Sounds of the Season: sugar plum bonk fairy

If you've ever had a kitten, you'll appreciate this one. When they're young, cats are so full of manic energy that their every waking moment is like some sort of madcap ballet, which makes the choice of music here so appropriate. And seeing him crashed out, reminds me of Chiquito. He would go and go and go until he just couldn't go any more and then just crash out wherever he happened to be. And it was a hard crash, too. He'd be dead to the world.

There are some who say that Christmas brings out the child in people. Maybe it brings out the kitten as well.



Aren't Scottish Folds just the cutest? I love it that their ears still react like other cats' ears do, despite the fold, but it's sad that breeding for the fold can increase the risk of skeletal defects.

Early Christmas Gift #2

This is one of my favorite songs, and the subject matter makes it appropriate for this time of year! Plus, it's got Emmylou in it, which makes it the perfect Holiday Gift! Enjoy.



I think they sound lovely together. Of course, Emmylou could harmonize with a singing doorknob and make it sound heavenly.

Forgotten Monday Rambles

Oops!  I decided to rest up a bit on Monday and Tuesday after a very busy weekend and totally forgot to finish this week's Monday Rambles!  Sorry about that!

My left ear is very stopped up, which is very disconcerting.  I missed a couple of student comments in class the other night because I couldn't hear them.  I need to hook up the humidifier on my C-PAP machine, I think.

Well, it looks like I just might make one hundred posts this year, after all.  Less than 20 to go!  Yay me!  Haven't missed many days since I started up again.  Yay me!  I'm going to be house and pet-sitting at the tech-challenged house again soon, though, followed by a trip to Arkansas, so we'll have to see what happens.  Keep watching this space.  If I disappear again, you'll know why.

I hit the manga motherload at Goodwill last week:  26 issues of Shonen Jump for 50 cents each!  I'll easily make money on those without even trying hard.  I've been finding a lot of manga at that Goodwill lately.  Just about every week, there's at least one volume of something and usually more.  I found a bunch of 1950's issues of Ideals magazine at the same store today.  Most of them are Christmas-themed, so they'll be out in YesterNook tomorrow!

Speaking of YesterNook, the Grand Opening/Opening House was fabulous!  There was a ton of food provided by vendors, and the place was decked out!  It looked awesome!  A string quartet from one of the high schools played, and, most importantly, lots and lots of people came!  There were constant lines at the register and nearly every customer had a basket full of stuff!  I spent the day stocking up to prepare for the day, and a lot of what I put out sold.  I was a happy camper.

And this coming Saturday is the Holiday Open House at the Peddler's Mall!  Here we go again!

Check out the Guy Clark tribute CD that came out last month and listen to some samples here.  Hayes Carll's interview cracks me up!  This is now on our "must have" list.  Lyle Lovett's version of "Anyhow, I Love You" made me cry!  And of course, Emmylou Harris--you all knew I'd work her in here somewhere--and John Prine completely own "Magnolia Wind." There's something about their interpretation of the song that really gets to me. 

Clark's version is kind of a medication on a love that's going to burn forever in his heart to the point that he'll give up most of the comforts of life rather than be separated from it.  The Emmylou/Prine take has an underlying wistful sadness to it that makes it seems like the separation has happened and now they're not sure how to go on living.  It really tears at me.  Hearing her sing the line "If I can't dance with you/then I won't dance at all" gave me the chills. By the way, I really like that Performing Songwriter page quite a bit.   Not sure how long the contest will run, but you can enter to win a copy of the CD too!

For reading through all of this (and waiting a couple of extra days for the privilege), you deserve some Narwhals! Enjoy!

Dear Santa....

If this is ever available in English, I WANT IT!



I mean seriously:

Comic book? Check!
Religious subject matter? Check!
Catholic religious subject matter? Check!
Padre Pio, one of the most awesome saints of all? Check!
Cheesy as hell? Double Check!

If there was ever something tailor-made for me, this is it!

Sounds of the Season: Linus and Lucy

While it's not really a Christmas tune, per se, you do find it on quite a few Christmas compilations, since it debuted in the classic "Charlie Brown Christmas."
Enjoy this rendition by guitarist Muriel Anderson.

It's Here!

Guess where I'll be today?  Maybe I'll see you there!  There's lots of vintage Christmas stuff everywhere, including Booth 62!

I have to do this one...

I know I've done this one before, but I have to do it again.  It's that time of year and I have to make it official!



There!  Now it's Christmas time!  Let the festivities begin!

Early Christmas Present #1

I was looking for another Todd Snider video when I ran across this one from several years ago.  It's hilarious and very well-done, and I had never seen it before!

So Merry Early Happy Ho-Ho Something-or-another!