Wishing everyone a (hopefully) wonderful 2013!

I guess we're about to find out (T-minus 11 hours...)

Via Equestrian Lifestyle Magazine on Facebook

And if I ever finish anything, I will be surprised!

I have many, numerous ideas, but I can't seem to finish a damn thing.

Thank you sir, I feel a little bit better about myself now....sort of...

Christmas flash mob

Merry day after Christmas!

LAPD Christmas Tactical Alert

Yeah, I know I shouldn't be up at this hour, but how can I sleep when there's prowlers about our fair city?

Via Venice 311 and Hollywood 311.

My bipartisan Christmas greeting to you all

TO ALL MY LIBERAL FRIENDS:

 Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2013, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wish.



TO ALL MY CONSERVATIVE FRIENDS:
 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Greeting and image snicked from the internets, but the sentiments come straight from my heart :)

Merry Christmas from Twinkle Toe-Bells!

Get your elf name here:

Via Countdown to Christmas on Facebook

God bless our troops

Foamy the Squirrel's Letter to Santa

I've been a huge fan since discovering Foamy a few years back.

Unfortunate Twitter typo of the day

Celebrate the holidays with the Culver Hotel and their over roasted turkey!

Mayan calendar, schmayan calendar

Jonathan Quick, Earth's goalie.

Via Hockey Memes on Twitter.

Update: Let's Go Kings just posted this version:

No words needed

From Captain Cartoon

Baby, It's Cold Outside

My favorite version of this song, performed by Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting.

Talent ran in Whiting's family.  Her father was songwriter Richard Whiting, whose credits include Hooray For Hollywood and On The Good Ship Lollipop.

I've posted this before, but it's no less creepy a year later...

Mommie Dearest wishes the world a Merry Christmas...just like Christina said!!!

2013 Writers' Police Academy is officially a go!

Despite some veiled threats that 2012 would be the last go-around, Writers' Police Academy 2013 is officially a go!  With dates, a (return) location and everything!

Heck yeah, I'll be there!

Hopefully this also means another Golden Donut Short Story Contest.  Because I've had all sorts of fun and luck with that one!

RIP F&E? Say it ain't so!

Rumors have been going around that Fresh & Easy stores may be headed for the end of the line and now there's a not-quite-announcement that the end may, in fact, be nigh.

I've been a fan of Fresh & Easy since they arrived in the U.S.  They're a great alternative to chain grocery stores (which around here are pretty much down to Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons) and an even less pricey version of Trader Joe's.

When I lived in Hollywood I spent months looking forward to that location opening, so much so that I giddily snapped this picture when the signage went up.  It was slow going initially for the Hollywood store, which had to open without a liquor license thanks to interference from the CVS next door.  They did eventually get the license and over the years the chain has made a number of adjustments and improvement to enhance the shopping experience.  Fresh & Easy has some really great products and really great prices, and I'll miss them big time if they do close it down, not to mention that would leave a whole lot of empty storefronts.

Dog's Christmas

Awww.  Reminds me of Uggie from The Artist.

Hollywood Sign gets a facelift

This is something I would have been all over when I lived in Hollywood and was still a rabid fan of all things Tinseltown.  The legendary, iconic sign has been freshened up. 

Here's a time-lapse video of the work done on the sign.  Props to Sherwin-Williams for their participation.  That was a lot of paint!

H/T to Curbed L.A.

Merry Punjabi Christmas!

This was apparently a promo produced a few years ago by Nick Jr., part of the Nickelodeon family of networks.  It's strangely hypnotic and addictive.

Hallelujah! It's the Silent Monks!

It. Never. Gets. Old.