Presumed to be awesome.

Christmas was, for the most part, lovely.

Christmas Eve was somewhat less than lovely as it was spent at my aunt's house and I've decided that's the last time that's going to happen. There are some people I tolerate at holidays because, dammit all, they're family, and despite their various flavors of crazy and even some out-right fucked-up-ness, I love 'em. But, I will NOT spend another holiday with her creepy almost-but-not-quite-ex-husband, being his typical asshole self, and making everyone around him either uncomfortable or furious. There is simply not enough alcohol in the world for me to adequately deal with that shit. So, first resolution for 2010, no more holidays with assholes who are not family and I therefore do not have to tolerate.

Christmas day, however, was wonderful. The Nieces (and their parents) came over on Christmas morning and while the adults caffeinated, they ripped into their holiday loot. There were bikes and skateboards and books and games and all kinds of nifty things. They were both beside themselves with glee. There was menudo for breakfast and later I cooked up a humongous pot of gumbo for dinner. Cultural mash-up FTW!!!

In the better-late-than-never category: thank you to all of you who sent lovely holiday cards! I loved getting such wonderful reminders of the amazing people I have in my life! Y'all ARE the "merry and bright" part of the holidays and every day! *mwah* I'm also very sorry that I didn't get my holiday cards out this year. Please know that I love you all and wish you all the love and laughter possible in the year to come!

So, other than catching up with family and eating more yummy food than is probably advisable, the rest of my holiday weekend has been spent reading Yuletide fic! It's been awesome!!!

Here are some of my favorites so far:

Fandom: Black Dagger Brotherhood (Ward)
- Gifted (Butch/Vishous)

Fandom: Dark Hunter series (Sherrilyn Kenyon)
- it all started out as such an ordinary day (Dev Peltier/Sundown)

Fandom: Nightrunner series (Flewelling)
- Taking What the Gods Send (Alec/Seregil)

Fandom: Glee
- By Far the Most Volatile (Kurt/Puck)

Fandom: American Idol RPF
- Sensory Overload (Kris/Adam)

- I Can't Turn This Around (Kris/Adam): Amnesia!Fic. Just really well done, paced perfectly, with great character development. So good!

- They Come in Threes (AI/Merlin Crossover, Kris/Adam, feat. Merlin): This was absolutely DELIGHTFUL!!!

- Just a Kiss (Adam/Tommy)

Not Yuletide, but still eminently rec-able and thoroughly satisfying reading:
- On Skin (Adam/Tommy, R) by janescott

- Even the Losers Get Lucky Sometimes (AI/SYTYCD: Adam/Jakob Karr, NC-17) by mosca: Finally!!!!! \o/ Attention fic writers: MORE OF THIS PLEASE!!!!!

So, there you go, lots of good stuff to read! Now I need to get back to my lovely holiday weekend, which will of necessity have to include a little more productivity and a lot less awesome fic reading today. *sadface* My brother, sister in law, and the girls are moving in this week, so I need to get the office moved and the house ready for tripling the number of inhabitants. Dear gods, this is going to be insane! But, you do what you gotta do, right? Anyway, hope y'all are having/have had an equally lovely holiday weekend! *mwah*

I, for one, am damn glad that it's finally Friday! What a week, man. *huge sigh* Actually, what a couple of months! The last third of 2009 has truly kicked my ass, and I'm more than ready to see the end of it and get on with 2010.

But there is much awesomeness afoot for the end of 2009! In less than an week I will be in L.A. for several days of holiday shenanigans with my girls including Disneyland, a WeHo version of "A Christmas Carol" called Gay Apparel, the Lady Gaga concert, and plenty of drinking, and laughing, and talking, and just hanging out being awesome, as we do! *g* I'm SO looking forward to it!

And then after Christmas with the familia, I'll be back in L.A. for New Year's Eve and the Gridlock party at Paramount Studios where ADAM LAMBERT IS HEADLINING!!!!!!! It's going to be off the freakin' chain!!! And how much do I love my amazing friends that I just need to toss out this crazy idea and they're all immediately on board to support my insanity??? Lots, I tell you. I love 'em lots! *mwah* We are going to have a blast ringing in the new year!

Also of the good this week, I settled one of my big cases yesterday!!! And the best part of this is that it gets me that much closer to closing a case with clients who are completely batshit crazy. Note to self: clients who insist that God has told them what their case is worth are only going to give you more problems than they are worth. Plus, they'll eventually get around to threatening you with a divine smiting. Step away from the crazy while you still can! But, the case has settled, and now we just need to deal with probate and then I can be free of the crazy and the possibility of divine smiting! So, YAY!

And for more immediate awesomeness: tonight I promised Rianna I'd take her to see The Princess and the Frog. I'm probably more excited about this than an adult should be, but it's damn time that Disney gives us a princess of color! And this weekend I'm determined to get my cards out, my holiday shopping finished, and some baking done! Go me!

I've been working on a whole attitude adjustment thing, because, quiet frankly, I was getting tired of my own whiny bullshit. So, to kick off the week with a healthier mental space, I'm making me a happy list!

- Egg Nog with Southern Comfort! Is it wrong that this tops my list? Oh, well. It's definitely happy making. It went perfectly with all the decorating and shopping and generally kicking of holiday ass I did this weekend! So yummy!!!

- Snowflake Cookies! Thank you so much to everyone who sent me all the lovely snowflakes. Every time I'd get an email telling me I had a new snowflake it would make me smile. My profile is a blizzard of happiness!

- The Nieces! I got to spend most of the weekend with Rianna and her excitement over the holidays was contagious! She and I have decided that Santa Clause is indeed real! *nods* Also, Rhyan finally learned to say "Tía Gigi" and this fills me with GLEE!!!

- SAMe. I have not even been taking it for a week, but already I feel the difference in my thought patterns. Thank @god for healthier brain chemistry!

- Y'all! It really cannot be said enough: I've got the most kick-awesome friends on the planet! Love you guys like Dean loves pie! *mwah*

- Aces Take Your Time (Adam/Tommy, NC-17): i_amthecosmos wrote me Adam/Tommy knife-play fic and it's HOT LIKE FIYAH!

- Speaking of happy-making Adam/Tommy fic, how 'bout some Tommy rent!boy fic?!!! For Hire (Adam/Tommy, NC-17) by jeck7 and worlddescending. It's a long read, but OMFG so good!

It would also make me very happy if you would let me know if I can send you a holiday card or tell me about your favorite holiday recipe or link me to YOUR wish list! And I'm sure that my happiness is very important to you too. *g* So, go on, do it!

So much happy-making stuff!!! What's on your happy list this week? I wanna know!!!