Today I agreed to work on a very complex spreadsheet as a consultant and I have been sitting at this computer for over 12 hours. I’m almost finished but let me tell you – my legs are stiff and cramped and my head hurts like there are 20 little elves inside with jackhammers going into my skull. A person can only take so much aspirin and coffee. I think I need to just stop for the night and finish this up in the morning. But making these numbers work out and make sense is such a thrill – it is hard to stop when I’m so close to finished!

This weekend will have a lot of traffic, as people who went “home for the holidays” have to start making their way back home. The bad weather caused a lot of trouble for people all across the northern U.S., with snow and ice and thousands of people stuck in airports or driving on dagnerous icey roads. Not like they need any more stress at this time of year! Anyways, I hope most people eventually made it to their planned destinations and had a nice visit with their family and friends. I hope they all have a safe trip home and appreciate having their own home where they feel safe and warm and secure. And if you aren’t blessed with those things at home, I truly hope that this year you find a way to make it so.

The big day is finally here. I was lucky to be able to sleep in a couple extra hours this morning and get “my batteries charged” to handle a very busy day – once it got started. I have to do some last minute gift wrapping and then a lot of cooking and cleaning. It will be hectic but very rewarding once all is said and done.

I surely hope that Santa found his way to your house and blessed you with some great gifts or special treats, and that all of your dreams come true.

This year I received an assortment of Christmas cards from family and friends. There are some really adorable and nostalgic winter scenes, a couple of Santa scenes, and some fun snowmen. There were a handful of nice email cards or links to web sites with fun animated characters. All of them were sweet to think of me and to take the time to send me their holiday wishes. I hope everyone reading my blog has a wonderful holiday season, too.

Wouldn’t it be nice to go to the mailbox and get something out of the box other than a bill or junk mail? I can’t tell you how long it has been since I got a letter or card from a loved one. Or a package with some goodies in it.

Everyone I know uses the internet for everything now. I get e-cards from family and instant messages. But I miss having something made of paper and has real handwriting on it.

Today I did get some real mail so it’s a good day. It came all the way from England. I ordered a year’s subscription to a graphics and internet magazine a couple weeks ago and here is my first issue. I can’t wait to read it and learn some new techniques!

Somehow I caught a case of the “Clumsies” this morning. It’s just one of THOSE days where everything falls or drops or spills. I don’t know if there is a cure for the Clumsies, but I have had to mop the floor twice and I’m almost out of paper towels, too. Maybe I just need another copy of coffee?

My father used to say that when you have a bad start like this, you should go back to bed, lie down for a minutes, and then get out of bed on the other side of the bed. I used to say that I’d “gotten out of the wrong side of the bed.” Maybe there is a kernel of truth in that?

In the upscale part of town there are some exclusive boutiques and shops that I’ve never ventured in. The types of shops where a summer dress can cost over $500, where imported Egytian sheets and other luxury bedding can cost up to a thousand dollars. You know the scene.

Well, today I had to run an errand in “that” part of town and it did not take as long as anticipated, so I decided on a whim to stop by one of those little shops and just take a peek. The shop is called American Artisan and they carry a wonderful selection of handmade and imported items, such as jewelry, glass, ceramics, wood, lamps, metal and fine art. I particularly like a display of stylized ceramic buildings called “Prayer Towers,” crafted by Holden McCurry.

I found McCurry on the internet and browsed through some of the other items he creates. He is a talented artist but his website was disappointingly primitive and limited.

The prayer towers are very inspiring and if I have an opportunity I hope to go back one day soon and buy one of his works.

Today is World Aids Day and is the 20th time that we have observed this day. We still do not have a cure for this horrible tragic disease. Personally, I believe the drug companies have suppressed the cure to continue making their obscene profits from the treatment drugs. I have to wonder if the governments took the aggressive action to force the drug companies to provide all the drug treatments for free to anyone who got sick with HIV and Hepatitis, how long would it take for them to find a miracle cure?

What you can do to help is to keep up the international awareness by wearing a red ribbon and donating either time or moeny to an AIDs charity. No one deserves to get either of these diseases and one day I truly hope that no one will die from them anymore more, either.