2024 Self-Improvement (Yours)

     One of the services any good blogger should be ready to perform for readers is help out with New Year’s Resolutions.  This might seem a little late to some of you, but the people who get their Christmas shopping done by Halloween are not exactly my core audience.      And, anyway, by this timeContinue reading “2024 Self-Improvement (Yours)”

Carol of the Yells II

     Once upon a time, the story goes, a Methodist preacher was on a voyage when a horrible storm sprang up.  The crew of the ship was doing its best to keep the vessel from coming to grief in the high winds, and several able-bodied passengers, including the preacher, had come on deck to helpContinue reading “Carol of the Yells II”

Santa Blogs XXXIX

Dear Santa Blogs:      I took your advice last year, and sent my niece a number of highly collectible postcards featuring cheerful Santa Clauses.  I received, the following Groundhog’s Day, a quite charming thank you email, saying she appreciated the thought, and would of course treasure these valuable artifacts, but that she was getting aContinue reading “Santa Blogs XXXIX”

Santa Blogs XXXVIII

Dear Santa Blogs:      For years I have enjoyed your advice on how used books and/or used postcards can make excellent gifts at this festive time of year.  I have a slightly different problem.  I am finally getting around to thinking about possibly arranging to get ready to do my Christas cards.  Have you anyContinue reading “Santa Blogs XXXVIII”

Entirely Disinterested Gift Guide

     Gather round, kiddledybooks!  It is that time you wait breathlessly for: the appearance of Uncle Blogsy’s Annual Holiday Shopping Guide!  We will once again…..What’s that?  You don’t recall Uncle Blogsy’s Annual Holiday Shopping Guide from last year?  Listen, mistletoe meatball, these annual traditions have to get their start somewhere.  You didn’t realize you’d beenContinue reading “Entirely Disinterested Gift Guide”

Who Needs Lyrics?

     Pop songs are just like pop singers.  If they want to become really, really big, they have to be prepared to take a lot of abuse.  A song which becomes popular has to deal with critics who find it shallow, derivative, and overly simple (which some critics feel are basic requirements for even beingContinue reading “Who Needs Lyrics?”