This year is the third one that we didn’t give any gifts that required wrapping. For this Christmas we had twenty redwood trees planted in different family members’ names and gave our immediate group a trip to Carmel with several nights of sitting by a fire and eating homemade dinners. One night we invited neighbors and some people we’d only just met for an evening of food and conversation. 

When I talked to friends many said they hadn’t given or received the traditional gloves, ties, shirts either. Many baked special cookies and cakes, and what a treat those were over the holiday. One told me that somebody had given her a sewing machine. My mouth gaped because this is a person who has never even sewn on a button. She smiled and explained. The machine when to an Afghan woman in her name. Ahh!

So I wondered if this could be a trend due to some increasing awareness about the perils of consummerisim? Is it due to knowing more about and caring more about the struggle of people in war-torn countries? Is the cultural tradition of gift giving returning to the original spirit that inspired it? Or is this a fad that will go away once our economy stabilizes and the war is no longer the top story? And what gifting did you and your family and friends do this year? Maybe you have a tradition that doesn’t involve credit card debt. Just curious. Just wondering about the world outside my own small circle.

Happy New Year.

D.L. HAMMONS

I posted this in November of 2009! Imagine. I was discumboobled even then. Maybe it should have been discombobulated? At least this year I’m aware that one isn’t a word anyone recognized. It must have been a wild 2009.

So here’s my Deja Vu Post.

Is that how you spell it? See? Totally out of it here.

Tonight is another book signing APPEARANCE and I’m still putting together what I want to say. Then there’s company arriving, my mom who needs some TLC, the cat with a hairball issue, and a leaky toilet. I haven’t blogged in days. I’m wearing my baseball hat all day because I can’t use Halloween as an excuse for my hair anymore. My Tweets have turned to Chirps and when I looked at the garden from my window one of my patio chairs is floating in the fish pond.

Anybody have a system that keeps writing, family, pets, house, and personal hygiene needs under control? If so, please send ASAP!

In the meantime, wish me luck with tonight.

Have any of you had an attack of the phobias? You know those creepy ideas that slip under the door sill while you’re writing that book.

I haven’t had a phobia attack in a long time, but it happened today so I thought I’d share the few I enjoyed.

I encourage anyone who is experiencing or has experienced something like this to jump in with a contribution. Also if you have a counter-phobia or a spell or a potion or a good shrink don’t hesitate to share.

PHOBIAS DU JOUR

1) I’m not really a writer, just a poseur with a pen and business cards.

2) Rewriting is really code for slash and burn.

3) Nobody will ever read what I write.

4) I’m writing the worst book in the history of writing.

5) Agents are sniggering about my query letters.

6) Reviewers are inviting thousands to a book burning ceremony in my honor.

7) Editor are posting my first chapters as examples of what not to do. They’re “forgetting” to remove my name.

8) Librarians are avoiding me, even when I just need directions to the copy machine.

9) My publicist is sending out negative press releases.

10) My last rejection came from myself.