The AK-47 is a type of assault rifle originally manufactured in the Soviet Union in 1949. A 17-year-old Humble High School student accidently shot herself recently with an AK-47 that she and a boy had stolen from a home 2 hours earlier. She first stated that she had been “shot by an unknown person in a drive-by shooting” but witnesses said she was carrying the weapon in her pants when she accidently fired it and struck her right foot. Excuse me a moment while I wipe away the tears of my laughter.

Amazon, the company that I have told my children will likely take over ‘everything in your life’ at some point, has a line of self-branded products called Amazon Basics for people that don’t really care about a ‘brand.’ Products like batteries, pens, coat hangers and now, motor oil. Yep, motor oil. Valvoline stock dropped after their announcement. Hmmm.

Dozens of workers at a huge Amazon warehouse in New Jersey were sickened, with some admitted to hospital intensive care after an aerosol can containing bear repellent fell from a shelf and dispensed strong fumes in a contained area.

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. – Alexander Smith

There’s a new Monopoly called the Cheaters Edition, in which “cheat cards” encourage players to dupe others for cash or property. If you are caught, then you face consequences, like being handcuffed to the board. Hasbro says, “The goal was to capture the mischievous spirit of Monopoly players while keeping the core game play intact.” When we played as kids, one of my sisters would play as long as she was winning but if she didn’t like the direction the game was going, she would ‘accidently’ bump the board and messed up everyone’s money and property, therefore we had to start the game all over. I could have used the cheaters edition.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. – W.T. Ellis

Barbie has partnered with The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond and created a Barbie and her fully stocked kitchen for cooking and baking fun. The kitchen comes with overhead cabinets with working doors, a sink and stovetop, countertops, an iron skillet, toaster, mixer and more than 30 accessories in all. I looked it up and there are still some available at Walmart in Bay City for $44.88. I saw it on eBay for $77. When Ree Drummond first saw the Barbie doll she inspired wearing sneakers and a t-shirt, she sent it back for a wardrobe change, so Barbie now is wearing jeans, boots and a loose-fitting top. She said, ‘You know, I wear sneakers maybe if I work out, and who knows when that’s going to be?

Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling. –  Edna Ferber

The tweet from the UPS Store read, “If your child addresses a letter to the North Pole, you can leave it with us. We do shredding.” It was intended to be funny. Some on Twitter have called it heartless and dark. I say it was a great marketing tactic, get over it. We need to quit being offended by things that really don’t matter. I think some people wake up in the morning and are looking for ways to be offended all day long.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Talk show host Larry King is 85. I thought he was 85 years ago. Broadcasting sports mogul Ted Turner is 80. Fashion designer Calvin Klein is 76. Former FBI agent, lawyer, talk show host, G. Gordon Liddy is 88. A figure in Watergate, he was convicted of conspiracy, burglary and illegal wiretapping for his role in the scandal.

Model Chrissy Teigen is 33. American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, political activist, and social critic Noam Chomsky is 90. Actress Ellen Burstyn is 86. Academy Award for Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Actress Kim Basinger is 65.

Actor Patrick Bauchau is 80. Scarpine in the 1980 James Bond movie, A View to a Kill. Actress JoBeth Williams is 70. The Big Chill. Former Football quarterback Johnny Manziel is 26.

Penny Marshall died at the age of 75 from complications from diabetes. As an actress first in Happy Days and then Laverne and Shirley, she brought us so much laughter. Then in 1988 came the movie, Big; a comic fantasy starring Tom Hanks as a boy who magically transforms overnight into an adult., Ms. Marshall became the first woman to direct a movie grossing more than $100 million. Awakenings, A League of Their Own, Cinderella Man and more but she said, “No matter how many movies I direct, I’ll always be Laverne.”

The kinkajou is a rainforest mammal related to several other animals including raccoons and red pandas. It is also known as the “honey bear” because they use their long, skinny tongues to slurp honey from hives. They also remove insects like termites from their nests.  Kinkajous may be mistaken for ferrets or monkeys but are not closely related to either. Inside the Houston Zoo’s Natural Encounters exhibit are two sloths and Kirby – the zoos’ lone kinkajou who was found along Kirby Drive near NRG stadium.  When found, he was skinny, had mange and fur loss, and rotted teeth that had to be removed. His keepers say that he is mild-mannered and seems to be warming up to people again. Honey or grapes are his favorite treats. Since he is naturally nocturnal, the zoo has flipped his night cycle, so you can see him during zoo hours. Perfect opportunity to go see Kirby and the ‘Zoo Lights.’

Found this and liked it but don’t know who to give credit to: At Christmastime, we embrace getting together more and giving gifts to each other.  Yet at the same time complain about the busyness and business behind it all, changing nothing year after year.
“Let’s get together after the holidays when everything settles down.”  Then we go into a New Year, pausing and reflecting at certain points over certain things dictated by our federal holiday calendars and those of our chosen faiths.
But in our day-to-day opportunities for care and love, will we be awake enough to go through the motions and make a positive difference to others whenever and wherever we can?
Can we remember (more often) that we’re here for each other – that that good feeling we get more often around Christmas comes from a love that we can and should have every day?

Remember, you’re not just special, you’re a limited edition. Thank you for your support this year. We hope you have a very Merry Christmas. Don’t forget to make some new memories. I’m planning to make as many as possible.  Lisa

According to Forbes magazine, some dead celebrities continue to do ‘pretty well’ on their yearly earnings after their deaths. I have always told my kids that I’m worth more to them dead than alive, but this is unbelievable. Below are the top 13“Top-Earning Dead Celebrities.” Six in music, one author, one cartoonist, three sex symbols of sorts, one golfer, and the greatest boxer of all time.

1. Michael Jackson, $400 million, died 2009, brought in $287 million recently from the sale of his estate’s stake in EMI Music Publishing to Sony.
2. Elvis Presley, $40 million, died 1977, sells more than 1 million albums each year but tickets to Graceland and a new $45 million entertainment complex, ‘Elvis Presley’s Memphis’ is bringing in major $$.
3. Arnold Palmer, $35 million, died 2016, there is a new Arnold Palmer beverage line that includes alcohol.
4. Charles Schulz, $34 million, died 2000, Snoopy – DHX Media paid $345 million in 2017 to get 80% of Peanuts business previously owned by Iconix.
5. Bob Marley, $23 million, died 1981, products include headphones, cannabis and accessories.
6. Seuss, $16 million, died 1991, sold 4.8 million books last year.
7. Hugh Hefner, $15 million, died 2017, heirs sold the remaining portion of his estate for an estimated $35 million and received more than a third of that up-front.
8. Marilyn Monroe, $14 million, died 1962, new licensing deals including Montblanc pens.
9. Prince, $13 million, died 2016, sold more than 250 thousand albums over the past 12 months.
10. John Lennon, $12 million, died 1980, continues to sell nearly 2 million albums annually.
11. XXXtentacion, $11 million, died June 2018, the rapper (I didn’t have a clue who he was…) He makes his $$ through streaming to the tune of 4 BILLION streams.
12. Muhammad Ali, $8 million, died 2016, a deal with Tag Heuer (watches) and a settlement with Fox Broadcasting for using Ali’s image in a Super Bowl ad.
13. Bettie Page, $7 million, died 2008 (at 85) – this pin-up girl has clothing, shoes, handbags, lingerie, wigs and a fitness DVD.

Day #1. My daughter and I were at a friend’s house baking cookies on Saturday. He suggested Waitr bring us Jimmy John sandwiches. I’d never tried one, and I am always game for food, but honestly, leery of sandwich shops because sometimes the bread is too hard. Let me say, the sandwiches were a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y wonderful! John says it’s because they use real mayonnaise. You can taste the difference.Day #2. Anne-Elisabeth and I were on our way to The Fine Arts Center to serve at The Madrigal Feast and we picked up two more sandwiches. Delicious! Day #3. I am now sitting at my desk eating my lunch. You guessed it, my third day in a row with a veggie lettuce-wrap from Jimmy John’s. I am officially addicted. Suddenly, leftovers for lunch are not sounding so good. When I picked up my sandwich this afternoon, I also visited Gigi’s Cupcakes next door and selected ONE single chocolate cupcake for dessert. This is now a dangerous situation. Think about it.  I pass Target every single evening on my way home. Gigi’s Cupcakes come in cute little mint green boxes that would be great gifts for teachers or neighbors.Day #4 update: Yes, someone brought me “the” sandwich for lunch today. Is there a 12-step program for lettuce wrapped sandwiches?

RECENT BIRTHDAYS:Comedian Jack Burns is 85. In 1965, in an attempt to replace Don Knotts’ Barney Fife character after Knotts left The Andy Griffith Show,he was cast as Warren Ferguson, a dedicated but inept deputy sheriff. Director actor James Widdoes is 65. He was senior student and Fraternity President ‘Robert Hoover’ alongside John Belushi, in the 1978 film, National Lampoon’s Animal House.

Actor director Woody Allen is 83. Actress Charlene Tilton is 60. Lucy Ewing.Broadcast journalist Stone Phillips is 64. He was born in Texas City. Rock musician Nate Mendel is 50. Foo Fighters. Actress Lucy Liu is 50. Actress Sally Field is 72. News correspondent and former California first lady Maria Shriver is 63. Singer songwriter Robert Ellis is 30. Actress Emma Stone is 30. Opera singer Jose Carreras is 72. He was one of The Three Tenors, alongside Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti in the 1990s.

ActorChris Robinson is 80. He played Rick Webber #2 on General Hospital where he was involved in a love triangle with his wife Lesley Webber and the married Monica Quartermaine. Singer Art Garfunkel is 77. Actress Tatum O’Neal is 55. Youngest person ever to win a competitive Academy Award, which she won in 1974 at age 10 for her performance as Addie Loggins in Paper Moon opposite her father, Ryan O’Neal.Rock musician Kevin Jonas is 31. The Jonas Brothers.

Actress Andrea McArdle is 55. Best known for (sit down for this please) originating the role of Little Orphan Annie in the Broadway musical Annie. Yep that little red-haired girl is 55. Actress Dame Judi Dench is 84.Actor John Malkovich is 65.

Actor, dancer, singer Ken Berry died at age 85. F Troop, The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry R.F.D. and Mama’s Family. Thanks for the laughter.

Biking in the dark can be dangerous. With my daughter now in college, I hear her stories about biking back from the studio at night with shared conversations about the need for turn signals and headlights. Today I read about the ‘Lumos Kickstart Helmet’ with LED lights and blinkers that indicate a left or right turn. Riders trigger the signal by clicking a wireless remote mounted to the handlebars or by syncing the helmet with their Apple watch, then making a traditional hand turn signal. It’s pricey but I now understand the need.

There’s a new sports bra that uses motion-sensing technology to adapt to a woman’s movements. When vigorous motion strains the bra’s knit fabric, a gel-like thickening fluid activates and causes the garment to constrict and offer extra support. During periods of light activity, the fabric stretches back out for a more comfortable, breathable fit. Reebok sells the Pure Move for $60.

Joan Didion – “We forget all too soon the things we thought we could never forget.”

The Girl Scouts of The United States of America filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America for dropping the word ‘boy’ from its program in order to ‘attract girls.’ In February, the Boys Scouts program for 11-to-17-year old boys announced it would change its name to Scouts BSA. The parent organization will remain the Boy Scouts of America and the Cub Scouts, will keep their name as well. The Girls Scouts claim it has already been damaged by the name change announcement. As the mother of an Eagle Scout, I believe that kids have so many youth organizations to choose from now…sports, music, theatre, church and more.Families continue to have more and more packed into their already busy schedules. It was always hard for us to make those Monday night meetings, but I now realize it was worth every inconvenient moment.

Yesterday, I went shopping for Women Building Community’s annual Mrs. Santa Party. Several years ago, a group of women each donated $5000 and we started WBC; the money was invested and each year we allow ourselves a percentage of our earnings to giveback for the needs of women and children in our own community. It’s a feel-good to participate in the whole process. At Christmastime, instead of gathering to pat ourselves on the back and drink cocktails, we bring useful baby items…diapers, bottles, hand knitted caps, milk, wipes and anything else we can think of.  It is then donated to The Pregnancy Help Center and area food banks. Always a great way to start the season. So, as I was purchasing my baby items this year, I thought to myself…self, have you noticed how the baby bottle shape hasn’t changed in over a hundred years. Continue reading.

Because of the shape on a baby bottle, it’s hard to heat milk quickly and evenly in a container of warm water, especially breast milk which loses its nutritional value when overheated or heated in a microwave. Two biomedical engineer dads in Israel found a solution. Imagine taking an Astrodome shape and putting a bottle nipple on top just off-centered a bit. That’s what their new bottle looks like. Like a breast. It should eliminate some of the confusion for breast-fed babies who tend to prefer Mom over the bottle plus it’s so easy for baby to hold. It’s pure genius and now that I have seen a picture, I can’t believe that someone didn’t figure this out earlier. It’s called ‘Nanobebe’. $11.

As you know, Southwest Airlines no longer hands out their yummy little packaged peanuts on flights anymore, so last summer I kept a package from vacation and it will be used as an ornament on my Christmas tree. In addition to the peanuts,I will be hanging some old kitchen spice cans (one of the useful things my mother left when she moved out 6 months ago),several floppy discs (large and 3-inch), plus my daughter’s first pair of Converse high-tops. She was 2 or 3-years-old when she wore them with her pink OshKosh overalls and a pink baseball cap. It’s all about making memories.

Senator Cruz and Beto O’Rourke raised a combined $115 million in their 2018 battle. This is more than has ever been spent on a US Senate race.  O’Rourke raised the majority with $80 million and $34 million for Cruz. The Federal Election Committee reports that the day before the election, Cruz received a $225,000 loan to help fund his campaign. The loan came from Goldman Sachs & Co. where Heidi Cruz is an investment manager. Hmmm.

Nothing better than a Nedi Pot to flush your sinuses but please remember to use ONLY saline or sterilized water. It is believed that a woman in Seattle died from mis-diagnosed slow-growing amoebas. She had flushed her sinuses with tap water. A man in New Jersey died just a few days after surfing at an indoor water park in Texas. Fast-growing amoebas.

Have you seen The Vermont Country Store catalog? Everything old is in this catalog. It brings back childhood memories for me. Lanz flannel gowns. Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls. Clove chewing gum. They carry Tigress cologne just like my mom wore.Snoopy, Woodstock and all the Peanuts gang flannel sheets. Sock monkeys. Kit-Cat Klocks and pink Princess phones. They even have the old-fashioned hot water bottles in red. With fuzzy covers. Chocolate covered cherries marinated in brandy. Gurley candles and Christmas elves just like my Grandma had. There’s even a ceramic Christmas tree. It’s fun to have your memories in catalog form.

Do something wonderful, people may imitate it. Thanks for reading this. Lisa