I learned a few things this weekend.

1. Ben Stiller can still make a decent movie. Re: “Night at the Museum”. I’m not a huge Stiller fan, I think he’s a overrated in a lot of things, but I do like him in “Mystery Men” and in “Night at the Museum”. I thought “Meet the Parents” was the most uncomfortable movie ever and that “Something About Mary” wasn’t as funny as everyone said it was.
2. It’s fun to introduce people to new, delicious food that they haven’t had before, like Chicken Katsu and Jack n’ Jill Chiz Curls. It’s also fun to cook for people.
3. Dancing is fun when you have a partner who loves to dance. It even makes me want to dance more often and alcohol may not even be necessary.
4. I look pretty good in a dress. My hair doesn’t like to curl.
5. It’s amusing to see your co-workers drunk. Especially to see your boss tipsy and giggly.
6. Jack Daniels might secretly be veritaserum.
7. Sometimes when you are really really drunk, you will write silly letters and or emails and or say stuff you would not normally say. Is it good or bad? I don’t know. But usually it’s the truth about the situation and you pour your heart out because all of your defenses are down and your heart comes out onto your sleeve and and it feels good to just speak the truth when normally you hold things back. But you might be embarrassed about it the next day but you probably shouldn’t worry too much about it anyway.
8. I want to do another round robin story.

My company’s black tie New Year’s party was on Saturday and it was pretty awesome. The food was good, there was an open bar, I had a hot date, and I felt all pretty and grown up. I also spent the weekend with a super special person and we learned some new things about each other, had some really fun good times and enjoyed each other’s company. The new year is off to really awesome start, even though I was sick all weekend. Being sick comes second to having fun!

Spending Christmas in Vegas was much better than spending it at home, I must say. I took a lovely 40 minute walk down the strip (which, when you look at it on a map, everything seems so close together… and then you start to walk and you’re like… HEY! This is far! It took me 10-15 minutes just to walk past the Wynn alone! I’m not staying at the Sahara again, sheesh) and then I was treated to a very lovely gondola ride outside the Venetian with a certain someone who was in town at the same time as me. It was very beautiful and serene – the ride was right at dusk and the moon was out as well, making for a wonderful, romantic ride.

Later that night, after poking around in FAO Schwarz and then losing some money over at Caesar’s Palace, I discovered a little piano bar in the Paris hotel called “Napolean’s”. I listened to some dueling pianos and was pretty entertained (I even got to a hear a rendition of “Short People Ain’t Got No Reason To Live” which I’m sure someone I know out there will find amusing). The night was topped off with more drinking, more gambling, and some very tired feet. Monday I was pretty much tired all day, but I got a nice fill of some tasty cheap food (think $2.99 steak & eggs and later a $1 big basket of hot wings), watched “Big Elvis” perform, and of course, lost more money playing the Star Wars penny slots. That’s what you do in Vegas, though, isn’t it? I really wanted to go to the Star Trek experience since our hotel was right next to it, but my feet pretty much gave out on me. Next time I head out to Vegas, I’m going on the Star Trek thing. And I want to spring for tickets to check out Penn & Teller. Ohhhh yes.

It’s nice to be able to sleep and eat again like a normal person. Being healthy is good. Hope everyone else is healthy, happy and in good spirits for the holidays. I need to go pack! Luckily, packing does not take that long. I could probably even do it in the morning, depending on when I wake up.

Take care & happy holidays, everyone.

to the blog of “infections and diseases that mary gets”, because that’s what it seems to be turning into instead of a blog about my crafts (which, incidentally, I keep forgetting to take photos of). Guess what I have now? If you said, “Swollen Tonsils” then you win a prize! The prize is painful swallowing, a painful jaw, not being able to sleep, and overall general discomfort and whining. And I went to work all morning, that is, I was half asleep at my desk all morning. I’m surprised I didn’t just slump over and fall asleep, because believe me, I wanted to. Oh, please go away quickly. My doctor said if I am not feeling better by tommorow then I have to call him. I hope these drugs are freakin magical.

I have actually been doing crafty things, I just no take photos of these things. I did a little altered journal action for a friend of mine for Christmas. I got the journal from Target and it had a blue top and came with a pen and it also had an easily alterable surface. I tore a page out of some random book that was given to me just for the purposes of altering other things. I aged it with some brown and blue inks and put little phrases like “words”, “stories”, “tales” and such over it in stamped letters. I also tacked on a picture of three cute monkeys I found in another book (he loves monkeys) and a strip of red with some nice quotes on the bottom, plus a skeleton leaf. All mod-podged later with a sprinkle of glitter and viola! A personalized journal. Maybe I can get him to take a photo of it and put it on here later.

The Christmas spirit is poking its way into my life a little bit. There are pretty decorations up at work and we’re having one of those white elephant gift exchanges at work. I wasn’t too creative with mine, mostly because I didn’t want to venture into any sort of mall (I have successfully avoided the mall completely this year – YAY). Should be fun.

I will also be spending Christmas in Vegas this year with my folks! We’re finally doing something for Christmas instead of sitting around at home. None of our other relatives are here and we of course see each other all the time so being home for Christmas hasn’t been exciting since I was in college. So hellooooo sin city! I’ll be ready for you… right after my throat stops being all swollen and stupid. Dear god, I hope I can sleep soon.

PS – I am probably a little too excited about the Pirates Online game. Actually, I would also be excited if I could get any of my friends to play Pirates with me. I’m sounding geeky here.

It’s December 11th. I should probably “be in the Christmas spirit” by now, but I’m not. I didn’t make any Christmas cards this year, I’m not done shopping, I haven’t even bought cute gift wrap yet. What’s my deal? I have no idea. It doesn’t feel like Christmas to me, but I feel like I say that every year now. Maybe as I get older I less acknowledge the excitement of Christmas and acknowledge more the consumerism behind it all. But I follow the pack. I buy gifts for all of my friends but I try to buy unusal things that fit their likes and personalities. I like trying to find that one something special for each of my friends, whether it be a fun little thing or a handmade gift. It’s too late to start making Christmas cards now and I actually bought a box of cards. For shame! Can I still call myself a crafter after this? Yeah, probably. It’s just been an “off” season for me or something. I’m sure the crafting bug will hit again soon.

I read Georgy’s blog and I had to copy. Geez, even quizzes think I’m cute.