Haleluja, Everybody say Cheese

Wow! I said it in the comments of my previous post and I am going to say it again here. I never dreamed I'd get such a great reaction to my first official Sagas of a Second Rate Santa. I really thought most people would find it a tad boring given that it was more of a character sketch than a complete, well-rounded story. But appreciate all of the kind words in the comments and the emails you guys sent to me. I'll try to get another edition of the Santa Saga up this weekend. But I still contend I have better Easter Bunny stories, which I will share sometime this spring.

So what's on tap for today? I don't know. I'm pretty much winging it as I type. I should be out Christmas shopping instead of blogging since I haven't even started yet. I could be up on my roof repairing the squeaking whirlygig. I could be outside stringing Christmas lights ... but I'm not.

Right now I'm basking in the glow that I have wrapped up section one of Plundered Booty. Oh, it's still rough but as feel good about the transition into the second part and that is what I have been struggling with. Meshing the three pieces together. And believe it or not all of you paid played a apart in my getting to this point. The Santa piece, along with your comments and emails gave me the shot of confidence I needed to roll up my sleeves and pound out this last chapter. So thanks.

What else can I blog abut today? My beloved Nebraska Cornhuskers are searching for a new football coach. I'm pulling for them to hire Turner Gill, but since very few of you are sports fans I'll stop there and find another topic.

I wish I were out deer hunting right now, but it is beginning to look like I won't even buy a hunting license this year since free time is in short supply.

What else?

I'm drawing a blank since my mind is wrapped up in Plundered Booty and a short story idea right now. So, when all else fails, Do a Meme. I wasn't tagged with this one, but I found it over on Kristen Painter's blog and it fits with the season and my Santa story so here goes ...

A Christmas Meme

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate with Butter Rum shots mixed in.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree? Wrap? You gotta be kidding. He's damn lucky to get all that crap put together, much less wrapped.
3. Colored or white lights on tree/house? Don't get me started my wife is all about mixed colored lights and I've wanted to do all blue for years. Guess what we have -- mixed colors.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, It's green. I don't eat green stuff and it is not my pick to decorate with either.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Most of them went up the day after Thanksgiving, but the outside lights are still packed away. ps-if I have my way they'll stay that way
6. What is your holiday dish (excluding dessert)? WTH. Why must dessert be excluded? That's like saying What's your favorite part of sex, excluding climax. Okay that might have been a bit too much info but somethings have to be said. Back to the meme - favorite dish? I'm all about the meat so I'll say smoked wild turkey, beats a butterball any day, but watch out for those lead shotgun pellets they are hell on your teeth and it ain't easy to find a dentist on Christmas Day.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child: Not sure I'd call it my favorite but my most memorable was when I woke up and hurried to the living room to find a brand new BMX bike under the tree. I rolled it outside to the frosty street and took off. I made it two houses before I crashed headfirst into a parked car and broke the front reflector. I cried and cried.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I must have been about eight when my brother took me to my mom's closet and showed me a stack of toys. A week or so later they all appeared under the tree.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We open everything but the stockings on Christmas Eve and of course the stuff Santa brings for the boys.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? With a mish-mash of ornaments. The boys pick a new one every year and we always buy an ornament when we go on vacation.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Love it, but around here it melts off after a few days. I like to snowboard and ski as well.
12. Can you ice skate? A bit, but I broke both my ankle bones and tore all of the ligaments in my ankles playing roller hockey so not as well as I once could.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Maybe that bike, last year my wife bought me a plane ticket to go to a writers workshop in Arizona and that was cool because she was showing her support for my dreams.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Watching my boys eyes light up.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Oh, so that other question was just foreplay. It's a tie between Pecan pie and this homemade Bailey's Irish Creme some friends of ours make. Rob, Arlene if you are reading this I expect a BIG bottle this year.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Well it ain't playin' Santa at the mall, but doing it for my kids and seeing their faces on Christmas morning is pretty dang good.
17. What tops your tree? A gold star
18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving all the way. I always as if people spent too much buying me presents.
19. What is your favourite Christmas song? Merry Christmas from the Family by Robert Earl Keen. Check it out if you want a good laugh. Click here for the lyrics. Trust me you will laugh. Here is a sample from the first chorus ...

Carve the Turkey
Turn the ball game on
Mix margaritas when the eggnog's gone
Send somebody to the Quickpak Store
We need some ice and an extension chord
A can of bean dip and some Diet Rites
A box of tampons, Marlboro Lights
Haleluja everybody say Cheese
Merry Christmas from the family

20. Candy canes: Can be tasty but also handle as simile(for those who read my last post)
21. Favourite Christmas movie? Elf still makes me laugh. Will Farrell is almost always funny in my book. By the way if any of you know him let me know. He'd be my top choice to play the lead role in Plundered Booty - the Movie. Hey it started as Plundered Booty the short story, I'm working on making it Plundered Booty the Novel, so why can't I dream and envision Plundered Booty - The movie? How many times can I type Plundered Booty in one paragraph?
22. What do you leave for Santa? Leftover parts from all the damn toys I had to put together. let him figure out where all that crap is supposed to go.

To tag, or not to tag. Since I wasn't tagged I won't, but if any of you choose to do this let me know so I can check out your answers.