Long Story Short...

First, I apologize that the Happy Funtime Friend Service went MIA over the holidays, just when I was trying to plan all my secular advent activities. Work + personal travel combined with a bout of consumption that had me on antibiotics for a total of 45 out of 60 days meant that the holidays passed in a Nyquil induced haze.

Highlights included:

My first trip with Habitat for Humanity over Thanksgiving. I went to a small town near Actopan in Hidalgo (outside Mexico City) and learned to lay bricks and helped on two houses. A terrific group of people were on the trip and another in the town. We cooked Thanksgiving dinner for everyone (50 people) in a convection oven.

Jazz Piano Christmas at the Kennedy Center - Dr. Billy Taylor, Slide Hamilton and all recorded for NPR. It definitely puts me in the Christmas spirit.

Holiday Pops at the Kennedy Center - Marvin Hamlisch + Santa = Holiday Fun

Messiah at the Kennedy Center - Yes, I know it's about Jesus. And yes, I know it's really written for Easter. But I love it every year.

Christmas with my parents - even on antibiotics, Florida is fun.

The Happy Funtime Friend Service is still searching for a good New Year's Eve, so any and all suggestions are welcome for 2006.

And lest I forget, my Happy Funtime cohort, coquette cutie, gave me the best Christmas present ever - tickets to see Bono speak at ASAE's Center for Leadership in February. Yes, he's a good speaker. No, the rest of them weren't there.

But now it's spring and despite a random bout of allergies, the Happy Funtime Friend Service is out of winter hibernation and back to having fun, so come on along...