it's christmas eve, and here i am at work. of course, for many people, it's business as usual, but i am positively dying to go home and start off the holiday with a bowl of egg nog and a few hours of no-pressure television before we start our running around.

carole is home for the holidays, and i got to hang out with her a bit last night. we swapped our latest tales of woe and wonder, cramming four months of life into two hours of gabbing. some friends, such as the super classy carole, you can go half a year without seeing, and when you finally meet up with them, it's like you were never apart. other friends, you go half a year without seeing and you might as well throw their ashes to the wind, so to speak. the awkwardness kills.

i can't wait to see her neice megan on christmas. i love this little girl; i have many times contemplated hiding her in my jacket and sneaking her home with me. i see megan only a few times a year; maybe it's all an act, but this four year old always seems to remember me. it's such great fun to play with her. did i ever have energy that boundless as a kid? i imagine myself as a sluggish four year old, constantly wanting to nap or just be left alone with a half stick of butter to nibble on.

last year or the year before, megan named her barbies "carole" and "jackie." now, how precious is that?

the answer? pretty damn.