Holiday Season*

Christmas time. A time for spending time with loved ones, for the spirit of giving, for the sound of children's laughter, etc.

Trouble is, I think I might hate the sound of children's laughter. It has the same high-pitched quality as children's crying. I loathe the sound of children crying.

It has its place, I suppose. I don't think its place is on a streetcar at 10:30 p.m. Is it inappropriate to ask someone else's children to use their indoor voices? The volume on my iPod was turned unhealthily all the way up, but I still couldn't drown it out.

Have been slacking for months on actual drinkning challenges. My Christmas wish is for a new drinking challenge. Just not for 8 cans of Kilkenny and a quantity of Glenfiddich, like last year.

*okay, okay. the plan was to let drinking-for-two** enjoy a quiet and peaceful death on the anniversary of the conception/s, which has come and gone. sorry if I'm letting anyone down. just not quite done yet.

in part, i admit, because I haven't quite mastered playing Jingle Bells on my Yamaha synthesizer*** And my mind is set on playing Jingle Bells on my Yamaha synthesizer and recording it so that I can post it for your listening pleasure. At current speed, I may be ready by Valentine's Day.

also, as a creature of habit, I'm not quite sure what I'll do with my spare time if not drinking-for-two, and feel a little panicked whenever I contemplate the end. drinking-for-no-good-reason-at-all as a substitute is not appealing.

also, would like to come up with something particularly cool for my send-off, and haven't come up with anything yet.

also, it appears that I have recently acquired audiences in France, Germany, Russia and Vietnam****, and I'd hate to let two entire continents down by stopping just as they've begun*****.

**or one and a half, whatever

***I've not been adhering to a very strict practice schedule. Not because I am completely musically inept: I mastered the melody as played by my right hand after only about 90 minutes' work. that may sound like a lot to some, but considering i have not attempted to play anything new on piano or keyboard in about 15 years, I felt very accomplished. Reading sheet music is not quite like riding a bicycle. Incorporating my left hand has not been so easy. I am easily both distracted and discouraged, so it's been slow and infrequent going.

****this could all be two people

*****thanks for reading, but see ya, wouldn't wanna be...