Happy Holidays from the RPR - Part 2

Alright, we're back for the remainder of Christmas Day 2005 and what exactly it is that I did. Let me give you a hint...it wasn't much. I do hope that everyone had a nice holiday and received some nice gifts that you'll be able to put to good use either now or in the near future.

Back to the rest of the running diary:

6:24pm - The family leaves for dinner. Since they punked out on me and went for Chinese last night, we opted for Italian this evening at the restaurant owned by one Italian and one Jewish family. I'm rather surprised at how empty the restaurant is. Come to think of it, most others are probably eating Chinese instead.

7:15pm - The dinner wasn't bad, as I chose to order a veal dish. Let me tell you about veal. It's a quality meat and very enjoyable, but only on an "every now and again" basis. In my mind, I can eat chicken or beef frequently, and in many cases, more than I should. But with veal, I can't imagine eating it for 3 meals in a row. (I have done this with beef. We're talking the 'steak dinner, then cheesesteak for lunch the next day, and then a hamburger that night' combination. I don't mind this at all. High in protein.) But veal is a good choice and I highly endorse it. So the next time you're in an Italian restaurant, switch things up and go for the veal.

8:31pm - We're back at home and I turn on the Sunday night football game between Minnesota and Baltimore. Mom comes in and sees that football is on and gives me the "You've got to be kidding. Football again?" look. I ask her if she wants me to change it, but since she's already engulfed in one of her women's magazines, she simply looks up and seems indifferent. Chalk a win up for me.

8:33pm - Mom tries to figure out which team is which. Conversation goes as such:

Mom: Minnesota....which team are they?
Ross: The Vikings. The guys with the purple helmets and the white jerseys.
Mom: Baltimore...they're wearing blue jerseys?
Ross: No, they're purple. It's the Ravens.
Mom: When did Baltimore get a team?
Ross: Another team moved and relocated to Baltimore 10 years ago and became the Ravens.
Mom: Eh, I don't like football. [She turns her attention back to the magazine.]

9:04pm - We decide to have a family outing to the movies. Mom and Jamie choose Rumor Has It for us to see. This is the one with Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine, and Mark Ruffalo. Mom tells Dad not to fall asleep during the movie. Dad snaps back with, "Well, if we didn't always see these chick flicks, maybe I wouldn't fall asleep." Mom gives him the evil eye.

9:47pm - During the previews, we see a trailer for a movie about the Naval Academy titled Annapolis. Since Dad was in the Navy, he looks and Mom and says, "That's a must see". Mom responds with, "You can go see it by yourself."

11:25pm - The movie ends and it wasn't all that bad. It kept me entertained and by this point in the day, I needed to see something other than A Christmas Story. So guys, if your girlfriend drags you to see Rumor Has It, it isn't the end of the world. And for the ladies, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, because these flicks are right down your alley.

11:39pm - Back at home and flipping through channels on the TV. I'm watching Sportscenter and the best highlight may be the interaction between Shaquille O'Neal and the ABC sideline reporter:

Reporter: Shaq, before the game, you didn't acknowledge Kobe Bryant at all.
Shaq: [Blank stare. Silence.]
Reporter: Wasn't there anything you wanted to say to him? Or at least shake his hand?
Shaq: [Blank stare for another moment.] Merry Christmas
(Shaq walks away.)

That's classic right there. I haven't seen a more awkward on-court/on-field interview since Jim Gray called out Pete Rose at the MLB All-Star a few years back, and Pete almost socked him in the face.

Other than sitting down to write more on the RPR, not too much else to report on this evening. Again, hope everyone's holiday was pleasant and hope everyone takes full advantage of their day off tomorrow. It's great when you get the obligatory weekday off when the holidays fall on a weekend. Gotta love that. It's because the government, postal service, and banks all want a day off too. That's fine by me. We can all reap the benefits of a day off, no matter what your religion is.

That's it for tonight. Not sure when the next post will be, but check back periodically and see if I happen to put anything new up.