Um...Okay Bye! *Awkward Wave*

In the past couple of weeks I've had the misfortune opportunity to say good bye to a lot of my friends.  Most of them were good byes for just the Christmas break but a couple were good byes to friends I won't see for a very long time.  Here's the conclusion I've come to:  I am straight up terrible at saying good bye.

I've discovered that if you don't know me super well my good bye can come off a little bit like, "Hey I don't care about you. Peace!"  So so so not true.  Really I'm just baffled about what to say.  I love giving hugs and I can do that.  But after that I don't know what to do.  I feel a little bit like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights.  I just don't know what to do with my hands.  

I can't express at all that I will miss you.  "Have a nice life" just doesn't ring true for me.  I also have a problem because I really dislike crying, and if I'm saying good bye to someone really important to me then if I think at all about how much I'll miss them it's inevitable I'll cry.  And this doesn't work for me at all.  So I just don't know what to do.  All this adds up to me being super awkward at farewells.  Like as awkward as the word awkward is.  I feel bad for anyone who has to say good bye because it's just ridiculous.  Maybe someday I'll be good at this..... but that would probably mean way more practice :(

a FeW oF mY fAvOrItE tHiNgS

Christmas.

I love this time of year so much I can hardly stand it.  And I have a few traditions that I always do that help me enjoy it even more.  This year though I guess I have been too busy to really think about all those things.  I went to a Christmas Chorale concert tonight to hear my cousin sing and while I was listening to all the different songs I realized all the things I need to do before the 24th!  And I just thought I'd make a list.

First:  I need to find myself the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CD because it needs to be in my life.  I love listening to the violin's and the drums and the piano.  For me, it makes the holiday mood and lovin' feeling that much easier to feel.

Second:  I need to watch the Nutcracker.  When I was little we used to go watch the ballet every year.  It was possibly my favorite tradition of the Christmas season.  We stopped going because we got older, etc. but that part of my childhood is something I want to go back to.  I sent a text to my mom asking her (with no hope of positive affirmation) whether it is play at home.  Turns our the universe likes to taunt me and the last performance is the day before I get home.  I must admit I was sad.  But then my wonderful mom told me we could get it on Netflix and watch.  So excited!

Third:  White Christmas.  Honestly what would my holiday be like without the beautiful loveliness that is Bing Crosby's voice?  I can't wait to get home to New Mex, break out the VHS and settle in to watch.

Last:  The Polar Express.  This is a new tradition but it's been fairly consistent.  I'm not as invested in it as the others but I do love the music that it has.  And cartoons are always lovely!

I also can't wait to go shopping.  I know it's a rather tedious task but I love shopping for all the presents for my friends and family.  If only I could do it without all the annoying high schooler's that inhabit the mall.....  maybe I'll become an internet shopper...  : ).