Geek Habitat

I’ve completed my Christmas shopping, although I “cheated,” I guess, thanks to three gift cards from three separate retailers (family will just have to wait and see!) I overspent on pretty much everyone this year, which isn’t surprising since we’d tightened our beltstraps a little and… well… I was still operating under the pre-tightened beltstrap mentality. Nothing major — just $5-15 more than I expected to spend on any individual. What the hell, it’s the holidays, right?

I keep vacillating on whether I’m going to string lights in our yard again this year. Given that stringing Christmas lights on our oak trees is precisely how I initially injured my knee last year, it’s not surprising I’m less than gung-ho to do it again. I’d already promised family and myself that, if I did, I’d wear my fitted knee brace for added stability and protection. Still, the windy and now wet weather makes the prospect of repeating the scene less-than-desirable. Our Christmas tree is up and lit (thank God for pre-lit artifical trees!), but it still lacks ornaments — in part due to us being out of town last weekend for our anniversary, and in part because what goes up (on the tree) must come down (with the aid of one of our three cats). Favorite ornaments are thus safer in a box some years’ than they are actually gracing our Christmas tree…