Oh Christmas Tree...

I'm sure you've all had one of THOSE days before in your life.  You know, the ones where everything that everyone says to you sets you on edge, and even the radio DJ's get on your last nerve for being so perky and awake in the morning?  If you claim that you haven't, I think you're lying.  But if you truly haven't, you are either extremely lucky or totally oblivious to the world around you.

Hopefully, you've also had some (or many) days where you feel overly excited about everything, where everything and everyone you meet makes you smile and you feel happy and content just to be alive.  Around this time of year, this feeling is usually accompanied by anticipation for Christmas and the New Year ahead, which seems full of endless possibilities.


Anyway, this is the time of year that I experience one of the two emotions described above on a daily basis.  Typically, my moods are split 50/50 between the two choices.  Days when all I have to think about is tinsel and wrapping presents result in the happy mood, and days that involve meeting year end deadlines for work or fighting crowds in the mall naturally result in me becoming moody, annoyed, and extremely cranky.  Uncharacteristically, compared to previous years of my life, this year, I seem to be experiencing more negative mood days than ever before, despite a lack of need to buy too many presents or host any parties.  I don't get it and I'm frustrated.

This past weekend I literally spent most of my free time sitting on the couch.  I was the opposite of productive. And I have no compelling reason for being so lazy.  Its to the point where I'm exhibiting serious signs of clinical depression.  The only thing I can imagine that is affecting me so intensely is that work stuff is really getting to me.  The mood in my office is very depressed.  Everyone is worried that we're going to have pay cuts, lose our medical benefits, lose seniority, etc.  On top of that, I am accepting a new job that I'm not thrilled about starting, at a base salary that is a couple thousand dollars per year less than my current salary.  Everyone keeps telling me I'll make it up in overtime, which I will now be able to earn, but I'm not that excited about any of it.  And I feel like I was forced to make the decision to accept the job simply because my options and ability to excel from my current position just aren't available.

Anyway, I haven't even been in the mood to blog lately, so I apologize to those of you who may be checking in once in a while to see if I've posted anything new.

In the spirit of the holidays, I'm posting a picture of the Christmas tree Greg and I put up and decorated in our house.  I think it's very awesome :)  Of course, I'm biased.  The picture was taken with my blackberry camera, and is therefore not as clear as I'd like it to be, but you get the idea anyway.

FYI - today is the first night of Hanukkah.  Mozel Tov - or is it Mazel Tov - or Mazel Tav?  I have no idea. Greg will surely edgumicate me on such important matters.  Until then -- Happy Hanukkah to those of you that celebrate the festival of lights!!!!