The Friday Five This Week Is Dumb, So Just An Update

I'm visiting my parent's home this weekend in order to celebrate Christmas with the family. Maria picked out a nice present for my parents, and I'm pretty sure they'll like it this year. They're always hard to buy for, but this year my dad actually just said they wanted some nice towels because the old ones (which I'm pretty sure are as old as I am) are actually fraying in half and that he's "never owned a matching set of towels." Pretty strong recommendation on what to buy for them, I think.

Now I have to figure out if I'm buying anything for my siblings. Is it anti-holiday spirit to say that they haven't gotten me anything in the past 10 years so why should I bother getting them things? My parents took me aside when I started a job and said "Now that you have money, don't you think it's time you started getting things for your brothers and sisters on Christmas?" I kind of resent that they obviously haven't had the same talk with my siblings beyond "It'd be nice to get your brother Jeremiah a birthday card."

But really, I know that's "not what the holiday is about," and I've been told that kind of attitude is much to mercenary for the season. What's a good middle ground, I wonder? A card and some scratchy tickets? It's what I did for their birthdays this year for the same reason of "Why should I bother when I have for ten years and you guys do absolutely nothing for me on my birthday except, if I'm really lucky, a card that you randomly (trust me, it's obvious) chose from the rack. My favorite was the "Hey There Girl, Here's A Hot Stud for Your Birthday" card from a few years ago.

I know, though, that I'm going to regret it if I don't get them anything, even if they don't notice. If I don't get them anything, I lose the moral high-ground next year, and I wouldn't want that!

So what should I do? Get my siblings something cheap but useful like movie tickets from a local place? Scratchy tickets in a card? Absolutely nothing this year in hopes that they'll "get it?" They won't, but hopes are good.

Help me out here? I'm stumped.

((EDIT: I really could use some help on this. I need to know by tomorrow. Please, this really is quite a quandry for me and any opinions are better than none.))

It's Amazing What A Difference One Day Makes

So yesterday I cleaned the kitchen. It wasn't perfect, with perhaps half a load of dishes left to be put into the washer, and the counters weren't perfectly wiped down, but it was looking good, and I had even had time to bake some cookies! I was quite proud of myself, to be honest, even if I didn't get everything I wanted done.

Then I cooked last night for myself and Maria. The kitchen looks like a disaster again, even though I didn't add much to the mess. Glasses are lining the counters, dishes are piled up, the Wok is dirty. Things are just ... back to where they were. It's very disheartening.

The worst part is that my good friend Earl is staying here over the weekend to watch the dogs, and if I don't get this to a level where I feel comfortable with it's mess-ness I'll be feeling guilty about it all weekend. Well, okay, not all weekend, but at least part of the ride to my parent's, and then the ride back.

So, I go back to join the battle-lines. I raise my sponge, and my fierce battle cry erupts from my lips as a lion's roar - "I DON'T CLEAN FLOORS!"