"november 30th is the first day of advent," I warned my mother some weeks ago. "do you know what that means?"


"I expect it means that you'll spend the day covering every inch of my house with christmas decorations," she said, "and forget to put away all the boxes."


"right you are," I said.


so I did just that. except I put away the boxes this year, since I'm 23 and responsible and I never forget to put away boxes or rile up my brother and get into giggle fits during thanksgiving dinner or anything like that.


it was a stressful weekend and decorating the house was part of my recovery program. there was public humiliation on two instruments. they ask me to fill in for the church organist and I say yes. why do I always say yes? it was particularly painful this time because I was somehow tricked into conducting the choir for their opening song. the experience took me to a previously-unattainable level of agony. performing two hymns on the organ - an instrument I have been playing for approximately two-and-a-half weeks - was effortless in comparison.


my old pal pam and I carried out the other part of my recovery.




I got two minutes for hooking.