NOOOOOO! (Darth Vader Emphasis)

I just found out that Three Olives Vodka has discontinued their chocolate flavor!! Terrible! Horrible! I'm so SAD!!!

Oh, and I made it home, but, so far, my luggage hasn't.

I did pretty good!

Well, it's the day after Christmas, which means it's time to go back over my loot. I got some lovely stuff. which I really hope I'll be able to fit into my suitcase!

Let's start with the biggest surprise. You know how you want something, but it costs way too much so you know you'll never get it? Well, I hinted for something almost as a joke -- sure, I wanted it, but I knew no one would ever get it for me. It's primary purpose was basically something to yearn for from afar. Well...my sister actually got it for me, which just about shocked me into silence (an unheard-of event!) before I decided it's my fave present for the year.




Seriously, this thing has about a thousand little pieces. It's going to be a total hoot to put together -- basically a 3D puzzle with stickers and little Lego heads. Of course, it doesn't fit in the suitcase, so it looks like I'll have to check the bag (I usually carry-on, but what the hell?) and put this in the overhead compartment.

A+ on the coolness rating.

In the more adult catagory, I hinted very strongly for those mondo-cool accessories that fit on the Kitchen Aid stand mixer. In particular, I wanted the pasta maker attachments, because I used to have a pasta machine, but the motor burned out fairly quickly. The idea with the mixer attachments is really sensible. If you have one of these babies:

...then you've got a super-strong motor in your kitchen (mine's 350 watts) that can be put to multiple uses. So they have meat grinders and veggie choppers and sausage stuffers. But I wanted the pasta ones, and I got them! Neato. :-)

They're super-heavy! So I'll definitely be checking my suitcase, Lego's or not.

My mom and my sister also got me some clothes. And I got a box of 72 10-hour lavender candles (I love lavender) and some lavender blotting papers, and a little apetizer cookbook. My dad got me a kick-ass abalone and sterling bracelet from ColdwaterCreek.

So, not a bad haul, eh? I also got some candy and nuts from a friend, and a shawl from another friend, and a really cute jingle-bell ornament from another. I got free cat-sitting from another.

And, I have to admit, even better, people seem to like the things I got for them -- Webkinz and Ninendo games for the nieces. Mug warmers and a wireless mouse for Dad. Needlepoint kits and a huge sudoku book for Mom, and Sister actually seems to like the hat I knitted for her. Maybe I can get a pic of that up later.

People like to complain that Christmas is too commercial, and it's not right that material gifts should be so central to a Christian holiday, but I kinda think they're missing the point. It's difficult to tell people how you feel about them. Gifts are a great way to show that you're paying attention to what they do, what they think about, what they like. If gifts weren't so important, we wouldn't stress about them so much. And when you enjoy presents, you think about the person who gave them to you.

So it's with more than material concerns that I can say for Christmas 2007, Santa was very good to me!

Tea & Zen

The Zen master Hakuin used to tell his students about an old woman who owned a tea shop in the village. She was skilled in the tea ceremony, Hakuin said, and her understanding of Zen was superb. Many students wondered about this and went to the village themselves to check her out. Whenever the old woman saw them coming, she could tell immediately whether they had come to experience the tea, or to probe her grasp of Zen. Those wanting tea she served graciously. For the others wanting to learn about her Zen knowledge, she hid until they approached her door and then attacked them with a fire poker. Only one out of ten managed to escape her beating.