Sleep n' Snore Ernie

The weekend was filled with random events. Kicked Friday night off with a trip to the Eagle. Hadn't been there on a Friday in ages. In fact, it's probably been a few years. Shortcake, E, and I used to huddle up there by 5pm every weekend kick off with vodka tonics and stories of woe from the work week. Oddly enough there also was a rather large lesbian gaggle surrounding the fire pit. By and large the Eagle is predominately gay male biker bar with oddities. It may very well be more of a Queer bar than gay as it really does cater to all types. I like this. At times it is ok to go to lesbian only venues but it's great to have a place like the Eagle where you can be whomever you want whenever you want. Anyhoo, met up with Miss A and Hollysan for some good giggles. Miss B was exhausted from a long week of teaching the special littles. She tried and tried to jump into conversation but it was difficult due to the brain fry of the week. It was great to end the week spending time with the bears!

Saturday was spent with a long morning in bed. Neither Miss B nor I had slept in for a very long time. Neither of us even stirred until 9am or so. We both woke up here and there as the morning passed us by and the next thing you know, it was 11:30. Where did it go? Why in the world was I so sleepy? I mean really, I sit at a desk all day planning production which these days only requires half my brain at best. I go to yoga twice a week. Walk up and down the street to the grocery store and to drop off videos. Must have been something to have brought on this sound slumber. Eventually breakfast was cooked up and we ventured into the world to do as minimal Christmas shopping as possible. This was somewhat painless compared to years past but due to the apprehension felt when entering crowds of shoppers fighting over the best parking spot in the mall. I picked up 3 pounds of coffee for my mom. Becky found items for her nieces and nephews at FLAX. That's it. DONE.

I just can't buy into the commercialism and insanity of Christmas anymore. It's great to remember the ones you love on a special day of the year however does it really have to be the centerpoint for society months on end? What does Christmas mean? To most, over spending, stress of buying the right thing, waiting in long lines, and simply too much hassle for me to run out and get into the Christmas spirit as advertised by the Gap or Norelco. (Although I do think the commercial with the snowman cruising around the winter wonderland on a smooth 3 head electrical razor is darn cute!) One year when making the trek back to Wisconsin for the holidays I actually carried all the presents purchased for my family. Had I been planning ahead these items most certainly would have been shipped far far ahead as not to deal with them on the plane which included a layover in O'Hare, eventually to land in Milwaukee. One of the items in tow was a Sleep n' Snore Ernie (of Ernie and Bert on Sesame street) purchased for my niece Jordan. Sleep n' snore Ernie, when bumped, said "I'm sleeeepy...snzzzzzzzzz" and would continue to snore for approximately a minute. All gifts had been gift wrapped prior to departure from San Francisco, including Sleep n' Snore Ernie. One important thing forgotten was to remove the batteries from Ernie. This brilliant idea came to fruition while awaiting take off in San Francisco. Every time the bag holding Sn'SE was bumped, it was announced that he was sleepy followed up with the one minute snoring sound. This continued during the 4 hour flight to O'Hare. Any small bout with turbulence brought about words from Sn'SE and the entire plane was now aware that he was on board. As did walking across O'Hare to get on the next plane to Milwaukee and the flight thereafter. Upon the arrival in my little home town, I was ready to chuck Sn'SE into the next county, regardless of how damn sleepy he kept stating he was. It was from that trip forward that two things were decided: 1) traveling to the Midwest for Christmas is just downright silly 2) gifts aren't that important--surely not important enough to make the trek with them in tow. I haven't traveled to Wisconsin for Christmas since then. Nor have I been into sending gifts home for the holidays. It just seems everyone can spend their time differently, not involving the expectation of gifts from me nor feeling the need to shop and send items across country. Lord knows I am not going to drag another Sn'SE with me!