Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015 - 8:22 a.m.

E is sick and the house is a disaster and we are hosting a cookie exchange tomorrow and J's parents are on their way here and j have to move all my art stuff out of the casita (well not ALL of it, but the stuff in the way which is a lot of stuff) and then clean it because I told the cleaning people to do it when they come Monday but the parents will be here before that. Also we are going to try not using the cleaning people and so far that hasn't been going very well. And while I have finished printing the cards, I still have to color the design on like 50 of them and print Q's drawing and color that and then write pleasant things inside it because a hand-colored handmade print isn't enough for people, no, there must be an exchange of pleasantries.

All the printing was grueling but by the end I had learned something about the physical act of making a print, which was the real goal of this card exercise. Don't tell anyone. I just have to make a lot of prints to get good, and dammit I intend to do that even if it causes people to believe I am someone who values staying in touch. Next year we will get so many cards. I like getting mail but not holiday cards. Usually they don't even write anything, and what am I supposed to do with this picture of your kid?

�