I'm going to review the movie tomorrow, but Girl with a Pearl Earring is not a movie for those who need action in a movie. At all. As in, you need some caffeine to survive.

The homelife's been ok--the demo crew did a great job destroying the bathroom, and now the installation continues apace. They worked on Saturday and might work this Saturday as well, since they don't want to be working thru Christmas and I'm a little leery of letting them while I'm gone. (What can I say? One bitten, twice shy.) The house remains decidedly unfestive because it's hard to decorate a home with visquine hanging from all doorways. *sigh* My Christmas Card Project has halted mid-address; I started Dec 1 and still haven't mailed a single card. I don't know what happened...I just ran out of steam, or possibly the holiday spirit. I'm not sure. I just don't feel very filled with the spirit of the season, and it makes me more sad.

I want to be home with my family, I want to be where it's warm, I want to not be in the city, I want to not be at work, I want to sit at home in blessed silence with only the wind making the house talk while watching another spectacular winter sunset. I just need to breathe, and I can't do it here in with the masses.

Of course, this maudlin outlook doesn't bode well for me next week when I have my year-end review. For the first time, I don't dread my review because I know exactly what's going to be said and I agree thoroughly: I haven't worked up to my potential and I need to improve.

*whew*

It's been a hard year, with some major ups and downs, and I'm glad to know that I can weather them with my job security assured for once. Besides, aren't you always supposed to be improving yourself and your craft? I'm not proud of some of my choices (procrastination being the biggest one) but on the whole, it's been a good year. As we grow, I alternate between being horribly overworked and minorly underworked. Unfortunately, there's no middle ground. Hopefully with the new year will come an assistant (me! an assistant! wonders never cease) and an easing of paperwork, so I can focus on my other underdeveloped job function: interviewing. Scary thought. Very scary thought indeed.

Off to work on the aforementioned Holiday greeting cards. Maybe they'll be in the mail tomorrow! I think it's time to bond with Ralphy and Scut Ferkus and some more of that delicious Oberweiss Egg Nog. Yes, you need some. I drink mine out of martini glass, and find it quite satisfying. Try it out.

~~~~~

I'm sorry to report I will not be seeing the 12:01a viewing of Lord of the Rings #3. I had such high hopes after seeing the first 2 at midnight as well*, but I've heard the big hoohah that will be going down from 10:30-12, and it's nothing that I'll endure in silent good nature. In fact, I might let my inner snark out, and make a lot of enemies before finding my seat. I'll be catching a noon show instead, which is still ahead of 98% of the American public, so it's a partial-victory. I just can't do it with work and life being as it is. A four hour movie that ends appx 3.5 hours before I arrive at work?

Nah. I'm afraid my age is catching up with me.