It's a First for Me!!!

It's a first for my 54 years of existance. I have my tree up, and lights strung, and it's not even December yet! I don't think you realize how monumental this actually is! I went about 2 decades where I didn't put up a tree or decorations--except my last two years of high school teaching, when my best flutist was appalled by that and went out and chopped one down for me...both years!

In fact, in the 30 years or so that I've not lived at home, I don't think I've had a tree up for a third of them. I can blame my musician status for much of that. December is a busy month for symphony concerts and holiday gigs. And the various rehearsals. No time to get it done, and since it's just me here, why bother?

But this year, it's up! A full four weeks before Christmas!! For those who wonder where the real Os has gone, don't worry. I'm pretty sure I can procrastinate putting the ornaments up for a couple more weeks...

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It was a good long weekend of football again. The Griz had a bye week, so the only football game being played in the state of MT was the Saint's second round playoff game. It was a close contest, with the winning touchdown coming with about 2 minutes left in the game. A bit nerve-wracking for my tastes (I much prefer winning in a blow-out), but it was a win, nonetheless. Next game--hosting a semifinal game, probably against Georgetown (KY). GO SAINTS!

Also next weekend both Gucci's Cats and my Griz host a second round game in the FCS playoffs. The kicker...neither of the games will be on TV!! Oh, ESPN will be there with their cameras, but the only way to see either game is to watch on ESPN3, which is an INTERNET-ONLY option. And the kicker...? ESPN3 is only available through one rural ISP in the state!! There have been petitions signed (big one on FB, if any of you would like to sign it...email me for details), emails sent, and Montana's entire Congressional delegation (all three of them) have written to ESPN to complain. There's two main bones of contention here from Montanans' view--1) For 15 years, we've been able to watch all playoff games involving the Griz by purchasing local broadcast rights, and 2) ESPN is forcing customers to complain to their ISPs to pick up ESPN3, in essence, holding college athletics hostage for corporate gain. That doesn't fly well in Montana...

There's plenty of other gripes as well, but I won't go into those. ESPN has given unsatisfactory responses so far, and I fear that we won't get either game. Most infuriating is their lack of acknowledgment that most of Montana doesn't have the adequate internet infrastructure to offer ESPN3, yet they continue to pass the blame to the ISPs and cable providers. They could easily sell the rights and make much more money than what they're trying to do now. What I think will happen is that those pesky UM and MSU crowds well have hundreds of "ESPN SUCKS" signs throughout their stadiums, and the cameras won't be able to avoid them. Then again maybe their cameramen and equipment wont make it into the stadiums...

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As hinted to up above, the crazy symphony season starts up this week. Thirteen rehearsals or performances in the twelve days. And there's actually 2 days off in there! Fortunately, this is fairly routine, so I'm not terribly concerned. Just gonna be busy, busy, busy!

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Theme Alert! - Don't forget the themes coming up in December. A rundown is below. Make mention of it on your own sites to (as well as HNT's retirement). It's amazing how many people say they didn't know about this stuff!

• Dec. 15th - Christmas Tree HNT - I want to see you half-nekkid with your Christmas tree. If you don't have a tree put up, then with any other Christmas decorations. If you don't celebrate Christmas, then you're off the hook. But the rest of you--I really want to see your Christmas trees!
  
• Dec. 22nd - Three Christmas Wishes HNT - Perhaps the hardest theme of the year. Pick three individuals to send special Christmas wishes to. The hard part? Pick three people who are not necessarily someone you'll be sending a Christmas card to, or an e-card, or specifically contact at Christmas.Those people might expect something from you. No, send out your Christmas wishes to someone you've only lurked at, or to a newbie, or to someone whose HNTs and/or general blog posts have made some sort of impression. And post a picture of it, too! It can be serious or humorous or heartfelt or fantasy. Then contact that individual to let them know that they got one of your wishes. (For example, I remember that my very first year of this I wished for two bags of fairy dust for one person, a wish for another HNTer's husband's swimmers to impregnate her (she had a baby exactly 9 months later--I did good on that one!), and a big stick with nails for a third one to beat me with as I had somewhat trampled on our friendship. You can see this post here, or check out the other mid-December posts from my archives.) Good luck with this one. It's tougher than it sounds, so start thinking about it now!
  
• Dec. 29th - Final HNT - This one is sort of self-explanatory. This will be your last official shot at doing HNT. Make it memorable. That doesn't imply stripping bare and letting it all hang out. Just make this one a good send-off.

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Be sure to check out Ashly's and Evalee's links! Get your Christmas spirit into gear and help out! Both ventures have seen some good progress, and I know they both appreciate the help they've gotten, and any more that they can get. I know Ashly has already started buying toys! And Evalee has posted that things are going better than they'd hoped for their project!

Settling the Bet HNT

There's not really much to say about my HNT today. It's time for Gucci to settle up her end of the Griz/Cat bet. I don't know exactly which of the pictures she'll be using, but she sent me a preview or two...

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"Of apple-picking: I am overtired
Of the great harvest I myself desired.
There were ten thousand thousand fruit to touch,
Cherish in hand, lift down, and not let fall.
For all
That struck the earth,
No matter if not bruised or spiked with stubble,
Went surely to the cider-apple heap
As of no worth.
One can see what will trouble
This sleep of mine, whatever sleep it is.
Were he not gone,
The woodchuck could say whether it's like his
Long sleep, as I describe its coming on,
Or just some human sleep."

--Excerpt from "After Apple-Picking" by Robert Frost

This week's Mystery Guest will remain a mystery, though she's appeared here numerous times over the years. Come back often to look at her apples though!

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Due to the week of holiday preparations, "...the Other HNT" is lower than normal with the numbers, but not in quality! Lots of breast portions, but I can't say the same about the legs or the wings. No lumpy potatoes, that's for sure! Be sure to stop by and check out your fellow HNTers! As always, it's NSFW!

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Theme Alert! - As mentioned above, we'll still do the Christmas themes next month as follows:

• Dec. 15th - Christmas Tree HNT - I want to see you half-nekkid with your Christmas tree. If you don't have a tree put up, then with any other Christmas decorations. If you don't celebrate Christmas, then you're off the hook. But the rest of you--I really want to see your Christmas trees!
  
• Dec. 22nd - Three Christmas Wishes HNT - Perhaps the hardest theme of the year. Pick three individuals to send special Christmas wishes to. The hard part? Pick three people who are not necessarily someone you'll be sending a Christmas card to, or an e-card, or specifically contact at Christmas.Those people might expect something from you. No, send out your Christmas wishes to someone you've only lurked at, or to a newbie, or to someone whose HNTs and/or general blog posts have made some sort of impression. And post a picture of it, too! It can be serious or humorous or heartfelt or fantasy. Then contact that individual to let them know that they got one of your wishes. (For example, I remember that my very first year of this I wished for two bags of fairy dust for one person, a wish for another HNTer's husband's swimmers to impregnate her (she had a baby exactly 9 months later--I did good on that one!), and a big stick with nails for a third one to beat me with as I had somewhat trampled on our friendship. You can see this post here, or check out the other mid-December posts from my archives.) Good luck with this one. It's tougher than it sounds, so start thinking about it now!
  
• Dec. 29th - Final HNT - This one is sort of self-explanatory. This will be your last official shot at doing HNT. Make it memorable. That doesn't imply stripping bare and letting it all hang out. Just make this one a good send-off.

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Be sure to check out Ashly's and Evalee's links! Get your Christmas spirit into gear and help out! Both ventures have seen some good progress, and I know they both appreciate the help they've gotten, and any more that they can get.

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Have a very Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Even those of you who celebrated it last month...!

How 'Bout Them Griz?!?!

Well, the first thing I should mention, if you haven't heard yet, is that my beloved Griz beat the fur off of Gucci's Bobcats, 36-10. The fallout? The Griz earned a share (with the Cats) of the Big Sky Conference championship. They also jumped from #7 to #5 in the polls, while the Cats fell to #7. Most importantly though, the Griz were seeded #4 in the FCS tournament. A bit of a surprise, but we'll take it! Both teams get a first round bye and a second round home game. It's possible that there will be a second Griz/Cat game in a few weeks, but that would be in Missoula. And it's a bit early to be looking that far ahead. Of course, the best thing about the Griz win is that it obviously implies that Gucci lost her bet! You're gonna like it!

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The other two of my teams were also victorious over the weekend. My HS alma mater won the state "AA" football championship on Friday night in the windy, snowy cold. And the Saints easily won against their first round opponent and will host Azusa Pacific on Saturday. Those poor Californians will have a rude awakening in the cold up here!

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I've had two different people let me know that they had a conversation on Yahoo Messenger within the past week or so. The problem...I haven't logged on to Yahoo Messenger in a couple of years! The transcript of one of the conversations (my friend's name is changed):

Osbasso (Scott): Que passo baby

Matilda: Why you so happy?

Osbasso (Scott): whats up, I dont remember when I found your username..im 24yrs old, female...you?

Matilda: Really? 24yo female? LOL!!

Osbasso (Scott): im not desperate hehe i just enjoy talking to ppl online especially via webcam, do you webcam?

Matilda: Wait a minute. Is this Scott?

Osbasso (Scott): ahhh ok are you signed up to any dating sites? i wanted to join adult friend finder but they charge too much!
i see..where do you live? i am bored at home...and this usually leads to bad things anytime i take a break from school work i jump online

Matilda: Well, I think this must stop as you are not the person I thought you were. You have highjacked my friend's yahoo account, and I'm not interested in continuing.

Osbasso (Scott): suit yourself... ur prob a virgin anyways... peace!

I assume that the other conversation was similar. A general suggestion for all of you--if you see me on Messenger, it's 99% probable that it's not me! But if you want to jerk this person around, be sure to send me the transcript!

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Last year was my first foray into Black Friday, and I pretty much decided that it would be my only foray. Now they're starting Black Friday on Thursday? Is nothing sacred? Walmart, in concern for their customers, will just stay open all day Thursday so that no one will have to wait outside in the cold. What?!?! I'm sorry...I can understand the fun and appeal of opening at 4AM on Friday. It's a tradition for some families. But hasn't it gone just a little bit too far?

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Be sure to check out Ashly's and Evalee's links! Get your Christmas spirit into gear and help out!

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I've seen that the word has gotten out about HNT, but don't forget that it's still got six more weeks to go! Pull out your best ideas!

Big Weekend, and other things...

"Mom called.
Dad died.
Back in a bit..."

I posted that one year ago this morning. 7:30 AM, as I remember. That's how I let you guys know that Dad died unexpectedly. A full year has passed. In some ways, it seems like so long ago. In others, just last week. But I'm OK. As a family, we're not going to do anything special today. I'll check to see if Mom wants to go visit the cemetery later today, though I think she'd rather go alone. S1 is out of state. S3 and family will be out of town for the state championship football game. Life goes on. And that's a good thing.

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Speaking of football, the big weekend is here!! Tonight will be the aforementioned football game, pitting #2 Helena Capital against #1 Billings West. My nephew (a sophomore) will be dressed out for it, and will get in the game as the kick holder. GO BRUINS!

Carroll College starts the playoff run to defend their national championship on Saturday, opening against Valley City State (N.D.). It's supposed to be colder than hell, but it's going to be televised, so you know where I'll be! GO SAINTS!

And the really big game, the 111th "Brawl of the Wild". The #7-ranked University of Montana vs. #1 Montana State University. The Grizzly/Bobcat game. At stake is the Big Sky Conference Championship, and a probable top-five seed in the playoffs. Both teams will make the playoffs, but their position within the brackets is all dependent upon the outcome. Also at stake are the statewide bragging rights, which are HUGE here. And perhaps most importantly at stake will be the bet between myself and Gucci. Please trust me on this on this and send your best vibes to the Griz. You really want Gucci to lose!!

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As anticipated, it seems as though some people didn't bother to read my HNT yesterday and have no idea that its days are numbered. And another large bunch who didn't 'up' themselves and missed it. So if you know of anyone who needs to know (particularly any part-timers), let them know. In fact, you might try to talk some of them into jumping back in for these last six weeks and send this thing out with a bang! Something I didn't post yesterday is that I'm working on a big project as a final send-off. I think you'll like it!

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Also didn't mention that I went out Friday night. I never go out anymore, and I had three different invites! I opted to go to the birthday party of one of my HS friends. She turned 55 on 11/11/11. That was pretty cool, but then it dawned on me again that MY next birthday will be my 55th. Geez!

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If you haven't done so already, jump down to my HNT and check out the stuff about Toys For Tots and about Evalee's plea. Do something good for yourself and help out if you can!

ROCKSTAR HNT

Let us consider the life of a ROCKSTAR. From the very beginning. From the first time our ROCKSTAR pokes its toes into the water of life. It's a shy creature. Insecure. Not knowing that soon it will, indeed, become a ROCKSTAR. The ROCKSTAR makes some friends early on, with similar insecurities, but all developing their skills. No one really knowing how they're going to turn out. But as all creatures do, these ROCKSTARs show incredible growth spurts. As time goes on, and the ROCKSTAR becomes more self-assured, there's some rebellion, but the ROCKSTAR finally hits the big time!

At this time the ROCKSTAR is now making friends with all sorts of other ROCKSTARs, many of whom had never been heard from before. All of a sudden, there's lots of ROCKSTARs! Of course, not everyone likes what the ROCKSTARs are doing, so they critique and ridicule, and basically act badly. Fortunately for all, the ROCKSTAR lets it all slide, as it's just words and part of the game. The whole "any press is good press" thought. And after all, much of the press is quite good.

By now, our ROCKSTAR is at the top of their game. The ROCKSTAR has matured into a solid cultural phenomenon, and not just a passing fancy. Various ROCKSTAR copycats and wannabes pop up. While a couple of them have a decent shelf life, none of them can really compare to the life of our ROCKSTAR. The ROCKSTAR lines up some tours, and there's some collaborations with other ROCKSTARs. The ROCKSTAR is getting invitations to appear all over. Life is going well, but not without mid-life crises. The ROCKSTAR realizes that, in spite of its popularity, it's not necessarily the greatest ROCKSTAR around. There are others that can, and regularly, outperform the ROCKSTAR. But they take it in stride. For as many groupies our ROCKSTAR has, they are groupies themselves. There's an inherent appreciation amongst all for each other's work.

As the ROCKSTAR gets older, they continue to produce, but notice that many friends have departed. Many have gotten out of it. Many have gone on to other things. And some have even died. The ROCKSTAR, however, continues to be popular to continuing new generations. And while other ROCKSTARs have come and gone, ours is still plugging along, and enjoying life to the fullest.

But at some point, our ROCKSTAR decides that it's time to hang things up and call it quits. While they're still somewhat popular. Retirement will give the ROCKSTAR time to reflect, to start new projects, and to bask in the glow of a life lived well. No reunions or special appearances. The ROCKSTAR is done.

An odd story for HNT? Perhaps. But now go back and plug in the letters 'H-N-T' for the word ROCKSTAR. If you haven't figured it out before this point--HNT is going into retirement. Permanently. This is a decision that I haven't taken lightly. In fact, it was about nine months ago when I first thought about announcing it on the 6th anniversary. You can read my thoughts about it on that particular post. Frankly, I think I knew back in May that even if we kept going, there would be no HNT in 2012. There's just no compelling reason to keep it going.

The official last HNT will be the last Thursday of 2011, on December 29th. That gives you six weeks to work on those last few ideas that you might have swimming around in your heads. We will still have the Christmas themes (see below), but on the 29th, that's your last shot for HNT. It's official. I won't be changing my mind. But you can pretty much guarantee that I'll be waxing poetic about some things during that time! Announce it on your own sites if you like. Lord knows there are plenty of people who don't check in here anymore, yet still post HNTs.

I prefer to think of this as a celebration. A retirement. On to bigger and better things. Osbasso isn't going anywhere! And to each of you ROCKSTARS, congrats!!

And GO GRIZ!!!

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"Up with Montana, boys, down with the foe,
Good ol' Grizzlies out for a victory;
We'll shoot our backs 'round the foeman's line;
Hot time is coming now, oh, brother mine.
Up with Montana, boys, down with the foe,
Good old Grizzlies triumph today;
And the squeal of the pig will float on the air;
From the tummy of the Grizzly Bear."

Not that this week's Mystery Guest is that much of a mystery, but come back Thursday afternoon to be sure!

GO GRIZ!

Of course, this week's MG is the lovely Gucci! The lyrics above are to the Grizzly fight song. Something I'm sure she'll be hearing over and over on Saturday as the Griz crush the Cats!

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Lots of nekkidness over at "...the Other HNT", some of it quite NSFW. Be sure that if you stop by, you leave some comments, OK?

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Ashly Star is still taking donations for U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program. You've read in my previous posts all about this. If you haven't clicked on the button here or the link to help her out, then you should do it now!

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A different sort of pimping here... Some of you will remember Evalee from the old days. Since quitting HNT, she's gotten herself hitched, had a baby, and is enjoying the "quiet" life in the plains of Alberta. She and her husband decided to try for a sibling for their baby Maggie, which failed at week 16. Several months later, as it was difficult to get pregnant, she found out that she has Premature Ovarian Failure at the age of 31. Basically, her plumbing is on the fritz. After weeks of options and discussions, they have decided to try in vitro fertilization. Unfortunately, Canadian health care will pay for this option, so they are in the process of of raising money. A friend of theirs raised some money by putting their plea out on a website, so they figured they should give it a shot.

Their website is "When the Second Time Is Harder Than the First", and you can read about their plight and progress here. Time is running out due to her condition, so please at least check out the site and decide if you can/want to help. I haven't heard if the top donor gets naming rights for their child, but I sort of doubt it. If you want to help, there's a button on their site to make it easy too. It's that time of year when we should be helping others. Can you help here?

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Theme Alert! - As mentioned above, we'll still do the Christmas themes next month as follows:

• Dec. 15th - Christmas Tree HNT
• Dec. 22nd - Three Christmas Wishes HNT
• Dec. 29th - Final HNT

I'll post details by next week, or you can check out the archives to see what we've done in the past! GO GRIZ!

Football (again), Ashly & Evalee

As you can see, it's changed around here. In anticipation of the Grizzly/Bobcat game next Saturday. It's a big football weekend all around, actually. My HS alma mater will be playing for the state championship on Friday night (with my nephew suiting up as a sophomore--kick holder and defensive back). The big game on Saturday, as well as Carroll College hosting a first round game to defend their NAIA championship. I love this time of year!

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Ashly Star is still taking donations for U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program. You've read in my previous posts all about this. If you haven't clicked on the button here or the link to help her out, then you should do it now!

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A different sort of pimping here... Some of you will remember Evalee from the old days. Since quitting HNT, she's gotten herself hitched, had a baby, and is enjoying the "quiet" life in the plains of Alberta. She and her husband decided to try for a sibling for their baby Maggie, which failed at week 16. Several months later, as it was difficult to get pregnant, she found out that she has Premature Ovarian Failure at the age of 31. Basically, her plumbing is on the fritz. After weeks of options and discussions, they have decided to try in vitro fertilization. Unfortunately, Canadian health care will pay for this option, so they are in the process of of raising money. A friend of theirs raised some money by putting their plea out on a website, so they figured they should give it a shot.

Their website is "When the Second Time Is Harder Than the First", and you can read about their plight and progress here. Time is running out due to her condition, so please at least check out the site and decide if you can/want to help. I haven't heard if the top donor gets naming rights for their child, but I sort of doubt it. If you want to help, there's a button on their site to make it easy too. It's that time of year when we should be helping others. Can you help here?

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Don't forget that I'll be posting a big announcements and some theme alerts on Thursday!

Brain Dump HNT

Just some this and that...

--I'm watching "Vietnam in HD" on the History Channel. I am fascinated by it, and by my lack of knowledge and understanding of it. I grew up during the war (or whatever its official designation is). My parents didn't allow the TV on during dinner, and I was really too young to know what was going on. As I got older, it was never discussed in history classes, since it was actually current events. And the teachers really didn't understand what was going on themselves. So, while I learned all the big battles of WWII, Vietnam is a subject I'm terribly ignorant of. Whereas BTE (who's not that much older than me) went there and got wounded, I was just young enough that the fall of Saigon happened a month before I graduated high school, meaning I didn't have to worry about being sent to war. This particular series uses letters, journeys and footage taken by soldiers during battles, and narration by surviving soldiers, newsmen and families. None of the stock news reels that most of us have seen. Truth be told, I'm glad I didn't pay attention back in the day...

--Had to run to that giant corporate box store that everyone tries to avoid, but ultimately ends up going to, to pick up my meds. I saw Letitia, who's got a three foot weave, long hot pink nails, and cheap plastic gold colored earrings. And yellow spandex pants about a size or two too small. Looks remarkable like the woman that Gucci's dealing with at her insurance company!

--Anytime I go there, I come out wondering a simple "what if?" It's not the women and the snot-nosed babies that amaze me, but their spouses/boyfriends that accompany them. I'd like to think that I've always been a better catch than some of these guys...

--I don't have permission to post this pic, but I don't imagine I'll get into much trouble. This is one of my FB friends (actually, the sister of a real life friend, who won't friend me on FB, but I digress) and her daughter. Have you seen anything quite so cute?

--There's a nice lull in my life going on at the moment. That gets blown out of the water next weekend though. The first anniversary of my dad's death, the big football game (Gucci, yer goin' down!), Thanksgiving (reportedly at BIL3's sister's place--oh, joy), and then 3+ weeks of symphony silliness for the holidays. Concert at the Cathedral (always a joy), and then two Nutcrackers. Then Christmas. So the lull is quite appreciated!

--Big news coming up next week! As well as theme announcements! Be sure to check back for that stuff!

--I sort of made a snide remark on a picture that a FB friend posted this morning. She had planned on taking a picture of her back yard, but had the camera flipped on her phone and took a picture of her face. So this afternoon, the near full moon (full on Thursday) came up while the sun was setting. I went to take a picture of it, and zoom in on it, and...you guessed it. I tapped on the camera-flipping button. The worst part? I still couldn't get a decent picture of the moon. I need to spend some more time with my phone...

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Nope. No Mystery Guest this week.

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A good showing of pictures this week over at "...the Other HNT". Stop by and check them out! Your fellow HNTers appreciate the comments, too! Don't forget--it's NSFW!

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Ashly Star is still taking donations for U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program. Below is their mission statement:

"The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted."

In 2009, Ashly decided to ask her fellow bloggers to join in and help her. And help her they have! She has a PayPal account set up to take monetary donations, which she then cashes out and goes on a toy-buying spree! And the glory of it is that it doesn't take huge amounts of dollars on your part! Any amount-- $5, $10, $ 13.79, $20 --every little bit helps, and you wouldn't believe how far a dollar will go!

If you have a question as to whether or not it's a scam...it definitely isn't! She even takes pics as she's shopping, and then a final "this is what we bought" picture. Though it's not really easy to see, the button at the top of this story is last year's loot! All money donated is spent on toys, as well as quite a few bucks of her own. There's no "administrative" costs taken by her or anything like that.

This is the third year that she's inviting the blogger world to join her. Do something good. Do it now before the stress of the holidays start to pile up. It's easy to do--just click on the button above, which will take you to her site, and click on the PayPal button at the top of her sidebar to send money. I've already done it--won't you?

Clowns and Football and Smokin' Joe

It's been a good football season so far. As you can see in the sidebar, my teams are all doing very well, and all will be involved in post-season play! It was even a good weekend as far as my NFL allegiances go. Any weekend when the Patriots, Steelers and Eagles all lose is a good one in my book!

Of course, this was all marred by the news coming out of Penn State. I certainly won't say that I follow any FBS team, nor anything specific to this whole story, but from the news accounts I've read, I don't see how Paterno could be held responsible in any way. He didn't witness any of the alleged improper behavior. He immediately reported his grad assistant's concerns about what he saw to the proper administration, following due process and chain of command. He assumed that some sort of action was being taken, and was not privy to. I understand being the captain of your ship and all, but if Paterno loses his job because of this, it's going to be a great injustice.

Speaking of the Griz...there's now a two-week wait for the "Brawl of the Wild"! The Grizzly/Bobcat game! Both teams have a bye this coming weekend, adding an extra week of hype in the media. The Cats are ranked #2, and the Griz are #8, but rankings mean absolutely nothing in this game. If the Cats win, they win the Big Sky Conference, and get the automatic bid (and probably the #2 seed in the playoffs). If the Griz win, they'll be co-champions with the Cats, but will get the automatic bid (but probably not a top 4 seed). But again, that has nothing to do with this game. This game is for bragging rights. You're either rooting for the Cats, or the Griz. If you don't care, you're not a real Montanan. Don't forget that there's a bet on this game between Gucci and me. You all definitely want the Griz to win--trust me on this! As a side note--and a warning--there's about a 2% chance that both these teams could meet for the national championship game in Frisco, TX. If that should happen--OsTour will be heading to Dallas again! Plan on a party!

I was saddened to hear of the quick decline and death of Smokin' Joe Frazier from liver cancer. I first heard of his illness on Saturday, I think, and then his death on Monday night. I've never been a big boxing fan, but definitely remember the heyday of the heavyweight championships. I remember watching Cassius Clay on TV with my dad. And Muhammad Ali. And Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Leon Spinks and Ken Norton. During the age when the champ was the champ. When you didn't need a program to figure out who was champion for more than a couple months at a time. Before Mike Tyson finally hung onto it for a decent length of time. Anyhoo--I've never been a boxing fan, but I do have the memories of watching the big fights with my dad on TV. And with his death tonight, it's brought back some nice ones. R.I.P. Joe!

Have to admit that I'm lovin' the time change so far this week! Not a fan of the early dark, but my body thinks I'm getting an extra hour of sleep in the morning, and that's a good thing! As for the clowns...there's far too few clowns being posted online these days, don'tcha think?

Big Sky Country HNT

You know, I complained a bit yesterday about the fact that November is now here, and it's certainly not October. Well it is, but then a FB friend made the comment on my status that I live in Montana. And it's November. And you know what? It's still a pretty good place to be living! And could be SO much worse... (gotta work on that whole exposure thing on the iPhone)

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"The amorous evening star is rose,
Why then should not our amorous star inclose
Herself in her wish'd bed? Release your strings,
Musicians; and dancers take some truce
With these your pleasing labours, for great use
As much weariness as perfection brings.
You, and not only you, but all toil'd beasts
Rest duly; at night all their toils are dispensed;
But in their beds commenced
Are other labours, and more dainty feasts.
She goes a maid, who, lest she turn the same,
To-night puts on perfection, and a woman's name."

Epithalamion Made At Lincoln's Inn
John Donne (1572-1631)

This week's Mystery Guest should be well-known to most of you, even though she's not doing HNT anymore. She'll be revealed on Thursday afternoon, so be sure to check back!
I shouldn't have to reveal her here, since you either already knew, or you would have found out when you clicked on the Toys for Tots link below! This is, of course, Ashly Star. Now click the link and go contribute!

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Another good selection of pics over at "...the Other HNT" this week! Stop by and check out your fellow HNTers. Leave some comments too--they like comments! And it's the least you could do... Don't forget, it's definitely NSFW!

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Since it's now November, I guess I can use the "C" word (note--the capital "C", not the lower case!). Especially when using it for a good cause. And this is one of those good causes.

For a number of years now, and getting her Christmas spirit started early, Ashly Star has been donating to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program. Below is their mission statement:

"The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted."

In 2009, Ashly decided to ask her fellow bloggers to join in and help her. And help her they have! She has a PayPal account set up to take monetary donations, which she then cashes out and goes on a toy-buying spree! And the glory of it is that it doesn't take huge amounts of dollars on your part! Any amount-- $5, $10, $ 13.79, $20 --every little bit helps, and you wouldn't believe how far a dollar will go!

If you have a question as to whether or not it's a scam...it definitely isn't! She even takes pics as she's shopping, and then a final "this is what we bought" picture. Though it's not really easy to see, the button at the top of this story is last year's loot! All money donated is spent on toys, as well as quite a few bucks of her own. There's no "administrative" costs taken by her or anything like that.

This is the third year that she's inviting the blogger world to join her. Do something good. Do it now before the stress of the holidays start to pile up. It's easy to do--just click on the button above, which will take you to her site, and click on the PayPal button at the top of her sidebar to send money. I've already done it--won't you?

It Ain't October No More!

It's twelve hours into November in my neck of the woods, and it's already obvious it ain't October! It's like there's an entire shift in the cosmos once November hits. It might have been in the mid-50s yesterday, and the leaves were being blown all over. But today? We won't see 40, and other than the stubborn trees, all the leaves have fallen. It seems darker today. The sun is coming up really late, and setting really, really early. It doesn't help that the town sits on the north face of hills and mountains, so the low sun puts us in shadows even earlier.

But November brings things that we've been waiting for. Playoff football starts in November. As you can see in the sidebar, my teams are doing pretty well, and will all see post-season action. The Grizzly/Bobcat game is coming up in a few weeks, and that's almost more important than the playoffs! Expect some hype on this, as Gucci and I have another bet riding on the outcome of this game. And trust me, you'll want the Griz to win this year! On the symphony front, it's a slow month, preparing for the craziness of December. Throw in Thanksgiving and Black Friday nonsense, and November turns out OK.

Of course, mid-November is when my dad died last year. I don't know what to expect when the one-year mark comes up. I'm sure I'll be fine, but I don't know what to expect from my mom or sisters. We'll see...