What I'm Happy & Thankful For

Good Evening Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well, recently the blog goddesses of Lilie and JL Clyde have challenged me to post something that makes me happy and that I'm thankful for on my blog every day. I like the concept of specifically pointing out something that made me happy or giggle to myself or showing thanks…but that's basically all my blog is…with some fart jokes thrown in to hopefully make somebody else happy. Honestly, why do you think I type this stuff? Just for something to do when I'm bored? Because I'm getting mad duckets of cizzash (as I once heard a white guy from the hood say)? Nope, it's entirely more selfish than that. Because it makes me happy. The day that it doesn't, I'll stop doing it. So what am I thankful for…and makes me happy? Making other people happy by using this blog…and of course my usual charms throughout the day when called upon. The health & happiness of my family and friends would qualify too…but as for specific events…please continue to read this blog to hear about them. Some of them are quite hilarious.

Tis the season to make your home all Christmafied and cheery for the holidays. So I thought that I'd share with you some of my limited Christmas decorations…so that somebody else besides me will see them this Holiday Season (going out of town pretty much from now until January). Enjoy…and Merry Christmahannakwanza!!!

The morning when it snowed the other day

Last night was a great surprise. I know that I told you that I'd do that Hot Yoga class the other day…but then a fellow coworker scored some sweet Nuggets tickets (4th row midcourt, normally $135 a pop) and invited me to go along. Hells yes!!! She picked me up right before the game and we grabbed some fish & chips and cold Coors Light before sitting down just in time for tip-off. The Nuggets were playing the Minnesota Timberwolves…and it was a really good game. The T'Wolves were up by a dozen of so in the first half…then Carmelo Anthony was en fuego in the 3rd quarter and scored 33 points himself in that period, tying the NBA record for points in a quarter, to pull them back into it…and then the Nuggets ended up winning 116-105. Great game!!! I even got to see my brother from another mother Kevin Love play for the first time. Here are some pictures…

Rocky the Mascot

Can leap large lizards in a single bound

The Jump Off - Wu Tang Forever!!!

"Aw cheerleaders..."

"Wow, they're even small down here too..."

My coworker Abeer (yes, like A-Beer, awesome right?) was a lot of fun too. We obviously hadn't hung out or anything before…but I mentioned my basketball nerdiness and she knew a little bit…so I filled her in when she asked. There were also a few exchanges like, "Wow, that coach looks like he could be Kevin McHale's brother." "Actually, that is Kevin McHale. He just became their coach last week." "Oh my gosh, that shows my age right there." "Really? He was playing when I was a kid too. I give you props for even knowing who Kevin McHale is. Heck, I'm watching him on the sidelines and it looks like he wants to check himself into the game." We also talked about the various tattoos that we saw, their mascot Rocky and just how hilarious he is, even the cheerleaders (one of which just divorced another coworker allegedly…and another was the daughter of a friend of the people sitting behind us…so I watched what I said…and just stared and applauded). She also informed me that tickets like this come around a lot…and concert tickets too…so I told her that if she ever needed a friend to go check out a Rockies game or a concert from Jay-Z to Neil Diamond, she can call me and I'll buy her a beer and nachos or something. We'll see. By the way, I really like my job. That's why I'll be working overtime this weekend…well, that and the money. Gotta pay rent. So what am I thankful for and makes me happy? Basketball, free stuff and hanging with the homies at a sporting event.

The other night, I watched a movie that I had on VHS growing up…but don't really recall seeing more than maybe once. Maybe it just didn't interest me as a kid…but it's "Ladyhawke" starring Rutger Hauer, Matthew Broderick, and a supersexy Michelle Pfeiffer. The story is set in France a few hundred years ago and follows the story of Philipe the Mouse (Broderick), a thief who escaped the dungeon of Aquila, sparking a manhunt. He is nearly captured when Captain Navarre (Hauer) befriends him. Navarre has been hunted by the Bishop's men for two years, ever since he escaped with the Lady Isabeau (Pfeiffer) who the Bishop has lusted after. Navarre and Isabeau have a curse that the Bishop has placed on them that causes Navarre to be a wolf during the night and Isabeau to be a hawk during the day. Navarre insists that Philipe help him re-enter the city to help him kill the heavily guarded Bishop. It's actually a pretty okay movie…and I don't think that Rutger Hauer blinks. He's that intense. The only real criticism that I have of it…is the soundtrack. Now, it's set in like 17th century France…yet the soundtrack is done by Alan Parsons & the Philharmonic Orchestra. Why are they you ask? Well, do you know the intro music for the Chicago Bulls? That's probably what the Alan Parsons project is most famous for. Now set that synthesizer music…to 17th century France. It's actually quite distracting because it's so odd. Anyway, check it out if you want. It's average…and a semi-touching tale of Love and Envy and Revenge and all that stuff. Also, the whole hawk and wolf thing kind of goes into the news clips...

Adopt A Koala - They're cute, they're cuddly and, in these times of financial woe, they make an affordable festive gift that's also good for the soul -- adopt a rescued koala. The "Adopt a Wild Koala Program" has been in operation for 15 years and is a major source of funding for The Koala Hospital, the world's only medical facility dedicated to the care and preservation of the animals. The annual cost of adopting a koala is A$40 (US$26) within Australia and A$50 (US$32) from overseas, which the hospital said goes toward the rescue and treatment of sick and injured koalas, the release of treated animals back into the wild, as well as the preservation and expansion of their habitat. Adopters receive a certificate, a photograph of the animal, the story of how it ended up in the hospital as well as stickers and booklets about koalas and the hospital. "It's an ideal gift, and particularly these days when kids have everything," Anne Walsh a volunteer at the Port Macquarie-based hospital told Reuters by telephone. "I had a phone call from a lady in Singapore today who wanted to adopt five koalas for her relatives for Christmas. I've been delighted with the amount of people wanting to adopt." Walsh said the rescued koalas are usually named after the area they were found in and the person who helped rescue them. "We've got Westhaven Barry, Kempsey Carolina and Bonny Fire, she was caught up in a bushfire," she added. Once they have recovered from their injuries or ailments, and are able to live in their natural habitat, the koalas are released back into the wild. Just a little idea for anybody with kids out there that might want to get them something cool, cute, quiet and won't be found on the floor. I wonder if they do that for Pandas. I'll have to Google it.

Monkey Smuggling - A Spokane woman and her mother have been convicted in federal court on charges of sneaking a rhesus monkey into the United States from Thailand. Gypsy Lawson, 29, hid the sedated young rhesus macaque (pronounced Ma-Cock) under her blouse, pretending to be pregnant when she successfully passed through U.S. Customs in Los Angeles after a trip to Bangkok. Her mother, Fran Ogren, 55, of Northport, Washington, also went on the trip in November 2007. The two women were found guilty Monday by a 12-member jury on separate charges of conspiracy and smuggling goods into the United States. Sentencing is set for March 3. The monkey is now at a primate rescue facility in Oregon. Now I can't tell you how many times I've hid macaque under my shirt during my teenage years (before I learned to control it) but I just imagine the monkey coming to while walking around under her shirt…and just going ballistic…and ripping right out of her blouse…screeching and hollering…right in the middle of customs…like something out of Alien. I'm sure that's not how it happened…but that's a thought that made me happy…and I'm thankful for those random thoughts (HA!!!). By the way, if you name your daughter Gypsy, I can pretty much guarantee that she's going to be a member of PETA with a police record for smuggling or trying to free animals. "They just like little hairy people, man. Give them their freedom. Let Macaques FREE!!! Don’t tase me, bro." Anyway, if you're going to smuggle a monkey into the States, just shave it and pass it off as an ugly sleeping baby. Nobody will question it if you put a bonnet on it's head. They'll just think the child was the side effect of a few too many shots at a birthday party. It has happened before.

Lastly, I'd like to thank Lilie for showing me this Failblog…and one of their more recent entries about a resort with a rather odd name. What am I thankful for and makes me happy? Double Entendre. Have a great day everybody!!!