For the record, I can't even begin to communicate how strange my life is these days. I'm stumbling upon enough material to generate an almost excellent B-movie script, or at the very least, a film fit for the Lifetime Movie Network.

On the other hand, maybe it's just that most people I know are simultaneously losing their minds in coincidental conjunction to the downfall of the American economy. Either way, it's enough to keep one up at night, despite embracing the likes of sleep aids such as Ambien. (Did you know that if you can manage to stay awake past the initial couple hours, you can pull a convincing portrayal of Westley's mostly-dead limbs scene from The Princess Bride? Si, friends, though I don't necessarily recommend it.)

Last night, I was cursed--errr, blessed--enough to happen upon the likes of radio personality Delilah not once, but THREE times over the course of my drive back to my dear alma mater and now-graduate school campus. Never have I been more overjoyed to find myself listening to 80s swoony Christmas beats and recipes I'd never even make for the bully at St. Francis Elementary. And seriously? Who would ever dedicate Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas" to his wife? That's just poor taste, friends.

Speaking of poor taste...I know I'm definitely not the first to mention the event in a blog-esque atmosphere, but I, too, cannot seem get over the Toys 'R Us gun-fight incident (or at least dismiss it without some comment)...as well as any of the unfortunate Black Friday mishaps this year around. Rumors of gang influences aside, I still think some parents watched this commercial one time too many back in the 80s, never letting the Peter Pan mentality escape them (disturbing when you think about determined shopper mentalities these days, really...though this commercial also seems to scream child molesters, eww):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8HMSf4O2FM ...During my aforementioned Delilah overdose, I was surprised to actually encounter TWO Toys 'R Us Jingles over the radio waves. In fact, by the end of the night, I had almost convinced myself that THIS was how it all went down in Palm Desert, based on the sudden cheery presence of said radio ads:
 
(Sad that wasn't really the way things worked, but maybe next year?)

Man, when I was a young sprite, moms used to just elbow each other for Cabbage Patch Kids or slipped their children a pack of gun to sneak ahead in the Beanie Baby lines, but real, actual violence? Never. I miss those days, in all seriousness, the days when Americans took pride in their poison-laden Asian plastic wares and didn't ask questions. Are people just more nuts now or are the toys just all the better? Who knows, really. (Then again, maybe the lead just finally got to us?)

Thankfully, my parents aren't all into that "Black Friday" scene anymore (like my Dad ever was?). Instead, my mother obsesses about transforming our home into a winter wonderland/Christmas paradise. The tradition carries far into the weekend, trees emerging in every room, lights and greenery and beloved Santas appearing right and left. And my job enlistment was simple thus far: decorate the "kid" tree. (Yes, there are now so many ornaments that my mother has designated rooms for the various genres therein. Sounds crazy, but when you have as many relatives over for Christmas Eve as we do, the extra Christmas cheer definitely comes in handy. Then again, her father did decorate store-shop windows for a living, so it's a bit of a way to carry on Grandpa B.'s love in a sense.)

Now, granted, I was decently proud of my tree in the dining room, but was it worth multiple praises from my mother? Here is the preliminary result, prior to proper dressing at its base, etc.:
 

I mean, truthfully, I got more pats on the back consecutively for that tree from my mother than when I earned two bachelors degrees. Oh well, I'm sure she was just grateful to have the help? But really, besides loading down the same branches with multiple ornaments or leaving one side completely bare/uneven, is it actually possible to mess up a Christmas tree? I guess it's one of those questions to which I'll never really know the answer. (Nah, I take that back...I seem to recall actually seeing some pretty terrible Christmas tree decorating jobs done in my day...)

Mom's tree was pretty lovely though, I do have to say...although I did recommend and find said ornaments which did ultimately make the final cut, heh (perhaps I should just quit school and decorate trees for a living?):
 

Christmas decorations aside, I greatly look forward to the upcoming holiday. Armed with the goods and tools to prepare a number of Christmas treats and chipping away at my purchasing lists, the snow outside my window is enough to keep my spirits floating me through these last two weeks of the semester. (I can already taste the mulled cider and Christmas candies, so that helps, too.) My treasured Pandora Jazz Holidays Station (highly recommend if such fits your taste) will also be an immense asset during those especially late nights yet to be had, especially when it plays almost exclusively Vince Guaraldi Trio bits from "Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits" (Oh, you know you love it!). 

And if nothing else, I get to look forward to my supposed first exposure to an illustrious "Turducken," courtesy of my cousin Matt's lovely new wife. Has anyone ever had one? Should I be excited for totally afraid? I mean...it's a chicken...inside of a duck...inside of a turkey, which at least thankfully is not THIS (that's a link which tosses BACON into the mix as well, by the way...yeah...).

On that note, I suppose it's time now to go make it a productive day. 11 Days until my beloved month of freedom. Godspeed, friends. Hope you all had savory Thanksgivings.