I used this photo for my Christmas cards for last year (2007), it was kitty's first Christmas with my family. Inside the cards I wrote, "Meow-y Christmas and Happy New Year!"

I have a neighbor named Scott. Just found that out this morning when I woke up the sound of knocking on our front door. Half asleep, I put on a sweatshirt and headed downstairs. Lifted the front door curtains and didn't recognize the person standing outside the front door, so I hesitantly asked who is it. Turns out he lived three houses away from my place and on his morning jog saw one of our car doors ajar. Worried someone might have broken into our property so he was trying to inform us. Like a good neighbor, he knocked on our door.

Finally stopped by the local Goodwill center to donate the clothes I had prepared since August. It looks like I would have to make another run to Goodwill after I unpack my winter clothes. Less is more. I started to discard, donate and consign away most of my belongings. I am the type of person who collects all the birthday cards given to me since who knows when. Or I used to be that person. One day I woke up and felt clutter crawling out from under the bed, engulfing my night stand and decided to declutter before I suffocate. I removed my bed rails and stuffed them into the hall closet. From my new lower angle, everything in the room looks out of proportion. I considered removing the bed's box spring next to sleep on the mattress only. Sometimes I wonder how I ended up removing most of the bedding from my room when I should be cleaning the physical clutter.

I also had a haircut. I found a place to trim my hair for 1/3 the cost of my last haircut. This budgeting is tough. My family is cursed with thick wavy hair, but I try to make do with what I have and for the past few years I used to harvest my wavy mane to donate for locksoflove.org (provides hairpieces to children who suffer from medical hair loss). I had to say goodbye to my chic bob's when the economy entered my life and grow my mane out. It is just easier to pile up the load of hair into a ponytail by being low maintenance. Corresponding to the view I first see when I wake up by sleeping closer to the ground, welp, it has helped in keeping me grounded.

I am eating a slice of pumpkin pie from Cracker Barrel as I type. Not so yum, but it's not quite like the holidays without tasting the food that goes along with it. My family left the restaurant stuffed with turkey and ham. Since I am the only vegetarian in my family, I ended up with the pumpkin pies to go. I am thankful for everyone being able to get together for the holidays and for dinners like these. Happy Thanksgiving.

And my heart goes out to those affected in Mumbai.

My younger sister's birthday is coming up, actually on Thanksgiving Day to be exact. Honestly speaking, the past few years we had not been close to each other and if we continue on this path, we might end up not speaking to each other. I am trying very hard to let go of the past and continue forwards, but once I move closer towards my goal, I am pushed backwards. My sister finally introduced him to our mum and he could not bring himself to look at my face. My mum looked puzzled when she met him; she thought he looked familiar. I had no heart to explain things further, as things are complicated as it is.