'Tis the Season

Winter is finally upon us. I know this because today it was cold. Not Wisconsin-freeze-your-eye-balls cold, but definitely cold for an Orange County girl. The high today was 56 degrees in Palo Alto - definitely fuzzy scarf weather.

Another reason I know it is really winter is because Christmas is now around the corner, and I can get into the holiday spirit. The Christmas songs on the radio and in stores began a few weeks ago, which really bugs me because by the time Christmas rolls around, I'm sick of Rudolf and his red nose. But now, with December in full swing, it is time to deck the halls and be merry!

Yesterday, M and I bought "our" first Christmas tree! It was very exciting. We went to Target and scoped out the fake trees they had there. I was highly impressed with Target's selection! We picked a little four foot tall one, kind of fuzzy, not the typical wintergreen kind of fake tree. I originally had wanted a real tree, but with us not being home the two weeks before and after Christmas, I did not want a real tree to have died without getting the chance to bring joy on Christmas morning. The tree was actually really cute, though it was pretty scraggly when it came out of the box. We had to fluff it up a bit, and by the end, it was nice and bushy. I found a really cute Penguin ornament at Target, and some new ball ornaments, but most of the stuff in the tree came from my Christmas box that I've had for years. We also strung up blue lights in our little tree, because blue lights are my favorite. If I do say so myself, our little tree is not too shabby!

While I decked out our tree, M put up lights outside on our balcony, and inside around the living room's big window/door. We even decorated our little bamboo tree - no reason exotic trees can't get dressed up and join the party! And, our little Wilbur got his very own Christmas bell around his fat little neck. He is too cute not to share, so he got top billing in this entry. Some people have kids, others have pets; we have our Wilbur the Pig, and he is a great apartment pig. He is also a very politically involved lil' pig, and if you squint, you can see his Obama pin on his right ear.

It was really nice decorating our apartment and getting into the holiday spirit. We played Kenny Chesney's Christmas album, "All I Want for Chirstmas is a Real Good Tan" (how country of us!) while we put decorations up, and hummed along to visions of a white Christmas - white sand, that is! Domestic little things like Christmas decorating really make one feel like half a couple. It's still strange sometimes to think, Wow, I live with this person; this tree belongs to both of us. Strange, but warm and fuzzy, and isn't warm and fuzzy what the holidays are all about?

How could anyone hurt a pig?!?!?

Now, I eat pork, and I find it mighty tasty. I don't know exactly how I justify this, while at the same time holding a huge soft spot for the snouted creatures. All I can say is that eating pigs once they have been killed seem to be okay with me, but actually hurting them while they are alive and being cruel to them is a very big no-no!!

I came across a story on the cnn.com website from a couple of days ago about these awful people in Iowa who take out all their pent-up frustrations due to huge inadequacies in every aspect of their life (this is my deduction) by doing horrible things to the pigs they grow for Hormel.

Read the story here and get mad!!

The awful, awful men apparently stuck metal rods up sows' patoots, and even slammed cute little piglets on the floor! Now, I have been around pigs before, and know how large they can get. I wonder why the sows didn't turn right around and smash those bastards to the ground and stomp on them!!

UPDATE
I had actually written the above before watching the video accompanying the story (click "Video" at top right to view) and I have to admit that it made me so mad that I actually teared up (annoying thing I do when super pissed, I cry, go figure). I usually poke fun at PETA and I think a lot of the things they do are really hypocritical, but this time I hope that they bring these assholes to full prosecution. The video is appaerntly "heavily edited" and I can't even imagine what else they do to these poor piggies. Hateful hateful people!!!

Technical Difficulties Magically Resolved

I believe it was the picture of the adorable pig that made my McCain and Obama, and most importantly, Wall-e videos, go back to working! I am taking this as proof that pigs truly are lucky as well as awesome.

Lipstick on a Pig

I would like to thank the McCain/Palin campaign for drawing my attention to what has become my new favorite phrase: "Putting lipstick on a pig."

The Republicans are "outraged" that Obama described McCain's policies on the economy, health care, taxes, education, and foreign relations, as likened to "putting lipstick on a pig" -- meaning, they are pretty much identical to George Bush's policies on similar issues, even though McCain is now (and how originally!) running on "change." Why are they "outraged"? Because they believe that Obama's "lipstick on a pig" phrase is a jab at Sarah Palin, who described herself as a "pitbull with lipstick."

The funny thing is, that if you watch the video (clip below), you will hear clearly that Obama is actually talking about McCain, and in fact, not just McCain, but his policies. He is saying, "McCain is trying to sound like he is all for change, but many of his policies are similar to those of George W. Bush. If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig! Calling it "change" but doing nothing different is still the same old, same old." (My paraphrase. You're welcome!)

Watch the clip here: (I'm having trouble keeping my youtube clips on, so if the video doesn't work, go here)



Now, what I find hi-larious is that McCain himself has used this exact same phrase before, and not very long ago! So, in pointing fingers, the Republican camp is completely ignoring the fact that "lipstick on a pig" is a popular phrase (why oh why have I not heard it before?!).

Not convinced? Watch McCain use it here



and again here (around the 29 second mark. keep watching right afterward to watch the LOVELINESS (read, "evilness) that is Fox News): link here



So... the moral of this story is this: There is NO MORAL! This is politics, people. I personally find it a) Ridiculously funny that the Republican campaign thinks that acting all sensitive and inventing personal attacks is an actual campaign tactic; and b) Sad that this kind of tactic actually works with a large part of their voter base.

Here is Obama's response to this "phony" sensitivity used to distract people from the issues.