Cousin has accused them of selfishness and said they ruined the holiday. It kind of blows my mind.

!!!!!!!!!!

See, this is the kind of thing that makes me come over all 'people suck! down with people!'

However, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SPARKY! For you do not suck!

Also? fresh pineapple does not suck. Mmmm. Pineapple.

Whheeee! hope it has been a happy happy Sparky Day!

Happy birthday, Sparky!

Congratulations on the expected-by-everyone-else-except-you "A," GC!

Happy B-Day, Sparky!

Oh! I knew there was something I meant to mention.

Yesterday I was rehearsing the narrators for our cheesy Christmas production Whoops-A-Daisy Angel.

We went outside to do it, so that they could get some practice at projecting outdoors. They did pretty damn well, actually, and after several run-throughs in different styles we decided to do a run through of the whole thing including songs.

Whoops-A-Daisy Angel is essentially Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer, only substitute angels for reindeer and presume that you're substituting God for Santa. Otherwise? Much the same. Only ur heroine, Whoops-A-Daisy, is sort of Maria from the Sound of Music.

Right. (I sort of loath it, because it's pretending to be about Christmas, but it's NOT. It's just all the trappings of Hallmark Card Christianity without any actual, you know, substance. I cannot express this very well. I mean - cute kids. Yay. But, but...if you're purporting to be telling the central miracle of a belief system, rather than just making shit up, then surely there should be some kind of...oh, lord, I'm ranting, and I'm sorry. But I honestly feel that there should be more intellectual integrity. Or more spiritual integrity. Or more SOMETHING. If it's secular, fine. Be secular. If it's about a religion, then BE ABOUT THE RELIGION. Doesn't have to mean be boring. But, but don't just be about fucking cutesy pretend religion, for crying out loud! Don't be Rudolph he Rednosed Reindeer with added Jesus sprinkles!...okay, I'm going to stop now, because I'm not explaining myself at all. Sorry.)

...er. Where was I?

Um. Right, so there I am with eight six/seven year olds, and they're belting out songs in between their speaking parts. And in one of the songs I keep hearing the chorus go wrong, and after a moment I pinpoint the problem.

The lyric?

Oh how angelic we can be!

We're so angelic! Don't you agree?

(I'm trying to get them to overdo this, and of their own free will they've made the 'Don't. You. Agree' bit into a slightly threatening bit, which is cool - our angels are Mean Kids really. What with not letting Rudolph Whoops A Daisy join in any reindeer games the cool jobs.)

But what they actually sang?

Oh how Angelus we can be!

We're so Angelus! Don't. You. Agree?

I cracked up.

angelus

bawh

Word.

And I actually explained, despite knowing that my explanation would be wholly lost on them, that whereas 'angelic' means like-an-angel, all good and virtuous and all that, 'Angelus' is the name of a bloodthirsty murderous monster.

Hee.

Hello Fay!

LOOOOOOM

For old time's sake.

Meep!

OH! I missed Sparky's birthday. Well, belated happies, my friend. And much wonderfulness wishes for the next year.

I am at my parents' for the long weekend. There will be crafts and good food and homework and hanging with the dogs. It should be a great weekend. Theodosia is coming for dinner tomorrow, and that will be extra nice. I love it when Buffistas can be like family.