LaurieWrites

Metabirthday

This is me taking a picture of me filming my cake. Because I'm a dork, but I have to admit that I kinda like it.

Birthday recap:

Mamma Lucia ravioli and a glass of wine for lunch. Nice. 

My new brother made me a peanut butter cake, with chocolate Amaretto pears and peanut butter tracks ice cream. I like him. He is nice. The end.

My sister made a fabulous dinner.

A little more sleep than usual.

Cowboy Junkies tickets for a tiny venue in January, which is very nice.

I cried, because I'm an idiot, and I haven't cried in days and days. Weeks, perhaps. Next year I would like not to cry on my birthday, please.   

Many, many calls and messages from my friends, which was nice. And last night, I went down to my friend Karen's to commiserate over our mutual December birthdays, and we hung out in her beyond-comprehension hot tub. You haven't lived til you've been outside in the winter in a hot tub with a reclining massage chair in it. Seriously.

Now I'm getting on a Chinatown bus, because that's how I roll, and heading to NYC for New Year's. If you're anything like me, you really don't see the point in all the madness of New Year's Eve, and the heavy expectation of funfunfun, and you might really rather be hanging out with the dog and the television, pondering the whole concept of resolutions and the passage of time and all that jazz. But that's what I did last year, and it kicked off a nice 2006 that went WAY better than 2005 (which wasn't difficult, trust me.) So this year I'm going to kick it up a notch from the gate, and we'll see how that turns out.  I hear they're testing the confetti in Time's Square already, and you really can't experience that anyplace else.

If you're reading this, I wish you the most outstanding, wondrous, and meaningful 2007. Each year is a little different, but so far the common thread is that I learn more and grow more and become more at home in myself than the one before, whether I like it or not. At least I still have pretty good hair.

n 

2006

Stolen from Erin.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? Made sure I traveled somewhere away from my city at least once ALMOST every month.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Almost made #1 above. I missed January and August, but school is so busy in both of those months that it's impossible to go anywhere. And I wrote here that I intended to "use my powers for good," which I mostly think I did. I have some resolutions on deck for next year, which essentially add up to "kick ass, in a good way." So here's hoping. Specifically, to try to work this writing thing out whether in school or out, to apply and make it as a volunteer on an Operation Smile mission, and to travel outside the United States. I'd also like to design my own Website, take the rest of the photo classes I need for my certificate, and read more books.

3. Anyone close to you give birth? My cousin. My best friend from high school (and another one became a dad.)

4. Did anyone close to you die? No.

5. What places did you visit? Starting from January (the only month I missed besides August...) Atlanta, Boston, New Orleans, Ocean City/Rehoboth, the Bahamas, South Carolina, California (San Jose, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz), Austin, Indianapolis, Dayton, Lancaster and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York City, and I'll be bringing in '07 in NYC, too. :)

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? A plan. Eventually, a place of my own. And I hate to admit this, but I've got to find someone excellent (who preferably has a fucked up sense of humor that matches mine. You know, and a brain, that's nice.) to smooch on a regular basis, because this current state of affairs is really, really old. I just don't LIKE kissing people at random, because then they don't go away if you want them to...only if you don't. It sucks to have standards.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The day I moved over to my new office was insane, but I only know it was in February. The day my sister's fiance called and asked me to arrange a dinner for him and my parents, but again, I only know it was in August. Christmas.

8. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year? Connecting with some students and hopefully making a difference in their lives. Moving through the worst phase of a grieving process (so I'm told) and smiling most of the time on the other side. Opening myself up to true friendship again. Making it through August without losing my tiny little mind.

9. What was your biggest failure? Acting out at the bridal shop. There were some backslides but no abject failures, thankfully.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing major but I have  got to get on some kind of diet that doesn't make me feel sick all the time when I eat.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Plane tickets. I did buy a photography domain name, which was cool...Now if I can just get something up there.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? More of my friends and family members than not, so that's good.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? HA! I can't answer that. But one of my birthday presents is in response to it and it's a total howling hoot. I appalled and depressed myself less this year, so that has to be good, right?

14. Where did most of your money go? Plane tickets. Music. Food. Same as ever.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Teaching. My friends. The Killers. The Virgin Festival. The reemergence of personal goals that I thought were dead, but were really just buried. Matters of principle. Blogher. Excellent music and good writing, again, same as ever.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006? "How to Save a Life," the Fray. Just try and forget that song. I dare you. "Ordinary", Alternate Routes. The whole "Taking the Long Way" album, Dixie Chicks. "Chain Hang Low" (haha!) "John Saw That Number", Neko Case, "Not California", "Reservoir", and "Jackson", Hem, "Where am I Now", Shelby Lynne, "Dani California", RHCP, "When You Were Young" and "Glamourous Indie Rock and Roll", The Killers, the whole Raconteurs record. "Lolita", Prince

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?Happier, or at least more alert.

b) thinner or fatter? I'm about the same, unfortunately. I need to work on that but I'm trying to find a reasonable way to do it that doesn't restrict my tiramisu intake.
c) richer or poorer? Same.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Kicking back. Spent time with my grandmother. Saving money. Working on a business plan.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Crying. Socializing pointlessly. Worrying. Wasting time on regret. Being hard on myself. Procrastinating.

20. How did you spend Christmas last year? With my family - the usual stuff.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006? Just kinda. ; )

22. How many one-night stands? Wrong girl.

23. What was your favorite TV program? The Office, yes.

24. What did you do for your birthday in 2006? I had lunch at my favorite restaurant and then my sister had a dinner party for me and we all played Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture again. 

25. What was the best book you read? The Kite Runner.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? The Raconteurs. A ton more that I can't remember.

27. What did you want and get? A better outlook. A dope camera and a video camera.

28. What did you want and not get? A Mac laptop. A new tattoo.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? Little Miss Sunshine. Steve Carrell...that's all.

30. Did you make some new friends this year? I so did. I met Lauren in California!  And Marcus, and Tyra. And Brittany. And Marit. It was a good year for friends.

31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Something I don't tend to discuss in this forum, but I also don't believe in lying, either.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Comfortably stylish, I think...It was pretty much the same, but I bought some new shirts that I really like wearing. I also wore one pair of jeans and another pair of courduroy pants incessantly. I need to clean out my closet posthaste.

33. What kept you sane? My friends. Music. The Wednesday crew at work + Marcus, all day. The occasional lightbulb over a student's head. Wine with the girls. Communicating. Blogging. Traveling.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? John Cusack has emeritus status here. Jack Black. Peter Sarsgaard (Oh, LAWDY. ; ) ) Anthony Kiedis. Jack White. Jon Krasinski from The Office. (CUTE! Oh! How CUTE!!! ; )) And also I have girl crushes on Maggie Gyllenhall and Jennifer Aniston. So there.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? The elections.

36. Who did you miss? You.

37. Who was the best new person you met? Lauren and Marcus, tie.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. I learned some things,  but mostly was just reminded...that things are often difficult before they are easy. You really, really can't always get what you want, but you can't let it fuck you up and make you a shadow of yourself, because then you lose twice. You cannot lose what is meant for you, so whatever you lose, wasn't. Oh, and don't take a cab or a hotel shuttle in San Jose. Walk.

36

At midnight last night, my cell phone buzzed. I thought, "Oh fun, a text message," it being the holiday season and almost my birthday and all, because some of my nearest and dearest are bound to be out and about hitting the punch bowl, and sending messages that look like this: "Hoppy merrrry sdafeafwenoi!!!! RAAAAAAWWWWWRRRRRRR hahaha", or something.

So I hit the little button on the side of the phone, and what popped up was my calendar. "What did I put on the calendar?" I thought. And guess what I put as an event on 12/27, when I got my new phone last month and was teaching myself how to use the few functions and gadgets on it that will NOT have me owing my soul and checkbook to Verizon??

"12:00 a.m.  BORN"

I am such a dork.

I was also quite cute, back in 1971.

Anyway, yes, I was, 36 years ago, as of 8:12 p.m. this evening, unleashed unwittingly on this strange and awesome planet. It's been an interesting ride.

Here's some other stuff that happened today. You know, besides me.  I love that someone named Hyacinthe died on my birthday, because I think that's a badass name. And that Sarah Vowell and I share a birthday is so cool. And Liesl from the Sound of Music! And Michael Pinder from the Moody Blues ("On the Threshold of a Dream" = early lullabyes from hippie parents...) And Mick Jones from Foreigner! ROCK!!!!

It's interesting to have a birthday as the year is turning over. I used to hate it, but now it's okay. It's a conversation piece, more than anything - and it's very interesting to have a personal new year alongside the universal (in this hemisphere, anyway) one. It makes for some heavy duty reflection all at once, but if anyone's prone to that anyway, it's me. The number...eh. All things considered, I could be in much worse shape, and I'm very lucky in indescribable ways. I'm grateful, too. And now I'm making myself cry, because I'm getting overly sentimental here with you good people, so I'll stop, and go off in search of some seriously tasty cake.

Christmas in the '06

Well, you made it, folks. Another year, and Jesus is safely ensconced in the swaddling clothes, and Mary is really wishing the wise men would hop on their donkeys and head back from whence the star led them, cause she needs some sleep.

Mary was my first and still most inspirational female icon ever, by the way, for reasons that I'd go into now were I not running late, as usual. I always gravitated to her story above anything else I read or was taught in my Catholic education (for which I may have mentioned I'm very grateful? I hope so. Regardless of the bad press, and my own personal feelings about the second-class status of women in the church?? Yeah, those are huge issues for me now, but it didn't so such a bad job for me.) I went to a high school named after her, and a University for graduate school run by men whose order is a tribute to her, so I guess the good stuff sunk in.

Anyway, this wasn't intended to be a theology lesson. God, lighten up, will I? Okay.

So merry belated Christmas, to everyone who digs it. I ended up having a really good day. I'm very grateful for small miracles, which this week seems to be providing to some degree, and therefore my cautious, miracle-averse heart is lifted, and schooled, too, I'll admit, for like the several-hundredth time in my life. I'm very glad about that, and also that I'm still capable of being surprised by happiness. Regardless of the normal struggles that remain, some of the things that were straight up broken have been fixed a little or a lot. Some of this is due to the relentless passage of time and some of it is due to communication and some of it due to I have no idea what. I'd call it the universe, and maybe that's so? Part of being human in this form, (which I've actually been thinking about way too much lately to the point that it's kind of wigging me out and I don't talk about it because I'd totally be shipped away if anyone knew) is embracing that I don't really know why lots of things happen or don't, and just shutting up about them and eating my lunch and getting on with things.

In any event, I spent the day yesterday with my family, in various combinations and permutations, and overall it was really, really nice, so any worries about that did not come to fruition. I also spent some time with my mother at her mother's house, and redefined for myself what being a servant, in a postive sense of the term, is. My mother serves people from her heart, and that is a rare and amazing thing. And even though I think it's hard for her and stresses her, I just don't think she knows how to do it any different. It was quite a lesson, which I've seen a million times but I think I was just in the right place to observe it in this way.

Speaking of my mother, she put many of my presents in this bag. I told her to stop calling me names.

As a little holiday music addendum, I loved this bit on everyone's favorite and least favorite holiday songs, from NPR. Even if you're so OVER the music at this point, have at this one. The page also has a ton of links for "best of" cds and songs for 2006, so for that reason alone it's worth checking out.

One of my miracles is this little lady. This is Kelsey, my cousin's baby - my new goddaughter to be! I'm very excited. My godson is 17, and I love him dearly. He still talks to me on purpose, gave me his screenname, and hugs me when he sees me, which is no small feat when dealing with a teenager, so all in all I'd say I did okay with him. So needless to say I'm happy to have a special relationship with a new baby, and a little girl at that! I was so happy they asked me, and it was that conversation a few days before Christmas that really did turn the holiday tide from so-so to excellent, which continued through the weekend. She's totally cute, you guys. I have this theory that babies all think I'm a big clown, because whenever I pick them  up or talk to them they tend to laugh. Her brother is almost four and we have a very good time together, because I act as silly as I can possibly be with him and he's finally gotten it that I really mean it, so he can relax. Last night he put these green footie pajamas on for the car ride home, and I was all, "Mr. Green Jeans! Oh, no, Mr. Green Jeans!" which he thought was excessively hilarious, even though Captain Kangaroo is long gone and he wasn't wearing jeans at all. Somehow I couldn't make "Mr. Green Footie PJs" work quite so well. Then when it got time for him to go to the car, he said, "Oh, NO, I canNOT go outside! I'll get WET!!" To which I replied, "No WAY, Mr. Drama. You have to go outside. How about we RUN and I carry you?" So he, stupidly given that he's never seen me run in his life, much less in the rain, said "OKAY!!!!" So I picked up this kid in his green footie pjs, with his jacket hood up and a Santa hat on over that (we have a thing for festive headgear in this family that seems to perpetuate through the generations like high cholesterol) and indeed ran him down the steps through a PUNISHING light mist to his car seat, such that he thought we'd really averted a serious disaster. I've always been grateful for a straight man (in the comedic sense of the word, that is.)

Punkin attacked his stocking, as usual. He wore his bandana, too...for longer than any antlers have ever stayed on, so I think we'll be going with velcro from now on in the canine couture department.

And lastly, I picked out mine this year.

I think that's mostly true.

Work. Keep digging your well.

“The Sunrise Ruby,” Rumi

In the early morning hour,
just before dawn, lover and beloved wake
and take a drink of water.

She asks, “Do you love me or yourself more?
Really, tell the absolute truth.”

He says, “There’s nothing left of me.
I’m like a ruby held up to the sunrise.
Is it still a stone, or a world
made of redness? It has no resistance
to sunlight.”

This is how Hallaj said, I am God,
and told the truth!

The ruby and the sunrise are one.
Be courageous and discipline yourself.

Completely become hearing and ear,
and wear this sun-ruby as an earring.

Work. Keep digging your well.
Don’t think about getting off from work.
Water is there somewhere.

Submit to a daily practice.
Your loyalty to that
is a ring on the door.

Keep knocking, and the joy inside
will eventually open a window
and look out to see who’s there.

This post brought to you by the cumulative impact of two months of Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Okay, rightio, it's almost this big old holiday that we all go on and on about for two months out of the year. And I know I'm supposed to be full of big, luxurious love for everything and everyone but I'm falling a bit short in that particular category. I'm not Scroogey, I'm just...here. And I guess that's better than so many alternatives so I simply shouldn't complain. But that doesn't stop me from...ruminating aloud. 

Part of it is that this Christmas day is going to be odd and new and different in my family, and this was really helpful to read today. It's from Blogher, a site I write for that has so much good stuff on it that I could spend much more time on it than I do, but I'm glad I hit up this post. Sometimes my brain is a little off-kilter and it needs to be kicked back into place.

So much has changed since I was a child, which is certainly normal, but so much has changed in the fabric of my extended family in very recent years that sometimes it's difficult to reconcile what was with what is at all. When my grandfather was alive, there was a closeness and to some extent there still is, but it's different. People have moved onto other situations and there's distance where there wasn't. I don't have much to offer in the way of stability myself these days, so I shouldn't complain, but I can't shake some of the things I think and feel about it. I'm trying really hard to embrace change these days, and most of the time I'm successful. That means I'm excited about it, or merely content, or even neutral. Other times I'm just pisssed off about it, or confused, or sad, or in deep, dark, comforting-for-the-moment denial. Today it's easier to be those things because I'm getting sick, I'm racing around trying to meet some deadlines that are totally self-inflicted because I'm an ass and didn't plan far enough ahead, and I'm really just physically tired. These are days that breed the winter of my discontent, which sucks. Blahblahblah, whine whine whine.

So what am I doing, in the meantime, to try to channel some of the goodies while making my way through the occasional emotional and physical muck?

I am making people laugh at every turn, have to admit. I've been on some kind of binge of commentary that seems to be going over quite well with my crew at work, which is comprised of people who also make me laugh, which is an incredible, wonderful blessing (a word I don't throw around. We're having a good time with it, stressful as it can get, and that's good, because I like when people laugh.

I'm listening to lots of different holiday music, which sounds basic, but this year I'm doing it like it's my job. If I cannot in fact be barenaked for the holidays, I can indeed be "Barenaked for the Holidays." It's a great album and "Hanukkah Blessings" ties with "Elf's Lament" for my favorite song on it, so look at me being all ecumenical and shit. I also remain quite true to Bing Crosby, and the Elton John Christmas album from last year, and the new one called "Santa Baby" that they're hawking this season at Starbucks. And of course there's the South Park record..."Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics," that's sort of a twisted tradition in our house at this point. Stress relief, that's what it's all about.

I'm also not doing things I don't want to do. I made a decision not to do some things for Christmas that probably I would have done last year. I'm simply opting out, and this is unusual for me because I'm a terrible opter-outer. I'm a grit-my-teeth-and-bear-it kind of person when it comes to obligations of the familial variety, especially, but I'm finally reaching a point where I don't think I have to do that, just because I'm one of the ones without children or a spouse or in-laws. That just doesn't have to translate to "yo-yo whose plans can change at any time." Pardon me, but fuck that noise. Sometimes it seems that because I'm untethered to other human beings, I have more obligations almost, because it's assumed that I'm free to bounce around wherever, and I've always felt compelled to do that. The truth is, that if I want to sit on my ass by my tree and be with my DOG on Christmas this year in the house where I live, I'm doing it. As much as I've always been led to believe that it will "break someone's heart," I know it won't. And it doesn't mean that I don't love them or care about them or that they don't feel the same way about me. I'm just really, really ready for some control over my own time, even if that means watching "Christmas Vacation" and "Scrooged" and lighting a candle and making phone calls. This has as much to do with the general vibe in my extended circle as anything else...where things can start to feel more like a hassle than a blessing or a joy, and I don't believe that that's the way it should be. Regardless of what you believe in terms of the "reason for the season," if you're going to commemorate it in any way, it should be a good one.

That said, I am making time for some of the people who have made my year so much better in so many ways. Those are the people who deserve my time and to whom I wish to give it. This includes my parents and my sister, of course, but also my friends in real life and far away. I had a great dinner out with some of my favorite people last night, and look forward to Christmas Eve with some more. Lately I've had occasion to find out that the most important people are the ones who really back up what they say with what they do. I always knew this, but it's true that there are people in our lives who actively support us, and those are the most important ones.

I'm posting to the Advent Calendar contest group on Flickr, and am sad that we've had nothing approximating winter weather so I could really have some fun with it. The other photographers are kicking my ass, but it's been a nice daily diversion.

I'm also doing that thing I do where I commiserate with retail workers, and this year it's going swell! You know, the job sucks. I've done it. It's terrible. You're held to terribly high standards for working in substandard conditions. You have to ask people invasive personal questions about their contact information, which is NOT YOUR IDEA, and you're monitored and punished if you don't do it. You make approximately seven dollars per hour. You stand for hours, and pick up crap that people leave in heaps, and sometimes you even have to clean the bathroom. So when I go out shopping, I generally chat briefly with the person ringing me up, and ask them how they're holding up, and tell them I've been in their shoes many days, and I have to say that it generally is a great interaction. It makes them feel better and I usually have something to smile about when I leave the store. Last night I was in Nordstrom Rack, which has the most unpleasant aesthetic value of any store I've been in lately save for the Germantown Wal-Mart. And the clerk was a beautiful girl who was still smiling and genuine, and after she told me that she was generally over Christmas and only cared about gifts for her little brothers, I TOLD her to find a store that suited her better. I told her she needed a bright and shiny environment. And she was like, "You know.....I've considered it." And I was like, "Do it! Do it! The real Nordstrom!" because she really looked like she belonged there and not in the yellow flourescent weirdness that was this particular store. Anyway, it was nice.

Okay, and now I'm really not going to bust out with "Merry Christmas movie house!" Swear to God. But I could, because I like the movies.

It's a subtropical holiday

It was 67 warm, sunny degrees in the home of the oriole and the black-eyed Susan today (that's Maryland. That's where I am. I don't know why I didn't just come out and say that in the first place.) and that's just weird. On the one hand it's kind of nice, because I've been known to get cold in July, and I pretty much hate it. But on the other hand, there's nothing like the balmy scent of global warming to make you wonder why in the hell you're trudging around buying candy canes and Macy's gift cards when it's SUMMER. It's confusing, as I am easily confused, particularly in matters involving seasons and weather. I'm one of those messed up, seasonally affected people. And dammit, when it turns winter as it does every year, I want it to soldier ON and be winter until it gets it out of its system, and all I ask is to make it to April. Get cold, stay cold. Wear a coat today, wear a coat tomorrow. I don't need my fragile emotions toyed with like this.

But this appears to be my holiday lot. It's supposed to be 50 degrees on Christmas. Christmas! And 58 this Saturday. I never watch the weather, as I have plenty of people in my daily life who greet me with the report. I have no need to check it myself, since it's not a conversation starter that I use at all, except for, oh, now...when I suppose it's on my mind because it's freakish.

Plus, I know what happens when our weather goes on these psycho binges of coldwarmCOLDkindofwarmaLITTLEchillyBLAZINGHOTINDECEMBER (sounding not unlike my previous relationships. Eek!) My immune system tanks, and I tend to feel like I'm trying really hard not to feel right now...that "just doesn't feel so hot" scratchy throat and sinus headache that indicates that mother nature is screwing with me - and my sinuses - again. And tonight in my last (praise Jesus) ilife class, the dumb boy that hacked on me all semester and inflicted me with some of the worst cologne I've ever smelled felt the full force of my unspoken wrath, (which he completely ignored so as to keep up with his five MySpace accounts.) I'm quite sure that he and global warming are the reason why I'm getting sick, and blaming them should be a really productive way to spend the rest of the evening, don't you think? 

The connection is made

I try not to comment too much on celebrity gossip, it being covered enough and with more energy in other venues. But...BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! This makes me laugh, which is always nice for a Monday.

"Asked what Brown gave him for his big day, Carter replied: "She got me love."

Okay - got that out of my system. Thanks.

Christmas is all about XBOX, Charlie Brown. Get with the program.

I wrote a post and lost it, and now I don't have any energy to write anything else. Sad! However, here are some photos from the weekend of holiday parties, in which I learned:

*That when playing Pop Culture Trivial Pursuit with dvd-enhanced pie piece questions, yelling out "VALERIE BERTINELLI" during the all-play when your team already has a tv pie piece might in fact lead to the loss of that pie piece. And it will also get you dirty looks. So don't do it. Even IF you're overwhelmed by your knowledge of the very name "Barbara Cooper Royer" and you're a huge Van Halen PLUS One Day at a Time fan so the yelling out is really unavoidable. Also, I guessed Buffy the Vampire Slayer from two episode names alone, which made everyone think I was this huge Buffy-head, but I never was. I  just knew about "Hush", and let's be honest. Didn't you? Tell me you did anyway.

(This game is easy, as Trivial Pursuit versions go. No 80s mega-difficulty bullshit here. I think they're dumbing it down for our changing times and withering attention spans. And also, we won.)

*That it's the holiday season and when seeing family and friends and acquaintances I haven't seen for a while or maybe never, I need to come up with answers to the following questions that do not involve gestures: "Are you the one who's getting married?" and "Aren't you older?"

And also, if you're my mother, please do not interrupt my seven-layer dip and sparkling conversation to note that the couple who just arrived met "in a PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION! You just need to STAY ACTIVE!"

Good, because I really  had planned to lay down and die starting tomorrow. I'm so over this doing stuff thing. I really need to embark on that "swing dancing for fun winkwinkfindaman" plan.

See that, over in the corner? It's my head, right where it popped off. Right, after someone (SOMEONE!!!) mentioned adoption from distant lands out of context. I swear I'm going to wake up one morning and SOMEONE will hand me a plane ticket. And that's cool. Just...whatever, Angelina Jolie.

* When leaving a test on which you did pretty well when you were reasonably sure you were going to bomb, which could actually help you achieve some life altering activity that could pretty much lead to awesomeness, it is perfectly acceptable to board the elevator and channel Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer. But instead of saying, "I'm CUTE! I'm CUTE!!" say "I'M SMART! I'M SMART!" instead. And then pretty much giggle the whole way down, and even smile benevolently at the tool on the cellphone in the lobby. It's a swell way to start a weekend.

Oh right, pictures.

Christmas carol party madness. My grandma is one of the most interesting people I know. She is also a little bit nuts, which usually goes with the territory. She also looks like Maxine here. You know...the Hallmark card/comic strip character? Yes. Maxine. She really was happy here. I don't know why she looks like she's yelling. My dad: "Here's some eggnog, Ma."

She takes a sip.

"Nah. Ain't nothin' in it, anyway."

Me: "Do we need to give you a flask for your wheelchair bag?"

Good times.

Then it was on to my sister's for her and her roommate's Hanukkah/Christmas party. Here are my partners in Trivial Pursuit victory. And my sister with some of the tasty wine. And more people. And more wine. And more intelligent answers.

And look! Flowers! Winner of the "Cutest new little cousin whose name I don't know" award at today's family reunion.

And an angel. Don't her lights look like little light sabers?

One week to go.

(I guess I found some energy to write. Looky there.)

You're it, Baby

"Who are these people? Seriously, who actually sits down after a long day at work and says, I'm not going to watch Lost tonight. I'm going to turn on my computer and make a movie starring my pet iguana? I'm going to mash up 50 Cent's vocals with Queen's instrumentals? I'm going to blog about my state of mind or the state of the nation or the steak-frites at the new bistro down the street? Who has that time and that energy and that passion?

The answer is, you do. And for seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, Time's Person of the Year for 2006 is you."

Cool.