The Best is Yet to Come

This holiday season has been very interesting for me, indeed. Mainly in that the material side of the holiday is something I’ve pretty much avoided and ignored, whereas I’ve embraced the spiritual side of it much more.

The gifts I’ve received were very nice, but it just doesn’t really matter……the simple fact that I was able to spend it with the people who matter most to me and just enjoy being with them is what has made my holiday joyous and bright and is really the best present there could ever be.

I spent Christmas Eve with my nieces…took them shopping for their gifts - how refreshing that two young ladies of 10 and 12 had a hard time picking what they wanted, and not only that, never once begged for more than what they were given or whined about something they wanted but couldn’t get. Rather, these little angels decided to not even spend all of their Christmas money! They each ended up with a few dollars left over after deciding they didn’t want anything else….so they put it in their piggy banks instead of spending every last cent. Not only that, but when I saw something I liked, the little one said "Auntie, I’ll buy it for you!"…..that’s the kind of thing that just makes your heart melt.

Anyone who knows me is aware that I’m a music junkie……which includes Christmas music. The other odd thing this year is the way some of my Christmas music has really struck a chord. Most other years I tend to focus on the bubble-gum pop and trendy holiday tunes, but this year I just flipped past them and tended to focus on the songs with more meaning.

I was listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra on my way back down to Chicago from Wisconsin last night and one of my favorite songs started playing - what was weird is that I got goose bumps all over me from hearing it, and even started to get a little teary-eyed. Weird. Happened to be the last song I heard before I made it home….and it’s just one of those songs that really hit me this year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F3WJTictHA

In an old city bar
That is never too far
From the places that gather
The dreams that have been

In the safety of night
With its old neon light
It beckons to strangers
And they always come in

And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The music was low
And the night
Christmas Eve

And here was the danger
That even with strangers
Inside of this night
It’s easier to believe

Then the door opened wide
And a child came inside
That no one in the bar
Had seen there before

And he asked did we know
That outside in the snow
That someone was lost
Standing outside our door

Then the bartender gazed
Through the smoke and the haze

Through the window and ice
To a corner streetlight

Where standing alone
By a broken pay phone
Was a girl the child said
Could no longer get home

And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The bartender turned
And said , not that I care
But how would you know this?
The child said I’ve noticed
If one could be home
They’d be all ready there

Then the bartender came out from behind the bar
And in all of his life he was never that far
And he did something else that he thought no one saw
When he took all the cash from the register draw

Then he followed the child to the girl cross the street
And we watched from the bar as they started to speak
Then he called for a cab and he said J.F.K.
Put the girl in the cab and the cab drove away
And we saw in his hand
That the cash was all gone
From the light that she had
wished upon

If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last

By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger

And to know who needs help
You need only just ask

Then he looked for the child
But the child wasn’t there
Just the wind and the snow
Waltzing dreams through the air

So he walked back inside
Somehow different I think
For the rest of the night
No one paid for a drink

And the cynics will say
That some neighborhood kid
Wandered in on some bums
In the world where they hid

But they weren’t there
So they couldn’t see
By an old neon star
On that, night, Christmas Eve

When the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
And in case you should wonder
In case you should care

Why we’re on our own
Never went home
On that night of all nights
We were already there

Then all at once inside that night
He saw it all so clear
The answer that he sought so long
Had always been so near

It’s every gift that someone gives
Expecting nothing back
It’s every kindness that we do
Each simple little act

Mondays and blondes just don’t mix all that well….enjoy a good laugh on me:

*get a text from my favorite man, he has a few hours to spare for a couple drinks and dinner

*I make myself all pretty and leave work - just taking my purse and leaving my brief-bag at the office so as not to deal with carrying it

*Get quite buzzed on 3 jack and cokes and some of his beer…..I’m a very good beer pourer, by the way - also halfway molesting same man in the bar, but that’s another story

*say goodnight because he has more work to do (yes, dating a workaholic can be VERY rough!!!!)

*get on the train to go home…..he usually takes me home, but I took the train instead tonight - took the 9:40 train

*I’m chatting with my GF trying to remember which train station I left my car at in the morning

…….and the story continues….but here’s where the blonde hair is completely apparent:

*while I’m on the phone I go to look for my keys, realizing they are IN MY BRIEF BAG - which is IN MY OFFICE!!!!!

*can’t decide whether or not to take the train home and hope someone will let me in my building after walking the half mile home OR get off the train and take the next train BACK into the city

*ha ha - you thought I went home, didn’t you??? Nope, got off the train in a not so good part of town (called Abe, he did NOT answer!!! - just didn’t want to be hanging out there alone and wanted company on the phone)

*wait a half an hour for the next train at 10:16 - hop on and ask the train guy if it’s the same train that is turning around and going BACK to my train station - by this time I’d determined where I’d parked my car in the morning - he says YES - but the train is leaving at 10:40 - which gives me TWELVE minutes to get off the train, run through the train station across the street, into my building, past security and up to the 15th floor……and into my desk to get my keys

———————ok, here’s where it gets even BETTER————–

Um, yeah, did I mention that I looked super cute in my black sweater, black cropped pants and THREE INCH HEELED boots??????

* I get off the train at 10:28 and haul ass in my heels through the train station, across the street, swipe my badge in at security and get up to my floor

*swipe my badge at the door - it DOESN’T WORK!!!!!! Shit, what to do…..

*Run back to elevator, go down to security…tell them my train leaves in SIX minutes and I NEED to get up to my floor and get my keys or I will have to wait for the next train which isn’t for another TWO hours!!!!

*Finally, the security guard agrees to let me up - I think the tears may have had something to do with it……I go back up to the 15th floor, run to my desk, unlock my drawer and grab my keys, lock my drawer back up and run back to the elevator

*They kindly say I can go out the side door instead of the long way around

*I, being the complete blonde I am, think they have opened a door and go to run through it

*Oh no, that was NOT a door. It was a glass wall. Ouch. (remember, I’m VERY buzzed from the booze still - and blonde) - thank god my hands hit first, which is why I now have bruised knuckles, cuz, yeah, I was RUNNING!!!

*Laughed out loud, said "yeah, I did just do that" and looked to the right to the ACTUAL door and went out (that has to be some damn funny security footage!)

*run across the street, still in heels, into the train station - look up and see the clock says 10:39:31……..holy heck!!!!

*get to the train…ALL of the doors are closed!!!!!! Except one. Where the conductor who knew I was coming was waiting for me.

*got on the train, collapsed, called my GF’s to let them know I made it and proceeded to laugh my ass off.

Got home about 11:15…….peeled off my clothes and climbed into bed.

Weird, I only do this stuff when I’m thinking about a certain someone. I was texting him when I locked my keys in my car two weeks ago. LOL.

The drinks were good..Jack and Diet Coke, but at this particular establishment, they seem to always forget the soda with the Jack. I was pretty tipsy after three, but after having the beer on top of that? Downright stupid. LOL He thinks my low tolerance is quite funny….I just tell him I’m a cheap date. LD

I adore that man, but damn, he definitely muddles my already blonde brain. And he is now also laughing at me because I just told him about the whole thing….when he oh-so-politely reminded me that he did, indeed, ask me last night how many walls I’d walked into yesterday - and at that point the answer was still none. Little did I know…….

Yeehaw! I’m all hyper and happy and back to my normal Heather self again. PMS sucks.

Moving our office around today so it’s about to become massive cubicle chaos and I shall be without a PC for a few hours !!!!! What on earth shall I do?

And Thank God It’s Friday!!!!! Yay!!!!!! A whole weekend at home without going to Wisconsin, I’m looking forward to getting some holiday tasks done and just relaxing.

Oh, here it comes

Well, train, train, take me on out of this town
Train, train, Lord, take me on out of this town
Well, that man I’m in love with, Lord, he can’t be found

Well, leavin’ here, I’m just a raggedy hobo
Lord, I’m leaving here, I’m just a raggedy hobo
Well, that man that I’m in love with, Lord, he’s got to go

Well, goodbye pretty mama, get yourself a money man
Goodbye, pretty mama, Lord, get yourself a money man
You take that midnight train to Memphis
Lord, leave me if you can
Oh, take that midnight train to Memphis
Lord, leave me if you can
Oh, take that train, baby

I’m writing this blog from the train….choo-choo!!!! (and that song is one of my all time faves, btw - only fitting)

And I want to take whatever smelly shit the chick in front of me is eating and smash her face in it. Seriously.

I think I’ve developed a temporary anger management problem, by the way.

And yes, I know why I’m cranky….it’s all about the PMS. Thank god this only happens 4 times a year - aaahhhh, the miracle of modern medicine. That, and I’m also afflicted by the common female ailment of Putting up with Men’s Shit. Except I’m not sure if it’s shit or not. Ugh. Still working on those trust issues……..

Edit and Update: it’s not shit. Yay!!! It’s rough dating a workaholic - but I knew that when we started dating, so I can’t say I wasn’t warned.

Brrrrrrrr……………now, where the heck is that man? This is perfect snuggling weather! Just add a little bit of egg nog and a good movie and we’re set!

I’m loving this winter in my new place….the snow coats the branches on the tree that’s right next to my balcony and little icicles form on the railing. It’s perfect. Unfortunately, with all the rain we had yesterday, most of the snow from the weekend storm is gone! *cry* It was so pretty……oh well, I’m sure there will be more.

Looking forward to tonight’s workout…..it’s leg day, WOOHOO!!!!!!! Doing lighter weights with more reps, and of course, lots of cardio. I refuse to gain weight over the holidays, and so far I’m doing pretty well - I’m not about to mess that up.

Afternoon during the snowstorm:

Later that night…..playing in the snow in our swimsuits! Took Heather forever to figure out how to get my camera to work!

Funny,  I got her pic on the first shot.

Back in the hot tub to warm up with my nieces…

And enjoying some yummy snow! Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I ate snow.

My favorite girlies after getting showered and ready for bed…..