when i was very little, i occasionally watched inspector gadget. or was aware that it was on.

when i was a teenager, ferris bueller was everywhere.

when i graduated college, i visited pittsburgh once.

when i started doing development, i would occasionally write to matthew broderick and sarah jessica parker or speak with assistants trying to get them to come to events.

now, i am at home for christmas and somehow, inspector gadget, the film, is on. and it takes place in pittsburgh [why?!?]. and ferris now has an umbrella coming out of his head.

this is why i do not have cable in brooklyn. help.

"Gee, it’s great to be back home again…"

This year, I tried to get my brother a john denver tribute CD [shut up] with covers by the likes of low and bonnie prince billy [see?]. But I was late in ordering and so did what I thought only parents did when they were being cheap or forgetful and cut out a picture of the item you had circled in the catalog [or hinted at incessantly like ralphie] and put that in small box with wrapping paper.

“look, it’s that chemistry set / telescope / video game I wanted!”

Except it’s not. And now, as then, it sucks to do or have happen to you. Sorry, Matt. So the meta-gift happened, but he took it well. Because he knows it’ll be good, when it’s not just a song list and a photo of the record.

It’s interesting though, because that kind of neatly encapsulates both anticipation and disappointment, two things one would do well to become acquainted with early in life. Not to wallow in, or anything all black and dreary like that, but to know it when it comes.

This watered-down episode could only mean it’s the holidays again, and they are packed with lots, as they seem to be for most people in my life.

I had my annual 40-minute day of debriefing with Jen, during which we both confirm and deny all the things we expected to happen, check stress levels, parent moods, and in general remind each other that we did, in fact, get through one of these 365 days ago.

She, like me, sounded both tired and wary and happy that things are going at least slightly better than anticipated. They often do.

i guess that wasn't too hard. does html pay better than fundraising?

of course it does.

this is troubling. john has already linked his blog to mine and i have very little content to show for it. worse still, i don't know how to get his [ www.johnness.blogspot.com ] to appear on my right-hand column thing. hmm...

as he is the only person who knows this exists at the moment, i guess it's not so big a deal, but i'm sure there's all kinds of etiquette to be observed. it's john, though, so fuck it for now.

this will improve, i promise.

john will have to teach me how this works. and i will have to form some cogent opinions about things. both of these things will take a considerable amount of time.

well, then...