My neighbor's kid got a electric scooter for Christmas.

I have been off for a week during Christmas. I am very thankful that I work for a company that believes in giving their employees time off for family. Christmas day I get up to take the trash out and my neighbor down the street kids both have electric scooters and they are zipping up and down the back alleyway.

I was working on my car to fix a steering problem. I was test driving it and pulled out of my driveway. I put the car in drive when I hear, "WAP!" The neighbor's kid has rear ended me with her scooter. I immediately jump out to make sure she is ok. She is fine as is her scooter. She is a little freaked out. Her dad comes down with drink in hand to make sure she is ok. She is and she drives off.

First of all if you your kid is accident prone, why would get them a scooter to where they are going to hurt themselves? My kid wants a motorcycle; but, you do not see me bringing one home. It kinda reminds me of the line, "You might be a redneck..." The dad is drinking and is buzzed drunk. He is like "Hey baby, just keep riding that thing. If you hit something, it will stop you. You do not need brakes with that thing." I am glad to see my neighbor was smart enough to have his daughter wearing a helmet. Secondly, these kids should not be driving motorized scooters on city streets. If you are going to have your kid drive a motorized scooter, take them to a large parking lot so they can no nuts. I wish parents would think a little more before buying their kids Christmas presents that could hurt them if they are not careful or accident prone.

My clueless middle brother.

My brother calls me after Christmas. I usually call him once a week to check to see how his job search is going since he got this bright idea of quitting a job where he had benefits, vacation and a regular schedule to go substitute teach. I had gotten a Back to the Bardyard DVD. I have watched that show a few times and it is hilarious. I am talking to John when he tells me they are going to go return stuff they got for Christmas because, "Travis really wants a 1st person shooter game for his Game Cube." John tells me our mom had gotten him some DVDs. I spoke to my mom about that she denies giving Travis any DVD's at all. I am sure the DVD we gave him went back to the store. I am about to make a new rule where all gifts will be with giftcards. I am tired of being lied to with regards to Travis "loving" the movie we got him and "He could not wait" to watch it. After Christmas, my brother usually has my mom find out where we went shopping so we can start his return process. I have started to given them gift cards for themselves. This year I gave them a $25 gift card to the movies and a $15 iTunes gift card. I got a $20 Taco Cabana gift card, which was not bad. Josh loves Taco Cabana.

Of course John went to go get Travis a "First Person Shooter" game which is either marked "T" for Teen or "M" for Mature. That still drives me nuts because Travis is only 5 and should not be playing mature titles like that on a Game Cube or any platform.

Dear Mr. Moron driver,

I was driving to work on 183 this morning and in my rear view mirror, I see this car coming up at a fast pace. This Audi R8 which looks like a futuristic car is weaving in and out of traffic. I was driving about 75 mph and he passed me like I was standing still. I had to laugh when he had to slam on his brakes because someone cut him off. He blew past me and continue weaving in and out of traffic at a high speed.

If you have the money to buy an R8, that is great, but please do not drive it like a moron. You are endangering me and the lives of the other morning commuters because you are in a mad dash to get someplace, or trying to show off that you are really that stupid. I do not care that your car has a top speed of 187 mph. I drive a hybrid. I drive it because I am tired of putting $100+ in gas in my car every week, plus I care about the environment. Secondly, you have 420 hp compared to my 100 hp? Woo hoo. I am not going to end up killing someone or being killed in a car that is designed for lead footers. Why would need such hp? We do not drive on oval tracks. You do not plan to outrun the law. Is the 300 hp mark not high enough for you. What kind of gas millage do you get with that beast when you are a driving like a total jerk?

I guess it goes to show that some people have more money than brains.

My brother sends me his kid's Christmas list.

I email my brother to send me his kid's Christmas list. I have this tradition of giving him and his wife gift cards for Christmas because I got tired of thinking of the perfect gift, only to have my brother John try to return it after Christmas. I have gone as far as removing the shrink wrap and cutting out the UPC code so he could not return it when I was giving gifts. It is usually a Target or Best Buy Gift card.

Here is the response my brother sends me with regards to what to buy his kids:

Amber is into board games, or games for the DS.
Travis loves playing games for the Gamecube, he likes
shooting games.  

Amber is the oldest and I am all for buying her board games. Josh loves board games as well. Travis who is 6 years old wants a "shooting game"? For his birthday, my brother told me he wanted Call of Duty. That is not an age appropriate game for a child that young. My son who will be 10 does not get to play first person shooter games like that. I will probably end up giving them both Game Stop gift cards. I am amazed my brother would let his youngest son play "T" for Teen and "M" for Mature games. What is even more surprising? His wife allows it. But then again, his wife's sister has 6 kids all with different dad's and my brother's mother in law takes care of most of them.