Green Holidays (that don't include the Grinch)

I am feeling much more anxious and excited for the holidays this year. A few days ago I was not as anxious and much more stressed. But today, I started up my "Mariah Carey (Holiday)" station on my Pandora account and rocked out to some bitchin holiday-classic-remakes, all the while being blinded by the sun reflecting off the ice-covered trees and whatnot. Much like this:

Photo from msnbc.msn.com

I am done thinking of holiday shopping, decorating, gifting, etc. as chores. I'm grateful to be spending the holidays with the people I love and that is all that matters. (I mean, I also look forward to the inevitable xmas socks, expecially since almost every single sock I own has a hole or holes in it...) This year, the Grinch in me is gone.

Loving family and friends + new socks = Happy holidays.

I have come across many sites and blogs (and even email newsletters) advising me on how to keep my holidays green ;)

This one was my favorite:


For those of us who just don't drink enough canned beverages, try making your holiday giving season a little greener by supporting local artists and small business. It is a small thing you can do to give back to our environment. Why not make one less trip to the mall and instead, check out the giveHANDMADE! CRAFTSTRAVAGANZA? And while you're there, check out this chick. She's got something for every hard-to-buy-for giftees on your list.

What's that? You want to make your entire holiday (and life) green? Awesome, I bet Google can help you with that. Let's be friends.

winding down...

Have you ever felt like something is so close yet so far away?  The deadline for my paper is only 3 days away... yet the amount of work that needs to be done is going to make those 3 days feel like 3 months.  I don't know why I chose "months" but that seems like a long time.  Words cannot express how anxious I am for this course to be done and over with.  I am looking forward to Wednesday night when I will walk to my favorite building with the most luxurious high rise condos albany has to offer and... well... that's the best part about handing in this paper.  It will be like handing over responsibility....  I will not make any plans for Wednesday night and there is no need.  I will just BE there.  My life will be much less cluttered with books (thank goodness for book-buy-backs), papers, and thoughts.  Oh, how my mind is begging to have a focus.  Not just on one thing... maybe 3 or 4 things... but DEFINITELY not on the number of things that are crowding my brain right now.  I can't even count them.  I have always been a worrywart so I don't suspect that all of the stress will subside until I receive my grade.  I will definitely not be getting any A's... and that doesn't bother me.  But passing is a big worry this semester.  Like never before.  There is more silver lining to the end of this course than one can even imagine.