Christmas Hangover

Christmas has come and gone again for the year. I found myself remarkably less festive this year for some reason and had a hard time getting jazzed up for the holiday. I saw the requisite Christmas specials (Rudolph, Charlie Brow, The Grinch), made cookies with the kids, decorated the tree (though I seem to be missing a box of ornaments and stockings), but somehow didn't really feel the Christmas Spirit. Maybe it was because the economy is in the crapper and every other news story was about how people are losing their jobs, losing their homes, charities are hurting, etc. I'll be happy to get the tree down (this weekend hopefully) and put it all away until next year. I'm hoping for a better turnaround next year, complete with jingle bell earrings and a Santa hat. We'll see.

The kids made out like bandits, as usual. They received laptops from the g-parents so they've been latched onto those like leeches. I did not grow up with computers. Our family got one when I was in junior high (I think, it might have been high school) and it was a family computer, thus not to be monopolized by one person. We also didn't have the internet or the technology the kids do nowadays. We had an Atari system with Pong and Breakout being the games of choice and we thought that was pretty fabulous. My kids each have a Nintendo DS. They also have an Xbox (courtesy of my husband who wanted to upgrade his), a Nintendo Wii and a Playstation 2. There's no end to the video game joy for them. So when my youngest said she was bored and there was nothing to do a few days before Christmas, I had to gawk at her a bit. I'm sure my parents thought the same thing when I was a kid since we had tv, cable, Atari and other items of personal entertainment. Guess it's a generational thing.

New Year's is just around the corner and I'm amazed at how fast the time flies. Before we know it, Christmas will be back around again. Thus being the time of resolutions, I've decided to state mine early. Of course, I will try to lose weight. I will exercise more (won't take much, don't exercise much at all now) and I will have my family eat healthier. We are way too familiar with McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King and Chik-Fil-A. I will also try my best to curb our spending. We have way too much debt and need to get that fixed as soon as possible.

I'm hoping 2010 will be a much better year on the job front. I can't complain because I'm gainfully employed unlike many others. I'm hoping the jobs will be back and everyone, or at least the vast majority, will find jobs. I'm hoping that less people lose their houses. I'm hoping the banks start lending more and the credit card companies stop behaving like douchebags. Well, I can hope right? I'm hoping the conflicts (wars? Are they both considered wars?) in Iraq and Afghanistan come to an end so all the men and women over there can come home safely to their families. I'm hoping the VA gets their heads out of their rear ends and treats the vets with the dignity they deserve and deliver on all the promises. I'm hoping for peach on earth and goodwill towards man. Maybe it's a little late as that seems to be a Christmas-style wish, but we can hope and dream right? Let's all start by being a little nicer to each other. I'm hoping that's a trend that will catch on quickly and spread like wildfire. Be nice to each other, obey the Golden Rule and maybe we can make this a better place to be.

3 days, 9 hours and some change until New Year at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com.

The Tiger Controversy

Okay, so everyone and their brother has heard the flack over Tiger's alleged "transgressions" with women that were not his wife. I admit that this is pretty sleazy and definitely a PR nightmare for someone who has branded golf forever with his image, but do I think it's a travesty worth destroying the guy over? No. Look, he's a dog that cheated on his wife with a bunch of women, if rumor is to be believed, and not one of them, I think, look better than his wife. Just sayin'. Thought you were supposed to trade up when you cheated, but that's neither here nor there. He didn't get caught doing drugs, robbing someone, murdering someone, killing puppies, or anything else especially heinous. It's something that should probably have been kept in-house and dealt with privately between his wife and him. For sponsors to drop him like a hot potato is more than a little bit extreme. I'm sure there are plenty of athletes/celebrities out there that have done far worse and they are still being courted left and right by sponsors for endorsement gigs. Maybe I'd feel differently if I had been put in that situation, but I haven't so whatever. I'm sure everyone knows at least one person that has cheated on their significant other. Did you immediately say they were a bad person and cut all ties? Probably not. Again, just sayin'. I think Tiger should just come out and say "screw y'all" since everyone is hating on him anyway. There's not much he can do to make public opinion swing his way so I say embrace it. Divorce the wife, make sure your kids are taken care of and spend time with them, but go out and be a total horn dog. Can't tarnish his image any further right?

On a completely different note, am I the only one wondering why she didn't change her name or at least hyphenate after marrying Tiger Woods? I mean, you're married to one of the most, if not the most, famous and recognizable athlete in the world, and you keep you maiden name? Maybe it's a Swedish thing. I don't know. Just got me thinking. Well, that and the fact that when they met she was working for a pro golfer as an au pair with her twin sister. Really? You need pretty, blonde, Swedish twins as your nannies? How many kids do you have? Unless the number is in the double digits I can't imagine really needing two. Again, maybe it's just me.

They should have lost

The Saints are now 12-0. If you saw any of the game on Sunday, you know that this shouldn't have happened. The Saints tried their best to lose on numerous occasions this week but somehow pulled out the win. If not for the crazy plays and some luck running their way on replay, they would be 11-1. The interception/strip fumble recovery for a touchdown should be on all the highlight reels for a while. Robert Meachem should play defense and show those guys how to strip the ball because that was crazy. They should be giving Meachem the game ball on that. They should also send some flowers to Shaun Suisham for missing a chip shot field goal. The look on Jim Zorn's face said it all. He knew that could be it and it was. Crazy. And who do they have left? They have to play in Atlanta which could go either way depending on if Matt Ryan and Michael Turner play. Both were out this week and the Ealges handed them a severe butt-whooping. They play Dallas at the Superdome which I would hope would be a win but you never know with this team. The last couple of times they played Dallas it went the Saints way, but karma has a way of evening things out. Could be ugly. They play Tampa at home which on paper should be an easy win, but it took them a while to warm up in Tampa last time they played. The Redskins were supposed to be an easy win too and look how that turned out. And last, but not least, they play in Carolina. John Fox could be on the bubble and it may be his last chance to really stick it to 'em so don't be surprised if this game turns ugly quick. Besides the fact that the defense consists of walking wounded. Everyone and their brother is broken and by the end of December there could be no one left. Not sure if the undefeated season will come to fruition.

On a lighter note, the 'Bama Tide crushed the UF Gators which was a sight to see. I felt kinda bad that I was chuckling at Tim Tebow's misery, crying on the sidelines. And then I heard other people were doing the same thing. Sure I may be going to hell, but at least I won't be alone. After hearing everyone and their brother (that includes you Gary Danielson) extoling the virtues of Tim Tebow, it was nice to serve them up some humble pie. People down here seem to think he walks on water, and maybe he does, but much like any other team that I hear way too much of, e.g. the Patriots, USC, Red Sox and Yankees, I like to see them set back a notch. Saturday's SEC Championship did not disappoint and I really hope that either Mark Ingram or Colt McCoy end up with the Heisman. If Tebow gets it again, it will be a travesty.

Nebraska has to be kicking themselves right now. Their game was so much closer than the SEC Championship and I'm sure TCU/Boise State/Cincinnati are all wanting to kick them too. Oh well, one more year that the BCS eludes the playoff question. Bowl season should be interesting this year.

On to my complaint of the day. I read an article where the higher-ups at AIG (the company that had to be bailed out by us taxpayers because they just couldn't fail) are threatening to quit if their compensation is cut. Really? You sucked at your job so bad that you almost tanked the company, asked the taxpayers for a handout and now when the pay czar said that he should cut your compensation you say you're going to quit? I say go ahead. Find another job someplace else with that glowing recommendation on your resume - I worked at AIG when the company went bottom up. Please hire me to run your company into the ground. Of course in today's era of golden parachutes and rewarding incompentent behavior, they probably would land a cush gig without a problem. Am I the only one pissed off about this whole thing? You have one of the highest unemployment rates in forever, the economy barely has a pulse and you have the cojones to complain about your pay bonuses? I say they should get their pay cut and see how everyone else has to live on less than $1M a year. Just sayin.

Perfect So Far

So the Saints did it and told all those haters out there to suck it. They routed the Pats last night 38-17 and Brees was absolutely redonkulous in his passing. 158.3 passing rating. 158.3!!! The busted coverage that led to Devery Henderson's touchdown was crazy looking. Devery didn't even have to run, I think he just jogged into the endzone after the pass. What's the craziest part? The Pats gave up with over 5 minutes left in the game. Granted they were down by 3 touchdowns, but c'mon. If you're Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, former multiple Super Bowl winnders, don't you at least try? Shouldn't you make an effort? Nope, they pulled Brady and put in Hoyer (might be spelling that wrong), an MSU grad. Oy.

And how about Mike McKenzie? Did I call it or what? After only about a week and half, two weeks and he's playing like he never left. Interception, broken up passes, crazy tackles. Yeah Mike, get some! Think he's looking to keep a job even after all the busted secondary players get better. They best keep him too. It was a fabulous game to watch and I'm sure all the crazy drunk fans in the Superdome were partying well into the night. Good times!

On another unrelated note, what's up with the couple that crashed the White House state dinner? How do you get in without an invitation and what does that say about the Secret Service and their skills? Just sayin'. Wasn't the first time they busted in on something they weren't invited to. I'm sure everyone has seen the story where the chick said she was a former Redskins cheerleader and managed to get in on the halftime festivities for the cheerleader alumni. You'd think someone would be asking some questions or even a quick, "I don't remember you being here." Again, just sayin. But what happens? They get their names all over the media, interviews, probably a book deal, maybe a television deal and they get what they wanted from the beginning...notoriety. Stop talking to these people. Stop letting stupid people doing stupid, and possibly illegal, things from profitting from them. Nowadays you can be "famous" without having to do a single thing that benefits society. This trend needs to stop right now!

Also, the fine for Serena Williams. Crazy huh? But she deserved it. If she's upset about it, don't act like a psycho and you won't get fined. Just sayin. Tiger Woods and his accident. Eh, his business what happened but makes you wonder why the wife felt the need to break out both of his back windows - driver and passenger side. You'd think after breaking out one you could unlock the door and open it up. Again, just sayin.

Anything else? Nope, guess that's it for now.

Drew's da man! at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com.