The 120 Days of Christmas?

Today I did my only day of Xmas shopping. I plan only to buy gifts for my wife Ashley, and I bought her exactly what she most wants. Three new video games for her new wii. I also stopped in at Suncoast, perhaps to find a gift for my mother-in-law, and saw that they were having a going-out-of-business sale. 40% off everything.

I haven't bought a DVD in ages, but I saw Salo in the foreign section and knew I had to get it. I clutched it to my breast to show off to everyone. Yet another Xmas gift for myself.

It's been a very interesting Xmas at the Knoecklein house. Helen bought Ash a wii and was fretting because she didn't know what to buy me like that. For she used to lavish all of her discretionary income on Jessica, and now she can't do that anymore. I moaned about it, for I so hate thinking about getting things for myself. But Ash pressed about it and I really gave some thought to what I might want for Xmas. The thought hit me suddenly: a drum machine, of course!

A few days more frenzied thought and discussion, and now we are here, the drum machine is on its way UPS! What exquisite excitement.

December 1

Well, I finished Nanowrimo with a somewhat impressive 33,000 words. Clearly I would have finished had it not been for the November 20th obstacle of my sister in law going into a coma. It took me a while to start writing again after that, understandably, and I am happy to say that I am now working regularly on the novel again, even if it's no longer as a part of this challenge. And I also must put the novel in 2nd priority behind my job search, since it has now been three months. Today I begin a new counteroffensive, or perhaps even a new campaign. All or nothing. Burning desire. Make it happen. My goal is 100 applications by the end of the month. And whatever networking I am able to do as well. I'm very worried. Ash and I both woke up this morning at 5:30 and had trouble returning to sleep. I hate it when that happens.