No Time to Blog

I need to blog about last night's HBS Section Dinner, because I told Ivy if she checked today, it would be there (Hi Ivy!). Ivy's my new best friend because she told me she liked my Web site. I'm easy that way.

But, I need to up my word count, so instead, I'll leave you with a piece of my getting-closer-to-the-end novel, which may not be your favorite piece, but then, you didn't grow up with my father (and see, it really isn't about me, because everyone knows that we don't celebrate Christmas!). Simon, I hope you appreciate this one (Simon who saved me much grief with his sane advice that went contrary to everyone else's not-so-wise advice. That made the novel, too. Thanks, Simon):

"Hey, Dad?" Jessica's weekly phone calls with her father were getting shorter and shorter. She'd taken to calling when she woke up at 6 a.m., as by the time she got home at night, it was too late in Miami to call. "I have a question for you."
Silence on the other end. "Dad, are you there?"
"I was waiting for your question."
After all these years she should be used to this, but still it annoyed her. "I need verbal assurances of your continued existence on the other end of the phone."
"Okay. What, Jessica, is your question?"
"Actually there are two. The first is, how about we skip Christmas this year?"
"Skip Christmas?"
"Yeah. I don't have time to shop and no time to ship and I certainly don't have the energy to come home. Let's just skip Christmas."
"You love Christmas. And more importantly, your mother loves Christmas. Can't you make a token effort?"
Jessica sighed deeply and flipped over, putting her feet on the futon, while lying on the floor. "Okay, token effort. Really!"
"Really. Second question."
"I want to buy and hold. How do I do that?"
"I'm going to assume you mean buy and hold a puppy dog. Because you can't sanely be referring to anything else. Although I have to ask, if you don't have time for Christmas, do you really think you'll have the time necessary to care for a puppy dog."
"Dad! You know what I mean."
"No, I don't know what you mean, because I know I raised a sane and smart daughter, and not one who would spout nonsense, so no, I have no idea what you mean."
"I. Want. To. Buy. And. Hold. My. Stock. Options." Jessica used her very patient, very enunciated voice.
"Let's talk about skipping Christmas again."