Pieces of shattered glass standing sharp against the dashboard, steerwheel and console like knives. Scrapes, tears and dents marking the devastating path of the stone that ruined not only the interior of my car but my day, nay my whole week.

I couldn't help but think, the one day I was prepared to give the best news, is the day I was betrayed, scared and sad that someone would do this to me. My car was sitting in my driveway, not 20 feet from my front door, an easy target because of a visible credit card. But it could have been worse.

I wasn't really shaken up until that night when I tried to fall asleep and raced back and forth from the window checking every sound on the street - envisioning my poor car raped by the light of the Christmas decorations. I felt sad for my car, like an animal, like it had feelings.

For the rest of the weekend, I stayed home, car safe and secure in my garage - but Monday I had to drive to work in Topeka, and with a missing window on a record-cold day, I wasn't very happy.

At first I thought it might be a hate crime - or a neighbor on the street I disgruntled with my particular love and flair for the holidays. But when the police officer who filled out my report told me that about five other cars on the street had also been broken into - and that two cars at a company near where I work were set aflame, I felt strangely better.

The good news I was going to deliver that day is that, I GOT A NEW JOB! I'm a graphic artist for a publishing company in Topeka. I start today (even though it's national "Call In Gay Day".)

And now a weird story: About a week ago, when trying to pull down the fake Christmas tree (to give away) from the attic, I noticed that a bird had shredded our dryer tube and nested in the end! I noticed a dead bird in the attic in October when I went up for Halloween decorations, but didn't really think anything of it.