They didn't want to know -- wanted it to be a surprise. The gender, that is. Flo and I were OK with that -- not that we had much choice -- even after we realized that if they didn't want to know, we wouldn't know. Apparently it takes effort to make sure you don't find out. Warnings on charts to assure that there is no slip and inadvertent disclosure. As the family waited on Thursday evening, "What do you think it is?" was a frequent inquiry. No one knew as we were sent home late in the evening. And, as it would happen, even after they knew, they kept us in suspense.  

Other than Tommy, it was the first Broadway show I had ever seen with my wife and we saw it twice more after that.  It was incredible, but I must admit that I had forgotten much of it having not seen it in a while.    My wife was dying to see it, so I took her to see it the day after Christmas (OK I was excited to see it as well, it was definitely a part of the backdrop of our beginning).  

In the past few years, Dick Clark has not really been an active presence on New Year’s Eve.  As his health declined, he just could not play the same type of role he had played in the past.  Don’t get me wrong.  I like Ryan Seacrest but he isn’t Dick Clark.

It's New Year's Eve!

News cycles bring tiresome phrases. Like "fiscal cliff." That is a big one lately. Whoever came up with that must be getting big royalties, which is not good for him if we go over that cliff because that means he will owe big taxes come January 1.We all remember Y2K. Ugh did I get tired of hearing about Y2K. I think that was even bigger than the fiscal cliff.

As the New Year approaches and relfect on the turbulent year this has been I am struck by a small bit of news that I found this morning. It's not earth shattering or even tragic but does illuminate the stark difference among countries.  

Between Thursday 12/20 and Boxing Day (day after Christmas) I ballooned up 2.3 pounds. My best analysis is that this girth growth is primarily attributable to my cookie consumption. Not just regular year 'round cookies which I can resist, but mouth watering, irrisistable (50%?) Butter cookies. I am thinking about coming out with a line of them called Kryptonite Kookies. What is your year end Krytontite?

It's been a rough couple of years.  There was some trepidation heading into the holidays.  There were times where fear that the world was falling apart around me appeared to be real and weighed heavily on my soul.  Sandy, Newtown, now Webster ripped us emotionally from comfort zones.  Even beyond major national tragedies,  everyday challenges likes jobs. politics, finances and even sports seem to drag us down.