Most Wonderful Time

Sister and I saw Amy Grant and Vince Gill last night for my 40th birthday. They were awesome. They did all the Christmas classics you'd expect, plus some newer stuff and a carol singalong. It was a great way to spend an evening any time, but especially when it's your birthday.

I don't feel any more 40 than I did on Sunday. I guess it helps that no one ever believes I'm that age. People are always saying I look like early 30s at the most. Thank goodness for permanent hair color, I say!

The Weather Outside is Frightful

No, not snow. Thunderstorms. My arch-nemesis-es. *cowers*

Christmas shopping is mostly done. Stuff for Angel Tree kids is bought and packed to be dropped off tomorrow. One Amazon package arrived with an item missing, boo. E-mail sent to customer service.

Next on the to-do list: wrapping. Lots and lots of wrapping.

Shoppers Rush Home With Their Treasures

A whole lot of Christmas shopping got done today. Wait, let me rephrase that: A WHOLE LOT OF CHRISTMAS SHOPPING GOT DONE TODAY. We took care of probably half our shopping lists, not counting what we're getting for each other. Kohl's, JC Penney, and Target thank us verrah, verrah much. Heck, we thank them, too, considering some of the great deals we got. Retailers are freaking out liek woah, dewd. If you have the cash, go take advantage.

You Get What You Give

Each year, I attempt to give 10% of my total income to charitable organizations. I rarely manage that amount (it’s harder than it seems), but I keep trying anyway. Anyway, I’m posting links to the organizations to which I’ve donated or will donate this year, with a link to each web site and a brief statement explaining why I support it.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

My sister and I are big Broadway fans, especially when it comes to musicals, and twice we’ve attended performances at which the companies provided special offers in exchange for donations to the fund. As a result, we were able to get our pictures made with Jai Rodriguez back in 2005 (The Producers) and this year onstage at the Shubert Theater with Clay Aiken (Spamalot!).

Equality Now

My sister and I learned about this organization’s work through Joss Whedon, creator of some of our favorite universes, including Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And, of course, Joss Is Boss. We first donated through the Atlanta Browncoats’ participation in Can’t Stop the Serenity 2008.

Heifer International

It’s a long story, but suffice to say it involves water buffaloes and VeggieTales. At any rate, great organization, great program, deserves your support.

Kids Need to Read

Firefly star Nathan Fillion co-founded this group to promote reading among kids and support libraries in providing them with good reading material. As good Browncoats, my sister and I have a strong tendency to do whatever Captain Tightpants says. (Even when that means strapping dead bodies to the front of the ship.)

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Finally, my mom is a breast cancer survivor, so this one is closest to my heart. I also like Save Second Base and encourage everyone to buy one of their fun t-shirts.

Who's Gonna Drive You

A state trooper in Boston gave out a $100 ticket to a couple that was driving in the emergency lane. The catch? They were doing so to get around rush-hour traffic because the woman was in active labor:

Jennifer Davis was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Nov. 18, her contractions just 3 minutes apart. Her husband, John, was trying to appear calm for his wife's sake, driving in the breakdown lane of Route 2. They pulled up behind a state trooper to ask whether they could continue using the lane to reach the next exit, near Alewife Station.

Not only did the trooper say no, he gave them a $100 citation for driving in the breakdown lane, made them wait for their citation while he finished writing someone else's ticket, and even seemed to ask for proof of pregnancy, Jennifer Davis said.

"He said, 'What's under your jacket?' I said, 'My belly,' " Davis said. "He waited and gestured with his head like, 'OK, let's see it.' He waited for me to unzip my jacket. I mean, it was so clear that I was pregnant."

Now, I have to say, while the demand to see her belly was uncalled for, I can't really find the trooper completely at fault. The article notes that he offered twice to call an ambulance, which any informed healthcare consumer knows is the fastest way to get medical attention 99.9% of the time, but the couple declined. He also used an option where the citation was mailed to them instead of done on the spot, which saved time. And they still made it to the hospital with plenty of time to spare, the birth coming about 5 hours later.

As a PR exercise, this wasn't the best way to handle things. He should have just told them to move on but stay out of the emergency lane. Yes, two previous troopers had given them the OK to use the lane (carefully) when traffic backed up, but that's still a very dangerous thing, especially with a woman in labor. The couple were also stupid to refuse an ambulance, which would've gotten them to the hospital much faster.

Bet the ticket is thrown out, though.

Source

Pass Around the Coffee

I had my first eggnog latte of the season this morning. Never have I been so glad Starbucks opened a new location right next to my office park. Yummmmm.

The portabello-and-spinach piadini ain't half bad either.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like

It snowed a little around lunchtime today.

It's damn cold out.

I can't believe it's December already.

My living room is full of boxes of Christmas decorations.

I placed an Amazon order this morning.

I turn 40 this month.