WE FORGOT THE PRESENTS

So, today we drove for a couple hours to get to a family Christmas.

Just as we were pulling into town, my parents realized they forgot to pack the most crucial bag: the bag with all the presents.

It was mostly quiet and cheery before the realization came to my step mom: WE FORGOT THE PRESENTS.

Panic and fear arose on my step mother's face as she frantically babbled some ideas on what to do.
Should we turn around right now and head back to get the presents? ( oh yay...four more hours in the car...joy)
Should we just mail the presents later? (sure we look bad for a bit...but sure)
Should we go to Shopko and buy some presents real fast? (FAIL)

I was sure we would have to drive home to get them.

I mumbled something about Christmas not being all about the presents and that they might understand that we forgot them.

That was kind of acknowledged but then ignored and the talk went back to what on earth we were going to do about the present ordeal. "We need to have some sort of presents!"

My dad said something about dropping us off and then driving back home himself to get the presents. My step mom decided that wasn't a good idea and that it wasn't worth it. So I wiped my brow and gave thanks that we weren't driving all the way back home.

In the end, they decided that dad would go and buy close to what we already got for the family at the local mall...and then just return the gifts we had at home.

oh fun. Dad also needed a volunteer to come along. My step mom was like "me me pick me!" but my dad was like "no no you need to spend time with your family". So I went along the shopping adventure. In the meantime, my step mom would distract the family and not mention that we forgot the presents. My brother and sister would just kinda...chill. I wonder how that went?

So here we are...in a town neither of us really know...trying to find where the mall was. We found it! Huzzah! We get out of the van, run through a bunch of slush and into the mall. We look at the mall map. Games by James! Yay...one present will be found there and on the opposite side of the mall...Bath and Body Works. Ok! We'll find another present there. We go to the stores, buy the presents and head to the walmart to find toys, wrapping paper, scissors and tape. We get a frantic call. "Are you done yet?". No no. Chill out we've only been gone for a half an hour.

Oh no! They did not have the toy we were looking for at walmart....kids like legos right? Can't go wrong with that.

There was no Christmas wrapping paper...the cheap, insanely neon green wrapping paper was the best we could get that was even remotely christmas-y. It was...distracting.

Buy stuff. Run out of walmart. I attempted to wrap the presents in the backseat. I kinda failed and I could only wrap one. We suspiciously parked a block away from the house and my dad helped me wrap the remaining presents.

We finish and drive to the house and pretend as though we just went...to get gas? Then we got distracted by music and food? Lame story, but it's all we had.

Hooray Christmas is saved.

~AM

Christmas...kind of?

This Christmas did not feel like Christmas to me. Everything was just...different than it normally is.

I started off Christmas by watching the "Blackadder Christmas Carol". If you don't know what Blackadder is, well... it's British. It's got Hugh Laurie (Dr. House) in it. It makes me happy.

So I didn't get to sleep till 2ish because I was also listening to some Beatles songs and stuff and I just couldn't sleep. I think too much about...things that I care about.

Anywho, I woke up early-ish and decided to start off Christmas morning with something that couldn't possibly go wrong: a shower.

Then I found out that Mythbusters had a marathon all day. Too bad I don't have the Discovery Channel. roar.

Christmas this year was different because a lot of my family didn't come. They didn't want to risk their lives and drive a lot to see us...which is understandable. That's cool.

For the past...forever, we have always gone to my great aunt's house in Winona for Christmas. For the very first time in the history of forever, that did not happen. Everybody (except my dad who quoted "if it was my decision...we would have just gone!")thought it would be best if we didn't make the trip to Winona. So...SURPRISE! the people who lived in town came over to my house.

The biggest meal was always lunch...but we didn't have anything planned because all the food was kinda in Winona. My dad basically told everyone to just find something to eat before the family all came over. So I found myself enjoying leftover mac n' cheese and pizza rolls for my "big" Christmas lunch. It was delicious.

There was still an hour to kill before people came over so I ended up watching Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series. Enjoyable indeed.

Then people came over...I hid and played the piano in the basement for a while...ate lots of sugar cookies...yep.

Then I went over to another house in town for the other side of the family. We had lasagna. More delicious...but I was sick from eating lots of cookies. Oops.

There was a squabble about who had more pain than who and blah blah blah. Nothing out of the ordinary. Overall it was an unusually alright evening. Nobody cried so....that means it was good.

By the end of the night though I felt very very guilty because sometimes people decide to guilt you about things. Christmas isn't Christmas unless you feel guilty at some point right? :-/

I went to Crazytown though and things went well there. We had a laser party and made fun of people on HGTV.

Overall, today was just weird. That's about all I can say about it.

~AM

Interference

For old time's sake, I'm going to have one of my personalities entertain you...



Why hello there. It's been quite some time since my last public appearance. I, The Werewolf, would like to take a moment and talk to you about something that's been on my mind.

Diabolical plans.

To form the ultimate goal of your diabolical plan is easy; it's the actual planning and carrying out the plans where things get all muddled up. Oh not by me. It's not my fault my plans get all muddled up. I am fully capable of reaching the goal of my diabolical plan. It's just that other people get in the way.

What you say? You're telling me that I should have taken these unforeseen events into account during my planning process? I'm a werewolf....not a seer. These are two different things. One is all hairy, creepy looking and growls and stuff...the other is a werewolf.

Anyways, my diabolical plan is currently underway. Unfortunately, I have hit some road blocks. There are possible ways around these road blocks, but who am I kidding? If you had to choose between two things that were pretty much the same except one was adorable and the other was beautiful, you'd probably pick the beautiful one right?

Anyways, this is a warning to all those who wish to interfere with my diabolical plans: DON'T DO IT. No one interferes with my plans...NO ONE.

You think all this diabolical planning is easy? Well it's not. Especially when people interfere with it. Not only does it mess up your plans, it also makes your self-esteem not so good. You'd think a Werewolf would be able to succeed in the diabolical planning department.

The truth is, I'm all bark with no bite. ahaaaa. Funny saying, I know.

Seriously though, I can't do much about the people interfering with my plans. I just growl in my sleep and shake my paw at them as I helplessly watch my diabolical plan go to ruins.

rrrrrr

~The Werewolf

Well that was fun. I hope to never have to do that again. Hopefully I can keep my personalities in check.

Don't worry I'll have a Christmas issue telling of all the "fun" that ensues.

~AM

We think you're a joke, shove your hope where it don't shine

Some lyrics to some songs are just humourous.

Then they get stuck in your head. You start singing along because it's so darn catchy. People look at you all weird because you listen to not so mainstream music but you're all like "f(SHE SAID A BAD WORD!)you...I like finding quirky music."

I actually look for music. I don't let the radio decide for me what I like.

So go ahead and laugh at my musical tastes. You're just jealous because I have an endless supply of music to make me happy because I have an open mind.

What, did I hurt your feelings? Go cry in a corner and listen to Lady Gaga and whatever else you crazy kids listen to these days.

I had the potential to like Lady Gaga. But I don't. Maybe I can't like her because everyone likes her. I dunno. That, or she just really freaks me out and her songs are repetitive.

Now to use my power (hahahahaha) and supply you with a name of some random unknown artist so that they might one day become famous! Ann Driscoll.

~AM

3 things that bother me

Materialism

Materialistic people get on my nerves at times. I'm a pretty tolerant person, but it just bugs me that people don't get what this life is about. They think everything is about how much stuff they can acquire. They constantly talk about all the stuff that they "need" (in reality, it is most likely a "want" item, not a necessity). They constantly buy stuff all the time because they think that's what they need to be happy. They flaunt the items they have. They buy huge houses. They shut themselves up with all of their stuff and think that they will be happy.

It's not about things. It's about people. You know, human emotion? I don't understand people who don't get that.

Don't get attached to worldly possessions. Is your Ipod or Zune always going to be there in your time of need? What if it's batteries are dead?

All that stuff you're buying, you're just using up the world's resources faster.

Self-Centered People

These are the people who like to believe that the world revolves around them. Everything is about them. You have to do everything according to their schedule. People have to make compromises for them to live a comfortable life. They don't really think about how other people feel in a situation so much. they just do whatever and figure "eh, they'll just have to deal with it". Don't be surprised if these people make promises then fail to keep them without considering your feelings.

For example, usually when you say you're going to meet someone, you have two options right? You actually go see the person or if something comes up, you somehow communicate to them that you can't meet them right? Well for the self centered, there is a third option: never show up and never tell them that you aren't going to. So if you really want to piss someone off, tell them you're definitely going to see them, then don't go and see them because you feel tired, decide not to call the person to tell them that, make them wait for you for a few hours while you go home and sleep, wake up, realize that you didn't go meet this person and then don't call and apologize and just blow it off like it was nothing the next day.

Sorry that was a vent.

Then there are people like me who enable self-centered people to keep being that way and because we care about them so much. :-/

Just remember self-centered people, miraculously there is always someone you are being a major jerk to that still cares about you a lot. That's one dedicated friend.

Ignorance

Don't be ignorant please? I have very little tolerance for ignorant people. Stop judging people so much when you don't know them. Don't try to make everyone just like you. Don't assume. Don't generalize. We're all different. Stop picking apart people. Don't try to fix everyone. Try complementing people for once.

We all judge. I'm not a hypocrite. I try not to though because I know what it's like to be judged. We all know.

Not everyone is going to get along. I know that.

I'm just saying, don't be filled with so much ignorant hate.

That's all.

~AM

Songs you didn't know I liked

One Day I'll Fly Away- Nicole Kidman : this is one of those sappy inspirational sounding songs that I feel weird about liking. It also reminds me of Christmas?

Wake Up Little Susie-The Everly Brothers : This is seriously one of my favorite songs. It's adorable and catchy.

Miss You-The Rolling Stones : what? A Beatles fan liking a Rolling Stones song? BLASPHEMY.

Money Money Money-ABBA : Normally I think ABBA is a little too peppy....but I just wanna tiptoe cheesily about the room to this song like a robber in a silent movie.

Draw the Line-Aerosmith : Bet you didn't know I liked Aerosmith. They aren't always my style...but I love the bass line in this song.

Brass Monkey-Beastie Boys : This is REAL RAP.

Butterfly-Crazy Town : Speaking of rap-like things....

London Bridge-Fergie : Yeah I like me a little Fergie every once and a while....don't judge me.

The Lady is a Tramp-Frank Sinatra : I love his voice.

Jump in the Line-Harry Belafonte : Who doesn't like this song? I bet you don't own the CD like I do though.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love-Queen : I really like this song. Michael Buble had to go and sing it though and ruin it for me. Not a fan of Buble.

Dream Police-Cheap Trick : I'm just a sucker for this song. I don't know why I like it.

The Call of Ktulu-Metallica : Dude, I don't care what kind of band you think Metallica is....I was surprised to find that it was awesome. Give them a chance.

Under the Bridge-Red Hot Chili Peppers : I feel the emotion.

Yep.

~AM