Christmas-brain time

I'm so ready for it.

Christmas brain is when the biggest things you have to think about are addressing cards, decorating, baking cookies, and wrapping presents. And you have time to watch silly/sappy/sentimental holiday programming on television.

(Stuff, like some of the Hallmark Channel movies, if they were set at a different time of year, or didn't contain the Christmas theme, I probably couldn't enjoy them. But somehow, the fact that they're "Christmas" makes me enjoy them and not be bothered by the sentiment that I know is designed to jerk my emotions in a particular direction).

I did watch most of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation last night (which is about as far from a Hallmark Christmas movie as you can get). Yes, it's pretty dumb and crude humor but it does have its funny moments, and there is kind of an underlying theme of "It's never going to be perfect so maybe you should just stop trying so hard and enjoy it instead."

(Also, I remember Cousin Eddie's line about what the metal plate in his head did every time his wife used the microwave, and how, the first time she saw the movie, my mom laughed for about five minutes over it)

I give one more exam today, then I can get my grades in and relax. Well, relax by trying to do the bit of research work I've not been able to get to. But at least there will be no more grading after this morning.

I hope to finish the Big Purple Thing tonight. And I also have to start planning on what projects to bring with me over break to work on - I'm thinking of taking at least Pocketses and the ostrich-plume lace shawl as bigger projects, but if I can fit the yarn for the Hagrid sweater in I would like to work on that as well. And of course there will have to be small things - socks and mitts and maybe a hat. And toys. I already have one in mind but I might take some other patterns and just use the odds and ends of yarn I have up there, or, failing that, make a run to the Michael's up there for toy yarn.

(Ooh. Maybe I could quickly knit up a soft ball for my niece. I bet she would like a soft light ball that is easy to throw. I could put it in her stocking. Maybe use a bright self-striping yarn for it.)

***

Things look a lot better than they did this time yesterday:

1. The missing take-home finals showed up (Well, they were already here - I just didn't see them, they got pushed way behind my door). The students in question passed the class.

2. My proofs are all corrected and the editor seems to be okay with how I did it, seeing as I didn't have the necessary software to do all the editing myself.

3. My home computer seems to be better than it was. I still suspect that it's on its way out, probably because of Fan Death (it seems to overheat more readily now), but at least I can use it for short periods of time until I get a new one.

4. My piano teacher sounds like she will be able to teach next semester. Last week it didn't sound so hopeful; she said it depended a great deal on whether she was still at her current job or not. Well, I guess that got straightened out because she made me some assignments and told me to call her in January when I get back.