Christmas '08
This year, I stayed home for Christmas. I figured, being that it was my first Christmas as a Drobny Bond, that I should begin a lifelong tradition of Drobny-Bond traditions. Tradition number 1: stay home. Tradition number 2: make Eggs Benedict and cheese grits for breakfast—eat 2 helpings. Wash that down with a Bloody Mary, then a mimosa. Tradition number 3: drink that mimosa out of a dragon-engraved champagne flute to add some flair to the season. When you're done with mimosa drink more Bloody Marys, or just move onto wine. Tradition number 4: don't go through the hassle of getting a Christmas tree, just decorate a plant! Clean up is simple! Tradition number 5: revert back to the good old days of teenage irresponsibility and play Mario Kart on Nintendo 64. Play until your eyes begin drying out or until you've started singing the star-invincibility tune in your head when going potty. I think that's pretty much for traditions. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself to keep these things up from year to year.
Of course, staying home away from family and friends has its pluses and minuses. The number one plus: absolutely no obligations to anyone that is not a Drobny Bond. And, there is only one Drobny Bond, and that's me. Just look at the picture below, I am having a complete blast celebrating a Drobny-Bond Christmas.
Drobny-Bond Christmas
On the flip side to that, my parents are 10 hours away in Maryland having a great time without me. And, a great time usually involves making fun of me, so I'm not there to defend myself. Bummer. My parents also make terrific food. Another bummer. And, well, they're my family, and I just plain miss them (awww...).
Nevertheless, my holiday was fun filled. Here are some more images below...
Christmas Plant
Yep, that was my tree. I was fairly impressed by its simple beauty. Christmas lights are an immediate gateway to festivity. Add some twinkling bulbs to any dull environment, and, bam, instant holiday. Unfortunately, for Forest's son, Julian, he was hoping for a little more excitement. I told him, "Hey, I know what we can do today! Let's decorate our Christmas tree! Yay!" I pulled out the box of ornaments and got everything prepared, and then Julian looked concerned. There was no tree.
Julian and Christmas Plant
Oh well. He would get his tree at his mom's house and at his grandma's house. I'm teaching him how to be unconventional. It's my duty as an artist visionary to teach those to always consider the possibilities. Next year, he'll want a Christmas plant, I know it. Perhaps he'll come up with something even more creative and festive. Who knows. I just plant the seed.
Forest and I also went sledding, too. That wasn't in my list of traditions, mainly because I am trying to build in traditions that can be observed anywhere. I live in Vermont. There are very few places on the planet that are equally snowy and awesome during the winter time. Sorry North Dakota. So we went sledding...
Sledding Hill
And, because childhood fun can't be had unless you add some element of danger to it, Forest decided to build a death ramp. Well, to me it was a death ramp, to him it was just plain cool. Check out the air he's catching here.
Catching Air
And, just like most childhood games that shouldn't be played with explosives, they often result in a cold, bitter end.
Snowy Crash
