Greetings from Arcadia

Still home in Arcadia, but devoted readers of this blog (the few, the proud, the frighteningly bored...or maybe they're BOARD...haha) are probably thirsting for an update.

So far, the break has been pretty calm and unproductive...which means that all is well in the world. The new wireless network in my house has been a boon and a curse...most of my days and nights are now spent serenly sitting on the couch in my family room...reading blogs, emails, pretending to work on 3 MSP handouts due Jan 1, editing Matthew's college admissions essays, pondering that manuscript that I must write soon, and watching non-stop episodes of the CW's Supernatural on DVD. In between, I've met up with college friends, high school friends, tasted Pinkberry twice, and gone "threading" with Samantha (boy, that was funny).

A New Year's Resolution List should be due, but it might not make the deadline. It would also be interesting to do a "NOT TO DO" list, but I'm not making any promises since I still owe you a list of things that I am thankful for. I would pun on "do" and "due," but frankly you don't want to hear it.

So instead, I'm going to make of list of ways to unwrap a Christmas present, which occurred to me while watching my family on Christmas morning.

WAYS TO UNWRAP A PRESENT

1) The "Slow-Kill" -- Sliding your finger under the belly seam of the rectangular, wrapped present and cleanly tearing the scotch tape apart like a surgeon opening stitches. The name of the game is to unwrap the present without damaging the paper...usually this is because the recipient is a meticulous girl with OCD who likes shiny wrapping paper.

2) The Peeker -- Tearing open the side flap of the present (the weakest area!) to "peek" at the writing on the box before fully opening the present. This provides a sneak preview of the gift without fully denuding the present of wrapping paper.

3) The Raw Animal Attack -- Tearing open the present into long shredded strips like a crazy dog. Very therapeutic and wantonly destructive.

4) The OCD -- Using scissors to perform the "Slow-Kill."

5) The 99-Cent Special -- Using a gift bag and tissue paper a la Mom.

6) The Jeremy -- Taping together a package of gum and a dog or cat bookmark with scotch tape and a homemade "To/From" tag written with pencil on lined paper. Stuffed into the toe of a stocking. Adorable.

7) The Big Sisters -- an imaginary IOU for one Guitar Hero controller.