To Scrooge or not to Scrooge

I've told stories about Christmas time that show just how un-Christmas-spirit-like people in general can get. Remembering stuff like the woman who pulled up on a curb to make her own parking spot, and the ungrateful terror of a child who made a fuss over a broken DS, along with the most recent woman who nearly T-boned me because she was determined to have a parking spot i had no interest in...made me rather ill tempered and turned me into a scrooge for many years. This year I'm trying to stay in a good frame of mind.

I pretty much have all my Christmas gifts planned out for family and Boyfriend Jon. Friends this year are getting cookies and other edible things because i need to be cheap. The girls i babysit, i have a rather amusing plan for them which i need to get their parents involved.

This year, I decided to do most of my shopping online to avoid the insane crush of anxious bodies in the stores. Venturing out seems to be too hazardous. Pretty much the only gift I'll have to go to the store for will be my dad. He hasn't been jokingly named "The princess and the pea" for nothing. So i'll actually need to feel that one before I buy it.

For a change this year, I'm not feeling a lot of Holiday stress. Just the normal "Ack! stuff to do!" kind of stress. Perhaps i'm still coming down off of the NaNo caffeine high, but I'm just not so worried about the holidays. Nope, my freaking out seems to be limited to the prospect that Boyfriend Jon's family will be meeting my family for the first time. Now not that that is something to be about. No rational reason for it, just normal instinct of: "(insert Darth Vader theme song here)"

Good, reassuring news, though: The opportunity at work I jumped on, proved very fruitful. Despite being cautioned by multiple people I just had an instinct that it would be a good idea to be anything BUT passive on.

Our lovely graphics designer at work unfortunately was temporarily laid off this summer and, for some corporate reason that makes no sense, my company couldn't hire her back on in time to do the annual calendar. When i found out that there most likely wasn't going to be a calendar, i got my gumption up and let the people in charge of the project know that I was sure i could do it. They took me up on my word we got to work. In a matter of a week and a half we finished and sent it off to the printers. The end result was amazing if i do say so myself.

This chance I took payed off very well in two ways. 1) I got the attention of the head honcho at my company for stepping up to the plate at the last minute as a pinch hitter and swinging a grand slam and 2) the people at my company now know what i'm capable of doing in graphics, which i actually enjoy. I've already been asked if i could help out with some other graphic based projects. YAY! Could this open more doors for me? I'm hopeful, but not depending on it.