Mel knows where I’m ticklish, what my tolerance levels are, and also that I can lift her off of the ground with one hand. We met with the Mom, and it went well enough, I think. After Cocoa and cookies, we went back home to lounge and watch that “desperate housewives” show. Not a bad night, all in all.

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There are at least 200 people (those unique IP addys that grabbed the madvillain movie) who read my journal through ipodder. I wish I knew who syndicated me there, so I could thank ’em. I wonder if much is coming via the blogdex to my site, too? If Tinklepig gets the same sort of response, I’ll know it’s automated, rather than manual grabs.

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If you rearrange the letters in “SANTAS WORKSHOP” you get:

OK SNORT WHAP ASS
SWOOP STANK RASH
HOW SO, SPANK TSAR?
KHAN SWAPS ROOTS
WARPATH KNOSSOS
SHARK SPAWNS TOO
KORAN WASPS SHOT

and my Favorite –

SATAN SHOWS PORK

Just thought I’d let you know.

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John Dee’s Crystal Ball Stolen

A RARE 16th-century crystal ball that belonged to a maverick consultant to Elizabeth I has been stolen from the Science Museum in London.

A man dressed in a long leather coat smashed a display case on the fifth floor and ran down flights of stairs and out of the museum before he could be caught by security guards.

The crystal ball, thought to be worth £50,000, was used by mediums and for curing disease. It belonged to John Dee, philosopher, mathematician and astrologer, who lived between 1527 and the turn of the 17th century. Dee became an authority on “angel magic” and beliefs that man had the potential for divine power.

The thief also took a statement about the ball’s use by the pharmacist Nicholas Culpeper, written on the reverse of ancient deed manuscripts in the mid-1600s. The theft happened on Thursday afternoon. Detectives are investigating whether the items were stolen to order.

The Science Museum may be forced to shut in the New Year. The unions Prospect and PCS are to ballot on strike action after rejecting a 2.5 per cent pay increase as “derisory” and saying that funding problems were making it difficult for the museum to operate.

Cool… maybe a new superhero/villain?

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Best non-holiday icon seen recently.

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Your Christmas is Most Like: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Each year, you really get into the spirit of Christmas. Which is much more important to you than nifty presents.

You Were Nice This Year!

You’re an uber-perfect person who is on the top of Santa’s list. You probably didn’t even *think* any naughty thoughts this year. Unless you’re a Mormon, you’ve probably been a little too good. Is that extra candy cane worth being a sweetheart for 365 days straight?

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1 year ago – considering an upgrade, Nigerian magic is weak vs bullets

2 years ago – Ft. Laud facts, Antarctic Life, Muslim Roundup, Bro at his worst finds a stray cat, make a supervillian desktop,

3 years ago – Bodyboarding on lava, McMummies, xp patch

4 years ago – Restless, Special Olympics cheaters, wondering about where my parts were pre-me, palm reading