Friday, January 4, 2008

Holidays 2007/2008 - A Novel

Ok. So, my intention was to go home for two weeks and fill my blog with lots of insightful and hilarious tidbits about my life, my family, the holidays, excursions, etc. But as it turned out, I failed! I don't know if I needed the break, or if it was my way of not dealing with the real stuff, that can be so easily shrugged off through its portrayal as the humurous happenings of my life. Either way, I am happy to report that my holiday break was monumental, happy, hard, and hilarious. Although hindsight makes it easier for my to see it with wisdom and light amusement, not to mention my alliteration in the previous sentence which rocks!

It started with some needed sleeping in, which was basically just one day, and then started the MAD DASH TO SEE EVERYONE I LOVE IN SEATTLE MULTIPLE TIMES extravaganza. So there were old neighborhood christmas parties, out for drinks with middle school peeps, and church on christmas eve that results in seeing everyone from your past that you want to see (huge smile) coupled of course with everyone you don't (awkward anxiety slash confidence cause I know I looked better than you! Neener!)

Then came Christmas 2007. And the theme, this year at least and only in my head, was East meets West. Its a continual struggle, more of a challenge that I have grown to enjoy, for me to balance the old school and new school mentalities of my 20 plus holiday gatherings. The preparation of the food/table/decorations/drinks by the women only, gasp, but no suprise in that world. The shuffling around of seeing and talking with everyone and presenting my life in portland as adult and appropriate (as well as the continual saga of keeping my boobs inside my dress). Attending to my alzheimer champion of a great grandmother, even if it requires me to pull out my social work notes from undergrad. All the while really being inspired by the yearly explanation of our East meets West partnership of my Polish Protestant Great grandfather and my Slovak Catholic Great grandmother (shocking for those panties in a twist people of the 1930's) - which resulted in our weird christmas eve feast. How many peices of pickled herring have you had so far kids!? Eat! Eat! And could you please pass the Braunschweiger and Havarti plate :)

Next on the agenda was Girls Christmas 2007! We dressed up, amaazingly classy but unique in each of our "oh that is so you" kind of ways, and enjoyed the equally classy Nutcracker. And in order to not let those skinny plum fairies show us up on the flexibility and grace scale, we partook in multiple games of equally pilates-esque activities, TWISTER with Champagne! 8 rounds, I do belive, of sheer picture taking, head up someone's ass, falling over in pajamas bliss!

In order to resurrect the Jesse - Taylor vacation tradition, we rented a cabin near plain washington! But plain it was not! Bad pun I know. Our three days there was corny and heartwearming yet practically an insane asylum at times. Vacationing with your divorced parents all the while trying to trudge through 3 feet of snow with no waterproof clothes whatsoever! Fun. Wet. and Plenty of excuses to drink hot chocolate and not exercise! Pictures, especially of our body suit fashions on snowmobiles, to come!

New Years was especially AWESOME. Lauren and I avoided the 'lets get wasted and yell over the ridiculous noise' outing choice, and opted for fun dinner and drinks and some major talk time on her bed. It ended in a fireworks show that was viewed through her condo window and the ridiculous procrastination talents of the TV version hosts, as the show did not go as planned. Way to let me down space needle! Jeez!

On a more serious note, I also feel as if this time of year lends itself towards "ending of an era" type notions, of which I try not to get sucked into too much since I'm wary of umbrella type comments and emotional proclamations (resolutions working out for everyone so far eh?), but it so happens that I am ending a 'thing' or a confusion or whatever. It's been an anxiety filled few days of true vulnerability, but I am proud to say that I have the answers I need. I can say truthfully that I was not the crazy one, and that really awesome people can pull of some impressively jerky behavior. C'est la vie I suppose. Unfortunately it really really hurts. Regardless of how silly I feel about it all.

And to put it all into perpsective, at least THIS is not my life. Hoorah!. A sign of this sometimes hard to grasp sanity comes in the form of really really being reading to go back to my life and job in portland, and finally putting the right nuts in the right recipes! Look ma, I'm all grown up!

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