David's Blog

Christmas Day

My entries this week seem to be pretty relaxed and journal-like, which is definately unusual for this blog, but I am not really feeling like my usual self either.

Today I woke up, but I don't really remember when. It must have been late though. My dad came upstairs, woke me up, and yelled, "David! Wake up! You've got work to do!" In the way he usually does when my mom has piled up a list of work for the whole family.

The whole thing was a joke for my parents though, because I didn't really have work to do when I came down stairs. They just know I hate waking up with that news -- I prefer to know when I go to sleep what I'll have to do the next day.

Anyway, I go down stairs and they are all excited with themselves and they want me to open their present to me. This makes me really nervous, because I am the only kid at home this Christmas, and they are really, really excited. So, I respond internally by becoming nervous, because it means that they have invested themselves into this gift somehow -- probably financially and emotionally at the same time. I feel unworthy and nervous all at once, which makes me feel even shittier, because I know that it honors and pleases them for me to feel excited with them. It also pleases them for me to feel gratitude and other positive feelings that typically bring smiles to people's faces.

I nervously open the gift. I feel really watched and all kinds of pressure. I should be excited, and I am, because I am starting to realize what the gift is. It is a digital video camera. I don't know very much about these video cameras at all. I asked for one for Christmas anf bought a magazine that is entirely about video equipment, but I still don't have a strong working knowledge of cameras. So, I am happy about the camera, but I am not sure if I am suitably impressed or not. I am just really curious and ignorant.

My Dad tells me that he wants me to "get the thing charged and ready for Skip and Beth's" and to read the instruction booklet. "You've got a lot of work to do", he says smiling. He thinks he's so funny, which makes it funny even when he's not.

So, I unpack the camera, get the instructions, and go eat breakfast while reading. Later, I am doing work on the family financial stuff with my dad for my mom. We're working like too little elves and my Dad is telling me that he will get done before me, but also complaining to my mom that everything is out of order. He is in some kind of mood. He's having fun playfully giving everyone a hard time today, but my mom and I give him a hard time right back.

After all that I go take a nap and then get ready to go to Sarasota for Christmas. Joy was supposed to be at my place by 10AM though, and it was already well after noon. So I try to call her, but the phone is busy. I try again after my nap and the phone is still busy. Finally I try her cell, which goes unanswered. Then my dad tells me that we have to be going in 45 minutes. So, I call her mom's cell, her dad's cell and even IM her little brother. Matt responds, but he isn't at his house. So, I call Andy and finally get someone. This is funny to Joy and my Dad later, because I have been impossible to reach lately, and they think I deserve to have a hard time reaching Joy.

After some time passes I am franticly running around the house when we are supposed to be leaving. Joy walks in and I ask her to wrap my last present. I finish getting ready and then we leave. We get to Skip and Beth's before Toby and his family though, so I am pleased.

In Sarasota everything is really relaxed. We eat cheese and cracker and this Norwiegian stuff that Skip makes. I should know the name, but I don't. The family that is here hangs out until dinner. We eat dinner, watch the kids do their kid things and then open presents.

After all the present openning we watch the end of the Magic/Lakers game. Magic wins! I am happy about that. Joy was hoping the Lakers would win, but she says she isn't really into NBA anymore anyway so she doesn't care. After all that we all basically hang out some more. Joy shows Allison her bridal dress, and they look for bridesmaids dresses online with Ashliegh and me. (Those two girls are my nieces, ages 13 and 10, btw.)

I ask Ashliegh to show me the Apple G4 laptop that he school lets her have for the year. She precedes to play Tony Hawk 4 for me, but I'd really like to just check out an Apple with OSX for once. It never really happens for me. We look at those dresses instead, and soon it is time to go.

Posted by David at December 26, 2004 01:59 AM