Click images for desktop size: "Virtual Goth Girl" by Unknown Its snowing now.
The better to camouflage the ice.
Yesterday I only had the giant dog and my puppy to look after. My friend took the gentle dog to work with her. Personally I think that being able to take your dog to work is the best perk going and is an opportunity that should be exploited until someone says stop! And then only stopped if the person has sufficient authority to make life difficult.
The giant dog and my puppy both enjoyed the extra attention. We went for an aimless walk. I didn't fall down at all. I had several crazed arm waving, windmilling moments, much to the dogs amusement, but never really fell, much to the dogs disappointment.
I love my dogs. I had a realization that I'm not very concerned about
Click image: "Cold Christmas Winter" by Unknownwhat people think of me but I am worried about what people think of my dogs. I want them to be loved. I think everyone should see the beauty in them that I see.
As you know I'm not very lacking in self confidence or self esteem so I find it odd that I choose to fret over strangers liking the things I love. The only similar feeling is when I was a teenager and it seemed very important that everyone hear and love the new record I'd found. Not my music but a great song I thought was going to save the world.
Another day with not much accomplished. It was fine for all of that. I didn't fall asleep and the biggest trauma was running out of ibuprofen.
I watched the Saints - Bears game. I was disappointed in the result. It really looked like neither team deserves to be in the playoffs. The Saints defense played as stoutly as they are capable but
Click images for desktop size: "Whale" by Vlad Design Studios for a non-stud receiver like Hester to make the secondary look that poor is inexcusable. Even though the Saints are depleted its up to the coach to come up with a scheme to handle that sort of situation.
The Bears defense looked sporadic, occasionally brilliant but usually just bland. Brian Uralcher, Bear's middle linebacker, is one of my favorite players. He's highly entertaining to watch and does some nice unheralded things for kids from his old neighborhood. He was just dull last night. He made a couple of good plays but nothing spectacular. Michael Jordan knew you had to be spectacular every night.
My friend was upset because the Bears designed their field specifically to thwart Reggie Bush. Hard to explain that's one of the rules that defines Home Field Advantage.
And I still hate games decided by two last second field goals.
I watched the latest Benny Chan movie, "Connected". Benny Chan is Jackie Chan's son. He's done some promising things but has never really propelled me over the top. "Connected" is just okay. I was surprised to discover its a remake of a turgid American thriller, "Cellular"!
I can understand seeing a bad movie and coming away inspired with the ideas of what you could do with it. A lot of great art has been made that way. But "Cellular" wasn't bad it was just dull.
Adding lots of cool stunts and destruction aren't what's needed to improve the thing.
The Chinese actors are more inspiring than their American counterparts, especially Louis Koo who took a ridiculous part and made it nearly believable. The cinematography was very good. Nice bright primary colors tousled with soft pastels. When you're noticing the cinematography you know the film isn't too gripping.

Back in the 60's surf music discovered Christmas tunes. The coolest part about these records was the album art. Cute girls in Santa Bikinis!
It started with the Ventures. The Ventures have always bugged me. They were proficient musicians but they were never innovators but they were and remain the pre-eminent surf guitar band. I have no idea why. They played Mosrite guitars. Mosrites made some of the most impeccable necks and
Click images for desktop size: "Sharon Stone" frets going but their guitar sound was an odd pastiche of Fender twang and Gibson sustain.
Anyway, I guess the big innovation they came up with was to take popular tunes, play a few bars and then segue into an okay version of Christmas tune. Like here, in "Christmas Joy". They make nice muzak which is cool at Christmas.
They made a tradition that continues with stuff like "Jingle Bell Rock" by Surfin' Santa with the Meshugga Beach Party and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" done by Los Straitjackets.
These two versions at least offer some savage playing.
Its no surprise that The Trashmen offer up the best of this weird sub=genre with "Greensleeves" which is as smoking as you can get with "What Child Is This".
A group that's never really done it for me, although they try really hard, is The Untamed. A newish retro punk thrash garage punk outfit. They get into a Jan & Dean thing and try to take the surf into the right place with "Santa's Gonna Shut 'Em Down". It is decidedly okay!
More effective, to me anyway, or at least funnier is the Taildraggers reworking of the classic "Grodes" tune, "Lets Talk About Girls" and transforming it into "Lets Talk About Claus". The joke might be too obscure but that's the way I like them.
Tomorrow we start to decorate the house for Christmas. It excites my puppy. It excites me. Just bringing out our little disco tree gives us a Christmas rush. Unfortunately decorating implies cleaning the house.
I guess I've just outlined the rest of the day . . .
No college football tomorrow. How sad for me.