Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Michigan is a great lesson for Dems everywhere: when you have power…use it!

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

I would gladly pay you tuesday for a hamburger today.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

This really is a full service blog.

It’s a good piece. click on over. but then come back!!

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

Relentless negativity is not a sign that you are more realistic.

Innocent people do not delay justice.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

I might just take the rest of the day off and do even more nothing than usual.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Christmas Eve Open Thread

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120Comments

  2. 2.

    mr. whipple

    Getting ready or dinner. Some nice filets, asparagus, baked taters, stuffed mushrooms, vino and cheesecake.

  3. 3.

    Barb (formerly Gex)

    I showed my face this Christmas by going outside to shovel my driveway. While out there I was privileged to hear the radio coming from one of my neighbors’ garages. It was the local Christian station, raging about how HOMOSEXUALS are trying to destroy the country.

    It. Just. Never. Fucking. Ends.

  5. 5.

    abo gato

    I just had a shot of Pappy Van Winkle to celebrate. Our grandson (I really cannot believe I just wrote that) came to visit all day today. Our first time to babysit. He cried for his mom the first hour, fell asleep and then enjoyed playing with our two JRTs the rest of the afternoon. He is a very happy and healthy child. Turned one a month ago. Long story about how we have a grandchild now, suffice it to say we were not all pleased about it, but are trying to embrace the concept. Our son is the dad and he did not find out that he was the dad till the baby was 7 months old. He moved to Austin to go to school this past summer and our nest is empty. Feels really weird.

    But not as weird as suddenly being a grandparent……

    I’m just sayin……

  6. 6.

    debit

    Just had dinner with my parents here. Tomorrow I’m cooking again for my kids and daughter in law. I don’t know who decided I get to cook two holiday meals in a row, but it wasn’t too bad. And my mom got her cat fix. They were all on her lap at some point.

  7. 7.

    Violet

    Finally decorating the tree! Yay! Also, hand washing the fine china for use tomorrow. Steak and baked potatoes for dinner tonight. Trying to dodge the thunderstorms while using the grill.

  9. 9.

    cathyx

    We have a tradition of having lobster. It’s the only day of the year that I eat it. Too expensive otherwise.

  10. 10.

    JimK

    I really love Sirius Radio, its worth the money. I bought a “Lifetime” membership 8 years ago. Best money I ever spent.
    All the “Old” tunes, if you want.

  11. 11.

    Comrade Mary

    I’m off to my sister’s place tomorrow (I’m bringing the toutière). Tonight I’m cleaning a bit and fiddling with bikes a bit. It was nice to go for a ride on my hybrid rather than the mountain bike with studded tires today: I could actually get back to something approximating my summer speed.

  12. 12.

    R-Jud

    15 minutes into Christmas Day here. I’m downstairs wrapping seekrit preznets for Mr. Jud. Also, he is snoring like Satan’s drainpipe, so I’m probably gonna sleep down here, too.

  14. 14.

    Shadow's Mom

    First off, tried to complete my Salesforce developer maintenance exam but for some reason the test site is asking me for $100 first. It’s supposed to be free. Now I’ll have to wait for Monday to get Salesforce to sort it out.

    After giving up that bit of productive effort, I have done laundry, put tomorrow’s beef roast into marinade, arranged for my sister to get two months of Bikram yoga for free (she’s expecting 1), and made crumpets.

    Now, sitting here with the dog behind me on the chair thinking about getting away from the keyboard and going for a walk with him. I may put his antlers back on him because he is just too cute.

    Overall, it’s been relaxing and pleasant today.

    Happy Christmas to everyone.

  15. 15.

    forked tongue

    I love the Christmas Cats thread because it keeps me in mind of why we humans bond so furiously with our pets. I’m spending Christmas Eve tending to a probably dying cat I’ve loved like mad for 15 years.

    (This isn’t a plea for sympathy, no need to reply, I’m just glad to have a place to express the poignance. Don’t respond to me, just give your pets a happy holiday.)

  16. 16.

    CynDee

    Hello to everyone; wishing you all the best.

    Happy to be warm, cozy, and fed, and know my family are all in good places, too.

    Spending Christmas with a fine black lab who sort of belongs to the neighbors but keeps showing up at our house more and more.

    He is a very sweet animal and loves to be a buddy and be petted and talked to. He’s napping at my feet. It’s an honor to be liked by such a creature.

  17. 17.

    Ross Hershberger

    Snacking, tinkering with wristwatch movements, researching depletion mode field effect transistor circuits, clearing stuff out of the ballroom, ordering schematics, cooking dinner for the box turtle.
    You know, the usual weekend stuff.

  22. 22.

    dr. bloor

    Watching a tsunami of commercials with little bits of “White Christmas” sprinkled in on AMC.

  23. 23.

    BGinCHI

    In Seattle at bro and sister-in-laws with 5 (yes, 5) bengal cats, two birds, and a pantry full of booze.

    Raining but at least it’s not freezing out.

    Wishing the whole lot of you jackals a great holiday.

    It would be nice if our Jewish friends would tell us what kind of Chinese food they’re having this year and what movie(s) they’re seeing tomorrow.

  25. 25.

    Mark S.

    My girlfriend wants to go to Midnight Mass. I’m hoping she decides against it. Maybe I should try booze.

  28. 28.

    Ross Hershberger

    @Linda Featheringill:

    clearing stuff out of the ballroom,

    It’s been so cluttered in there for so long she doesn’t even look. When it’s finally cleaned out (not that I’m promising anything) I’ll have to take pictures and email them to her or she won’t know. It’s basically my hangout now, my fault and my clutter.

  29. 29.

    Yutsano

    Tonight: spaghetti. Tomorrow: enchiladas. You develop odd food traditions around this time of year coming from a religiously mixed household.

  30. 30.

    Ross Hershberger

    @kdaug:

    Just spinning up the FTL and looking for suitable jump coordinates.

    That’s funny. I was just thinking about (modern) BSG, which has been off for a few years now. Though I stopped watching TV in the ’70s I have seen every BSG episode. I recall it as an almost unrelievedly grim show. I can think of any number of desperately tragic things that happen, but almost no comedy or even much black humor. It was pretty fantastic, though.

  31. 31.

    Left Coast Tom

    Today, skiing. Tomorrow: skiing. Oh, and 10 year old wine tonight, 13 year old wine tomorrow.

  32. 32.

    The Dangerman

    Homemade tamales (made prior to any alcohol).

    Wrapped presents (prior to any alcohol).

    Checked on all important “To Do’s” (again, prior to any alcohol).

    Seems only 1 thing left for the evening.

  33. 33.

    BGinCHI

    @Ross Hershberger: STudent of mine just wrote a great Honors Thesis on BSG and Dante. Really terrific stuff.

    BSG a very cool show. Though I really find myself missing the Star Trek Next Gen episodes that featured the holodeck (and Data doing anything there).

    TV needs a good new sci fi show.

  34. 34.

    Ellie

    Potstickers and lots of wine for us tonight. Tracking Santa on NORAD/Google Earth and trying to fend off MIL’s attempts to turn on CNN. Happy hollandaise, y’all.

  35. 35.

    Gordon, The Big Express Engine

    I’ve been to prison once. I’ve been married twice. I was once drafted by Lyndon Johnson and had to live in shit-ass Mexico for two and a half years for no reason. I’ve had my eye socket punched in, a kidney taken out, and I got a bone chip in my ankle that’s never gonna heal. I’ve seen some pretty shitty situations in my life. But nothing has ever sucked more ass than this. If I’d known I was gonna have to put up with screaming brats pissing on my lap for thirty days out of the year, I would have killed myself a long time ago. Come to think of it, I still might.

    Where I come from, we didn’t celebrate Christmas. Not because we were Jewish, but because my dad was a worthless-coward fucking asshole whose idea of was a daily punch to the back of the head. He did teach me how to crack a safe, though. My dad never did shit with his life, so he took it out on me. You could say I’m no different. I’d have to say you were right. But at this point, it’s too late to start over. Funny how things work out. It’s fucking hilarious.

  36. 36.

    Quaker in a Basement

    Fried oysters?

    For as long as I can remember, that has been part of my family’s Christmas tradition. We usually have them on Christmas morning.

    Most people I tell about this custom think it’s strange. You’re the first person I’ve come across who shares it.

  37. 37.

    Mike E

    Dry marinating a turkey for tomorrow’s feast. Watching the GOP platform “Oliver Twist” with the fab Miss E and her mom.

  38. 38.

    South of I-10

    Happy Holidays, y’all! We are cooking steaks and veggies on the grill along with some stuffed potatoes in the oven. Wine for Mr. South and me, chocolate milk for Little South. Little South and I just made some reindeer food which will be sprinkled outside before bedtime. Hope you are having fun, wherever you are.

  39. 39.

    Ailuridae

    As people have brought up BSG here I was thinking about diving in despite my aversion to space travel sci fi. Turns out that Netflix has all the episodes but not the miniseries that started it. That’s irritating.

    @BGinCHI:

    Sorry I missed you @ the Clippers earlier this month. We’ll have to reschedule.

  40. 40.

    John O

    Got the gifts wrapped, getting ready for the big binge which is tomorrow for me. Double header.

    Trying to stay out of the cake that’s tomorrow’s. Cranking tunes, some of them Christmasy. But this second, “Private Idaho,” which is the GOP worldview set to music.

  41. 41.

    Gravenstone

    Drinking semi-heavily and debating whether I want to spend the extended weekend in a pickled state or if I should opt for intervals of sobriety so as to occasionally do something “useful”.

    Fuck it, I can steer a mouse whilst soused and my paladin won’t care overmuch how many times I kill his virtual ass en route to 85 (83.45 atm). Figure the Maker’s Mark and JB Black will hold out through the weekend, especially with Everclear to supplement.

    Happy holidays, y’all.

  42. 42.

    Steeplejack

    Escaped from holiday retail hell at the Big Box Bookstore at 3:15 relatively unscathed, i.e., no assault charges lodged (for or against). Went around to the grocery store to pick up a few things for my three-day weekend, then went across the parking lot to the fakey faux pub for a restorative meal. Had a bacon cheddar burger with onion rings, along with not one but two glasses of [Fakey Faux Pub] 60 Minute IPA. Sat there for a long time, just resting, enjoying the early sundown through the windows and the feeling of being private in a public place, and read a bit of my current book (Rennie Airth’s The Dead of Winter). Stirred myself a little before 5:00 and clumped on home, arriving at the man-cave about 5:20. Tired but happy. I discovered that Miyazaki’s Spirited Away was on IFC and watched that for a bit, then put it on pause so I could skip to the train trip sequence and enjoy it uninterrupted by commercials. It always brings a tear to my eye. Don’t know why. I would love to have a print of the house at 2:00 in this clip. Guess I could do it with some screen-capture-fu. But I digress.

    No big plans for the holiday. My brother (only relative in town) is in London for a week, so I’m going to lie low and enjoy cooking and eating some good food. A while ago I opened a bottle of champagne that had been chilling in the freezer and poured myself a cold glass. Mmm . . . So glad to be home and off work.

    Merry Christmas to all you Juicers!

  43. 43.

    Ross Hershberger

    @BGinCHI:

    TV needs a good new sci fi show.

    As a non-consumer of broadcast video I have no opinion on this. I have liked the Joss stuff we’ve gotten on DVD. Dollhouse had lots of potential but tragically met the fate of most things Joss: premature death.

    Two of my favorite films are Sci Fi: Metropolis and Blade Runner. I used to read tons of it, but now just Stephenson and Gibson. To me, most of what passes for sci fi on video and film has gotten 5X more violent in the last 20 years and I don’t like it. Transformers; what was that, an Army recruiting film?

  44. 44.

    Lysana

    Experimenting with cooking salmon and bacon in the same pan. The experiment is that it’s a lot of bacon. As in the entire package. But the salmon is going to be GLORIOUS when it’s done, you know that’s a fact.

    Later, it’ll be Toy Story 3 thanks to cheap rental deal via Amazon and puttering around a virtual world or two. My Second Life is now supplemented by InWorldz, which is far rougher than SL in its tech but shows promise once they get the last necessary bits in. Like a physics engine.

  47. 47.

    Trinity

    In Michigan with my people. Fed, drinking, and anticipating a ruthless game of scrabble soon.

    God bless family…and beer.

    Happy Birthday Jeebus!!

  50. 50.

    frosty

    What am I up to? Listening to new Christmas CDs (Pink Martini, Jerry Douglas and Chris Isaac), wasting time on blogs, and thinking about getting myself a bourbon on the rocks.

    Work has been crazy all year, but I blew off going in on the holiday, finished shopping and wrapping presents. Kids are home, life is good … at least until I balance the checkbook later this weekend.

  51. 51.

    Dennis SGMM

    @Ross Hershberger:

    I used to read tons of it, but now just Stephenson and Gibson.

    Have you picked up Stepehnson’s latest? The title is Anathem. Highly, highly recommended.

  56. 56.

    Kristine

    Roast chicken for dinner. Watching the Alastair Sim version of A Christmas Carol. Dogs are sleeping off a day playing in the snow. King has taken over the couch, and is snoring away. I have officially lost control in my own house.

    Hope everyone is having a good weekend, holiday or not.

  58. 58.

    Gina

    Just made some clam chowda, enjoying a giant Fiesta mug/cup of it now. Baked the cranberry bars, marinating the shrimp for tonite. I think tomorrow is Chinese for us, there’s a great Hong Kong import up in Albany that’s worth a trip. The dogs are snoozing, they got their toys early to keep them occupied while I tried to get cooking and cleaning done. The kids feel cheated, but will recover tomorrow I’m sure.

  61. 61.

    AliceBlue

    We had one of my favorite meals–pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions. Dessert? A bowl of Harry and David’s “Moose Munch” while watching The Bishop’s Wife (not the Whitney Houston version). Dog and cats are snoozing.

    Off to my mom’s house in northwest Georgia tomorrow morning. A very rare white Christmas is predicted.

    Merry Christmas to all the Juicers who celebrate it!

  63. 63.

    mr. whipple

    Just made some clam chowda, enjoying a giant Fiesta mug/cup of it now.

    Got my wife a bunch of Fiesta for Xmas to add to our collection.

  64. 64.

    Fax Paladin

    Waiting on page proofs for the newspaper’s early Christmas run. With luck, I’ll get to go home in just a bit.

    Tomorrow’s regular evening hours, and likewise next week (including New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day), so the trip home to visit family has to wait until early January.

    Meanwhile, I’ll celebrate with my cats.

  67. 67.

    Jewish Steel

    I’ve had just about of enough you coastal elites and your War on My Birthday. Which is today.

    Let’s keep it holy, K?

  68. 68.

    Ailuridae

    I just pulled my annual Xmas eve lasagna out of the fridge.

    Sumttynose just entered the Chicago market and I am having one of their fantastic IPAs right now and watching some of the Avenger’s EMH episodes I missed and talking on IM to my two nephews. Life is good here.

    I hope the holidays are treatin you all well.

  69. 69.

    Southern Beale

    We just finished Christmas Eve dinner: standing rib roast, French green beans almandine, baked potatoes all washed down with a lovely Bordeaux, and for desert homemade peach pie topped with vanilla ice cream, washed down with a lovely sauterne. Because wine makes the meal.

    Hubs washed the dishes while I walked the dogs, and now we’re wrapping Christmas presents for tomorrow. Typical Christmas Eve at our house! (Well, we used to go to church but we don’t do that anymore….)

  72. 72.

    Gina

    Here’s my favorite local Christmas story. Phoebe, a pitbull that was recently abandoned by crappy owners and rescued by Rottie Empire Rescue here in Troy NY, helped rescue a kitten that was boxed up and thrown out with the trash yesterday morning. Kitty is doing fine, and the Troy police are saying they’ll do a whole CSI: Capital Region to find the perp who was such a d-bag. WIN!

  75. 75.

    Gina

    @mr. whipple: Whoa! I just have the newer stuff. In fact, I have to get rid of some excess since I recently cut down on cabinet space – I never seem to use the regular teacups and saucers, and since getting the Brobdingnagian cups, don’t find we use the regular bowls much either. Plus, I want more giant cups, they’re way too fun.

  76. 76.

    YellowJournalism

    Not going to get a chance to do this tomorrow, so….

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Juicers!

  77. 77.

    mr. whipple

    @Gina: Know the feeling. Never enough space. Tonight I pulled out some compotes to put nuts and chocolate in and hoping the cats don’t knock them over. LOL.

  78. 78.

    Jewish Steel

    @South of I-10: @Southern Beale:

    Growing up in the frozen north, I drove a succession of jalopies that were always on the verge of murdering me. One lousy car after another.

    In December the cold weather would hit, my car would die, I’d get all my birthday and xmas (my family is more Episcopal than Jewish, really) money at once from my generous family, roll it all into my 78 Arrow or 79 Pinto and break even.

    From this I learned a great lesson: It’s good to break even.

  80. 80.

    daryljfontaine

    @Gordon, The Big Express Engine: I thought I recognized that monologue.

    For some reason I am watching post-apocalypse movies On Demand; The Book of Eli followed by The Road. I get the feeling I really should have done them in the other order.

    Second Christmas since amicably separating from my wife, and I guess this year I don’t get the invite to spend time with her and the in-laws (with whom I got along pretty well even after the split). So tomorrow I plan on hanging out with my Jewish and otherwise unattached friends to see True Grit.

    D

  82. 82.

    Gordon, The Big Express Engine

    @daryljfontaine: Thanks for the link. I couldn’t tell if a couple of commenters were above were serious and hadn’t picked that up. We watch Bad Santa every year and get a big laugh.

    I made that my facebook status update and got a lot of laughs. I am a lot younger Billy Bob, so no one thought it was real.

    Merry Christmas everyone! Just chillin’ with my wife and three kiddos in temperate (and rainy) Houston.

  85. 85.

    Ross Hershberger

    @Dennis SGMM:

    Have you picked up Stepehnson’s latest? The title is Anathem. Highly, highly recommended.

    Finished reading it 4 days after release date. I was very disappointed. It felt like it was trying to be 3 different books: speculative fiction, Young Adult adventure story and space opera. Didn’t hang together for me. The Baroque Cycle and Crypto are pinnacles of the art form to me, and Anathem was sort of a valley. I hope for better from his next one.

  88. 88.

    South of I-10

    @Jewish Steel: You just reminded me of my first vehicle, which was a 1980 Plymouth Trailduster. I could pack a whole lot of teenagers in that vehicle.

    @daryljfontaine: Well shit, I’ve never seen Bad Santa. Alright Gordon, piss off. I watched the Book of Eli a couple of nights ago, it was okay. How is The Road?

  89. 89.

    daryljfontaine

    @South of I-10: Bleak. It’s currently paused because I got the phone call in the middle to finalize plans tomorrow. I get the feeling it won’t get better than bleak, which is why I think I should’ve watched it first.

    The Road is definitely the better-crafted movie, but at least Eli had a bit of an uplift at the end.

    D

  92. 92.

    Jewish Steel

    @BGinCHI:

    I may have to re-watch Valhalla Rising on netflix again. I liked it that much.

    Last night I watched Star Trek IV, which I had never seen before. All the heavy handed proselytizing on behalf of the secular humanist brotherhood of man. Such hokey bullshit! I can never get enough.

  93. 93.

    junebug

    @South of I-10:

    Not that you asked me, but The Road matched up well to the book. I was really excited when it was announced and it delivered — in a very small theater known for showing low budget films. It’s worth the watch, but if you haven’t read the book, it may fail you.

    Speaking of fail, my refrigerator died while holding the xmas turkey. It is now revived, but the power went out briefly and I had to wait a bit for the thing to turn back on. I followed a very fuzzy online recipe for this turkey, so I’m not hoping for anything spectacular, just so long as I don’t poison my family tomorrow.

  95. 95.

    Ailuridae

    @Gina:

    Small world. My Dad’s family is from Lansinburgh – he’s actually at my Aunt’s house which if I remember correctly is at 111th and 6th.

  98. 98.

    Ross Hershberger

    @MikeJ:

    Really? I hate Baroque and liked Anathem. I do see what you mean about it seeming like several different books, but I liked it anyway.

    Well, these books are rather polarizing. I love Gravity’s Rainbow but hated Against the Day. Love Slaughterhouse Five but hate Catch 22. Love Bradbury but don’t like Asimov. Loved Infinite Jest but can’t get into DeLillo.
    I’ll bet teenagers don’t have these problems with their sexxy vampire books.

  99. 99.

    Dennis SGMM

    @Ross Hershberger:
    LOL. I couldn’t appreciate Cryptonomicon, I thought that Baroque was amazing. I prefer V, Gravity’s Rainbow and Mason & Dixon to any of Pynchon’s other work. I couldn’t finish Against the Day.

    As far as speculative fiction, I’m very much enjoying China Mieville’s books. The City and the City is an amazing take on the police procedural and The Scar is just astonishing.

  100. 100.

    Ross Hershberger

    I read so much technical stuff that I have to make time for fiction that I love. I usually crack a new book every Janyary to stay sane through MI winters. I think it will be the new William Gibson book Zero History. I loved his last one.

    I wonder how many people finished Pynchon’s Against the Day. I couldn’t and I’m a fan. Just flat out unable to follow it.

    The shaggy dog detective story after that was a hoot though. Uh… Inherent Vice. Very funny. And of course paranoid.

  101. 101.

    Jay C

    Spending the evening wasting time idling following Balloon Juice; did my bank run earlier (to cash up for seasonal staff tips – Ahhh, life in the Big City); marketing for the family’s annual Jewish Christmas Party – we figured several years ago that since everyone is off on Xmas Day, we might as well get the family together in the City (since we, then, don’t have to travel!)

    Hopefully, we will get time to screen our Holiday Movie: Bell, Book and Candle; if for no other reason, to remind the kin why our smaller cat came to be named “Pyewacket”.

    Have a good one, everybody!

  102. 102.

    valdivia

    late to the thread just wanted to wish our blog overlords and all of you a Merry Christmas. A quiet evening with my parents, just dinner and a movie since we are not celebrating the birth of baby jesus. But we wish everyone who is a merry merry.

  103. 103.

    Ruckus

    @Gordon, The Big Express Engine:
    It sounded familiar but I didn’t place it. And Bad Santa is one of my favorite movies. Almost total irreverence to a subject that needs it. But then it might just be me. When I saw it in theater when it came out I was laughing at things that no one else in the audience got. And definitely my fav Billy Bob movie.

  106. 106.

    junebug

    Is there a place to play spades online that is not yahoo games?

    I just want to play a few hands of suicide spades and then go to bed. Anyone know of a place like that?

  107. 107.

    Montysano

    Our kids are 22 and 16, raised as DFHs. This year, we all decided to just….. not do it. No lights, no tree, no shopping, no madness, no stress. Just great food, good drink, music, and time to chill out and be together. So far, all agree that it’s a smashing success.

    Miles Davis and Gil Evans…… yum.

    Monty +4

  109. 109.

    Skepticat

    Watching a full moon and a young feral cat here on a tiny island in the Bahamas. Naturally I’ve been putting out food for the stray, and am trying to figure out how I can win its trust without freaking out my own cat. It’s very skittish, though it will eat while I’m standing two feet away–inside–as long as I make no sudden moves.

    I started skipping Christmas years ago, so the fur kid and I are doing nothing out of the ordinary tonight or tomorrow. We do, however, send warm wishes for those who do celebrate the holiday.

    Forked tongue, every day is a holiday for my cat, as it was for my beloved departed ones and as I’m sure it is for your fading feline. You may not want sympathy, but you certainly have our empathy.

  110. 110.

    junebug

    @Skepticat:

    just be patient — it took me a year to get my first feral to beg me for attention and snuggles. I’m working on another feral as we speak — he runs in front of me for his dinner and then I scoop him up and he likes it for a bit and then squirms, but he never ever scratches.

    keep trying!

  112. 112.

    Gina

    @schrodinger’s cat: Yes, Emperor’s on Wolf Road. I’m not sure if they’re even open, but DH suggested it and then I started thinking “mmmmmmm…duuuuuuuck” and decided it was worth a shot.

  113. 113.

    Darkrose

    Happy/Merry Non-Denominational Winter Holiday of Your Choice. And remember: Mithras is the Reason for the Season!

    We’re sitting here with the cats listening to Coke Holiday Radio on Pandora. After midnight, we’ll open the presents, and somewhere in there we’ll shove a couple boxes of appetizers from TJ’s into the oven. No booze will be involved because we’re little old ladies on medication, although I may have a glass of wine with dinner tomorrow. (We have reservations at McCormick & Schmick.)

    And there are cupcakes. So all is well.

  114. 114.

    Glinda

    Wait a minute … that’s not the original version of the video with Kirsty McColl. The original also had Matt Dillon as the cop in the first segment arresting the drunk MacGowan.

    This is a different version and the woman isn’t Kirsty McColl. What version is it? What year is it? And who is the woman?

    This is the original: youtube.com/watch?v=HwHyuraau4Q&feature=related

  115. 115.

    Amir_Khalid

    I’m rereading Harry Potter. Right now, I’m about halfway through Order of The Phoenix. Amazing how little details in the early books assume much greater significance later on. Also amazing is that for “children’s literature”, it’s all about death, about coming to terms with bereavement and one’s own mortality. Voldemort’s greatest weakness, the root of all his evil, and the cause of his failures against Harry, is his own overwhelming fear of death.

  116. 116.

    Anne Laurie

    @Amir_Khalid: __

    Voldemort’s greatest weakness, the root of all his evil, and the cause of his failures against Harry, is his own overwhelming fear of death.

    Seasonal recommendation, since you like HP: Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather. A very wise and funny book, where Death fills in for the Discworld’s version of Santa Claus, because it is necessary to the functioning of the Universe that small children learn to believe whole-heartedly in something larger than themselves…

  117. 117.

    catdevotee

    Went to a small party with friends who are nostalgic for their childhoods in eastern Europe, so we had a lot of interesting dishes. Hubby and I brought lots of wine and my special stuffing, learned at my grandmother’s knee- well, with a few adjustments.

    My son and his sweetie are visiting for a few days, so life is good. They are vegans but we have to make surprisingly few alterations to our usual menus.

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