The MOST wonderful time of the year!

Okay, I can officially post that we're entering the holiday season. After all, we're now past Black Friday, which I attended. Yep, at WalMart at 5:00 AM for a special gift for my son. I need more resistance to temptation when I shop on that day. Put 500 frantic, screaming people together with being half asleep, and you know what you get? $300 out of your checking account. I only went to buy ONE thing, and ended up with 6.

I'm soooo excited for Christmas...then again, a little secret: I've been listening to Christmas music since November 1st. :-)

To my best friend....

This post is dedicated to my best friend, who is celebrating a birthday tomorrow.

It is hard for the ordinary person to understand how our friendship evolved. Truly, when one lays out the facts and the history as it unfolded, one can't help but be perplexed that we became such close friends.

I don't know whether there was a kinship, a shared experience, or something intangible that caused this bond to strengthen...but it has. Aside from family, there are very few people that I could count on being there in a crisis.

Of course, it helps that we have sons who are literally days apart in age. Were that not the case, I think we would still be as tight as we are today. In our earlier years, we partied together. During rough times, we have commiserated together. In the present, we have mellowed together.

Michael, I salute you. You, as much as any person I know, have faced hardships and adversity in your life with both grace and stamina. You rarely let things get you down. On those rare occasions when you seek out a shoulder, I'm privileged that you trust that I'll be there.

Hats off to you as you celebrate your birthday, my friend!

Do you feel even the slightest bit of guilt if you're happy that a known terrorist is dead? I've been mulling over this a good portion of the day.

Yes, many innocent lives will hopefully live longer, now that (taking a quote from "Murder on the Orient Express") "the repulsive murderer has been repulsively and, perhaps, deservedly murdered". I just don't feel right in celebrating it. Of course, I wasn't fond of "Ding! Dong! The Witch Is Dead!" either.

A heavenly concoction

I doubt there is a single person on the face of this planet (with the possible exception of Michael) who could guess what two items I'm referring to in the title. A mix, if you will...of two ingredients so sublime that nothing mortal could touch it.

A song popped into my head last night as I was reading a discussion board. Okay, it was just a verse of a song...but a start nonetheless. Now my son and I are going to try to complete the song in the very near future. Are you ready? I doubt it! Anyhow, here goes:

On the first day of Cruisemas, Walt Disney gave to me: a week on a "Magic" sea!

(That "clunk" was the sound of Michael's jaw hitting the floor)

Hey...I could be talking reality TV here, huh?

Today's verse:

On the second day of Cruisemas, Walt Disney gave to me:
Two fun excursions,
and a week on a "Magic" sea!

Pick your jaw up, Michael....

Blonds have more fun

Do you know what that means? Yep...Lance Bass won tonight's episode of "Gameshow Marathon". Reichen, you lucky dog....

On to a more serious subject. It's time again for one of my frequent self-analyses. Today's topic? "Keeping up with the Joneses"

Unless you are reading this blog for the first time...or you have an incredible short term memory loss, you may recall that I am taking my son on the Disney Magic seven day cruise in the Caribbean. As part of the advance preparation, I was scouring the discussion boards, trying to find if there are any of my "ilk" on this cruise. On cruise ships, we're called "Friends of Dorothy". While I haven't found a soul who'll admit to being on this specific voyage, I did run across a message board with some general people who'll be meeting together. I thought I'd introduce myself, and soon found that I was welcome at the opening "Meet & Greet"...which is in the "Walt Disney Suite" on the ship.

Naturally I began to question myself. Hmmm...Is my "Category 9" cabin good enough? I mean it's small, and it doesn't have a balcony, but it does have an exterior view. Should I upgrade? That verandah would cost another $1400. So I'll pass...but then there are the little things. Should I pack a tuxedo to dress along with others? Is that the purpose for the formal night? And what about the pirate night?

Today I began to wallow in the fact that, over the past week, I've spent almost $700 on car repairs (AC), $650 on homeowner's insurance, and $600 on real estate taxes. Then, I wondered to myself: Shouldn't I be able to afford a much better house than this one? I mean it's nice, but maybe it's time to trade up.

Somewhere in all of this I lost sight of the one intangible that is (as they say in the Mastercard commercial) PRICELESS. That's the relationship I have with my son. So what if we're sleeping on Deck 2. What matters is the fun we'll have on the boat. Who cares that my house isn't one of grandeur? It's simple, it's mine, and it leaves me with plenty of opportunities for us to take these cruises. And about that 1994 Saturn with the repaired AC? It'll be his first car when he turns 16...the only car I've owned since just after his birth. Where the two of us are concerned, maybe he'll enjoy the memories we've shared in that car more than my trading it in on something else.

I may not be blond, but I guess as long as I'm having MY type of fun it'll be okay.

Having No Shame

I'm sure there are times in our life when we make mistakes that we wish we could take back.

Some of us may be rethinking past errors in judgment, like voting for "W". Okay, I don't regret that, since I didn't.

Perhaps it's looking back on the ignorance of youth...like the time where, while receiving a present in front of approximately 150 people, I loudly asked my mother if she wanted to save the wrapping paper.

Maybe it's wishing we could rethink that "bartender, one more drink" comment (and being caught on tape in the back room of a bar in a rather compromising position).

Well, fans...I've hit a real low point. And I can't blame this on youth, alcohol, or political propoganda.

Tonight I watched "Gameshow Marathon".

You got it.

Lest we are in the least bit unsure we have no social life, this little gem, when taking hourly twice a week, will remind us of that salient point.

CBS has risen to new heights by gathering the penultimate in "B" listers including, but not limited to: Leslie Nielsen, Paige Davis, and Kathy Najimy. Like an oncoming train, we have to follow this disaster to (as a former acquaintance of mine used to say) its "inevitable, horrible conclusion".

So who won Round One, you ask? Okay, you didn't ask...but I'll tell you anyway. Fitting for a show of this caliber, it was a blonde. No, not Lance Bass, the alleged current squeeze of gay reality icon Reichen Lehmkuhl. No, no, no...he was beaten by Brande Roderick...a purported actress and ex-Playmate...who looked as shocked that she won as I was.

Looks like there is enough "lack of shame" to go around....

Tick tock tick tock tick tock....

That's the sound of the clock, passing time ever so slowly until vacation....

Have you ever noticed that (as we age) time seems to move faster? That is until we want it to move quickly, at which time (pun intended) it moves at a snail's pace.

We're all about being prepared for the vacation this year. About the only thing I need is a time-released feeder for the aquarium and I'm set. Already taken care of the cat, don'tchaknow...and no, she doesn't get to eat the fish!

They say we'll have a formal night, a semi-formal night, and a pirate night on the Disney Magic. Haven't decided on taking a tux. I don't dress for Halloween...but surprisingly I'm considering it for the cruise.

That's it for now. All of this talk about ticking clocks and pirates is getting me in the mood for "Peter Pan". Ironic, wouldn't you say?