Sometimes I cannot remember how we did things before the internet. I just saved $24 by getting a used copy of my textbook for this coming semester from Amazon. The best part is that I didn't have to wait in line for hours at the college bookstore, in fact I never left the house.

We are back from NY. It was snowing when we left yesterday, but overall the weather was beautiful while we were up there. Kim's official niece Kate, also my unofficial niece, was there so I got to meet her for the first time. She is the best. She chewed on my watch, giggled, made funny noises and was overall adorable. She's almost 8 months old now, and I must say that Kim's brother and Sister-in-law are excellent parents.

I just updated "The Royal We," including a list of all the music we listened to on the trip and all the books I read during the last half of 2003. I figure that everybody does Best Of Lists but I just did a list of books I've read recently and recommended a few. None of them even came out this year.

When I bought my car 7 years ago, a friend of mine told me that it would be a bitch to replace the headlights due to the design. One of my headlights finally burn-out and that friend was right. It is ridiculously complex, and after all its only a headlight. The bulb is held in with some bizarre spring clamp. I tried for almost an hour to get it to work and was unable to do so, so I went up to the Honda dealership for help. They were closed but I figured out the trick on the way home. I got home and promptly lost the screw that secures the spring clamp piece. I finally said screw it and duct taped the bulb in, taped the spring piece in the housing, attached the wires and replaced the seal. Thank god for duct tape. I figure that I have problems , I will worry about it then, but it looks like it will work. The seal and the wires act to secure it and the bulb pretty much stays there by itself anyway.

Christmas was cool., I hope yours was too. My future mother-in-law asked Kim about some more stocking-stuffers for me this morning. She has already bought a bunch of stuff that I will receive this weekend, in addition to the fact that I am fairly non-materialistic and generally happy with anything I am given. Kim thankfully told her to not buy anything else.

If you're lucky maybe I'll post this weekend from another state. Since we're getting ready for the trip we're having takeout from the Mediteranean Deli for dinner. That means a falafel sandwich in my future.

I think that I am obsessed with musiscians who have killed themselves. Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis etc... I am still really impressed that Elliott Smith stabbed himself in the chest. What a fucking way to go. That is definitely not the "easy way out." What a fucking loss all of these people are. As someone who's been suicidal, I understand the urge to die, but its still scary to think how much great music these people could have gone on to create.

I started a Live Journal. The title is "The Royal We" and it can be found here. Most of the important posts will still be here, The Royal We will consist mostly of things like what I am liostening to at the moment etc...

I just finished wrapping most of the Christams presents I will be distributing over the next few days. I still have to wrap the presents for Kim's family, but since I will not be seeing them until the weekend it can wait. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that since I don't work at the restaurant anymore that I am going home with Kim for a few days. That's right folks, I will be braving the cold of western New York state. If I still drank, I would stay drunk on whisky the whole time, but alas that will not be the case. I will probably drink lots of warm beverages though.

Thank you to Stephen and Corey for their advice. Neddless to say, I am ignoring Stephen's and taking Corey's. Actually I had decided not to go before they even commented, but it was nice to have some friendly advice. I have been getting calls telling me to come to the party all weekend. I told a friend of mine earlier today that I wasn't coming, because I would end up really upset. He said that it made perfect sense and I told him to let everyone know.

Today is the shortest day of the year, better known as the Winter Solstice. In pagan times this was an extremely important day, and is still important to Wiccans and other Earth worshipping sects. When Christianity began to get popular, it was decided that Christ was born on December 25th. History indicates that he was actually born in the summer, so why choose December 25th? The answer is simple. Christmas was placed close in date to the Pagan holiday to deflect some of the attention from the heathen earth worshipping holiday onto the "good holiday" when the savior was born. Makes sense doesn't it? Tonight, you should make a really big bonfire and then dance naked around it. Honor thy (Earth) mother! A little bit more Christmas trivia for you, hanging Holly and Mistletoe was originally a pagan tradition later carried over to Christmas.

Most of you will remember reading about my recent dismissal from the restaurant, well here's the most recent development. I just went up there to pick up my last paycheck and some tips that were still there. I was given the opportunity to speak with the gentleman who replaced me. I was talking to all my friends when he wlaked up, I looked at him and said: "So, you're the new host on Wednesday nights huh?" He was a bit taken aback and said "Yeah, what happened?" I told him that I was given an ultimatum: either start serving or not work there anymore. He said he was sorry and that he had no idea what happenbed until that moment, which I believe. Here's where it gets good. I told him that the owner told me that he needed someone who could give him "more of a commitment," and that I thought that "busting my ass for him for the last 2 years was plenty of commitment." I also said that the way it was done sucked and that he should tell the owner not to go about things in the same way again. I mentinoned that considering the owner saw me in person 36 hours before, he could have told me then and then I asked my replacement: "Did things really change that much in that period of time?" I closed with telling him that I deserved "much better than what I got," and to let the owner know that is what I thought.

Of course I got to talk to my friends who said that everyone was really pissed about what happened, which is very cool. It was my dream to destroy the morale of my co-workers. Now I need everyone's advice. The company Christmas party is on Sunday and all my friends want me to go. They say that I will not have to run into the owner or my replacement until after 11 PM, the party starts at 9. Should I go? I want to see my friends but I fear that I will just get upset and angry. I said that I might come, but now I'm really not sure what is the best thing to do. I was thinking that I could see everyone when I have some to "heal," because I have to admit that after going up there just now I am really upset. I wonder if the party would be any different? Go ahead and utilize that comments section. I double-dog-dare-you.

In other much cooler news, the city of Richmond gave all the teachers a trophy today, as a little thank you Christmas gift. It is cool it has 3 gold stars, and a marble base that says "R.P.S. Super Stars 2003." They also gave me a tin of shortbread cookies, wqith a thankyou note for all of my hard-work. They gave these things to every teacher in the school but it still made me feel good.

"The Boss" Needs to Pay Up

I was just listening to Bruce Springsteen, when I thought of an interesting question. If he is "The Boss," does that make people who listen to him employees? If that is the case; I want my money. Considering I've been listening to him since the mid-80's I think he owes me about 18 years worth of salary.

Over 50% of my students are sick, I had a class of 2 students the other day. A bunch of the other teachers are sick. Guess who else is sick? That's right, me. I have a terrible hacking cough and my sinuses are all messed up. It started yesterday and thankfully, it already seems to bew getting better I think that is due to the fact that I successfully quit smoking recently and generally take pretty good care of myself. If anyone wants to come over and rub me in with Vicks Mentholatum Rub, I would be happy to have you. I'll even give you some herbal tea.

I haven't cut my hair in a really long time. It is longer that it has ever been before-it covers my ears and gets in my eyes. The only problem is that I sometimes tend to not necessarily bathe everyday, and now when I don't shower my hair gives away my secret. On those days I refer to it as my Kurt Kobain. Today is one of those days, but I really don't care. If anyone wants a picture of me with longish hair just let me know, and I'll hook you up. Please specify with or without clothing. Also be sure to include any fetishes that I might be able to incorporate into the personalized photo.

Damn I was just reading some gossip column crap and saw that Sharon Osbourne had an affair with Randy Rhodes, Ozzy's late guitar player and best friend. That is pretty low, of course Ozzy was arging alcoholic at the time so I guess that makes it a bit better. Here is my bad joke for the day: I guess she really did "hitch a ride on the crazy train." Horrible, wasn't it?

In other news getting laid-off from the restaurant has really freed up a lot of time in my schedule. Now I have my evenings to myself. It is quite nice. Too bad I will have to get another restaurant job after the hollidays.

-Thankyou Mom & Dad.
-Thankyou Miss Plan-9 employee.
-Thankyou Aaron Cometbus.

My parents called me up today, and offered to come up and take us out to lunch in an effort to try and cheer me up. It worked I feel much better about things. Having to ask them to help me pay my tuition for the spring semester stung the pride a bit, but they had offered previously and I did not really have a choice. Shelling out $636 dollars when you just lost one of your jobs is not a viable option. Then we went to a couple thrift stores and my Mom bought me a few records. Just nice to get out of the house and not wallow in my own misery. Kim and I went to Plan 9 after they left, where I bought a few records out of the dollar bin, and ended up leaving my wallet on the counter. The super-cool employee chased me down the street to give me the wallet. I was needless to say extremely grateful. I had once spoken with her at length about the Cometbus zine. Maybe that helped.

Here is some good news to make you happy. My boss called me up from the restaurant right before I left to teach and I laid me off. That is correct. I am really glad that I worked for that place for 2 years to get laid off via telephone. He gave me the option of staying on as a waiter, but what's the point. The hourly salary is a fraction of what I was making, and the servers make no money. It just sucks right before the hoildays. I will definitely miss the people I work with, but I won't miss that place. He told me that he needs somebody in my position who can give him "more of a commitment." This translates to someone who can can come in and do paperwork whenevr he wants them to instead of being the maitre 'd. The best part is that my old boss, who recently quit, has come back and is more than likely the person who will be replacing me. The owner didn't tell me that, but I can read between the lines pretty well. He is looking for shifts for the former manager to pick up and it makes sense that I would get screwed. The only people you should have loyalty to are yourself and your loved ones, because it seems that anyone else is fairly untrustworthy. Two years of loyal service and I am tossed aside for a moron who recently screwed the owner over. I basically ran that restaurant, and I am bitter as hell right now.

I gave the screwing right back to him. I called him up from my classroom told him I wasn't interested in serving and that last night was my last night working for the company. Tonight was basically going to be my last night anyway, since he was planning on having someone else in my position next week. I had asked him earlier if I was suppossed to work tonight, and he told me that he "wasn't trying to cut my legs off." He wasn't? The whole thing just seems really cold to me, so I was cold in return. When I called and told him my decision, I just left it on the voicemail. He doesn't deserve a face-to-face or even voice-to-voice conversation.

I gave myself a hernia working in that place. Why? It certyainly worked out for me didn't it?

I have been trying for the last 2 days to get a flu shot and have yet to succeed. Today I attempted to be vaccinated at 4 locations around the area, and each location was out of the serum. The best was the pharmacy that ran out of them just as I arrived, the last customer to receive one was still sitting there. What great luck. I am going to try again tomorrow, and if I can't get one then I am going to give up.

I want today to be over. The only good thing that has happened since 7 AM is that my copy of The Clash "Sandinista" arrived in the mail today. I ordered it from BMG because I received a 60% discount. I had actually placed it in my shopping cart on the site, 2 months ago, but then changed my mind. It was still there with the applied discount, even though the offer had technically expired, so I bought it. $13 including shipping for a double-disc set. Not too shabby.

I am ready for Winter break, I am ready for my class to be over, I am ready to only work one job, I am ready for lots of things and will probably get none of them. I am also hoping for coal in my stocking. I hope you hate me too. If you're interested, come to the restaurant tonight and witness the nervous breakdown that is on the way.

Remember the winter soltice is rapidly approaching. Don't forget to order your sacrificial goat, so it will arrive on time. There is nothing worse than a pagan festival lacking the proper materials. All hail the Earth Mother. Finally, if you see a fairie after you've been drinking or doing drugs, that is called a hallucination not a visitation.