Dear  Santa,

I’m getting my letter in EARLY!  Truth is, I’ve been a REAL good girl this year.  I mean SPECTACULAR!

Just in case you get a little confused, I thought I’d remind you of how GOOD I’ve been!

For starters, I’ve been patient.  Real patient.  More patient than I’ve ever been in my entire life!  With people, with circumstances, with anything and everything’s that’s been thrown my way.  And can we be a little honest here? A LOT’s been thrown my way this year BIG TIME!  But that’s okay. I can handle it.

Now, I’ve also been very giving.  Let’s be fair, I’ve always “given”.  But this year, I think I’ve done much more than any other year.  Ironically, I’ve had less to give financially, but I’ve given more of my heart, my time and my love. It didn’t matter that it’s been tough all year, I still work on the premise of always trying to give more than I receive (Selfish really.  I like how it feels to give – a secret I learned from you long ago!).   All and all I think I’ve done pretty well on the “giving” end regardless!

Let’s see, what else?  Oh, I’ve also been understanding.  I mean, VERY understanding!  I’ve done my best to understand why people treat people the way they do. Why some are so cheap or angry or just plain stupid!  (Oops, sorry, I shouldn’t be calling people stupid).  But I’ve tried.  I’ve really tried to understand why people lie so very much to each other but more astonishingly to themselves.  And I have to admit,  I  really don’t get it!  Nonetheless, when I realized it was too painful to keep trying to understand, I stepped away.  Letting people do what they need to do.  And honestly, I can’t say I know or understand anything better, but I do admit to feeling oh so much better!   And when you feel better, you can only do better, right?

See, I’ve been good!  For the most part anyways, so here’s my list (in no particular order):

1)  I would like the economy to improve – immediately please (uhm, and just to be specific, I mean all over the world).

2)  I would also like the US education system to improve ten-fold (good luck Michelle Rhee. www.studentsfirst.org)

3)  I would like Liberals and Conservatives to stop being so damn extreme and get back to being more uhm…SANE and yeah, calm down a bit! Goodness gracious (sorry for cursing there Santa)!

4)  I would like people to stop being so self-absorbed and think about others on a more regular basis.  For example, they could start with just reaching out to their next door neighbor or be more worldly and learn about women and children suffering  in the Congo.  It’d be a much better world if we just THOUGHT bigger, CARED more and REACHED out to others on a regular basis (Yes, I know, I’m asking for Utopia. But it’s my list Santa! And this is what I want!).

5)  I would like all the divisiveness to stop.  We’ve gone from North and South to Red States, Blue States, to Main Street and Wall Street.  Can I be so corny and cliché as to ask:  Can’t we all just get along?

6)  I’d like us to stop talking about Gay folk so much.  And what I mean is, Santa, can we finally just get to a place where we realize what people do in their own damn bedroom is none of my muther-effin’ business?  Enough, already.  I am so over people being homophobic, people having to ‘come out’…OYVEY!  To me, it’s like racist morons, I can’t even give them the time of day they’re so ridiculous!  I don’t care if you’re Gay!  And no one else should either!  (sorry Santa, I cursed again, uhem).

7)  I’d also like Warren Buffett and the rest of the billionaires to please stop talking about giving away their fortunes.  God love ’em, but goodness sake, for some reason it just infuriates me more!  Trickle Trickle my way Mr. Buffett!  I bet I could do GREAT things with a stimulus package of my own!  I’d be happy to take $200K of your money and show you what I could do with it!  I’m just saying… I’m glad you’re all giving your money away, but unless you’re doing it for something tangible in my own community, and doing it right now, can you please give it a rest?  The last thing poor folk want to hear is that you got so much money that you’re giving it away but not to US!  (Love you though Mr. Buffett! I really do!).

8)  That “Christmas” be embraced completely!   As well as every other religious celebration! It’s not political correctness, it’s just common sense.   This time of year is so beautiful!  It’s even more beautiful because it lights up with so many different traditions!   And honestly, it’s not that hard to light a menorah or say Happy Kwanza or Happy Holidays at all.  Seriously, do we just FIND things to complain about?  It’s my second favorite time of year, let’s let everyone enjoy it (yeah, my birthday still is numero uno, lets not confuse what’s most important he-he!)!

Personally, I’d like what I always ask for:

1)      Continued GREAT health (grateful for my health so far!).

2)      Steady work doing what I love (so grateful that I get to pursue what I love at all!).

3)      Continued great joy and happiness for the people in my life…and for myself! (I’m so friggin’ lucky!).

Lastly,  If I had to ask for “gadgety material-esque” things that I truly don’t need…   Well,  I’d like a new cell phone.  The new little palm pre 2, which honestly I don’t even know if I’d like but  I’d sure love to buy it right now unlocked and try it out!  A pair of Jimmy Choo’s never hurt and I am so due!  Tickets to West Side Story, a baseball or basketball game and…well, let’s just say I wouldn’t be angry if any of all of those magically appeared somehow!!!.  (Oh, but see how easy it is to get all materialistic?).

Eeeh, I’ll  trade in all the gadgety material-esque things for the rest of my life if you give me everything else on my list!  Deal?

By the way, thank you for last years gifts…all of them!

Tu Carmencita.