Onward to New Year’s Eve/Day!

Christmas 2010 around Chez Maggi was a Slacker holiday. We slept in (actually, I got up at 5 AM to feed the monsters, aka cats), had breakfast and lounged around the house, watching Netflix and DVDs. There was a brief one-hour interruption from the Silders to get the new MacBook they bought, operational. Since it will be the primary system of an 11-year-old boy, I thought it was wise to have it locked down with one parent as the administrator.

Somara made us a killer dinner too. I nodded in and out all afternoon while watching Police Academy, it wasn’t as atrocious as I remembered; Iron Man 2, another demonstration of diminishing returns on sequels and maybe why Jon Favreau won’t be directing 3.

Gifts? I already received mine in October, the whole Rock Band 3 setup from Somara. The Millards: a cool Austin-based pillow; the Gordons: coasters made from old vinyl LPs (I never knew Hall & Oates were on Atlantic, I thought they were an RCA act during their heyday). Receiving cards and photos from others are all I really need. Along with people’s friendship over the years. When you’re half of a DINK couple, there’s nothing you really need because you can usually afford it. Same goes for the “want” category. This isn’t a boast or a dig, it’s a mixed reality.

However, I like being a DINK. It has made me more appreciative for the thoughtful items people give me. Despite being an unrepentant Atheist, I still think the gift-giving element of Christmas is awesome but it does make children evolve into materialistic, cynical young adults. I remember just wanting cash by the time I was 15. I’m confident my nieces and nephews are moving in the same direction sooner thanks to the gift-card industry.

What did Somara get from me? Usually I don’t hold myself to any particular time table yet for Christmas morning I did have a Brock Samson doll (or action figure, your pick) to present her. It’s her favorite character on The Venture Brothers and I had the great luck to stumble upon the last two at our local Toys R Us. The other went to Jeremy along with a Henchman #24. I think Somara wanted the PS3 wireless drum kit for Rock Band 3 too. We’ll wait on this. We need to pay off bills, etc. The Maggi Republic was more generous than planned yet we could afford it, especially in light of all the other citizens who are getting by.

Any other festivities were cut short by Somara’s work schedule. While I get a nice 10-day stretch away from AppleCare, she only received Christmas and one of her regular days (tomorrow) off. Boxing Day is usually crazy for the iTunes billing department so all hands had to be on deck. I doubt it being on a Sunday will matter. This will make our belated celebration with her parents and brother’s family even more special on January 8, the lion’s share of craziness should be over.

Tell me about your celebrations. Some of you in cyberspace do owe me a couple from your Las Vegas roulette bets.

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