31.12.10

Happy New YEAR!


Happy New Year!

I love being with family on New Years. It's just the most amazing time. Also, I got the Nintendo DSi XL - Anniversary Edition, and the sound editor has a parakeet that repeats things on the title screen when you talk, it will repeat what you say in a very high pitched screech. Aaaaand my dad and brother were arguing with it. I almost died with laughter.

Then we played 21 until about a half until before New Years and then we pulled out the Uno because we hadn't played in a year. A nice dose of vengeance over a children's card game is always a healthy way to ring in the new year.

And as we watched Dick Clark's Rockin’ New Years Eve’s until the countdown, I didn't have any amazing revelation, I didn't think about how life was going to change in the New Year, and I don't care that I have very little money right now.

It's just so much better to know that this is my family and that's all I need. My dearest friend, Jaimie, who is also much more inspired than I am today because she wrote this glorious, albeit short and sweet, piece on who we are and what we were and it's the best thing I ever read in 2010 and I can barely bring or fish a few words inspiration out of my own head.
Today, I don't really have any words. I don't think I need them.

Dear 2011,
We just met, what do you think of me?
I have an idea, will you hear me out?
This idea of mine. I think it will work.

The end, and we begin again


Every time I begin to write a blog,
It's when I really shouldn't be!

Hope you had a good Chrismakwanzaa and Happy New Year!

So it's 5am and it's New Years Eve and I feel the exact same I did last New Years Eve. "It's tonight? Really? Can I stay home?"

I don't think that my family will be doing much, but we're all home, so why not?

On the other hand, I haven't been working all that much thanks to my sister, who has my shifts now, I still can't escape douchebags. You know the really terrible ones who will argue just for the sake to arguing and twists your words to fit their means and they get you upset for the littlest thing you thought you'd never ever be upset about in your life. Oh, yeah. I happen to be on familiar terms with one. Thanks for ruining the day before New Year's. Asshole.

On the other hand, I had an amazing Christmas. I know I said that Christmas day takes forever when my family is over but this year was fantastic.
We hooked up Guitar Hero (which we had for years but never hooked up for some reason) with the drums and mic and played and it was awesome. Being the only one who knew how to play drums well enough to finish a song meant I played for hours, yet it was amazing.
I would have Christmas like that every year if I could but I know it would get boring. Our other Christmases have been great, too. When I got DDR, I was passing it around with the family, that lasted for two years. Then we got bored of it. Then it was the Wii and last year we just rotated around those items.

Now, for presents. We have secret santa's everywhere. Just not my family, but with my aunts and uncles and cousins, we do. I don't hate it, but GOD what a way to frazzle me! Every year I panic and cry and complain. "What do I get them!?" It's always people who I know very well, so I have to know what they want. It's stupid, no one has ever been upset at me for what I got them but I always think they will be.

Case and point. I got one of my favorite co-workers for the secret santa. She likes to be a brat when it comes to me because I am so much younger than she is,(doesn't help she likes to tell everyone I'm 12. I'm 20 years old for heavens sakes!) so for the first half of December it was constantly "Do you know who got me? Tell me! I know you know! It's you isn't it?" I would deny casually and I suppose I'm a good actress, because she believed me and she is a very perceptive person. So when the staff party came around (I wore high heels and served food, I was so proud of myself!) and gift giving time I just stalked everyone while gifts were given. When my co-worker got her gift and she saw her favorite bottle of red wine and her favorite brand of chocolates, she looked at me and she knew. She is not a very touchy-feely person and she doesn't like hugs, but when she received her presents she hugged me. That moment almost made my year. The I laugh at myself because I was panicking up until the party. I should slap myself.

I got my uncle Tom for the family secret santa. Of course, I panic, cry and complain x2 because I love my uncles and I HAVE to get my family the best no matter what. Fun stuff, I got things I thought would be nice. Tommy Hilfiger shirt and sweater and moccasin because I heard he needed a new pair. So Christmas Eve comes around and he unwraps his gifts that I worked so hard on and they looked awesome. And what do you know, I panicked, cried and complained for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
The bonus was the next day when the families came over for Christmas Day, he was wearing the sweater I got him.

Bottom line, I guess, to me Christmas is that feeling of surprise. Seeing something in the store that you think would be positively PERFECT as a gift. The rushing around and the waiting. Meeting people in stores you haven't seen in YEARS is a good reminder of the time gone by.
Even if you want to strangle those ladies in the store, once it's Christmas. It's okay. You won't see them for another year.

What great end to not so stellar year.

I have a lot left to do.

Dear 2010,
You started on a disappointing note, but it got better. I was so happy that I got easily upset when something went wrong, you died down into a slow pace that became my everyday boring routine with a lot to be desired, you gave three moments of intense anguish that I never thought I'd ever feel in my life. Next time, I will be prepared. Aside from that, you let me find a part of myself that I didn't know I had. So, thank you. Everyone.


Dear 2011,
We have yet to meet, but when we do, I swear I'll do things different. This isn't a resolution, this is my plan and plans must be followed. This year, I think it will be exciting.


Happy New Years, everyone.

19.12.10

Aw crap, December.


"It's colder than before
The seasons took all they had come for
Now winter dances here
It seems so fitting don't you think?
To dress the ground in white and grey"

-VNV Nation, Beloved


Every year, Christmas blindsides me. It's like a damn freight-train that flies off the tracks and keeps going. Every damn time. When I was 15, even for years before, It was so damn easy to shop and prepare, craft things. Ever since I turned 16 and got a job, I get run over by the wayward freight-train known as Christmas.

Despite being blind sided and getting bank bills in disguise of medical fees. I love the holiday. I love it more than any other time of the year. For so many reasons like family. Being Greek, I have a huge amount of family members. A ridiculously large count. It usually goes like "This is you aunts, sisters, sons cousin from Australia, so that makes you distant cousins." So I just nod my head and stare blankly in response.
We have a tradition that allows us to get the immediate family together and celebrate. It's starts on the 24th, Christmas Eve, and I go off to my aunts house for dinner and gift opening. YAY! Then we kinda show off our gifts and play with the dog because he's a funny little brat.
The next morning on the 25th, the family comes over to our house and we have this messed up feast that lasts like all fucking day. Pardon my language, but it lasts FOREVER sometimes. I do love them, but there's only so much Greek soap operas and european league soccer I can handle in a day. Not to mention all the families make our food from scratch. Appetizers, main dishes, sauces, dressings, and dessert are all hand-made. So,so delicious.

It doesn't start again until New Years Eve where the family might go out to a chateau or club. As far as I know, I'm the only person in the family who's ever spent New Years alone and sick. I'll be honest and say it was awesome. It only happens once a year, but even then it loses it's charm. I wasn't old enough to go out and drink, so I shoved my family out the door, had I not been sick, they never would have stood for it.
Then New Year's Day we go out to my other aunts house and eat another feast all day and play cards and watch movies and watch hockey and then we go home.

It's an awesome tradition. It surprised me to know when I was growing up other families didn't do this. It also gives me a bit of pride. That this event, where I get to see my family together once a year, is massively surprising to people, where to me it seems common place.

There's also the gifts, oh my god. I wish the good old days when all we had to do was say "That toy!" or "That doll, mommy!" or "That super nintendo game!" and it would be an awesome Christmas. Now I end up saying "No, mom, it's expensive, I don't want you to buy me a camera because you don't know the brands." It's hilarious to me. We all work really hard and tear our hair to figure out what each person wants. It's fun. I love this and somehow my older brother always always figures out what I want and buys it and then I cherish it for years. Case and point. One year my brother bought me a sandisk mp3, that year the hardrive failed because I was using it so much so we got it replaced. I still have the shell of that sandisk in my room. 2 years later he bought me a samsung mp3 player which kick started my love for samsung so I pretty much have everything samsung.

Then there's the memories. Where each year I have terrible birthdays, I always have amazing Christmases that I can recall for years to come. I could tell stories all night, but then I think I would crash blogger and then where would I be?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!