Last weekend we traveled to see some good friends for a holiday party. I decided that Nora and I should decorate Christmas cookies for the event, as much for the experience of it as for the purpose of bringing something to the gathering - that is, besides J and his cocktail making skills.

Somehow we only ate two cookies during the decorating process. I know. I can’t believe it either. So I decided to take a picture because I was so proud of how uncharacteristically calm we were in the face of cookies WITH ICING ON THEM.

This week we’re simply relaxing in anticipation of the holiday. I’m looking forward to my brother arriving at the house later this week because I’m happy we get to spend Christmas with him but also because he is really excited about “cooking lots of awesome things.” I needn’t clarify that I am totally ok with that.

…should be more along the lines of, “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” by Ernest Hemingway, except not totally exactly true, as I am reading an average of four to five pages every two weeks, and the other night I went upstairs in my bedroom and got all comfortable on the bed for a minute with this mystery/suspense novel I’d randomly picked up from the bookshelf and I was like, “Huh, maybe I’ll just take a peek,” and then like 40 minutes later I’d read about 100 pages and, let’s face it, I was gonna finish it before I’d return to Hemingway which, although magnificent, isn’t what I’d call a “page turner,” but I’m too ashamed to admit to you guys that I - an English major and once-total-nerd-as-far-as-literature-was-concerned - is having such a hard time finishing this one little (but not that little) book, so I’ll just leave it up there until I do, thus making myself accountable to the whole entire online world.

J says I was like this last time, but I swear I wasn’t. Then again, my memory isn’t great regarding this kind of stuff. Here are just a few of the things that have made me cry recently. It’s sort of amazing - the rapidity with which I initially tear up out of nowhere - but beyond that I’m not ashamed.

- That Folger’s commercial, obviously.
- The last page of the book “The Polar Express,” which J read to me tonight, remarking, “this is the sad part.” Come on, husband.
- An episode of “House.” I don’t remember which one but I’m willing to bet someone was pretty sick.

I got a Subaru Outback and I love it so much. I got over the “big car” thing, although I still feel like it’s huge when I’m driving it, if only because I’ve driven much smaller cars in the past. To prove this point, I misread the space I’d need to clear our driveway the other day and ran over a full bag of leaves that J had put out post-raking. He just stood there and shook his head sadly at me while I waved at him.

And it turns out I’m this totally new kind of person with the Outback. Like, the kind of person who takes their dog everywhere, even if we’re just running to the grocery store or something. Last night, in fact, we went to get our Christmas tree, which was then tied to the top rack of my car. As I drove down the road back to our house, Ceece riding in the passenger seat next to me, I was like, “What’s up everybody? I’m outdoorsy. It’s cool. I drive an Outback now. Maybe I’ll take up kayaking, whatever. I mean, maybe not, too. Point is, I’m evolving.”

You can file this post under “self-important nonsense,” although, if you really love me, maybe you’ll find it useful.

A while back I wrote a blog post about how I was all in a tizzy about the Internet and and writing online. I was very upset. Ok. Sort of upset. I had a lot of free time on my hands, let’s put it that way.

I got over that feeling, for a variety of reasons, and now think that the Internet is a great place to showcase one’s writing, keep in touch with friends and communicate in general. I like it. That does not mean I think that playing with your iPhone for hours on end is cool, however. Ahem.

But I still feel a little disorganized, and because I’m at a point in my life where getting organized has become even more important and helpful than it once was, I’m going to make a concerted effort to get organized in the small amount of space I occupy on the web. I think this will make it easier for me to be more prolific (see how I told you this was gonna be real self-important?) and creative.

So. Here, at caramcduna, I’ll be doing the same kind of writing I always have. Personal. Pondering. Whatever the hell I want, basically.

When I write posts for the Motherland blog on the New Haven Advocate site, I’ll include some personal stories if they pertain to motherhood, parenting or women’s issues, but I’ll also be featuring news stories on the same topics, as well as local events. But let’s face it, I might do whatever I want over there sometimes, too.

When I want to incite the general public with controversial or thought-provoking issues, I’ll write something for The Huffington Post. Ha! Man. I better stop all this explaining before I start handing out Pulitzers. To myself, that is.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with pictures yet. I’ve enjoyed including those on this blog, but then again, there are better outlets for storing and organizing pictures. So we’ll have to see.

Well, hope you guys feel better now. I know I do. Time to curl up and watch a movie, after all that organization and whatnot? Yes? Can I get a “that’s RIGHT”?