Monday, November 23, 2009

Martha I Ain't

click the pic
(to see how difficult I want
my cooking to be this holiday season)

This time of year brings on a different mind set in people. The transformation is a bit frightening really. How normal people can turn into high stress, recipe hounding, pushing / shoving black Friday shopping, cleaning, decorating, tinsel draping, potato mashing, panicking, credit card maxing, crying messes is beyond me!?

I shouldn't say that - I have been that person in years past. I have been that person with teeny babies to boot. I can't do it anymore, even if my babes are bigger now. It isn't worth it to me.

For years I watched every single episode of Martha Stewart Living. I wanted to be her. I wanted my house to be Martha worthy. I wanted my towels to be perfectly folded and my closets perfectly organized. My holiday preparations led me to the edge of sanity. Hot glueing pine cones and ribbons to the outside of a Christmas gift may have been my breaking point.

Then something amazing happened. I realized that Martha was no better than I was - she was just richer with a production crew and an amazing staff. Then she went to prison .... and I realized I was right.

So. Lately. As the holidays roll around I have taken a step back. Not panicked. Tried to keep things in perspective. Last year I went one step further. I sat back, I didn't say all that much (I know - impossible if you know me), I just observed and enjoyed. It was wonderful.


click the pic

This year I think I will follow Martha's lead though....
and just drink my way through the season.
Maybe if I slip a little something something in to my coffee no one will notice?!

What don't you like about yourself at the Holidays and what do you hope will be different this year?
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Notice the mess in the kitchen on the click thru? Yeah - Martha I ain't (lately)

15 comments:

math guy, dock guy said...

I think I will too. You and me baby, through the holidays, together, as one...drinking our way through the whole thing. I hope these are the holidays that we will never forget (or never remember)!!! We'll have to ask our children what happened when it's all done.
Oh...wait...that's right, I don't drink. Maybe I should start, that will be my christmas present to you sweetheart. Mewahahaha (is that how you spell it Deb.)


Thanks for the fun post Jules. Let's make this the best holiday season yet, however we can!
Love you and can't wait to spent quality time together this season.

Love you much.

leah - moxiethrift on etsy said...

seriously, how can i top that comment? i can't.

so, i will say, i'm not sure how this holiday season will go for me. last year i was ill and bah humbug so i am enjoying the season this year with my returned love of most things. except check out lines. i dont think i like my patience level in stores. yeah. thats it.

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

I actually am pretty chill during the holidays. I like to SHOP SHOP SHOP, but other than that, the wrapping and decorating and all that jazz...I don't worry about it.

So the holidays are always pleasantly surprising.

Deb said...

I used to drive myself crazy with 'perfect holiday scripts' that wouldn't be performed correctly by others...I'm much more flexible now and try to enjoy what is. It seems to be working for me!

Deb said...

Mathguy, dockguy; I love your evil laugh. You two hold on to each other tight. You'll get through and have fun in the process...just make sure to hold on tight.

~DokterKenny said...

I would like to get Martha Drunk, Stuff her Turkey. The whole time she will be screaming "ITS A Good THIIIIIING!!" Then I will leave her passed out on the floor of her kitchen for her production crew to find in the morning with a big hickey!

julochka said...

what i always wanted to do like martha was have fabulous little hostess gifts for anyone visiting my house. and perfect guest rooms. i'd still like to do that.

and i woulda done her time for her. that whole thing happened because she didn't invite some asshole to some party and they felt socially dissed. she was no worse than any of the rest of them on insider trading.

and she seems to have bounced back pretty well.

so i'm pretty much indulging in my own martha week here. preparing for thanksgiving, making a baby quilt for my sister-in-law, frantically cleaning and pondering my table setting. i love her, what can i say?

Just Jules said...

I am trying to fight it - the urge to go over the top....

but, now Julochka... I am one step closer to going back ;)

I want to be Martha like again....

fighting fighting fighting the urge

spudballoo said...

I'm SO not Martha it's laughable. I make MrSpud. I do the serious stuff (small talk and drinking alot). It's a fair divison of labour.

of course we don't have to endure Thanksgiving over here. We like to keep our holidays nicely spaced...;-)

x

Will Burke said...

Fortuneately, my wife has enough Christmas Cheer for us both! I'll usually get into the spirit around the 21st.

rxBambi said...

I'd love to be more like martha (or julochka for that matter) but it's just not me. I am making some pretty cute hors devours (crap, how do you spell it?) APPETIZERS for the thanksgiving family stuff. Plus I bought that new cookbook for Christmas. And I'm cleaning. That should be enough. Right?

Chief said...

I am so sorry about your kidney! I am thinking of you!

Christian said...

the first photo is yammy!! is it turkey?

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a good mood and health!

http://thebestcomediesofthe21stcentury.blogspot.com/

Tom Bailey said...

Martha has a unique skill set to drive people around her but I think in being that way she might not be the best mother figure nor wife figure. What she does and how she is can work in business but at home? Not likely.

There is a great value in being a great mother and a great wife that is not going to get a woman fame but other values that might not be measurable in that way could be much greater.

The picture was hillarious by the way.

Best regards

Big Blue House said...

O.K., you know about the alcholism in both our familys,right? I think you are just kidding around but too many mentions of booze. I think you knew I wouldn't like this post, but what you didn't know is that is made me worry a little. It is a generational thing and seems to happen to our family around 30-40 years old. Anyway, just be careful and don't make it a habit because this habit is something that is unbelievably hard to break!!!!!