More presents, also new years

Alright, this looks like a good place for the divide.

If you’re just joining us, and you are, and wondering about the jump up to 11 posts for the month (not that that particular detail should surprise you), I wrote this long present related piece, chopped it in half, and there you go. So definitely check out the post before this to be caught up. Ah, and also the post before that and the post before that, since those two just went up yesterday in a sort of similar fashion.

I was given a bunch of stuff from residents at the condo I work at. 3 bottles of wine (of course I don’t drink, so those were immediately re-gifted to OTHER residents. SHH! But I kept the one bottle bag because it was nice and also as a reminder of the generosity itself). Along the same lines I was given a rockstar energy drink with vodka in it. Again, I don’t drink alcohol (or energy drinks for that matter) so I gave that away too.

A quick note: giving away all that alcohol wasn’t as easy as it sounds, I kind of agonized over what to do, just because I’ve never felt it was okay for me to get someone else alcohol if I don’t think it’s okay for me; it’s a habit I’d rather not encourage. Regardless I (uh, mostly) gave them all away to responsible parties, and that’s that.

One funny one was a card that read “To Guard” but also had a ten in it! I can live with being called “Guard”. Ah, another quick note: yes, I did feel a little awkward getting all this stuff, and there’s more for me to mention, but nothings quite as weird as receiving actual cash. Ah well. I wonder what’s in that gift horse’s mouth?

I got chocolates and a card from this one girl, and a cool Green Lantern wallet and raccoon figure (in recollection of the time I watched over that raccoon for the night) from this OTHER girl who in fact has the same name as the first. Coincidental.

I got Lindt chocolates (I think that’s the name of the brand) from the management office, that had a card as well, that was nice, and in addition the secretary left me a $25 gift card to Tim Horton’s <- yeesh but that’s a lot!

Oh man, I also had some two bite brownies that had a Christmas themed frosting thing going on. Yes. Brownies with frosting. This was addressed to “the guards” plural, so I ate half and left the rest to the other guy. Okay, wait wait, I didn’t eat half, I actually shared with a bunch of people who came by- but only from my side! I didn’t offer up any of the other guy’s brownies.

This one family gave me a tin of these café cream chocolate stick things that were indeed mighty fine. I shared those as well, but at one point the guys visiting asked for another one, and when I reached in to grab him one… uh, I’d already eaten them all. Whoops. The way it was packaged inside the tin made it hard to gauge how many were left. Again, whoops.

Oh, and this same family gave me a panettone which I have yet to open up, but it’s just interesting that this is now the second panettone I’d been given within a weeks time, and before that I’d never heard of such a product. It’s like I’m not Italian or something (I’m not at all FYI).

I think that’s everything except for the super gloves I was given by this one lovely couple. I’d mentioned to them that I’d needed to get some gloves like a month ago, and I found a pair that, sure, made me look like a Dr. Seuss character, but still, gloves is gloves- but now I have some much nicer form fitting gloves. It’s sort of like going from Adam West to Christian Bale, from a costuming perspective. (Hey, don’t say anything against Adam West! I still stand by my assertion that he has the best handshake in the world!) Oh, also, the gloves were in this really cool sort of tiger striped box. Yay boxes! It’s unfortunate that they got my name wrong, addressing it to “Isaiah”.

If Isaiah comes around looking for his gloves, tell him to scram!

Huh, well, I guess that’s that for 2011 posts. It’s funny to see a buddy of mine comment on the year that was over on the Facebook. It was just overwhelmingly positive and excited about what had gone on for him, and looking forward to next year. Whereas MY feelings about the year being over are pretty much the same as they’ve been for several years now. “Wow, I’m glad that’s over. Sure hope the next year goes better.” Sort of like exhausted defeat mixed with cautious (cautious!) optimism.

At least I succeeded in getting a handle on my finances this year. I had to become nocturnal and quasi narcoleptic to do that, but there it is. But at least I’m as popular as ever!... great, more bad news.