#19: Clearheaded as a cabbage man

Lord almighty has this post been a long time coming.

Not that it's been too long since my last entry, or that anything in particular has happened, I just really have been looking forward to an opportunity to voice my frustrations for the better part of 2 days.

For starters, and I can't believe this hasn't come up, but this is like the 406th post... it's hard to believe how many posts I've written in the year and a half+ of this blog's existance. How many hours I've wasted away complaining about all my trivial bullstuff is really quite mindboggling and overwhelming.

Sometimes in winter, you don't know what to expect when you step outside. I, for one, was not counting on rain/slush/hail today, but lo and behold the Snow Meiser relented and gave us a few notches above the ole 0.

As it was, I went out to go find my aunt the second half of her Christmas present, which I intended to be chocolates. Except Purdy's Chocolates, whom I can usually count on as my hookup in any gifting emergency, was fresh out of truffles, which is what was requested. So what was I to do? I had $10 left in my gifting budget (at least) and I had no clue where to go. The only other item I remembered was black gloves, which I then headed toward the Bay for. Then the fates intervened.

It's all about the perfect gift for the perfect price. As soon as I stumbled into the Bay, mystified as to where to go for ladies' gloves, I wandered unintentionally into a display of fine Belgian chocolates, and it did not take me long to notice the box of truffles for the perfect price.

Oh yeah, Aunt Lori, if you're reading this (you're not, but I can never be sure,) don't read the last two paragraphs.

The gifting has taken up the better part of the last two days. And when I say better, I really mean that it's been worse, so there's some wordplay for you. Yesterday I bussed it out Comic Connection to pick up my weekly stack and to get Kris' gift. I was having some trouble getting exactly what he asked for, but eventually found my legs after merely asking Rich for a little help. And then, as I was about to ask about Blade of the Immortal 16, in walks my dad.

"Scott!"

"Dad!"

"What are you doing here?" I found that question amusing, coming from him, "Get out!"

"I'm doing my christmas shopping!"

"I know, so am I - get out!"

Obviously, he was there for my gift, which amuses me even now as I think about it... he asked if "they had it," and I can only guess what "it" is, because I have only a vague recollection of what I asked for in the way of comics... as I never expect anybody to actually go out and get it (though htere have been times in the past.) Normally that's just Kris' domain, and in the future I'm thinking of just striking comics off the list altogether and giving that portion exclusively to Kris. Oh the tangled web of gift buying.

Dad generously offered a ride home, after I waited in the car while he picked up whatever it is he got me. And later that night we went out to Chapters to get, well, books, obviously. Mom took us out and happened to mention that Wally got us gifts, and therefore she felt compelled to get a gift for him and say it was from us. Now, I don't dislike Wally all that much, inasmuch as I can possibly like somebody who is seeing my mother... I do not believe that, apart from my dad, she has particularly great taste in men (which boils down to a concerted effort on her part to dte men who are unlike my father, apart from having a moustache.) At least, she never seems to pick guys who relate to the three of us, which is fine... if mWally makes her happy, then I hope she's happy. I just don't want it to get all tangled up like it was with Frank. Now, about the gift, it's a slow-cooker, which Wally apparently needs for his tiny apartment (upon learning of the tininess of his apartment, I shuddered, sure that inevitably he'd be called upon to take a place here.) I don't want this slow-cooker to cost any more than what we got dad, because let's face it, that sends the wrong message. My family has a curse of putting much stock in the monetary value of gifts, it's so true. we worked very hard to make sure we spent the same amount on both parents, especially considering that we spent more on mom than intended.

After Chapters was Toys R' Us which was funnily enough not for my baby cousins, but for my 22-year-old cousin. And while there, Eric spotted a deal on a $5 used keyboard, which was still somehow far superior to our other one (no comparison.) I'm typing on it right now, it's growing on me quuite well. Eric, I'm sure, prefers it because the keys are so much quieter than the obnoxious old keyboard we'd been using since... forever. It was all crusty and grimey and despire the sentimental value, it was time to go.

I got back from the mall and chilled for a few hours today, mom took us to see Grampa and I've got to say it's so odd in this state. The man has wasted away to virtually nothing (or as I call it, the Brandon physique - ha!) definitely looking more frail than he did before, but he's so talkative these days, when people will listen. He's eager to share a quip about his state or about anything really. His memory is not so great (which has been the case for years,) but as mom so accurately put, "he's still got his wits about him," which is true, and a blessing. I'm not sure if he's going to pull a Dylan Thomas and "Rage, rage against the dying of the light," but he's 101, so who knows how much rage he's got in him. Belligerence, perhaps, but not much rage.

"Uncle Bob" (really "Great Uncle") was there, keeping watch over and taking care of him. He's a really talkative, even garrulous fellow, to use a Writer's Craft word. This led to the goodbye being the longest and most awkward I've had in a long time, with him starting new conversations even as I was attempting to leave.

And from there, we delayed going home and having dinner in order to spring a surprise visit on Aunt Lori and Gail, and Cousin Cameron. He's a cool kid, and we all had a wonderful little gathering over, as per usual I imagine, Dora the Explora (I choose to spell it that way because it rhymes better.)

And then mom brought up the possibility of Pizza Hut... and long story short, there is no Pizza Hut. Anywhere. The one on Dorval was so tucked away nobody noticed when it went out of business, but naturally I knew the one on Trafalgar was gone.

So that's the last two days for you. Wow I'm exhausted just writing about it. Sometime in there, I managed to finish my script for Ana, and apparently she loves it and we're gonna have talks and she's excited, and I'm excited that she's excited, because I'm rather fond of the piece myself.

And I got my marks yesterday, and let's jsut say... it's official, I rule. Okay, so Mitrovica visited some of his frustrations about his own life on my mark, but that's his problem for being such a... oop, better not say that, you never know who might be reading. Apart from that, all aces, with the occasional "plus." I reiterate: I rule.

Anyway, it's now Friday night and I'm sitting around with nothing going on and nobody to talk to. Pray for me. I'm a man with no occupation.

Well that's all tonight... we'll talk tomorrow.

Keep on rockin'
-Scotto