Just when I get through with one illness, another one comes along to take its place. What is up with that? I’m never sick. (Can’t say that anymore.)

So instead of getting gussied to ask Helen, Johanna and Simone out to lunch today, I’m sitting in the parlor, layered in sweatpants and two sweatshirts, freezing to death and generally feeling sorry for myself. Blah.

However, there are things to look at:

1. This might benefit those who partake in No-Shave November.
2. Did you know that Antônio Egas Moniz won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1949? Whoa. This was just sixty years ago, fiends.
3. George Washington suffered from taphephobia. (I’m with him there.) Apparently, it was a big problem, dating back hundreds of years. The New York Times even published a helpful article about it in 1899.

And a hundred other things too, but I’m too tired to write about them. I think it’s DayQuil and the couch for me today. Ugh.

Happy Sumday to all!

Chapped.
Honked.
Irritated.
Annoyed.

Don’t you hate it when you wake up with a screamin’ backache at 2 a.m., schlep your carcass downstairs because you can’t sleep, take aspirin, read to pass the time, then get super sleepy around a half hour before it’s time to get up and get ready for work?

Oi.

Still, it’s an exciting day, being the last day of school till Tuesday & all. Sleep can wait for tonight. I pine for good rehearsals this day. I hope I get a few. A couple. One.

Then it’s off to spend the evening with Mavis, cooking and baking. Tomorrow morning: Harry Potter with the family who aren’t doing double duty by visiting in-laws. Tomorrow night’s dinner should be a grand time. Can’t wait to see everyone.

If I don’t get the chance to check in with you tomorrow morning, have a wonderful holiday, my fiends. I am thankful for you, for if not for your kindness, participation and indulgence, finkweb.org would have been a failed endeavor a couple of months in. You keep this thing going; I heart you all.

Happy Finksgiving

What is this vacation of which you speak?

It’s full out insanity till Saturday around here. Daughter Johanna is visiting from Texas, and it’s been great chatting with her. Tonight is dinner-and-movie night with Bob and BFF Kay, then tomorrow after school, Mavis and I start the cooking and baking. Thursday evening: turkey! Friday, the Js for a sleepover. Somewhere in there, I need to squeeze in some time to write rhythm section parts and see the Harry Potter movie.

But I ain’t complainin’. What do I enjoy more than having family and friends close by for the holidays? I’ll get back to you when I think of something.

So, what are your plans, fiends? Are you leaving town? Flying anywhere for the sole purpose of getting a TSA beatdown? (I mean patdown.) Staying in? Cooking? I must say I do get excited about the cooking part. I’m even excited about using that dandy new warming tray Helen sent over last night. No last-second rush to get side dishes on the table so they can be marginally hot when everyone sits down. Nice.

Two more days. I can do this.

Fink, hangin’ in there

If I want the holiday gifts to be wrapped and ready on time, I have to get started. But I’ll keep the Finkmobile parked at the house, thanks.

I do most of my Christmas shopping online; it’s a ton easier, and this year, lots of merchants are offering free shipping in addition to sale prices. Bonus. Why schlep through the malls? I mean, there’s the whole experiential thing, but I’m not much for that unless lunch is involved. And chocolate. Chocolate and lunch, in that order.

Admittedly, I just don’t have the ambition to do what daughter-in-law Hannah does every year: Black Friday. But does she ever get some great deals. She’s got them scouted out already. I hope she doesn’t run into any fistfights this year…

I might shop as well on Black Friday — from my parlor. I suppose I should adopt some kind of shopping tradition that involves family fun. Mavis and I usually equate shopping all day long with getting a root canal. We’re such party poops. What traditions do y’all have? I know Tom Hanks’s family celebrates Hanksgiving to ring in the holiday season. Other families have Black Friday outings. Maybe I should come up with an idea or two. Or maybe not. *turns up space heater, gets another cup of coffee*

Jake and Justin tonight — four thumbs up.

FO

Well cripes, it’s about time.

How are you this fine Tubesday morning? I must say there is much on my mind. Several states describe me this day: hopeful, worried, annoyed, sleepy, happy, dopey, grumpy, sneezy, bashful, bewitched, bothered, bewildered…they all fit.

True confession time: For most people, the Christmas holidays are a time of excitement, joy, hustle-bustle, looking forward to spending time with family and friends, hot cocoa and caroling, decorating the tree, shopping and going out to lunch. For me, the Christmas holidays are a bit stressful. I can’t enjoy anything about the holiday until after my concerts are over. Generally, that puts me at around the 16th of December. Then it’s a mad rush to Christmas Eve, smashed within those eight days.

Still, I shouldn’t and can’t complain. One month from today, it’ll all be over for the year (another true confession: I strongly dislike 99% of all Christmas music — maybe it’s because it’s all I do from September through December) and I can begin to look forward to some time off before January hits and Dinner Theatre rehearsals overtake my life.

Not all Christmas music is bad, btw. I cannot listen to this song without openly weeping. I have come from so far away, down the road of my own mistakes…how true. Look up the lyrics; you will also weep. (BoomR, you need to sing this at church this Christmas.)

I wish you a heart full of peace today. We all need it.

FO