Farewell 2008 and Happy New Year!

Ready to leave, or The End of Xmas 2008

Like my shoes? Campers, of course.

My Xmas gift

Do you think he'll like my apartment?

Strawberry trifle

My mom made it for Marc's birthday--light and delish.

The traditional American holiday meal

Meat, starch, starch, meat, cranberries and butter--followed by
blueberry pie. Yum.

Xmas AKA War of the Planets

This is Ben, one of my new nephews, and he will conquer the universe.

In certain circles, I'm known as a Tinker Toy artist

Behold the Robot Platypus!

Santa <3 me

Yay! Flip Mino HD!!

Eartha Kitt 1927-2008

It's sad that Eartha has left us on Santa's birthday, but she has left an indelible mark on this world. If you listen closely, you'll hear her purring in heaven.



Eartha Kitt, sultry 'Santa Baby' singer, dies on SF Gate

Sebastian says Merry Xmas!

Oh god, it's Noah the Musical

Only in Missouri.

Welcome to Missouri

Greeted by Bass Pro and some poor stuffed animals. Do I miss SF yet?

They shoot horses, don't they?

In the DFW airport.

Dallas-Fort Worth airport

Seriously, who wouldn't want to spend Xmas eve here?

Taking off

We arrived late, but my next flight was delayed too.

Boarding flight #1

And so it begins

Xmas 2008 has begun. Here's to no more delayed flights. Safe travels to you all.

All I Want For Christmas is You

And you and you and you and you.

Happy Christmas everybody. I'll be on a plane tomorrow, but it's just the beginning of the great Xmas Roadtrip 2008. Stay tuned!

Do you think this is true?

Thankfully I walk everywhere--a benefit of living in SF. But, I know some of you are a little too happy when you're behind the wheel. But, is it really "drunk" driving? I mean, I can barely go to the mall unless I'm a little buzzed, and you expect me to get on the highway stone cold sober?! Now THAT would be dangerous.

Mock Peanut Brittle

I rarely share recipes, but I'm craving this right now. Make some and ship it to me. Now!

Nina's Mock Peanut Brittle

1 cup white corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
8 cups corn flakes
(You don't have to be exact with the corn flakes)

Bring corn syrup and sugar to a full boil. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Stir until peanut butter is melted. Pour over corn flakes [that you had previously measured into a large bowl] and stir until coated. Pour out onto waxed paper or a cookie sheet and let cool. Store in a tightly sealed container if you want it to be crispy, if not so crispy, leave a little crack. Eat!!!

Beer Pong!

Coming in Spring 2009 from Chronicle Books. Watch closely because I make a cameo. I played two games that day. I lost the first. Renee and I were shamed by Dan and Tom. Then, I ditched Renee, got a new partner, and whipped my opponents' collective buttocks. Ah, sweet victory.


Beer Pong at Chronicle Books from Todd X. on Vimeo.

Holiday Party: Chronicle Books Rocks Out When We Clock Out

From Drop Box

7 PM at the Independent with food by NOPA. I'm getting excited, but I need to get a shirt first.

Viva Las Vegas!

Watch this spot for the Vegas recap. I'm still recuperating.

Socially Conservative Arguments Don't Hold Water

Thanks to Jon Stewart for pointing out the inherent illogic of the socially conservative argument against gay marriage. And thanks to Mike Huckabee for continuing to spout it so we can dissect it.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mike Huckabee Pt. 2

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

An Old Friend Died Recently

Actually, two, but I haven't found the words for the other yet.

Laura Beach née Willis and I knew each other through elementary, junior high, and high school--a lifetime for people of a certain age. As with most people I grew up with, I had lost touch with her, but that doesn't negate the impact of her passing. I told a ridiculous story in her memory last night while having margaritas with Rand and Renee. Imagine Laura and me, junior/senior prom, a fake prom date, meeting up with her real boyfriend whom the parents didn't like, and me getting a phone call from Laura's parents the next morning asking if I knew where she was because she never came home. Ah, Laura. It was fun. And, I love the idea of our prom photos floating around out there somewhere.

I wish her family all the best.

*******************

December 9, 2008

Laura Shannon Beach

Laura Shannon Beach of Fair Grove, Mo., passed away Sunday morning, December 7, at Cox South in Springfield at the age of 38. Laura was born February 25, 1970, in Springfield, to Bruce and Claudia Willis. She was married on October 30, 1994, to Tony Beach, and is survived by four children, daughters Tara Beach and Autumn Willis, and sons, Logan and Travis Beach. She is also survived by her parents; a grandmother; a brother; a sister; many aunts and uncles; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be Tuesday at Northside Christian Church from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, at 10 a.m . at Northside Christian Church with burial to follow at Cedar Bluff Cemetery in Fair Grove.

How I Spent My Sunday

I <\3 Paula Deen

What's that you say? You don't understand my new fabulous symbol? Well, you know what <3 stands for, right? <3 = love or, as I prefer to say, "heart." So, <\3 is code for "heart attack." And Paula is a prime heart attack candidate.

Watch this for proof:



I Heart YouTube.

All I Want for Xmas: Screaming Chicken

So, they think they have more rights than I? Just wait.

Analyzing YouTube

The Panopticon is real, and we have happily embraced it in our effort to market and promote ourselves to the world. In the past, an event like this would have been an activity to experience, not necessarily something to record and broadcast. Imagine the things that have been done in fraternities and friends' apartments in the past. Now, imagine all those things online, immediately accessible, permanently viewable. Would our current leaders be so self-righteous? Would they be our leaders? Would we be more forgiving of youth and its foibles? Give us twenty years and we'll find out.

And, I wonder, whose idea was it to film this particular video? I'm voting for the guy on the left. You?

FedEx

Have you ever noticed the arrow that is formed between the E and the X?

Good or bad design?