Too Far Down A Path

I have started thinking about Christmas.

A couple of my more recent posts have hinted at this -- I've finished more of my Christmas shopping than I anticipated and I've admitted that Christmas music calms me (implying that I was listening to it at some point within a month of that post) -- but there's more to it than that. I've started prepping.

Last year it started because I quite literally had nothing else to do. I had only been in town for about six months and I didn't really know people, so when I got off work every night I had to find things to do. At some point I got started making Christmas decorations and it snowballed to the point where I don't have an un-homemade or unaltered ornament for my tree.

This year I think it's because there's not a lot going on between now and then and I love to have something big to plan. I could focus on Thanksgiving, since my parents will be making the trek out here -- but I'm not. No, for whatever reason, my brain is focusing on Christmas instead. If I get bored and can't concentrate on a book, I pull out my various crafty things and work on decorations. I've started sewing a table runner, I'm etching glass ornaments, and I'm experimenting in fun and messy ways with glitter.

This year, I have an apartment worth seeing -- and I intend to have fun with that.

There's more, though. When I'm shopping, I'm looking for Christmas presents. When I'm in the grocery store, I'm thinking about the foods I want to try out this year now that I've got potential guinea pigs.

And today, eating lunch at my desk, I find myself thinking about snow. Daydreaming about it, almost.

That was a jarring realization that led straight to me lecturing myself. It's only September. If I'm thinking about snow already -- egads. There's a long fall ahead.

It's time to find a new focus. The wedding I’m going to in three weeks, perhaps. Any random road trips I want to make this fall. Thanksgiving, for crying out loud. Anything to take my focus off a holiday that's still three months away.

Unfortunately ... I think it may already be too late.

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