I finally broke down and mimiced part of Jack's blog -- the "Current Terror Alert Level" as designated by Sesame Street Characters (see side bar -- Thanks Jack!). If we hit Elmo, run for your lives. But if you see Oscar the Grouch (oddly enough), we have at last achieved world peace.
(~_-) -- Oh by the way, MERRY CHRISTMAS!! My Christmas this year was more satisfying than I've known in some time -- I think that has a lot to do with money being a bit more precious now that I'm on my own, plus coming home after a long time of being away. Things that were tired and tedious last year are fresh and exciting this year, and I at last have some frivolous shopping ahead of me without the impending doom of rent impinging on the fun (gift certificates are the best!!). The only thing that didn't quite add up was my family's team losing this year's tundra bowl* by 3 whole touchdowns...We're gunning for you next year, Team Hawvermale!!

*tundra bowl is our annual family football game, with my uncle, two cousins, and a friend of theirs on the opposing team, and my brother, cousin T, mom's boyfriend, and a random 'recruit' on ours. I blame our loss this year entirely on Fred having Ebola, and the fact that our team can never gel because we don't have a consistent 4th...in previous years, due to greater variations of physical strength and talent, we still had a fair match up. But my two cousins and their friend are all teenagers now, with boundless energy, durability, and a lot more savvy...with body types equaling out, the sore fact is, we need a cemented fourth.