Happy Lunar New Year - Year of the Fire Horse

They tell me it's the Year of the Fire Horse.  

I know nothing about any Zodiacs, from any culture.  So I am left to Google this.

Apparently a year for rapid change.  Good golly, do we need more of that?

Let's round up the Fire Mares, then.

Weekly Rewind - 02/15/2026

baby's first tooth brushing

Happy post Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day kind of came and went.  It's just not either my favorite holiday nor Jamie's.  It's expensive and a hassle.  We stayed in, had a pizza and watched a movie I did not like at all.  Jamie gave me a fun card.

This was our 30th Valentine's Day together, and every year we remember our miserable first Valentine's Day sitting in freezing weather outside waiting for a table, only to then be sat outside near one of those gas burners, which did nothing.  

It's a bunk holiday.

Steven and Lauren and young Alexander Come to Town

League Weekly Rewind 2025 (December 28, 2025)

Hey, welcome to a holiday-hang-time edition of the League Weekly Rewind.

We're in that awkward space between Christmas and New Year.  I had the whole week of Christmas off, but will work the Monday through Wednesday of New Year's.  

For our holiday greeting dispatched during Christmas Day, you can check in here.  

BONG BONG BONG BONG - Tis Christmas Day!

Hey!  Merry Christmas, people!  Happy Holidays!  Happy post-Hanukkah!  Happy coming Kwanzaa!  Happy post-Solstice for my witchier compatriots! 

However or whatever you celebrate - we hope it was a good one.  Or will be, when you get off shift.

So far we had a lovely Christmas Eve with Family and Neighbors and Blue Cookies that I am pretty sure I should not have eaten (broke my rule of "never eat anything colored blue").  We made Coquito - badly (I need a new blender) - and ate small sandwiches, drank wine, and generally had a good time of it.  Dug and K are here, and I am currently listening to the air conditioner go because it's 80 degrees today.  Feelings are mixed on this facet.

We had roll-wreath/ monkey bread and bacon for breakfast.  Then, did the present exchange.  Jamie spent months cross-stitching a picture of Emmylou for me, and it is amazing.

We had chatter with the screenwriter for probably the best Hallmark movie this season over at The Signal Watch.  We watched one of the most troubling Christmas movies which will post over at the Signal Watch at 6:00ish Central.

We're headed over to The KareBear and The Admiral's place for Christmas dinner and, maybe, family photos.  I have put on a lot of weight, so I am less than enthused that roly-poly-Ryan is getting immortalized, but that's what happens when you eat your feelings and can't walk anywhere thanks to a busted foot.  But I am looking forward to a fabulous family feast and festivities.

Oh, also, I watched pieces of It Happened on 5th Avenue, and next year we're doing a re-watch.

We didn't watch The Grinch, because I loathe the movie, but here's Martha May Whovier, the most confusingly foxy of Christmas characters.  

Here's a very good, brief Christmas sketch:

Anyway, Merry Christmas.  

May the most Texas-accurate Christmas tune of all carry you through:

Christmas Pals: Julebokk - the Christmas Goat

So, there's a whole lot of Scandanavian stuff here I don't quite grok.  

There's the Scandanavian habit of, much like Mari Llyd, dressing up and going around to get booze from neighbors (a solid plan!).  And that is referred to as Julebukking.  Neighbors who have not slammed the door in your spooky face now welcome you in for smorgasbord and a cocktail, I'd guess.

How this happens without already being drunk looking at the picture above, I can't say.  

But this may have originally been a tradition where the participants mostly dressed as goats, thus the name.  And how did we get there?

Jule means Yule/ Christmas-time, and Bok means Goat.  

League Weekly Rewind 2025 (December 21, 2025)

Emmylou is worn out by holiday cheer

I'm Out of the Sandal/ Boot

So sometime in mid-October I was put into a surgical boot, even before I'd actually had surgery on my foot.  Well, on the morning of the 19th, I had a round of x-ray's, high-fived with my surgeon, who is a super cool guy, I might add - and was given the all-clear to put on a shoe instead of the boot.

I had my shoe in the car and was delighted to do so.  I can't say how freeing it felt to not hobble around with that clumsy thing on my foot.  I even took Emmylou for a little walk yesterday.  And will now do so every day as I rebuild confidence in the foot and the walks get longer.

League Weekly Rewind (Week of December 8th)

A'ja Wilson Gets Her Flowers

A'ja Wilson is Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year:  Time Magazine's article.

She also won AP's Female Athlete of the Year:  AP News article

We at League of Melbotis couldn't be happier.  And based on performance and accumulation of honors, it's hard to argue that she isn't the most accomplished athlete in their sport (across all US Sports) in 2025, while also taking the stage as a face for the WNBA during a crucial and messy period.

Christmas Pals: Mari Lwyd

Ah, Wales.  Beautiful.  Ancient.  Brave.  Steadfast.  Home of a baffling language and a horse-skulled excuse to get drunk.  

Apparently this is not some ancient character - it's just something some drunk Welshmen came up with.  Make a hobby horse out of a skull and go a-wassailing.  Horse skulls are kind of jolly, I suppose, and when you show up at someone's door with it, they kind of have to address you, so you sing and drink.  Not bad.

The Mari Lwyd is a skull affixed to a pole like a hobby horse and then you bedazzle that skull.  One person under a sheet carries it around, and another speaks/ sings for it as a leader.  And then a bunch of other drunks join in, singing in a small crowd around the figure.  You knock on someone's door, and you carol for booze.

No one is quite sure where the tradition started, why, or, indeed, what "Mari Lwyd" refers to - but it might just mean "The Gray Mare".  She ain't what she used to be, indeed.

So, no, don't fear the Mari Lwyd.  It's just here for your booze and snacks. 

Wait... am I Mari Lwyd?

Christmas Show: The E(Xmas)ist

 

Lifelong pal CB Goodman - former film school collaborator and sometime roommate - has gone on to become a director and producer of local plays.  The nice thing is, I don't have to be polite.  I actually like her work when I've been able to catch it.  It is not a new idea that I think CB, indeed, has a terrific sense of comedy, conceptualization and design.  She works with a collaborative called Gracklejack Productions, and they stage shows pretty regularly.

A few months back she informed Jamie and I that she was working on The E(Xmas)ist, which she described as a mash-up of The Exorcist and Krampus, and I said "well, yes".   

We caught the opening night show on Thursday 12/11 at the Crashbox in Austin.  I guess the shows are now all sold out, but you never know.  Tickets may be got here.  

Written by Vince Kelly and directed by CB, it was what she advertised.  Hilarious, great stuff.  It did not hurt that I'd just revisited The Exorcist during October, so it was all very fresh.  True team effort, I wouldn't single anyone out of the cast as they all delivered, and all of them had highlight moments.  

After way too many Hallmark movies and Christmas cheese, it was great to revel in a show that was absolutely as described:  

The ultimate campy Christmas parody, The E(XMAS)IST is everything we ever wanted in a holiday show! It’s got drag, sass, and ridiculous DIY special effects.

Anyway, I can see this becoming a sort of Christmas tradition.  Not that I want to saddle CB with more work, but I'm just saying.  The audience loved it, and I can see other players want to try on some of these parts.

Amazing show.  If you can still get a ticket, Austin, do it.

Enjoy Some Holiday Tunes

I don't know what I was expecting, but I haven't heard much new Christmas music.  But, that doesn't mean I've not heard any.  Also, there were some highlights the past couple years we'd be remiss if we didn't share.

Some Final Girls are here with some Christmas cheer (found via Barbara Crampton's social media)

Kylie Minogue has a whole new Christmas record.  I quite liked the song and video for Office Party

Minogue also has a video coming end of the week for her new song, XMAS, but this live performance is pretty keen.

For the rockingest Christmas music, may I recommend 

Who would we even be if we didn't give Ms. Hannah Waddingham's Apple+ Christmas special a shout-out?

Last Christmas, before anyone knew who she was stateside, Raye performed at the NBC Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting

In 2023, Cher herself had a new song she performed at the Tree Lighting.

Christmas Pals: The Yule Cat

Iceland is a place of curious myths and legends.  I won't get into all the western gods and monsters that have come out of Iceland, but here for the Christmas Season, I'll introduce you to The Yule Cat.

Sure, the German mountains may have given us Krampus, but over in Iceland there's multiple Christmas folk characters, and, for my dollar, there's nothing says Christmas more than a cat larger than a house who will stalk and murder you on if you (checks notes) did not receive new clothes under the tree.  

Suddenly that ugly sweater from Aunty Gertrude is pretty nice, right?

I mean, it seems less than chill to get murdered because no one thought to gift you some new socks, but folk beasts are not always fair.  So you make sure you're VERY CLEAR in your Santa Letter that you want pants.

Anyhoo, the idea of sitting at home and looking out the window into the hub-cap sized eye of a cat is pretty spooky stuff and not very jolly.   

Christmas Concert: Handel's Messiah w/ Chorus Austin and Austin Symphony

Every year we try to do something for Christmas - some sort of live show.  And most years, we include my parents.  For example, we've been to Zach Scott to see Christmas Carol and Long Center for The Nutcracker.  

And, every year, after it's already happened and I see a TV report on it, or mentions online, I say "next year I'll go see Handel's Messiah performed for once in my life".  And, on December 2nd, we did just that.

We all know two or three selections from the work, but I didn't know much about it other than those bits and that it's a staple.  At this point in my life, I'm not getting younger and I feel like I should take in come of Western Culture's biggest hits. 

League Rewind (Week of November 30th)

Happy post-Thanksgiving.

That picture above is my (first) plate of food from Thanksgiving dinner at my folks' house.  Jason, Amy and the kids were visiting her parents and family in Phoenix.  Back here we had Karebear at the forefront making an amazing dinner.  Jamie made the stuffing (and it was great).  The Admiral poured wine.  My Unky B, who moved here this year, was in attendance - as was Cousin Sue.  And Jamie's Dad, DocDik, rode up with us.  My folks' friend, Janie, arrived a tad later and joined us.  

It was lovely.  Had some nice pumpkin pie, too.  

The Phoenix voyagers returned before the weekend, so we did all manage to catch dinner out (where I ate so much cheese, I needed to be rolled home).

The Thanksgiving Day Parade

Settling into the Holidays at League HQ - 2025

Well, Thanksgiving is over and we're headed toward Christmas and New Year.  

This weekend, Jamie and I managed to decorate the inside and outside of League HQ.  It was a large task, but we'd started by setting up one of our two trees last weekend, and it took a surprising amount of pressure off this weekend.

Starting last year, we quit wrapping the upstairs pillars as we had a friendly owl living in the balcony.  But the oak tree in front of our house more or less obscures the lights up there, anyway.  So, now you just get the four columns of peppermint wrap and the candy lights in the tree.  You're welcome.

Meanwhile, the living room isn't much different from prior years.

Happy Thanksgiving 2025

Happy Turkey Day, everybuddy!

We made it.  The Holiday season starts in earnest.  My mom is making a dinner in North Austin, and we'll be there this evening.  Rumor has it she got three kinds of pie, which I am excited about, but for me it's about turkey, Jamie's stuffing (she's been working on it for several days), potatoes and whatever greens are on the table.  

I love me a Thanksgiving dinner.

Thankful for so much this year.  

As always, Jamie is first up.  Especially as she's taken care of me for *months* as I have this busted foot, so I can't drive, and for a while couldn't cook or clean.  She's done *everything*.  So, thanks, Jamie!  But she's also just Jamie, and that ain't bad.  So thankful for every day before and every day to come.

Thankful for a new gig I kind of love.

Thankful for my pals near and far.  Some of you I know mostly online, and some I barely text with but we get to hang out in person.  But a guy needs to count himself rich with how many people he can call a buddy.

Thankful for parents and family!  We are a small family, but we are mighty.  And the niece and nephew are growing up strong and smart.

I've got my health, if you don't count this foot.  Jamie's had a good year, and our parents are doing well.

This year we also adopted Emmylou, and she's been a delight every day.  Good dog.

just look at that cutie-patootie

And, if I may, I'm thankful for a lot of silly things, too.  Hey, I got two superhero movies I'd always dreamed of this year.  Not grateful for my bad financial management when it came to Superman merchandise, but here we are.

And if you you read to the end here, thanks!

Now get out there and eat your favorite foods and get a slice of pecan pie.  (And I say it "peh-cahn").

One Week and Counting Since I Posted the Only Review of the Lacey Chabert Ornament

This year Hallmark is offering an actual Lacey Chabert Porcelain Ornament.

Maybe the ornament is a little weird, but so is Hallmark.  And as long as they make ornaments for pretty much any other media franchise under the sun, it makes sense that eventually they'd want to float a trial balloon of what they have to offer from their own networks.  And what Hallmark has leaned into of late is "Hallmark Stars" - of which Chabert is a bit singular.

And so it seems, rather than go all in on, say, the entire cast of Three Wisest Men, they've decided to go with one of their biggest stars who has more than a decade with the channel.  

So why the review?  

Christmas 2024

the official White House 2024 ornament, amongst some family ornaments

Our mode the past decade or so has been to throw as much Christmas as we can at the wall so when something doesn't pan out or something bad happens, at least *something* Christmassy occurred.

This year we got up decorations inside and outside the house early.

We put up the Super Tree

Happy Thanksgiving, Pals

Here in the US of A, it's Thanksgiving.  

I love Thanksgiving.  It's about food and hanging out.  Ideal. It's also a nice break between the shenanigans of Halloween and the all-consuming maelstrom that is Christmas.

May you find yourself with some quality plans.  Watch the parade!  Watch a dog show!  Put on some football!

We're not hosting this year - that honor lies with KareBear and The Admiral.  Mom is prepping a bird, she'll have potatoes and green beans, and I'll be a happy boy.  Jamie is pitching in.  She started prep a few days ago, staling bread for stuffing.  And Wednesday, she both prepped the stuffing (making the house smell amazing with butter and onion).  She also cooked a turkey breast to ensure we'd have turkey for sandwiches if the turkey was fully consumed at my folks' house.  

No - We will not have too much turkey.  I love turkey.  I understand people don't, and that's fine as it means: more turkey for me.  The likelihood I'll just slowly eat a couple of turkeys given the chance is greater than zero.  As is the possibility I'll make like a 1930's cartoon and just inhale a turkey, leaving a pile of bones.

I wish those of you who can be with family the absolute best.  It could be a colorful year.  Take care of yourself.  But it may go really well.  Here's hoping.

Our plans currently include dinner with my folks and watching football both Friday with some Nebraska fans, and Saturday - as we see if UT can beat A&M in the their first match-up in some time.

And, of course, we'll be putting up our share of Christmas decor, inside and outside the house.  

Thanksgiving

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States.  It's a Federal holiday established for Americans to take a moment with family and friends and consider what good fortunes they've had over the year.  Or maybe count blessings in a year that wasn't so great.

 As kids we get a "teach the legend" version of Thanksgiving and believe that we're celebrating a feast partaken of by the weird-o's who were so miffed they couldn't comfortably be uptight enough in 17th Century Europe, and so essentially moved to an equivalent of what would be a moon colony for us, just so they could burn women as witches in peace.  They happened to have their asses saved by some locals, and giving Thanks seemed like a keen idea.

That comes loaded with the egregious history of how Europeans would then colonize and wage 300 years of war on the people already living here.  So, understandably, if that was what we were celebrating, I get how one would pause to reflect and wonder how this led to finishing dinner quickly to watch The Dallas Cowboys and/ or seeing how much wine is in the remaining bottles and keeping a slow burn til it's all over.

But that is not what we're celebrating.  This isn't Christmas which has deep roots in Christian history, or Hannukah which refers to a specific moment in Jewish history.  I don't think most Americans really think of Thanksgiving as a specific day to sit down in honor of Pilgrims and Native Americans.  That would be particularly weird.  

From the earliest days of the U.S., Thanksgiving was a tradition in regions, but not universally celebrated.  While some Presidents observed the holiday, as early as Jefferson, the holiday was eschewed as religious and therefore not a National holiday.    

WW Christmas

Normally I don't post cheesecake comic art, because I find it distasteful and believe it just reinforces some negative stereotypes about comics. But... Ah, heck. Why Not?


Wonder Woman for Christmas is okay by us