My Christmas List

First off, for those of you who thought I was referring to your Christmas letter...nnnnoooo, it was someone else's letter! Your letter was my favorite!!

Santa's been asking about you. Here are some gift ideas I shared with him for the artists on his list:

A box full of fresh ideas. An ego strong enough to handle criticism. Self cleaning brushes.

Friends.

Frames that actually look like the picture in the catalog. Self cleaning oil paint lids.

Customers. Did I mention friends?

A place to hang artwork. Good lighting. Time to create.

An open mind. A supportive significant other(s).

Friends. (I may have already mentioned that one.)

Opportunities.

Dustless pastels. Just the right color.

A really good framer.

Great subject matter.

A receptive audience.

A willingness to mentor others.

A sense of humor.

Last but not least, friends. (You just can't have enough of them.)

What would you like for Christmas?

C is for Christmas

Ah, it's that time of year, isn't it? You know what I mean.

It's December, the month when all the friends you haven't seen in the last 12 months write to tell you how fabulous their year was.

It's Christmas Letter Time!

Eleven-inch envelopes that normally hold bank balance statements or credit card reminders now carry 8-1/2 by 11-inch pages of dancing snowmen or twirling holly garland wrapped around the years' adventures.

Does no one just stay home and read anymore?

It seems that all my best friends, who I haven't heard a peep out of (out of whom I haven't heard a peep) since their last declaration of Christmas cheer, have traveled the world with their beautiful children in tow. Remember them? The A+ students who organized the Katrina Relief Effort from their elementary school in the 'burbs while directing sight-impaired children across the street at the afterschool program in the projects before heading out to dance class to practice for the lead in the Nutcracker, after which they'll build a house for the neighbors whose house burned down, and train their dog to fetch newspapers for the elderly. Oh, don't forget the bone marrow drive they're thinking of starting? All while wearing white, neatly ironed button-down shirts, actually tucked in to their Dockers. Which are actually pulled up to their waists and belted. Did I mention they dined with the Pope?

Who are these people?

My Christmas Letter to You:

It was a pretty darned good year. Learned alot. Forgot some. Learned some more. Laughed more than I cried. Added a few more wrinkles and silver hairs. (Note to self: try 20 watt lightbulbs in the bathroom.) Made new friends. Kept the old ones.

Love my family like crazy, every single one of them.

How was your year?