Turkey Time, Art Update and Santa's Throne of Lies...

Sunday Doodle for 11/23 - Black is the drawing. Rest is part of the paper.

It's Turkey Week, and we're actually looking forward to this Thanksgiving this year because we have an event to attend. We're crashing a friend's family affair.

The last few years, we've flown solo for Thanksgiving, an it's been quite depressing. 

But not this year! Plus, that morning is the Turkey Run 5K. I admit I'm not as prepared for it because I haven't been able to run in the "real world" as much. It's been mostly treadmill since since Summer started.  I guess we'll see how it goes Thursday morning.

As for later that day, I just hope our crazy presence doesn't ruin any future Turkey Day invites.

On the art front, it's been busy. I think I have four or five projects going on in tandem. That's perfectly alright with me. As far as I'm concerned, that's the way it should be. 

Here are just a few:

Wedding gift - Congratulations Emily and Howard!

Coasters from the Lake of the Woods Preservation project

Another view of the wallet. I haven't listed this yet as an option on my shop. I need to do that!

Those are just a few of the current projects. (Come back for the address tile I also did last week...having trouble getting the image off my phone...)

I'm also offering a Black Friday discount for my shop. Plus, shopping at my Etsy shop is easy and doesn't have the crazy Black Friday crowds. You also don't have to get up at some satanic time in the morning and wait in line in order to buy some mass produced item. I know, I paint such a great argument! haha Hey, I love to shop. But not on Black Friday. Gross. I don't like how the gratitude and traditions of Thanksgiving are overshadowed by greed and commercialism. Yes, I sound like a hippie. I guess I am about this. I have no problem with that.
 

30% Code BLACKFRI...No minimum purchase necessary. It's good for anything that day!

And it's Ornament Season again! 

In the meantime, Christian and his brilliant but technical mind is at full-force!  This is a business letter assignment he just completed for his class. This is just another perfect example of how quick his brain is moving and how it thinks. As for us, his worn-out parents (and not just because of him, but him and the 4,735 others factors in life), we know it will pay off later, but for now...my head hurts. 

I guess some of this explains how I've gone off my rocker. This letter is also additional evidence why his pregnancy was an utter nightmare. As I've said before, I was carrying some immortal species from a planet with a different level of intelligence.

Anyway, with this house-building bank madness, I've felt so out of control as we try to reach for the proverbial carrot. I guess that explains that if there is something that is more realistically in my grasp to control, I sink my teeth into it no matter how stupid it may seem. Case in point -  A couple of weeks ago, it involved something that appeared unimportant. But no, it wasn't definitely not unimportant. I guess I need to back up a bit to explain:

(DISCLAIMER: PG-13/Cable TV language)
Okay, maybe to the unknowing ear or bystander with the wrong impression of what's really the issue, this appears to be a  'First World Problem' rant. But no, it's about sticking to your PRINCIPLES because the 60s Christmas production of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is so revolting.
 
Around the time that Chris and I took our weekend 20th anniversary trip, I ordered Christmas stamps for our Holiday/Christmas/Winter cards. I did the old school mail order through the post office assigned to our current, but temporary, residence. I immediately received the stamp order, despite the old snail mail way of buying them. 

However, for the half-dozen or so different type of Christmas/holiday designs to choose from, I received NONE of the three choices I made. But that isn't the complaint or what this is about. I am flexible. No really - I am! 

Accompanied with the three different sets of Seasonal/Christmas stamps was a handwritten note that said, "I hope you like the substitutions." 

2 of the 3 substitutions were fine. But the third? They were stamps in commemoration of the 1960s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Anyone ever watch that and see just what kind of douche Santa is in that show? What does it teach kids? It teaches them that Santa condones bullying and doesn't appreciate what the elves do for him. He's also a jerk to his wife. And after dissing Rudolph for being "different", Santa only cares about him when Rudolph can finally be of some use to him.  

Anyway, a couple of days after receiving the stamps, I had to mail an order to a customer.  I went into the main post office (not the one the stamp order came from).
 

After the business of sending off package for the customer was finished and I paid for that postage, I then brought up my issue with having the Rudolph stamps in my possession. I had no intention of adding them to our Christmas cards, or using them at all.

(Keep in mind, this was all friendly and no heated exchanges were made, despite my passion for the issue at hand...)

ME: "...Now I have these stamps that I ordered from the Morristown office. They didn't have any of the choices I made and they sent three holiday-related substitutions. The substitutions are okay except for this." I presented the awful Rudolph stamps.
Post Office Guy: "What's wrong with those?"
ME: "What's wrong with those? Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer is a horrible show. Have you ever really seen it? Santa is such an ass, for starters."
Cowboy dude customer standing in the lobby: "You can put those on the cards for people you don't like."
ME: "I thought about that, but I have already trimmed down my list. Plus, it's the principle of the thing. I can't believe this show is considered a classic. It has horrible messages in it."
PO GUY, turning to colleague: "Do we do exchanges on stamps?"
Other PO GUY: "Not usually, but in her case, yes...."
ME: Do you have the wreaths (design)?
PO GUY (looking in his drawer): "We have Gingerbread houses."
ME: "That would be fine. Thanks."
 

Poor Wickenburg Post Office! When we build our stupid house (whenever the hell that is), that office is just right down the road! haha  

I'm sure the guy at the post office was thinking, "This is seriously a problem for her?" 

Yes. Yes it was.

And for anyone that believes my calling Santa those less than stellar names puts me on the "Naughty List", I respectfully disagree. There is no way the Santa in Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer represents the true Santa.  You know, just like Buddy the Elf called out the fake Santa! Just like the beef and cheese Santa in Elf, the one in Rudolph also sits on a throne of lies. 

Until next time!