Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!

But remember...

Quote for today...

With apologies to MJ fans, this is Keef at his priceless best.

Dennis Wilson

Dennis Wilson was my favorite Beach Boy. He was probably the first person to suggest to his brothers that they should start a band. His older brother Brian said he should play the drums, so Dennis learned drums. He was the only Beach Boy that really was a surfer/beach bum like their songs. He eventually became a very good drummer, and was pretty fair on guitar and piano as well. His vocals are heard on many, many Beach Boys songs... you can hear the slight raspiness in Dennis' voice. He released a critically acclaimed solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue, which is considered a cult classic. He was pretty wild, and his alcohol abuse probably contributed to his death. But he was my favorite... and died too young. Dennis Wilson died 28 years ago today, December 28, 1983.

The LAST MONDAY (until next year)

Shouldn't there be some kind of huge party to celebrate the last Monday of the year? A ceremony or dedication? A gathering to consume alcohol and cheer resoundingly? I think so....

Merry Christmas!!

Good luck Santa! The cookies are ready!
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/

Oh, and by the way....

No texting while driving!

Merry Christmas!!

Here's to family & friends, great food, fun gifts, and safe travels! Merry Christmas!

Office Christmas Party Day!

The one day every year that people gather around my old PC...

Jon Bon Jovi is alive and well

I have to admit, for a minute yesterday they had me going too... a story on Facebook popped up that Jon had died after cardiac arrest in New Jersey. And even after the story was repudiated several times (including by me) I had friends that were posting how terrible it was. Amazing how gullible people are. Anyway, here's pictorial proof... a picture Jon had taken and posted late yesterday afternoon. Check out what he wrote on the paper. It says "Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey. Dec. 19th, 2011, 6:00".

And the winner of Survivor is....

Sophie!! Yep, my second pick was the winner! She played great and to me totally deserved it. So here's what happened:
First, the Redemption Island Duel pitted Ozzie against Brandon. One of those climb up a pole and see who can hang there the longest. The kind of challenge I'd hate! It was tough and I felt sorry for both players. Finally Brandon dropped to the ground and Ozzie won. So Ozzie got to rejoin the four remaining Opulu members.
Then at the immunity challenge, Ozzie triumphed again, and with Coach threatening to play the immunity idol at tribal council, the vote was between Albert, Sophie and Cowboy Rick. A close vote ensued, 3-2, and bye-bye Rick.
The final immunity challenge was one of the toughest I can remember... make your way through five parts of an obstacle course to gather five puzzle bags, thenput together a very hard puzzle. Ozzie had a huge lead but must have had brain-freeze because Sophie got the puzzle done first and won immunity.
At tribal council... bye-bye Ozzie.
So the final three came down to Albert, Sophie and Coach. At the last tribal council, Coach finally crashed and burned when he took heat from everyone about how he talked honor and integrity, but exhibited nothing but deceit and lies.
So we move to L.A. and the reunion show. And Sophie won the million! And I'm happy. Why? Very simple - Sophie, my second choice, won the million. Ozzie, my first choice, won the $100,000 fan vote. Coach got his come-uppance finally, and Albert didn't get a single vote. It's all good!
Bring on the next season!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

The number one thing that gets me in the Christmas mood is decorating the Christmas tree. We stopped using the typical colored balls and sets of matching ornaments many years ago. All the ornaments we use at home mean something, commemorating events like our son being born, our pets, our hobbies, even a Badger visit to the Rose Bowl. And we have almost 150 individual ornaments. We always do the tree two or three weeks before Christmas. How about you? What's your Christmas Tree tradition. Follow the link here and email me... I'll post fun entries hereonthe blog!

Survivor Update-

11/15/12 - Time to get up to date. To be honest there hasn't been anything exciting for a while, very predictable as the final five from Upolu continue to the end. Thanksgiving week they aired one of those "behind the scenes" episodes, so nothing exciting there (I was yawning again).

Last week, despite efforts to preview excitement the predictable happened and Edna was voted to Redemption Island. Afterwards the charming segment with tribe members battling to spend a day with family members from home produced one interesting chapter, as Brandon's father (Russell Hantz's brother remember) tried to bully Coach into taking son Brandon to the end with him. Coach didn't appreciate that at all.

Then more "exciting" previews showed Edna about to beat Ozzie in the Redemption Duel, and she honestly had a chance and made it close, but Ozzie won.

So last night the final five duked it out and Brandon won immunity. Afterwards Albert self-destructed and put himself in the middle when his recent spate of lies came out in a series of tribal discussions.

Then things got a little weird as Brandon decided he would save Albert out of forgiveness by giving him immunity and Coach prayed to find the name of his next vote-out. Well, it was Brandon... after giving his necklace to Albert and getting a swell weird hug (see picture), he was voted off to face Ozzie at Redemption this Sunday night in the season two-hour finale.

So Sunday night will begin with Ozzie and Brandon dueling, and then the winner will join the other four for the last challenges and votes and the eventual winner.

Just because it's about time something totally improbable happened, I'm picking Ozzie... but if he goes down in flames I'll take Sophie. Not sure why.

I wonder if Rudolph knows?

I wish I knew the story behind this photo. But obviously, eight moose would be able to pull Santa's sleigh even faster than eight reindeer. I'm betting Rudolph is keeping this a secret from Santa!

Reminds me of our house!

13 Days Til Christmas!

So, you also have 13 SHOPPING days til Christmas. And just in case you need a push... I'm pretty much done with my Christmas shopping! We got up early Saturday and went to eleven stores... yup, ELEVEN! That's a new Saturday record for us. But we got 'er done and found most of the goodies on family Christmas lists. I have to admit we did well too, most items were on sale or well below manufacturer's list price. I wonder if there really is such a thing anymore... MSRP?!?! Anyway, if you need a hint - I like gift certificates from electronics stores, book stores and music stores. If you were planning to get me something... (lol)

31 years ago today...

On December 8, 1980, crazed fan Mark David Chapman stood with a gathered crowd outside the Dakota in New York City. As John Lennon and Yoko Ono passed through the crowd on their way home after a recording session, Chapman put two bullets into John. Seconds later, John collapsed and died just inside the Dakota entrance. The ex-Beatle was at the time just getting his life back together, recording and making public appearances again after a long, soul-searching hiatus.
I was watching Monday Night Football when Howard Cosell announced John's murder. I was stunned. Even now, 31 years later, I can still feel the anguish I felt that night, a feeling that the world was no longer a happy place, and that I'd been changed forever. We miss you John!

Hello snow...

Well, I guess I better accept it. Winter is here. I better get the snowblower ready... and put the mower away (sigh). The older I get, the less I like it. Kind of pretty though...

Uh oh...

So be good for goodness sake!

TGIF!! With a winter storm watch...

You read right... Saturday at 6:00AM we have a winter storm watch with a wintry mix all day. BUT, it could be worse! No matter how you hate the forecast, it could always be much worse! Just check out the cartoon and you'll smile through the snow tomorrow! ;)

Survivor recap - 11/30/11

Let's call this episode "the big yawn". There are several reasons I call it that. First, in the duel on Redemption Island, Dawn yawned causing her balancing plates to fall and relegating her to the jury. Ozzie also eliminated Whitney, whose plates fell a few minutes later, which caused me to yawn because it was obvious by his focus and concentration that Ozzie was going to win. I honestly wish Dawn and Whitney could somehow have stayed on Survivor. And as they were dismissed by Probst, did I not detect an obvious look on the faces of the audience/their former foes, that perhaps both Dawn and Whitney deserved to be in the game more than anyone still left? Well, that's what it looked like to me...
So Ozzie is once again the last man standing on Redemption Island until next week (yawn).
Another yawn occurred when Cochran called a meeting of the Te Tuna tribe (see photo) and announced that his treachery was the reason they'd eliminated all the former members of Savaii, and he deserved another pass at the next tribal council. Oh Cochran, the writing is on the wall dude, and nothing is going to save you (yawn).
At the immunity challenge, Albert wins immunity. The big prize is a spa-day complete with a shower and massage. Surprisingly, Albert chooses Coach as his person that gets to have the massage too. And then a shocker, Albert gives his own spot at massage day to Cochran. I guess because it's Cochran's birthday in a couple days... who knows?
Anyhow, at tribal council Brandon breaks down again and cries and babbles for a while about how anything worth having is not going to be easy (this kid is still unbalanced - yawn), and Cochran reminds everyone how much he deserves to stay three more days (I already yawned for that one).
So Cochran gets voted off, puts out his torch and heads off to Redemption Island to get chewed up and spat out by Ozzie in next week's duel. Oh darn... I think I'm going to yawn again.