(Insert Cheesy Christmas Title Here)

There has been an increasing void of activity in our blogging world for the last few weeks and none more vast than in my own domain. Sorry guys, homework comes first; that stupid, awful, grisly homework. Don't let me forget to tell all of you that your all pathetic. I left up my last post for what, 3 weeks, and y'all still can't answer one freaking question. Two halfhearted high-fives for the two Jonathan's for actually giving a crap. (The correct answer was Abraham Lincoln)

Other than that, I'll catch you up on the last few weeks, namely the Thanksgiving break. (Sigh... those were the days) We had our cousins down from Tuesday night to Saturday afternoon and as Jonny noted, the week was filled with football. Madden tournaments, (although Jonny hates them, he's actually is eerily very good at them. He had a three game win streak until he opted out of his game with me, might I say that he was very wise in doing so...) 2-Hand Touch games in the front yard, (They were classics by the way) and the endless games from across the nation, including "that" game, the one I'd like to forget. A solid week of fun and family with the thought of school in another galaxy far far away. (Where's that Calculus homework Luke?)

My oldest cousin Matt sadly skedaddled Thursday night so he could participate in that appalling "Black Friday." Why anyone would camp-out at 4 in the morning on the day after Thanksgiving only to wrestle past thousands of other crazed psychos to shop for obscure paraphernalia while you could be relaxing at home and watching football is beyond me. I don't understand it and I never will, although I shouldn't dog on it to much cause it got me my Christmas present to myself. (I'm so selfish)

Besides the fact that they found Call of Duty 2 for like $15, they were gracious enough to snag me an Ipod video, which also came with a FM transmitter. This solved my previous quandary with the Mercury's lack of a CD player. So, in a way my entire wish list was fulfilled and I couldn't be happier. The Ipod is the last reason why I haven't Blogged in an eternity since I spent my spare time stuffing the pod with as many videos as I could find. (can you believe it, I still have like 20 gigs left to fill; that's why I didn't get a PSP Baker...)

But enough with that, it's time for me to give my opinion on that certain upcoming holiday. This post isn't belated, I give my observations precisely when I intend to. I'm not falling into the flow of other's blogs as the Christmas season doesn't begin for me until School is over.

Much like Sean and Jason I am a Christmas Grinch, simply stated. Something about this time of year has always rubbed me the wrong way. And I can never quite understand the personalities of those like say... Jake Box, who seem to fully embrace every facet of the season. Now it seems as if my fellow Grinch's have already voiced my general feelings, but there are some things that I'd like to highlight.

First of all, I'd agree with the blogger (I think it was Faith) who theorised that your experiences with Christmas as a child influences how much of that childlike giddiness you have today. Take for instance how our family prepared for Christmas when I was younger. I was old enough to take on those "big boy jobs," specifically, hanging the lights and although it started out as a "family affair," I soon found myself alone on the slippery rooftop while everyone had migrated back indoors. I'm not a big fan of "traditions" and the root of this discontentment probably stems from a revelation I had years ago.

Like every tiny tot, I loved Christmas because when came down to it, it meant more stuff for me. But after a few years of selfish enthusiasm, something finally clicked, actually something stopped clicking. I'd heard the "Christmas Story" a thousand times and eventually figured out that it was the "reason for the season" So what's with everything else? It seems like a pretty simple story, why do we need all this other stuff? What's with the decorations, the lights, the trees, the stockings, the shopping, the TV specials, the God-awful movies, the cheesy music, and the endless culture of fictitious Christmas characters all telling us the same old, sappy, and overused "true meaning of Christmas." All this holiday pork that piles up more and more, adding to your ever expanding fiscal and emotional debt until you can no longer find the point. I didn't get it and being the young rebellious teenager that I was, I began to hate everything about Christmas. Basically, if you think I'm a Grinch now, you should have seen me about three years ago. I was wound up so tight, with so much animosity towards anything festive that it made the whole season incredibly depressing for me.

Now let me stop here and challenge a complaint that some of my kind have had. Without fully thinking, a few weeks ago I blamed this Christmas pork on the Capitalism and Commercialism of today and I officially retract that statement. Its easy to blame Wal Mart, Target and every metropolitan mall in the tri-state area for the endless flow of watered-down holiday crap, but that's not the problem. (Excuse while I go on a pro-capitalistic rant; I'm very much a capitalist) The central principal of Capitalism is satisfying the consumer and ultimately giving him what he wants. Although it might seem like it sometimes, the titans of retail are not cramming this stuff down your throats, your buying it! The cute Norman Rockwell Christmas scene of old with the tree and Santa masks was the precursor to what we see today. They kept offering more, and you kept buying it and the result is the super-sized materialism-fest, but you still keep buying. The fault isn't the stores or those "conniving higher-ups," of Corporate America, its the consumers, Christians and non-Christians alike. There just giving you what you want.

So yes, I don't like the fluff, the pointless traditions, the songs, even the yearly Peanuts Special, and especially the movies. But I don't hate the holiday itself. The story of Christmas is very simple and yet profound and whenever I start to get that feeling of hostility, I take a few breaths and remind myself of why I celebrate Christmas, not what others have made it into and thus regain the true joy of the season. Of all the traditions I hate there are some that I love, time with family, a break from school, showing love to others and sleeping in, even on Christmas day. (my siblings can't stand that last one) So am I really a Grinch? I guess that's up to you to decide.

That Christmas Video I Swore I'd Find- I don't particularly like the Peanuts Christmas special (a tear makes it's way down Jake Box's cheek) but I have to give it it's due for getting Christmas right. There was a great segment on SNL a few years ago that I think illustrated this perfectly and I promised my high school group that I would find it. Now keep in mind that this was made by a secular media outlet and it pokes fun at many Christians today. Some of you may find it offencive, but I think there's a lot of truth in it and the ending is great. I could only find it on a website stream and this site does have some mildly objectionable ads and such. Its nothing serious, I just want to warn you before hand. I've talked enough enjoy>

http://thetravisty.com/Saturday_Night_Live/mov/Real_Audio_-_Jesus_Today.htm

A Few Things I Think I Think-

>I've talked enough today, I'll check back next week.

Sports Center-
Wow, I haven't felt so enthused in quite some time. I can't remember a better Sunday full of games that were more incredible than last weekend. 3 Blockbusters, simply amazing. First of all, I was already to take a break as I had already spent most of the weekend working outside clearing brush and fixing PBC pipe for the pool. The first game was the Titans vs. Texans. I had confidently picked the Tennessee and Vince Young to win a close one and I knew #10 was on a streak, but his performance on Sun. was spectacular and don't forget that stingy Titans defence, they're a big reason why this team is red hot. Next was the Chargers vs. Broncos and the score fest via LT. It was great cause Denver made a serious run at the beginning of the second half and I was thinking it might be a meltdown, but LT is just a force. Its hard for me not to pick them for the AFC champs right now.

Lastly, the Cowbungles declined to show up against America's new team and my prediction finally surfaced. Romo-mania is finally over; bought time, I love how Parcells looks like a grumpy old man who only wants to go to bed when he's loosing. I still don't know what direction the Boys will take next, but at least the hype has died down for awhile.

My pickoff record (22-24) Why is it that once I don't post my picks, they are right on the money?

San Francisco 23 Seattle 20-Resurgence of an old dynasty?

Dallas 31 Atlanta 21-This is just because I think Mike Vick is overrated, that's it!

Houston 10 New England 21-Sigh, why can't the Pats just die and go away?

Jacksonville 19 Tennessee 24-Any more room on the Vince bandwagon?

Cincinnati 28 Indy 24-Great time to hit a slump right Peyton?

Video of the Week-Rudolf's Red Nose, classic holiday humor