Some personal updates:

Weird end to the semester, with the Transit Strike. I was supposed to give a final on the 21st, whereafter I would hurridly grade papers and get my grades in and be done. But since no one could make it to campus, CUNY bumped everything a week later.

Yep ... final exam on December 28.

So, I don't know if my students will be able to make it. So far, I've heard from exactly one of them.

Me? Well, to make it, I'd have to hop on a bus from Boston at about midnight to get in around 4AM then hop on a train around 6:30 to head out to Jamaica to give an exam at 8AM ... and another at 10.

Luckily, though, I won't have to. York is providing me a proctor, which is good ... there's really no reason I would have to be there.

And, luckily, I don't have to hand in grades until the 9th of January, which works out perfectly since, between the 29th and the 8th, we'll be in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Oh, didn't I mention that?

Yes, Amanda and I are spending four days in Hong Kong and four in Singapore to ring in the new year and spend too much money. It should be a great trip. I'll post many photos.

That does mean I'd like a guest blogger or five while I'm gone. Anyone interested? Drop a line, or just lemme know in comments.

Just to clarify my recent and upcoming travels:

December 22: Drive to Boston to do stand-up (it went very well, thanks)
December 23: Start to drive back to New York ... get flat tire. Fix flat tire. Drive to New York, then to York, PA
December 26: Doyne drives us to Baltimore to catch a plane to Boston
December 28: Get either a ride or a bus back to New York (if time allows, pick up exams ... but probably not)
December 29: Fly to Hong Kong
January 3: Fly to Singapore
January 8: Fly to New York

Ah ... nothing like relaxing on the holidays.

Oh, and my father was staying with us for several days, which was great. On Monday, we saw Kyle Cease taping his episode of "Comedy Central Presents." The taping was amazing, though I'm not sure how they'll edit it -- Kyle kept doing forbidden material (like mocking sacred potential-sponsor cows like Sunny Delite). He did over 50 minutes though, so they should be able to whittle it down to 20. Kyle is probably on the verge of a major breakthrough. Comedy Central definitely likes him -- he's Dingleberry the Elf in those "Santa's Coming, Look Busy" bumpers. Abe, Max and I have every intention of riding his coattails to glory. Man, though ... dinner with Abe, Kyle, and Max after we all saw King Kong ... hardest I've laughed in a long time.

Abe, Amanda, Dad, Molly and I had a great dinner on Tuesday night in the East Village, which meant a long cab ride down. No problem until I got nearly-vomitously queasy for the last few blocks -- haven't ridden in a back seat in a while.

On Wednesday, we couldn't miss our regular date at Alice's Tea Cup, so Amanda, Dad, and I walked down all 40 blocks, and later back.

Thursday was the drive to Boston for comedy. Many fine and wonderful people came to see me. Abe and Dad were there, and wound up going on to close the show. Alison and Scott came by as a last evening out together before a thousand relatives converge on their house for Christmas. Jane and John fit it in amidst their increasingly complex Huxtable-esque Doctor/Lawyer life. My aunt Kathy was there, and said I was the first comic of the night to reduce her to guffaws. But mainly, my Mom was there -- she had been up since 3AM to drive from Emporia to Kansas City to fly in to Boston. So she was exhausted, but she came all the same.

It really was a great show -- Rick introduced me as "one of the greatest comedy writers you'll ever see." Darn nice of him ... not so much true ... I'm not sure I was even one of the top five comedy writers in the room at the time.

Friday morning was a pleasant, if too brief chance to hang out with family before beginning what proved to be an EPIC journey to York via New York. (By the way, to get here, we did pass through Bethlehem, PA ... which only seems appropriate) Now we're safely here in Doyne's house, preparing for Christmas merriment.

All is well.