Thoughts on the Holidays, etc...

It's amazing to me that it's almost 2010. Didn't Arthur C. Clarke say that we were supposed to be running around in spaceships and stuff by then? I don't have a spaceship, or one of those silver jumpsuits that you are supposed to wear on them. Oh well.

So, Christmas was last week, in case you didn't notice. My wife and I flew to Houston, and I noticed a few things:

-Southwest airlines, although they are the cheapest and let your bags fly free, is truly the Cattle Car of the industry. I have never been so crowded and uncomfortable on a flight. Being a dude with broad shoulders, those seats are really horrible.

-Sometimes a bottle of Pinot Noir that was bought at a grocery store tastes just fine with a steak, especially if everyone is laughing and enjoying themselves.

-I'm constantly humbled at how much my In-laws really care for us, and want us to be comfortable and happy.

-I got the chance to see an old friend that is going through some struggles. He brought along his two daughters, whom are very sweet. I got to learn how to speak "parent code" very quickly. Example- we went to a liquor store, so I could grab a couple of bottles of wine for dinner that night. I thought they would stay in the car, but they wanted to come in. "What is a liquor store?" one daughter asked. "It's kind of like a candy store, for adults" was the reply.

-We went to a Delbert McClinton concert (look up his song "Rita Goes Away"- it's classic). Instead of having an opening band, they showed a 40 minute documentary about harmonicas. Now, if I would have been watching this on the History Channel, I would have totally been engrossed. However, I was getting ready for a country and blues concert. Cool documentary, bad timing.

-There's a place called Downing Street Pub in Houston- look it up. This is the type of place that STL needs! Please, someone loan me a million dollars, so I can get one going!

-Looking at my calendar, I realized that I have something scheduled every night this week, until Saturday. One of these parties just might not make the cut.

-If you read this, you probably like wine. Go buy some bubbly wine to open on New Years. It doesn't have to be expensive. Just throw it in the fridge, pop it at midnight, and help me bring in a year that is going to be fantastic. 2010 is the year when the recession ends, I get skinnier, my customers buy a lot of great wine from me, we actually travel some of the places we always say we are going to, and I learn to chill a bit.

-How far into 2010 is it appropriate to say "Happy New Year"? I think only a week or so, but I have gotten it in February before.

That's all I got for today. This week is funny, as pretty much all wholesalers are done selling for the year, and most retailers are done buying. Every year, I have bosses that push hard for sales the last week of the year. They rarely materialize.