holiday’s | Alica McKenna Johnson

Okay now you can start celebrating winter holidays

Alica McKenna Johnson — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:44:25 +0000

It is Dec 1st so now I am willing to listen to Holiday music, start putting up decorations, plotting our Solstice meal, and start making caramels. So many caramels *whimpers*

So here is one of my favorite funny holiday songs for your enjoyment.

Christmas Goodies or Bio-weapons?

Alica McKenna Johnson — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:53:34 +0000

Photo by ghindo

I have been sick. Vile, plague like, please let me die sick. I even went to the doctor (which I never do) and got antibiotics. I can’t remember how many years it’s been since I’ve taken prescription medication for an illness. Anyway, point being, that’s why I’ve been gone, and brings up a very important question about the holidays.

You see I usually make lots of holiday goodies. I knit things, bake, and most importantly make caramels. In fact at this point I should have at least 4 batches of caramels made. But I haven’t made anything, I’ve just been too sick.
The other day I was working on my knitting project while watching Expendables 2 (not worth your time don’t bother)and after a coughing fit I looked down at my knitting and had to wonder, Am I making a sock or a bio-weapon?

Photo by styeb

Hubby wants to start making caramels, but I’m thinking no way, they’ll just be a danger to everyone. Little wrapped packages of yummy sweetness carrying the plague.

Now I am starting to feel better, but my daughter is also sick, so still bio-hazard status in our home. I fear that as soon as everyone is feeling better I’ll explode in a mad attempt to catch up and get everything done in time. But until we’re all better I’m just not sure about making things.

So what do you think? Would I be making bio-weapons?

Riding the Yo-Yo from Hell

Alica McKenna Johnson — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:10:19 +0000

Photo by BestofWDW

What do you get when you mix a full moon, a moon time (i.e. my period), a cold, and the stress of the holidays? You get the emotional instability I like to call, The Yo-Yo Ride from Hell.

I am doing my best to make sure the yo-yo comes back up. Which means eating well, getting enough sleep, and exercise. And when the yo-yo is up I remind myself to be inspired by people’s successes and to not compare my journey to theirs. To breathe and take everything one step at a time. To try to find solutions instead of wallowing in problems.

Unfortunately as we all know a yo-yo also go down. Down into the deep, dank, dark, despair of my despondent, desperate, desires.

Photograph by chatblanc1

Like many people money is a trigger for me, and also like many people I didn’t plan, save, or shop ahead, and the holiday’s loom before me. On the up swings I am planning caramels, small knitted projects, and thoughtful gifts I can afford for the few people I can get them for. And I know that those who love me understand. On the down swing I am a FAILURE. A miserable, pathetic failure who knows better dammit! And everyone is judging me!!!!

I have told many people that my favorite Christmas was the one I began shopping for in August because it was so relaxed. Have I ever done this again- NO of course not, that would be crazy to repeat something that had worked so well the first time.

So on my down-swings I am trying to breathe, watch happy things on youtube, sleep well, and remind myself that this is temporary, not only will the yo-yo go up but also, eventually I will be able to get off this ride. And on the flip side, being broke means I can pretend to be righteously shunning the shopping madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We’ll ignore the fact that if I’d had money I would have shopped Cyber Monday. 🙂

So how are all of you doing this season? Are you stressing out or have you been saving and shopping early and get to glide through the holidays on fluffy pink clouds of happiness?

Photo by TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³’