Tuesday

*RANDOMOCITY ALERT!*

I received a welcome surprise early last week:

which was, I am delighted to say, from Jen A. To let me know how--and I quote--"superwonderful" I am. So all last week the view from my desk looked like this:

and a strong scent of lilies lingered in the 20-foot radius around my desk (through walls and everything), drawing curious people to my creative lair like an olfactic tractor beam.

Last Thursday was our work Christmas party--ironically on the second day of Hanukkah--and I normally try not to write about work, but since this is about a social work event, I don't really care. Unsolicited Party Planning Advice Part 1: If 200 people are expected to come to said event, provide 201 chairs in a room big enough for people to STILL WALK AROUND. Last year there were enough chairs, but not enough space so everyone stood. This year, there was plenty of space, but not enough chairs. Maybe next year will be juuuuuust right. Unsolicited Party Planning Advice Part Deux: labels for the buffet.

Afterwards, Jen A and I went out shopping for supplies to create a Yeti Ice Lair in the area leading to our offices for the door decorating contest at work. On the way to the store, we saw this on the back of an SUV:

It should be noted that the vehicle had two of those nativity scene stickers (that you can see all but baby Jesus in, in the bottom middle-ish) stuck on its expansive green rear hatch, one next to each tail light. Because one should always be symmetrical with one's nativity scene stickers.

Anyway, the Jesus fish thing: I was taken aback, as I have never seen a Jesus fish sticker quite like this one, which I could not get a clear picture of and have skillfully recreated in Illustrator for you:

It took me a while to realize that it must be a cross stuck through the fish and not, in fact, a sword, but I still do not know why the cross is stuck through the fish's head. And I have not been able to figure out what the acronym A.C.T.S. means either, so I have settled for pretending that it stands for the Latin translation of the Greek translation of the Aramaic translation of the French for "Spear Fishing for Jesus."

Over the weekend, I walked a 5K with Jen A, whom I love ALL THE MORE DEARLY for it, made a batch of peppermint bark and the most delicious no-bake cookie EVER, whose name I cannot remember, but it's from Canada (imagine that!) and starts with an N. I also got most of my Christmas shopping done from my living room, because I would like to keep my memories of Christmas shopping being a pleasant and fun experience rather than anxiety-filled, with me getting pushed and shoved and run over and cussed out by strangers and their wild CHILdren before they hoist themselves back into their Spear Fishing for Jesus SUVs. Presumably this is because I do not practice any Christian religion and therefore do not have Jesus to give me the superhuman egocentric strength that is obviously required when out in public at Christmastime. And yesterday I burned my tongue on chicken soup.

Meanwhile I found this lovely and witty image on my computer, one of many by Susan Mrosek, available on PonderingPool.com. And with that, I wish you a Happy Tuesday. (Whew!)