Well, maybe not all of them.  No offense, but I would be happy if I never heard “Feliz Navidad“, especially the Jose Feliciano version,ever again.  But that one song aside, I start listening to Christmas music and holiday tunes at the start of November and stop after the twelve days of Christmas are over on January 5th (where do you think “Twelfth Night” came from folks?).

My moniker came from my days working at Dayton’s/Field’s/Macy’s and every time a song came on the Muzak I could name not only the song but singer in just a few notes, Bill Cullen would be proud.

I can tell the difference between Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Tony Bennett and Perry Como singing the exact same song.  Now with all the modern & country singers jumping into the holiday music pool it has become more difficult and my skills have begun to wane, especially since I no longer work retail, but my holiday music collection will still rival many.

Combined cassette, vinyl and CD there are over 200 albums in the collection. Perhaps the most prized is the ”Merry Christmas with the Brady Bunch” Original Vinyl (we three sisters wore similar robes). You haven’t heard anything until you have heard Cindy Brady sing “Frosty the Snowman” with a lisp.

Then there is the Fred Waring Singers with Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby 12 Songs of Christmas with my favorites “Go tell it on the Mountain” & a fantastic duet “We wish you the Merriest” with Frank & Bing.  Then there is the Columbia Records “Magic of Christmas” 3- record boxed set which I loved,  and all the Dean Martin Christmas albums, those are mum’s, but we kept the old Soundesign stereo turntable just so we could still play them.  And get this, we even still have a Bing Crosby White Christmas 8-Track somewhere! 

As for modern CD’s I think I like the Barenaked Ladies “Bare Naked for the Holidays” (includes some Hanukkah songs) and Harry Connick Jr’s “Harry for the Holidays” or his more recent “”What a Night.”  Brian Setzer Orchestra’s “Boogie Woogie Christmas” or “Dig that Crazy Christmas” are the two I own but he has also released several more including a live two CD set “Christmas Extravaganza.”

Leonard Slatkin Conducted Minnesota Orchestra Nutcracker Suite

I like football.

And beer.

Best Day Ever sends the Internet some beer

I asked for some beer pics yesterday and @Best_day_ever decided to play along.

It’s good to see some people still like to have fun on the Internet, drink beer, and steal a football win within the last seconds of the game. TD!

Cheers.

Football!!!!!

SurlyFest and pumpkins from the garden.

I mean locally, of course, not at Coachella or someplace totally way more awesome than SxSWhatnot or Seattle.

That is, do you know somone at Coachella? You know, someone local? Or, have you heard about any Coachella acts that you really, really, really, want to roll through the T.C.?

.My friend mellowlee says “Now playing at #Coachella ; #Calexico Check it out at http://music.att.net #webcast ♫ http://blip.fm/~4k9ap“

 and stephenhero just can’t catch a break  “Glasvegas cancelled. Bullshit! I feel like a Gypsy homosexual in 1939 Poland.” #coachellaabout 2 hours ago from txt

followed by “TV on the Radio’s sound is just not geared for a huge field in the desert. Checking Calexico. #coachellaabout 1 hour ago from txt“

And mellowlee♫ http://blip.fm/~4ka3o

CP has some pics Coachella 2009: Half-Dressed People & Scenes from the Desert

Dig it?

.

1) The Source

2) The Content

Both have merits and drawbacks, but I tend to think the second is ultimately more reliable.

Well, often it seems many locals refuse to consider content because of source. Recently potential abuses of the education system by the TiZA school became an issue and were dismissed by much of the local bloggersnotti, mainly because the potential infractions were brought to light by Katherine Kersten.

Don’t get me wrong, I have no love for the K.K. Yet, at the time, it seemed to me that there were some clear violations of Church and State, but hey; I’m no lawyer.

You know who is a bunch of lawyers? The A.C.L.U and they are suing, Calling it a “pervasively Muslim school,” ACLU sues TiZA, state education dept.

So I ask, “How about now?”

.

Hockey Wilderness has the schedule.

Who loves hockey?

WE DO!

Who loves hockey?

WE DO!

I have some video and pics coming up.

I hope you and yours are having a wonderful holiday. Peace. Word.

As the Strib reports in In search of the Giant Pumpkin, a state record emerges

A science teacher from New London shattered the Minnesota record for giant pumpkins on Saturday. It registered a whopping 1,427.5 pounds at the 4th annual Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off in downtown Stillwater. 

I, for one, welcome our new Great Pumpkin overlords. Matter of fact, I take partial responsibility. I like to believe the pumpkins I grow contribute energy to the spiritual harmonics of these peaceful squash. Metaphysical,I tell you.

Well, metaphysical, and a whole lot of fertilizer.

The stuff I use is organic.

Now I can’t decide whether I should post pictures of my personal pumpkin patch, make a video, or build an alter.

I mean, Did you see the size of that thing?

Big congratulations to Chad Reivier of Spicer, MN. I hope you like pie.

Apparently Archbishop John Nienstedt’s cancellation of St. Joan of Arc’s Pride celebration got Andy’s dander up. This commentary is included in the show notes. I’ve not yet listened to the 6/25/08 episode of TTT (”Sexual Violence and Offenders” is the topic), but I presume he read it on air as well.

A Question for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Let us digress for a moment to ask this question of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: what in God’s name is going on with you people that you feel compelled to impose some Neanderthal view of sexuality and sexual orientation as if Jesus Christ himself would condemn all who don’t reproduce, never mind their deep devotion to their Lord and their church? What earthly, let alone, heavenly, harm – other than Archbishop John Nienstadt’s personal and professional disgust with gays and Lesbians, could possibly be driving this idiotic intervention over St. Joan of Arc’s annual celebration and worship of Gay Pride week in the Twin Cities? Is the Church so insulated from public view that it doesn’t sense the rank hypocrisy of this unwarranted authoritarian exercise in light of its own clergy’s sexual history?

Now, I haven’t practiced pure Catholicism in 50 years, but I’ve watched my former faith take ten steps backward recently for every inch gained in behalf of the seriously wanting human condition over those years and cannot help but wonder if Christ himself isn’t turning over in his heavenly home over this prehistoric return to religious fascism.

St. Joan of Arc has been a model of Vatican II principles, providing an overarching cover for all Catholics, including the disaffected, welcoming all of God’s children under its large umbrella. That congregation and others of similar bent are getting hammered into submission by a theoretically celibate male hierarchy which apparently believes that a return to the catacombs is the only way to maintain its iron-fisted authority over purely personal choices to somehow stave off the devil’s entrapment.

What nonsense. And a truly sad commentary on a religious government that was showing such promise that it could live up to its name: Catholic. The name literally means universal, all-encompassing. Universal includes everyone exercising their free will under the teachings and example of their Lord himself. So. Since when did a few men with robes assume the authority to define that term for their own narrow application?

Shame on you, Your Excellency. This will backfire big time, as it has for so many years in other arenas of dicta, driving many Catholics into exile and cynicism.

©2008 Andy Driscoll

Amen, Andy!

This weekend I had family in town for my niece’s 13th birthday and on Saturday we descended upon the Science Museum like an Army of Wookies to celebrate with Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination.  

First we watched Special Effects which is billed as ‘a behind-the-scenes look at Star Wars movie magic’, but we pretty much unanimously agreed ‘grrrrrraAArrhhghhh grrrr’ which is Wookie speak for ‘Gosh, this sucks’.

That’s right, Wookies say ‘gosh’.

After the show we had some time to kill in the museum so we assembled on the deck overlooking the river and made a plan ‘let’s split up and meet at the exhibit at 2:45′.

At 2:30 I was standing near the front of the exhibit line eavesdropping on a seemingly normal family aside from one small aspect: the lightsabers on their belts.

Then the doors opened and we flooded in; there were a ton of cool costumes, models, videos, and interactive stations.

We probably spent an hour wandering the exhibit, but I could see someone hard core enough to spend two hours and someone not really into it being done in 15 minutes.   

Pros: It was very cool to see the original costumes and models up close.
Cons: The exhibit’s videos were kind of lame. I was a little disappointed in the lack of people in costume.
Considerations: Every Star Wars fan I’ve talked to has loved it, but someone not into Star Wars probably won’t.

Don’t forget to check out the store,

Yoda accepts Visa.

‘Strong with the Force our shirts are‘

Gopher Israel and Hillel, the University’s Jewish student center, observed the 60th anniversary of Israel’s establishment with Israeli music, a kosher buffet, a piñata and a camel on the Northrop Auditorium patio.

According to the article, Gopher Israel received $6,000 in grants for the celebration, which was considered by some to be an “educational opportunity” for students not familiar with Israel and/or Judaism. I’m wondering what percentage of that grant money was animal care and transportation costs. A clever PR move to attract attention, but I don’t really see how a live mascot helps educate students about the Israeli nation.