Oh Danny Boy.

I nearly shat myself laughing.

A Very Waxy Christmas

I'm mentioned before that I love Christmas music — and have some 900 songs in my holiday library. Well, I just found 78 new ones.

Or, perhaps I should say "not so new" ones.

Paul, over at Paul's Ramblings, has a couple posts where he's collected a treasure trove of Christmas music from the early 1900s — all captured from wax phonograph cylinders:

Vintage Christmas Wax Parts I, II, III, IV, V (2006)
Vintage Christmas Wax: Revisited (2007)

Way cool.

Go! Download! Enjoy!

Will You Be My Valentine?

I want to wish everyone, regardless of their luck with love, a happy Valentine's Day. It's ironic that the iconic confection of the day is strawberries dipped in bitter chocolate. Bitter, sweet... it couldn't be more apropos.

So no matter what your plans are, I hope you treat yourself well... to quote Eden Ahbez:

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is (just) to love and be loved in return.

It may sound trite, but the sentiment is true: we're wired for love — and on this day, we're all a little more sensitive to any short-comings we might perceive.

Abraham Lincoln

I share the American love for and reverence of Abraham Lincoln... and better writers than I, have more and better to say than I do. So on this, the 198th anniversary of his birth, I'd simply like to point your minds to his contribution to the Great American Experiment — both as commander in chief and as a great thinker of his time.

For those of you with a little extra time today, you should check-out what might be the earliest photo of our 16th president in existence… or read-up on the controversy surrounding one of my favorite quotes:

As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned, and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working on the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before even in the midst of war. God grant that my suspicions may prove groundless.

Shame it may not have even been his. No matter its provenance, it certainly has proven prescient.

Happy Presidents Day.

Next Saturday is Holi

The Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, Utah announces their annual Holi festivities... and I think, this year, I'm going.

It's next Saturday (March 18th), at the Krishna Temple compound.

Wish me luck!

Happy (Late) Valentine's Day!

So... I hope you had a great Valentine's Day.

Oh, me? Well, thank you for asking...

I rented a car Tuesday morning to make the evening a little special (not to mention comfortable). I got a Jeep Liberty (which seemed appropriate, as we were going over the mountain to Park City for dinner)... Anyway, I left work early to run errands, and discovered that the car smelled of wet cigarettes (ew!)... so while I was out and about, I swapped-out the rental ( a little silver Jeep Liberty ) for a car that didn't have the added feature of causing nausea ( a little black Jeep Liberty ). Then I rushed home and straightened-up the place a bit and changed clothes.

A little after 6:30 he called to say that he was 10 minutes out... so I hopped downstairs to the Italian market and purchased a couple of fancy-schmancy sodas for the road, and a handful of Italian candies ( two "kisses" and to "devil's balls" ).

Anyway, my date gets cold easily, so I put a sheep's skin throw ( I've got several — I love those things! ) on his seat, and brought down a nice lap blanket that I purchased in Iceland... in case he got cold. When he arrived, the car was ready, and a mixed-CD that I'd burned especially for the drive to Park City was in the player... So we climbed in and hit the road. It was a lovely drive, and he held my hand most of the way... which really made my evening. We chatted about all sorts of things — school and work and life — and when we arrived, we walked to the restaurant (Café Terigo) holding hands.

I don't much care for kissing in public (regardless of orientation), but I love holding hands. Love love love it.

Dinner was nice... an opener of coconut-crusted shrimp with a vinegar dipping sauce, a shared pasta papparadelle with chicken sausage, and a shared chocolate crème brullée ( I've decided that I don't like crème brullée... this was a perfect specimen, but I just don't like the caramel shell... anyway... ). After dinner, we walked Park City's Main Street, holding hands and chatting — and popping into the occasional art gallery that was still open. We then drove around looking at the big homes before heading down the mountain.

Back at my place, we came-up to my loft, where we talked and cuddled... then I gave him a small gift and sent him home before it got too late (and before I got too caught-up in the moment to mind my Ps & Qs).

So there you have it... a perfect evening with an amazing guy. Needless to say, I was on cloud nine for some time after he left. Yeah, I know that I'm a hopeless romantic... but that's okay by me.

Happy St Nicholas' Day!

Learn more about Saint Nicholas and his day.

Hat tip: Julie M. Smith