The family spirit has rendered man carnivorous
-Francis Picabia, 1922

Another Christmas passed. Another holiday survived. Another excruciatingly long family visit endured.

I really enjoyed having my parents around. Really, I did. It's just that six days is a bit absurd when one is used to living alone. Mothers will be mothers, it seems, and doting never goes out of fashion. I've done my own laundry for about fifteen years. thanks. Fathers who are generally cranky will also continue to be gruff, it seems. Yes, I know I was raised by a Republican. No need to accentuate it at every turn, thanks.

Gifts were exchanged, Christmas windows in the city were seen, Yale was toured, stores of all shapes and sizes were scoured for bargains. Meat was cooked in my home for the first time and I, ever the compliant son, even pretended to nibble on a bit of ham.

I also began to realize that my parents are incredibly, stereotypically Midwestern. They have no "inside" voices. They're incredibly loud regardless of the locale. I learned to tolerate it, but it was most painful on the train. My father has this wacky habit of making comments about people in fairly loud voice. I wanted to hide several times. My mother is also impossible to take to a restaurant. She's a creature of habit, it seems, and has specific things that she likes in every restaurant they frequent. Get her out of her comfort zone and she just freezes up. Last night, though, was the best. I took them to a very nice Italian restaurant in the city. My mother first complained to me that her al dente pasta was "too chewy." Later she confessed that she'd rather eat at Olive Garden or, get this, "make Chunky Ragu with Vegetables." I give up.

It was, however a relaxing week and it was very nice to see them. I'm just glad I survived. So. How was your holiday?