Dear Santa,

I know I'm a little late getting my list to you this year but following is what I would love to see under my tree:

1. Collin Farrell wearing nothing but a strategically placed red bow
2. U2's DVD "Going Home: Live from Slane Castle"
3. Better timing when it comes to relationships
4. A man my own age that is not married, engaged, already in a relationship or gay. A tall order but if he happens to have an Irish accent or look like my #1 choice that would be just fine.
5. A full time writing job somewhere. Anywhere.
6. My body like it looked 25lbs ago.
7. Snow
8. A trip to Ireland
9. My friend Brent home from Kenya for a week or two.
10. A sense of responsibility for my sister. Hey, it doesn't have to be all about me...wait, yes it does.
11. A dog. Preferably a labrador retriever. Any of the three colors will do.
12. Thicker walls in my apartment.
13. Tickets to a U2 concert during their rumored tour next year. May be combined with #8.
14. World Peace...no wait, that's on my list of answers for when I participate in the next Miss America contest. Oh hell, yeah, world peace would be good too.
15. Duke to be ranked #1 in men's basketball.
16. Did I mention Collin Farrell?
17. Damien Rice's CD "O"
18. My sanity
19. My family to be normal again. If they ever were.
20. Enough money to pay off my credit card bill and student loan
21. Oh, and this too cute skirt from The Gap.

That should be about it. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY would like to have #1 if nothing else. Beyond that I'll just be happy with the whole world peace thing.

*************

I am so far behind on holiday stuff this year it isn't funny. Haven't done any shopping. Doubt I'll get my cards out. Sigh. Each year it sneaks up on me a little more. Even worse is the fact that I just can't get into the holiday spirit this year. Oh, I'll go see White Christmas (all time #1 Christmas movie) and go to services on Christmas Eve but this year I'm just not as excited as I used to be. Maybe it's the prospect of another year gone and I'm still in the same rut as last year. Maybe it's the fact that New Year's is fast approaching, I have no plans and the idea of running a two mile race that night sounds more appealing than going to a club. I don't know. I just can't put my finger on it.

Anyway, it's snowing now. I love snow. Always brings a smile to my face. Except when I have to shovel it. Or drive 14 hours in it. Blah.