Holiday-Card Score Sheet

This was in the Real Simple magazine December 2008, written by Laura Sutherland. I thought it was hilarious and wanted to share it!

GAIN POINTS WHEN YOU RECEIVE CARDS FROM:
-dentist, insurance agent, hairdresser, dry cleaner, mailman +0.5 each
-your own mother +0.5
-anothr relative +1
-a friend via e-mail +0.5
-your boss +1
-friend you see at least once a week +1
-above, with reference to an inside joke +3
-long-distance friend, devoid of any personal message +2
-above, with personl message of at least three lines +5
-anyone who includes a hadwritten personal note of more than 5 sentences +5
-long-lost friend who hasn't been heard from in 20 years +10

LOSE POINTS WHEN:
-card and envelope are same piece of paper -1
-signature is imprinted rather than handwritten inside card -2
-photo is of a helpless pet in a holiday costume -3
-your name is spelled incorrectly -4
-highly religious card celebrates faith other than your own -5
-card is the same one you received last year -6
-return address label was provided by charity to which sender may not have actually contributed -7
-family newsletter contains words such as: gallbladder, spleen, and gout -8
-family newsletter is from ex who is (not so) subtly gloating over his recent wedding and cushy new job -10
-long-lost friend who hasn't been heard from in 20 years asks for money or a place to live -20

BONUS POINTS:
-gilded envelope +0.5
-handwritten return address +1
-card in which all family members appear to have signed their own names +2
-newsletter or family photo in card +2
-card with moving parts +3
-extremely clever handmade card +4
-oversized card requiring extra postage +5
-card sent from foreign country +6
-newsletter with humor at progeny's expense +8
-card with check, cash, or gift certificate +20

IF YOU SCORED:
-Negative points -- Did you forget to send out cards last year???
-0-20 points -- Not too shabby. And you still have time...cards will probably trickle in until 2009.
-20 points and above -- Well done! Looks like your mantel boasts cards aplenty. You're a shoo-in for Miss Congeniality.

The journey of my hair

My hair had an amazing journey today!

Here's how it started the day

Then it became this

Some of it ended like this

while the rest is in a package being sent to Wisconsin where it will become a wig for a woman with cancer.

Quite the productive day for hair!

Christmas shopping

If you are planning on doing any shopping online, please feel free to use the link below. By shopping through the link, the company Upromise puts 3-10% of your purchase into my student loans. It doesn't charge you a thing! Thanks!!!

Your personalized link:http://www.upromise.com/guest/2087414286

Replacing old with the new

I'm finally starting to put all of our old stuff away and break out all the new, wonderful items we received from the wedding! We have a lot of stuff that's obviously been used, but it's in pretty good shape. I was going to post it on Craig's List or take it to Goodwill, but thought I'd see if anyone needed anything first!

placesetting for 4 of Pottery Barn white dishes...4 mugs, 4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates and 4 bowls.
I think 4 sets of silverware, maybe more
Offwhite bath towels and hand towels, 4 or 6
cotton ball holder, q-tip holder and extra toilet paper holder
toaster oven
2 blenders
hand mixer
crockpot
some kitchen towels
set of steak knives and kitchen knives in a block, missing a steak knife
a vacuum...it works well, but sometimes it will stop and you have to let it cool off for a bit
3 shelf bookshelf in light wood
silver utensil holder
silver cocktail shaker

We'll probably have more, but that's all I've gotten through now!

ER advice

If you're in the ER waiting to be seen because of difficulty breathing, do not be outside smoking when your name is called.