I completely finished my shopping yesterday. This is the earliest I have finished since I started buying for people outside of my immediate family. Usually by this time the number of gifts that I have purchased is approximately zero. In celebration I played with the cats and a big crinkly shopping bag until Mookie puked, puke that was quickly licked by Riley. (At least he knows what he wants.) This year's capitalistic expedition was successful, as the case tends to be when things are given the appropriate amount of time rather than rushed. That's right, no one will get anything from 7-Eleven. In fact, I might even go so far as to say that my gift selection was sub-par, maybe even average! It is fortuitous that I have reached my gift-buying acme this year because next Christmas and all the Christmases after that I will be married, and Roxanne likes to throw "holiday bricks" through peoples' windows, instead of giving them presents. It's the thought that counts, I guess.

I am really looking forward to the rest of the holidays. The last two Christmases I've been preoccupied with traveling or impending joblessness, and although they were still good, this year, I think, will be even better.

Speaking of awesomeness, I have recently been "pimping out" my car. This with the help of rap star Xzibit, who is apparently now a homeless white man with Tourette's syndrome. Some people think that chrome rims are better than plastic hubcaps and "paint" looks nicer than rust, but that's too fancy pants for me. My style is a bit subtler. For example, I taped a piece of paper by automatic trunk lock button (yeah, I know, thanks) so that I can remember which position means it's locked, and which means it's unlocked. Now people can't open it and steal my ... umm ... flashlight? Also, I got new windshield wipers, front and back. Yeah. And I replaced all four of my side marker lights, even though only 3 were out--that's just how I roll. (Actually, I accidentally replaced the one that wasn't burnt out, but never mind that.) I got a new headlight bulb too. No perdiddle for me. I even had my oil changed and I got a new air filter. Even though they couldn't see it, I could tell that people liked it because they honked at me as I was stalled in the middle of the intersection. With all these improvements my $700 car is now worth like ... $715. If I get a new steering wheel cover for Christmas (fingers crossed) that will just put it over the top; actually, that might be too much for anyone to handle.