Where were you when 2007 began?
At PMT's

Who were you with?
The divine populace that is (e:strip)

Where will you be when 2007 ends?
A little unclear

Whom will you be with when 2007 ends?
Your guess is as good as mine

Was 2007 a good year for you?
Somewhat, got professionally righted, the other stuff is a work in progress.

What was your favorite moment of the year?
Taking my eldest down St. Marks Place -

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Schlepping to Roswell for the wrong reason altogether

Did you keep your New Year resolutions of 2007?
Didn't make any

Do you have any New Year resolutions for 2008?
Not going there

Did you fall in love in 2007?
Hell, a second date would have been cool

Did you breakup with anyone in 2007?
I didn't have anyone to break up with

Did you make any new friends in 2007?
yes

What was your favorite month of 2007?
Nah, they all looked alike

Did you travel outside of the US in 2007?
Only to Toronto to get them to adopt Buffalo (the Springsteen concert was just a ruse)

How many different states did you travel to in 2007?
Two - Pennsylvania and Jersey (Can I pick hotspots or what)

Did you lose anybody close to you in 2007?
Yeah

Did you miss anybody in the past year?
Fewer to miss, but that makes it harder

What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2007?
No favorites really, but I enjoyed Superbad, Simpsons, Juno, Walk Hard

What was your favorite song in 2007?
Not sure, liked "Windows in the Skies" by U2 a lot

What was your favorite album in 2007?
Nothing really grabbed me and monopolized my cd player -- spent a lot of time with "Orphans" by Tom Waits.

How many concerts did you see in 2007?
Not many, 7, I think

Did you have a favorite concert in 2007?
Neil Young at Shea's

Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2007?
uh huh (hic) (burp)

Did you do drugs in 2007?
Only Advil

Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Nah, I spent much of the year under the proverbial radar

What was the worst lie someone told you in 2007?
"We're friends, right?"

Did you treat somebody badly in 2007?
Not intentionally

Did somebody treat you badly in 2007?
Yeah

What was your proudest moment of 2007?
Quitting my job and getting the former employer to sponsor the new one

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2007?
Too many mortifications to list

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2007 and change something, what would it be?
No going back only forward

What are your plans for 2008?
Making it up as I go

See some of you at the party tonight
happy new year (e:strip)!

Talk about your critical reentries.

My poor ex was trying to enjoy a quiet cup of tea yesterday when the old folks drove their explorer into the river. 10 feet away, I'm appreciating that she had her minivan wrapped around her. Watching that and being the link to the coast guard left her a little shaky. I didn't find about it till later, but spent the night with the kids, eating pizza, assembling more christmas booty. Gave her a chance to collect herself without everybody going "mom, mom!"

She told me that she didn't sleep last night much. Me neither. Both together and separately we've taken the kids down there plenty of times. I'm thinking the old man driving hit the gas instead of the brake and then shit happened.

Shit, indeed.

The holiday was nice till then. Had a good time with my folks and sister on Christmas eve, the ex and the kids on Tuesday for brunch and back to the folks for dinner. Despite economic travails, the kids made out pretty good. Didn't get much, didn't want much other than three happy kids. Got that.

The news from the San Francisco Zoo made a quiet week get a little more interesting. I had to become an expert in tiger holding dimensions in a hurry for the benefit of the socratic wisdom that is Buffalo media. Stuff like that puts you on your toes, almost too on edge. A little paper called wanting a schedule of events for January and February, not caring about the other news. My neck was tightening expecting a question in the vein of "Can it happen here?" When he said thanks and hung up, I almost felt kind of gyped. Had the speech already.

Got my quote in the Times though, so I guess I'm a star.

I have my parking pass and assignment for the Ice Bowl and I'm looking forward to it, despite it cutting into my new year's. I am left with the question "Is a hockey game that won't be played for another 5 days so important it overshadows the Bhutto assasination?" That is some deeply warped priorities in terms of News coverage. Another section of the world imploding or the pregame entertainment to a hockey game? Decisions, decisions, must suck to be a news director.

I will be taking a camera along for my duty at the hockey game, but the hype is a little excessive, but I guess that is why they call it hype.

Got away with telling my boss she is full of shit today. She told me November is a quiet month for Zoo activity, we all know what happened there. Last Friday, she joked that my phone would need dusting off from lack of use. If only.

You know, it's been kind of cool to be seen deftly swatting away the calamity. Not bad for a one man band this week

Due to my increasing age, and decreasing ability to send cards on time, here is my card to cover every Holiday ..

Got to tell you. I have a new definition of a tough day at the office. I worked my final football game yesterday. It was blowing pretty good by the time I got to Orchard Park. Once the game got started, the rain was coming down heavy and sideways. I actually had to interrupt a "spirited discussion" between two people who had disagreeing senses of entitlement as to where to stand in the freakin hallway.

Customer: "I paid to be here"

Me: "No, actually you paid to sit out there"

Ever was it thus. Full out storm driving home, despite me hiding in the Orchard Park borders store for a half hour. I got home to find that my block was one that lost power. Goddamn!! Went over to Spot to wait it out. Usually a CocoMoco is a god like beverage, but having it in a paper cup didn't do it justice.

Drove back, still no power, but screw it. I grabbed a flashlight and scaled my three stories (Always keep a flashlight in your car kids). Got out of my football garb and wrapped presents by candlelight. My daughter said it was just like the pioneers did. I could only respond with "look what happened to them."

I suppose wishing for Saturday's weather would have been too much so I am grateful it at least wasn't a night game. I am working the Ice Bowl so some pictures may have to come of that. It may cut in to how crazy I can get for New Year's, but it's the price you pay for being a star.

Did the last bit of xmas shopping on Saturday and got estrip secret santa help from my eldest. We got the last little bits of family stuff done, parlayed a great suggestion from darling daughter for my (e:peep) secret santa, and celebrated our success at Louie's.

So, here it sits, Christmas Eve and I'm at the Zoo till 1. Reading the lovely (e:imk)'s journal entry about secret santa and this little community of (e:strip) made me well up a little. It's a beautful thing, this little group of ours. Best present I got last year came from the NYE party at the 24 (won't be the same with (e:Ladycroft), or nearly as fabulous).

Hope it's a very fine holiday for you all



May all the presents be the right ones. Keep it safe and happy and see ya New Year's Eve

would a guy do a 180 in his Prius trying to get into the Zoo Today. It was an impressive move worthy of the chase scene in The French Connection, but I'm not quite sure taking the chillens to the Zoo for Breakfast with Santa should be preceeded by tossing their cookies.

I wasn't real happy about having to go in today to oversee this event. I was amazed people actually came. Lesser cities would have said fuck it, but not us. People will take their fool lives in their hands for the sake of a paid for pancake.

Cracks me up. I was in Wegmans last night about 10:00 and the cashier wanted to know if I was stocking up because of the storm. I replied I was stocking up because I was out of food. Place looked like a nervous, storm panicked mob hit it.

Thankfully the Zoo brunchers chowed and ran and I was home on my couch to watch the Bills game by 1:30. I was less fascinated with the outcome somewhat as it was interesting to watch them play in a near Blizzard at times. They lost so it means the little dweeb who bosses the game day staff around can shut the hell up next week.

Driving home was a treat. My lil red gomobile was getting it's bumper ridden by some schmuck in a Jeep. He nearly took out the light post and Elmwood and Forest since he was in such a rush. I must have drove him nuts driving all crazy like.

He nearly hit the first chucklhead I saw, peeling onto Elmwood at a fast enough clip he nearly when into the Mobil station ass-first. Wasn't the oddest site I saw though. Having to be at the Zoo early, I came north on Nottingham to avoid the S curve, all you could see on the money houses were plow marks where the affluent had already summoned their "Mr. Plows"

Oh, to have that kind of cash. I've always wanted to get plowed on Nottingham, but that's a story for another day.

Stay warm, peeps