AUTHOR: M. DATE: 11:47:00 PM ----- BODY:

Okay, I lied about the time a little, but anyone who can immediately put music to the title of this post without clicking this link wins... a NEWWWW CAR! I love Jewish Christmas. This year Christmas coincides with the first night of Chanukkah, too, which means we have an excuse to make latkes on Christmas instead of eating Chinese food (the traditional Jewish Christmas meal). I hated Christmas as a kid. I hated being one of the only Jewish kids in my Episcopal school, surrounded by Christmas carols and Jesus this that and the other thing, and all the holier-than-though Fellowship-of-Christian-Athletes types trying to out-pious each other talking about the spirit of the season while swapping tips on how to remove the scotch tape to sneak a look at their expensive presents without their parents finding out. And the damned radio - unplayable this time of year between the carols that get stuck in a person's head despite her best efforts and the commercials with jingle bells in the background. Boy, I was a scrooge. (Actually - this makes me think of the year that I had a giant fight with my college girlfriend because she wanted something in the Christmas Tree Shoppes and I refused to enter the store and she had a meltdown and I refused to back down because... well, because I was 19, OKAY? Anyway, this is my story, so shut up.) But now I am a grown-up who actually knows not only other Jews but also pagans and atheists and Buddhists (oh my!) and who has a CD player in her car and who no longer has the sense of self of a 14-year-old (well, not usually). So now Christmas means a lovely long weekend free of obligations, and no one even called all day long except my mother-in-law, who wanted to know what to bring when she comes for dinner Monday night. It also means the downstairs neighbors, the ones with the rockin' (and I do mean that literally) sub-woofer in the living room, seem to be gone for the weekend. This is indeed peace. Finally, I have to put in a plug for the incredibly patient sster, who today got the call she was waiting for. Please head on over there so you can read her breathtaking news for yourself and join me in doing a big fat happy dance for her. Happy happy to anyone out there reading.

-------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: Anonymous COMMENT-DATE:12:56 AM COMMENT-BODY:I <3 RENT. :) No, really.. now I am singing the rest of the musical... and it is ALL YOUR FAULT! :-D

Happy Christmas -------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: avonlea COMMENT-DATE:5:56 PM COMMENT-BODY:Happy Chanukkah, thanks for passing on sster's good news, I hope you'll be getting the good news in a few months yourself.

Sorry you had to endure the Episcopals. I actually became one (long story) but couldn't stay one (no need to explain to you, I'm sure).

I'm glad you had some peace, I hope it continues a while longer. --------