Before you know it, you're the crazy cat lady in the scary house

Hee-Haw! Hee-Haw!

December 24, 2004 ... 12:17 p.m.

[on a coworker]

Bootsie: “Crazy Sarah ... that poor girl ... one taco short of a combo platter.”

It's Christmas Eve day! Yay! Only a few more hours! Double yay!

What are your Christmas Eve traditions? Any? I (not "we", because my family doesn't really like me) watch "It's A Wonderful Life" because it is, isn't it? And then we open one present, which is always an ornament for next year. Last year, I got an ELVIS ornament that plays "Blue Christmas". It never ceases to amaze me at how much I can annoy my sister with it.

Because, really, I'm 12.

After that, we have hot chocolate pudding on vanilla ice cream. Then we got to midnight mass. And, no, I'm not Catholic. It's not really a mass, per say. We watch the children's play, pass out cocoa and coffee and candy canes, sing Christmas songs (so far, no luck with "Feliz Navidad", but this is MY year! I can feel it!) and then our priest (I swear I'm not Catholic) reads the story of the birth from Luke.

And then we go home and pretend to sleep.

I am having a hard time being patient and waiting for Christmas. There is a huge pile of presents around our tree. I know a lot of them are for me, but I don't see any that could be a book. I LOVE to read and books make me happy. That's all I ever really want. Well ... that and a boyfriend who is cuter and funnier and smarter than my cousins' husbands.

Because Christmas is all about competition and one-upmanship.

What I really want to see is my mom and sister's reactions to the gifts I bought them. I feel I was quite clever

Mom just put out her gifts to us yesterday. The presents are piled waist-high. Well -- my waist. I'm 5-3. And there are only 3 of us.

I am spoiled, I tell you. But I'm just so cute. And smart. And modest.

The anticipation is killing me --KILLING ME!!! I am so 8-years-old when it comes to Christmas. I won't be able to fall asleep until 3am and then I will wake before 5 to open presents.

Because, apparently, magical sparkly gnomes make off with your presents at daybreak if you don't open them insanely early.

I'm 27, I should have my own kids, a husband ... alas, I don't.

Oh, well. More presents for me.

I do this daily "Mind Challenge" thing and the guy who comes up with the questions is sharp.

I have a streak of 15 correct answers. I feel like I'm cheating, though. For instance, today's challenge was about money--dollar bill facts. Well, my fam and I do this kind of trivia stuff almost everyday and I've known the money stuff since I was little.

Or the day before, the question was "There is this rather unusual family. They have nine kids. Half of these kids are girls. How is this possible?"

Answer: they're all girls.

My Philosophy class (remember how she thought I was evil? Ah, good times) last summer had a similar question--seven kids, half boys--and we came up with a lot of answers. 3 that were logical, many that weren't and one very elaborate scenario involving diesel fuel, a time machine and several pounds of goat cheese.

We were a weird bunch.

I officially hate the song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause".

It makes my teeth hurt.

If I don’t write you before tomorrow, I wish you all a Merry Christmas .

Currently Reading: Genesis of the Pharaohs by Toby Wilkinson

Listening To: Bing Crosby & Judy Garland -- Rudolph

JUDY: Come on now, Rudy, tell us what’s the secret of your success?
BING: Well, I guess it’s cuz I keep my nose so bright
JUDY: Oh? Not with alcohol?
BING: Nahhh ... Hadacol
JUDY: Oh, you devil ...

Have a happy day!

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