Goodbye 2007

There might've been more lows than highs this past year.

I'm gladly anticipating 2008's arrival. Things will be healthier this year.

Be wonderful
miguel

PostSecret

Touching note on today's PostSecret .

Someday, I'll find someone who feels the same way. And vice versa.

-----Email Message-----
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 1:43 AM
Subject: A Wonderful Christmas Present

Dear Frank,

I received a copy of 'A Lifetime of Secrets' from my new wife for Christmas this year. Though the book itself was a wonderful present, the inscription on the inside cover was even better. She wrote:

"'A Lifetime of Secrets' to kick off a lifetime of no secrets."

That promise and request is the best gift I've ever received.

- Nikki (with permission)

The 8 Grads, 1997 style

The 8 Grads, 1997 style, originally uploaded by ideateller.

The only real difference for me here is that I¹d no longer be able to hold
Tia up.

Christmas gift!

Big thanks to Marcus for picking up this poster for me as a Christmas gift. (UPDATE: the poster comes from a designer named Erick Montes, who happens (if his website is up to date) be a student at Portfolio Center. Lots of other cool posters up at his site. Especially dig the Pretty Girls Make Graves one).


Many, many more available from many, many other bands at http://lonestarposters.com

DDB Christmas party

DDB Christmas party, originally uploaded by ideateller.

Fine work by David Boden on our company Christmas party poster.

Tow Yawa Enoz!

Tow Yawa Enoz!, originally uploaded by ideateller.

On my morning walk into work this is what we see:

My Gelt

My Gelt, originally uploaded by ideateller.

Has nutritional info.

Goodby Silverstein Huffington

Stocking Stuffer

Posted December 6, 2007 | 10:02 PM (EST)
Read More: GOP Posters, Republican Posters, Rich Silverstein, Breaking Politics News

Stocking Stuffer

Three weeks ago, we launched HuffPost's Posterizing the Modern GOP project to graphically capturing the lunacy of the Bush years. And we asked for your help adding to the names, events, and slogans depicted.

The response was overwhelming, with over 1,000 people offering suggestions (even those with a different POV of the GOP were inspired to jump into the fray).

Rich Silverstein, who created the posters, and his design team culled through the submissions and -- with an assist from our editor, Roy Sekoff -- have created updated versions of the posters. The result is amazing -- and even more damning than expected. To check them out in their full-sized glory, click on the thumbnail images below.

‘Cat Lady’ Conundrum, The - New York Times

I've always hated cats. This article actually presents a rather interesting (and disgusting) case as to why:

‘Cat Lady’ Conundrum, The - New York Times: "‘Cat Lady’ Conundrum, The * E-Mail * Print * Save * Share o Del.icio.us o Digg o Facebook o Newsvine o Permalink Article Tools Sponsored By By REBECCA SKLOOT Published: December 9, 2007 Here’s a little-known and slightly terrifying fact: According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 60 million people in the United States are infected with a parasite that may migrate into their brains and alter their behavior in a way that — among other things — may leave them more likely to be eaten by cats. New research into this common parasite — Toxoplasma gondii — may offer clues to the phenomenon known to the unscientifically-minded as “crazy cat lady” syndrome."

13 days

Well, I made it 13 days without drinking. Had dinner with Radcliffe, Liz and her producer Caitlin and her friend Andrea. A few glasses of wine and a glass or two of beer at Chez Jay.

Now I'm enjoying a minor hangover and watching football. Starting a new streak today.

SantaCon 2004 in NYC

From 12/04 NYTimes

Santa broke out the sour mash at 10 a.m. Christmas was coming. Why not have a drink?

He raised his glass to another Santa, who was sucking back some Colt 45.

"Pace yourself," the second Santa said. "I started with beer this year, not Jim Beam like last year."

Santa got drunk yesterday. He cursed. He smoked. He took off his clothes in public. It was Santacon, an annual gathering of nasty Santas, in which some 500 naughty Clauses marched through the city, shouting, drinking, raising gentle mayhem.

Santacon began 10 years ago in San Francisco, where 30 friends, disheartened by the happiness of Christmas, got together in their Santa suits and set out to have some fun. They crashed a dinner dance and stole people's drinks. Went to a strip club. Drank themselves silly. Some made it home. Others slept in the streets.

This year, Santacon was - or will be - celebrated from New York to Tokyo and places in between. Its schedule and history can be found online at www.santarchy.com.

The brains behind Santacon are something of a mystery, its organizers remaining underground. A reporter in the crowd set out yesterday to find the Claus-in-Charge but was told there was no main Claus, only subordinate Clauses.

There are four cardinal rules at Santacon. Don't mess with the police. Don't mess with kids. Don't mess with store security. And don't mess with Santa. These rules were printed on the backs of vomit bags. The bags were passed among the crowd.

Prestonwood Christmas Lights

My old subdivision in Houston used to have elaborate Christmas decorations and lights throughout the entire subdivision. Traffic would crawl through the neighborhood, making Domino's 30 minute pledge a moot point.

Repeal Day!

I’m on day 12 of binge non-drinking but I highly recommend you support this most of American holidays.

From RepealDay.org

Why Do We Celebrate?

Prohibition Ends at Last!Repeal Day is not widely celebrated in this country, yet it commemorates the anniversary of the day the United States repealed the Eighteenth Amendment and gave Americans the constitutional ability to consume alcohol.

Here are a few reasons why we think Repeal Day should be a celebrated day in the United States:
It's the perfect time of year.

Conveniently located halfway between Thanksgiving and Christmas — at a time when most Americans are probably not spending time with family — Repeal Day presents a wonderful occasion to get together with friends and pay tribute to our constitutional rights.
We have the constitutional ability to do so.

The American FlagUnlike St. Patrick's Day or Cinco de Mayo, Repeal Day is a day that all Americans have a part in observing, because it's written in our Constitution. No other holiday celebrates the laws that guarantee our rights, and Repeal Day has everything to do with our personal pleasures.
It's easy!

There are no outfits to buy, costumes to rent, rivers to dye green. Simply celebrate the day by stopping by your local bar, tavern, saloon, winery, distillery, or brewhouse and having a drink. Pick up a six-pack on your way home from work. Split a bottle of wine with a loved one. Buy a shot for a stranger. Just do it because you can.

Thanks for reading about what we hope will become a celebrated day in this country. Please help spread the word about Repeal Day, and tell a friend.

Cheers!

1 week

It's been one week, officially without a single drink. Which is more of an accomplishment than it might sound originally.

Planning on having a drink or two whenever Liz hangs with everyone this coming Saturday, but other than that, should make it to nearly 2 weeks. And more than that without getting fucked up.

Good on me.

Post Secret Sunday

From

This one reminds me of the time that I got really fucked up with Judge Goth, Geoffrey, Aaron, Liberty and others. There was a stop at a convenience store for some malt liquor in 40 oz packaging, and then we went to some Portland punk rock kids house.

I ended up falling off of the stoop and bashing the back of my head. (Oliver Stone: was he pushed?)

JG drove me home and we woke up to discover my bed covered in blood. When I walked her to her car, we discovered that the gash had left a nice stain on the passenger seat headrest.

Later, there was a gathering at the Sobiers, and figuring that one of the ladies(sexist! - ed) might know how to properly clean the stains, I asked the group.

"So, uh, can anyone tell me the best way to get bloodstains out of your sheets?"

Without missing a beat, Rogers: "I WOULDN'T KNOW THAT! Why would you think I know that?"

Going to buy a few copies of the Post Secret books to give to people for Christmas. Last season the "oh, yes, that's thoughtful, I, uh, got you a present, too!" present was some fancy Venice handmade soap and a mix CD.