When a co-worker (CJ) and I were in the kitchenette this morning, she saw two boxes of donuts on the counter and asked aloud, “Now who left these sinful donuts here?” Minutes later, a tray of brownies — the one pictured above was from that tray — appeared. The treats reminded me that grazing season is almost upon us. More on that tangent later.

CJ’s question also reminded me of an article I recently saw about someone who kept a McDonald’s hamburger since 1996. That someone would do so — even in the name of science — weirded me out to no end. Stranger still, the burger, despite drying out and smelling “odd,” pretty much looks exactly the same as the day it was made. Hell, it looks like one that just came off the griddle.

Further, the question reminded me of the article on the worst breakfast foods one can eat. For example, an egg and cheese Croissan’wich from Burger King has less than half the calories of a side of their hash browns. Talk about sinful!

And getting back to the season of grazing — known to most of you as the Christmahanukwanzaa season — lemme tell ya about the greatest sin of all: holiday creep. On a trip to Costco a couple of weeks ago, I saw that the warehouse store had all sorts of Halloween decorations out… and even more Christmas ones. Trees. Lights. Various inflatables.

I mean really, we were just a couple of weeks past Labor Day at that point. Why does the Christmahanukwanzaa season need to start earlier and earlier every year?

The photo at right was taken the day after Halloween at Montgomery Mall.

In case you weren’t aware, it’s National Punctuation Day, “a celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotes, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons, and the ever-mysterious ellipses.” (via City Desk)

It’s after midnight on 25 December here in DC, and that means that it’s now Christmas. So ho ho ho and all that jazz. Whether you actually celebrate the holiday or just enjoy a day off to watch movie marathons or basketball, I hope it’s an adequate day for you.

I suspect that things will be relatively quiet here on the blog until 2008, so if you don’t hear from me before then, have yourselves a happy new year too.

In the meantime, I’m off to bed, with visions of Christmas specials — or at least those damn Rankin-Bass-esque commercials — dancing in my head.

Mall Santa by FredoAlvarez/flickr)

An aerial view of Santa with kids at the mall.

Lesbian Arm Wrestling by FredoAlvarez/flickr)

So last night’s office holiday soirée was a good time. There was dancing, there was food, and there were people crawling around on the floor.

And apparently, when you mix lesbians and alcohol, they arm wrestle.

I’m about to do something completely unheard of that I’ve never done before, ever. I’m attending my office’s Holiday Party™ (patent pending).

I’ve been with the organization now for over six years, and not once have I ever gone to one of our holiday parties. To be sure, I have done a couple of our summer outings — our 2006 white water rafting trip was probably the best one we had and I was sure not to miss it. How many chances does this city boy get to do something that awesome?

But as far as our holiday gatherings go, I’ve either been already gone for the year or I just didn’t feel like going. I’m also not big on socializing with people I work with. While there are exceptions to the rule — a couple of whom peek in on this blog from time to time — friendships with people I work with tend not to work out for me in the long run.

I have my reasons for going this year. And I’m not telling.

Just before my office closed for a winter break*, they held their annual Christmas Holiday party. Once again, I wasn’t in attendance — I had a prior engagement.

Regardless of one’s attendance, however, everyone on staff gets a gift at the end of the calendar year. A few years ago, it was a pen. Then a watch the next year. A throw blanket and two extra large coffee mugs — which is, to date, my favorite office haul.

This year? A gym bag and a 32-oz. water bottle.

Is this a hint?

* (HA! The joke was on them — I was already on a winter break.)