I maintain two wish lists on Amazon: the stuff I want, and the stuff I tell other people that I want. Which is to say, it has to fit the following categories:
(a) can be bought at Borders Books or Costco, 'cause god knows ain't nobody making it to any other bookstore (there are no bookstores in my hometown any more, GRRRR, and B&N doesn't offer the coupons every week),
(b) isn't too "weird,"
(c) sticks to books and DVD's. I have learned my lesson in saying something like, "I'd really like a set of KnitDenise knitting needles," only to get the response of "Huh? You mean I have to order it online? I can't just walk into the nearest store and have you point it out to me? That's too weird."

*sigh*

So, after being pestered to come up with a list of stuff I want, I made up this year's list. Mystery books (considered to be "normal"), sci-fi books (which falls into the "too weird" category, but once in a while I get surprised there), craft books, some DVD's. Nothing too fancy or scary, certainly stuff that might turn up at the nearest Borders or Costco.

I have now been told that Mom is going to "retype" my list, to "hide" the things that she determined as being too weird for my aunt's eyes to see.
"What the heck is too weird for you on that list?" I said.
"There's tarot books on it."
"Those are mystery books. That's just the theme they have on the title."
"Oh."
Also, she decided to delete Veronica Mars off the list for weird also. Huh?!

*sigh*

I like the idea of a fantasy Christmas list.

Hmmmm...

Well, my number one want this season is to not spend the holidays with family. (Speaking about "what's different this December"...) I really don't want to sit at some relative's house (on either side), not being able to think of anything other than all the years that I've sat there at their house, but Dad's not here this time, nor are we leaving for the hospital later. We don't need that mental trigger. Hence why Thanksgiving was in SF this year, and it was a great strategy to have a completely different environment to be in.

I'm not real sure what the heck will go on with Christmas, since it's not as easy of a holiday to go somewhere else on. Having to stay at home is a bit too trigger-y for my tastes here, since we haven't spent a holiday at home since Dad's last Christmas at home, which was terrible. (I could find the link to this, but...man, I don't want to read that entry again.) I'm not totally thrilled at that idea, but taking off to another city for this day is probably not going to happen.

I think Mauricio will be over because his girlfriend's going back East and he's working the days before Christmas (I think he'll probably end up coming along to Cambria as well), but he's not terribly picky as to what we get up to.

We already got invited to my cousin Tammy's this year...I'd want to go there because I like her, but unfortunately her parents and jerkass brother come as a package deal. For all I know, random people will be inviting Mom along to their gatherings later the way they did at Thanksgiving, so that is something else to deal with.

I have officially said no to going to Tammy's, but that doesn't mean I won't be asked a few more times in the next few weeks, Just In Case I Change My Mind. Hah. Yes, I'm sure that warm n' fuzzy family feeling will be returning to me any ...eon... now...

Back to the list...my fantasy Christmas would be in Hawaii, just to see what it's like to spend Christmas in Hawaii. (I tried, folks.)

I'd like to skip giving gifts this year, because I'm just terrible at figuring out what people like and it might just be a more relaxing holiday to not spend the month freaking out about that. I'm totally willing to skip receiving any in exchange. Not gonna happen, though.

No, you know what I want for a gift? To figure life shit out. But that's another entry for later.

I would like to have my mom get someone to clean/organize her house. I can't do it because I'll kill her, she clearly can't manage to stop packratting paper on her own, getting family members to do it isn't working, but she refuses to let a stranger in. I'd like it if we could get a professional to gently ride her ass on this.

(This is something I tried to gift her with a few years ago at her request- organizational books and contact information for organizers in the Tri-Valley area. No go on calling, and I doubt she read the books. I even read FlyLady, the tone of which drives me up a wall, and took notes and highlighted for her! Clearly, a miracle/Act of God is going to have to step in.)

And speaking of, I want those damn unassembled shelves she bought me when I was asleep and dumped on my floor to be gone. I can't assemble them myself, I don't even WANT them, but they eat 40% of my floor and I want that more than I want a place to put books...and definitely want that floor space more than taking the time to put them up and get into screaming fights over how to assemble shelves that are taller than two short women.

Hm....I dunno, that's good enough for me right now. You can tell I'm in a relatively good mood of late when I have a short list of wants.

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