I'm sure glad these holidays are behind us

One can take only so much of the food, drink and merriment, eh? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being able to celebrate the holidays in every way. I've seen many come and go when I was not nearly as happy and centered as I am now. I just can't begin to say how relieved I am that those lonely old days are over. Nothing quite says 'Crappy Christmas' like having already celebrated the holiday with family days before, eating leftovers from that day, and sitting alone in a half-assed-furnished condo with no other plans but to sit and play solitaire in your underwear, watch some sickening Christmas movie marathon on A&E, and pray that the hours until going back to work will fly by as quickly as freakin' possible. That's when the Vodka can really come in handy.

But even when times are great, one can only take so much... Besides, I'm ready to take aim at the rest of this new year. Later this month, I'll have the pleasure of celebrating a very special anniversary. Year One has nearly slipped-by since I met Joseph and inherited all these wonderful neighbors and friends. Luckily, I am able to consider most of the neighbors as friends, too! This year has also brought my parents into the 'real world', so to speak, by coming face to face with this new world of mine. They did surprisingly well, I must say.

And me, I'm great. I've never been better, and that's the gosh-honest truth. I've certainly learned that life can take us on a roller-coaster ride at times. But if we make certain that we're strapped in properly, and that we don't reach out for passing objects, we'll likely come over those humps w/o much harm. What is especially nice is when life gives us someone to sit beside us on that coaster. The humps aren't nearly as scary. In fact, they're a little fun.

Enough with that. I do want to share a story within this post, as I heard it several holidays ago, and I've always thought it was such a funny story... AND, it just goes to show why it's always better to be honest with the people in your life:

John and Mark are gay. They've lived together as partners for two years. Both of them have neglected to, however:
1) Tell their family they are gay, and
2) that they do in fact have a significant other in their life.
Each of their respective families only know of Mark and John as roommates to each other... or at least that's what they think.

One Christmas, John's mother comes to visit from out of town. With it being Christmas, John thinks of a wonderful idea to cook a big dinner. Mark agrees, reluctantly, and all goes very well. John's mother goes on and on about how wonderful a cook her son is, and how very glad she is that he has such a wonderful roommate like Mark.

While cleaning-up, Mark noticed that John's mother was incredibly interested in the silver gravy ladle that had been used at the dinner table. She wouldn't stop staring at it, whether at the table or at the kitchen sink while helping wash dishes. Thinking that perhaps she was just interested in the silver pattern, Mark dismissed the odd behaviour, and soon forgot all about it.

Several days had passed since John's mother returned to her home, and Mark noticed that the gravy ladle was now missing. Mark mentioned to John what he had noticed at dinner that evening, and he was suspect of her having taken it from their apartment. Of course, Mark delicately approached the subject with John, and John agrees that he will simply write his mother a note to thank her for her visit, then the note went on to say:

"...now I'm not saying you did take the ladle, and I'm not saying you didn't. But ever since you helped wash the dishes that evening, we have not been able to find that ladle anywhere. If you find it, would you please return it to me? Love you, John"



Several days passed until a reply came in the mailbox from John's mother. The note went on to say how lovely her visit was and how she can't wait to come back again. As for the ladle, all she had to say was this:

"...I'm not saying that you and Mark do sleep together, and I'm not saying you don't. But if Mark was sleeping in his own bed, he would have found the gravy ladle by now. Love, Mother"