I have visions of real entries dancing in my head, but I’m at my parents’ house and we’re busy prepping for the holidays, so I thought I’d take advantage of this free moment to wish everyone a Happy Whatever. Soon, my sister and her fiancée will bunk up in my sister’s old room, my aunt and her fiancée will be in my old room, my parents will be in the master bedroom, and my cousins will set up camp in the basement. I’ll be relegated to the guest room, which is okay, because this isn’t really my house anymore.

Visiting my parents used to make me feel cagey and guilty. I’d look forward to seeing them, but when I’d arrive, I’d feel really displaced and kind of freaked out. I’ve since relaxed into a different, more honest relationship with my family and with things I’ve left behind, so I’m enjoying myself this year.

I had this awesome conversation with my mom:

Mom: Wow, your hair is really red. Is it … purple? Did you dye it again?
Me: No, Mom, it’s just red. It’s the same color it was when you picked me up at the airport.
Mom: (Wrinkling her nose in her signature style) Did you get your hair thinned?
Me: What?
Mom: It’s just that your hair is naturally so thick, and it looks thinner …
Me: Well, I got a razor cut, and there are layers.
Mom But your hair used to be so THICK!
Me: Don’t worry, Mom. It’s supposed to look like this.
Mom: Oh, okay. I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t suffered any hair loss.

Ha! Instead of telling me she doesn’t like my haircut, she masks her disapproval behind a feigned concern that I might be balding.

Well, she was certainly upfront about my nosering.

Me: Did you notice this? (Pointing to nosering.)
Mom: Yes. I hate it.
Me: Okay.

… and then we started talking about something else. The end! In past years, my mom wouldn’t have let it go so easily. We’re both getting better about letting things go.

Other things I’ve learned over the past couple of days:

1. My mom is pro-choice because she doesn’t want anyone telling her daughters what they can or can’t do with their bodies.
2. I used to think that my parents avoided talking about sex because they wanted to believe that I would die a virgin. Turns out, they just don’t think my adult sex life should be any of their business.
3. My family is Christian, but they're okay with the fact that I don’t share their beliefs. However, I suspect my mom is waiting for me to come around.
4. I love driving my dad’s truck.
5. The biggest present under the tree (a cocktail set for my sister and her fiancée) is from me! This sounds lame, but it’s actually way more satisfying to give the biggest present than to receive it. I win Christmas!

Massachusetts is crunchy with snow, and even though it’s abnormally warm for this time of year, the air has a familiar winter smell of kid-sweat and sky. I’ve been cooking with my mom, shopping with my dad, and given the grand tour of my hometown which has seen some changes over the past year.

The pharmacy has been leveled and re-erected about 100 yards to the east of where it used to be, an enormous Mormon temple has been built on my street, the cheap Zeotrope cinema (operated for so many years by a creepy overweight nerd with a comb-over) is now vacant, and an ice cream shop has been replaced by a donut shop. That’s about all that’s different, externally. The church is the same, the town common’s the same, the library’s the same, the junior college campus is the same, my house is mostly the same. But being here feels different than it used to. It’s, a little boring, maybe, but it’s mostly nice. It’s not home anymore, but I feel loved and comfortable here, so that’s okay.

Merry Happy Everything, all you little eyes.

~ Last Five Entries ~

My Harrowing Hike from Rite Aid - 03.19.06

Right.
Write.
Whatever.
I have a paper due. - 03.16.06

Tomorrow - 02.18.06

Bad Movies, Good Holidays, and Humu-humu-nuku-nuku-apua'a - 02.05.06

HO! - 01.12.06

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BUY JEN'S BOOK! BUY IT! DO IT!

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BUY DEAN'S BOOK, TOO! YOU KNOW YOU WANNA! SERIOUSLY.

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