Sounds like I'm giving a shout-out to a rapper.

Seriously, though, here's to another fun year, here and elsewhere!

A toast of mochas! (paper cups knock together, contents spill all over)

...Maybe I'd better do that with bottled water or something from now on...



Also, I thought I'd bring in some memes to help wrap up the '00s. Three categories.

MY TEN FAVORITE '00s FILMS

Dark Knight
LotR: Two Towers
HP and Prisoner of Azkaban
Monsters, Inc.
Incredibles
Finding Nemo
Night @ Museum 2: Smithsonian
Ice Age 2: Meltdown
Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
Team America: World Police

MY FIVE FAVORITE '00s TV SERIES

Monk
Death Note
Doctor Who, new series*
Robot Chicken
Venture Bros.

* -- May or may not count, as it is a continuation from the original (1963-89)

MY FIVE FAVORITE '00s BANDS/ARTISTS

Disturbed
Billy Talent
Maroon 5
OK Go
Breaking Benjamin

Anyone who wants to try this...TAG! You're it!

And I seriously thought maintaining nine people in a small house was going to be a challenge!

The only real concern was keeping the dogs in another room for the hours that most of 'em would be there, but once one group left, we were able to bring them into the other rooms. A couple of 'em were afraid of dogs, it seems, and when you have some high-strung Cairns and a large St. Bernard...well, you get idea.

My 6-year-old niece made out like a bandit, as our main focus was on her for gifts, but I got some cool stuff, too.

DVDs: Three Stooges, Vol. 7 (1952-54), some Buster Keaton movies, and the 08-09 Stanley Cup championship for the Pittsburgh Penguins
CD: Abbey Road. Not much into the early Beatles, but the later ones were always fun.

But to prepare for everyone's arrival, we had to move all sorts of stuff around, including heavy things, which took a toll on my left knee. But rest assured, it feels like normal now.

So, how were things for everyone else?

UPDATE: Our old computer LIVES AGAIN!! We can now go back online there! They just put in the Qwest connection program, and voila! So if one comp's being used, the other is still available! Happy Happy Joy Joy!!

And of course, there's my message from earlier:

Wherever you are, whatever you celebrate, I bring you a message in hopes that you all will have a great holiday season and a great New Year 2010!

After my first full year here, I am pleased to have "met" so many of you, welcomed by those from the BBS boards, happened upon by others, and a few connections here and there. You all have been great, and I look forward to more art and fun here!

Thanks a million, everyone! Group hug!!

And by "dinosaur," I mean our old computer.

Turns out a file on the old comp was accidentally deleted, and that's what's been causing all the problems. We've re-installed XP, and while that's taken care of the malware, getting online is still a problem.

I come to you now from our new beastie, a very nice HP! Soon, I'll start messing around with USB ports so I can bring more goodies to the site!

That's right, I'm not out of here just yet!

Oh, and I think I might be on time for this: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, !! I hope I'm not too late this time.

And R.I.P., old Dell (2000-2009)?)

Just going into December, we started getting a cold blast ripping through our side of the state, and with winds whipping about just recently, it plays heck with the wind chill factor.

We dipped into the teens for lows this morning, and we'll do it again tomorrow!

And for those on Celsius, let's see...we didn't quite hit 14 F, and I think that's -10 C if I converted it right.

At least it's staying dry for now. Sun's out, and roads are not icy...Thank God!