Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Antipodes; or "Leaving the Kalahari on Christmas Eve to save a dying alien."

It's been a while since we've talked. I've been okay, how are you? Thanks for asking. I hope you're okay too...

This used to all come so easily to me. I could sit down with my morning coffee and ramble on between phone calls for hours. The topics never mattered. Politics, life, writing, fate. Everything was available and equally enticing. Lately it all seems trivial and overwhelming, condescending or conflicted. I fear the encompassing weight of life has finally killed my youthful optimism and fed it's remains to the ravenous dogs of reality. Maybe coming back here is my way of attempting to recover that mangled corpse from the canines jowls. Is it worth the risk? Worth exposing myself to the full brunt of vicious possibilities that surround us everyday? For what? A meager chance to revive something natural selection has already deemed unfit for survival? Even if I'm successful, what do you do with a half eaten alien too beautiful to exist in such times?...



As I glance over the posts I've left here before I find that many of the images are gone. The words still remain and with them I believe I can remember what the photograph would have been. There's no way to know for sure though....

I poured a cup of black coffee from the french press on the granite counter top, studied the flowing liquid with determination and reverence as the white mug slowly filled to just below the brim. Grasping the ceramic with both hands, the warmth transferred to my palms as I raise the mug to my lips. It is far too hot to be consumed yet, so I hold the mug just on the edge of my lower lip and inhale slowly the smell and the heat.
"Why are you waiting?"
"It's far too hot to drink yet."
"But you hold it so close to yourself? Wouldn't you be better leaving it on the counter till it's cooled?"
"Then I would never know when it's ready."...



Love is a funny thing. I've thought I was in love before. I tried so hard to love some people, to be exactly what they wanted and needed from me. I'd have crossed the Kalahari to prove my devotion, not to them, but to myself. I wasn't in love with them, I was in love with the idea of being in love. It has taken me a long time to figure that out and I'm still not fully sure I understand it or even if it's relevant to my current position. Perhaps when the magicians arrive with the rising sun I'll ask them...

Christmas used to be my favorite time of year; the trees, the lights, the overpowering display of mans dominance over the arriving darkness of winter. There is a cold dry feeling in the air that brings a childhood nostalgia for everything that shimmers and comes packaged in vibrant colors. It's been three years now since I've felt that way. It now stands as a memorial to some of the hardest decisions and most difficult times that have come to pass. But for all the turbulence brought by recent years ending, I'm still here...



"This isn't the first time I've seen you here"
"I've come for many years."
"I can see you're different this time."
"Is it so easily identified?"
"With eyes like mine it's easy to see when you carry the weight of your existence as a burden. You no longer carry that weight the same."
"Was it so clear to everyone else?"
"It doesn't matter anymore. You're free."

The alien is worth saving...

Monday, December 20, 2010

"It's all of you who make it great"

The Ho Ho Ho-down was a success again this year. I want to thank everyone for coming out because as the title says, it's all of you who make it great. I also want to give a special thanks to my wonderful sister for capturing all of the Santa pics. You're amazing at what you do. Any interested in checking out more of her work you can find her blog here!


Thursday, December 16, 2010

There's a stale donut on my desk

I didn't ask for it. I don't want it. But there it sits...

I think I might be getting sick. This is very bad news, since I've got a large number of people to entertain come Saturday. Luckily I've got a bunch of the decorating already finished. Check it:



I'm actually probably getting sick from being up too late working on all this nonsense. Or maybe it's from the multiple walks to Home Depot, usually in torrential rain. Either way I have to figure out a sure fire way to fight this thing. First things first - pho...

I really want my warehouse-mates to do a cover of the Bed Intruder song on Saturday. Hopefully it happens. I'm thinking something acoustic like these guys put together:



Sometimes I'm a bird or candy or a butterfly or an elephant or a frosted pint glass full of 4 Loko...

Monday, December 13, 2010

We need MORE holiday music! MORE festiveness!!!!

It doesn't seem like we're going to be playing holiday music at work this year. I've been listening to it at home for weeks now. Starting today I'm bumping it at my desk till I go on vacation. I figure someone needed to man up and get festive on this.





Friday, December 25, 2009

Happy Christmas!!!

I hope that you all are enjoying your holiday. Mine was pretty good. Mass was strange, they had a new guy running the show that I wasn't as into as the old guy. But going to Des Moines was great. Spent the morning with the family. Dad made a KILLER breakfast. Then he dominated a game of Settlers. I'm still irritated about him blocking my nine ;) But I'm going to overlook it because it's Christmas and he laid off in the second game. Then we were going to try to catch a movie but Avatar was sold out. In the future when I want to see a movie on Christmas I'm going to pick up the tickets a week in advance. Anywho...

I just wanted to wish you all a Happpy Christmas. And now that moment I'm sure that you've all been waiting for. Christina Aguilera!!!!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

The Flaming Lips get even more festive

This is awesome. I wanna a holiday sweater with skulls on it too!!!





Brothers and Sisters please put down your umbrellas, you won't be needing those today

An old friend posted a link to an Arrested Development video yesterday. Since I watched it I've listened to nothing else. They're amazing...

It's only two days till Christmas. Everyone seems frantic. The bus ride home took 20 minutes longer than usual because the coach was packed with people. I don't know where they all came from. I assume it's from people sticking around and shopping then catching "the later bus", which is the one I always take. I can't hate too much because I'm not done shopping yet. This is a problem. I have two people left to shop for. My sister is going to be a super star and see if she can snag one of the gifts for me after work (she's way closer to the store than I am) and while she's doing that I'm going to try to find something good for her. Everything that I really want to get her isn't economically viable. We'll see how I do...

I've been watching more movies at work. It takes about twice as much time because I have to constantly pause it and help customers, but it's not so bad. I watched the Zeitgeist movie yesterday. I can't say that I believe it all but it was interesting none the less. I wasn't such a big fan of the 911 part. I'm sure that there was foul play involved, but it just makes me really sick to my stomach. But it resulted in my watching a bunch more conspiracy nonsense about other things. Mostly 2012 stuff. So then when I got home last night I watched this great documentary on PBS about the early church and how it was formed in the early years of Christianity. Good stuff...

You might have noticed that I post fewer links to news stories. I don't read the news as much anymore. It's unbelievably depressing, especially local news. I was on my way to the crossword at seattletimes.com and the front headline caught my eye. Two more police officers had been shot. Now correct me if I'm wrong but that now 5 dead and 3 injured that I can remember in the last 2 months!!! Then I go a little further and catch up on the health care issue (which I've been following more closely) to find that Republicans are now doing everything they can to waste time and delay a vote. Now I'm all for it if you have a better idea for the problems, however wasting time isn't a solution. It just goes to solidify my opinion that the GOP wants nothing more than to perpetuate the status quo of abusing the lower and middle class so that they can retain their wealth and hence their control. If Santa brings me one thing this year I hope its rain...

Monday, December 29, 2008

Snow storms, garbage and body armor

It's been a while so I have a lot to cover. Lets see how much of it I forget...

SEATTLE SNOW STORM!!! That's been the big thing lately. It started during the Ho-down and didn't really let up for a couple weeks. Yesterday is when the big melt began. I couldn't be happier...

During our winter event I didn't really do too much. Worked pretty much everyday, which led to some interesting, or should I just say packed, bus rides. David was a champion and drove me home most of the days...

While holed away in my house we cooked like crazy. Here's some of the foods that were made: lime squares, chex mix (twice), cookies, roast, chicken soup, chili, etc. It was good, we pretty much just spent the whole weekend of the 20th at home baking and trying to stave off cabin fever as best we could...

There has also been a rash of puzzles going on. It started with the creek puzzle. Which led to the boat puzzle. Then the monkey puzzle (damn the monkey). Just when I thought we'd done all the puzzles I have Elizabeth came over last night with a Last Supper puzzle. It's over 3 feet long!!! I may add pictures to this later, but my camera is at home...

The indoor garden is taking shape nicely. I got a bunch of seeds planted, effectively starting phase two. The big light is out now and they're loving it. Well, those that aren't getting burned. I have to look into it a little more. Some of them are thriving, like the jalapenos have double in size, while others aren't doing so well, the Peruvians haven't done anything. In time I'll get it all figured out and we should be able to start the continual harvest around March or April...

Christmas was good. I went out to my Dad's for the eve. It was really pleasant. My sister, brother in law, Joe and I played the game of Life. Joe won because he decided not to go to college. The irony of that game will never get old. We ate chili and tomato soup. It was fabulous. Then my brother and Joe came down and spent the night at my place. Christmas morning my brother made breakfast, which was great, and I put up the indoor garden light with a little help from my friends. That evening I went down to Claudia's with Matt and we ate dinner. She made Cornish Game Hens. So good. Then we just dinked around for a while playing Dangerous Hunts on the wii. All in all a good holiday...

Not much else going on in my life. Now for a couple other things...

Dear Seahawks, As if this year wasn't bad enough for Seattle sports fans, we had to watch you. Step up your game next year...

Larry Craig tourists now is the time. They're beginning to see a slow in bathroom tourism at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport so now is your chance to get out and see where it all went down!....

The garbage is pilling up. It's pretty gross. I just want them to finally take it all away...

Israel is bombing Gaza, again...

And one last thing for all you out there that believe teaching abstinence and not responsiblity in school is the way to go, click here. I personally don't understand why the current administration has taken the course they have. It's like sending our troops in Iraq into heavy fire without body armor because they took a pledge to not get shot...

Monday, December 15, 2008

You're all wonderful

Saturday was the Holiday Ho-down. It was a great time. Good people, good food and good drinks. Here's some of my favorite pics from the night.




Thanks to everyone for coming. If you're interested in seeing more pictures they can be found at the following places:

Lucile's Holiday Ho Ho Ho-Down 2008 - Courtesy of Rebecca Jeanne - Photographer
Lucile Street X-mas - Courtesy of Morganelle
Lucile Street Christmas Party - Courtesy of Raybies

Next up Chili Cook Off...