'Tis the Season...

...enjoy it while it lasts.

Ponder this: you think your Christmas is hectic, what kind of picnic do you think Joseph and Mary had for their first Christmas???

(Heard on today's broadcast of The World on NPR.)

 

OMGPUPPIES

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Sooooooooooooooooooo CUTE.

Each puppy has a different color collar. It's great, because it helps to tell them apart. There are 3 boys (Aki in green, Akoni in black, and Ando in blue) and 3 girls (Autumn in purple --she's feisty!-- Ayumi in yellow, and Amaya in red). More info HERE.

No, they are not for sale or adoption. The people who are raising them have posted information against puppy mills and even urge against buying pets over the internet. These puppies already have families waiting for them. They look healthy. They certainly get plenty of food and exercize, and they are well-socialized with humans.

Hooray for responsible dog owners!!!

 

You need a little bit of levity...

"I'll be in charge of the turkey!!" Said Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Not in charge of the view, apparently.



Think about all of these things while eating turkey over the next few days.

NO, I'm not against eating meat, or eating turkey, or knowing where my food came from. I'm the proud granddaughter of an Illinois beef and dairy farmer. Grandpa also raised sheep and chickens. I know, and have ALWAYS known, where my food has come from. Sometimes I played with it and named it. And sometimes it was no longer there on our next visit to Grandma and Grandpa. I just think this was a lousy view for the general public.

Seeing firsthand the actual slaughter of turkeys is not pretty, though it's a very different sight from when Grandpa, Daddy, and my uncles used to slaughter Grandpa's flock of chickens. Much smoother, much cleaner, much less running around with heads cut off. Still, it's got to be disturbing for the people who have never set foot on a farm and just think of turkeys as those shapes you pull out of a grocery store freezer, all cleaned and wrapped in plastic.

There HAD to be a different camera angle.

I'm thankful this woman is not going to be a heartbeat away from the Oval Office.

 

Um... Jumping the Gun, Much???

They don't make any announcements regarding this year's Cy Young Award recipients until this afternoon, yet this is what I just found on Wikipedia under Cliff Lee's entry:

2008 Season

Cliff Lee on the mound at Progressive Field on September 12, 2008.In 2008, Lee had a career year. Despite the Indians playing with a l 500 winning percentage for the season, Lee started the 2008 season with much success. Lee was one of only eight pitchers since 1920 to win 19 or more of his first 21 decisions. He was the first Cleveland pitcher to win his first six starts since Greg Swindell in 1988. He also recorded his first career shutout on April 25, 2008, against the Kansas City Royals, allowing just 3 hits and 0 walks.[9] He had the lowest On-base percentage-against at .163 through five starts since 1909. For his efforts and success, he was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for April, when he went 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA. .[10] Lee was selected to his first All-Star game in 2008, and was selected to start the game. Lee worked two scoreless innings for the American League team, surrendering only a Chipper Jones base hit and striking out three.[11]

On August 26, Lee won his 19th game of the season, yielding only 2 runs to the Detroit Tigers.[12] This victory set a new career high for Lee, besting his previous mark of 18 wins set during the 2005 season. On September 1, Lee won his 20th game of the season, throwing a complete game shutout. He was the first Indian to reach 20 wins since Gaylord Perry in 1974.[13] In August, for the second time in the 2008 season, Lee was named American League Pitcher of the Month. He went 5-0 with a 1.86 ERA in the month. On September 12, Lee won his 22nd game, making his record 22-2 on the season. This marked the first time a pitcher had gone 20 wins over .500 since Bob Welch in 1990. Overall to end a career year, Lee went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA and 170 strikeouts. He started 31 games, completed 4, and had 2 shutouts. He pitched a total of 223⅓ innings. Lee ended the season as the American League champion for both wins and ERA.

On September 30, 2008, Lee was awarded the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Lee was awarded the Players Choice Award for AL Outstanding Pitcher of the Year, and AL Comeback Player of the year, by fellow players.

Lee was also given The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award and The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award for his 2008 season.

Lee's 2008 winning percentage of 88% was the twelfth best of all time, and the fourth best by a pitcher starting a minimum of 30 games. Coincidently, the three pitchers ahead of Lee also pitch left-handed (Randy Johnson, Ron Guidry, and Lefty Grove). Lee's winning percentage is the second best in Indians history, behind Johnny Allen's 93.8% (15 wins, 1 loss, in 24 games) in 1937.

In 2008, he also won the AL Cy Young Award for his outstanding pitching in the season

[edit] See also
List of Major League Baseball wins champions
List of Major League Baseball ERA champions

Trippy, huh?

Notice how the important sentence is incomplete. The boldface and italics were added by me.

It'd be great if it's true. In fact, it will be rather suspect if Lee doesn't win. No American League pitcher had a better season this year. However, no one should have this information reported on a website at this time of this day. A leak of this sort is more appropriate on ESPN or MLB.com...

Wikipedia? REALLY??? (Yes, that's a link to the article referenced!!)

 

Top Cat and Obliviousboy

Our cats have their own many versions of the "cat & mouse game". There usually are no mice involved... Sometimes they even get the dog in on their schemes!

 

Thirty (more or less...) Days of Thanks!!

Every day this month, I am going to try to be mindful about expressing thankfulness about something. I usually have many, many things for which I am thankful, so really, the only challenge ought to be the exercize in mindfulness.

I'm thankful right now for several things, so I'll make a list:

1.) for this opportunity to take the time to slow down and consider my blessings;
2.) for moments of self-editing and grammar-mindfulness (because I almost used a period instead of a semi-colon in that first line);
3.) for how joyful the whole world is, and universally embracing of our President-Elect;
4.) that yesterday's election resulted in a decisive victory, as opposed to a close battle requiring recounts and lawsuits and raw, bitter emotions;
5.) that I am free to write whatever I please in this forum, with no fear of repercussions.

I will save some thanks for another day.

Hmm. Perhaps I ought to add that I am grateful also for this challenge in mindfulness!!

 

A Treat on the Eve of All Hallow's Eve (no, that's not a little redundant...)

From the least sane of the un-sane labs of TopFive(dot)com, I bring you their first ever video presentation of a comedy list. (This one is specifically from Top Five Comics, "Comics" referencing comic books, though this one isn't really about comic books specifically.)




Might not be their best work, but it's at least some nice decor for the season.

For some of their better offerings, subscribe to their newsletter or one (or more!!) of their "Little Fivers" or "Ruminations". Truly, a moment of joy in your email Inbox. I frequently laugh out loud with some volume. Ask my husband.

 

Just heard the most compelling question!

It was quite possibly the most compelling question of my entire existence:

"When is Tron 2 coming out?"

I may never sleep again.

 

Hmm. President Clinton and DAVE.

One who *wants* to be president, suddenly cancelled an appearance on Letterman, and now he is vilified each evening on this show.

One who *was* president is making a rare appearance on Letterman, and is answering some piercing and insightful questions that are important to the whole world. (It was a rerun of a show from September.)

I just wonder about a man (McCain) who seems to be so out of touch that he would so profoundly underestimate the political strength of late night talk shows. It hasn't (to my knowledge, at least) been publicized yet who made the call to blow off Letterman and his show, but if it was a "maverick" decision, we don't really want that kind of ill-informed decision making in the Oval Office. Not with world peace at stake.

BP in Parma. F**K YOU, OPEC...

BP in Parma. F**K YOU, OPEC...
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

This is at the corner of Broadview and Pleasant Valley, on the border of Parma and Seven Hills. Marathon and Shell, also at that intersection, had the same price.

It bugs me that we should be celebrating this price as a good deal. (And does this mean we can stop being at war now?!?) $0.79/gallon was a good deal. I'm as certain we'll never see that price again as I am that we'll never see chocolate bars the same size and price as they were when I was a kid.

JesusKali&Ishtar. When did I turn into a geezer???

 

Just some fun and mindless entertainment today.

A fun break from the election hoopla. A little nostalgia, a little video game mash-up!

Anyway, it's Mel's fault. She mentioned it on Facebook today, and I can't get it out of my head. This has to be the ultimate earworm, because it comes with flashing lights and pictures. I can't stop dancing to it.

Which is no bad thing!!

 

Federal Red Tape

Federal Red Tape
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

It *is* in a national park...

I'm sitting on the porch of the Boston Store now, knitting socks as I cheer for the runners. Rick should be finishing anytime now...

 

En Route to the Marathon Start Line

En Route to the Marathon Start Line
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Sunrise touches the ski slopes at Boston Mills as I accompany Rick to the start of his race.

It's peaceful. It's also hilarious, as we observe dozens of men disappearing into or reappearing from the not-so-deep-brush, adjusting the fronts of their shorts and looking furtively around.

 

Pre-race Silliness

Pre-race Silliness
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Why the foamy stuffs? Mountain bike bling?

We saw this on our way to the start line. It just struck me as odd in so many ways; perhaps it's something a child made and gave the bike owner. It hangs so as to be a bit mechanically distracting to normal bike operations.

I don't know. If it were me, I'd want to rip it off after the first 12 miles or so. Lucky for the foam flower, it's not.

 

PSST! John McCain!

Oh my goodness. Didn't they teach you politeness in Senator School? Or have you been in DC so long you've simply forgotten how to behave among polite company?

Do you remember at least that when you are asking for something (VOTES, for example), *ALL* company is polite company?

What I'm getting at, Senator McCain, is that I'm not the only one who noticed that you did not shake Senator Obama's hand after the debate last night.

Because others noticed it, others who are better placed not only to report such details, but to report the same cold shoulder you showed to Sen. Obama's offered hand post-Congressional vote last week.

Do that once, and that might be seen as a missed goodwill opportunity. Twice? It's personal.

Be on your best behavior. EVERYTHING counts now. If we're lucky, this year, perhaps maybe even votes will count.

 

It's so funny...

...when I get a call out of the blue like this from my husband:

"So this minivan that I'm next to? It has 2 Shaker Heights Hockey stickers on it. One of 'em says, 'Hockey Moms for Obama'! How do you like that?!"

And he hangs up, both of us laughing.

He doesn't need an answer. We both like it quite a lot.

 

They put THIS on a FORD??

They put THIS on a FORD??
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

In case you can't read the window decal between the bug splats on our windscreen, the ugly minivan (whoops, it's an Excursion, I think they want us to read that as "luxury truck" (chassis isn't high enough to be a truck, really, though the rear bumper is very deceptive), but I'm not buying it; neither the vehicle nor the concept) in front of us says "dontbesick.com".

Now, instead of putting that *ON* a Ford, shouldn't they be advising that to the people who *run* Ford about their product?

 

Organic Detritis Becomes Jewels Afloat

Organic Detritis Becomes Jewels Afloat
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Interesting and irresistable, these non-edibles float kaleidescope-like in a cup on the picnic table.

What took my neice and her cousin ages to collect was but a moment's fling to return it to the earth.

 

T Mobile has angered me.

I have made repeated posts. None are showing up. Yesterday and today, things I have said have vanished. Whether they were things that meant something (Congresswoman Staphanie Tubbs Jones!!) or just random stuff (this morning's Olympic gold medal basketball aspirations...), they were worth the effort to me.

 

On trash night, Morgan's recycling.

...or something... I'm confident she's plotting something eeeviiiil.