Shee-it, smonster, you must email me the deets!

Dana, yes, we're free on Sunday. Let me know if you prefer brunch or dinner, and if you have any hankerings and/or dietary limitations, and I'll set up something. (unless you would prefer to do so, and by all means go for it, and let us know where and when to show up. I just figured you have enough on your plate that organizing an outing might be a PITA.)

Dinner would be better, since my parents will both be off doing different things. We eat pretty much anything, and any suggestions you have would be lovely. Keep in mind that this will depend on whatever craziness is going on, and I might have to cancel on short notice.

I don't know if we'll have a car -- I might be able to drop my mother at her thing and pick her back up.

OK... we have a car and can pick you up if you like, or I can find something near the Canal Street streetcar.

Totally understand about the potential for having to cancel.

I'll ping your profile addy with additional thoughts. (today or tomorrow, probably)

I'd wear some of the spiky styles on the hair article, but I've been called "sir" wearing a pink blouse before.(Not by an attentive person, but I was really insecure then.)

Not to mention lots more face time with my dream(ish) boy.

Oh, god. So much to do. So much to figure out.

Nora, I'm at the gate waiting to board for another 45 min if you have a moment to call.

smonster, fingers and toes crossed for you, and thank you so much for the gift! It's hanging on the mirror in the hall. It fits in perfectly with the whole theme of my house, plus there a peacock feather! (Though that one may actually be a peahen because it's brown. Right? I don't know much about peafowl except they're loud, the boys are gaudy, and Hera and smonster like them.)

juliana, thanks! I never even thought of looking on YouTube.

Zen, I'm so glad you like it! I got it at this supercool reuse/upcycling boutique called Unique Products. It's an artist's co-op and they have so much cool shit. Like pendant lamps and chandeliers made from absinthe bottles, jellyfish lamps from Mardi Gras beads, etc. Very close to Nora's house.

Enjoy your time with the boy, smonster!

Got the first holiday order of my album. He wants to send an autographed copy to a friend so I'm off to the post office to check postage for sending this to the UK. Beautiful day in LA today so it should be a nice bike ride.

Beautiful day in LA today so it should be a nice bike ride.

This morning, my mom randomly texted that she loved me. I texted back that I loved her too.

It's sweet, but heeeeeere's the subtext: she's desperately trying to hold on to one son since the other has clearly forsaken her. As you might expect, my brother's girlfriend is not welcome at our home for Thanksgiving (I still don't think they've met her). So my brother has said he's not staying the night anytime this weekend; he's not going to leave her alone and spend the night in a house where they pretend she doesn't exist.

He also tried to use the pet excuse, saying that he can't leave the cat alone. My dad said, "What is with these responsibilities? You don't need this dog and cat responsibility." My brother said they made him happy. To which my dad responded with the immortal line: "CAT makes you happy?" As if it were the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard, as if he were completely unaware of the ability for an animal to make a human being happy. Seriously, how is he a psychiatrist??

And then he said, whatever, it's no use arguing, you're coming for Thanksgiving, goodbye. (I should note that we don't Do anything for Thanksgiving. It's not an Occasion with a Special Dinner.)

In retaliation, my brother has invited my sister and me to Game Night at his place Friday night. (My sister was initially angry at him for not staying for Thanksgiving and hung up on him, but then she called back and was a Good Sister.)

SO MUCH DRAMA. And there will be more drama in the future, if/when it gets out that instead of going to India with everyone, I am spending Christmas...with my brother and his girlfriend. Tickets bought, so many video games and board games to be played, so much yelling about my bullshit excuses to endure.