Two Things...Well, Three. Or Five.

1. Anyone from my home state, and perhaps the entire upper Midwest, knows about the sole whack. But as I was doing it this morning in the farm 'n barn parking lot (finishing up my Christmas shopping, with my dad), I realized that it may be one of those phenomena that are foreign to those of y'all who aren't from around here. And while I mean that in the nicest of ways, I want to enlighten you.
   The 'sole whack,' as I call it, is required because of this: one has been tromping through the snow and ick. Perhaps through the parking lot after shopping at a place like the farm 'n barn. And one's shoes, lug-soled as they are at this time of year, fill with that snow and ick. And a rim of the stuff forms around the outer edge of one's shoes, too. So, after the car door is opened, one does not simply climb into the car as normal—that would only effectuate the transfer of the snow and ick from the shoes to the floor mat, and eventually (for the driver) back onto the shoe and perhaps the pants and socks via the back end. And everybody knows that there's nothing worse than wet socks. So how does one prevent such a thing?
   The sole whack. Open car door. Plunk into seat, ass-first, leaving legs outside of car. Lift both legs at the same time, and whack the soles of the shoes together, causing snow and ick to fall onto the pavement next to the car. Each person will discover his preference for the number of whacks required, and it will often depend on the sort of shoes that have been worn and the degree of ick through which one has walked. I generally do 3-5 whacks. After the whacking is completed, swivel legs (as a unit) into the car, being careful not to touch any snow or ick on the return trip.
   There's just one thing that makes the sole whack exciting and dangerous: if one is not careful, one can whack one's ankle bones together. And when it's really damned cold, that can be incredibly painful, and can probably come close to causing a fracture (or two?)
   Yeah. Home state weather—living on the edge!
2. The brother of the first guy I slept with got married in November. The last time that I saw him, the kid was about 7. He's now (apparently) got a couple of kids, and a wife. Congratulations to Paul and Hally, and to Rob & Seth. And to Mr. B., I guess, for no longer being a guest of the state. (He 'attended the couple,' one of the great euphemisms of all time.)
   I feel a little bit old, thinking about Paulie being of an age to be married. Sigh.
3. Spent yesterday afternoon catching up with an old, old friend. Well, he's not so old—not as old as I am!—but we were friends in high school and now we are again. And it was, in a way, as if no time has passed. But, even better, it was as if we'd both grown up and realized how important friends can be. Damn, it was good to see him and to reconnect. I'm happy for his current happiness, and I only hope that it grows.
   L-ville is only an hour from where I live now.
4. Spent a couple of hours on the phone last night, whining and arguing and...I'm not sure what else I was doing. It was all new to me. It was, if you'll allow this crazy analogy, being in a frying pan with the flame on, and appreciating the heat after being cold for too long but still, not quite knowing to do with my feet to keep from getting burned.
   And I've no clue what my phone bill's going to look like this month. I have 200 anytime minutes, and free incoming. I can't check my usage because I'm on the first month of my plan. And at last count, I'd used 954:05 this month (which ends at midnight tonight). That's the most ever, by far. (I've had the phone since 12 June, and my total usage is 56:42:38.) I fervently hope that I don't end up with a $300 phone bill this month. That would blow.
5. I think that's it for today, other than to say Happy Holidays. Er, fuck it--Merry Christmas, if you celebrate it. If you don't, then, Peace.