three recent reminders that the holidays are here

1) Standing in line outside Fred Meyer from 6:30 to 7:15 this morning in order to enter a raffle just to get a chance to purchase a Nintendo Wii. Do you think if I'd have got one, I'd feel less stupid? I doubt it.

2) A holiday tradition that's unintentionally been established over the past ten years is that I spend the first day after school ends (whether as a student or an instructor), trying to make a photo for a Christmas or New Year's card. Whether or not I actually getting around to making the card, I always make a picture or two. A recent post by Mel and this photo by Colin have me excited to get to it... in fact, I think I'm going to make myself finish my grading today so I can get out there. Damn, this one's handsome, isn't it?

Colin Blakely, "The Seeming Impenetrability of the Space Between"

3) As a child, I remember a large door poster at my grandmother's house, proclaiming that "Jesus is the reason for the season!" a slogan that I developed into a little jingle that to this day, I have a hard time shaking once it enters my head. Since receiving this in my inbox this morning, I've been humming that jingle all morning:


thanks to "skipaholic."