Christmas Crossing

Two before I skedaddle out of here for Christmas with my family...



... and...



Merry Christmas, everyone!

Tootin' the Horn

The best bosses in the whole wide world strike again! I am a lucky, lucky person to work with such generous guys.

Quick Stop

Giggle of the Day:

These incidents are part of an apparent spree of baby Jesus statue swipings.

It made me laugh, anyway.

Quick Stop

Funniest headline of the week?

Cursing Christmas fairy fired

The suburb said she had violated the Christmas Traditions Code of Conduct, which says “Christmas characters don’t know naughty words.”

Drive-Bys

Just how smart am I?

Given Braun's history of demonstrably bad judgment, and the fact that Jesse Jackson's filthy fingerprints are all over this turn of events, I'm confident she'll do or say something -- and probably a lot of things -- to get herself blown right out of the race.

And it took less than 24 hours for her to serve up this juicy gem:

Mayoral candidate Carol Moseley Braun today said she won't make her tax returns public before next month's election.

"Because I don't want to," Braun said when asked why she wouldn't be releasing them in the time before the Feb. 22 election.

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha!!! Keep 'em coming, Carol! Show us how much you really don't want to win the primary, let alone the mayoral race.

(A tip of the cap to Marathon Pundit... and the predictive powers of my Magic Cheezburger.)
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In the interest of making it easy to shop for me for Christmas 2011, I really, really want one of these:


Yes, I throw like a girl. But with one of these, I'd throw like an awesome girl.
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This parody of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" gave me fits of the giggles. Behold just one verse of the whole beautiful thing:

We're numb, we're numb, Emanuel.
Does Carol Moseley Braun still ring a bell?
So Danny's name's the first that will appear
It's him and Gery Chico at the rear.
Your voice, your choice, Emanuel
Stop using words much worse than damn or hell

That's just fabulous!
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New Jersey is going after "unused" gift cards? What's next -- going after your savings accounts because you haven't "used" the money in them?
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Sunday Schedule

Two of my childhood favorites in one!

Fabulous and equally as campy and preposterous as the originals!

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Apparently my recap of my 2010 reading list inspired my pal Mike to do the same. Oddly, there's not a romance or chick lit book in the bunch... (heh).

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I'm starting my 2011 Christmas list early. I want one of these...

... because it's true.

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There are two camera give-aways going on over at photofocus -- first, one for a Mamiya RZ67 Pro IID ProValue Pak film camera; second, for a Canon 5DMKII DSLR camera. The only hitch is you've got to Tweet to win.

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Finally, an alternative to simply warehousing Alzheimers sufferers:

Disregarding typical nursing-home rules, Beatitudes allowed Ms. Nance, 96 and afflicted with Alzheimer’s, to sleep, be bathed and dine whenever she wanted, even at 2 a.m. She could eat anything, too, no matter how unhealthy, including unlimited chocolate.

And she was given a baby doll, a move that seemed so jarring that a supervisor initially objected until she saw how calm Ms. Nance became when she rocked, caressed and fed her “baby,” often agreeing to eat herself after the doll “ate” several spoonfuls.

Dementia patients at Beatitudes are allowed practically anything that brings comfort, even an alcoholic “nip at night,” said Tena Alonzo, director of research. “Whatever your vice is, we’re your folks,” she said.

Sign me up right now.

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The Chicago mayoral race has certainly taken a turn for the weird with Carol Mosely Braun being considered the "unity candidate" for the black community in Chicago. (I'd really like to know what dirt they had on the actual poll leading Danny Davis to get him to back off.) Given Braun's history of demonstrably bad judgment, and the fact that Jesse Jackson's filthy fingerprints are all over this turn of events, I'm confident she'll do or say something -- and probably a lot of things -- to get herself blown right out of the race.

I find it sad that the black community leadership consistently puts forward the same deeply-flawed candidates who have only their own personal interests at heart. Trust me when I say that Jesse didn't make this happen for the good of the black community. He knows he can't get elected himself, so he's flagrantly working to become the power behind the throne.

In the meantime, the media has mostly missed out on this story of how the Latino community in Chicago is doing the exact opposite:

In a private room inside the upscale East Bank Club, a group of young Latino professionals that included staffers from several Chicago mayoral campaigns sat down recently to talk about a shared interest: power and how to get it.

Juan Rangel, co-chairman of Rahm Emanuel's mayoral bid and head of the influential United Neighborhood Organization, stood at the front of the room. Before him, he saw the next generation of Chicago's political leaders, corporate chieftains and cultural tastemakers.

As the city gears up to elect its first new mayor in 21 years, Rangel said Latinos are at a crossroads and, with his UNO colleagues, is preparing up-and-coming professionals for a place at the table, no matter who replaces Richard Daley.

"It's not about being altruistic; put that aside," Rangel, 45, told the 36 smartly dressed men and women who had gathered for a lesson in political hardball through UNO's Metropolitan Leadership Institute. "If you don't have power, you'll never get to first base."

Actually, the Illinois GOP should take a page or two right out of this playbook.
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A belated, but most Happy New Year to you all:

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Traffic Lights

There are great love stories and there are small love stories. This is high-tech love story:

What do you do when your sweetheart asks you for something that is not commercially available anywhere at any price?

Well if you're me, you make it yourself!

Daisycat watched a little girl wearing light-up shoes stride and trip her way down the auditorium walkway at a recent Christmas concert we attended. She declared "*I* want a pair of shoes like that!"

Well. The only problem is that the shoe sizes of light-up shoes stop at kid's size three! I searched high and low, and there are a lot of other people searching for this impossible gift also. All of the "answers" websites come up empty. The only "adult" light up shoes are clear acrylic platform heels for women that have lights in the soles.

Not...quite Daisycat's style...

Now that's real love!

Glad Tidings

To all my readers, new and old, Merry Christmas!

God rest ye merry, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Saviour

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy.

In Bethlehem, in Israel,

This blessed Babe was born

And laid within a manger

Upon this blessed morn

The which His Mother Mary

Did nothing take in scorn

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly Father

A blessed Angel came;

And unto certain Shepherds

Brought tidings of the same:

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by Name.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

"Fear not then," said the Angel,

"Let nothing you affright,

This day is born a Saviour

Of a pure Virgin bright,

To free all those who trust in Him

From Satan's power and might."

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

The shepherds at those tidings

Rejoiced much in mind,

And left their flocks a-feeding

In tempest, storm and wind:

And went to Bethlehem straightway

The Son of God to find.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

And when they came to Bethlehem

Where our dear Saviour lay,

They found Him in a manger,

Where oxen feed on hay;

His Mother Mary kneeling down,

Unto the Lord did pray.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises,

All you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood

Each other now embrace;

This holy tide of Christmas

All other doth deface.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy--

One for the Road

Later, my friends!

Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day:


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Quote of the Day:

There are no lilting flutes here, or delicate harps. The pitch ranges from "deep" to "deeper" to "sperm whale mating call."

Haaaaaaaaahahahaha!!!

Decide for yourself:


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Ear Worm of the Day:


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Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day:

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Here's a great review of the candidates for RNC Chairman. Read up, then follow the links and go visit their sites.
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Joanie asks and I deliver. Go read this, and then offer up a prayer or two if you're of the prayerful persuasion.
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Chicago restaurant owners apparently have their knickers in a knot over the fact that we're finally about to get food trucks that allow cooking on the premises.

“If these things really work by social media, they could just go to food deserts. There are plenty of neighborhoods in the city that have a shortage of restaurants and grocery stores or late-night places to eat,” said the association’s president, Sheila O’Grady, Mayor Daley’s longest-serving chief of staff.

“The thing that appeals to people is they think some fabulous chef will be producing some amazing street food. They use Twitter to say, ‘I’m gonna be at this corner at this time. Come meet me.’ If that’s really how it works, people will follow you regardless of where or who you are.”

First of all, I can assure the owners throwing the biggest tantrums that someone who would choose to dine from a food truck on any given day probably didn't even consider a bricks & mortar fine dining restaurant as an alternative. Second of all, food trucks have been successfully integrated into the food scene in such cities as Los Angeles and New York with no harm at all to the B&MRs.

Suck it up, fellas. Offer a great product at a reasonable price and you've got nothing to worry about!
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Some people apparently don't know when to quit. Personally, I think the Spider Man musical is doomed to failure. When the Fates send you a message, you really ought to pay attention.

Sunday Schedule

More on my Christmas list?

These fun and funky recipe cards. They'd make great stocking stuffers.

Vintage Edition Scrabble. Seriously awesome!

This ultra-slim, ultra cool laptop stand.


And, while I'm getting greedy here, Santa, I've been really, really good this year. I'd love to find a bounce flash kit in my stocking Saturday morning.



Thanks!

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What's a meme?

And anything left out of that description is probably covered here:

See?

(Oops! Missed one, and it's a biggie.)

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Breakfast only a man and his pals could conceive of:

Bacon (in several incarnations), ham, steak, potatoes, cream cheese, stuffed French toast, chocolate, waffles, beer batter and whiskey maple syrup. My arteries whimpered in fear... and awe.

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Saturday Ramblings

Normally he's the most serious of babies, so this shot of Mr. Monkey Toes grinning at the camera made my day!

He may look like his daddy, but he's got his mama's sweet smile!

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As cool as this is (and it is)...

... the fact that the animation was done by a high school freshman is just amazing!

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Mary Schmich lists her nine best books for 2010.

While I still haven't posted my list of December books read, here's my own Top 10 Books Read in 2010 (I'm choosing by what I read this year, not necessarily what was published this year)

1. Beatrice & Virgil: A Novel, Yann Martel -- In turns beautiful, comical and horrifying. This one has stuck with me like no other. I highly, highly recommend it.
2. Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority, Tom Burrell -- Written by a black man to a black audience, but for anyone who wants to understand race relations in this country it's a must-read.
3. Born Under a Million Shadows, Andrea Busfield -- My favorite character since Piscine Molitor Patel. I'll read this one again and again.
4. Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter, Rick Sammon -- If you want to do a whole lot more with your little point-and-shoot camera, this book is packed full of good information and written in terms that won't intimidate the techno-challenged (like me).
5. The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafón -- Set in post-war Spain, it's a quest novel of heartbreaking beauty.
6. Packing for Mars – The Curious Science of Life in the Void, Mary Roach -- It made me laugh out loud and it was stuffed with interesting data.
7. The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food and Love, Kristin Kimball -- Not a life I'd choose for myself, but one that certainly is rich and wonderful. I could practically taste, smell and feel every element of life on an organic farm.
8. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand: A Novel, Helen Simonson -- A reminder that there's no age limit on finding love.
9. The Believers, Zoe Heller -- Whether you're liberal, conservative or independent, this is a fascinating fictional peek into the mind of the liberal left. Favorite quote: “’You want to know what I’d do if the truth revealed itself to me and it wasn’t the truth I wanted to find?’ ‘Yes’ Audrey smiled. ‘I’d reject it.” Bang on.
10. Mary Ann in Autumn: A Tales of the City Novel, Armisted Maupin -- I loved the original series and was delighted that Maupin treated my old friends, all of them dearly missed, with such affection.

What are your Top 10 reads for the year?

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Speaking of love stories, here's a dandy:

For the back story, go here. Sappy. Hilarious. Charming.

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So my underwire bra is a threat to national security and requires a groping that left marks for days, but an Iranian-American can get on a plane with a Glock in his bag? Sooooooooo glad to see that the TSA has it's priorities straight and is so effective in its mission.

By the way -- this story about a TSA agent stealing travelers' laptops is exactly why I object to having to step away from your stuff for a body scan or grope fest.

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It's no secret that I'm fully in favor of repealing that obnoxious "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. I'm happy to report it's on it's way out the door! Well done.

(John McCain can go pound sand, as far as I'm concerned.)

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More Game of Thrones geekery:

The Artisans: Simon Brindle

Beautiful, no?

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I just had to swipe this from Becky:

Drive-Bys

I'm still not back on my A-game, but here are a few goodies for you in the meantime:

They've now wrapped filming on the first season of Game of Thrones. Here's a behind-the-scenes peek that has me positively giddy:



I put the tee-shirt (either one of 'em, actually) on my Christmas list.

Now if George would just get back to finishing A Dance With Dragons, I'd be a completely happy fan girl.
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Also on my Christmas list:
I got this for a couple of my bosses. They've all raved about it and loaded it up immediately. Now I want one for myself!
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Excuse me while I howl with laughter:

Mayoral challenger James Meeks scrambled Thursday to put out a political fire touched off by his suggestion that only African Americans should be eligible for city contracts set aside for minorities and women.

Meeks made the statement on Wednesday during an interview on WVON-AM (1690). It happened during a discussion of why African-American businesses got a 7 percent sliver of Chicago’s $1 billion spending pie through Aug. 31, down from 8 percent a year ago.

“The word ‘minority’ from our standpoint should mean African American. I don’t think women, Asians and Hispanics should be able to use that title,” he said. “That’s why our numbers cannot improve — because we use women, Asians and Hispanics who are not people of color, who are not people who have been discriminated against.”

Hours after making those remarks, Meeks back-tracked by saying he would only exclude white women if elected mayor. The set-aside program currently earmarks 25 percent of all city contracts for minorities and 5 percent for companies owned by women.

Now tell me again who's the racist?

Buh-bye, Reverend Meeks. You just publicly shot your campaign for mayor in the left ass-cheek. (Major style points there, though!)

Update: He clearly doesn't understand the basics of back-pedalling.
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It's bad enough when it happens in the movies. When you've paid good money to see a top-notch play and it completely throws the rhythm of the acting off, it's outrageous:

Just before the end of Edward Albee's “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” a cold and brutal dawn rises over New Carthage. The dangerously destructive nocturnal games of George and Martha are subsumed by their mutual loneliness. In Pam MacKinnon's very arresting and intense Steppenwolf Theatre Company production, which takes its audience on an exhausting voyage through some of the horrors of marital codependency, Tracy Letts' George finally puts his hand gently on the shoulder of Amy Morton's Martha. She puts her head back. He is about to sing, softly. Their nonsense song — “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Virginia Woolf, Virginia Woolf” — has become a kind of lifesaving lullaby. On Saturday afternoon, the audience was rapt.

“Are you all right?” asked George of his Martha.

Suddenly, from the back of the house, a boppy, perky, electronic tune rang out in answer to that deeply existential question. Letts and Morton froze. Mouths of audience members dropped open. The phone rang on. And on. And on. Freed from its merciful, muffling confines, it got louder. Instead of staring into the depths of a New Carthage exorcism, we were suddenly transported to a pachinko parlor in Shinjuku.

Make no mistake — the moment was gone forever. Letts and Morton gamely paused and then finished the last minute or so of the play, but this was like a fumble with seconds to go. There was no time for the team to recover. And, at that instant, the ringing cell phone of Saturday, Dec. 11, became the most egregiously timed audience-caused interruption of my entire theatergoing career.

When are people going to learn act like grown-ups and turn their fucking phones off???
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Giggle of the Day:

Rubber-Necking

Ear Worm of the Day:

Once again, blame it on the Steve and Johnnie Show. They played this some time around 3:30 a.m. and it'll be ringing in my ears for the rest of the day.