More Excuses and The Boxing Day Party

Ha ha ha. Of course, I'm doing it to myself AGAIN! I really want to write about the demise of my latest not-quite-as-perfect-as-it-seemed-at-the-time relationship... but that's quite a story, and a bit of a jumble, so I just haven't given it the time it needs.

In the meantime, I keep meaning to write of course, but I've turned over a new leaf and am actually WORKING every day. Yeah, working tends to get in the way of my blogging activities. Then I get home and I'm exhausted and blogging always seems better to do with a fresh head in the AM, when I'm all charged up with coffee... then I wake up late and have no time between coffee and shower and get-the-hell-to-work. You all know how that happens. The difference is, YOU ALL get to go to work and sit at a computer and still have access to your blogger dashboard, while I'm laying out dropcloths and actually getting my hands dirty.

My sister Bonnie suggested in the comment thread that I blog about a party I want to have. I'm excited about planning this party, but I haven't really done anything yet... One key arrangement MUST be in place for me to feel comfortable about this. I want to throw a Boxing Day party. Anyone know what boxing day is? Read the link, bozos. I want to have a party on the evening of Tuesday the 26th. Dress casual, and bring everything in your home that you just don't want anymore and stick it in my garage. (Hence, the arrangement: I need to convince Goodwill or the Salvation Army or somebody to pick this stuff up on the 27th and take it away to charity.) This party will also feature an 8pm Yankee swap (wrap up something you don't want from christmas and trade it off to unsuspecting victims). I may even invite people to bring holiday leftovers that they are desperate to get out of their homes.

My sister Beth suggested to me that she would have a lot more time to find stuff to give to charity if I had this party in the middle of January. There's a few problems with that idea:

• Boxing Day is December 26th.
• I don't have enough room in my garage for ALL the things Beth can give to charity, plus that of everyone else I know. If this party catches on, it might be a tight squeeze as it is.
• Aside from taking a nap, I can't think of a better use of one's time on the afternoon/evening of Christmas Day, after all the hullabaloo is over while one still feels bloated and spoiled from the excesses of this holiday. As you put away your gifts, make room for them by going through your belongings and finding things to give away. I can say from personal experience that this activity is the perfect antidote for any post-Christmas letdown blues you might normally experience.
• Did I mention that Boxing Day is an actual holiday, celebrated internationally, occurring specifically on December 26th, NOT "in the middle of January"?

So. Anyone want to come to my party? I called Goodwill about it last week and got transferred to someone's voicemail, never to be called back. I will go to Goodwill in person today, and if that doesn't work I'll try Salvation Army. In the meantime, I know my sister Bonnie and my mom have specific charities they give different types of things to... I think they also know someone with a van who drives a schoolbus (and therefore would be off that week.) Maybe someone would be interested in sorting the objects and delivering them to specific charities? Just throwing it out there. I don't really care what happens to the stuff, so long as it ends up in the hands of people who can use it, rather than continue to collect dust in all of our closets.

Splash!

The longer I go without posting on my blog, the more pressure builds. I WANT to write, but I feel like my return ought to carry all the weight of time that has passed between us. And so I wait, not having the topic or passion or most of all time to conpensate sufficiently for my absence. It seems that Novy is my muse, leaving comments at times when my guilt happens to burgeon at the forefront of my overcrazed mind. Once I did respond to her proddings, but lately the time passed has seemed insurmountable.

I have a few friends I keep meaning to get back in contact with, and this is exactly like that. The guilt and the build-up of things to catch-up on continue mount - and yet deep down I know that I'm making too much of it. The time spent worrying is a waste. Meanwhile millions of moments slip past when one small act could have started us all back in the right direction.

So here it is: the action you've been waiting for. A bunch of blah, blah blah about nothing, yes that's what you've been checking this blog for in nail-biting anticipation. As you might expect, there's quite a bit for us all to catch up on, but I'm not going to let that overwhelm me any longer. This post may be all pomp and fluff, but at least it's a start. Stay tuned.