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Tuesday, November 02, 2004

November

November has been always a very important month for me.

To begin with, November 1st is my nameday. What is a nameday, you might ask. Well, for us Christian Orthodox, is as a major thing as a birthday. See, we are named after saints or martyrs, who have their special day, usually the day of their birth or death, and when it's this day of the saint you are named after, you get to celebrate your nameday.

More people call for a nameday, since it is known to the entire (christian orthodox) that Argyro's celebrate their namedays on November 1st, for instance.

Then, November is the month that, after its first week, brings a slower pace at work. Theatres have opened, music scenes have done their premieres, the radio station runs smoothly with its new program, the club has opened and all the events are scheduled till Christmas, things start to become more human.

Then November brings the "what will we do for Christmas" questions. We meet with close friends and plan exotic trips for Christmas we never manage to realise, but all the "meetings" are just too much fun to rationalise about the result. Then we begin to make more down to earth plans, and that gets us all excited. Who's place will be the Christmas Eve party. Who will cook Christmas lunch. Where will be the big New Year's Eve party? And the likes.

In November I also begin to think of this year's decoration theme, so that I can make my Christmas ornaments. I usually make them myself. And then there is always the long pressie lists that have to be done at least three times.

Usually they start with like:

Angelos: New leather Jacket

Mum: Louis Vuiton bag

Dad: Suede Jacket

Brother: Armani jacket

etc

Then I wake up and smell the coffee - actually add up all the estimated costs - realise that if - and only if - I win the national lottery I can afford such pressies, and redo the list to something that looks like

Angelos: feather grey seamless track pants

Mum: Flannel orange pj's with matching slippers

Dad: Merinos burgundy turttle neck sweater

Bro: New gardener's kit

etc

Then I realise that I have not actually seen these items in the shops, but have simply fantasize about them, and there is not one pair of orange flannel pjs in Athens, so I have to redo the list to something that looks like

Angelos: track pants

Mom: pjs (and slippers if they are not too dear)

Dad: sweater

Bro: New Gardener's kit

etc

It is crazy, but it is so amusing to me. It really makes me happy.

Then it is the food issues. I have to loose some weight to look gorgeous for the christmas parties. Even when I was slim, I always wanted to look slimmer for the christmas parties. So November is the month that diet is always the big issue. Though, while the desire for the super dress is alway burning, the weather gets colder, we spend much more time indoors, weekends are spend with friends making the aforementioned christmas plans, friends want me to cook and bake, so weekends always end up with eating in a way that nutralises all week's good work and efforts. The best thing that usually happens is to NOT gain weight during November. Plus it is also my husband's nameday on Nov. 8, so we usually do a joined party to celebrate us both with close friends and family, and I always try to outdo myself in each year's cooking escapades. This coming Saturday is the big culinary feast at our house.

This November is different, however. All the Christmassy things are in the corner of my brain, but they all depend on one thing. My mum will check in the hospital on November 10 for yet another biopsy who will let us know how the treatment went. I am really very positive and hopeful, so is she, but I am hesitant to make plans just yet.

Yesterday I was in the rehearsal till 2.30 am and that means that I did not get to be home and relax on my nameday. But I received so many calls and I also got some great pressies from clients and business aquintances that it was good. And my assistant gave me an orchid plant, a phalaenopsis, which has 4 tiny blossoms, so now I am anticipating for them to open and see what colour they are.

Also, this November might be the month that I either am, or get pregnant. Or not. But still.

By the end of November my partner will be back...that's big news too!

The bet about this November is to loose some weight. I do not want to say how much, but some.

See. November is always a big month for me. Let this November be big by being smaller. Smaller in the amount of time spent working. Smaller in the amount of kilos shown in the scales. Smaller in the possibilities of my mum not being o.k. Smaller in the quantities of stress. You know what I mean, don't you?

Posted by Argy at 6:50 pm

3 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahhh... November. I love this because of the promise of summer here but not Christmas which I find stressful - I love the "season of goodwill" etc but just not the crowds and pushing and traffic etc.

The very best for your mother on the 10th - what a hard time for you and her.

ps.. best of luck for no more periods.. (wink, wink)

Lynda www.geocities.com/scottygirl_1

8:47 am

DeAnn said...

Well, happy November then!!

And also, NO FAIR!! I want a nameday!

1:05 pm

Tracy said...

Mwah! I'm exactly the same with presents - I make ridiculously expensive lists (like diamond earrings for my sister, newest Nokia cellphone for DH...)and then end up scaling them down to avoin total bankrupsy :D I LOVE buying and wrapping up presents though - I almost love other peoples' birthdays/christmases more than my own (almost...I like celebrating myself too :D)
Good thoughts on November - for me November has always just been waitin for X-mas - I could enjoy more the working, normal days before big seasonal holidays. Mmm.

5:00 pm