On the Annual Bowling Outing

I went bowling today. At the office we have a Christmas tradition. The department goes bowling in December. But then we stopped having the annual Christmas bowling outing. Two years ago we went for a laser tag outing with the Sales department. And last year we didn’t do any team-building activities at Christmas. Today, then,Continue reading “On the Annual Bowling Outing”

On Christmas With the Daleks

An extract from a parchment found in the ruins of Skaro in the 38th-century: “And there were in the same country Kaleds abiding in the wastelands, keeping watch over their mutants by night. And, lo, Nyder came upon them, and the glory of the Lord Davros shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.Continue reading “On Christmas With the Daleks”

On the Angel Tree Package

I mentioned a few days ago that I was putting together an Angel Tree package at the office. I talked about that here. Tonight I finished wrapping the thing, and tomorrow I’m going to take it to the office. MY work will be done. The tag I picked off the tree was for a sevenContinue reading “On the Angel Tree Package”

On Ramping Up the Christmas Music

It wouldn’t be December without “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Instead of the version that you probably hear on the radio at least twice this time of year, this is the extended remix by Trevor Horn. It’s notable for a few things. The instrumentation is mixed lower so the vocals are more prominent. And thereContinue reading “On Ramping Up the Christmas Music”

An Epiphany about A Charlie Brown Christmas

Tonight while watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, I noticed something that has escaped my attention for the past three decades. Early in the episode, Charlie Brown goes to Lucy at her psychiatrist’s booth. Realizing that Charlie Brown needs some direction in his life, she suggests that he should be the director of the Christmas play.Continue reading “An Epiphany about A Charlie Brown Christmas”

On a Dream About The Hobbit

I had a dream last night that I saw an advance screening of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. And I was blown away by it. Not because it returned me to Peter Jackson’s version of Middle-Earth is awesomely spectacular fashion, but because there was something about the film and its narrative style that Jackson hadContinue reading “On a Dream About The Hobbit”

On a Casualty in FOX News’ War on the War on Christmas

Were it not for Talking Points Memo, I wouldn’t have known that FOX News’ war on the War on Christmas had begun. I guess if Black Friday can creep into Thursday, then the War on Christmas can creep into mid-November. And what did I learn? Atheists are attacking A Charlie Brown Christmas in an elementaryContinue reading “On a Casualty in FOX News’ War on the War on Christmas”