I went to bed early last night; much to do today and tomorrow. Ugh. Not looking forward to the chores, with the exception of shopping for Jakey’s Christmas gifts.

The Thriller has many ideas for Jake, most of which involve nostalgic toys that he thinks are cool. I’m excited to see what he’s come up with, since he has chosen to keep all these ideas a big secret.

I really think he’s just afraid that I’ll choose something too girly. Now why would I do that? My only worry about the Thriller’s choices is their age-appropriateness. I can see him schlepping down the aisle at Toys ‘R’ Us with a motorized Hummer.

I’m looking for stuff for a 15-month-old boy. Any suggestions out there? He already has a ton of clothes, and other family members are getting him books, so I don’t think we’ll go that route this time. I know he really won’t care if it’s big or little (nor will his parents), but I want something unique. Hmmm.

Fink out (shopping).

At least I think I’m happy it’s Friday. Kind of wish it was *last* Friday so I’d have another week of rehearsal, but…

I’ll apologize again today for seeming to ignore emails — as soon as the insanity dies down, your inbox will once again fill up with Finkness; so much so, that you will want to get rid of me.

OK, so. The TV doesn’t look bad at all. Here’s my effort to take a photo of it in action. Somehow I don’t think my little Casio 6MP Exilim (as much as I love it) was up to the task of capturing the picture in all its HD glory in a dark room, but here it is. I thought it would take up much more space width-wise, but as you see, it appears to be quite manageable.

I actually like it. I might learn to love it, even.

All right, enough about the television already. That’s done. In other news:

1. Do you have all your shopping finished?
2. Tonight, I shall have dinner with a friend, then go to the basketball game. (First home game – go Trojans) I think I need a night to not think about choral music and logistics.
3. Picture this nightmare: Decades of irresponsible, gluttonous management perpetrated by self-appointed royalty of multi-billion dollar corporations (and labor unions) spirals out of control, leaving the country on the brink of economic collapse. Then they raise the white flag and beg the government to make it all go away, but Congress can’t agree on how it should be done. So the freefall continues, dragging Wall Street, the nation’s employment hopes, and general morale down with it. Imagine such a horror happening in America.
   
4. I didn’t get any Christmas cards sent this year. *sigh*
5. Starbucks v. McDonalds – never thought I’d see the day. Although I must say that the last cup of coffee I had a McD’s was pretty darn good.
6. Is there any state more screwed up than Illinois?

And now I’m out of reading time. Have a most excellent Friday.

FO

Just gotta get through Monday, and I’m home free.

So much to tell you this morning. First, the concert! My little fiends did very well last night. Here are some shots a fellow teacher took of some krazy kwire kids…

More later — 6:54 and out the door.

Fink out.

PS – I watched Sweeney Todd on my new TV last night. I must admit…it was amazing.

1. Usually, the cold/flu thing happens after performances, not before. ‘Sides, I’m too mean and tuff to get sick. Thank Jesus and Mary for DayQuil.

2. I’m looking forward to tonight with the middle school choirs. Should be fun.

3. BRAD! How many times I gotta tell you, son? Lose the mouthbrow mustache and grandpa hair. I mean, honestly. You’re attending the premier of the film that might win you an Oscar, so let’s channel a used car salesman from 1972. Brilliant. Oh, and make sure that the unattractive brown is painted on your temples so it looks astoundingly unnatural. Sorry, but the whole unkempt Clark Gable effort gets a big fat FAIL.

Money, looks, good fashion sense. Two outta three ain’t bad, I guess. Lawd.

Have a great Wednesday, fiends. Back tomorrow with concert fotos.

F.O.

1. The Thriller got a call yesterday. The TV arrives tomorrow, not Friday. Joyous. He now has a difficult choice: Go to RF’s middle school concert…stay home and hook up the new TV. Go to RF’s middle school concert…stay home and hook up the new TV…
2. Wanna see where all the money in the country went? Clicky.
3. Do you know how good Steve Martin is on banjo?
4. I plan to start up the RtB Contests again in January. Much chocolate to be won here, fiends.
5. I’m taking some of my singers to perform at a couple of nursing homes today. I hope they bring something tasty for the bus ride, because I be all about the treatses.
6. You will now please post your favorite Christmas song, and if applicable, the artists who sing/play it. Mine: “That Holiday Feeling” by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé (sister had a big voice). I’m always up for new Christmas tunes; seems like they’re the same ones over and over every year — or it could be just collateral career damage. Searching for new and interesting arrangements of the same Christmas “classics” is a challenge year after year, ya know?

Ok, time to hit the shower and the road. Maybe I’ll stop by Hawkins bakery and get some treatses of my own.