I do live. So glad the punch was outside in the cold and rain and I was wearing a skimpy little outfit. I think I only had about one cup. (but how big are those cups? 12, 16 oz?) I am functioning but very hung & I have to be to work in an hour and a half.

I've been thinking lately... sorry I forgot who mentioned earlier about serenading a baby with Invader Zim's Christmas but also last night at the party there was a baby whose first impression of Santa Clause will always be NoiseDesign as- well I'll let him tell it for himself but if you know him you know it was twisted. This generation of babies is growing up with The Tick vs. Christmas and Weird Al Yankovic's Christmas at Ground Zero and all kinds of twisted interpretations of this holiday. I think the most bizarre Christmas related item when I was growing up was Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer which iirc did cause quite a bit of controversy in its day. What is Christmas going to mean to all these kids who are growing up today?

When my nephew was younger he came home from school one day with the impression that Christmas was about "Baby Cheeses." Needless to say my brother did nothing to disabuse him of that notion and to this day we make sure to have some of those Bon Belle (or however you spell it) mini cheeses in the fridge for the holidays.

Sorry, I just think you have earned it. It can help with all the money I am sure you're expected to spend on people this month.

Yeah, I understand that rationale too. It just feels more wrong than right to me, unfortunately.

So spend it on cab fare for him. Find out what a cab substitute for you will cost, (probably more than $48 bucks), and if it is under $100 bucks pay that. It is worth more than $50 to you not to have to take half a day off work. (Given what you have revealed about your salary - a lot more. Even if you are not paid hourly, you still have to make the time up to catch up on your work. Or lose vacation and sick time, which is also worth something to you.) And if you are paying the cab fare he really has no complaint coming. I know this does not mean he will not, in fact , complain.

Oh, I'm sure he will complain and take it as a personal affront.

And gah! Right now, my parents are trying to get me to join their Sprint Family Plan, and I thought I was under contract with T-Mobile, but apparently I'm on not, so I COULD, but I don't fucking want to because I'm happy with T-Mobile and have an awesome plan (800 minutes! For forty bucks!), and even though it would save me money since they would then be paying for my cell phone, I don't want them to have records of who I'm calling. Not that I have anything to hide, I just...don't. So I'm actually going to have to end up renewing my contract in order to get good deal on a new phone (that I could get for free if I joined their plan, probably). And blah blah blah I clearly don't want to be part of the family blah blah blah.

Time fib, PC. "I have a contract, thanks" and leave it at that.

Not worth giving up liberty for security and all that.

Lying to your parents is good, P-C. It keeps everyone much happier. Remember, what your parents don't know won't hurt you.

P-C, you don't even have to lie. You can just say, "I'm getting good service with T-Mobile. I'm all set, but thanks for asking."

Also, don't keep your uncle's money. If you have a price, it sure isn't $48.00.

And Bitches? I can understand you tempting P-C to sin, but can't you think of anything more...well, actually tempting than $48.00 and white lies? Tsk. I'm so disappointed.

I think he needs the white lies to survive. We'll work on bigger temptations later. Rome wasn't built in a day.

P-C, what everyone else said.

Hivemind - my mom has expressed interest in a Trifle Bowl. It being that time of year, Santa's elves are interested in finding such a beast. But so far my searches have not given me much luck. I have found one at Crate and Barrel, but not knowing what I'm looking for, I don't know if this is a good one.

Any ideas? Advice?