we spent christmas at disneyworld, as i had promised. i know when i was a kid, this would have been the penultimate holiday experience. the magic kingdom is exquisitely decorated and there are parades and light shows that will rival any griswalding that takes place in my neighborhood. so you think my kids would be ecstatic about being there, right? my daughter was having a great time, but apparently i was just bothering and irritating my son in an attempt to make a magical christmas for him (except for the gratuitous ordering of room service), and to show his displeasure he made every attempt to sabotage any commemorative photos of our HAPPY trip.
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“gee. now that a professional photographer is taking our picture, this looks like a good time to pick my nose.”
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“i hate all of you.”
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“i’ll ride on this, but i don’t have to like it.”
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seriously, i was about ready to strangle him. but instead, i just did this:
problem solved!
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i did however, manage to get a fake smile out of him for this one.
santa seemed a little peeved to be recognized and a little jet lagged after his busy night, but he did graciously pose with the kids.
Leigh Online 
Santa looks like a drunk!
yep. he smelled a little too.
1-4-08
You’ve just touched the tip of the iceburg. Beneath is this highschool/college generation whose middleclass parents have piled on the travel and luxuries of apartment living off-campus, round-the-world travel, semesters at sea or in other countries, unlimited credit cards, condo gifts for first-jobs, ad infinitum. What happens when this comes to an end for both parents and kids? Who pays the Piper in emotional meltdown? Who has learned to “go with the flow?” “hunker down” find “life goes on” and still fiind joy and amusement in daily life? When will reality hit — when will the”fit hit the shan”? It might not be so amusing…….
wow. who knew that when i originally penned this little story (pretty much for my own amusement and with a specifically edited set of photos) it would get picked up by the wsj and i’d be at the center of such controversy. keep the comments coming, folks!
Dude, that was really, really funny! I just flew back from Key West via Orlando on Wednesday, and the plane from Orlando to Newark was filled with kids returning from Dinny-World. I think your son had infected some of them; there was snottiness galore amongst the juvenile travellers.
unfortunately, he tends to have that effect on people.