the market

remember the song "i'm sorry for 2004"? i do. i sung it to my father as he bought flowers for my mother at the west side market the day after christmas. he's not so sure what he's sorry for, but he's sure it requires flowers. my mom had absolutely no interest in going to the market to haggle with produce people, stare at dead pigs feet or smell fresh fish. she's not a fan. but she is a fan of family togetherness, and this is an event in which that togetherness comes naturally. sadly, it doesn't include my mom. so, she pouted.
i put her out of my mind and enjoyed the crunchy beauty of the market. this is my favorite new tradition. we did it last year. i'm hoping it happens again. we go for fish that you cannot find more fresh anywhere else. dad makes sushi with it.
the place makes me feel like i'm in a good dream. i get a hot vanilla coffee and a crepe with cinnamon and sugar. i follow the smells of fresh bread and homemade peanutbutter. it makes me crazy happy. here's a view from the upstairs balcony.

i always enjoy the north market in columbus, but my sister and i were discussing an important point: cleveland is just so much older than columbus. the buildings and their architecture cannot compete. i mean really, look at the ceiling.
kaitlin and i decided that cleveland people, in addition to the architecture have their own special charm unique to their home. they have strange accents, they have a sprinkle of new york-toughness and their fashion is about 10 years behind. we like it.
i will post more about christmas but for now i am going to bask in the glory of my new lap top and go visit cat websites.
hugs and kisses,
the fiendish dr. net.

holiday bonus

today is our company's holiday meeting/party, with an emphasis on the meeting. there better be a bonus in there, or i will cry. i've never been a member of a company that actually receives company bonuses, so i can't complain.
all i can think about is when bill murray doles out the vcrs and hand towels in scrooged. hope i don't get stuck with a fucking hand towel.

tomorrow is party time. i'm excited. jimmy and i will have to do our best to facilitate our respective parties. he, with his video games and stand up comedy. me, with my dress and stuffy wine and cheese party.
see the thing i like about my "stuffy" parties is that they start classy, then slowly spiral out of control. i want to be the girl with my skirt over my head.
eh, don't hold your breath.

it's all about giving

the holidays are a tumultuous time for us at the kraft house.
this year
she asked me what i wanted. i told her, some framed art or a comforter.
(we are each allowed one "big" present, i thought either one of those items would aptly fill the criteria)however, my mother has decided that it is inappropriate to ask for household items for christmas.
so, she has other plans.
a down jacket from lands end.
lands end. i had to say it twice for emphasis.
actually, as gross and grandma-ish as it is, it's really quite fun to dress an avatar model who looks exactly like you up in some matching clothes. and i mean this thing looks freakishly like me. cweepy.
when i told her again that i didn't want a jacket, i have enough clothes, she told me i was being "an ungrateful little bitch"
zoiks. she said the b word.
she said that i should consider what the giver wants to give. and not ask for things that aren't "fun to buy".
"pick something else out." she said. "like a camera or a sweater"
i have over 30 sweaters. it's ethically unstable of me to even consider wanting more.
ohhh, ok. so it's about the giver.
i totally forgot what christmas was about.
i should tell jimmy that he should let me buy things for him that are fun for me to buy,
like teapots.


my mother is hyperemotional