Not bad start to the weekend — hung out with the family on Friday evening and got to partake in my oldest brother’s pool, hot tub and pool table. Grown-up toys are fun.

Saw a midnight show of Exorcist: The Beginning, which didn’t suck as much as I expected at all. It had only four things in common with the original near as I can tell: (1) the name “Father Merrin,” (2) a kid in a shaking, moving bed, (3) a possessed person with make-up created slash marks on her face, because apparently that’s what evil demons look like and (4) crucifixes and more, crucifixes galore.

This morning I was greeted with affection, eggs, toast and coffee in bed and M.’s suggestion that I might be the most “normal” on in my family, a statement they most surely would contest and offer evidence to disprove. As mornings go, this one assuredly sure beats getting possessed by evil spirits.

I guess the downside would be my two oldest brothers’ fighting. But, honestly, that’s almost like noticing oxygen in the atmosphere. The normal state of existence is those two having some kind of disagreement. At least as adults, no one gets thrown around anywhere. Somewhere my mother’s ghost is howling “You kids are always at each other. Why can’t I get any peace?”

Speaking of fights, yesterday was a significant historic first. Political arguments were cropping up and some tension was rising, and I, your humble auteur, was no where near or part of it. I remained above the fray and succeeded in pissing off no one.

Perhaps I’m mellowing in my old age. M. would probably suggest his influence has made some kind of impact (Although I suspect that might lean toward the bitter, middle-aged chick getting a little man touch doesn’t need to fight. You know, in that “Jesus, that bitch sure need to get laid and that’d shut her up,” vein.)