One frame in, one frame out.

The Law of Conservation of Picture Frames.

Earlier I had a little breakdown in my hotel room. I was trying to order take away but my credit card kept rejecting the payment, probably because the billing info didn't match as the restaurant only would accept a local number. Plus I still haven't finished Christmas shopping and the shops in Dublin apparently close at 6pm, I haven't even got a first draft of my Yuletide story, my former manager just scheduled a last minute meeting tomorrow even though we're also meeting on Thursday, and my doctor keeps emailing to urge me to get blood work done for something that's probably nothing but could be a benign tumor or cancer.

I mopped up my face and then went down the street to the grocery for a sandwich, yogurt, and crisps. So. At least I foraged for food, I guess?

I also found out that stores should stay open until 8pm on Thursday, so this will be my designated shopping day.

Now I'm going to drink whiskey and play Bejeweled for 15 minutes and then try to write.

Have a wonderfully productive evening.

I don't like variable rate on principal

Me either.

Now I'm going to drink whiskey and play Bejeweled for 15 minutes and then try to write.

You have a plan. It's a good plan. And you're almost certainly in better shape than I am on my story.

And if you can't get all of your shopping done, there are always gift cards.

I did also get some Lindor truffles with my picture frame, and I will be eating some of those right now.

And if you can't get all of your shopping done, there are always gift cards.

I really only have my nieces to finish shopping for, so it should be something I can accomplish on Thursday.

Deep breaths. Whiskey. Try to write at least 100 new words. Reasonable goals.

That is a good plan, shrift.

Glad you are home, Laura! Continuing the ~ma.

We have our White Elephant gift exchange tomorrow. I have very little idea what to expect. I'm giving [link] because it came up in a search for white elephant gifts and I have no idea what I'm doing. I always thought from the name that you were supposed to bring a gift you had received elsewhere and didn't want, but we have a $10 price limit so I guess not. On top of all that, we are apparently "playing the right/left game" for the exchange, which no one (including the person who told us we are doing it) had heard of before tomorrow. So who knows how that will go.

Meanwhile, finally having lunch. It went from being too early for lunch to being way late really fast.

I despise the gift games that involve taking things from other people. There's always someone who gets something they actually like that someone else takes away from them, but you're just supposed to laugh because "it's just a game, why are you a spoilsport?" But I also go out of my way to sabotage practical jokes, so I guess I'm just a killjoy.