12/20/2005 - HOLIDAY HOEDOWN

SO LAST NIGHT WAS POOH BEAR'S SCHOOL XMAS PROGRAM.  IT WAS CALLED "HOLIDAY HOEDOWN", WHERE SANTA AND THE ELVES DECIDED TO OPEN A THEATRE IN BRANSON, MO WITH DOLLY AND ELVIS AS OPENING ACTS.  POOH WAS SO CUTE!!!  SHE WAS DRESSED AS AN ELF - POINTY HAT, ELF EARS, LITTLE WREATH EARRINGS, SILVER BELLS ON SHOES, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.  SHE HAD A PART IN THE PLAY WERE ELIVS SHOWS UP AND SHE HAS TO RUN TO THE FRONT OF THE STAGE AND SWOON FOR ELVIS AND FAINT TO THE GROUND.  IT WAS SO CUTE AND SHE WAS SO EXCITED.  SHE LOVES ELVIS ANYWAY, AND MY DAD WAS A DEAD RINGER (NO PUN) FOR ELVIS.  IT'S STRANGE, WHEN DAD WAS YOUNG, HE LOOKED LIKE YOUNG ELIVS, AND AS DAD AGED, HE LOOKED MORE LIKE OLD ELVIS.  THEY BOTH KINDA SPREAD AS THEY AGED, AND BOTH OF THEM WERE SOUTHERN BORN - MY DAD FROM CHATTANOOGA - AND BOTH OF THEM DIED SUDDENLY AT THE AGE OF 42. 

BUT ANYWAY, POOH WAS SO CUTE IN HER PLAY LAST NIGHT AND MOM CAME TO WATCH IT AND BROUGHT MY NEPHEWS - MOM'S RAISING MY LITTLE SISTER'S BOYS - MUNCH 11, AND SHUG 8 - MY SISTER IS SUCH A LOSER. 

THE CONCERT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF THE PARENTS BEHIND US WEREN'T DRUNK.  I WAS GETTING BUZZED JUST SMELLING THE BEER FROM THEIR LAUGHS.  AND OH MY GOSH THEY WERE LOUD.  I MEAN SERIOUSLY, HOW WHITE TRASHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO BE DRUNK BEFORE 6PM AND THEN COME TO YOUR KIDS XMAS PROGRAMLOADED?  I KNOW I'M NOT ONE TO JUDGE ANYONE ELSE'S ADDICTIONS, BUT THE ONE THING I CAN SAY IS THAT AT LEAST I NEVER HAD ANY KIDS TO DRAG ALONG THROUGH HELL WITH ME AND MY ADDICTIONS.  THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO HARD FOR ME TO FORGIVE OF MYSELF, SO MUCH MORE THAN ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT I DID.  I FELT SO BAD FOR THE DAUGHTERS OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND US, AND THEIR OLDEST DAUGHTER IN 6TH GRADE TRIED TO SHUFFLE THEM OUT THE DOOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE SHOW.  SHE LOOKED SO ASHAMED.  I JUST WANTED TO HUG HER, B/C SHE'S SUCH A SWEET GIRL, IN SPITE OF HER PARENTS.  SHE PRACTICALLY RAISES HER LITTLE SISTER IN 2ND GRADE. 

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT XMAS IS ONLY 5 DAYS AWAY.  I'M JUST NOT FEELING IT THIS YEAR.  I AM GOING GIFT SHOPPING WITH CRISSY TOMORROW AND THEN FINISHING MY SHOPPING ON FIRDAY, SO I HOPE THAT WILL GET ME INTO THE SPIRIT.  I'M SO TIRED OF HAVING TO FAKE IT.  I'M TIRED OF HAVING TO FAKE MY LIFE.  LAST NIGHT I WASN'T FAKING THOUGH.  I WAS ACTUALLY HAPPY.  IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE FELT GENUINE HAPPINESS, THAT IT WAS LIKE BEING DRUNK.  WEIRD, HUH. GOOD WEIRD THOUGH.