Happy Whatever 2013

With all the crap you hear and read these days about people getting butt-hurt and their undies in a twist over whether or not a retail store clerk says “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” I just wanted to take a moment to say - Happy Whatever!

Seriously, I don’t care what you believe in (or don’t believe in). Just have a happy and safe holiday season. If you don’t like that I didn’t say Merry Christmas, then get the sand out of your vagina and try being a member of society instead of whiney, self-entitled, twat-waffle. :-)

Note: The following video is an old Virgin Mobile ad, but I love the sentiment of the whole thing. It is not an endorsement on my part of Virgin Mobile and I’m pretty sure the pricing it mentions isn’t valid anymore. Enjoy, and Merry Chrismahanukwanzakah!

~ JC

We’re Still Here

Well, this apocolypse that was supposed to happen a couple of days ago didn’t. So, have a Merry/Happy Chrismahaunakwanzaka (or whatever it is you celebrate this time of year)!

~ JC

Tis The Season

Well, the holiday shopping season is now firmly upon us with this past Friday being “Black Friday”, the most infamous of shopping days. I hate to say it, but the older I get the harder it is to get “into the spirit”. It just seems like every year the focus of what the holidays are supposed to be about (family, thankfulness, peace on earth, etc.) gets pushed further and further down in the name of corporate greed and the stupidity of holiday shoppers. While I’ve not seen any news reports of senseless violence and accidents from Black Friday (mainly because I’ve gotten where I don’t watch the news all that much anymore because it’s too depressing/maddening), I did have my Mom tell me about how my sister witnessed a fist fight at a Wal-mart on Thanksgiving evening. And that’s another thing - now the stores can’t even wait until Friday? They had to open at 8:00pm on Thanksgiving to start the mad rush of bargain deals? WTF?!

I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping yet and, even though I made a wish list for myself at the behest of my fianceé, she added more to it than I did I think.

All I’m saying is, be safe and try not to get caught up in the retail bullshit.

~ JC

Happy Day All You Mothers!

Today is Mother's Day in the U.S. That special day invented by the Hallmark company to buy cards and flowers for Mom. All tongue in cheek comments aside, to everyone out there who's a Mom, Happy Mother's Day. To everyone who has a Mom - call/text/email/carrier pigeon your Mom to tell her how much you love her and how much she means to you. My Mom got her gift early because (I hate to admit this) I might not have time today to see her. I'll be heading to my Gramma's a little later today, and at some point will be taking my Mother-in-law-to-be out for dinner and trying to find a moment to see my sister and niece too. And all while recovering from a slight hangover from going out for beers with my best friend last night.

See ya next week!

~ JC

Topics in the works: my political views, RPG dice and how they're used, enjoying the simple things in life, and many more... so stay tuned.

To My Beloved

It's Valentine's Day morning. You lay sleeping while I sit typing. As verbose as I am capable of being, words escape me now to express my love for you. The best I can manage is a poem stolen from another website.

You've Touched My Heart

You've given me a reason
For smiling once again,
You've filled my life with peaceful dreams
and you've become my closest friend.

You've shared your heartfelt secrets
And your trust you've given me,
You showed me how to feel again
To laugh, and love, and see.

If life should end tomorrow
And from this world I should part,
I shall be forever young
For you have touched my heart

I love you!
~ JC

2009 Christmas Booty (and thoughts)

So, here's my haul for 2009

As tradition dictates, a pint of Jack Daniel's from my Mom

a replica of the infamous leg lamp from “A Christmas Story”

Old Spice gift set

“Casino” on DVD

“Tropic Thunder” on DVD

“Echoes of War: The Music of Blizzard Entertainment” CD boxed set

Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate Assortment

Picture frame with a picture of my niece and Santa

A fancy picture frame

GreenAir Scented Reed Diffuser

Tankard O' Terror replica stein

$35 worth of BestBuy gift cards

Jelly Belly jelly beans

a pack of Handkerchiefs

a 4-Seasonings Sampler Pack (popcorn seasonings)

Heel Tastic (because I have very dry, crusty skin on my heels)

(note: some of the above were tagged as being to both my wife and myself)

Now, every year I post the list of what I got for Christmas on my blog. I don't do it so much so say “Hey, look at what I got!” but more to help me remember what I received and to remember to be thankful for it. I have to admit, this year I wasn't in a very Christmas-sy mood. At the beginning of Christmas week, I was really just ready for it to be over with so I could go back to my regularly scheduled routine. After last night's annual family gathering, and watching all the kids get excited about Christmas and Santa Clause, I have to admit, I'm very glad I overcame my Grinchy outlook. But let us not forget what Christmas, and the holiday season is about. For Christians it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. For Pagans, it's the Winter Solstice. For Jews it is the commemoration of the re rededication of the Holy Temple. But, whatever your religious persuasion (or even lack thereof), the season itself is about peace, goodwill, generosity – in other words, all that is good about humanity. Instead, what we get is rudeness, selfishness and greed as everyone clamors for gifts and the retailers gladly take your hard earned money without a care. I guess that's why I wanted Christmas to be over this year – it just wasn't seeming very jolly with all the stress. Why have we let what is supposed to be the best time of the year become one of the worst? Think about that for the next 365 days, and maybe next year Christmas can be a lot less stressful and a whole lot more peaceful!

Merry Christmas!

~ JC

Once Easter's Gone, They're Gone

Today is Easter Sunday; that day that Christians buy new clothes and go to church to celebrate the resurrection of their Saviour, Jesus. For some of them, it's the only day of the year that they set foot in a church. However, I'm not here to discuss that. I'm writing, instead of a much more important topic; the Cadbury Creme Egg.

These wonderful confectionery delights are only available for a few months out of the year, from January 1 to Easter. Does this seem fair to you? To further our torture, the folks at Cadbury-Schwepps have launched multiple variations of the addictive treat. According to Wikipedia, these variations include the mini-creme eggs, caramel eggs, mini-caramel eggs, orange creme eggs and chocolate creme eggs, to name just the ones I've been able to find in local stores.

I've often wondered why these wonderful candies are only available for such a limited time, when they seem to be so popular. Like most folks, I discovered the Cadbury Creme Egg when I was but a youth, but my love for them has carried over into my adulthood. The only good thing about their limited availability that I can think of, is that the day after Easter they'll go on sale for half price and I can stock up and store them in the refrigerator for several weeks (if my addiction will allow them to last that long). In fact, I don't know which addiction is worse, the Eggs or Krispy Kreme Donuts? Personally, I love the original, but being a bit of a caramel junky, it was an exciting day when I found out they were making the caramel version. My fiancée disagrees, however and would rather have just the originals; Ok, so more caramel eggs for me then! I can live with that.

But tell me friends and gentle readers, which do you prefer? Leave a comment and share your love for the Cadbury Creme Egg in all it's various and sundry versions.

Oh yeah, before I forget, Happy Easter!

Upcoming Blog Topics: “Workbrain Needs a Lobotomy” (March 30), “Random Rantings of a Retail Sales Clerk” (TBD). Don't forget, there's only a few days left to vote in the poll about whether or not I should keep my website, Carlisle's Chaotic Corner, open or not. Thanks to the nine of you who have already voted. The results will be posted on April 1 (no foolin')

2007 Christmas Haul

from Mom & Ronnie

Burgundy Fleece Jacket

Dockers Shoes (Glacier Dark Tan size 11; exchanged for Shelter Dark Tan size 12)

Pint of Jack Daniel's Whiskey

from Ursula & Andy

Golf ball shaped coin bank

from Uncle Bob

$100 bill (used part of to purchase Dockers Shoes [Shelter Black size 12])

from Roxanne and the Harris Family

Cross Cut Paper Shredder

Nike Cold Weather Golf Gloves

Box of TopFlite D2 Feel golf balls

Slap Shot (DVD)

CHIEFS hockey jersery (fictional team from the movie Slap Shot)

Shrek the Third (DVD)

$25 gift card to CircuitCity

Mission: Cook! My Life, My Recipes, and Making the Impossible Easy by Chef Robert Irvine (hardcover)

Bloodlines: The Story of Urza's Destiny (Magic: The Gathering Artifacts Cycle #4) by Loren J. Coleman (paperback)

Myth-ing Persons/Little Myth Marker 2-in-1 by Robert Asprin (paperback)

Box of assorted Jelly Belly jelly beans

Foam practice golf balls in a candy cane shaped tube

Giant Hershey's chocolate bars (Special Dark and Milk Chocolate w/Almonds)