Merry Christmas!

No sense taking the time to create a beautiful greeting.  Background-Wallpapers.com did that already.  I'd include a link, but honestly, too many popups.  If it weren't for Firefox blocking them, I'd still be trying to close them all.

After wrestling the graphic down to the ground, avoiding all the popups, it became personal.  Just had to use it.

Anyway, sorry for the rant.

Merry Christmas to my blogging friends and your families!

Dr. Seuss Knows a Thing or Two About Aging

If you've read the New Blogged Word for any length of time, you know I post a periodic Retirement Countdown entry once in a while. This doesn't really qualify, but it is fun.

A friend sent this to me recently and I just had to share it. In addition to the good doctor providing a clear assessment of the aging picture, here's a few more facts that may or may not help:

• The people who started college this past fall were born in 1990.
• They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.
• Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
• The CD was introduced two years before they were born.
• They have always had an answering machine.
• They have always had cable.
• Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show (until recently.)
• Popcorn has always been microwaved.
• They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
• They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.
• They never heard: "Where's the Beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel", or "de plane Boss, de plane."
• McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers.
• They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

Damn kids.  :-)

A Legal Christmas

A colleague of mine sent a nice holiday greeting over email recently and at the end of a very nice sentiment, he included a very appropriate CYA version that gave me a good laugh. I just had to share it. It is unfortunate that in this litigious world, a greeting such as this doesn't seem too far out there. Regardless, it is a fun read:

From me ("the wishor") to you ("the wishee"):

Please accept without obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, politically correct, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of your choice.

I wish you a financially successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010, but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures, and having regard to the race, creed, age, physical ability, faith or choice of computer platform (MAC, PC, C64) of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting you are bound by these terms that:

• This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal.
• This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights of the wishor are acknowledged.
• This greeting implies no promise whatsoever by the wishor to actually implement any of the wishes.
• This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or the restrictions herein may not be binding upon certain wishes in certain jurisdictions and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wishor.
• This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably may be expected within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.
• The wishor warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wishor.

Any references in this greeting to "the Lord", "Father Christmas", "Our Saviour", "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" or any other festive figures, whether actual or fictitious, dead or alive, shall not imply any endorsement by or from them in respect of this greeting, and all proprietary rights in any referenced third party names and images are hereby acknowledged and all due clearances and consents of the same have been diligently obtained.

This greeting is made under [insert you company name] Law and shall be interpreted, construed and governed by the laws of said company.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY 2010!

I Have a Badge! (and other updates)

In my other blog, The Ultimate Blogging Toolkit, I have posted an entry about Blog Badges. As you can see, I have added it to my sidebar as a nice piece of cross-promotion.  Check out the toolkit for an interesting look into how this blue/aqua/green/black background was created.  You'll enjoy the story about it being "one of a kind" and you'll learn how to make one yourself.

Notice, too that I am experimenting with Amazon ads.  Yes, if you click through to make a purchase, I'll make a few cents and a piece of cheese.  The Ultimate Blogging Toolkit is the blogger's resource and this is more of a free-for-all, but it is a great sandbox to experiment.  Let me know what you think.  In general, are you interested in helping others by making your online purchases like you normally would, but start by clicking through like this?

Let me know!

Dave

Over the Top Christmas Lights - But What Fun to Watch!

A colleague sent a link to this year's video of Richard Holdman's stunning Christmas Lights display, but I have a soft spot for Frosty the Snowman and his musical guest, the late Dean Martin.  Turn up those speakers, enjoy this and Mr. Holdman's other renditions.

'Tis the season!

Dave