In the Garden State..

Well, I made it to NJ in one piece. The drive was actually pretty uneventful for once - no major accidents or detours, and I made it there in less than 4 hours, despite two stops (at a Sheetz and at a Wawa - my two favorite convenience stores. Sheetz gets much lovin from me for being the only place I know that has Diet Mountain Dew in their soda fountain, plus two for a dollar hot dogs).

Usually, I kind of look forward to the drive from MD to NJ. This time, I was kind of bored by it - I kept looking at my Tom-Tom and being annoyed how far I still had to go. I think I'm kind of driven out - I made this drive a month ago for Thanksgiving, and I did a sizeable chunk of driving for Apple training in upstate NY. Also, as much as I love the Danger Ranger - so far it's been pretty solid - it's not the best vehicle for long distance driving - it's pretty noisy and the ride is kind of rough. Plus, I'm the usual bundle of worry about stupid stuff - the Apple test, my cat (even though I know she's in good hands), the meaning of life. I think once I start settling into the Christmas routine I'll be calmer.

The funny thing about Christmas after you become an adult is that the expectations get lower, so you are pleasantly surprised when it doesn't suck. As a kid, you look forward to the whole thing - the presents, the ceremony, will santa come? As an adult, it's more a source of stress - buying presents, traveling, trying to get all the stuff you need to get with work and your life in order so you can make time for Christmas. When it actually comes, and you don't have to worry about it anymore, it's actually a pleasant surprise.