sake bombs and christmas cheer

Can I start off by bragging how wonderful I feel that this year I managed to send out Christmas cards? Now, I haven't hit everyone on my list yet and I have embarassingly managed to lose a few addresses along the way (I don't like AOL for mail, but that's the address a lot of folks have for me), but still, I've sent out 32 freaking cards!! Aren't I wonderful?!?

However, my annual Christmas bash won't be happening this year. I've been so distracted by work (damn embryonic lethality to hell) and family (shopping trips) and bills (getting two insurance companies to cover my "little" ER trip back in October) and accidents (twisting my ankle while jogging up last block to home; finding my parked car had been hit by a vanpool) that I just couldn't seem to find the time to get some folks together for booze and baked brie. It's too bad, because I love to plan parties, and my apartment could sorely use the excuse for a big clean-up, but this year, it just wasn't meant to be.

Little Brother had his birthday yesterday. The family celebration was the night before, but last night I got to hang with the young'uns and feast on sushi and witness the aftermath of sake bombardment on a small horde of less-than-thirtysomethings. As the DD du jour, I meekly sipped on my sake cup and had a glass of plum wine, while Little Brother got toasted with surprising restraint. He drank a lot, to be sure, but passed on offers of moving to another locale so that he could be functional at work the next day. Three or four years ago, I'm sure he would've succumbed to the peer pressure of the moment, but this time, he was, well, mature. It made me feel old in a very new way, to see him be sensible.

I comforted myself with a healthy glass of whiskey when I got home much later last night.