spend more time with them. I felt like I spent their entire visit at work and they really didn't do much. They both had work to do so I don't think they minded it as much as I did but still, I felt bad. So this year, I've asked for strategic days off to maximize our time. Kat and I are going to see New Moon, together (I guess another tradtion). I hear good things about it. If anything, it should be a good laugh. What else we will do besides Thanksgiving, is still up in the air but I'm really not concerned about that.

And then finally, Christmas. I can't believe that my store is letting me have time off! I guess that's what you get when you ask six months in advance. Unfortunatley, I will miss Christmas morning because my flight doesn't come until noon but I will still be with my family on Christmas. What could be better? I'm only going to be home for a week but I really couldn't ask for more time. You don't want to push your luck. So any plans over the Holidays?

So this is what I'm doing to get myself through the holidays. I wish I can spend more time with my family but the little nibbles I get is just going to have to be enough.