Christmas card from 2006: Barcelona and Halloween tradition

I am repurposing the Christmas card messages I've written since 2001. From old Christmas cards to new blog posts. One a day. Merry Christmas.

For about four Halloweens now we have donned costumes and invited neighbors to sit on the steps with us, with champagne and other adult goodies. Tom sets up his air compressor and we blow up those long skinny balloons that clever people use to make animals. The trick-or-treaters get the choice: balloon or candy. The cool kids take a balloon. (The really cool ones con us for two balloons.)

This year was the most fun ever. More neighbors and guests than usual joined us, and some of them got pretty good at that balloon animal stuff! Tom wore pirate accessories (an earring, a hat, and a cuff from which protruded a nasty- looking hook) and said “arrggh” a lot. I wore a coolie hat I bought at a garage sale last summer and Chinese lounging paja­mas I bought in San Francisco in 1983. Oh, yes, and I had dark, straight hair with bangs, courtesy of Rachel’s wig.

I have realized, at a very profound level, that life is a costume.

In other news, Rachel took the plunge and started a PhD program at SUNY-Albany. Living my dream (the PhD part, not the Albany part). I bipped up to New York City and drove with her to Albany to help her unpack.

I love that aspect of working for myself. I refer, of course, to the bipping part. In March I bipped down to Florida for a few days to see Judy. In August I bipped up to Detroit, and thence to Chicago for Gene’s retirement party. Actually, I’m not sure that counts as bipping, because it was just for Saturday and Sunday. Trips with Tom definitely do not count, because bipping is a perk that accrues only to those who work for themselves. I’m glad to clear that up for you.

I keep saying being a free-lancer gives me the freedom to work anywhere—I can just take my laptop and my cell phone and, voila! I could be in New York City or in a cabin on Glen Lake. But that hasn’t really worked, at least not so far. I can’t even get anything done at Port City Java, which is six blocks away.

I’ve done some strategic planning for Wiseman Communications, and here are my goals for next year: More costumes. More bipping.

Love to all.

Holger's first Halloween

At the Barcelona art museum