It's almost Christmas!

Last night was Evan's Christmas concert.  He plays the saxaphone and he was soooo excited for the concert because A.) He had a duo (a 2 person solo) and B.) The concert is being televised on our local access tv station.

Handsome boy (I tied the tie for him)

He was amazing. 

But....the concert lasted for over 2 hours and I slept through about half of it.  (the half he didn't participate in)  I guess that I still haven't recovered from Vegas.  That being said, it's time to get my drink on again!

Why, you ask?

Because tomorrow (Friday) is the company Christmas Holiday party.  We have ordered 30 bottles of very expensive champagne....and there are 30 employees.  :)

Last year I made an effort to stay sober and not make a spectacle of myself, because 2 years ago, I did just that.

All I remember is vomiting into my recycle bin under my desk, while THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY (shown below) held my hair for me.

Him

Anyway, what I DIDN'T remember was the owner (shown above) invited me to do shots of aged burbon and i guess I didn't turn that invitation down.  Ever since that, The Josie rule was established.  No hard liquor at the party.

But.....my boss has been so good to me, and has given me cash baby a nice holiday gift, so I'm bringing him a nice small bottle of scotch.  Should be fun.  :)

Speaking of Christmas, Evan wants a modified controller for Christmas.  They are uber expensive, but I just ordered one online.  Anyone ever hear of these?  I guess they shoot alot faster than an average controller, but I'm concerned because I hear if you're caught using one, you can get kicked off xbox.  Is that pure bull shit?  Acornman, any thoughts?

Toys sure have changed since I was a kid.  One of my favorite gifts from Santa was this doll called Chrissy.  She had hair that would grow!!!! (kinda) And if you wanted it to be short again, you turned the wheel on her back to crank it back up inside her.  See below.

Chrissy

Back then it wasn't like today where kids have been exposed to tons of commercials and what they want has been imbedded in their minds.  I got what I got and I liked it.

Below are a couple other of my favorites.

Spirograph.  I never got tired of making amazingly pretty designs

Jaws, paperback

Jaws in paperback was a gift to my brother from Mom and Dad Santa.  It was the first non kiddie book I've ever read.  The size (and small font) was very intimidating, but once I got into it, I had to read it to the end.  It was the beginning of a great love affair with reading that I've never grown tired of.  When my mother realized I was reading it (I was maybe 10 at the most) she went through the book, and wherever she found anything suggestive, why she just ripped the page out.  Try reading a book, where maybe 15 pages are missing.  It killed me.  As I write this, I'm considering buying it again, just to read it in it's entirety.  I don't know what she could've even taken out.  I mean the movie Jaws didn't have many hot parts, now did it?

Books were a rarity and a pleasure when I was small.  I owned maybe 3 and they were prized possessions, dog eared and well used.

My all time favorite children's book when I was small (and remember I didn't have many) was a book called The Bumper Book.  I read it until it fell apart.

A Gateway to wonderland

After it started falling apart, I actually cut some of the pictures out to use in one of my 6th grade projects.  I have regretted that for years.

Somehow I've gotten onto the topic of books so let me stay there for a minute.  I brought one book (and a Star Magazine) with me for the Vegas trip.  I finished the book prior to the trip home so I decided to treat myself to a new book, while I was in the airport waiting to go home.

I ended up with a book called Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.  Yeah, I guess you'd call it a chick book.  It's about a female fossil hunter in the 1800's and it's pretty good.

It's not as good as Girl with a Pearl Earring, but it'll do.

I have about 30 pages left and I'm on the horns of a dilemma.  I'd love to finish it right now, in bed, all warm and cozy.....BUT....I have to ride the bus into work tomorrow, and with a book, its a great ride, without a book not so much.  If I finish it tonight, I'll be scrambling for SOMETHING (ANYTHING) to read on the commute tomorrow.

Ah fuck it.  I'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.  I have to find out what becomes of Mary Anning.  Besides, on a scale of 1 to 10 I'd only give it a 7.  Definitely not good enough to savor slowly.

Someday, when I'm rich, you'll find me surrounded by a pile of books. (while laying poolside in the sun)  Rich in money and prose. (although I like poetry too)

Josephine Anna Maria