Usually, I'd have hit the stores with a vengeance on Black Friday. This year, however, SPAMALOT (not to mention the delicious company of Mark Evanier and Carolyn Kelly) was a better option. However, I am left with only the vague beginnings of holiday shopping (and shipping) out of the slew of "to do" items on my agenda.

There ARE gifts, by the way, that can be offered, no matter how many of those items the recipient already has. In our field, for example, I'm thinking bags and boards and boxes. Other thoughts?

A package of Minx titles for teens of your acquaintance might be a fun thought, though we still have to wait for a Sugar and Spike SHOWCASE. In the case of books and comics, if the recipient already has the item, you might suggest he or she pass it on to someone else who would find it fun. How about a gift certificate to a local comics shop?

Me? I'm babysitting for the rest of the week, with tomorrow involving not only the usual drive to granddaughter Grace's nursery-school class but, in the afternoon, the matter of picking her up and then driving to grandson Jonah's school to pick him up after Mad Science after school. (What do I know? That's what they call it) And then it's home in time to get things ready for what may be a sports-packed evening, since son Stephen actually gets the NFL network, and there's a Packers game on. And many, many football fans yearn to see it. so there may be visitors. How about yourself? (Me? I still haven't seen Monday's HEROES and will have to wait till next Tuesday to view the latest two episodes at that point back to back -- eagerly anticipating the Vol. 2 finale. So I can comprehend the emotions of the football buffs, though I still think HEROES is more fun. More complicated plot, anyway.)