One of my employees, Natalie, brought this to my attention. Joel Krupnik’s home Christmas display consists of a blood-splattered Santa Claus holding a decapitated head. The meaning of this display? To quote: [H]is family thought it would be a fun way to make a comment about the commercialization and secularization of Christmas.” Ooo-kay. I’ve seenContinue reading “On a Murderous Santa”
On Being an English Nerd
I saw this test on several friends’ webpages. Am I an English nerd, or what? 😉 True English Nerd You scored 91 erudition! Not only do you know your subjects from your objects and your definite from your indefinite articles, but you’ve got quite a handle on the literature and the history of the languageContinue reading “On Being an English Nerd”
On December Dreariness
Today’s miserable. It’s raining. It’s cold. If the temperature drops much more, the roads could get nasty, icy. North Carolinians don’t handle wintry conditions very well. No, not well at all. They panic. They raid grocery stores. The abandon cars on the highway. The city takes on the cast of a Balkan warzone. Me? IContinue reading “On December Dreariness”
On My Font of English
It was Sherlock Holmes in “His Last Bow” who said that, and I’m paraphrasing here, that two years undercover as the American Pinkterton detective Altamont had left his font of English permanently defiled. I’ve watched too much British television. My own font of English has been permantently defiled. I typed out a sentence, and wroteContinue reading “On My Font of English”
On Senator Liddy Dole
On occasion I’ve been moved to write my elected officials. They may think I’m something of a crank, but that’s to be expected when my politics don’t match theirs. 😉 I may not care for Senator Richard Burr, but at least he writes back. I cannot say the same for Senator Liddy Dole, who hasContinue reading “On Senator Liddy Dole”
On a Letter to Cthulhu
Earlier, I wrote a letter to Santa. Now, more holiday fun! Oh Great Cthulhu! I have been an extremely sedulous devotee this year. In January, I defiled the grave of that traitor, Lovecraft (90 points). In June, I wore an Elder Sign (-10 points). In September, I legally changed my name to Randolph Carter (-40Continue reading “On a Letter to Cthulhu”
On the Hundred-Acre Woods’ New Resident
Disney is making some changes to the Winnie-the-Pooh format for its upcoming My Friends Tigger and Pooh animated television series — goodbye Christopher Robin, hello tomboyish six year-old girl. First thought? They’re doing what to Winnie-the-Pooh? Second thought after considered reflection? It’s not the first time Disney’s made changes to the Pooh format. Disney hasContinue reading “On the Hundred-Acre Woods’ New Resident”
On Remembering John Lennon
Doubtless today radio stations around the world will play “Imagine” in rapid repeats throughout the day as we remember John Lennon who was killed in New York twenty-five years ago today. I’d like to remember John by listening to one of his lesser-known songs, “#9 Dream,” from his 1974 album Walls and Bridges— So longContinue reading “On Remembering John Lennon”
On an Almost Year-In-Review
Yes, I stole this from Jon Polk, who stole it from a bunch of other people. 😉 Here’s what you do: Go to your Calendar View and copy/paste the first sentence of your first (or only) entry for the first day of each month for the year 2005. A year in review? Perhaps. I sawContinue reading “On an Almost Year-In-Review”
On What Constitutes Spoilers
Two years ago, in the weeks leading up to the release of Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, it surprised me how many people I knew didn’t already know how the story ended. One friend was seriously pateeved that in describing my curiosity as to how the confrontation between Frodo and GollumContinue reading “On What Constitutes Spoilers”