Hi, I'm Terry Stevens and I'm a recovering Scrooge-a-holic.

You see, I used to be one of those guys.  I could not STAND the Christmas season.  Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg.  The whole thing stuck me as a bit absurd and pointless.

I think it started shortly after I got my first retail job while in high school.  Retail jobs during the Christmas season can really warp a person's worldview.

Then, something happened.  Rather, Rosemary happened.  [CLICHE ALERT!!!!] After my daughter was born, everything changed for me.  I approached things as a man who would guide his child to happiness, not as a bitter jack@$$ with a chip on his shoulder.  In order to get her to see the good in humanity, I had to see it myself.

Somewhere along the line, I "got" Christmas.

Yes, it's commercialized to heck and back.  Yes, if you work in retail around this time of year, you might be driven to homicide, and yes some of those carols can drive you bat stuff insane.  (Especially the Chipmunks one, amirite parents of kids who like to hear the same flippin' song 5-BILLION times in a row?)

But, when my daughter tells me that she wishes every day was Christmas, because quote, "I love giving stuff to people," well doggone-it...

Give me a Santa hat, crank up that thrice-cursed Chipmunks song and let's deck some halls.

Ho ho ho!  Away we go!  Peace on earth, good will to all humankind, and let's do our best too keep on keepin' on with that feeling the rest of the year, right?

THEODORE:  You betcha!

SIMON:  Alright?

TERRY:  Alvin?  Alvin?  ALVINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

ALVIN:  Okay!

Your TTPK Clue for Friday night is:  "not in".

Your Blog Keyword for today is "hulahoop".  It's good for 250 WDEZ Club Points until 1700 on 12/1/09.

Be Cool,

TS