It Gets A Little Tight

Well folks, it has been a long semester and I don’t mind telling you that I am glad it’s over. Between the 2 hour commute each day, the daily grind, and the Tuesday night grind of the Intro to Psych, I am looking forward to a little r and r and some holiday respite. 

Now this is my first xmas where my son kind of gets Santa Claus and the concept of gifts so I am especially excited to see his face when we celebrate xmas. I can recall one magical xmas morning where the dining room at 1240 central was filled to the brim with gifts and frenetically thinking to myself “he came, he came!” Ah, the magic of youth and fat guys getting down small chimneys. Ah the magic of lube.

Speaking of lube, kidding. 

Now xmas is a bit of an ss for us as…

-huh? What’s that? Oh, ss means shit show.

We have to round up everything required for a family of four to take what is basically a 5 day vacation, schlep it all to Plymouth Meeting PA, unpack it all, sleep a night, pack it again, then schlep it all to Pittsburgh PA where my wife and our two children will reside in her childhood bedroom, replete with what is generously called a “full size” bed for my wife and I to “sleep” on and 2 pack and plays for the kiddos. Oh and let’s not forget about the huge amount of luggage, clothing, toiletries and what not that needs to reside in the what is generously called a 12x12 room already stuffed with 2 dressers, a bookshelf, and a desk. 

It gets a little tight.

I also get out of routine. Routine is very important to me. I also want for alone time during this hectic time. What is a guy to do?

Drink.

I compensate by drinking copious amounts of free alcohol, courtesy of the in-laws. Now don’t go and commit the fallacy of post hoc ergo propter hoc on me: I don’t drink because of the in-laws, I drink via the in-laws. There’s a difference.

Just kidding, I try to get out for a run when I can and will also try to delve into Thomas Pynchon’s Inherent Vice over the break. I enjoyed the Crying of Lot 49 and it will be nice not to be prepping for Psych for a little while. I don’t think I can take my guitar on the trip so I won’t be able to doodle on that but cross your fingers, maybe we can fit it in the Sante Fe. 

Do you have a can opener I can borrow? The Sante Fe gets a little tight.