twenty-something

Here we go again...

I guess it's not "the night before" anymore. It's past midnight. The big day is here. I'm sitting alone in the dark living room, save for the glow of the fake-ass tree and the late-night South Park holiday marathon that's on, at the family computer. And I'm just at a non-dramatic loss of words.

I'm too cynical to write anything happy or nice about Christmas with my family, but today... well, today wasn't all bad. Compared to the holidays of recent memory, this was the lowest maintenance. Not without it's drama or annoyances, yes, but dinner was good. The small gift exchanges rocked. And I actually had a good time with my family. I'm chalking it up to pain killers and booze. And maybe a little bit of Christmas magic.

I'm actually kind of hopeful for tomorrow morning. I'm excited for people to open my gifts (the women-folk enjoyed the Tutti Dolci body-stuff I handed out tonight), 'cause I really dug shopping this year. And I'm curious to see what I've got waiting for me under the tree (my aunt surprised me with a pretty swanky chair tonight - and I must say I really, actually love it). So, yeah... good thoughts for what will occur just a few short hours from now.

Tangent: Watched Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special from 1988. (I bought my wacky ol' Dad the DVD for this December 21st birthday.) When I was 8, I had the special on an old Beta tape, and I would watch it constantly, year round. I still remembered some of the words. Anyway, watching it now, for the first time in over ten years, I kind of realized why I liked it so much. I mean, come on. It was the gayest Christmas special I have ever seen. Guest stars like Little Richard, a very mannish k.d. lang, and Cher... Hunky, shirtless men building a new wing onto the playhouse... Pee Wee being a selfish twink of man with no kids of his own... it's amazing. I dare you to rent it.

I think possibly the perverted highlight of the night for me was, after dinner, making Toasted Almonds in the kitchen with my parents. The version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" (the kickin' version from Elf, by Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone) was playing and, improptu, my ever-warring parents and I started making up new words. Threatened divorce is funny! I can't really remember many of them, but they were funny!

"I really must go..." - "I ain't stoppin' ya..."

"I think I'll move out..." - "Want help packing?"

"I'll leave the kids with you..." - "No, I'm good, really..."