Things I'm loving right now.

The Daily Coyote.

Raising Sand--the duet album with Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, produced by T. Bone Burnett. So. Damn. Good.

Italo's.

Acorn squash.

My new laptop at work.

Sweater weather.

The Tolerability Index.

Aster's Ethiopian Restaurant.

Oh wait!! I almost forgot!

No holiday gift list would be complete without the Fish and Flush toilet tank aquarium. (I'm thinking that between the Aquatable and this thing and god-knows-what-else you can find on the interwebs, you could potentially FILL your house with aquarium-related crapola this Christmas.)

'Tis the season...to POOP ON!

Today, when it was 79 muggy-ass degrees outside, I FINALLY started my Christmas shopping. First, I went to Toy Joy during lunch. I'm embarrassed to say I haven't been there in at least 1 1/2 years. It's one of my most favoritest places ever, and I have just been a loser I guess. But the fact is, I rarely go down near campus. Ever. It depresses me how homogenized it has become, and it just makes me feel old and disconnected. But today I was down there attending an all-day workshop on "Strategic Planning and Goal Setting" (God, I'm such a fucking grown up), and went to one of my favorite college haunts (one of the few that is actually still around) for lunch and then to Toy Joy. Sigh. Got The Geej and BH's younger son some stuff there, vowing I would be back to shop soon when I had more than 20 minutes and $30 to spend.

Oh, where was I? Right: Christmas shopping.

So the workshop ended about 1/2 hour early (that NEVER happens), so I found myself with the rare gift of an hour to kill before I needed to pick up The Geej. I hit this weird shopping center near her school and ended up dropping about $70 in a Target lovingly known as the "Targhetto" because it's so skanky. But, it's still a Target. So there you go.


Long story short: I finally have some damn Christmas gifts to wrap and put under our lovely tree.

Speaking of Christmas gifts, I thought I'd do y'all a favor and do some shopping consulting for you. Some people call it "personal shopping," but since I didn't actually make the purchase and am only providing some REALLY awesome options for you to act upon (or not), I think I'll call it "consulting" and charge you 10 times as much for my services.

Here goes:

Gift Idea #1: For the wacky, cold-natured, free spirit with absolutely no sense of shame in your life, ADULT FOOTIE PAJAMAS!! Perfect for doing the splits and/or some weird frat boy's fucked up sex fantasy.

Gift Idea #2: Some home decor for the bondage-inclined, decapitation prone murderer on your list. Because, what says "I've got Klass," more than an anorexic, shiny, headless woman lamp-type thing? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Gift Idea #3: Want some more kick-ass home decor for your crib? How 'bout some terribly practical furniture like the Aqua Table?

Goddamn, that's good lookin'. Especially with those "brass" sailboats on top that accentuate its ocean-ness. And I'm sure it's a totally trouble-free piece of furniture. Like, it's probably no problem at all to keep it clean and to keep actual marine life alive in it or anything. And I'm sure it's not the least bit difficult to move from one double-wide to another. Right? Who's with me?! The Aquatable RULES!!

Gift Idea #4: While we're on the topic of fine looking tables, may I present the "Unfortunate Sumo." Given the expression on this poor bastard's face, I really, REALLY don't want to know what this thing looks like from the back.

Gift Idea #5: Hey--Do this table and the Aquatable not scream, "Yo, bitches, I'm KLASSY!" loudly enough? Well, how 'bout this saucy little number?

Notice that there's only one martini glass on this table. All I'm saying is that the guy who owns this is one lonely, lonely dude.

Gift Idea #6: Did someone say, "lonely dude"? Well what about the lonely, internet porn addicted, hardcore gamer dudes? Don't they deserve to be on your Christmas list too? Of COURSE they do, Ebenezer!

May I introduce, "The Slanket." Really. That's what it's called. And what's great is, you can order it and send it via the internet, so that you don't actually have to interact with the fucking loser receiving this thing.
Gift Idea #7: Speaking of fucking losers...

The only people who should be able to legally order this are quadriplegics, the extremely elderly, those with disabling illnesses (such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, Leprosy, etc.), and, of course, the armless. And I have a question: Wouldn't the need to turn the pages and then put the pages back into the holder-thingie sort of negate the purpose of this thing? I'm just sayin'...

Gift Idea #8: Lord, I wish I had some clever, smart-ass segue to give you to introduce the "Backyard Yeti": But alas, all I can say is that the very existence of this "lifelike cast resin" version of Sasquatch is far more unbelievable than the creature spoken of in the legendary Pacific Northwest sightings.

Gift Idea #9: And last but certainly not least (unless you're a terrorist): The "I'm proud to be an Ah-murh-kin, where at least I know I'm free...!" Eagle Wall Art!I'm not sure, but I think this comes from the "Toby Keith SERIOUSLY Rules" home patriot decor collection.


Listen, freaks: If you're truly interested in any of these fine products*, you can spend** your money at skymall.com.


Happy shopping, friends!


*utter shit
**waste

Coming up for air.

Has it really been almost a week since I posted? Jeez. Last week was a doozie. I had something to do practically every evening. The string of social engagements ended last night, so expect a recap and more regular posts from now on.

For now, I'll leave you with a couple of quick photos:

Sunset yesterday. Taken at 65 mph going south on MoPac. When I was little, I used to think that the sun coming through the clouds like that was God.

Saturday afternoon, Geej put on her "fancy dress," got all the babies arranged for "circle time" on the guest room bed, and then decided to have a good ol' fashioned bed jumping session. You know, for the hell of it. I love that kid.

Conversation with The Geej.

From this morning. Here's the scene:

The Geej has Sally--the alpha baby--in her stroller and is acting as her alterego, Karla, who is Sally's mom. I am "the teacher" and "Karla" is dropping Sally off at school, which just happens to be in my bathroom.

Karla May: Are you going to work?

Geej: Yes.

KM: Where do you work?

Geej: California.

KM: Oh, really?! That's a long way away.

Geej: That's where Sally's family is.

KM: Oh.

Geej: But a lot of them died.

KM: That's horrible! What happened?!

Geej: They were sick and died of an orgery. (She was trying to say "surgery.")

KM: I see...I didn't know Sally's people were into that kind of thing.

Also, I thought you'd like to see this. It got COLD here last night (after being in the 80s on Sunday), and Earl decided it would be a good idea to snuggle up next to BH on the couch. I probably wouldn't have known where he was except for the the insanely loud purring and this:

It's official:

BH and I are engaged!

He surprised me with a beautiful ring and a sweet proposal on Friday evening, and I am happy beyond belief. He is truly the man I was meant to be with. Somehow, he knows me completely, and STILL loves me.

We told The Geej, and she seems to approve, even if the concept of it all is a bit confusing for her. She did tell me she wants to marry Daschel, however.

Have no idea when the wedding will be. We've narrowed it down to "sometime in 2008."