I am officially done with all my to dos for Christmas - cards went out, all presents bought and wrapped, tree is up, and tipped everyone in my building. After my big presentation on Mon then I am officially on vacation - looking forward to some sun, beach and family time.
After getting up at 3:00 AM to get a shuttle for an early flight, a flight delay once there that meant missing their connection, rebooking and just barely making their connection, my daughter and her boyfriend are currently somewhere over Canada on their way here. Only another 15 and 1/2 hours to go before I can give them big hugs. So excited!
The last load of six is in the washer. Yes folks, the kid came home from grad school with a car full of dirty laundry, a potted plant in bloom âSo you can enjoy the flowers, Mom!â, two laptops, p.j.s, one change of clean clothes, and a pair of U of X Mom and Dad mugs. 
Granted, three of these laundry loads were quilts, blankets, and giant fluffy comforter, but still. Big laundry day here!
Um. Your total is off by $2,018 because you counted the year as a donation. I know the campaign is running behind but I canât stop laughing.
Please start figuring this stuff out.
I hate Christmas. Too much stress and guilt ladled on and money being spent and trying to meet everyoneâs expectations. I love Thanksgiving: one meal, good wine, family together and lots of euchre afterwards.
Dumb is as dumb settles for.
You are a people pleaser and it is difficult to watch you.
You really shouldnât call yourselves a Reward Center since thereâs nothing remotely rewarding about dealing with you. I vote for âAggravation Centerâ instead.
Mom, I know youâre old and your thoughts get clouded at times but really, spending 10 minutes apologizing because you canât afford to send me a even a token Christmas gift (which Iâm totally fine with!) but followed by, âGuess what I bought your sister for Christmas this yearâ ???
Seriously, she named the mail order store and wanted me to guess what she ordered my sister for Christmas
Highjacking a thread is not only rude, but you probably wonât get the info youâre looking for . Start a new one.
Last flight just left, weâll head to the airport in an hour. Even though itâs evening here, I feel like a kid on Christmas morning! I donât need any other gifts.
Thank goodness for dear friends, more than one, who have taken the time and expense to plan Christmas parties today. They will be a welcome distraction. 
Oh, my goodness, sometimes moderating this site feels like babysitting. And Iâm talking about the adults, not the kids. 
There should be a whole ânother website for people who want to derail threads into yet another boring discussion of the difficulties of the non-discipline âpre-medâ or any discussion at all about prestige and rankings of any kind. We need to have a âYawnâ button.
I yearn for a day when âWhatâs the best way to figure out the best college match?â threads outnumber the âCan I get into an Ivy League?â threads.
My friend, named Steven, wants to get a PhD. When asked why, he responded with a serious face: âBecause when people ask me if I am a Steven with a âphâ, I can reply âno, a Steven with a phDâ.â
Done with the materialism of Christmas. This year we are doing a giving tree. Instead of buying each other hundreds ( yep, i think itâs that high) of gifts, we are buying a select few. The big gift is a family vacation. The other gift is what I am going to call the Spirit of Christmas. Each person in the family is donating money to a cause the other cares about. So far, we have the organization that saved my youngest from a rare crippling disease thru early detection ( big donation), a friend who takes an annual trip to Cuba to help people, a donation to a local STEM team that is underfunded, a donation to the VA ( for my Dad who is a Vet), a donation to the pet center where we adopted our dog, 8 donations to schools ( 3 high schools and 5 colleges we attended), a donation to Camp Smiles (helps kids with a deceased family member) and a few others. Itâs excessive I know, but in the right way. We have received so much over the years, itâs time to show our kids the value of giving back. I am writing the cards now. Having fun.
We drew names at the office again this year, despite the fact that none of us needs a darn thing. We make a wish list and receive something that is on our list. I suggested again that we use the money we would spend on each other to buy for an âangelâ (usually a kid in foster care) but once again we decided to do the same old thing, since one of us said that the gifts one buys for the âangelâ do not necessarily go to the intended kid. How do you know that? And what does it matter as long as it goes to a needy child? So, tomorrow Iâm off to buy something from my personâs list that she could pick out for herself and come closer to getting the color/pattern that she likes. Arghh.
You have let enough slip for me to know.
You are not the only expert in the field. There are many and they may or may not share your opinion. Acting as if yours is the only opinion that matters and is a universally accepted truth is a bit egocentric and closed minded.