Every Christmas it seems as if I get the same response from people, “What? You get the entire week off between now and New Year’s?! You’re so lucky!”

The problem is, when you’re in a city with no friends or family nearby, it’s moot. Sure I can sleep in, but I’ve spent the past few days doing things that don’t exactly add up to a quality vacation.

1. Sweet Cream Almonds by Pretzelphoria - My mother is partial to giving me these as gifts. I wish she wouldn’t. Because I have to hide from The Wife the fact that I’ve consumed them in a few short hours. They’re CRACK. And now I have a sugar hangover…
2. This Ain’t A Scene It’s An Arms Race video - Again, Fall Out Boy. I’m going to end up sounding like a pre-teen fanboy. But for some reason I find this video quite interesting. The boys do a send-up of their past year, being fakish media whores who parody other bands/cliches in the pop emo movement. In the end they find themselves back at their roots. Awww…
3. Warm(er) weather to wash a car - When I was unmarried and living 100 miles away from The Pre-Wife, taking care of my car was a big part of my life. I found detailing a kind of zen thing. But since having a house, I’ve found no time whatsoever for this. Luckily, with no work this week I was able to take a slice of the high-50s weather and give it a respectable double bath.
4. Blurb.com - I took some time and designed/printed our wedding album for my parents Christmas gifts. After searching a few on-demand printers I settled with Blurb. And although the software is idiot-proof enough to give a designer wishing for more control a headache, the final product was prompt and professional. If my mother’s reaction was the scorecard, Blurb did a good job.
5. Everything about home - The friends, the homecooked food, the ‘rents. It’s always nice to go home if but just for a bit. I miss all of it, except the bed. Nothing can replace my current bed.

Next year I’ll get the same quick retorts from people as I have for the past five. Hopefully though I’ll have more planned than running, painting the basement and making dough. Because that just makes me seem like a depressed Martha Stewart.