Back up to speed

So now things are completed. Everything ended well, no complaints about the end of the semester. So now the time comes for relaxation. And foot surgery. Although the good news on that front is that I will now be having a much less invasive procedure done. It will keep me off my feet for a day or two, stitches for two weeks, and then after that I should be good to go. It'll obviously take a little while to get used to having straight toes, but I'm hoping for a speedy return to running.

Christmas shopping is going well. I'm doing well with my immediate family and Becca, and I've got some good ideas for the rest of my list as well. Christmas shopping is always an intimidating experience. I am forced to go out into the wilderness of retail America with no ideas about what to get my loved ones. The first few stabs are always fruitless, and I wind up dejected and wondering if my gift mojo has left me forever. But then I have that one trip where I buy the first gift that I feel really good about. That day was yesterday. I actually walked out of the store with a smile on my face. And my good fortune continued today. The best is when you find one gift for someone that sparks an idea for a set of gifts organized around a theme. I can be a real dork about presents.

So now I have two days left to finish my shopping before I become Gimpy McGimperstein. And I still have no idea what I am going to get my mom. Any suggestions from you guys?