Happy New Year!

An old, but heartfelt greeting.

via XmasFLIX

Last Run

For 2010. I haven't posted much about running lately because I've hit a rut: run a few days, overdo it in some subtle way, rest, ice, start again. 2011 goals? Keep trying. Tomorrow night continues a New Year's Eve tradition: Marx Bros. Marathon. They're running them roughly in order from early evening to early morning, though I'll be lucky to make it to the MGM pair—Night at the Opera and Day at the Races which straddle midnight. I'm always glad to see another year, just not so much of it that early.

I Shouldn't Be Alive

Actually, I'm fine. But the above-named show is an Animal Channel favorite, featuring mediocre acting, reused scenes and stock footage blended together into a cheap pleasing time-waster.

Vile Butchery via The Onion

How ugly, this creative process.

Jay Maynard Link

Tron legend—and old school Animaniacs fan—Jay Maynard is back in the news.

Ha!

Ha, ha! Ha! More writing today and more on the burner for tomorrow. Non-animated, but paying nonetheless. What a plump Christmas bonanza of TV last night. LOR-2 plus Christmas Story plus Wizard of Oz; the channel changer was on fire.

Merry Christmas!

To one and all, old and young, sober and awash in eggnog.

A Very Zombie Holiday

As turkey smells permeate the house, don't forget the undead.

Christmas Eve

Well, here we are. Christmas looms. I'm pleased to be sitting in my sweat clothes blogging away on a sunny morning. If Santa brought me a new writing desk tomorrow—or the means to obtain one—I'd be delighted. My ideal desk would have vertical book shelves built in and an intricate Japanese device that would complete writing projects (in English) so I could devote more time to sloth and sloth-friendly activities.

My book has locked up near the finish line, legs turned to cement by lactic acid. It's shuffling forward slowly, knowing its bounce will return in time. I've had many wee writing projects since September, all paying little, some paying less, but all paying something. My day is quite occupied writing items humorous or not for different blogs and websites. Multiple deadlines make the time zip past. And while a few more bucks wouldn't hurt, I count myself fortunate to be writing as opposed to unloading mail trucks or monitoring burglar alarms or shooting mad dogs for the county—which had its moments.

A most Merry Christmas to all. My the Jolly One bring you all manner of jolly things.

And in the Heavens....

A sign. About five minutes after this, the rainbow split as another storm rolled in. Rain blew sideways like the Vietnam scene from Forrest Gump. But now its quiet.

Man, It's Raining Out

I was talking last night to friend who recently had to give up his house. He's living in an apartment in my neighborhood. We recalled past heavy rains when we were home-owners and how we worried about leaks and tarps and hillsides changing zip codes. Now I can watch the water fall in sheets and say, "Ah, well, that's certainly a crisp downpour." Then I go off to eat chili and wheat.

Cry Me An Atmospheric River

More rain, oh yes, by Jove. And big damn clouds.

Could Be Worse

Germans ahead of the curve in dealing with travel nightmares.

Hearst Castle Neptune Pool

Today's sea is quite storm-tossed. However I only have photos of yesterday's sea, which was more or less Okay. Still, no poet ever won fame writing things such as "my thoughts tossed about like a fairly average sea."

To the left is the Neptune Pool, shot from under my umbrella at Hearst Castle. Quite a place, a bit roomy. But they've still got zebras running around the yard as well as assorted foreign deer. I especially enjoyed the Patty Hearst Room, where our tour was locked in closets, emerging as crazed revolutionary nut cases. Fortunately, the tour had a small bank set up for us to rob. Later, we hijacked the tour bus "for the people," rode it to the gift shop and bought tee-shirts and coffee mugs.

Photos From Cambria

Here in this small town in central California, my wife and I relax as we ponder our future as members of the work force and Californians. Beautiful scenery but strange merchandise in the stores. For instance, there are action figures of zombies, frightened people from B-movie horror films, and paparazzi. Imagine running home from school so you and your chums could dive in and play with papparazzi action figures. We decay as a nation.

New Bowl in Town

Perhaps even a step up from the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

You Need A Friend

New Apple Friend Bar Gives Customers Someone To Talk At About Mac Products

Yuletide Thoughts

Christmas nears and we're rather broke. But we have our love and steel ball bearings that we fling at the back windshields of cars cruising our street with the bass cranked up to Stun. It's the little things that hold you together.

Paul Rugg Auctions Freakazoid Stuff

For the sake of charity, Paul Rugg will part with various Freakazoid! cells and memorabilia. Times are tough, but even tougher for some. Paul has even promised to sign each cell in the blood of a Taliban warrior, killed as part of a different charity auction. In any case, stop by his site for a merchandise preview. (Image: Joker.Net)

Tom Sheppard Brings Home the Bling

Scroll down and visit Tom Sheppard's name as a WGA award recipient in animation for an episode of Back at the Barnyard. With a 2010 Emmy for the same show, Tom's walking heavy this year—a man fat with awards.

Video: Scary Hand Model

Losing her grip. Zombies are out; scary hand models in.

bestviewedvids via Ace of Spades

Advice for New Writers

Teens write, read, meet and collaborate on fiction over at Figment. I'm pitching the site on a column where an older, experienced writer teaches a new generation how to complain, brood, and properly nurse resentments so they mature into depression. This is vital to the writing experience and a must for young scribes. (Picture: scienceblogs.com)

Batman Sobs by Bruce Timm

Via Tom Ruegger @ Cartoonatics: Bruce Timm renders the agony of defeat.

Cal Arts Update

Samantha has been up to this.

Miss TSA 2011

Friend Ken sent this cutie along to delight and enchant.

Good On All Sides

I hate hearing that some star I like is a real butt-head off camera. Thankfully, that was not the case with the late Leslie Nielsen. As he once said in Police Squad:

"Life is risk. Getting up in the morning, crossing the street, putting your face in a fan." (Photo: Chris Malafronte)