Wednesday, December 21, 2005 Merry Christmas from The League of Melbotis
The entire cast and crew from League HQ wishes you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or however you want to celebrate this season. We're shutting down here this evening, but we won't be out of touch. Don't hesitate to call or e-mail to get the latest details of what Melbotis, himself, is up to.
Travel safe. Be good. Be good to one another.
I've made my Christmas list:
Peace for myself and my family.
Peace for the world and a little understanding.
A bit of joy and happiness.
Strength to do the right thing.
Wisdom to know what the right thing might be.
Hope for a better tomorrow.
And time. Time enough to let those I love know what they mean to me.
Merry Christmas, Leaguers. I don't thank all of you enough.
and Merry Christmas, Jamie. Next year will be better. I love you, sweetie.
I think I failed to mention this, but since it's come up once already today...
Jamie and I will not be in Houston or in Texas over Christmas. We are staying in Arizona. Lucy is at a critical juncture in her flight training, and it would be remiss of us to take her out of pilot school for even a few days.
Steanso will be coming into town on the 23rd, so we won't be totally abandoned out here.
If you were planning to try to get in touch, sorry about that. Hope you can somehow struggle through the Holidays without The League's own personal brand of Holiday cheer.
Monday, December 19, 2005
For last year's Christmas Poem and The Story of Santor, go here.
For this year's celebration of Holiday-themed awfulness, read on, Loyal Leaguers...
Chad, the Christmas Elf a very League Holiday poem by: Charles Dickens
It really gets rolling during each Thanksgiving Parade We learn we must sleep in the bed that we've made. As we watch Katie Couric and that weirdo Al Roker You'll want to gouge out your eyes with hot pokers.
The ads start to run, each one different but same With Santas and elves interrupting your footbally games. One squirms when one thinks "when did they film this? I mean, it's on now. It wasn't filmed during last Christmas."
"It must have been summer. Under the heat of the sun. It seems that fake snow must sell by the ton. And the little people needed to audition for elves... How many little people are there?" we ask of ourselves.
But that's why our Christmas tale this year is so sad. It's the story of an unemployed elf whose named Chad. He was from old Phoenix, where he'd elved at the Mall. He was obese and 6'4", which, for a midget, is tall.
But he dreamed of Hollywood, as an Elf to the Stars! So he travelled out west. First by train then by car. He found a cheap agent, and on headshots he spent "It's Christmas," he said. "My Elving will pay rent."
He wandered the casting calls in the suit he'd made for himself If he wanted his dreams, he said, "I must believe I'm an elf!" The suit was homemade, from felt, yarn and tape With stretch pants which gave an illusion that Chad smuggled grapes.
He appeared before the agent, his suit dewy with sweat But he was ready to elf, he'd show them that yet. "I made the hat from a pattern, the shoes my own design!" And then he turned to show them his red-sequined behind.
"We quite like the hat, and the curl in your toes. But we'd be dishonest, sir elf, if we didn't let you know. You're a bit tall," they said. "And if I remember... We quit shooting our Christmas ads the second week of September."
"But it's Christmas now," cried Chad, his bells all a-jingle. "I want to share my joy with the stupid kids and Kris Kringle! I've driven out here, I'm dead broke and I'm tired. My pointy shoes cut my feet from the frame chicken wire."
"My friend, we'll provide you with costumes a' plenty. You're also 6'4" and you must weigh four-twenty. We have roles as a Santa, you seem right for the part. Put on this red suit, and go stand by Wal-Mart."
"What?" cried out Chad. "I'm no Salvation Army sucker. I'm an elf, plain as day, you dumb mother@#$er." What befell Chad after that, I cannot report. He vanished from casting with three armed escorts.
When next Chad was seen, it was Tucson, late June, He was standing by the roadside in his elven costume. Apparently his elfing career was not fixed, So he'd gone back to the desert to turn some Christmassy tricks.
He stood by the roadside, showing leg to each car when up rolled a Christmassy but run-down Windstar. "How's business?" asked a hoarse voice from inside. "Not bad. For five dollars, I'll go for a ride."
The voice inside the Windstar was not quite unkind. "I'm in need of some help, and I'm running behind. These gifts need to reach each boy and each girl, and my Windstar and I have to traverse the world."
"Oh," said Chad, his eyes dull with elf pain. "I once was an elf, but I'll elf ne'er again. There's too much humiliation and too much rejection And my current occupation landed me a nasty infection."
"My lad," boomed the figure from the dilapidated hulk. "I need you this Christmas, and I need your bulk. You think I'm Kris Kringle, you tubby man-whore. I'm the giver of crap gifts, I'm that bastard Santor."
Chad's eyes lit like H-bombs, he sweat like a pig. This was what he'd waited for, for his Chistmassy gig. "I'll help you, you jack-ass, to spread your moldy old joy. I've got Yanni and John Tesh records for each girl and boy."
He slid the door open, to the Windstar he climbed And to all his sad customers, he left them behind. Now with Chad beside him, Santor put it in gear And Chad grinned like a nut job into the mirror marked "rear."
Now rest assured, Santor's the guy with the plan But he's not alone with our Chad in the van. Chad'll help out as he shoves unwanted crap 'neath the tree Just try to ignore that ripe smell of dried pee.
So each Christmas Eve as you ready for bed Think of Chad and the merry adventures he's led. Leave a scotch for ol' Santor whether you're good or you're bad But leave penicillin for your elf friend Sad Chad.
11:21 PM |
JIM D IS 30
Did you know it's Jim D's birthday?
Jim is now an ancient, creaky 30 years old. He has no longer allowed to be an angry young man. If this were 1850, Jim would expect to live about another 5-10 years.
Happy 30th, Jim.
Supergirl is here to make Jim feel young again. 7:19 PM |
Sunday, December 18, 2005
The folks are in town for a few days for a pre-Christmas Christmas visit.
Things are a little goofy this year as Jamie's ever-fluctuating health has meant we declined to travel to Houston for this year's Christmas fun. Well, my grandparents had already booked their trip to Houston, and my parents wanted to see both fun ends of the generation spectrum. Hence, my folks are here this weekend.
For you Loyal Leaguers, this means reduced blogging going into Christmas. Which, given participation of late, probably won't be a big deal (hey, it's the Holidays. I know you kids are busy).
Just when I thought Nanostalgia.com was on life support (Jim D. and Randy had been MIA), Steven G. Harms picked an hilarious fight with a reviewer from "The Stranger", and apparently got her irritated enough to respond in full in the comments section. Steven G. Harms, I bow before you once again.
I made some fairly immature comments in the comments section, too, but I'm not on my usual computer where I bookmarked my log-in to Nanostalgia, so you can read my $0.02 on the issue which was not very well self-edited. Most likely, I would have preferred to have not posted my second comment at all. The first one was sufficient.
Ah, well. I'm a jack ass. This is not news.
We sort of had Christmas today. Woke up, ate Jamie's once-a-year Roll Wreath (ambrosia, Leaguers. If anything every demanded a recipe posted, it's Judy McB's Christmas Roll Wreath), some bacon and had some coffee. Showered, went to church (got lost on way to the church), grabbed lunch, fell asleep for a long time, woke up, played with dogs, opened Christmas presents, played with dogs, ate a delicious Christmas dinner, did dishes, watched "It's a Wonderful Life."
At this point, December 25th is sort of moot. I did my Christmas. It was very nice. Anything Steanso brings to the table during Christmas visit next week will be lesser and a bit of a let down. We'll do Channukah instead, just to mix it up.
Oh, man. I think the cat just farted on me. Ewww.
Anyway, ya'll have a good one this week. Safe traveling. Safe shopping. Safe everything.
(Oh, and here is my secret message to all my fellow revolutionaries in The War on Christmas: The Fat Man is in the Sleigh. I repeat: The Fat Man is in the Sleigh.)