hoh crikey.

While my mood is not nearly as pessimistic as the following snippet might imply, I really like it. He's one of my favorite comedians:

"In my lifetime, we’ve gone from Eisenhower to George W. Bush. We’ve gone from John F. Kennedy to Al Gore. If this is evolution, I believe that in twelve years, we’ll be voting for plants."
- Lewis Black

He's playing the Paramount in downtown Seattle this Saturday. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking up a $75 ticket. I myself have a previous engagement and an allergy to expensive tickets. Maybe I'll get lucky and run into him at the University Village Starbucks extemporating and expectorating to an adoring clutch of onlookers. Dare to dream.

Speaking of dreams, it's Christmas. (Yes, I know it's still November, and no, that does not matter a bit.) The season of giving. Notice it's the season of giving, not the season of money or consumption or nail-biting have-I-given-someone-the-"right"-gift. So, in celebration of this, think about what you can give to others this season. It is not the size or cost of the gift, it's your intention of generosity that counts. Acknowledge your blessings by blessing someone else--with a can of food, a gift off one of those "Giving Trees" at the mall, or just a heartfelt smile to a stranger.

Here are some excellent movies I enjoyed: "Walk the Line" and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." Can't wait for "The Ice Harvest" and "Brokeback Mountain." For the latter, I'm having that nagging feeling like I should read the short story first. But then I get that nagging feeling like I shouldn't read something by someone whose last name I haven't a prayer of pronouncing correctly.

I know what you're thinking--why did the Marmot go all Hallmark on us with that generosity sh*t, sandwiched between a paean to Lewis Black, a deeply bitter and practically anthropomorphic comedian; and mention of "The Ice Harvest," a deeply bitter black comedy that flies in the face of the "Christmas spirit" she apparently inhaled around the Thanksgiving tofu balls? Well. I know what you're thinking. But I can't explain it.