Finally x-mas break

And finally time to decorate the tree. Jennifer's notion of cleaning the living room was throwing all the clothes on our bed. Not quite what I had in mind.

We have the tree in the house, just no lights and the only decorations are stuffed marine-life animals, with an octopus I threw on the top in place of the angel. My family doesn't approve. But as usual, Christmas comes, ready or not, and it turns out alright.

High kicks, donkeys, sheep, camels oh my!

We went and saw the Rockettes X-mas show at the Paramount last night, and it was great. Typical fare from what we could tell - lots of glitz, santa and high kicks by women with 2 percent body fat and arms that even Michelle Obama would die for.

But the most surprising part of the show was at the end, when they announced they were going to do a tribute to the true spirit of the season and do a living nativity.

"With the Rockettes?" my daughter wondered. "What are they going to do, step kick past the manager?"

No, actually better. All the Rockettes played various parts in the play (tho Joseph looked suspiciously like S. Claus) and they led in Mary on a real donkey. And then sheep. And then when the 3 kings came...real camels. Damn. This is definitely worth the ticket.

Raising your daughter right, and keeping your mouth shut

Attended a Christmas party this weekend where the issue of raising daughters and God came up.

Unless you live under a rock, no doubt you've heard about the bruhaha down in Olympia about the Christmas tree, menorah and the atheists. Thanks to rush, the entire nation now knows about our little festivus display. Now there's some group from Kansas that wants to put up a decoration that if you believe in Santa, you're going to hell. Why can't they go pester their own capital building?

We were talking about that, gathered around the kitchen of this Ballard house, and then Obama's name came up, and we all agreed, thank goodness he became president. Then a longtime friend talked about a friend of a friend whose daughter was for Obama and an atheist.

"I told her she raised that kid right!" Liz said.

My daughter, who was with me at the Christmas party shot me a warning glance, with a little bit a pleading in it to keep my mouth shut.

We were both Clintonistas, and then switched to Obama, and yes, she believes in God. I take credit in that, and believe, Gary and I have done a pretty good job of raising her. But JEnnifer obv. did not want to be put forth as an example of raising your kid "right" and having them believe in God too.

So I just laughed and let it drop.