Some might say I have a bit of a preoccupation with DAYS OF OUR LIVES' Philip. What's not to like? He's a complex, well-written guy, and he has dimples! But I'm also fixated on him because I'm impressed that DAYS "went there" with the character's war injuries and gave him a prosthetic leg. Since that initial storyline, which Kyle Brandt played out, Jay Kenneth Johnson has done a great job of remembering to limp on the correct foot. But what DAYS itself sometimes forgets is that an artificial limb isn't just about a limp and experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq aren't just footnotes and dogtags worn on a chain.

I've been a little lax in my blogging lately (sorry!) but wanted to get in one last post before the ball drops here in the Big Apple and officially kicks off 2009. There are definitely some things that have amused me on this last soap day of 2008. Here they are in no particular order:

There was topic over in our forums, in the GH section, for a viewer's Christmas List for the show. Before it veered into off topic territory, I weighed in. It's such a fun concept that I figure I might as well expand on the theme and make wishes for some of the other shows I watch!

I spend a lot of time kvetching and carrying on about what I don't like. Probably TOO much. So, in the spirit of the season, I'm going to share some things that I'm thankful for — both in daytime and in my life!

:::bangs gavel::: I hereby call this meeting of Pearl Clutchers Anonymous to order! Just kidding. I know there was a lot of gasping and perhaps some rending of clothes and tearing of hair, but I really don't think the Nov. 19 liplock between AS THE WORLD TURNS Brian and Luke was as traumatic as some people were thinking it would be. I actually found the scenes touching and sad. Poor, heartbroken Luke just wanting someone to open up to, Brian trying to comfort him...and it then it all taking a very "Hi, this is my mouth introducing itself to your mouth!" surprise turn. I mean, I have no objection whatsoever to an older man falling for Luke. (In fact, the posters on our ATWT forum know I have a running joke about Dusty moving in on Luke since he's already gone through all the Snyder-Walsh women.) My objection is that Brian is married to his grandmother and once said badass grandmother finds out where her new hubby's mouth has been, I don't think Brian will live very long. Alas, Laurence Lau, we hardly knew ye!

The 13th and final ABC Super Soap Weekend — and my second — has come and gone and I still can't believe it's over. It was such a fun whirlwind that I want to share some of the highlights with you, our readers.

FRIDAY
10:17 AM: My cab driver to New York's JFK airport tells me I look like the Virgin Mary and even holds up an illustrated calendar for proof. (Note: I did not see the resemblance.)

In an effort to not spew forth my myriad feelings on Todd and Marty's UTTERLY REPULSIVE AND OFFENSIVE SEX SCENE on today's ONE LIFE TO LIVE, I'm blogging about something else entirely. Something frivolous!

See, the last page in our magazine is always this feature called Just Asking (formerly known as the FYI), and if there's one thing that I've found a lot of actors agree on, it's that the questions are tough to answer when posed on the fly. And I'm always like, "Come on. It can't be that bad. Just say whatever comes to mind."

I've been doing various things in an effort to combat NIGHT SHIFT withdrawal (it's only been one week, after all!). I've been watching a lot of YouTube. There's been some sugar consumption. (If you're ever in New York City, you MUST visit the Treats Truck. It's the best thing on the planet.) And I've been walking down GH Memory Lane and remembering just how many different characters and storylines I've enjoyed over the years.

There's so many obscure and forgotten Port Charles residents I adored that I had to make a list so I could share it with readers!

And, no, it doesn't escape me that most of these span the years 1989-1991. I was in middle school and very impressionable!

It's amazing how Pavlovian my response to soaps is after 25+ years of watching. I always assume big tragedy, huge trauma and a body count is in store. So it should be no surprise that GH: NIGHT SHIFT's finale, like the rest of the season, surprised me! Though, hey, I DO have to point out that I wasn't completely wrong about Saira. (That's all I can say without spoiling the episode for anyone who hasn't seen it.) Still, putting that factor aside and taking into account one bittersweet note, GH: NS set my soap world view askew by ending happy.

Is that allowed? Are we allowed to have loving, warm, nonviolent soap opera?

As Kelly Bundy would say, the mind wobbles.

I am still on Cloud Nine from last night's NIGHT SHIFT! The dorky grin has yet to leave my face. And all because I rolled out of bed, settled in with my morning coffee, and got to travel back to the 1980s, which was when I was first introduced to GH by my mom. My only beef? They needed to put up an extra title card after the classic ambulance opening with "GENERAL HOSPITAL NIGHT SHIFT" in that old school font: "SPIT-TAKE WARNING, WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK." Because if you put Tristan Rogers (Robert), Anthony Geary (Luke), John J. York (Mac), Finola Hughes (Anna), John Reilly (Sean), and Sharon Wyatt (Tiffany) in a room together, it is a laugh-a-minute, spill-your-coffee-down-your-shirt extravaganza! (Thank goodness I was still in pajamas.)