I feel like this should be all about guns. But instead it’s gonna be all about Christmas. I really gotta get started on my shopping. Since Lisa isn’t in my life anymore, I don’t have to stress on not having a good enough gift. She should have just always taken advantage of my organizational and cleaning skills and had me come down the week before Christmas to get her house (and life) in order in years past. And no husband to buy for, and I don’t buy for JA, so I’m good there. But that still leaves my aunt, my cousin, Angela, and I always get Susan and Cynthia a little something. I’ll see them next week at the holiday meeting, so I need to be getting on that. I would be hunting Em something on Amazon so it will ship directly to her (by the time I posted this, it had arrived!) Fish brought me a bag of books and cookies last year, so I should really look for him something, too. Jake shouldn’t be expecting anything, but knowing him, he probably will. And I need to hunt some stuff for a better topper for my tree at home. That dilapidated bow is downright pathetic. Additionally, I’d like to have a new top or two for parties. Something red and sparkly, to match my personality 😘😁 You remember the horror that was TJ Maxx…

Obsession. It ain’t healthy. You can drive yourself crazy. The mind is so incredibly powerful, and self destructive. I will always claim the key is staying busy, but it’s also vital to protect your mind from negativity. Limit your exposure to harmful media, people, and situations to maintain a healthy mental space. I think a good walk outside can work wonders for clearing your head. Some people like to take a liberating drive, but I live in Sevier County, Tennessee, which is a tourist mecca and a den of terrible drivers from near and far. So a walk is a much safer option. I have certainly pounded the pavement around the office many times in the six and a half years I’ve worked here. And I’m better for it. I even walked it barefoot once. It’s a sure way to beat the blues. The madder you are, the harder you can stomp. And, best of all, it gives you new things to look at. Sometimes, when I’m feeling sorry for myself or thinking this is the lowest I can go, I’ll pass Jason zipping along in his wheelchair, calling out friendly greetings to all around. And I think, “Amy, you are so spoiled. And so ignorant.” Sam said when one of his sons was in the NICU with encephalitis, he’d be sitting there, despondent, wondering if he would pull through, but you&#8217…

December 1st. The first Sunday of Advent. I don’t have an Advent calendar, or even a wreath with candles. I don’t know that they’re all that popular anymore. Even the calendar seemed to have fallen out of favor until recent years. 80’s Christmas was all about gaudy bulb lights, tinsel and tinsel garland, and those plastic bubbly looking Santas. And Jell-o molds. Sean Dietrich’s daily column was lamenting the ignorance of the population on Advent candles. Welll… guilty here, too.I do observe the reason for the season, though. I have a nativity, front and center of the living room window. I never was a Santa fan. Even to this day, I prefer snowmen, reindeer, and penguins. I’m ok with gingerbread men. Nary a Santa or elf to be found here. My candles are red and crème. Anyway. To each their own. You will never believe what I got into. I had a variety of less taxing things I could have done today: go turn out cows at JA’s, go help Aunt Bren with her closet and decor, lay on the couch and read and bask in all the things I accomplished on this long weekend. Did I do any of those things? Nooooo. I took it upon myself to clean my cabinets. “But Amy, you just cleaned your cabinets!” Well, sort of. But no, not clean out. Clean the fronts. I don’t want talk about…