Hey Brothers and Sisters.

Have a safe and merry one.

Good health and good fortune.

All the best for the coming new year.

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To you, too, Rico...and all the other members of our merry band!
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Merry Christmas brothers and sisters, and a happy new year. You too, brother HighHopes!

We're having a family do, with nephews and nieces of mine coming round. Pity my twin brother and his family won't be here (they live in New Zealand).

This evening I discovered a bloody good band: Kaiser Chiefs. Melodious and snappy, very nice.

First round of holiday eating is coming.

May the wishbone break your way.

Remember to pace yourselves. Leave room for the pumpkin and lemon mirange pie.

[Whatever God/god/not god: you choose] bless us everyone.

Have them nasty fatal Xmas lights been put up down the street yet again Thalo?

Whatever happened to BN? [Whatever God/god/not god: you choose] bless him too!

Harv

Also (received this night):

Sequel to the secretive arrangement in regards of the shipment of your
consignment, I wish to inform you that all necessary modalities have
been
automatically concluded and have left Nigeria to London via your
Country
today by Express Cargo Flight.

Whatever happened to BN? [Whatever God/god/not god: you choose] bless him too!

Thanks, Harv. I have been off contemplating the meaning of life. And if I don't mind saying so, I think I've found quite a few answers. And one of those answers is that I thank you for your kind thoughts, whatever your religion -- even if you squat on a mushroom and worship toads.

I think brother thalo needs to stop talking about that holiday house from glitter hell and put up a few pictures. But perhaps such houses are no longer so unique. Because Walmart and others sell strings of lights and lawn decorations of all types so cheaply, I see more and more homes slathered with visual superabundance. It's getting to the point that I nearly drop to my knees and weep like a baby when I see just one, lone tree tastefully decorated with all-blue lights, or something like that. But the visual superabundance is a kick in the ass as well. The way some people can make a couple thousand lights and several dozen lawn figures work is amazing to me.

"God bless us, every one" is a great line from the end of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." And we probably all need a little ontological body-work, so to speak. To say "God bless us, every one" is more likely these days to get people running to the ACLU in order to protect their "rights." But the universe is a big one, and I think saying "God bless you" can show a deep respect for the known as well as the unknown. We're all in this together, and until the U.N. or somebody else can find something legitimate and larger that we can all rally around (because we are all in this together, like it or not), a simple "God bless you" can do the trick in a pinch.

This holiday season I've dedicated myself more than over to less-is-more, and it's not just because I'm cheap. Personally, I can't walk by one of those Salvation Army Santas without opening my wallet or throwing in all the loose change in my pocket into the barrel.

Perhaps thalo or someone else here will get creative, but I think it's about time that the world had a new version of "A Christmas Carol. " And I don't mean a redo, a sequel or a parody. I mean that I think that we all have that same soft spot that used to be filled by religious myth, but today's modern mindset doesn't really want to deal with those old myths. We're comfortable around this time of year burying the Christian story under layer after layer of glitter and presents. That story becomes isolated enough that most everyone is comfortable just celebrating Christmas as either a celebration of the birth of Christ or as a winter holiday. And I'm not sure who buries that story of Christ more, Christians or non-Christians. I think everyone gets a little overcome by the rote holidayness of it all.

But wouldn't it be grand to have a new story that touches the modern heart in the same way that those old stories do? I certainly couldn't and wouldn't write a story geared to the angry and bitter atheists. Angry and bitter people are in religion as well, and any story geared toward them is hardly going to be a very inspiring one. But there are people out there, much like some of the people of thalo.net, who are products of the modern world and no longer literally believe the myths of old. And to be frank, many of us probably have a foot in both of these worlds to some extent. And part of the reason for that is, Carl Sagan's scientific gnosticism aside, there really hasn't been developed any kind of new and modern "mythology," at least not the kind not associated with extremist groups like Greenpeace and what not. Environmentalism, globalism, or even a loathing for Wal-mart has become a religion for a great many people. But I call that crank religion just as I would call whatever al Qadea believes a crank religion. If someone wants to make liberalism and Hillary a new religion, then go ahead and knock your socks off. But I'm talking about something a bit broader than all that.

Can we have peace on earth and goodwill toward mankind without getting caught up in a lot of small-minded factional types of things? So far it appears we cannot. And that is one reason that the words "God bless us, every one" still have a ring to them that few other words do, at least to me. They cut through the clutter of so much noise and just seem to say "Be well, my fellow traveler on this earth. No matter where we have been, or where we are going, we are in this together."

Hating George Bush or America just doesn't have the same ring to it. It's not the same uplifting kind of thing that people can rally around, although many do rally around such narrow things.

So indeed, Harv. God bless you too, whatever your religion or lack of religion. And to everyone else as well.

Hey, my long lost brother!

Happy Season's Greetings to you and yours man! Long time no hear! Tired of questing? I picture you look like Gandalf about now, all wizened and wised-up. Me, I'm just wise-assed.

I moved away from the Christmas House neighborhood this summer, I'm in new digs now. Moving up in the world. But I'm sure that house is all lit up, causing accidents as usual.

My new hated thing is the inflatable lawn decorations. The ones with the fans inside. But only because it's either Homer or Snowman, and that's it. I mean, don't get me wrong, I friggin' LOVE the Simpsons... but I'd much rather see a Nativity Scene with more Simpsons characters... that one Homer lawn decoration is getting tired.

I think that's the deal with visual superabundance, after a while it gets dated. If it's got no class, it gets contempt heaped on it, instead of being timeless.

I know what you mean about seeing the single tree with monochrome lights. I swear, I hear the angels sing when I see less-is-more Christmas like that.

I love when a venerable old house, one that's seen the revolutionary war come and go, for example... is done up with simple wreaths in every window. That's another one that just says style to me. I can almost smell the hot mulled cider when I see that.

I got some holly, which I just lay around, decking the halls as it were. It's beatiful stuff, but groovy too, because it's kinda deadly. Sharp, with poison berries. Very festive. But looks great.

I always think of writing a new Christmas story. Trouble is, everything I wanted to say I said in the last one. Maybe I shot my load, who knows.

I have a great true Christmas story, from my travelling/grad school days (around the time of Gulf War I), but it's better when you hear it in person, more of a teller than a reader. But maybe I'll send it to you and see what you think. Most people I tell find it very heartwarming.

Happy Season's Greetings to you and yours man! Long time no hear! Tired of questing? I picture you look like Gandalf about now, all wizened and wised-up. Me, I'm just wise-assed.

Oh, I've always been a wise ass. I wouldn't pretend to be anything more. And Season's Greetings to you as well, thalo.

Yes. A quest. And when we think of quests we usually think of people returning with a peace of hard-fought hardware carried back from some distant land. A Holy Grail. A glittering piece of silver or gold to add to our collection. But I'm sure I profit instead from what I leave behind. Less is more. It's not just for interfaces.

I'm in new digs now. Moving up in the world.

I'm glad to hear that you're moving up in the world. Business must be good. Other things must be good as well.

I love when a venerable old house, one that's seen the revolutionary war come and go, for example... is done up with simple wreaths in every window. That's another one that just says style to me. I can almost smell the hot mulled cider when I see that.

Yes, I think I know exactly what you mean. I'm constantly amazed by the sense of style that so many people have. They may not have gone to art school, but some people just have that classy decorating touch. I don't know where they get it.

I got some holly, which I just lay around, decking the halls as it were. It's beatiful stuff, but groovy too, because it's kinda deadly. Sharp, with poison berries. Very festive. But looks great.

Yeah, that holly is sharp. I cut down a holly three this summer. It was overgrown for where it was. And that stuff is indeed beautiful. I'm not sure what, if anything, special I will do this holiday season. I feel a writing spurt coming on which perhaps is why I am here. Who knows where this will lead. I hope I am at least interesting to read.

I always think of writing a new Christmas story. Trouble is, everything I wanted to say I said in the last one. Maybe I shot my load, who knows.

I think it would be cool to just start a mini-essay thread. Have people just write their thoughts, stories, or impressions of little things that they see, think, or hear during the holiday season. It would be a little writer's workshop. But I understand that a lot of people think that they have to be Shakespeare before they write something. They think it has to be perfect and highfalutin'-sounding. That is completely opposite to the truth. I struggled for years trying to write until I learned that you just had to write whatever came to you. Trying to sound smart, cultured, cool, hip, or whatever just doesn't work. The greatest writing in the world is simple. Doesn't matter whether we're talking Hawthorne or Harry Potter. An analogy would be a good painter. He or she doesn't travel the world looking for the most exotic and never-before-seen pigments and paints. He or she will likely use a very basic and simple palette of colors. But from these basics come almost an infinite variety of shades. It's the same with words. Big words almost always kill good writing. One doesn't need a large vocabulary. Spelling hardly matters. But paint the details. It is the ideas and the authentic details, not the styling, that always makes for interesting writing. This is where simple really does make for the most compelling reading. If one takes just a bit of time to open their eyes to the usually glossed-over details of life, there is magic and charm in the most mundane things. And learning to paint the details that we often never bring to our conscious mind can be a lot of fun.

I have a great true Christmas story, from my travelling/grad school days (around the time of Gulf War I), but it's better when you hear it in person, more of a teller than a reader. But maybe I'll send it to you and see what you think. Most people I tell find it very heartwarming.

I'd love to hear that story.

Oh man, did you save any of the knotty sticks from the holly tree you cut? It makes such great handles for things, could be worth some money... Please tell me you have a stack of it out back seasoning, and you didn't throw it in the chipper. One of my favorite woods to work with. I'd give my right nut for tapered pieces, maybe inch-and-a-half, 2" in diameter at the bottom, 2-4 feet long, with lots of nubs coming off of them.

I love when the Christmas spirit is infectious and kind of catches fire during the season. We recently had some snow, and my neighbor woke up early and brushed his car off, then did mine too. I went out there, and it was all done. Just a little act of kindness that made my day. And stuff like that, er, snowballs, because then I had to bake him some cookies. And I started looking for little opportunities like that to do things for people. That's what it's all about.

It's all been thrown onto a big compost pile. But the wood could be retrieved easily enough. I didn't chip it or anything. You're welcome to it. I can send you a sample. The stump was about 6 inches in diameter. And from that grew typical long holly branches. Probably some of the stuff you're looking for. I had no idea that stuff was valuable.

I love when the Christmas spirit is infectious and kind of catches fire during the season. We recently had some snow, and my neighbor woke up early and brushed his car off, then did mine too. I went out there, and it was all done. Just a little act of kindness that made my day. And stuff like that, er, snowballs, because then I had to bake him some cookies. And I started looking for little opportunities like that to do things for people. That's what it's all about.

Yep. That sounds like the Christmas spirit personified. We also recently had some snow here. And when it snows everyone tends to slow down a little and look out for the other guy. People are a bit more patient. Snow doesn't stay around very long normally so I'm sure after a week or so that things would return to normal. In fact, it started to rain after a couple days and I found that the guy next to me had parked a little too close so I pulled out my switchblade and punctured all four of his tires.

LOL. Just kidding. But the truth is that it's difficult to keep the Christmas spirit all year long. Heck, sometimes it's quite difficult to even catch it in the first place. I'm still working on it. Hearing your story helps just a little bit, although I now feel a bit like the Adolph Eichmann of holly trees.

quote:

But the truth is that it's difficult to keep the Christmas spirit all year long. Heck, sometimes it's quite difficult to even catch it in the first place. I'm still working on it. Hearing your story helps just a little bit, although I now feel a bit like the Adolph Eichmann of holly trees.

I love Christmas time. I AM one of those dudes who decks out the house in lights. I go all OSX on the Christmas spirit with visual superabundance galore...except for the tree. I'm with thalo and Brad; I only like a tree with white lights and some elegant ornaments. Deck the halls, hell yeah! But keep the tree like a delicate icicle.

I used to be a real tree advocate, but I broke down a few years ago and bought a very realistic fake tree. I miss the pine smell and the hunt for the perfect tree, but I love the fact that I can have the tree up from Thanksgiving through the end of January with no worries. It's nice to keep the Christmas spirit for as long as possible. And, I must admit, I put the thing up in June last year just to get the warm cozy yule tidings! Nothing like a surprise Christmas attack when you least expect it.

I do see way more Christmas spirit this year. My drive home from work is very delightful. Every night I see another house Santa threw up on, and I have to giggle like a little kid.

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Snow doesn't stay around very long normally so I'm sure after a week or so that things would return to normal. In fact, it started to rain after a couple days and I found that the guy next to me had parked a little too close so I pulled out my switchblade and punctured all four of his tires.

Bwahahahaha... That reminds me, I want a switchblade for Christmas. I've always thought they were such a great, handy design idea. Not just as a weapon, but simply as a tool. Great interface. One button, which as you know I'm very fond of. Unfortunately they're illegal in my state. Funny how something that's basically a smart, intuitive, less-is-more tool... something that makes life easier, just by making your pocket knife quick to open, is against the law. I find that the most ridiculous, irritating thing. Charging good tools with a criminal aspect and symbology, when non-criminals would benefit just as much from the technology. Absolutely everyone should be able to carry a switchblade. Imagine small ones just for opening your fedex packages. I'd love that.

Oh baby, yeah, if you wouldn't mind putting aside some holly sticks for me. Seasoned is great, but not rotten/composted. If they've gotten damp and started to decompose, they're too far gone. If they still feel dense and tough, they're still good. They just need to dry out.

If there's anything walking-staff size (from the ground to about your face), or shorter, fairly straight, tapered... 2" diameter or thinner at the butt, lots of offshoots... maybe you could put a couple... or a small bundle in the garage or something for me, out of the direct rain. The more nubs coming off the stick, the better. cut off the twigs but not totally flush with the branch, leave a little nub showing. Eventually those nubs get smoothed down and left on as kind of a natural and beautiful irregular gripping surface. Holly was the traditional handle material for driving whips, for horse and carriage, SLEIGHS... before the automobile.

I'll make it worth your while. I'll make something special for you out of the holly from your tree.

Have you guys seen the new LED christmas lights? I think those are spectacular, and the bulbs never burn out, don't get hot... you can cover a tree with a jillion lights for the same power as the old big super-hot fire-hazard bulbs that we had when I was a kid. Something about more, smaller lights is so beautiful.

I did multi-colored lights this year, as kind of a nostalgia thing. Used a lot of small dark red velveteen bows to kind of hold the design together. Rigged up a victorian-looking angel at the top with a star halo, backlit. Ironically, Mr. Designer here has the most ragtag mismatched assortment of ornaments. Part of me wants to chuck 'em all and go Martha Stewart on my trees from now on... really design them with a unified theme. Go more "Less is More" on them. Trouble is, that sometimes ends up looking department store to me. But I think I will go back to all one-color lights, but LEDs next year.

Darr, I understand about the tree. I think more and more people are getting artificial trees. It's a lot more convenient and they look pretty good these days. They're much more realistic. Perhaps that's analogous to fireplace inserts. Some of those things look very realistic and as an old chopper who's cut and stacked his share of firewood, I think they're a great idea. Something like a gas fireplace insert pollutes hardly at all and I would guess it can be used even on those smog-alert days when regular wood-burning is prohibited.

That's the first I've heard of LED tree lights. And if they don't produce heat, you're probably right that you can cover the tree with a jillion of them. They had a recent Mythbusters episode where that tried to see if they could cause a fire from putting on a jillion lights. I missed the very end of that segment, but it was almost impossible to start a fire just with a superabundant amount of lights. But I'm sure they probably eventually got a tree to be set ablaze.

Thalo, I took a quick look this morning at the compost pile where I had thrown the holly. When it stops raining I'm going to dig around a bit more in the pile. I can see some of the holly branches sticking out below from underneath a couple feet of blackberry branches. I'll see if anything looks suitable as you had described it and will let you know. That's a very interesting history of the use of holly. I figured it was only used for decoration.

May the gravy and mashed potatoes be plentiful and the turkey and stuffing runeth over for everyone.

Have a safe holiday weekend.

For those on the other side of the pond I highly recommend cooking a turkey with stuffing this Thursday. It is the tops with gravy and mashed potatoes of course.

I stopped into Circuit City this morning around 8:30 just to see what was going on. The hording was already in full swing. The store was absolutely packed. I used to enjoy Christmas shopping, but as some point I must have had a traumatic experience of which I am unaware because now I definitely do not like to horde with the herd. Some malls are starting to open at 12:00 midnight on Thursday. Actually, a little midnight shopping sounds much more appealing. I like to be up at that hour.

Happy New Year Broeders and Zusters.

May the coming year be plentiful.

I plan to go out drinking and drivin' with a blood alcohol level higher than the current unemployment rate while, mind you, text messaging to my friends "Happy New Year" at the appropriate moment.

Happy New Year everybody! from me and Zuster Petra.

Yesterday evening it started snowing, and this morning all is white. All the weather guys predict severe cold for the coming 2 weeks, a big freeze with temperatures below freezing night AND day--which is rather unusual. I love it.