This year as it was, this Holiday fell on a week day. I was working at a dance studio where I do admin and I noticed the day prior in a memo that if we had a costume and wanted to wear it, we were free to do so. Hmm, so for that day at work I was ever so comfortable in my Unicorn Onezie. I had a jar of skittles labeled "Wishes" that I handed out to students and I rather enjoyed myself. You see, I am always the cold one in the studio, having to wear 4 layers just to get through the day, so this was like Christmas had come early for me, even if for just one day!
Next up we have Thanksgiving. I have a special place in my heart for Thanksgiving. In my life it has always been the one holiday that EVERYONE comes together without agenda and EVERYONE is welcome. We take a moment (although we should do this on a daily basis when possible) to reflect and give thanks for the blessings in our lives. Some years it may be harder to find the blessing behind a sour wall, but give thanks nonetheless.
I had my first Orphan Thanksgiving in 2008 in LA. Most of us being transplants and scraping by without money to fly home we gathered our family of friends and cooked, laughed, drank, watched football and ate so much we dare move. It was the first time in a long time that I felt like I was truly a part of a family, and that I finally found the home where I belong.
I am thankful to be invited to Orphan Thanksgiving here on the East Coast and as I plan for this to be my final East Coast Holiday Season, I hope to make it count the most. I am ever so thankful for those who stuck through these last five years with me on what a crazy near-death roller coaster it has been.
As excited as I am for Christmas... I put up my tree already... Don't hate me! (People leave them up through January, I might as well put mine up a month or so in advance lol!) I have decided to limit my expenses. I did not even have my tree up last year and the prior year it was dressed minimally. So a few ornaments and some handmade snowflakes to put up around the apartment. I was thinking of getting an electric fireplace but I would rather put that money into the moving fund than add one more item to the ship/sell pile. So as the thermostat has plummeted I am hoping that my little space heater can battle it out for one more winter! I shake my head as I think about the predictions that the Farmer's Almanac have put out into the world for this Winter and it makes me cringe! Well if this is truly to be my last Winter, I guess I'll go out in a shivering bang!
Lastly when chatting about holidays I get very nostalgic. Although as single people do, we have relationships that have not worked out but this time of year brings back a lot of the good memories. Decorating, shopping for that person, the anticipation before they open the gifts you so thoughtfully picked out, waking up on Christmas morning, the music....the Togetherness. Hence my little meme above. I love my friends, and I am so thankful for my friends and yet I selfishly long for that little extra togetherness around this time of year. I just have to find all the ways to seek the positives and provide as much cheer as I can.
Now with the weather changes, I look forward to getting back in the writing saddle. I have a few goals for these next 365 days and finishing a few of those "Works in the Beginning" you see up in the header. I have a hidden Book that I started working on. It will only be available through the Search bar. Clues later once I get to a certain goal. I want to keep working on each book and hopefully by this time next year I will have all 4 completed and maybe a few surprises in between.
Thanks again for stopping by and I hope that you have enjoyed your time here.
Cheers,