I want to learn my alphabet in 2008

I am grateful for the abundance in my life. I am very luck to have a big family and a lot of good friends who I can rely on. I am blessed.
My goal in 2008 is an odd one (What else would you expect from me?) I want to become a Type B personality. I have always been a Type A person. Always restless. Always looking to improve. Always talking. And always complaining. I want to become more of a Type B person who will take everything in stride. Enjoy my down time. Take my time with things. And laugh at myself more. And the way I figure it that sure Type A people get more things done, but Type B people live longer!

Like I said, I have abundance and a lot people in this world don’t.

My life is good.

Happy New Year to you all!

- Vince (The Mountain Cat).

Happy New Year - Reflections and Resolutions

Ok, so another year has come and gone. This year has been particularly good for me personally. My wife and I had our first child a son and even though there were a ton of things I complained about (see this post) nothing really compares to the whole experience of becoming a parent for the first time. My wife Melissa and I have done our best to document each "first" in Patrick's life and will continue to do so in 2008.

So many times in my life on New Years Eve I have found myself toasting with others around midnight and hearing the familiar "Here's to a better year in ___ " Well I think I had a pretty good year this year. I quit smoking back in June (for my health and the health of the baby too) a habit that I have been struggling with for over 10 years and although that was not a resolution Per Se I still consider it an accomplishment. So I guess what I am saying is that not only was 2007 a pretty good year but now here I am staring at 2008 wondering how can I top this year?

What do I want to do better in 2008? I am not usually one to make New Years resolutions but that doesn't mean that they aren't useful. Off the top of my head (other than wanting to exercise more to lose the weight I put on when I quit smoking) most of the resolutions I would have probably involve my family. I want my wife and I to be there for my son's first steps (he can almost already walk - just doesn't have the balance yet). I want to make a trip to Florida this spring to see some good friends and get a chance to see one of my best friends' father whose cancer has returned again and it's not operable. I want to be able to relax and leave work at work and have home time to be with my family more in 2008. I also want to get more involved with our church and volunteer more time to help out with several things there as well.

Do those count as resolutions? What do you think? What kinds of resolutions or at least things that you want to do in the next year do you have? Give some comments and some feedback and leave your resoultions for making 2008 great...

-Shane (doc)

(One other thing that I hope Vin and I can accomplish with this blog is to start to write out the crazy story which has been our friendship over the past almost 20 years and all the crazy things that have happened to us - Look for those stories to start appearing here in 2008 archieved as "The Misadventures of Doc and the Mt. Cat.")

Norefil

My 58 year old cousin Sal called his doctor recently to order his new heart medication over the phone from his pharmacist.

The following conversation came next:

Sal: 'I need to get more of my medication please.'
Pharmacist: 'Sure Sal. What is the name of the medication'.
Sal: 'Ahh...wait...on the bottle it says...Norefil'.
Pharmacist: '....I don't think we have that medication sir.'
Sal: 'I bought it there before. It says it here on the bottle'.
Pharmacist: 'Sorry sir there is no such thing as Norefil'.
Sal: (agitated) 'That can't be! I was given this medicine before by the other pharmacist in your store. And I have the bottle right in my hand. It says Norefil right there on the
bottle!'.
Pharmacist: 'Sal. I think you are confused. That is not the name.
It just says No Refill. The bottle cannot be refilled sir.'
Sal: '......oh wow. Ok. Sorry'.
Pharmacist: 'I will have to do some research with your old prescription
and get back to you with the proper medication'.
Sal: 'Ah ok. Thank you.'

I can't wait until I turn 58.

- The Mountain Cat

Hello Kitty for Men = Bad idea

Umm let me just go on record as saying this is a bad idea. The article states that Hello Kitty is no sexist and "Young men these days grew up with character goods," said Tohmatsu. "That generation feels no embarrassment about wearing Hello Kitty." So they are going to introduce a Hello Kitty line for men as seen in this picture. Well I beg to differ. I happen to think it's a terrible idea right up there with Michael Dukakis riding around in a tank to show that he was military tough. Teenage boys aren't going to wear that stuff.

I would suggest a better option for young men to enjoy if they like feline mascots.

How about the Carolina Panthers mascot Sir Purr?

By the way, Has anyone noticed how many posts in this blog have something to do with cats? Must be Vin's Mountain Cat influence creeping in *rollseyes*

-Shane (doc)

_______________________

At my office I have a running gag where instead of saying 'Citibank', I say in a cute childlike voice 'Kittybank'.

- The Mountain Cat

The Best Songs of 2007

Well folks I have to say I am getting old and I am no longer into all the hip sounds you young crazy kids are into nowadays. But there were still some tunes that helped me keep jiggy with it in 2007. Here are my favorites:

1. The Pretender by The Foo Fighters.
Not that Kurt Cobain’s suicide was a good thing, but we would never have had to Foo Fighters otherwise. Dave Grohl is the panacea of rock!

2. Straight Lines by Silverchair.
Best song from a band no one has heard from in 10 years. Fantastic lyrics about a fresh start and redemption.

3. Rehab by Amy Winehouse.
Just say No, No, No! Never has a triple negative sounded so soulful! Let’s just hope she cleans herself up and stays alive in 2008!

4. I Don’t Wanna Stop by Ozzy Osborne.
The Grandfather of Metal! The Prince of Darkness! The Sultan of Slurred Speech! Nah we still love you Ozzy. And you still put out great music as you approach the age of 60. Also in part to your great young guitarist, Jersey City’s own, Zakk Wylde!

5. King Without a Crown by Matisyahu.
For so many years I wished Hasidic Reggae were more popular. Thanks to this kosher rastafarian, my dream has come true. He composed a very strong rock track musically and lyrically.

6. North American Scum by LCD Sound System.
These New York City’s alternative-techno rockers burst on to the scene with the best 3 chord head-bopper of the year. ‘New York’s the greatest if you can get some one to pay the renttttt!’

7. Icky Thump by White Stripes.
Hard to believe two people, Jack and Meg, can produce so much noise and still produce great original music. ‘Well you can’t be a pimp and a prostitute too!’

8. She Builds Quick Machines by Velvet Revolver.
Axel who? Slash you still rock, but please take a shower! You haven’t changed your clothes in 20 years! This is the best driving song of 2007.

9. Dance Tonight by Paul McCartney.
A cute, simple ditty from the holy master himself. (Hey Paul, is it true the mandolin in this song is made from one of Heather Mills’ old wooden prosthetics? Just wondering).

10. It's Not Over by Daughtry.
Power Rock lives! Pure emotion from this North Carolina American Idol. Thanks, dogg.

Hope to keep groovin’ in 2008.

- The Mountain Cat

It's a Tiger and Tigers DON'T PLAY

Ok people listen up. I was saddened to hear about the recent mauling of patrons at the San Fransisco zoo by a 300 pound Siberian tiger named Tatiana but I kept thinking to myself that something is not quite right about this story. My instincts were as usual correct.

Follow along with me here folks. Now first of all the name of this cat alone should have tipped these folks off that she was not to be messed with (my own personal philosophy is never mess with anything whose name sounds like a female Russian spy) I can understand if her name was Snuggles you may think aw how cute but dadgum folks IT'S A TIGER ! Tigers don't play.

So still this is looking like a tragic lost of human life and the hands of a wild beast, but based on the news reports that the tiger habitat had a huge wall as well as a moat and was basically inescapable I still had an uneasy feeling about this one. Then today I read THIS It turns out that they are investigating the guy that was killed may have taunted because "police found a shoe and blood in an area between the gate and the edge of the animal's 25- to 30-foot-wide moat, raising the possibility that one of the victims dangled a leg or other body part over the edge of the moat."

This little bit of information has changed my outlook on this situation. Yes I still consider it a tragedy however I think the tragedy it that Tatiana is dead. If the "victim" in this case was stupid enough to taunt a 300 pound Siberian tiger then he should not be surprised when Ms. Tatiana takes him up on his offer of a juicy leg and comes after him. You cannot blame the tiger here. It is a shame that others were hurt and that the tiger was killed but dadgum people if there is any lesson here it is this: IT'S A TIGER AND TIGERS DON'T PLAY.

-Shane (doc)

______________________

This story reminds me of an old American proverb:

'So many times, it happens too fast.

You change your passion for glory.

Don't lose your grip (or dangle your leg) on the dreams of the past.

You must fight just to keep them alive

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the cream of the fight, (yada yada yada).'

(Many thanks to Frankie Sullivan & Jim Peterik for letting me paraphrase their lyrics).

- The Mountain Tig...er...Cat

Vince is in Shanghai as we speak this holiday season!

So with my Christmas gift cards, last night I ordered my brand new 160 gig iPod. (MP3s are my sickness). My package is on a truck right now about to be shipped from Shanghai, China. Yippee!

Now this morning at work, as I am trying to lurch through my day recovering from 5 or 6 or 7 whiskey and egg-nogs last night, I just received a FedEx package of mortgage documents from a client in.....you guess it! Shanghai, China!

Now I hope none of the natives Chinese use my name for their own personal business and cause an international incident!

- The Mountain Cat

___________________________________

My understanding is that in China cat is a delicacy - Doc

Santa may have had one to many....

According to THIS ARTICLE someone dressed as Santa may have had a bit too much Christmas cheer. It seems the right merry old elf got himself arrested for DUI wearing a camisole and a g-string outside of Grumman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood - It also says our Jolly ole Kris Kringle was 6 feet 4 inches tall and topped the scales at 280 pounds - Yikes !!

Lets hope it didn't look too much like this:




Let that be a lesson for all of us!

MERRY CHRISTMAS -Shane (doc)

__________________

I think that's John Goodman! - Vince

Trophy Case

Awards and Trophies we have won for our blogging !!

The Comment of the Week from Matt-Man at Bagwine Ruminations


A Coveted Golden Spork from Tink at Pickled Beef





Here is the Peach award I give out for the winner of my Tuesday word games

Here is the Cool and Crazy award from Leighann

Thank you to Single in the City for the Really cool One in a milion Friend award !!!

This is the awesome Blue Ribbon Blogger award given to us by the
Sassy Mama Bear !!





The Kick ASS Blogger award from Sunshine at ...and the pursuit of happiness

Vince's Airing of Grievances

10 people I can do without in 2007 and beyond (In no particular order):

1. New York (Tiffany Pollard) from the VH1 reality show ‘I Love New York’. Just when I thought you could not lower the intelligence scale than Flava Flav’s reality show ‘Flava of Love’, this chick New York lowers the bar even farther below sea level. I have now learned never under estimate the under estimated!

2. Anderson Cooper of ‘Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees’. Why are you popular? Are you gay? Are you not gay? Or more importantly do you have any originality other than about 50 odd other newscasters on your soap boxes???.....Oh yes… you have white hair. I forgot….never mind. Yes in that case you are different. . But let me ax ya? If Anderson Cooper sucks and you spin him around 360 degrees, doesn’t he still suck?

3. Randy & Jason Sklar from ESPN’s ‘Cheap Seats’. Identical musing twins. How adorable. You characters were also the ONLY unfunny moments in the TV show ‘Entourage’ this past season. Your shtick is shtick-less.

4. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Also known as محمود احمدی‌نژاد. You have more meaningless opinions than Curt Schilling and more of an ego than Charles Foster Kane. I don’t know what your ‘Rosebud’ was when you were a boy but seriously dude, relax and try hugging a Jew…or at the very least a gay man. You will fell better in the long run.

5. Jimmy Kimmel, late night TV host. Uh huh…ok…....hey Jimmy? …I’m waiting for you to say something remotely funny!…….Yup I guess your girlfriend Sara Silverman wears the pants in this relationship! She is at least mildly amusing when she has sex with Black God.

6. Bob Saget, reformed role model father. Bob your anti-Full House persona was funny for about 3 jokes. Seriously dude cut it out. Stop saying the word fuck for the sake of saying the word fuck. You are a nice guy. Just deal with it! And you have suddenly given Stamos and Coulier some street cred. Yikes!

7. Led Zeppelin, rock god. Yes I said Led Zeppelin! Hey fellas please go on tour or don’t go on tour. Stop keeping us on the fence! Otherwise, put silver haired Jimmy Page and his Cello bow back in his sarcophagus. It hurts to toy with my emotions.

8. Sub-Prime Mortgage Reps. R.I.P. my friends. I’m sure you can get jobs in Gaffney, South Carolina selling 135% above value loans to the locals. Best of luck.

9. McDreamy, also known at Patrick Dempsey of the TV hit drama ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. I am happy you are a sex symbol. But where were these so called ‘fans’ when you starred in the ’80 TV hit ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High: The Series’? Have some standards dude!

10. Al Gore, World Activist. I think Al Gore is the first person ever to win a Nobel Peace Prize by simply uttering the words: ‘Hey, we are really fucked!’ Congratulation Al! And please say hi to Tipper for me too.

- The Mountain Cat

The Airing of Grievances (Doc's)

Ok, in the great tradition of Seinfeld Vin and I celebrate Festivus (here is a link for those not familiar) each year. Vin has a party complete with a pole and we go through all the holiday essentials. Here we will share one of these with you. It's called the airing of grievances. Here we will list all the things that got under our skin, made us mad, or generally ticked us of this past year:

Shane's Grievances:
(the following ticked me off in 2007)

- Anna Nicole Smith and that stupid Judge in the case over her body Larry Seidlin


- The leading news story on the day my son was born was Paris Hilton being pre-maturely released from jail and then put back in the slammer.


- The worst TV commercial on earth is for a crappy website called salesgenie.com that makes it seem that the only way your daddy will spend time with you and get you a puppy is if you subscribe to their sub par product


- Nobody believed me that Michael Vick was a big ole turd of a human being until this year, and sadly some still don't.


- Why was Rodney King still in the news in 2007?


- It stinks that we all know who Richard Jewell was for the wrong reason when he died earlier this year.

- The following people really annoyed me in 2007: (in no particular order) Rachael Ray, Nancy Grace, Robb Thomas of Matchbox 20, Tom Tancredo, Lindsay Lohan, Both Don Imus and Al Sharpton, Kanye West, Dick Cheney, OJ Simpson, Miss Teen SC USA, Donald Trump, George Bush,Tim Tebow, Rudy Giuliani, Whoever invented Head On, Ann Coulter, Terrell Owens, Al Gore, Fidel Castro, Sanjaya Malakar, Mike Nifong, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Bill O'Reily, Karl Rove, Rosie O'Donnell, Larry King, Ellen DeGeneres and that stupid dog named Iggy

- Even though I am sure it's good for the environment I am sick and tired of hearing about "Going Green"

- Wal - Mart (the closest thing to the Third Reich in America)

- The furnace in our house that was working just fin when we turned it off in April but somehow broke 2 expensive parts during it's period of non-use until November.

- The hype over PS3, Wii, I-Phone, and Halo 3 (BTW- the hype over Harry Potter is worth it)

- Why the heck is Survivor still on the air - No one has watched that show since they were in Australia how many years ago?

- The coverage that the media gives to individuals like the Virginia Tech shooter that encourages other unstable people like the Omaha Mall shooter to do things "to make it big" - Shameful

- MRSA staph infections and lead laced paint in toys from China

- My sports teams: NY Mets managed the biggest end of season collapse in history, The Carolina Panthers season = down the drain when Jake Delhomme had to have Tommy John surgery, Florida State continued to stroll down the avenue called mediocrity, and Jeff Gordon managed to score more points than any driver EVER has in a 36 race season and still get beaten for the championship.... Here's to a better 2008 for all of them.

- Is it just me or is there anyone else out there who wishes that the UF campus police had tasered Andrew Meyer until his hair had fallen out and skin turned black. That dude's 15 minutes should have been up a long time ago.... and now YALE has given him the quote of the year honor.... Yeesh.

- Senator Larry Craig's steadfast admission that he isn't gay... Uh buddy no one really cares if you are or aren't gay (except maybe some homosexuals whose rights you consistently vote against) just stop with the lies about what went on in that bathroom stall. Who the heck uses a nasty airport restroom like that anyway unless its an real emergency and if it's an emergency then who is taking notice of the others in the stalls around them??? No one thats who... By the way, whether you are gay or not if you are peeking into bathroom stalls at an airport you have bigger problems than keeping your senate seat.

- Teenage girls who pronounce words with that valley girl accent... example when they pronounce the word pants like they are saying the word "wants" ie. ponts... ya'll know what I mean.

- Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go. Our kids should not have to learn Spanish to live in our own country and both these cartoons express that opinion... AND I am pretty sure that the monkey boots is actually the same voice as Diego. Frauds I tell you... FRAUDS!

Arm Training on a Train

This morning I learned a very value lesson of how different the New Jersey PATH train is as compared to the New York City MTA subway.

Sometimes to catch a train before it leaves without me, I would throw one of my appendages, usually a leg or an arm, between the doors as they are closing. Now in New York City I have always had no fear placing my leg between the doors in a 'kicking a soccer ball motion'. One hundred percent of the time the doors will open up and I'd be on my way. But this morning I tried the same thing with the New Jersey PATH train for the very first time only to find out I cannot get away what I used to.

So at 8:00 AM today some wimpy lady stood in front of me while the PATH train doors closed in front of her. She made no effort what-so-ever. I quickly reacted to the left of her like Dennis Rodman going for a rebound. I stretched my left arm between the space of the closing doors.

'Ah ha!', I said to myself. 'This Doggone Train Is Mine!'

One problem, though. The frikin’ doors did not open!!

Now the onlookers on the platform next to me were in horror while the onlookers inside the train were pissed off that I am delaying their train ride. So this went on for about 60 seconds. I then realized this train was going to do one of two things: Wait until I pried my arm out of the door OR leave the station with my arm attached to the train. I assumed the PATH train drive would have given me no quarter. So I struggled to get my wing out while not leave a black rubber door stain on my beige coat.

About 2 seconds after I was free, the train left.

Embarrassed as I was, I shrugged it off and walked to the other end of the platform where there was no one who had witnessed my brush with....well death.

So lesson learned. New Jersey can be tougher than New York. Now I have to see if I can get away with the same thing on the New Jersey buses!

TMC

Fred Thompson: I've had my mojo the whole time

Yes friends you know your Presidential campaign is in trouble when you have to resort to sound bites using the word 'mojo'.
(Story: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/19/thompson.tour/index.html).

Now unless he unearths Jim Morrison or dons an Austin Powers retro blue suit, I don't like my politicians using such a parlance of our times.

Then again maybe this is what these pundits need to do to get our short attention spans now a days.

But I tell you what? If Hillary Clinton ever utters the phrase 'That's Hot', I will not be anywhere near any poll booths come two thousand ot eight!! - TMC

Random Thought

Does anyone else out there think that it's a great irony that the Republicans are holding their National convention in 2008 in the same city where Senator Larry Craig got caught in a compromising position in the airport bathroom?

Maybe the GOP should adopt "We have a wide stance" as their 2008 slogan.

;) - Shane

______________________

Yeah it does look like the elpehant will have a 'wide stance' too. - Vince

Question for you....

Am I the only one today who thought "They must be destroying some more incriminating CIA waterboarding tapes over there" when news broke that there was a fire in Dick Cheney's ceremonial office in the White House Executive office building? - Shane

______________

Actually I think his pace-maker over heated and burnt his couch up.

- TMC (The Mountain Cat)

J. L. Spears

I would like to give a warm congratulation to Jamie Lynn Spears for getting knocked up at the worldly age of 16. I would also like to congratulate you on now being the poster child (sic) for all future teen pregnancies in America.

My niece is 16 and you have made my family that much more paranoid.
So if Julie Roberts is 'America's Sweetheart', Jamie Lynn Spears is 'America's Prostitot'. You have made your big sis Britney very very proud. Best of luck to you and the father!


Vince

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My thoughts = Here is my question; She is only 16 so how come the cops aren't going after the 19 year old statuatory rapist boyfriend??

Plus Here is a story that I think is truly hilarious. The mother Lynne Spears was writing a book on parenting that is now "indefinitely on hold" Who in their right mind would ever agree to give Brittney Spears mom money for writing a book on parenting ??


Shane (Doc)

From time to time I love to point out oddities in the news, funny or offbeat news stories or just plain insane things... I came across this news headline today and figured that I would have to share... Classic!

I think that headline writer deserves a raise.


Doc

___________

I think 'Ice Hole' would be a great name for a dive bar in downtown Reykjavík.

The Mountain Cat

Welcome to all

Welcome to Vin and Shane's blog entitled "You just keep on believing that" - Hopefully you will read and enjoy... any feedback would be appreciated.


Vin and Shane
December 19, 2007

Vince's Yule Time Rant '07

Well folks as our holiday season is upon us filled with joy, sentiment and maxed out credit cards, I want to share with you my festive thoughts and feelings as my gift to you with a big fat red bow tied on top.

Yes the Christmas carolers are out and about with jovial voices and runny nosed children chanting holy splendor. But I never get that gushy feeling when a chorus of little pre-teens get together to form a spiritual cluster of octave cheer. It is not the fact that I dislike the tone of 20 odd high pitched little brats singing off key. It is because of how these parents think I am SUPPOSE to feel about them.

‘Oh look, that’s our little Darthaniel singing ‘Oh Come All Yee Faithful’. Isn’t he just so precious and talented?’
‘That’s our wholesome Fawnette; warbling the bars of ‘Silent Night’. Ain’t she just sublime? Didn’t we raise such a swell little girl?’

These parents needs to take the first space shuttle back to the planet earth. Really now folks your offspring are not that special! Yeah yeah they are somewhat cute and I guess they make me all furry inside but he is not Mickey Rooney and your daughter is not Judy Garland…unless she drinks spiked eggnog then maybe she is.

And please do not make it worse by dressing your son for school in a little suit with a five inch snare drum. Your kids version of ‘The Little Boy’ makes me cringe more than when David Bowie teamed up with Bing Crosby. Pa rum pum pum pum THIS!

Look these imps have enough pressure with school work, friends and their Wii’s. So stop getting ideas that they will be on TV as ‘America’s Next Superstar Cherub’. Let your grommets run free and don’t expect them to sing in front of Uncle Bill and Auntie Janis on Christmas day. Believe me they will hate you for it and make you pay when you are old and feeble. Don’t mess up your kids more than you were after your second divorce.

But I digress.

This Christmas time should be a period to bring together our personal finances for the greater good of gift giving. And what symbolizes that Madison Avenue icon of presents more than Santa Claus! With that Little Debbie crumbed beard and the Old Granddad breathe! What better patriotic symbol do we have in our U.S. of A? The fat man of every shopping mall in America. Well I have a message for these Ed Wood quality thespians: Act like Santa Claus and that’s it! Nothing more! Do not stretch the character! You are NOT going to win an Academy Award up there on that plywood & Styrofoam stage.

‘To Ho Ho Ho, or not to Ho Ho Ho? That is the question’. There is no way Santa Claus can pull of Shakespeare!

These children are five and six years old; they are more scared of you than entertained! Stop with the method Santa Claus ok you Robert De Niro wannabes!
Now if you really are an actor and this is the only gig you can get, well then I really think you should start to reconsider another career path.
And if you MUST spruce up your Kriss Kringle do it right. Stop OVERACTING! You are Saint Nicholas, not Saint NICHOLAS CAGE!

I guess I really have to except these faux Santas because they are here to stay. But what really needs to stop are those annoying bastard chipmunks!
Alvin, Simon and who is the other one? I think his name is Road Kill.

Really I am in a Kmart and then I hear piercingly over the load speakers: ‘Chwismus, Chwismus, twime is near, twime fur twoys and twine for chweerrrrrrrr’.
UGH!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!! THE HORROR!!
I suddenly have visions of one of these disease infested forest rats in the torture scene from ‘Reservoir Dogs’!
Can’t you see Mr. Blonde cutting Alvin’s ear off? Now that would be great TV! ‘The Quentin Tarantino Christmas Special’
This will be the darkest Christmas entertainment since ‘The William Shatner Christmas Album’.

But I’m no sadist.

I just think we’ve lost the holiday spirit in a gapping hole of want and need. We are bombarded by commercial ads of useless junk that I’ll forget about come January.
And please ask me what I want for Christmas before you buy me something!

‘Thanks Aunt Ethel! I always wanted an electric hairbrush!’
‘Darling you shouldn’t have! Rambos 1, 2 AND 3. This makes my DVD collection complete!’
‘Grandma. How on earth could you afford to buy me a talking alarm clock on your fixed income?’

Please I’d prefer a Chia Pet and be done with it.

But really for me the best part of the holiday season is snow. I love that white powder. And not because IT IS snow. I love snow because so many people despise snow.
I get a kick out of people who get depressed this time of year because they hate the cold. Well guess what? You live in New York. It is December. It gets cold in New York in December!! Why are you so surprised EVERY year? I know it sucks but you make it worse on yourself by complaining about it. Move to Southern California if 30 degrees is soooo bad. My holiday experience is happier when you are cold and blue. To me this is my kind of jolly cheer. I pray for two feet of snow and 5 degrees Fahrenheit with high winds. It makes me laugh and feel better about myself when you shiver and whine. Keep it up.

So let’s accept the snow and frolic & dance in a white covered Central Park! It should be a happy time! No matter what you have or don’t have. That is the real spirit of Christmas! With chestnuts roasting and five or six or seven Brandy Alexanders. Let us all throw snow balls at the children carolers and rejoice!

Happy Holidays to everyone and a healthy 2008!

I love you all,

Vince