The last month of the year obviously is always about Christmas and New Year’s Eve, which includes a lot of socializing. This year I am at least in so far prepared as I bought and set up my Christmas tree yesterday. After last year’s disaster of not finding one just before Christmas [here], I wouldn’t take chances anymore. Instead I went to Home Depot yesterday, chose a tree, realized it didn’t fit into my trunk, put it on the back seat instead, carried it upstairs, put it into my stand, let the cat sniff at it for a bit, took out all my decorations, realized like every year that I don’t have enough lights, or enough Christmas balls, put every single piece of decoration on the tree – the side that I can see, not the window side -, sat down on the sofa and enjoyed looking at it. Canavar is delighted because he now has another source of water to drink from. My roommate is happy (I think) because I put everything up, but don’t yet play Christmas songs around the clock – ha, only when he is not here. And I am still trying to wash off some tree sap from my hands when I am not sitting on the sofa, drink hot chocolate, and look at the tree.
Now that everything here is set up for Christmas, I should easily float through the month, right?!
In December I want to:
- make it through the next week with all its events and still get enough sleep: I’m going to the Jake Bugg concert on Tuesday, to the Celtics game on Wednesday, to a colleague’s Christmas party on Thursday, to the cinema to watch “Jumanji” early on Friday, to another Christmas party on Saturday;
- extend my parking permit for Cambridge (already for 2018);
- get much work done before the year is over;
- and tidy my desk at home before vacation;
- figure out where to park my car for the two weeks of Christmas vacation;
- pack my suitcase(s) not last minute and leave some space for the return journey;
- book a hotel in Istanbul;
- enjoy Christmas in Germany;
- make an appointment with a dentist in Istanbul;
- celebrate New Year’s Eve in Istanbul.
In November I wanted to:
- practise my French to be able to talk more to Montrealers √ – I started really well, but eventually didn’t that much effort into systematically repeating my French. But I tried to speak as much French as possible when I was in Montreal.
- publish at least two blog posts a week √ – That is great because the more often I write, the easier it is.
- maybe go to a training in NYC (depending on their idea of a registration) √ – That worked out and I did not only go to the training, but also spent the rest of the weekend there.
- host a dinner for friends Χ – I never had enough time to even plan that dinner, oops.
- attend some events of the Boston Turkish Festival Χ – I went to one event, was offered a guy to marry there (as in: “Are you married? No? Do you want to get married? I know a man who got divorced recently and who’d be perfect …”), and decided then that I’m right now not ready for the whole Turkish cultural package.
- try not to buy a lot on Black Friday unless it is something I really need or absolutely want when there is a very good deal √ – I am quite proud of myself because all I bought was my new tablet.
- enjoy another five days in Montreal – or maybe even go to Quebec City for a day? √ – I absolutely enjoyed them! There wasn’t even time to go to Quebec City. But it is on my list!
- see the Leonard Cohen exhibition in the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal √ – Yes, and it was amazing!
- plan my Christmas vacation in detail Χ – Me and planning … we should forget about that. I am the worst person when it comes to planning and organizing.
© janavar