Always Read The Directions

...this is good advice to live by. I have just missed seeing one of my best and dearest friends who was in Birmingham for the day. For those of you who know Paul Zahl, (former Dean at Advent,) he was in town for the day for a book-signing, and I had planned to attend a reception in his honor. Well, genius that I am, I thought I knew where it was being held, and went there expecting a wonderful visit. What I found was a locked door and vacant hallways. Apparently the reception was NOT at the publishing house's office (as I had assumed.) My efforts to locate the original invitation and/or anyone who knew where the reception actually was being held were fruitless. I finally gave up and went home.

Bottom line: I screwed up. Always read the directions, kids...it'll serve you well.

Other than that, today has been a fairly good day. By all indications, Cinderella did very well money-wise, and we will be able to pay all the bills and launch The King & I with a small nest egg.

I am re-reading Angela's Ashes for the umpty-zillionth time. I am always amazed at how good it is. I have a copy of 'Tis somewhere, and will have to dig it out soon. I have never read any of Malachy McCourt's work, but I understand he is a great literary (and literal) sibling to brother Frank. As an Anglophile, I suppose I should resent the less-than-sterling images of the English offered by Mr. McCourt, the Son of Erin...however, the writing is just so damn good, I have to let it slide. If you haven't read McCourt, I strongly endorse his work.

Only 13 days till Christmas. Wow, it seems like every year, it just goes by faster and faster. I am working on a story for WBHM about seasonal depression, and while SD is a very valid phenomenon, I have to wonder if there are more of us who simply look around and say "Christmas is here? Where is it? When? Where did it go?"

Anyway, you've got 13 more days to drum up some Christmas Spirit. Fa-la-la-la-la...

FLT3