At the end of January I am going to a family wedding in Laredo, Texas. There is currently a television show called Bordertown: Laredo about all the crime and drug activity in that very city. I can't bear to watch it because it so graphically illustrates the futility of our War on Drugs.

I was telling the mother of the bride my concerns about the crime rate, and she's one of those breezy people who glosses over reality. "Oh, they've fixed all that this year. Now, last year, yes, the drug cartels were shooting random people, but just random Mexicans. We'll be okay because we're Americans."

"What if they miss the random person and shoot me, though?"

"Oh, hah hah!" she says.

The primary reason I am going is because there is a direct flight from Las Vegas to Laredo on Allegiant Airlines.

Oh, and to represent the extended family. I guess that's a better primary reason. The airplane deal isn't the reason, it's the decider.

The bride's family is not from there, so the groom's family will be over-represented. Jeri (elderjane) told me the best Mexican food she's ever had was in Laredo, so I told my relatives that aside from attending the wedding, if I get some good Mexican food, I'll be happy. If I get home in good health I'll be really, really happy.

Now that I have booked my airplane ticket, the next question is a wedding gift. I'm re-gifting a pair of sterling candlesticks that my Aunt Jane (same family tree) gave us when we got married in 1978. I don't consider that tacky, I consider it passing along a family heirloom of sorts. I need to find a nice box so it doesn't look so re-gifty.