About That Jolly Holiday Thing

I failed. It only took two weeks into the new year and I failed. It was going great, I was having fun, I was inspired, I was ready. Then I went to London for work. With 3 days notice. And I was going to be living there for 6 to 9 months. So things got really crazy really fast and I could barely get through every day much less find a reason to celebrate each day.

Now I'm not going to be living there for 6 to 9 months. And it's entirely my choice, my call, my decision. Because I didn't want to be there for an extended period of time. I didn't want to be away from home home in NC and home in DC and my family and my friends and my Tivo and my crafts and my perfect queen bed and my hot hot shower. I loved living there at 22 but I also hated it. It's so far away and I missed so much while I was gone.

By saying no, maybe I'm missing out on an adventure and maybe I'm missing out on a great career opportunity. But I don't think so. I feel so right about this.

I've been 30 for almost exactly one month. So I'm not pretending to suddenly be looking back at my 20s like they were so long away. Or like they were even that awful because, really, they weren't. Yet I know that 5 years ago, maybe even 1 year ago, I wouldn't have had the strength or confidence to say that I'm more important than my job.

In the words of Forrest Gump, that's all I have to say about that. I don't want to abandon Jolly Holiday entirely so I'll think of ways I can incorporate it while actually writing regularly again. I need to be writing regularly again.

January 15: Hat Day

If I don't wear a hat in the winter, within two minutes outside I feel like the inside of my ears are bleeding. It can take a good half hour for them to stop hurting. It's not pretty. Needless to say, I have a lot of hats. (I just started keeping them in my vintage Eastern Airlines bag my mom bought me a few years ago. My Poppy worked for them for many years and it makes me smile.)

So even though I wear a hat every day, to celebrate this day, I wore the very first hat I bought, either as a senior in high school or a freshman in college. It's an oldie but a goodie.

Wednesday Words

"Quiet people have the loudest minds."

-Stephen Hawking

January 14: Dress Up Your Pet Day

Confession: I don't hate when people dress their pets. I mean, I don't approve of tutus or glitter--even animals deserve some dignity--but I think a cute sweater or funny t-shirt is just adorable.

Our first Peanut had a red sweater with black diamonds on it. It even had a bit of a turtleneck. It was so cute. And a few years ago we bought second Peanut* a pink argyle sweater because she is a Southern girl, after all.

She also let me put a bow on her as a pretty necklace.

I couldn't find any pictures of Dimples dressed up, but she was terrified of the camera so that could be why.

Since Peanut girl is home in North Carolina and I can't really dress her up today, I thought I'd go for a little virtual dress up.

 

She'll be ready for the runways of Paris in no time.

*My sister gave first Peanut his name and when we got Peanut and Dimples they were already named. Out of respect for dear Peanut the First, we always refer to him in as Peanut One or First Peanut or Peanut the Magnificent.

January 13: Rubber Duckie Day

Conversation I had at work today:

Me: Do we still have that giant rubber duckie?
Her: I haven't seen it lately. I think [Name Redacted] may have taken it when he left. It might be on the other side though.
Me: Ok, I might look later. I'm not crazy, btw.

The point of this? We used to have a rather large rubber duck at the office. I planned on using him or her to celebrate this day, but my plan was dashed. Instead, I just took a listen to this lovely song that just has to make you smile.

January 12: Clean Off Your Desk Day

There's some dispute on the holiday sites as to whether this day is today or tomorrow. But since I cleaned my desk at home today, I'm saying it's today. Yay productivity!

Yes, that's clean. You should have seen it before.

January 11: Step In a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day

What an odd holiday. I love to joke with my friends as much as the next gal, but I'd never jump in a puddle and soak them. However, it did happen to rain alllll day today, and since I was out running errands in it in my awesome wellies, I thought I could jump in a puddle and splash someone else: me! I am my own friend, after all.

It's a puddle, I swear. It just didn't photograph well.

January 10: Bittersweet Chocolate Day

Chocolate is by far my most favorite food. Always has been, always will be. But it has to be milk chocolate. Dark or white chocolate shouldn't even bare the chocolate name. However, since today was bittersweet chocolate day, I took one for the Jolly Holiday team and took a bite of my cooking chocolate. Which may have gone bad since it didn't taste bitter, sweet, or like chocolate.

Later that night, I had a toffee chocolate bar. It was life changing.

January 9: Balloon Ascension Day

On this day in 1793, in Philadelphia, Frenchman Jean-Pierre Blanchard made the first aerial voyage via hot air balloon in the United States. He was the first to do various things in Europe, including making the first aerial voyage across the English Channel from England to France. In addition to being an aeronaut, Blanchard was also an inventor. Some of his creations included a rat trap, water pump, and various things related to flight.

I'm afraid of hot air balloons and I don't trust them so, no, that's not how I celebrated his day. I did, however, take a cue from Mr. Blanchard/infomercials and create my own invention. Or, rather, make a janky, but free, version of something that was already invented.

I present to you...cheap lady's bracelet helper.

You've probably seen the sleeker version of these advertised on TV. My new Tiffany bracelet that I got for my birthday has a delicate and tiny clasp that I can't fasten myself. Enter a clothespin, drink stirrer, felt, hot glue, and some electrical tape. It's not exactly manned flight, but it sure will make my mornings easier. It also proves that you can give the girl some Tiffany, but she is forever and always her father's daughter.

January 8: Argyle Day

Well today is just the greatest holiday thus far. A whole day devoted to argyle?! While every day should have at least a little argyle in it, it's still nice to have a day set aside just for it. (For a refresher on how much I love argyle, you can check here.) To honor the day I threw on one of my fave argyle cardigans and my UNC argyle socks. Because really, nothing says argyle quite like Carolina blue.