Welllll.... maybe not quite THAT outrageous .


R

"The best revenge is living well"

Rob

I agree. Spend Christmas eve with your cousins, and give outrageous gifts. But there's no need
to pointedly tell your siblings about the cost, because all families talk, and it will get back to them
soon enough.

Give your Dad some space. It sounds to me like he is trying to protect you and Iain from your less than tolerant siblings.

In my case, I missedx 8 Christmas' with my parents and family because I walked out. So this Christmas, Hubby and I are spending it at the cottage, and we'll raise a toast to all the loved ones who aren't here.

Hell, I just bottled 30 bottles of Cabernet Shiraz, and 30 bottles of Australian Chardonnay, so it'll be one HELL of a toast.

I haven't spent Christmas with my family in four years. I'm pretty excited about it, even if I am NOT in the Christmas spirit ... at all.

My Mom sent me this email. It's completely unedited.



I cannot wait to go home for the hoilidays now.

Tis the season...

R

Oh Allen, look on the bright side...all the psychos in your town are now dead! You'll be totally safe! I'm glad you'll be able to spend the holiday with your mother. Nothing means more to a mother than being able to spend the holidays with her children. It's the best gift you could give her. Have fun!

I haven't been home for Christmas for 4 years, so it will be different than the Jewish Christmas I've been having ... Mexican and a movie or two.

The transitions in my Mom's emails are so random, it can be a bit mind boggling at times. Come on ... suicide and Sugar Snappy Socks in the same email? Ugh!!!

But I do love my wacky, sitcom ready family.

How many of you can say your 17 yr old sister shot her first buck (whitetail deer) a couple weeks ago? Not many, right?

Uh ohhhhhh! She wasn't wearing a thick, red pendleton shirt was she?

Just asking....

What took her so long?

My Sister bagged her first 6 point when she was 14, when she could get her first license (Yes, my cousins did cut off her shirt tail when she wasn't looking and nail it to the cabin wall [For those of you who don't know - Don't ask!!!].

Don't even think about trying to out redneck my family!

R

I'll put up pics of what the TV room looks like where I grew up.

here
here
here
and
here

My sis was getting picked on by many of hte guys in her class for not getting one, so she shut them up after she got one. She helped my Dad clean it and will keep the horns as a memento of her first buck she ever shot.

You are HILARIOUS!!!!!!

I don't think my sis is attracted to females. If she is, so be it. Nat's a tom boy, but still pretty girly at times.

Well having already paid visits to our families earlier this month hubby and I are off to Bahamas tomorrow for a week of sun, sand, gambling and relaxation and absolutely no family dramas. Now thats a holiday season I can deal with.

Yes, Rob, invite the cousins and give them all a "brandnewcar". That will show those sisters of yours a thing or two. Ha!! Hmmmm... could you and Iain accidentally get caught in an elevator or bomb shelter with the sisters and family for a day or so. (hint, hint) Sometimes when people are brought together under certain circumstances they end up bonding. Too bad there's not a "three-hour-tour" in your future.

I wish I could give you some of my "close family" in a bottle for you to enjoy. My Mom keeps asking when we are coming home for a visit. My partner's parents were just here for a week's visit and when they left they also asked when we were coming back home to visit. We are the Uncles that have stayed at arms length and don't get involved in the family dramas. Our family members usually phone us to ask what to do with this and that. Isn't it ironic...don't you think?? I am still trying to get my Mom to tell all my old friends and acquaintances she sees around town that I live with my partner of 15 years in sunny Florida. When they ask if I have married she still tells them no. Makes me mad every time. I know she can only say what she is comfortable with but geez, it's been 15 years. That's like 300 in lesbian years.

I don't know about you, but I think I'll tag along w/ you guys!!! Forget about heading to South Dakota for Christmas!!!

Allen, you sure have a lot of bucks to dust!

My Mom was better at dusting those deer heads than me. They kept falling off when I tried to dust.

Anyhow ... have a happy holidays and make sure you don't get some tacky gift like I got from my sis and her bf last year.

Ugh.

My brother's family, including his 4yr old daughter, came to see me, at my house Friday night and ALL day long yesterday. I love to see them, but I am glad to see them leave. She was wild and knows no boundries as far as touching things that are not hers. My house is not perfect, but I do like to keep things in order. One advantage of going to see someone over them coming to see you, You (the guest) can decided when it is over and go home.

Happy Holidays Sports Fans. ---- Merry Christmas

My little gift to all my favorite Outsporters!

Star Wars Holiday Special (guest starring Beatrice Arthur!)

Happy Holidays All!

Well..its taken me 6 hours to wrap 10 gifts. I started when the 1pm football game began and am now finished at 7. You'd think as a gay man I'd be better at this crap. I bought a bunch of holiday bags cuz I suck at wrapping so much, but I left them in my office at work. And I was NOT driving all the way there to get them. I'll save those mofos for next year. Meanwhile, the boyfriend has looked for every damn excuse to come into the den to peek at what I got him. I swear...he's such a little kid when it comes to Christmas. Its so cute though.

We're having a low key Christmas though. We've decided...or rather I decided...that we aren't going anywhere. We always have to get up early and open presents and then eat breakfast, shower, get dressed, and make the rounds. I decided that I'm not up for it this year. This has been such a long year and with all the last minute shopping I had to do and holiday parties we've been at for the past 2 weeks, I'm exhausted. We've invited a few friends over to have some drinks and eat, and watch the start of 24 hours of "A Christmas Story". Tomorrow, a FEW relatives are coming over for dinner, and then several friends are coming to watch the Eagles/Cowboys game, but I'm tired of having to leave my house on Christmas to make the rounds. You want your gifts on Christmas or want to see me...you're gonna have to come to me this year.

Okay ... I did have a fun time back in South Dakota.

Here I am w/ my sisters, my new "nephew" and my Grandma.

I also forgot some hilarious things found at Grandma's house.

Well hubby and I arrived back in TO today after a great week in Nassau. Very relaxing. Sun and sand as planned. We even managed a trip to one of the outer islands for the day and were able to fill in the tan lines before the boat came to pick us up . A little gambling,sun , sand, para-sailing,a few holiday drinks, the obligatory calls home on Christmas Day but no drama. This is definitely the way to spend the end of the year holiday season. There wasn't even any snow when we arrived back in the city which I can't say upset me too much.

Well, I'm in the middle of round two with the B/f's family in Orange County. This week has been most agreeable. The problems are almost non-existant this time around. However, the weather could be a little more cooperative.

The holidays are meant to be spent with the ones we love. I, for one, could not be happier spending this time of the year with the one I love. I pray that everyone else gets to feel the happiness and love that I do.

Oh, UCLA, you almost made me cry! That was a very sweet post, and I am glad to hear all has gone so well for you. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and hope all have a great New Year. Allen, is that carpeting on the wall behind your grandmother's bathtub? Why carpeting on the walls of the bathroom? It looks like grandma's house is a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing. You look hot in your ripped jeans!

Yes, there is wall carpeting in my Grandma's shower. I had to take pics of it. I totally forgot about it. And I really have no clue why there is wall carpeting in there. It's one of those things that you just go along w/ it ... like Grandma dating a married man - You just go w/ it.

She use to have family pics facing the toilet, so using the facilities felt a little awkward at her place.

Thank God she took them down!

I have to put this up ... this is my sister w/ my other Grandma at a clothing store trying on hats. Some clerk almost kicked out my Grandma and my sister for having their picture taken in the store since they are not allowed to take pics of the merchandise. They really didn't know, but my Grandma loved it. She still thinks it's funny that she's 83 yrs old and almost gets kicked outta a store. She's a rebel.

At least, that Grandma knows better not to put carpeting in her shower stall.

Allen, it looks like you had a great time in South Dakota...I'm glad. I'm here in Israel spending time with my parents. It's kinda awesome to be here again. The flight over wasn't too bad, although every seat was taken...plus, there were screaming children, so sleep was impossible. The awesome part was seeing my dad for the first time in over a year. It was weird...it didn't feel like I was in another country. It felt like I was at home.

Tomorrow, my parents and I are going to the Dead Sea for two days. I've never been there before, but I understand that the springs are good for your joints, which certainly need some attention. It will be too cold to swim outside ( the high will be about 63 degrees), but it will still be breathtaking.

I will give you guys updates on my trip every now and then. I'm glad your respective vacations were good. Shalom!

P.S. The guys here are SOOOO hot!

Carpeting on a bathroom wall? Carpeting on a bathroom wall?!?!?

Catching up on posts I missed when my computer was down.
Steff Q. - where is your family? Out of town? Maybe you could host a small group of alonees next year, even 3 or 4 would be fun for those alone, including yourself. It is hard when EVERYONE seems to have somewhere to go but you. Hope your Christmas went OK.

I spent most of Christmas Eve and Day entertaining my five year old nephew. I bought a Wii about a week before Christmas and brought it home so he could play with it. He was a natural (of course ) and really got into the baseball and boxing games on it. So much so that he nearly knocked over the Christmas Tree! My brother barely made it in through flight delays. He doesn't live too far away, but he finished a cruise in the Carribean on the morning of the 24th. It was fun, my siblings are all a lot older than me and we're just starting to view each other on even ground. He bought me a bottle of rum and a t-shirt from a rum company in the Carribean.

The name of the company? Mount Gay Rum. I wear it with pride.

Good Bajan rum. Now if you want to try a Bajan (Barbadoes) punch that will knock you on your ass

It goes like this

4 Parts Bajan Rum
3 Parts Falernum (an alcoholic liquer)
2 Parts Roses Lime Cordial
1 Part Water

Add dash of Bitters, dash of nutmeg, pour over ice, and have a gay old time.

(when I was a teenager, we spent a year in Cayman. Our housekeeper was from
Barbadoes, and made these for us).

I know ... I know ... I really don't understand. You just go w/ it. Just like her dating a married man for 2 years now.

Christmas was relaxing with very little family drama - although we came close a couple of times. I even went to church with my mom and brother on Christmas Eve (I don't attend church here in Dodge but figure I can make a small sacrifice on Christmas Eve for my folks' sake), and the roof did NOT cave in when I entered the building!

I was back in Dodge for New Year's Eve, so I went out for dinner and a few drinks at my favorite bar, then watched part of "The Dreamlife of Angels" on DVD at home. I usually hate New Year's because it reminds me that I have no partner and few friends to hang out with, but this year wasn't so bad.

Does anyone here make New Year's resolutions? Do you manage to keep them, and if so, how?