A Few Things Worth Mentioning Before Moving On...

So, for Christmas, Kev conspired with my parents and Jeff to get us a Wii with Rock Band 2 and the Beatles Rock Band game. This has already provided hours of fun for our whole family, including Daphne. The whole gift thing is such a Christmas conundrum. While each year I hope to downsize all the gift-giving, I must admit that I got really excited about getting Rock Band and all the other great gifts I received this year. It's just FUN to get nice gifts. And it's fun to GIVE them, too. But really, I think next year we all have to find a way to cut back. Christmas isn't about the presents, and I don't want Daphne to think it is.

Anyway, there she is, singing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. She does well with the really repetative songs. I think she got like 29% on this one! We told her to just be loud, and if she doesn't know the words, to sing "watermelon watermelon watermelon..." It's pretty fun to watch her. (And a note to my friend Emily, we most definitely will not be letting her do "Happiness is a Warm Gun." I don't even let her watch Phineas and Ferb!) I like playing drums best. And Kev is getting really good at guitar. We formed a band called The Loons and are currently on tour. We have already won a van and a bus and made enough money for my character to buy some cool orange western boots. Then, I had to stop playing for a couple days because I got "Drummer's Arm." I'm pretty sure real musicians don't have to use Bengay after one afternoon of rock. It's pretty embarrassing.

During our trip to New York, Kev and I got a chance to go out to the movies with some good friends while his parents babysat the Peanut. We saw Up in the Air and I highly recommend it based on the following:

• (Ridiculously long and loud) car chases -0.
• Senseless violence - 0.
• Aliens/monsters - 0.
• Silly Hollywood convenient plot devices and predictable sappy endings -0.
• Cameos by the great Young MC singing Bust a Move (OK smawdy, go to a pawdy) - 1
• Clooney is just good.

If you like good music, check out the Kings of Convenience if you haven't already. Simon and Garfunkle meets Belle and Sebastian. Good stuff.

A note about Althea's hat. People are now saying she bought it from a street vendor in NYC, where these hats are all the rage on the subway. So disappointing, Althea. We thought you were one of us. I still want to knit one, though. And also one like Jovie has at the end of Elf when she sings Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

I am reading The Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne. So far, it's very good. In fact, I am going to go read it now...

Tomorrow, we bowl.