And I only have 23 excuses for not posting to this blog for the past two weeks. And trust me, I am not asking for your pity, just laying out the facts:
1) Special Issue Editing Madness November 24 through 26! I spent three days holed up in my editing dungeon, chained to my desk, frantically fixing squinting modifiers and dangling participles. (Yes, modifiers can squint. My fellow word nerds can go check out this Grammar Girl podcast to hear more.)
2) Thanksgiving Festivities November 27-30! I had one brother, one sister-in-law, and four cute kiddos staying at my house for four days straight. And yes I DID brave the Black Friday sales. One quick takeaway: never EVER go to Wal-Mart first.
3) Hosting a Fellow Scrapbooker December 1-4! The lovely and talented Lain Ehmann was in town for work last week, and she stayed with me. (Yay!) We were busy working and jetting around town.
4) Driving to California with Sister and Two Toddlers December 4-6! The moment I dropped Lain off at the airport, I headed home, packed a bag, and climbed into my sister's mini van to accompany her on a 12-hour drive back home to Southern California. My job: singing The Monkey Song, persuading the kids NOT to escape from their car seats, retrieving thrown objects, and doling out crackers and fruit snacks. (The funniest quote of the day? "Nostrils are like astronauts." ~Thomas, age 3.)
5) Visiting Emergency Room with Mom Who Had to Have an Actual Spinal Tap (false alarm) December 7! My mom may be the only human on the planet who had a spinal tap to diagnose a kidney infection. It's a very long story, and she's much better now, thank you very much.
6) Scrapbook Play Special Issue Handoff December 8! Jennafer, Wendy, Angie, Marin, and Carolyn in an office for 7 hours straight. Fun was had by all.
7) Two-Hour Meeting Followed by 5-Hour Meeting December 9! I learned that even extremely productive meetings exhaust me when they pass the 2-hour mark.
Excuses 8 through 23: My close family and friends (and I'm talking siblings, parents, an uncle, and very close friends here, not 5th cousins once removed) have dealt with the following in the past three weeks: two cancer diagnoses, two major surgeries, three minor surgeries, one meningitis scare, one spinal tap, one emergency room visit, one funeral, one anxiety attack (not me), two stressful job changes (not me), and one enormous cold sore (me). Now, I'm not asking for pity here because I personally am fine (apart from the bran-muffin-sized cold sore on my upper lip), but I've (obviously) had to devote quite a lot of care and attention to my loved ones.
After all, it's the holidays, and aren't the holidays all about keeping loved ones close and trying your best to be a superwoman? I'm sure you can relate.
~Angie
Goodness sakes. I think you deserve a day off :) Plus the whole Superwoman this is highly overrated. P.S. Do you have snow in Utah? I so want to take my family to Utah someday to see the snow & go skiing. Where is the best place to go?
Posted by: Katie Scott | December 10, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Goodness - I think you're on that roller coaster ride my family *enjoyed* in 2007. Praying for you and your loved ones as you hold each other tight and enjoy the togetherness of the season!
Posted by: Judy in Huntsville [al] | December 10, 2008 at 01:26 PM
honey. you need a bath. a foot rub. a hug. and a lotta love. i am so sorry for your very very hard couple of weeks. i hope things get better. much better. and soon. very soon.
m.
Posted by: marnie | December 10, 2008 at 07:00 PM
Okay, I forgive you. :)
Posted by: cathy | December 11, 2008 at 08:37 AM
holy smokes, girl! maybe santa will give you a gift card to the spa...you deserve it! i hope things calm down a bit and that you and your family enjoy an uneventful (but wonderful) holiday.
Posted by: Aly D | December 11, 2008 at 03:46 PM
Angie, wow! You've been through the wringer these past weeks. I hope everything gets better for you and your loved ones really soon.
Posted by: Barb | December 11, 2008 at 05:53 PM
I'm exhausted just reading about it all...
Go soak in a nice hot bath you deserve it!
Posted by: Betty | December 11, 2008 at 06:43 PM
there you are...we were worried about you!! here's hoping all of your family is doing better...and that you get some much needed. well deserved rest. =)
Posted by: Nicole | December 11, 2008 at 08:12 PM
Geez, Angie! What a crazy time for you and your family. Love and prayers with you all.
Posted by: Tina | December 11, 2008 at 08:44 PM
Angie,
All is forgiven - now go soak in the tub, turn on your favorite tunes & relax for awhile. I think you have totally earned yourself some 'downtime'.
I am glad your family is okay - relatively speaking. Hang in there.
Holly :-)
Posted by: Holly A. Moss | December 11, 2008 at 11:15 PM
My goodness! I agree with everyone else...a day of pampering is definitely in order!!
Posted by: elizabeth rosemond | December 12, 2008 at 12:58 AM
My goodness! I agree with everyone else...a day of pampering is definitely in order!!
Posted by: elizabeth rosemond | December 12, 2008 at 01:03 AM
Angie - That is so much more than one person should be handed at once but I'm so glad the worst of it for you is a cold sore. Hope your well deserved week off last week had some calm in it if not have a weekend of nothing starting tomorrow!
Posted by: MonicaMcNeill | December 12, 2008 at 02:17 AM
goodness! you deserve a break for christmas! glad to hear you survived the month.
Posted by: Candice | December 13, 2008 at 08:32 PM