2006-12-20 - 2:08 p.m.

And the beat goes on...

I've had to build a bunch of Christmas presents this year. Everyone else I've talked to who is giving stuff that needs building is leaving it for the recipient to build but to me that's a little like saying, "here, here's half a gift. Let me know how it turns out."

So I've been a busy little elf.

One of the things I bought is this cute Bass CD Cabinet for the Bug. The description doesn't say that it comes in roughly 9 thousand pieces but it does.

It came in while I was sick and I put the whole thing together except that the little guitary part on the right side (the curve bit) was a problem. It's the second to last piece to go on and when I picked it up the little wood on the back that you screw through to attach it to the neck of the thing fell off in my hand.

I tried to reattach it with the nails that were in it and with glue but it just wouldn't hold.

I sent an email to the place where I got it and they were really sweet. I asked for just that part but they said they were sending me another entire cabinet and that I could just keep that one but they'd refund me for it and charge me again for the new one when they sent it.

Yay them.

I left the whole thing assembled in the corner of my living room figuring that when the new one came I'd just take the piece I needed and attach it.

Nope.

The new piece doesn't fit with the old one. I had to build it all over again.

Oh, and? They clearly rushed the new one out because it reaked of varnish. I left the box open on the porch for a week to air it out and then, night before last, attempted to build it. I figured it would take an hour tops because I'd already done it once so I knew what I was doing.

Wrong.

The varnish was still wet and sticking to everything. I built the entire thing and lo and behold, the last piece didn't fit. The entire thing is slightly off center with gaps in it. It's not my workmanship, it's how the pieces are built, there isn't enough room for one piece to fit into the next.

We're exchanging gifts tomorrow and he's going to get it as is, but I'm really disappointed in it.

That ended up taking me 4 hours night before last. I was supposed to put up the Christmas tree but after breathing in varnish fumes and breaking my back leaning over tiny little screws my heart just wasn't in it.

I had to get up super early yesterday for a doctor's appointment. Getting up super early means, for me at least, not really sleeping the night before because I keep myself awake all night thinking about how bad it sucks that I'm not getting any sleep.

So I got up early, went to the doctor, shopped my way to work because my mother can't find anything to give her sister which is naturally, my job.

I still found nothing for mom to give Emma but I did manage to pick up one of mom's gifts.

I worked all day, stopped on the way home for insulin and robitussin (bought the wrong one) then went home and ate dinner.

I took a half hour break to delight in the joy that is the I channel. For years now I've been wishing someone would bring back the show "Kate and Allie". I don't even remember what I liked so much about it, I just wanted to see it. Last night they had a Kate and Allie on so I watched and then went to the attic for the tree.

So my tree is up. I was straightening the branches when mom decided that these giant light bulb things needed blowing up so I blew those up and decided to drink a little water before going back to the tree.

I hate fixing the tree branches, by the way. Hate it.

It was about 11:30. I never saw the tree again. I passed out on the couch until 3AM when mom said she was going to bed.

I went to sleep at 11:30. How am I so tired?

I did go to a few stores on my way to work today but that was mostly returning because I had a realization when I went to bed last night.

I ususally go crazy buying mom tons of stuff for Christmas (most of which she neither wants or needs) in an attempt to give her a happy Christmas. I know she hasn't been able to get out to get me much this year and I know all of my gifts. I had gone and gotten her a few things but then got inspired and realized some other things she'd really want. When I started thinking about it last night I realized that I told her we'd only get a few things this year but I bought her quite a lot. Then it hit me, THAT would make her upset. The fact that she couldn't give to me as much as I give to her is what was making her Christmas lousy.

Because in the end it's so much more about what you're able to give than what you get.

So I returned some of the stuff that she may have said she liked but didn't really need. I'll give her the fun things and a few of the things I think she'll really enjoy but I'm not giving her box after box of things that will just make her feel more guilty with each opening. I can't believe I never realized this before.

I have another return to make on the way home today and I feel so much more like I'm giving her a gift when I return this stuff than I ever did when I was buying it.

I'm a strange little elf, but I'm doing my best.

So then, today at work the Evil Dr. Joe gave everyone their gifts which was of course the annual box of chocolate truffles. I don't actually enjoy truffles by and large, but it's the thought that counts and all that.

I had my students gifts and Scott's gift with me but not Joe's or Mark's. I figured as long as all of the students were here they might as well open them.

Gee. What a hit. EVeryone loved what they got so much, and Joe loved what I bought everyone else so much that he made them all go put them on (mostly hats and t-shirts) and then took a picture of them.

Yup, that felt like Christmas.

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