We got some winter finally, dudes. Ever since I started seriosuly blogging on ES.com back in 2004, and even before that, I have bitched at length about the pussified winters we have had of late. This year though, even with the snow being late to arrive. the chilly teps set in early enough to get the ground frozen and allow any snow we do get to stick around. You know, like the six or so inches we got this past weekend and the three more due to us today and tonight.

Why am I so gung-ho about winter? I'm glad you asked: I'm driven by the need for a Norman Rockwell Christmas setting and that is something that has been seriously lacking here the past few years, especially with the way it has been secularized. Now, I'm not about to go all Bill O'Reilly war-on-Christmas on you, because that's just nonsense, as well as ignorant. But it is nice to go into a store or a mall now, and see and hear "Merry Christmas" alongside "Happy Holidays" as well as hearing songs about Christ's birth instead of just Santa and commercialism.

One favor, guys: remind me of this post on like four months when I get sick of snow and cold. Kay, thanks.

Labels: christmas, local, personal, weather

I love the Christmas season, but not the hours associated with it. Thankfully, the worst is over; I put in fourteen hours on Black Friday and about ten on Saturday. I've done this for ten years now, so it is mostly routine, but one thing that never fails to amaze me every year is the volume of people who are willing to sit in the cold for hours on end just to save a few extra bucks on that television or other item they had their eyes on all year.

Now I'm no anti-consumerist; hell, I definitely own more than my fair share of shit, especially in electronics and DVDs. I even like to save money, so I look for deals whenever I can. But really, even 8 am on the day after Thanksgiving is a little early for me to think about buying Christmas gifts for people, let alone anything for myself. We opened at 5, and even then we weren't the first; Kohl's was open at 4 and Eden Prairie Center opened at fucking one o'clock in the morning. Outrageous. If there is any silver lining in this madness, these are the things that come to mind first: the extended hours I am required to work will 1) allow me extra funds for Christmas gifts and 2) allow me to watch Law and Order: SVU without the interruption of going home and cueing up the TiVo to the proper spot. Until then though, my free time will be in short supply (sorry, Alyssa) and I may be cranky during those times (sorry, everyone else).

Despite all this though, I still love Christmas. Preemptive happy holidays, everyone.

now playing on iPod: Chad Hollister "Spirit's Waters"

Labels: christmas, gdhu, GOTW, media, personal, work

all the best to you and yours for the holidays and in 2006.

now playing on iTunes/iPod: silence

Labels: christmas

so about two weeks ago, it snowed for the first time here this winter. ecstatic because I wouldn't have to suffer through another brown Christmas, I posted a lyric snippet by the fictional Billy Mack from one of my favorite movies, 'Love Actually'. (I realize now that I butchered them, but I don't really care enough to correct them.) apparently one of the spiders at Google found it last week, and like a bad YTMND fad Google referrals relating to the post kept popping up: (I blurred out the actual IP's because I'm nice like that.)


that's just a sampling. over the past week or so, about forty people arrived at my site via searches for 'Christmas is All Around'. they weren't all U.S. visitors either; I got referrals from Italy and uh, the Phillipines. so apparently the movie is there too and uh, I learned something today.

...

well, I thought it was amusing, dammit!

now playing on iTunes: Guster 'Homecoming King'

Labels: christmas, internet, media, personal, site

...I feel it in my toes
Christmas is all around me, and so the story goes
I feel it in the wind, everywhere I go
so if you really love Christmas come on and let it snow

IT'S SNOWING. I'm so glad.

now playing on iTunes: John Mayer 'Break Away'

Labels: christmas, media, site

from me, Joe Smiley, and most of the staff at ES.com Forums.

Now playing on iTunes: Andy Williams; 'Happy Holidays'

Labels: christmas