Merry Christmas

It's been a pretty special couple of days, what with that whole winter solstice holiday thing. Not our first Christmas together, for Ann and me, but it is our first as married folk. So it's very special for us. I'm happy to be done with traveling, and to be able to stay at home for the day. Especially since there's so much snow in the midwest. Reminds me of the times I drove in that stuff. Yuck.

Ann and I went to our first Alabama basketball game Wednesday night, against Mercer. They were selling five-dollar tix, so we went and had a great time, and we plan to go again next Wed, when they sell low-price tickets again.

Thursday, Christmas Eve, I just laid low, drank coffee, read some, helped pick up the house and stuff. I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" for the first time last night, and the Muppets equivalent today. Awesome stuff, and inspiring too. Haven't watched A Christmas Story, yet, but we're going to. And we went to Christmas Eve service at church, which is always special for me. Came home, listened to music, drank wine, and went to bed at 2 am. A very special time-- wished it could've gone on forever. Special times are what Christmas is all about now-- and I think it's terrific.

Also went and applied for a few jobs Wed while doing a little shopping. The first step toward going back to school. I just don't see a future in radio anymore. I can get a better-paying job and still dabble in it if I choose to. It's been, and will be, tough to let go emotionally of something I've always wanted to do, and have had the privilege of doing for the last 15 years. But my life is different now. I need to absolutely commit to this change, and I'm just about there.

And since Christmas/New Year's is a time of remembrance, I'm thinking about where I am now, where I was a year ago, and where I could go. It's pretty heavy, what with my being at a crossroads and all. I'll be starting a 'year in review' segment here pretty soon.

Road trip report: flew from KC to the Texas Hill Country via American Airlines, and the journey was free of incident, unlike the last time Ann and I flew the friendly skies, this past summer. Sean and Joanna are a great fit, and they were married at the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, where she's from. I was honored to stand with him as a new chapter in his life started. Another of his groomsmen was a radio guy and got out, and is doing well-- gave me something to think about. I was pretty wiped out by Sunday evening, and I was very happy to see Ann again. I'll wrap the trip next time out.