There are many things in the world that make my brain hurt; however, today I can't handle anything else that's too stressful, so I am concentrating on hangnails.

I have really dry, thin skin. It's awful. Much worse in the winter, and the fact that I have almost morphed into the host from Creepshow is entirely due to my defective dermis. Epidermis. Whatever...SKIN. I got the second manicure in my life on Friday, and I have learned two things from that, so I'm sharing.

First, I don't even remember my first manicure. I was going to do a walk through at a college, so that tells you it must've been 15-20 years ago, and I remember it was dark green. But I used to bite my nails, so there wasn't a whole lot going on there except some stubby looking nastiness. Times have changed, and I went with glittery pink this time. Lesson learned? Glitter polish is the way to go. I have scrubbed like 9 billion dishes since Friday, and only the tips have worn. This stuff is like rocks on hands. Pretty pink rocks.

The second lesson? Hangnails come right back. No matter how much filing they do. I have been using lotion every ten minutes since Friday and my hands are already back to crap. Actually a little worse because the lady scrubbed off all the callouses so now the skin on my fingertips is sore and bleeding, and I can feel it. I usually can't. Ugh.

Overall thoughts? Probably not worth me doing manicures. I wash my hands WAY too much, and that's not changing any time soon. I did, however, learn that glitter polishes stay like crazy, so I may paint my own nails a little more. I don't know. We'll see. 

Time to go clip off the new hangnails. Yikes. This is going to hurt.

Facebook's ad algorithm continues to amaze me.

This morning's selections are ads for alcoholic beverages and fancy mixed drinks, along with ads to turn my dead loved ones into tree pods.

So that's pretty appropriate.

Also, a lot of puppy videos on my feed, so that's a plus. I may make it to Christmas, after all.

The story of my life? 

Waiting until 11:00 so I can legitimately eat my lunch. Right around 10:00, it starts getting rough, but the worst part is 10:50 on. I seriously watch the clock those ten minutes, willing it to move faster.

Yeah, I've broken down a few times and eaten my lunch earlier, but I always feel really bad about it.

And then, it's really not officially lunch, so I kind of have to eat again around 1 pm, because I don't want to skip lunch.

I've thought this out pretty carefully.

At any rate, this blog post only took four minutes, so that's another 56 minutes to kill.

I can do this.

I can.

I am so hungry right now....

Recital week last week. Whoa. Things got real crazy, real fast.

I've been holding studio recitals for 17 years (holy crap, how am I that old?) and I think I've never had my students be as flaky as they were this year, nor have I ever had a kid actually stop during the recital in the middle of a song to cry.

So, yep. Bananas.

Recital was Thursday, and by Tuesday afternoon, I had five makeups scheduled because people had faked sick and not come to the lesson the week before. But now help was necessary. And a couple didn't even call the accompanist until two days before the recital, either, when I had asked repeatedly for them to call earlier. Like, two weeks earlier. Not to mention I've sent out bi-weekly reminder notes for the last two months.

Also, only like two families (out of a dozen) decided to bring a plate of finger food to share, but they all stayed and ate it and drank my fancy Martinelli pomegranate apple juice stuff. 

Nice job, guys.

This week, it's payback time. You don't even know. I have new warmups that you're all going to hate.

Merry Christmas, me.

Short rant here, for your Friday enjoyment.

If someone is giving you a gift, suck it up and say, "Thank you." Don't be a rude little turd and complain about the gift, or complain about who else did or didn't get a gift, or crap on the way the gift was given. Have some manners, and be gracious.

You can go home and complain to your close friend or your partner or your dog or whoever.

I feel like maybe some people were sick the day all of the moms in the world explained that. So, naturally, I have to pick up the slack. It makes me crazy that people think they just deserve to dictate not only the gift itself, but the manner of distribution, and to whom gifts are given.

None of yo business. None. Not even a little.

And even if you don't like a gift, still act like you did. What does it hurt? It's just common courtesy, and at least there was a little kind thought towards you in there. So be kind back, you jerk.

Geez.