I’ll tell you what…what I’m about to write makes me sound like I’m stuck inside a Kenny Chesney song.  2007 was a great year!  It bagan in March when I started at THE WOLF.  I absolutley love it.  The people.  The Music.  The listeners.  Everything. 

Summer ‘07 was a blast.  My first Country Jam.  Beer and Chili up in Snowmass.   Patio dining on a regular basis.  Awesome!

The Fall brought a proposal and the best moment of the year.  Mandy and I are engaged and getting ready for the big day, September 20th, 2008.

I’m fully expecting 2008 to be the best year of my life.  So, I’m taking Kennny’s advice and am going to enjoy every second of 2008.  Being engaged and getting married only happens once in a lifetime.

 Here’s to a great 2008, ya’ll!  Hoooooowwwwwwwllllllll!

–Holwer

I’ll tell you what…I am the biggest Seinfeld fan EVER!  Pure genius.  All of it.  The best of the best has to be “The Strike” episode.  The episode that introduces us to Festivus.  Not a fan?  Let me explain…

Festivus is a fictitious holiday created by Frank Costanza.  It all started, again, when Kramer heard about this holiday created by Frank years previous and wanted to know about it. Below is the conversation between Kramer and Frank.

Frank Costanza: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.

Cosmo Kramer: What happened to the doll?

Frank Costanza: It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born . . . a Festivus for the rest of us!

Cosmo Kramer: That must’ve been some kind of doll.

Frank Costanza: She was.

Festivus has 4 basic components to it:

• Festivus Pole - A plain aluminum pole is used as this tradition’s only decoration. Frank loves it because of it’s “very high strength to weight ratio.” Unlike the Christmas tree, it has no tinsel, as Frank finds it “distracting.”
• Festivus Dinner - This is pretty much a standard meal that is supposed to be very filling comfort food that has no relation to other traditional holiday food. Things like meat loaf and pasta.
• The Airing of Grievances - At the dinner table whilst eating, each person let’s everyone know about who has disapointed them that year.   “I got a lot of problems with you people!”
• The Feats of Strength - The head of the household or Festivus host chooses one person to test their strength against. Festivus isn’t over until someone pins the host to the ground. Festivus law also states that the person chosen can choose to decline the challenge if they have something better to do.

There you have it, the origin and how to go about celebrating this glorious holiday! Festivus is traditionally celebrated on December 23rd, but really can be celebrated anytime due to no specific time constraining rules.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to to give you all a special Festivus gift. It’s a gift that was good enough for George Costanza to give everyone, so it’s my gift to all of you! HAPPY FESTIVUS!!!

Chris Cagle was busted Thursday when he punched an autograph seeker’s boyfriend in the face. What’s worse: The fight unfolded right after his benefit show for the Arizona’s Children Association.

Like any good country singer, expect the song about it just about anytime.

I’ll tell you what…it feels nice to know atleast one person shares in my hatred for a certain Christmas song.  The folks at Esquire even offer up a solution for getting the song out of your head.

check it out…

http://www.esquire.com/features/man-at-his-best/christmastime1207#story

I’ll tell you what…just writing this blog and the mere mention of my least favorite holiday tune will put it in my head for the rest of the day!  I hate that it’s going to happen, but I need to get it off my chest.  I hate, hate, HATE Paul Mcartney’s “Wonderful Christmas”.  I feel dirty just acknowledging it.  And, I just know I’m going to have Sir Paul’s poisonous “ding, dong” chorus trapped in my head for the rest of the day.  Shoot me now!

Don’t get me wrong, there are tons of Christmas songs I like.  Just ask Mandy…I force her to listen to many Christmas playslists I’ve created on my itunes.  I got a lot of grief for the “Martini’s and Mistletoe” playlist.  Just the name, really.  The playlist kicks ass! 

Guess what song is nowhere to be found on my itunes?  Yup, you got it.  I just don’t have the strength to type the words again.

 So…what’s yours?  Take this opportunity to vent now.

 -Howler

I’ll tell you what…that’s my scrooge name. Woefulscrooge Selfishshorts. It’s kinda awesome.  Take a break from what you are doing, and find your own!

 http://www.yourgeekfriend.com/GrinchName/GrinchName.php

I’ll tell you what…finding the perfect honeymoon spot is not easy.  I’ve been searching online for a week now and have only narrowed it down to a few.  I can’t help but wonder if I’ve missed something.  I have been narrowing my search to the Caribbean, as Mandy has never been.  An all-incusive?  Sure.  Absolute paradise?  A must!

 Please, Wolf listeners, I need your help.  Where have you been that would be a perfect honeymoon destination?  Where have you been that that we should avoid at all costs?  I need you to be my travel agent.  In all your travels, where is the best place for a Howler and his future wife to begin their life together?  Go.

 -Howler