Weird Christmas

I was watching the NFL Red Zone channel, the one that switches between every game going on, and it dawned on me: it's Saturday. And it's Christmas Eve. And I'm watching NFL games. There's a bit of a surreal feeling to the day (although this has happened before, of course). And for me, the holiday season itself has been unusual.

Normally I'd be trying to get through my stash of Christmas movies or TV shows (as listed here). This year, I haven't watched even one. The only Christmas shows I've watched were new holiday episodes of "Glee" and "Community." The "Community" episode was excellent, as it basically attacked "Glee" all night. I have listened to every bit of Christmas music in my iTunes, but that was in part because for the last week or so I've been taking my iPod to work and listening to music during the day. Having a job and a commute that's over an hour each way has really cut into my time. Besides the holiday TV problem, and the difficulty I've had in finding time to go to movies, I only added 12 new posts to the blog last month and just nine so far this month -- and a number of those are quick "post a picture and add a brief comment" posts. It's really frustrating.

I think I'd have an easier time if I had bought an iPad or other tablet PC, and gotten a 4G data plan to go with it, instead of the laptop I bought in September. That way my time on the bus and El (at least before it goes underground) could be more easily spent surfing the web, reading Twitter, etc., and that would allow me more time at night to blog and such. The more I think about it, the more I want to buy a tablet, but now I have this perfectly good laptop.

But I digress.
Yesterday we were allowed to leave work two hours early. After those years with Social Security where we got out four hours early, that was a bit of a disappointment. Still, it's better than nothing. And it's three-day weekends this week and next. So I just need to make the best of things.

And now, Mariah Carey found some helpers to present this Christmas message:



What I really need is a clip of Krusty the Clown ending his non-denominational holiday special with: "So, have a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, kwazy Kwanzaa, a tip-top Tet, and a solemn, dignified Ramadan. Now a word from MY god: our sponsor!"

Whatever you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful holiday, and if you read this blog regularly or semi-regularly or just now and then, thank you.

CHRISTMAS UPDATE: Usually the last thing I do before going to bed on Christmas Eve, after I bake my chocolate chip cookies (from my old Aunt Pillsbury's recipe) for the family dinner the next day, is turn off the TV and the lights, light a couple of candles and listen to Christmas music, either from the radio or my iPod.

Not last night. I fell asleep in front of the TV while watching "The Muppet Christmas Carol." I woke up once or twice, at some point turning off the TV, but otherwise I slept through the night in the living room. The weird Christmas continues.