'Tis The Season

To be Jolly. Or something like that. I’ve barely started my Christmas shopping and I’m departing for Chicagoland on Friday for the holiday. But what’s far worse is my step-mother has to have chemo again on Tuesday because it looks like her cancer may have returned. Talk about a short-lived recovery! And, one of her sons was hospitalized and the doctors weren’t sure he was going to make it over night, so they returned to upstate NY from Florida for a week to be by his side. Talk about a one-two-punch.

And in other health news, my mom’s sister was recently diagnosed with MS and my mom’s brother has Parkinson’s.

Oh, and did I mention my nephew was released from prison last week?

On a brighter note, I had a busy week when Raul was in town. We attended a few Christmas parties, one of which was aboard a friend’s yacht in Newport Beach where we watched the annual Christmas Boat Parade. Various boats are decorated in different themes with lights and decorations. It’s very festive.

Celebrity sightings: Lance Bass and Bobby Brown at work on the same day; Ian Buchanan (ex-Duke “GH”; ex-James “The Bold and the Beautiful”) not once, but twice; first, at a holiday party at East/West on Santa Monica and the second time yesterday having brunch with Susan Flannery (Stephanie “The Bold & the Beautiful) at Hedley’s on Robertson.

What Else Is New?

Not much to report, except more celebrity sightings. Had a great time visitig my family in upstate NY for Thanksgiving. The holidays are almost here and my temp job ends at the end of the year. There's possibly two openings at work that I may apply for. Sent the producers the new intro for my main character. I've made her much more extreme in her actions and not so soft as before. Awaiting their approval before I write any more because her attitude will change the dynamic and her interraction with others. Or, maybe that's just an excuse not to write. In any event, I haven't had much time lately. Will get back into it today, though. Right after I do the laundry and go grocery shopping ;)

Celebrity sightings: Anthony Michael Hall (SIXTEEN CANDLES, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, "The Dead Zone") on my flight to NY for Thanksgiving; Nate Gonzalez, who recently got the boot on "Survivor: Cook Islands", sitting next to me in first class on my flight back to LA (he chatted me up and is a really cool cat); Jason Lee ("My Name Is Earl") riding his bike onto the Warner Bros. lot as I was exiting after lunch; and Star Jones at work for a meeting.