Quickly

1.) Tonight I joined the other ladies (mostly from the generation before mine) on my street for the annual cookie exchange. I'm tired. Somehow, even though I'm student teaching next semester, graduating in May, and then going on a trip to Israel, my life just isn't that interesting.  At least, it isn't interesting enough to hold a conversation with a neighbor for more than 3 minutes. It was a bit of a long night. The worst part is that it turned into some kind of emotional chastity disaster. Okay, I'm being somewhat dramatic. BUT, I really do think that if I were married and had kids the whole event would have been more enjoyable. Then, I would have had something to tell.

2.) Tomorrow morning I must complete the task that comes every year around this time. I have to take my younger brother Christmas shopping. I asked him where he wanted to go - he doesn't know. I asked what he needed to buy - he doesn't know. I asked who he needed to shop for - everyone. This should be fun.

3.) I'm so sick of hearing about/seeing flashes on T.V. of/running into magazine articles about Tiger Woods. I almost blogged about it. But then I realized that would just add to the madness. Instead, I will link to the author of a very good blog, who had this to say about the situation.

4.) My family and I had a small (and very, very annoying) argument about where to display the nativity scene. We have almost always put it under the Christmas tree. It's small statues have been knocked over and glued back together several times throughout the years. And it often makes the presents hard to access and place. These, however, where not the main reasons I wanted it displayed elsewhere this year. I thought it should go on top of the mantle. That way, people could have a better view of it and use it to stimulate reflection (gasp!) on the holy day for which we are preparing.  It started out as a friendly discussion between my mom and I. Then it escalated slightly when my dad and younger brother got involved. That was on Saturday afternoon, and as things currently stand, the nativity set is still packed away in a box downstairs.