11 January 2003 - 12:30 p.m.

This may have been my longest break from D-land ever. I'm sorry. Let me try to recap for you:

Christmas: Good. Better than usual, in fact, due to the re-introduction of children into the celebration equation. Celequation, even. For whatever reason, I didn't feel like drinking this year, but watching little boys race homemade trucks and pass out Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans got me high enough on the holidays. Aw. And I got some clothes and DVDs.

New Years: Very good. I discovered New Year's Day that the hair of the dog is, indeed, a valid hangover remedy. Then again, I was partaking of our friend Dom, and I'm pretty sure that, no matter what the affliction, $115/bottle champagne is good for what ails you.

My Mom: Good. Her hysterectomy went off without a hitch, and she is recuperation, though hopefully not faster than she should. She was warned that she might relapse after three weeks should she go to a Neal Diamond concert, and the point was well taken.

My cat: Good. Awwww.

The book: Bad. By which I mean not done. Fuckety fuck.

Wedding stuff: Okay. I have decided that talking to other people about weddings is good when it involves advice on how to deal with things like family issues and keeping guests happy, and bad when it's all gowns and colors and tulle and shit. Although I did have this dream that I custom-designed invitations, the cake, et. al. to go with my dress, and it's not the worst idea in the world.

The funny thing is that planning a wedding is a lot like directing a show, which is good in that we have some experience, and bad in that it will probably involve people who are out to prove that their penises (figurative or otherwise) are larger than ours (again, figurative or otherwise), and good again in that we'll get to do some crafts. We're currently shopping around for a venue, and if anyone familiar with the Pittsburgh area has a preference/suggestion, by all means sign my guestbook. I think our top three are the Hyeholde, the Lemont, and the Morning Glory Inn. Fascinating, I know.

My hair: Pretty good. It does not even approach Curse of the Cat People, however, but one can't ave everything. It is, for the first time in my life, flipping outward on its own, and I don't actually mind it being brown. This probably has something to do with me getting married to a Greek guy with more money than me, but as Jackie goes, so goes Jenn. That's no secret. I do wish I had thought to start dressing like Roxie Hart (see below) before now, but, such is life.

Movies: Very good. Catch Me if You Can had the distinction of not having anybody I hate in it, which is rare. Unlike a lot of people, I don't dislike Leo, who was a good actor earlier in his career, provided one forgets about the boat movie, and no way is he as insidious as Matt Damon. Chicago was practically a religious experience, but, then again, anytime I see a decent musical made after 1975 I have to choke back sobs of gratitude that my favorite genre has not been forgotten. And the director went to CoMputer U, yay. My only problem with the movie was that it was so Hollywood and male-dominated; where were the boys in g-strings and ass-pants, their flies studdent with rhinestones? It's not that I even prefer seeing scantiy clad men to scantily clad women. Even if I did, when I saw Chicago in NYC, you could practically smell the fey in the audience when the boys got up to shake their thangs. But I always think of Bob Fosse as a feminist choreographer, not because he didn't exploit women, but because he exploited women and men equally. Oh, well. I guess if the Male Gaze was dead, I wouldn't have anything to be up in arms about, so see Chicago, it's well-edited (quick but rhytmic, as opposed to schizophrenic), schmaltz-free, and actually about something other than beautiful heriones singing on their deathbeds.

My parents computer: Ugly. Hence my lack of updates. So savor this one, ladies and gents. Or don't. It's not like I'll be able to check sitemeter any time soon.

What I'm wearing: Pink long-sleeved t-shirt, pale yellow pajama pants

What I'm reading: Gus playing Grand Theft Auto, Vice City on PS2

What I'm doing after this: Writing, going to a football party