Ho, ho, holy crap...

How did it get to be December already? Does it feel like Christmastime to you?

I can't believe Thanksgiving was already more than a week ago. That was another lovely visit to my friend Cindy's family compound in SoCal, by the way. Yes, that WAS us at the Kohl's in Poway at 4 a.m. on Black Friday. There were hundreds of people waiting in line to get in before us, crazily enough. And that was us having burgers at the Red Robin at North County Fair at 9:30 a.m., too. And yes, I got my snow globe from Penney's this year; since we weren't there when the store opened, there was reason to be concerned that we'd miss out, but hooray, we didn't. It wouldn't be a proper Black Friday without those free snow globes!

And then, as I was returning home on Sunday, I ended up driving on a flat tire as I left the lot where I'd parked my car near the Oakland airport and had a delightful adventure trying to find a spot that felt safe to pull over while my tire was shredding on the freeway. At 11:15 p.m. In a not-so-great part of town. Luckily, Triple A wasn't very busy, so I didn't wait long for a tow truck to help me out. (No, I've never changed a tire, and I wasn't about to try to learn how at that hour in that location.)

So here we are, at the holidays again. And this year's a little weirder than most; my mom's not up for a trip out here, and doesn't want me to go to her place, so I'm completely on my own this season. That's a first in my adult life -- I've either had a husband or my mom and the person formerly known as my brother to spend the holidays with, even after my mom moved to Wisconsin eight years ago. This is partly why I've ended up traveling during so many holidays since then -- to keep the Holiday Lonelies away. (And to spend Christmas with my mom, of course. It doesn't seem right not to.)

The holidays can be the bane of a single person's existence... especially with those fucking jewelry commercials every five seconds. Gaah. (Then again, I remember that hideous last holiday season with the ex. I've never felt so lonely in my life as I did that Christmas.)

However, I'm finding I have several friends in the same situation this year, so we're working to put together alternative celebrations. One girlfriend and I are trying to see if we can find a spa experience on Christmas day. We're hoping that at least one hotel with a spa has at least limited hours on the big day. And we've just been invited to dinner at a major foodie co-worker's home, so that will be amazing. I think I'm spending Christmas Eve -- which for years has been a bigger deal in my family -- out at one of my fave neighborhood restaurants with the other orphans from work. So instead of feeling sorry for myself, I'm looking forward to these low-stress adventures.

But don't get me started on New Year's Eve.

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