holidays

On November 4th I entered my local Starbucks and laughed when I saw the entire store was decorated for Christmas. There happened to be a manager and a “barista” working the counter, so I mentioned that it was a bit early for Christmas decorations.

The manager replied, as if I was daft, “No it’s not. Thanksgiving is next week!”

I told him that Thanksgiving wasn’t for three more weeks and he seemed surprised. He said, “Really? I don’t know why I thought it was next week …”

MAYBE BECAUSE OF ALL THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS?!?!?

Check out these Law & Order: SVU Valentines … excellent …

I finally managed to finish all my Christmas cards last night. It figures that I would run out of stamps with three left - mom, dad, and Nana Rainy’s. People should start getting my Christmas cards around the first week of January, so that’s always pleasant. And of course I haven’t mailed any gifts yet. Oh well. I’ll try to do better next year. 2001 was pretty whacked for me all around anyway, so this is all par for the ‘01 course.
I’m off to Chris’ in San Diego to watch the Bucs game. While I’m gone, try out the new “dark” theme. I like it. And hey, look! Only about 1200 more entries to put in the correct category and I’ll be all caught up here. w00t!

And so this was Christmas …

Danny Wuerffel is the latest athlete to cut a CD, but unlike other jocks, he’s not flowing about the grittiness of the mean streets. On the 14-song Heaven and Nature Sings - Christmas with Danny Wuerffel, Family, and Friends, the Bears’ quarterback lends his vocal stylings to such chestnuts as Silent Night and Joy to the World and also plays piano, harmonica, and trumpet. Proceeds will go to New Orleans’ Desire Street Ministries. ‘Like a lot of athletes, I’m kind of a wannabe musician,’ said Wuerffel. ‘I’m not real talented, but I enjoyed doing it.’”

Wow! I’m sitting here in LA with ESPN’s Best of Sportscenter on the TV and I just saw Steve Spurrier wish all the armed forces a Merry Christmas. That was cool.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon

This is my favorite Christmas song. It’s one of my favorite songs period. I can’t remember a Christmas that I didn’t hear this song.

This was notably the second year in a row that I failed to hear Alice’s Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie on Thanksgiving.

Double Merry Super Christmas Eve!
Or, alternately, Bah Humbug!
You choose.

Woo hoo! I got my Secret Santa gift yesterday. It’s a very merry Homer Simpson Collector’s Trivia Tin! Thank you, Lee!

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Just in time for Christmas! Check out Tourette Syndrome Barbie and Leprosy Barbie!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Do you like the holiday colors? I saw a blog that had DHTML snow falling across the screen, but I think that might be a bit over-the-top. Instead, I hope you’ll be happy with a bit of red and forest green (#228B22).
I think this would be a good time to admit that I didn’t realize that Linus was playing a toy piano until just last year. I always thought he was some sort of boy genius.
Oh, and here’s a turkey!

[Update:Special thanks to reader weckman, who pointed out that in my turkey-induced swoon I incorrectly named Linus as the piano-playing Peanut. Everyone knows it was Schroeder that played the little piano. Sorry!]

PimpHats.com sells .. well … hats … for pimps.
Halloween is on the way. What are you going to be?
I’ve never really gotten into the whole Halloween schtick. I think it’s because I was traumatized when my mom dressed my sister and me as Smurfs one year in elementary school. They were great homemade costumes (Mom used to work with costumes and make-up in the theater.) complete with blue face paint, tails, and the whole floppy outfit. My main Halloween years were the ones when everyone was scared to death of getting razor blades and PCP in their apples, so trick-or-treating wasn’t ever exciting since we could never eat any of the goodies we got. I remember one year I was Indiana Jones, and last year I was an evil devil wandering around Hollywood. Otherwise I don’t have any Halloween memories. How about you?

The History of Valentine’s Day
Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?

I am frightened to announce that Scared Stiff, “a unique, new publication that presents the Halloween industry from the actor’s perspective,” has not been updated since early last year.