Merry Christmas? (cont.)

Illustration/Ammon Perry/http://doodletillomega.blogspot.com

Christmas tree fell over on the floor; I wasn't thrilled.

Needles flew, the tinsel tangled, and the water spilled.

Then our oldest son surprised us; he came home from school.

Room-mate drove him back; now I don't have to...  So, I'm cool.

Still, this year (like every year) I've got a lot to do.

It might be next year before I share new rhymes with you.

Therefore, I would like to wish you joyful holidays.

May the New Year bless you in a myriad of ways.

A Procrastinator's Christmas

Photo/Courtesy of Etsy.com

Haven't started doing cards; no presents have been bought.

Haven't decorated so my stomach's in a knot.

I know I've got things to do but they're predicting snow;

Plus, I'm sick of Christmas carols everywhere I go.

Jingle bells are ringing and those flashing lights are bright.

I'm not feeling peace on earth; I'd love a silent night.

Deck the halls and ho, ho, ho...  Dear Lord, I need a break.

Don't know how much Christmas joy my Grinchy heart can take.

How The Grinch Stole Victory

Looks like interference to me. (Photo Courtesy of Brad Barr/USA Today Sports)

Patriots are 10 and 4; New England failed to clinch.

Felt as if Gostkowski was a victim of  the Grinch.

Edelman was awesome; Amendola - not too bad...

Even though he dropped the winning catch he should have had.

Hooman was amazing; made a single-handed grab

But, without the Gronk (I'd like to clone him in a lab)

Brady doesn't have a big receiver who won't care

When there's interference that the refs perceive as fair.

Have to play the Ravens next and that'll be a chore.

Hope New England figures out a better way to score.

With so many members of our team not on the field

Our best hope might be next year; once everyone has healed.

A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

 

I'm going to pick out a tree.

It won't be the first one I see.

It must be just right

Or else, Christmas night,

My loved ones will make fun of me.

TIME's Person of the Year - Pope Francis

Photo/Courtesy of TIME Magazine (On news-stands now.)

TIME just named their Person of the Year - they chose the Pope;

Man who gives lapsed Catholics a modicum of hope

That the Church is capable of modifying views.

Francis walks a different path while in St. Peter's shoes.

Said the Church has focused on the rules of sex too much

And that Congregations have, hence, fallen out of touch

With the teachings Jesus preached on what our lives are for.

Francis wants good Catholics to work to help the poor.

'though I'm glad the tone has changed, the dogma's still the same.

You still can't become a priest if you were born a dame.

Church still harbors clergy who helped cover up a crime...

Who am I to judge him, though?  I'll leave that up to TIME.

Tata Madiba's Memorial Service

Mourners at Nelson Mandela's Memorial service. (Photo/Huffington Post)

Probably the strangest funeral I've ever seen.

Mourners' faces painted black, white, yellow, red and green;

Singing in their thousands as the rain poured down in sheets...

Many of them clapping hands and dancing on their seats.

They all booed their President; Obama got a cheer.

Had a fake interpreter for people who can't hear.

I thought Irish wakes were rowdy...  Little did I know.

People of South Africa just put on quite a show.

Seussilitis Interruptus

Have to get my butt in gear; I'm running out of time.

Happens to me every year, so I can't blame a rhyme.

Well before this Dr. Seussilitis bug took hold

I'd begin to hibernate whenever it got cold.

Christmas always sneaks up on me; my attention drifts.

Somehow, I am always searching for last minute gifts.

Once I get my act together I'll be back...  'til then

Wish you jolly holidays and peace on earth to men.

The New England Patriots Are Killing Me

(Photo/Itiswhatitis.weei.com)

 'though New England's winning games, they push it to the brink.

Even in their victories, they're driving me to drink.

Chewed my fingers down to stubs - a second on the clock -

Cundiff's kick sailed through the air; I watched it like a hawk.

 From the back it looked as if the field goal might be good...

It fell short and, once again, the coach who wears a hood

Won another squeaker: 27-26

But he's got a gaping hole that he will have to fix...

 Rob Gronkowski's out again; he's torn his ACL,

Meaning that his season is completely shot to hell.

'though New England's 10 and 3, they've had it pretty rough

And, although I know the Patriots are really tough,

 With so many players injured, poor Bill Belichick

Must believe the sports gods have done all they could to wreck

Any chance he has of going to the Super Bowl

(Which, as anyone can tell you, is his only goal)

But, without a miracle, that dream might be a bust...

Still, I haven't lost all hope; In Belichick we trust.

In Memoriam... Nelson Mandela

President Mandela of South Africa has died

And, although not unexpected, even so - I cried.

Started life a warrior; his nation's righteous spear.

Faced the gallows on Apartheid without trace of fear.

Sentenced him to Robben Island; said he'd serve for life.

After they imprisoned him they, then, harassed his wife.

Twenty-seven long and lonely years 'til his release

Yet, somehow, he managed to emerge a man of peace.

Spoke of Reconciliation as a way to heal;

Fought to make his vision of a Rainbow Nation real.

When he came to Boston - up and dancing on the stage -

Thanked us for divestment, I felt we had turned a page...

Put our ugly, racist past behind us; cleaned the slate.

It felt like Mandela's benediction of my state.

Many countries' flags will fly at half-staff when unfurled

For the father of his country...  Hero to the world.

China's Very, Very Bad Idea

With 32 million more men then women in China, the 4 guys on the end are out of luck. (Photo/www.nydailynews.com)

China's one child policy has put them in a bind;

Men are learning that a bride is very hard to find

When so many parents pinned their hopes upon a boy.

Didn't value baby girls; an unsuccessful ploy.

Yes, the population's down but it is getting old.

Seems the country's citizens - who did what they were told -

Only had a single child but, since they just got one,

Did some really awful things to guarantee a son.

Now they've got a massive surplus of unhappy men.

No one thought this day would come when they began back then?

China's changed its policy as demographics slide

But you can't have children when you cannot find a bride.

I Miss Amazon

I got pretty snobby about gifts that people buy;

Said we planned to give the home-made present thing a try.

Harping on commercialism, seems that I forgot

Christmas is much easier if everything's been bought.

Merry Christmas darlin's; I've been working like a slave

And I'm missing days of old, when presents that we gave

Came from Toys r' Us or Amazon or, maybe Sears...

I am feeling pressure like I haven't felt in years.

Everyone but me has great ideas on what to do:

Painting, knitting, decorating - glitter and hot glue.

Only thing I've thought of is an awful lot of work.

Wish that we'd agreed on cash.  Bah humbug! I'm a jerk.

Healthcare.gov Review

(Mr. Noth's cartoon is courtesy of The New Yorker)

Healthcare website's up and running; I'd give it a B.

'though it's doing better, it's not working perfectly.

You can browse your options; you can even buy a plan.

It's now running smoother than the system ever ran.

If you're a consumer, you'll be happy with the site

But, if you insure consumers, it's not working right.

Information they're receiving from Healthcare dot gov

Isn't always accurate...  When push comes down to shove

People may believe they're covered when, in fact, they're not...

And there are still millions who will lose the plans they've got.

Owners of small businesses are also out of luck.

Still, that's an improvement; it does not completely suck.

The New England Patriots: 9-3

Patriots played Houston down in Texas and we won...

One thing that we didn't see was Stevan Ridley run.

He was on the sidelines wearing street clothes for the game.

He's not hurt; it's 'cause he's got 4 fumbles to his name.

Patriots receivers got the message, loud and clear.

They kept 2 hands on the ball without defenders near.

Our defense was porous with so many players out.

In the first it looked as if the outcome was in doubt.

Patriots do better in the second half, it seems...

Making some adjustments, coming back and beating teams.

'though it is exciting, it's exhausting me my friend.

Maybe I should only pay attention at the end.