What is your least favorite Christmas song? This, surprisingly, isn't mine.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Friday, December 05, 2008
Important cookie-baking tip
If you decide to make Christmas cookies this season, don't listen to the guy who dares you to eat a whole teaspoon of cinnamon.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
No business like snow business
Having lived in suburban California, I have yet to experience a white Christmas. There were a few times it looked like it might get close, but even then, it would have been more of a wet Christmas, as the snow would melt as it hit the ground.
We've gone to the snow on the day after Christmas, which was a lot of fun, especially for someone who rarely sees it. I think I was about 12, and we went to the snow with our extended family. I was eager to try out the sled my cousins had.
After finding a patch of snow that wasn't mobbed, we settled in for some frosty fun. My dad was convinced that he could sled on a broken-down cardboard box we had in the trunk, but I was holding out for the real sled.
My brother and I got our turn, and we schlepped the sled up to the top of the hill. The gentle slope evened out in the middle before continuing its downhill run, so we knew we had to get enough momentum to go all the way down the hill.
Since I was older and heavier, I got the back of the two-man sled, while my brother manned the front. With a hefty shove, we were off.
This is where everything goes in slow motion.
We were sailing along nicely, when my brother thought we were going too fast, so he pulled the handbrakes that were on the sides.
Alas, those weren't brakes; they were what you steered with. As soon as he pulled them, we went sideways, losing very little momentum. As we flipped and tumbled out of the sled, I rolled over my brother's head, practically planting him in the snow--accidentally, mind you.
The empty sled skittered to the bottom of the hill. My brother and I dusted ourselves off and looked at each other.
"Awesome."
And we headed back up the hill.
We've gone to the snow on the day after Christmas, which was a lot of fun, especially for someone who rarely sees it. I think I was about 12, and we went to the snow with our extended family. I was eager to try out the sled my cousins had.
After finding a patch of snow that wasn't mobbed, we settled in for some frosty fun. My dad was convinced that he could sled on a broken-down cardboard box we had in the trunk, but I was holding out for the real sled.
My brother and I got our turn, and we schlepped the sled up to the top of the hill. The gentle slope evened out in the middle before continuing its downhill run, so we knew we had to get enough momentum to go all the way down the hill.
Since I was older and heavier, I got the back of the two-man sled, while my brother manned the front. With a hefty shove, we were off.
This is where everything goes in slow motion.
We were sailing along nicely, when my brother thought we were going too fast, so he pulled the handbrakes that were on the sides.
Alas, those weren't brakes; they were what you steered with. As soon as he pulled them, we went sideways, losing very little momentum. As we flipped and tumbled out of the sled, I rolled over my brother's head, practically planting him in the snow--accidentally, mind you.
The empty sled skittered to the bottom of the hill. My brother and I dusted ourselves off and looked at each other.
"Awesome."
And we headed back up the hill.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
In retrospect, not as cool as I thought
Back in the dim, dark recesses of time (the 80s), my brother and I had secured our very own Castle Grayskull from the Masters of the Universe Collection.
We used it with the few He-Man figures we had, as well as our Super Powers figures. It was one of the coolest toys we had, bragging-wise.
And then Mattel released the evil equivalent of Castle Grayskull: Snake Mountain. Not only was this Skeletor's bad-ass hideout, but it had a microphone that supposedly made you sound evil as well.
Okay, so that picture doesn't really scream "badass," but still...the catalog clearly states that the microphone will change your natural voice into "a frightening voice of evil!"
The folks taking pics for Montgomery Wards' '84 Christmas catalog further belittled Snake Mountain by including Fisto (still loving that name) tooling around in a Dragon Walker.
I mean, seriously--how evil can your lair be if Fisto is hanging out front?
We used it with the few He-Man figures we had, as well as our Super Powers figures. It was one of the coolest toys we had, bragging-wise.
And then Mattel released the evil equivalent of Castle Grayskull: Snake Mountain. Not only was this Skeletor's bad-ass hideout, but it had a microphone that supposedly made you sound evil as well.
The folks taking pics for Montgomery Wards' '84 Christmas catalog further belittled Snake Mountain by including Fisto (still loving that name) tooling around in a Dragon Walker.
I mean, seriously--how evil can your lair be if Fisto is hanging out front?
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Merry Christmas from Payless. Merry Christmaaaaaaaaas...
How is it I can find almost anything on the Internet, but a 3-minute search yields me no mp3 or video of one of my favorite commercial jingles? It's an unjust world, I tell you.
If you grew up near a Payless drug store in the 70s and 80s, you're probably already damning me for getting the song stuck in your head.
If you didn't have Payless, then you are spared.
Anyhow, if anyone tracks it down, gimme a holler, wouldja?
If you grew up near a Payless drug store in the 70s and 80s, you're probably already damning me for getting the song stuck in your head.
If you didn't have Payless, then you are spared.
Anyhow, if anyone tracks it down, gimme a holler, wouldja?
Monday, December 01, 2008
The countdown begins...
This year, I figured I'd try doing a countdown to Christmas, with a vaguely Christmas-related post every day until the 25th.
For starters, here's a block of 80s Christmas commercials:
For starters, here's a block of 80s Christmas commercials:
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Post No. 700: Making cookies
Since we had a four-day weekend, Brody and I took a little time and made some cutout Christmas cookies.
Here we are during the prebaking decoration:
Brody was adamant that we decorate the Christmas tree cookie with green sugar, but it was my idea to put the snowflakes on it. The finished result:
It was also my idea to add eyes to the angel cookie down in the bottom left, but looking at it now, it reminds me of something. Give me a minute, here...
Ah, that's what it was.
Here we are during the prebaking decoration:
Brody was adamant that we decorate the Christmas tree cookie with green sugar, but it was my idea to put the snowflakes on it. The finished result:
It was also my idea to add eyes to the angel cookie down in the bottom left, but looking at it now, it reminds me of something. Give me a minute, here...
Ah, that's what it was.
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