Standby: Christmas. Christmas: GO!*

We're starting the holiday a little early here in the Bossy-Melear household. Packages from his side of the family have been arriving steadily, and of course we couldn't contain ourselves, so we opened them all. My favorite is a subscription to The New Yorker. I can't wait to pretend I am one. From my $400 a month Houston apartment. Cue smug laugh here.

When it became very clear that the present I had bought for CameraMan was not going to make the trip to Oregon, we decided to open our presents tonight instead. His present took an entire roll of wrapping paper to cover, it was that big (yes, I am wasteful and anti-environment, I know. Don't tell Al Gore.). Mine, on the other hand, came in a very small envelope. His present? A new soundbar speaker system for our TV, which will replace his 5 speakers, subwoofer, receiver, and miles of speaker wire. It's already set up, sounds great, and looks bee-yoo-ti-ful.

My present? 9 private salsa dancing lessons with CM as my partner! I am so excited—I cannot wait to start (and cross of #30 on my list)! The lessons don't start until January 4, and it's a good thing we have to wait, because a few hours ago I stubbed my left baby toe so badly that I became mildly hysterical, laughing and crying and gritting my teeth and swallowing unladylike expletives. Unfortunately, the pain has only gotten worse since the incident, and putting on even the softest sneakers finds me limping around moaning. Not ideal for dance lessons.

Tomorrow we are Oregon-bound for the Bossy Compound, where I'm hoping that a few days of lying around eating cookies in my pajamas will heal my toe and keep me in the Christmas spirit all week long. I hope you all have equally ambitious plans for the holiday.


*Stage management humor: always hilarious.