ya' know, i found a 2005 cd release that had slipped by me until now. i really, really like it. it is called- the very best of rosanne cash. she and i have been pretty tight since about 1980. (that is one of my secrets that i haven't told her yet). i found it for $12 at best buy. she has some great, great songs.

I like that tiger idea. Sounds much more exciting than making resolutions. Richard, you have to do something with your writing. You have so much imagination!

santa's sleigh and posse made their usual stop at my place. everything seemed a-ok with the reindeer and all claimed to have plenty of gas in the tank. i used to think that sushi is strange, i have wondered if our universe really needs to be so big, and what is up with anteaters anyway? i realized this year that santa's crew have always been cool with me. i have never found the whole thing to be strange or questionable. next year, i will be looking forward to their return. i have time off from work this week. that is sweet. i just finished making a coffee table. i needed one and it gave me a chance to try out the details in construction that i hope to use on the luv shak. i set it up in my living room and headed out to the lumber yard to get more wood for my next project. i have a new boss and a new assignment at work when i go back next week. that was sort of sprung on me. it eliminates lots that i did not prefer and lets me focus on more of what i like. i haven't met my new boss yet, but it could all be good. hope so. by the way, don't make any resolutions. it has been shown scientifically that there is no evidence that resolutions work. the truth is we all have a tiger inside of us, who is us and whom we are riding upon. we all have pretty good tigers, so just enjoy the ride.

The guys are clearing the dinner table and washing the dishes. I'm having a quiet moment in my study to say hello to all of you. It's been wonderful having the boys home. They leave sometime on TH. As do Dave I . We're heading down the Bangor, TH morning.

So I'll say Happy Holidays whatever they may be and save my Happy New Year thoughts for later on in the week!

Thank you, Richard. We need you here on the blog to remind us to feel good about ourselves. Love you, too. Did Santa come down your chimney?

lori, i have always known that you are a party girl. you have just had a little trouble figuring it out for yourself. there are so many things that are pagan, like santa, that a goy boy like me celebrate. it really is okay to party like it's 1972. it is odd that paganism is the modern way to say plolytheistic and polytheism (it is code for believing in goddesses, too) is pushed in the direction of- maybe she doesn't believe in anything at all, and she sure does love to party. hey, i believe in a lot. i work my ass off for my beliefs and for this reason alone i want santa shooting down cashmere chimneys, i want goats smiling in the back yard, and i want smiles on all the beautiful people's faces. by the way, you are a 10. love ya, richard

When I hear you all talk about Christmas, it makes me wish we celebrated it! It sounds so fun!

On a less upbeat note, we found out yesterday that Omer, our youngest, sprained his ankle while snowboarding at Mammoth. He's in pain and really disappointed that he won't be able to snowboard and surf for a while--besides being worried about how he'll manage at work, etc. He has crutches now and can't put any weight on his foot. We haven't seen him yet. His friends will be bringing him back today.