a holiday lesson

Good morning, class. Today’s lesson for The Holiday Season is “Why you shouldn’t give monetary gifts.” Pay attention, there may be a quiz.
Year after year, Miss Manners and other etiquette mavens tell us that monetary gifts are impolite, and yet no one listens. The gift givers like to write checks or tuck a little cash in an envelope because it is easy and after all, who doesn’t want money as a gift? The recipients prefer money because they are tired of getting useless crap that takes up space and that they don’t feel they can throw away because what if the giver finds out? So a lot of people agree that money is the best gift for weddings and birthdays and Christmas.

Continue reading a holiday lesson

accentuating the yeah, yeah, yeah

I’m sure everyone is sick of hearing complaints about The Holiday Season, especially my complaints. I know I don’t want to hear another negative word out of myself … well, unless I am telling a good story, like the adventures of my Christmastime trip to the suburbs of New Orleans.
So I am going to list some of the positive, happy things about December and its accompanying holidays.

Continue reading accentuating the yeah, yeah, yeah

stop it, Alamo

Normally I am one of the Alamo Drafthouse’s biggest fans. Austin currently has three Alamo Drafthouse theaters and I like them all, even the one waaay up north, which is a bit of a drive for me but the sound and picture quality are better than the Alamo Village right by my house. And then Alamo Downtown shows all these groovy movies and they have special events and Dollar Night …
Well, Alamo Downtown doesn’t quite have Dollar Night anymore, and the story behind how I found out will explain why I am rather cranky with the Alamo folks this week.

Continue reading stop it, Alamo