Last night was another fantastic celebration at our semi-weekly gathering place.  Everyone brought food or spirits to endulge in.  Friends who do not usually frequent our game nights came to shar in the festivities.  I went with my lingering effects from a visit by Uncle Larry N. Gitis.  Honestly, I feel fine but my voice says otherwise.  I remember losing my voice years ago a few weekends before I auditioned for a summer position at Cedar Point.  I made the audition, sang my audition piece and was asked to come back a half-hour later for the dance portion of the try out.  Unfortunately, my graceful choreographic ability failed to impress… their loss, right?

While playing charades, which my team was winning (thank you very much) the time had arrived to watch Ryan Seacrest announce the ball drop.  Dick Clark made an appearance from the studio; however, the damage done by his stroke of a few years ago is still apparent.  I noticed an almost plastic appearance to Mr. Seacrest.  Not sure if it was the lighting or makeup but he just looked wierd.  Speaking of charades, I do not think that the movie or novel Return of the King is obscure.  It was a title given to one of the other two teams but I thought it was a very good suggestion.  My gracefulness was put to good use in my acting out the movie title Last Tango in Paris.

Shortly thereafter, we read some Weakest Link questions.  I tried to keep quiet to allow others to answer.  However, I heard some moaners from the other players imploring me to wait until the question was read.  Finally, we moved on to some Outburst, and thank goodness for the arrival of our final player because some of the questions were beyond my expertise.  By the time we had arrived to an I.Q. testing game, I was lying on the floor.

But like last year, it was a great end to the old and beginning of the new.  There was no other place I wanted to be.  I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe holiday season and wish everyone the best in 2009.

A new hilarious episode of “The Office” was on tonight. I am now watching reruns on Tuesday nights and decided to see if I could follow the new episodes as well. Happily enough, I enjoyed the new episode tremendously. Tonight’s episode featured the absolute worst dinner party you can imagine. Michael even had to stage a revolt to his superiors in order to get Jim and Pam and another couple I am not familiar with to come to his and Jan’s place. Apparently, none of Michael’s “friends” were too keen on going. Poor Dwight was the only person in the office who wanted to attend and was not invited.

The party featured a tour of Jan and Michael’s abode. Bon fire scented candles, anyone? And Michael’s mini-plasma screen television hanging near his multiple (?) Dundee trophies… both of which he is exceedingly proud. The party kicked into high gear with a game that resembled charades but the performer was able to speak.

By the end of the party, there was a party crasher and his “date”, domestic squabbling, and enough staring to make anyone think that the worst party they have ever been to was 1000% better. That is what make “The Office” one of the funniest shows on television. The writers take a horrible situation and exaggerate it to the point where it becomes hilarious.