1. Wrapping or gift bags? I am the exact type of lazy S.O.B. that they were targeting when they invented the gift bag. Oh, I can wrap just fine, but would rather do just about anything than wrap gifts. For the holidays predominantly TheWife handles the wrapping, except I get left with the “odd shaped” packages.

2. Real or artificial tree? I prefer a real tree. I always had an artificial one growing up, and always wanted real trees, and had one every year since moving out of my parent’s home. Until 2 years ago, when TheWife declared that we would go artificial. Now we have an artificial pre-lit tree. I grouse about it all through the holidays, but am happy when it actually comes time to putting things away, and not having to spend the better part of January and February still finding needles about the house.

3. When do you put up the tree? Precisely whenever we get around to it. It was later on purpose when we had a live tree because we didn’t want it to be all dead needles on Xmas morning. Now it is whenever we can fit it into weekends that are usually filled with LatteGirl’s activities.

4. When do you take the tree down? On the 13th day after Xmas (or the nearest weekend immediately following)

5. Do you like eggnog? I love and drink entirely too much eggnog.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Any gift that didn’t include socks, or underwear.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A Fruitcake (yes seriously)

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? Both. I mail all those that I can, and e-mail those that I do not have addresses for.

10. Favorite Christmas Movie? Merry Christmas Charlie Brown.

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? For the past couple of years, Cyber Monday. Before that, usually the Saturday before Xmas.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Antipasto, before the main meal. This is about the closest thing my family has in the way of a holiday “tradition.”

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Now I am stuck with Clear as that is what came on our pre-lit tree (see #2)

14. Favorite Christmas song? “The Twelve Pains of Christmas”

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home? “Travel” (if you count 11 miles as travelling). Xmas belongs to my Mom, and the only way we are getting from her, is to pry it from her cold dead hands.

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer. Of course. You have the originals from A Visit with St. Nicholas: Dasher, Dance, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem (that somehow later became Donner and Blitzen). Later, through other stories you added Rudolph (not to mention Clarise and Fireball), and thanks to some funny play on words, later added the not so popular cartoon character Olive (Olive the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names). And finally, in The Santa Clause 2 (The Mrs. Clause), we are introduced to Chet, that has to fill in for the overeating Comet.

17. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither, we have a old world Scandinavian Santa Claus.

8. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? Christmas morning.

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Stores that try to shove more stuff than they can fit into the store, and stores that sell things that don’t belong there. Do I really want to buy a new Plasma Television from the Supermarket? Does ever single retailer in the word have to stock some display of meats and cheeses that for some reason doesn’t need to be refrigerated?

20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color? We have enough ornaments to decorate probably 3 trees, but yet, nothing that you would probably call a “theme. Oh sure we have “batches” like Dr. Seuss collections, and Precious Moments, but none of them in large enough quantity to do a tree in a single style by itself.

21. What do you leave for Santa? Milk and Cookies, as well as some carrots for the reindeer.

22. Least favorite holiday song? Whichever one I have heard once too often that particular year. For example, I like Grandma got run over by a reindeer, but sometimes it just gets so overplayed that I get totally sick of it.

23. Favorite ornament? A Precious Moments, “Baby’s First Xmas 2000″ ornament. It is the only one that is guaranteed to be on the tree each and every year.

Since I didn’t actually get tagged for this I can’t rightfully tag anybody else, but if you would like to participate, I would love to know.

Here are the rules. Write a post using each letter of your middle name, describing something relevant to your life. Tag the same amount of people as you have letters in your name.

E – Emotional – If my middle name was Peter I would say passionate, but I will settle for emotional.  I am rarely ambivalent about things I care about.  I almost always build emotional ties to people, or causes that are quite strong.

D – Determined – My father usually called it “Stunad” (pronounced stew-nad, I like most others have no idea how it is spelled) or “think headed” but I prefer determined.  When I set my sights on something, my determination lets little (including logic) get in my way of drive to attain it.

W – Water – I love the ocean.  I could never live some place that did not offer easy access to the ocean.  One of the things I love about New Jersey is how close you are, almost regardless of where in the State you live, you are never more than about an hour away from “the shore”

A – Animated – I’ll blame it on Italian heritage, but if you taped my arms to my sides, I would probably lose the ability to speak.

R – Recycle – my father was always one to recycle (or actually reuse) as much of whatever he had, to a point where it was annoying, because he never threw anything away.  I am not that bad, but in my drive to keep this planet in good shape for future generations, I am a big proponent to recycle as much as possible so the planet doesn’t become one big landfill.

D – Disorganized – If there is a method to my madness, nobody (including me) has figured it out yet.  Probably a by-product of being ADD, “stacks” is the closest I often reach in terms of organization.  (except on my computer where I am so organized, TheWife who borders on organizational Obsessiveness goes “damn, now that is organized.”)

I am not going to tag anybody specifically for this since so many hide behind pseudonyms, plus I have not had much luck enticing people into doing them.  But if you are inclinded to play along, please by all means do so, and just comment here so I can read along.

Because really, they are truly things given by your peers, and if one of my peers believes I am worthy of an “award” it means the world to me that they believe I am worthy of it. So imagine my surprise when I get hit with not one but two such things at virtually the same time.

The first was from Crazy Life, Makes Me Tired, that says I am a Rockin’ Blogger.

I am greatly appreciative that somebody actually thinks that way. But the swelling in my head didn’t stop there as Liz at This Full House, trying to buck trends (and gender lines) , and says I am a Rockin’ Girl Blogger.

I might have been actually gotten a little upset about this, but since I wasn’t the only man that she decided was a “Rockin’ Girl Blogger” (and of course that I am an a attention whore sometimes), I just smile and say Thanks.

Now of course the real hard part is trying to decide who of all the Rockin’ Blogs I have on my blog roll that I will hit with this (and who hasn’t already had it bestowed upon them).

Just out of a sense of a more traditional value, (plus the fact that I have at present more female bloggers than male) I will break it out by gender, but only because of the name of the awards. (Otherwise, I would just like to give both to everybody).

I’m not going to try and describe the nuances of why all these people rock. Just know that they do. I am probably not breaking any new ground here with these great folks, but if by chance you aren’t reading one of them, then by all means go check ‘em out.

Here are the rules:

• List 8 facts/habits about yourself

• Post the rules at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed

• Tag 8 people and post their names, go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and ask them to read your blog.

So here we go.

1. I held jobs as a Cabinet Maker, Emergency Medical Technician and a Stockbroker before I settled down into a career as a computer programmer.

2.  I tried my hand at Stand Up Comedy for a while working in all sorts of night clubs in NY and NJ.  Never made any money at it though, which is why it isn’t listed under number 1.

3. I shattered my knee during a school softball game because the school did not have proper equipment. This was before people filed lawsuits for such things.

4.  I had 2 college scholarship offers recinded because of medical issues due to my knee.

5.  I was an alterboy in a Catholic Church when I was a kid. (And before anybody asks, the answer is “No” although  I was friends with somebody that was paid off by the church.)

6.  As a kid, I had allergies so bad, I had to go weekly for shots from the time I was 4 until I was 15 years old.

7.  I met TheWife at a bar on Karaoke night.

8.  Despite being offered as much as $500 for the $150 ticket (mind you this was 1988) , I attended opening night for Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.  I have no regrets about not selling that ticket.

So, there you have 8 facts about me you are probably in no way better for knowing.  At this point, I am supposed to tag 8 other people.  But I don’t know that I have 8 people that haven’t done this one already, or you know actually play these games, but what the heck.  I will list 8.  If you have done it, oh well, sorry about that.  If not, give it ago.

1.  Busy Mom (I’m just going to keep tagging you until you do one of them)

2.  Daddy Detective (Hey, your off for the summer, you got the time to do it)

3.  Chicka Nuts (’cause inquiring minds wanna know)

4.  Family Circus  (c’mon you can do it between clients)

5.  five dollar shake (it will take your mind off waiting for that first grandchild)

6.  Overactive Imagination (ditto)

7.  Reality Me (Because any man that puts bats in his freezer has got to have things to share)

8.  One Biscuit Hound (because not everyone can crack open coconuts while still in their jammies, and must also have some interesting tidbits to share).

Anyway here are the rules:

1. Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you. Include the state and country you’re in.

2. List out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location (locally).

3. Tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they’ve been tagged.

Here are my 5 -

1.  The Crab’s Claw – Lavalette, New Jersey – this is stretching “locally” a bit since it is about an hours drive away, but it is in New Jersey so I count it.  Located at the Jersey Shore, this is one of the best Seafood Restaurants in New Jersey, and with the wait you have on weekends, it is obvious that this is not a well kept secret.  Oddly, they also have the best Buffalo Wings I have ever had.

2.  The Spanish Pavillion – Harrison, New Jersey – in the next town over from me, they have a string of Portugese Restaurants that are mouth watering delicious, but The Spanish Pavillion is a cut above the rest.  Served family style with large portions, nobody goes home hungry.  And Sangria that is to die for.

3.   Carmines – New York, NY – Yes it is in another State, but it is closer to my house than The Crab’s Claw (much closer).  Italian Food that tastes like it was made by an Italian Grandmother, and served family style with portions that a Grandma would serve.

4.   Park & Orchard – Carlstadt, New Jersey – a slightly eclectic menu with only the freshest ingredients, this is a world class restaurant right near home.  It has garnered accolades from Zagats and The New York Times among others.  Though I haven’t seen any lately, it was a place that has been frequented by many famous people in the NY/NJ area.

5.  Lee’s Hawaiian Islander – Lyndhurst, New Jersey – at first glance you might call it a glorified Chinese Restaurant, but this Polynesian restaurant is far from the standard fare you would find in a typical Chinese restaurant.  It would be like comparing Burger King to a steakhouse.  And the atmosphere is classic Tiki Bar stylings  (classic in this case meaning a bit old and dated, but still charming).

So now in an effort to find some awesome dining in other parts of the country, I will tag:

Domestic Psychology – the southern belle representing the State of TN.

Full Plate – exquisitedly reigning over all things CT.

Five dollar shake – bringing sophistication to MI.

Overactive Imagination – Another charming southern Belle, this one showing her charms in FL.

Family Circus – proving that you can be a classy woman and live in the State of TX.

Well, that is about all the gloating I believe I am allowed for a Meme, so on to the rest.  Here are the rules:

1. If you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the “Thinking Blogger Award” with a link to the post that you wrote.

So, that leaves me with the task of picking 5 people that  haven’t already received the award.   This is the part I hate, because except for excluding those that have already been included in this, it is really unfair to make me choose, since there is something about every person on my blogroll that makes me think.  That makes me take notice… that is why they are there.  But the rules say 5, so I will dutifuly pick five, and have to find a way to express my pink puffy heart love for the rest some other way another day.

1. Inn of the Last Home – Barry and I don’t always agree, and that is a good thing.  He give me some perspective and views that are outside my own.

2. Tuna Girl – While I could have picked any number of blogs I read that are in the military of wives of military (oddly, I have yet to find, “Husband of Military”) , Tuna Girl gives it a fresh and different perspective.

3. AdventureDad – Always informative, always intriguing, and as a bonus, an outside U. S. Media viewpoint.

4. This Full House – Liz will probably smack me for tapping on her shoulder two Meme’s in a row, but she so deserves this one.

5. Busy Mom – I have my doubts as to whether she will actually participate, but so deserves to be on this list, that I have to add her regardless.

Three Things That Scare Me:

Anything bad happening to my daughter

My mother’s cancer medication no longer holding back the tumors

Neoconservatives

Three People Who Make Me Laugh:

LatteGirl – she usually doesn’t like it when I laugh, but she amuses the hell out of me.

Lewis Black – Maybe the best political comic ever.

Bill Engvall – He may be best known for his “Here’s your sign” routines, but he has the most hysterical views on marriage and family. (This was a tough one and Jeff Foxworthy is really an equal here for me).

Three Things I Love:

Family

The Beach (which is why I will always live in a coastal State)

Triple Venti Gingerbread Latte

Three Things I Hate:

Religous Zealots – they don’t get that “Freedom of Religion” doesn’t mean Freedom Of Religion as long as you subscribe to my religion. William Donohue, Dr. James Dobson and Pat Robertson are excellent examples.

Monsanto (have they come up with anything yet that hasn’t been determined to cause cancer, or isn’t toxic? That may be fine if you are a chemical company… but not one that deals with FOOD)

Those Apple Computer Ads – Macs are nice little toys, and can survive because they are in a nice little niche. Stop trying to be more, because if you have to play by the same rules as everybody else (you know things like Backwards Compatibility, opening up your hardware to other vendors to avoid anti-trust), that neat little “hippness” will go away real quickly.

Three Things I Don’t Understand:

How some people can justify violence against others, “In the name of Jesus” Just doesn’t make sense.

Why grass refuses to grow in certain patches of my lawn

How hospitals can charge upwards of $5,000 a day per bed and still lose money

Three Things On My Desk:

Maxtor External Hard Drive

Coffee Cup (regrettably empty at this point)

New Jersey Devils hat

Three Things I’m Doing Right Now:

Working (allegedly)

Eating Lunch

Fretting over a dentist appointment this evening

Three Things I Want To Do Before I Die:

Walk my daughter down the aisle

See a time where people are more important that Corporations again

Write a book about how I helped in the crusade to stop Factory Farming (of course we have to stop factory farming first)

Three Things I Can Do:

Play “Devil’s Advocate” to just about any argument convincingly

Love and Hate Microsoft at the same time

Bake and Decorate a professional quality Wedding Cake

Three Things I Can’t Do:

Understand the SUV craze in this country.  Most don’t have the storage capacity of a standard sedan, much less a Mini-Van, and they are horrible on gas.  Just who do you think you are fooling into believing you are offroading while you have that Eddie Bauer Car Seat sitting in the back there sport?

Sew – It is a good thing I was such a good cook, otherwise I would have flunked Home Economics.

Deal with vomit – I can change diapers without a problem, I can handle just about any other child rearing task.  Just don’t ask me to deal with vomit.

Three Things I Think You Should Listen To:

Birds – no they aren’t a music group.  One morning, just step outside, and listen to the birds.  It is a lot like stopping to smell the roses, but with far  less risk of allergic reactions.

Your Heart – Stop letting others dictate what you should and shouldn’t do.  Your heart will usually guide you in the right direction.

Cannon in D – If this can’t de-stress you immediately, seek medical attention.

Three Things You Should Never Listen To:

Bill O’Reilly – The man has gone so far over the edge, that Geraldo is respectable by comparison.

People who tell you how to live your life. – Their decisions are fine for their own life, but that may not be what is best for you.

Teenager “Logic” – it will only give you a headache.

Three Things I’d Like To Learn:

How to keep our dogs off the furniture

How to get me my daughter to pick up her clothes and put them in the hamper without having to ask her

How to strech a day out to about 29 or so hours

Three Favorite Foods:

Hot Food

Cold Food

Room Temperature Food

Three Things I Regret:

That my parents didn’t think it was right to sue the school when I shattered my kneecap at a school event.

Being an a troublesome teen (Well into my twenties)

Not making it to the hospital in time the day my father passed away.

Now to tag three people that (I think) visit here and will do a Meme and won’t kill me for it.

Let’s try… Froggie’s Lilypad,  This Full House and five dollar shake

1.  The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) – a semi-comedic vehicle for the then popular Andrew Dice Clay.   It was a box office bomb, and was widely panned.  But I am not sure what most critics were expecting of this movie.  Was it dumb?  Of course.  So is the persona of “Dice”  overall it is a fun little respite.

2.  Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion (1997)-  maybe it is because I like 80’s music, and this movie has an awsome soundtrack, maybe because I have liked Lisa Kudrow since Mad About You (Yes, I used to watch Mad About You.  Shut Up!), or maybe because I could identify with the not fitting in thing, but I thought the film was fun.  Again, you are not going to mistake this for an Academy Award, but the characters were well thought out, and yes funny.  No, film doesn’t make you think (although a few jokes could go over your head if you don’t understand that being naked or semi-naked in a dream is a common thing).  But it will make you laugh.

3.  Ace Vetura Pet Detective (1994) -  I don’t care what people want to say now, this film is funny.  And enough people went to see it to justify a sequel (that was admittedly… REALLY bad).  It seems to be in style now to hate Jim Carry, and I am not going to defend him saying he is a fantastic multi-talented actor.  He may very well be a one trick pony.  But he does that trick well.

4.  From the Hip (1987) – this would be the one that most people have not even heard of before.  By 1987 I think America was starting to tire of The Brat Pack,  and a quick scan of Wikipedia doesn’t even acknowledge this film as being made by a member of the Brat Pack (Judd Nelson).  It is about a young attorney, that makes a name for himself by being outlandish in court, and then winds up defending a man who is apparantly guilty of murder because of it.  Sounds a bit grim, and perhaps that grim premise made people expect it not to be funny, or it was too much of a comedy for such a dark premise.  But it is a easy watch, with an excellent cast.

5.  Oscar (1991) – Sylvester Stallone as a Mobster leaving the life of crime as promised to his father on his death bed.  Lots of Schtick.  Lots of Cliche.  Lots of laughs and lots of fun, and an excellent cast.  Just the silliness of a young Marisa Tomei as “Snaps” Provolone’s daughter makes this film worth one sit down to watch it.

6. Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) – Nope not a horror film, basically a Coors Lite Halloween Comercial that runs 96 minutes long.  Silly Campy, just like about any other summer movie in the 80’s.

7.  Bulworth (1998) – A politician that loses his mind and starts telling…. the truth.  Ah if only it were true in real life as well.

I could go on, but I want you to come back, so I won’t.  Beside,  now I want to know, what films to you secretly (or not so secretly) like, against what “most people” think?

(Picture Perfect Thursday will return next week)

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? I hate the waste of wrapping paper, and would use nothing if I could. I can’t. TheWife insists on paper for Christmas. I get away with (reusable) bags the rest of the time. As a kid, we never had presents wrapped. It would be too hard for Santa to know who got what present if they were all wrapped I was told.

2.Real tree or artificial? Pre-lit Martha Stewart, because TheWife wanted “nothing to do” with a real tree “ever again” but now she is having second thoughts and we may go back to a real tree next year.

3.When do you put up the tree? With the artificial, right after Thanksgiving. With the live tree we generally waited until about Dec. 15th or so.

4.When do you take the tree down? On the 13th day after Christmas.

5.Do you like eggnog? Yup. And now I even like it without it being spiked. Who knew?

6.Favorite gift you received as a child? Is it awful that I say, I don’t know. I can’t think of one that was way better than any other.

7.Do you have a nativity scene? hahaha… uh… No. I have received several as gifts though. (See Number 14)

8.Hardest person to buy for? TheWife and my mother are a tie for royal pain in the butt.

9.Easiest person to buy for? I don’t find anybody particularly easy, just some less hard than others.

10.Mail or email Christmas cards? Mostly mail, some e-mails though.

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Oh, there is a long list of items that tie for this honor. Many came from my MIL.

12.Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation

13.When do you start shopping? January 1

14.Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.

15.Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Triple Venti Gingerbread Latte of course. Does Coffee count as food?

16.Clear lights or colored on the tree? Color lights when I was a kid. TheWife only wants white. I settle for putting the color outside now.

17.Favorite Christmas song? Bobby Rivers: The Twelve Pains of Christmas

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel, but only about 12 miles to Mom’s house.

19.Can you name all of Santa’s Reindeer? Of course.

20.Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither, we have an Olde World Santa Claus

21.Open the presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning. I’m not done wrapping anything until just before the child wakes up Christmas morning.

22.Most annoying thing about this time of year? Cranky people that bitch and moan about all the work they have to do to plan for the holidays. If it is “work” you are doing something wrong (in my not so humble opinion). Yes, there is work to be done, plenty of it. But when we get family and friends together, I feel like it is all worth it. Updated to add: This goes Double for Bill O’Reilly and his Faux War on Christmas

23.Do you have Jesus in your heart this Christmas? I don’t think so… It is probably just heartburn

24.What would you like for Christmas? A smile on my daughter’s face. Everything starts there.

Now to find three people to tag with this, that I think will actually do it. How about:

Cathy (Feel Free to Tag Team with Doug)
Chicka (c’mon you know you want to)
and
CMHL (It will make a nice diversion for a couple of minutes… PLEEEZ)

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what’s to come… love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You’ve had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You’ve been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.