I hate warm weather.

It's the 6th of December. Christmas is 19 days away. And the temperature outside my door in *#&$ sunny Tucson, AZ is 80 flippin' degrees! 80!!!!  Augh!  It just isn't right. The song is "White Christmas" not "Iced Tea Christmas".  There are precious few days of the year in Southern Arizona when I can wear sweaters as it is, but does the heat wave really have to come during Christmas? When cold is part of the holiday spirit? When sweaters are a right, not just a way to look good in family pictures for posterity? Argh. I hope Southern Arizona gets a lump of coal in its stocking.

Christmas shopping: Done!

It's true, I'm all done with my Christmas shopping; thank you, Vistaprint and etsy.com. Yes, these are shameless plugs. Etsy is my favorite new thing; it's absolutely brilliant. It's a collection of individuals and small independent shops who sell handmade things, ranging from a typewriter converted to work as a desktop keyboard, to this shop of hats inspired by the '20s, to a really sweet little set of wooden blocks shaped like houses. I am completely in love with etsy. If I had a couple thousand dollars I would decorate my apartment just using etsy - if I had an apartment. Or money. Oh, details. Silly, silly details.

Things I particularly love: A shop that makes necklaces based on English literature, particularly Mr. Darcy. I kid not; I do not joke about Mr. Darcy. (Browse the rest of the shop; you will not be disappointed.) Then there's wall decals; so whimsical and beautiful! But then there's also a shop, in Tucson no less!, that prints pictures on pages from old books.  And amazingly someone who knitted a dissected human head. (Not as gross as it sounds.)  Discover the world of etsy for yourself; it's freakin' brilliant.