So this is Christmas...

Does anyone else care about the white trash saga of the Spears family? Didn't think so.

OK, now that's out of the way, we can get down to business.

Confession time: I don't much care for this time of year. The crass commercialization of Christmas is a depressing sight. The moment I stepped out of my car at the mall last week, some woman across the way yelled "I'm over it!" at the top of her lungs. I just stared and shook my head.

That being said, my favorite part of the season is family and friends, spending time with those you love. I thought about that last night, when a buddy and I took in RobinElla's Christmas show at Barley's. Somewhere amid the music and merriment, the realization struck that at the end of the day good companionship is worth more than its weight in gold.

One of life's most important lessons has to be that you are who you associate with. I'm both amused and repulsed at those who surround themselves with people who do nothing but bring them down, then wonder why life hands them so many problems and needless dramatics.

Pal Dean Harned and I got into a good conversation last night. Topics ranged from Chinese purges to Richard Nixon's political comeback, cheap comedic films and Renaissance humanism. Dean has linked the downfall of society, by the way, to the cheap questions now asked in the popular Trivial Pursuit board game.

"The old game used to ask questions about TR and the Rough Riders," Dean says. "The new game had two questions -- two questions -- about the reality show 'Temptation Island.'"

Talk about trivial...

Well, it's getting close to time to go eat breakfast with the family. I hope you and yours have a safe and happy holiday season.

Let's do something original this year. Let's be thankful for what we have. Oh, and by the way -- that has absolutely nothing to do with whatever may be wrapped beneath the tree with your name on it.