Word to the wise...

Should you ever find yourself needing to “reboot” your colon, make sure you have unrestricted access to restroom facilities.

That’s all I have to say about that.

So, this is my LAST can of Diet Caffeine Free Dr. Pepper, the last of the gift from a woman named Val who lives at the apartments where i am working (the office is located in the apartment building, and Val is a part-time receptionist at the office). The last day before Christmas weekend, she comes wheelin' in (she uses a motorized wheelchair) saying "you KNOW what you're getting!" And i turn around and there on her lap is a twelve pack of Diet Caffeine Free Dr. Pepper! This then is one of those gifts that i classify as "the best" because it was so perfect for me, and showed that she'd been paying attention to when another coworker and i were talking about how i was going to have to "lay off" getting packs of diet dr. pepper to share with her because i really needed to cut out caffeine, and how much i was going to miss the diet dr. pepper... There she was with twelve cans of happiness!!! I laughed and every time i drank one chuckled again and thought, this was one of The Best Gifts Ever.

I'm just wondering...

What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever gotten? Or, just gift in general. I’m not necessarily talking biggest or most impressive, but the “best” in terms of the circumstances of who it was from, where you were at in your life, meant the most, hit just the right nerve, etc. So really, it doesn’t even have to be just ONE, cuz there’s likely to be a couple that come to mind, for different reasons.

 

For instance, this year’s Christmas included two gifts that I would highlight as “the best” (picture high school girl gushing to her friends on the bus- “oh my gosh, it was like, The Best gift eh-VER!”)

One is the digital camera cindy and I got jointly from Mom and Dad. Usually, gifts that I’ve asked for specifically, don’t always fall into that “the best” category because, well, part of “the best” for me is the surprising aptness of the gift upon the reveal. But this case is different because this camera is “the best” and it will (already has) give cindy and me many happy times. We’ve been without a camera now for years, and we LIKE to take and have pictures. We are very excited about our new camera, and I’m sure you’ll be seeing many pics taken with it.

 

So the second gift from this year I’d categorize as “the best”? I’m not telling you. Well, not until tomorrow, because today I don’t happen to have the camera, and I’d rather just post a picture of it. Those of you that know me well will understand immediately.

 

But thinking about it this morning has made me wonder, what are some of those memorable gifts that others have gotten? (A big huge stuffed Nemo (from the movie, yes) is another of my “best” gifts.)

Welcome the New Year

Well, it's 2008. And yes, Lawanna, the Broncos DID finish with a losing record, and yes, Indy DID finish wtih a winning record. I choose to focus on the hope that in another month the world can tell the 1972 Dolphins to just stuff it, and there'll be a new undefeated team. That is now just about my only interest in the NFL post-season.

As far as life in general, this winter's been a difficult one for me emotionally and relating to my depression. It appears as though the meds i've been on for years need to be adjusted- not surprising considering that one's body changes a great deal between ages 25 and 35. So, in the coming months i'll be working to find a new pyschiatrist who can help me adjust or change meds to a better therapeutic level. that task is made harder because i do not have any medical insurance. in the meantime, i'm trying hard to be more proactive about doing things to combat the depressive symptoms i'm seeing more of in recent months. i'm sure cindy is eager for me to find a new doctor too.

My mental health is not helped by the fact that two of the biggest variables in life, two of the things that affect a person most on a daily basis, are still very much in limbo for me: where i work and where i live. our lease expires in April, and we're not renewing, but where to go and who to live with (meaning a new third roommate) are nowhere near resolved. and the temp job that seemed to be leading to permanent hire hasn't resulted in that yet, despite it being nearly a month past the time they could have. (temps usually have to be there 3 months before the company can buy out the employee and hire them.) so now, i'm wondering if they've decided not to hire a person full-time (not necessarily not wanting to hire ME, just ANYONE full time) and if so, what that means for me in the future. i'm ready to not be temping anymore.

prayers for all of the above (except maybe the NFL stuff) would be greatly appreciated.

Here are some pics from over the holidays. (which were a BLAST.)

Here you see me and Cindy, with our cousins' kids, Cole, Alec, Jace, Kira, and Kirsten. Can't see us all? Well, the white arm on the far left is me, as are the glasses just visible beneath the aqua arm of the little girl standing up, which is Kira. The young man under MY arm, wearing blue jeans, is the oldest of the Leinbach great-grandchildren, Cole. The two little boys in matching red pjs are Cole's younger brothers, Alec (whose face you can see) and Jace (whose face you can't see). Then there's Cindy wearing the brown sweatshirt and she's in the process (i believe) of tickling Kira's older sister, Kirsten, whose face you also can't see. The green stuffed frog clutched by Jace, is (i believe) known as simply "froggy".

The second picture was taken mere moments after the first. Same cast of people, different body parts visible. hee hee.