'Tis the Season to Buy Loads of (Cheap) Crap

Attention Shoppers:

If you don't already own enough stuff, and if you didn't receive more stuff for Christmas, now is the time to stock up on even more stuff. Simply stop by your local Target (or dare I say Wal-Mart), find your way to the very back corner where the remaining battered fake Christmas trees are still standing and go crazy.

Icicle lights, ornaments, wreaths, garland, and your favorite fiber optic snowmen are all on sale for 75% off! What's that? You already have so much stuff that the neighbors refer to your family as "The Griswolds"? Who cares?! It's 75% off!!! Get out there and buy more cheap crap!

Tis the Season...

Tis the season to be back-logged with to-do lists. Heck, even one of my to-dos is to take the time to write down a to-do list.

Christmas was great this year, although a little quiet and sort of empty feeling since my brother and sister couldn't make it. I'll upload some pictures shortly from the festivities when I get the chance (another item on my to-do list).

And speaking of Christmas, I was contemplating what I wanted to write about it the other day. Turns out that the first thing that came to my mind was the word "tradition". I hope Jesus doesn't take offense -- but it's hard to not instantly think of family, my grandma's house, lutefisk, stockings full of presents that would make a dentist proud, laughing, and of course, Cool Whip.

Then I laughed to myself at the irony of thinking of and humming the melody to Tradition -- a great song from the musical Fiddler on the Roof. For those of you out there that are unfamiliar with Fiddler on the Roof, it is a Broadway musical about a Jewish family and its hardships living in Russia.

Let's bring back some learnings from elementary school:
If A = B and B = C, then A = C.
So it sounds like Christmas makes me think of Jewish fiddlers.
Go figure.

Musical Weekend

Lots of music this past weekend.

• Imogen Heap at First Avenue (Sweet!)
• Robin and Linda Williams at Fitzgerald Theater (Where were you mom and dad?)
• Received a book of "easy" piano songs (excellent Christmas present)
• Poor Lauren's chorus of coughs, sneezes, hacks, and ahh-ahh-chews! (Dr. Seus would have been jealous)
  

You know you're a guy when...

...you consider wrapping a Christmast present with duct tape. It would match silver wrapping paper, right?

Fortunately, I found a few rolls of packing tape. I'm fairly confident my packages this year won't come undone by themselves.

The Wish Tree Project

I feel like I'm fairly mature for my age, but around Christmas time I can't help but remember how extremely exciting this time of the year was for me when I was younger.

My workplace is a member of The Wish Tree Project -- a program that helps less-fortunate kids get Christmas presents -- and has already setup a few "wish" trees around the building. I'm not sure if I was supposed to, but I poked around one of the trees until I found a card for a boy that asked for something I would have enjoyed as a kid as well. Not only does it make the task of shopping much easier, but it's actually makes the whole process exciting.


The card I drew was for Devontae, and he would like some Transformers. I don't blame him -- I used to think Optimus Prime was such a cool dude. However, nothing was cooler than Blaster. My cousin had Blaster, and man was I jealous. Maybe one day I will be so lucky. But until then, I'll hopefully pass on some of that excitement to Devontae.

Do you know what really grinds my gears?

...Stores that start playing Christmas music the day after Halloween. What ever happened to waiting till Thanksgiving?

What grinds your gears?