i'd like a new window for Christmas

I was going to post something last night on Christmas Eve Eve, but I guess Christmas Eve isn't that bad either.

Anyway, I just want to wish all Indoobians, friends, family, strangers and strange-looking people alike a Merry Christmas. For those that don't celebrate Christmas... I can't help you. I jest! I jest! I'll just say the traditional Happy Holidays and Season's Greetings. The list of "other holidays" steadily gets longer every year, so I will refrain from saying any of them except for the one I celebrate. Deal?

And for those who are just begging to know what kept me from posting last night... it's a long story that I'll shorten by saying the ice/snow melting from my room is causing the window in my room to leak. Badly. I've already soaked up 10 man-sized beach towels--and that's only from the water I caught. It doesn't help that it won't stop raining until tonight... so... yeah...

I'd also like a new CD drive... I think I broke mine playing with iTunes... I can fix other people's computers, but mine? Totally clueless. I'm going to try again sometime in a few days.

I even managed to clean my room and do ALL my laundry. When I mean all, I mean I was down to the new underwear I hadn't broken into yet, and possibly #65 pair 'o socks. Hey, it's my goal to have 365 pairs of socks some day. So at least that will be it's own laundry day. Sock Day! Yes!

But all of this has kept me from staying on the good track I was on. I was up to 23 pages on "The Writing Retreat" and had stopped to sleep, but then if it wasn't one thing, it was another. The CD burner, the window, visiting with family, Christmas... So much to do, so little time.

I jest of course, I didn't plan to do much of anything on Christmas Day other than familizising (yeah, try pronouncing that one!) and that's always fun for us. Between the gift giving, the food and the general good times, it's what I love about the holidays. Then again, I just love my family and cherish anytime I get to spend with them. I guess that goes for my dearest friends too... but I don't like sounding sentimental here... so with that I say bah humbug.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays y'all!

we wish you a happy thankgiving (and a happy african american friday)

It's Tuesday once again. What's different about this Tuesday is that to most people, it's like a Wednesday because of the holiday weekend. For me, this is my first 5 day weekend. Last year this time I was still at the Mart dreading African American Friday. I JEST! I jest... Black Friday it's called. Not everything "black" can be politically correct, I guess. So all people of all races celebrate in the same way by rushing out to their local outlets to solidify the commercialism of Christmas, putting those particular retailers in the black, versus the dangerous low sales of red, and in turn see green so they can afford a snow machine for a white Christmas, even though for some stores this will be their last go-round and it makes them very blue, indoob. Yes, 'tis very colorful, magical and bittersweet. I'm not feeling the same anti-commercialism as last year. Still cynical, not as critical. Does that mean I'm a sell out? No. (Not yet.) But nevertheless, just as long as I know what the holiday is all about to me and my loved ones, that's all I really care about this year. Besides, watching the stock market is more fascinating to me, even though the commercialism is directly related to economy. But I won't get into stuff I don't know too much about.

Let's not forget the reason why most people have Friday off. THANKSGIVING! Which is like a big pre-Christmas gathering and meal. It's an official Christmas Season Eve feast. Of course the stores have already started on November 1st, wanting you to get your plastic tree now! You don't want to be the last one and get stuck with a Charlie Brown tree. Actually, I don't think I'd mind it. I'd give it a good home. Then me and some people would gather around it and make it look awesome, then sing up to the sky "Hark! The Herald Angel Sing." (For more fun interesting trees like on the left, check out World's Most Unusual Trees.)


There's no sense in watching those Christmas specials on TV when you have them on DVD already. I'm just saying. I must comment on the brilliance of Stephen Colbert's Christmas Spectacular I watched this weekend. Totally a must if you are a fan of his show and his brand of humor.


It still makes me ask the question, which I still never get a response to, why aren't their Thanksgiving carols? I wrote an article about this for a school paper, and instead of getting answers I gained a following who echoed my question and agreed that Christmas and Halloween overshadow the holiday, as well as the general Autumn or harvest themes absorbing the feasting of turkeys and thanksgivinginess. Even these years later, I've succumbed to society's treatment of the Day to Give Thanks, and consider going to the Mart just to watch madness live and unadulterated. On second though, I'll stay home and sleep and stick to online or middle-of-the-day during the middle-of-the-week shopping when stores are less full. Not that I have much shopping to do, I did a lot of it during the year. I'm good like that, yes yes y'all!


There are pictures and links to new poems on the way, I'm just waiting for a package so I can group that post altogether so we can all see the newness together. Deal?

'tis the season

So I've been having the hardest time writing this particular post, because as most Indoobians know, I go into great detail, painting wordy pictures just to get to a point. And each time I begin writing this one, I go from talking about a lost article/essay I wrote for a high school newspaper, to childhood memories and epiphanies after watching a favorite Christmas-themed film from my youth, to how I've learned to cherish and appreciate my dearest loved ones and the material things I've been blessed with over the years. All and all, the post got seriously mushy and sentimental. Like a movie found on the Hallmark channel. And that is a stone's throw away from Lifetime! [Shudders.] Granted, having some sensitive material isn't harmful and shows that I do have a caring heart from time to time, but I want this blog to put smiles on the faces containing eyes that are reading. So all that stuff isn't bad... I just don't feel like writing that today. Plus I have a reputation to uphold being a lovable sarcastic smart mouthed jerk.

So I'll save my count-your-blessings and APPRECIATE speech for another day (because there are some people who really need to look at their life so far and realize they have nothing to complain about). Instead, I'm going to talk a little bit about charity.

With the festive holidays fast approaching, I don't want people to forget about the less fortunate. I went to the mall, as I usually do every few weeks, just to wander around and my friend noticed what she called "the baby tree." It's got wishes from children (actually children and adults) who are in hospitals, shelters, or being sponsored by foundations or something. These are hanging from the tree like ornaments, and the wishes are what that child wants.

My friend does this kind act every year, picking a boy and girl. I immediately decided to pick one too, so I looked for a wish that wouldn't make me broke... like a PS3 game, and wasn't too general... like "educational toy." I picked an 8-year old boy who wanted a book of all the maps of the world. Simple, specific and convenient. The tree was set up a few feet outside of Borders! So my crew and I went in search for a book, and found one in the kids' section with the help of a tall salesperson who looked like he goes surfing in the summer. Buying the book was a good feeling. Similar to warm and fuzzies. Fortunately it wasn't mold I had eaten this time. After the purchase, I dropped it off at the information desk like instructed on the little card I detached from the tree along with the original wish. The lady there seemed frustrated before I got there about something, but apparently by me giving this gift, it cheered her up tremendously, like I got the book for her or something. Silly lady. It's for the kiddies!

I keep saying this, but I really need to start bringing my camera with me and taking pictures to document these random adventures specifically for Indoobian purposes. Plus this would prove I leave the house and I do have friends.

So to conclude what I attempted to not be a long post: don't be afraid to do a random act of kindness, even when money is involved, and especially around this time of the year. Pay it forward, anyone? More on charity another day. In complete unrelated news, I'll debut a fresh new poem later this week. Maybe poems... maybe.