a happy new year to all (three) of my faithful readers. warning: this post contains far too many links, only because college football just isn't so entertaining at the moment.

obviously, it's been a while. if one can use 'whirlwind' to describe a week in which said person showered before 3 p.m. just twice, the I shall call this past week a 'whirlwind.'

a christmas rundown:

saw mom's family the sunday before, saw dad's family the 24th, 25th and 26th. all fine folks. most interesting fact: my cousin Grace's third grade teacher is a GBS alum. Grace heads back to third grade armed with yearbook pictures.

as always, the siblings outdid themselves with christmas gifts. steve, upon hearing me complain that I've undereducated myself with regard to the beatles, provided both please please me and let it be. annie, continually proving herself to be cooler than I'll ever be, purchased the recent camper van beethoven box set, cigarettes and carrot juice: the santa cruz years. It compiles their first three records and adds a live album and a rarities release. I'm not sure what I think of it, but i'm happy its here. dave came out with some shockers: and the crowd goes wild, the sports radio book/cd released last year, a baseball-and-glove plate set (and salsa bowl!, as I learned today), and a duff beer t-shirt.

the parents, for their part, continued on the same path they've blazed for 20-something years...spoiling their most prized offspring. i came away with a television and dvd/vcr [i'm hoping they're planning to cut me off at some point...somehow i doubt it], a new coat, michael azzerad's outstanding our band could be your life indie rock history book, beck's sea change. also included: the surprisingly-helpful-in-only-my-fifth-day-of-ownership gift of the year: yes, a vacuum cleaner.

[a note about the previous paragraph: dave also received the identical tv/dvd/vcr grouping. perhaps it's not a most prized offspring award, but rather a thank-god-you-only-bother-me-during-the-holidays award.]

for my part, i did well for the sibs and parents. the boy received a cd containing the first two records by the db's, as well as a dunston bobblehead and the pertinent sections of magnet magazine's power pop issue [older brother still isn't finished with the reviews.] dave, my metalhead-punk bro, received (and seemed to be happy with) the 2002 releases of the hot snakes and mastodon. and annie, who enjoys at least one hot hot heat track (and admitted [under duress] to being a 'leftist poseur' during a heated [and painfully long] trivial pursuit contest christmas night), was given the only life without buildings full length, as well as first-hand source from the civil rights movement, stokely carmichael's black power.

older brother dave spearheaded the let's-get-mom-and-dad-stuff-that-doesn't-suck movement, resulting in a dvd/vcr for them. in the individual gifts round, i gave dad johnny cash's live at folsom prison recording, while mom received the it's a wonderful life dvd. the latter was also the only gift to drive anyone to tears of joy this year. score one for me (and not the boy...woof!).

the rest of the week was a whirlwind, as I've said. thursday brought lil wej standing in for annie in the rd family trip to the blackhawks game (monday had brought an all-too-brief meeting with big wej and sacksy), friday brought deedz, saturday involved coach and brysi, and sunday involved dad, the boy, and henry burris, as well as a late-night denny's run with chuck; in short, i hit everyone i intended to hit.

i also found the time [entirely in the 'wee hours of the morning'] to take the cats to the 2020 national championship in ea sports' college football 2003.

i returned home monday to watch low quality, well-attended hockey with workies keith and dave, and shopped for a tv/vcr stand on tuesday afternoon. assembled the stand tuesday afternoon and well into the evening...watched the festivities of the night at home. no complaints.

today, I've watched the irish lay the proverbial egg, watch mike price get was he deserves, and i recently watched the first half of the first (and only) time i'll ever cheer for florida state. something compelling about their situation. but the dawgs are good.

return to work tomorrow. this doesn't anger or sadden me. i'm recharged. season starts in three months and two days. woof!