Excellent Observation Skills

Photo Trina Jaconi Biery

"Hey, Bob's Mom?"

"What's up, Felix?"

"I was just wondering... do you ever vacuum your house?"

"Sure, why?"

"There's just so much dog hair all over the floor I thought maybe you didn't have a vacuum."

Smacksy Sunday Links

Are you addicted to distraction? (Guilty.)

Falling out of good habits.

A song about peace.

And a little panda.

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: Retro Rosenbergs - Too Much Eggnog

Remember drunk Santa? That was fun. 2008.

Feliz Navidad

"Mom? On my calendar, it says that next week there's something called Virgen de Guadalupe Day. What's that?"

"The Virgen de Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico. It's the day they celebrate her, I guess."

"Okay, but what's a virgin?"

"I can not have this conversation on one cup of coffee."

"Okay. You catch up. I'll wait."

Yuletide Carols

"Oh, Mom! Turn this up! It's my favorite Christmas song. What's it called?"

"It's called 'The Christmas Song.'"

"Seriously?"

"Yep."

"Who's singing?"

"Nat King Cole. His is the best version."

"Mom? I think we should listen to Christmas music in the car everyday until Christmas."

"I think so too."

"Except when we're in the drop-off line at school, we can turn it off then."

"I was planning on rolling all the windows down and singing along for everyone in the drop-off line."

"Oh my gosh, Mom. Please. No. Please."

Good Morning From Teddy

Hello! Pay no attention to that half-eaten bathroom trash I am sitting on to make it invisible! And I'm pretty sure the garbage strewn through the hallway was already like that when I got there! Hold on - the mailman is here. I have to welcome him to the front steps by barking wildly until he gets back in that no-door truck of his.

I'm back. While you play piano, I will sit under the piano bench howling. Don't mind me. I love Mozart but your teacher is right, you should practice more. Wait a sec, I have an itch RIGHT THERE OMG MAKE IT STOP ITCHING. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. Thanks. So much better now. May I have a snack please? Who's a good boy?! Must we go through this again? Me. It's me. I'm a good boy. I'll just be staring at you three inches from your face waiting for you to get out of the big chair so I can sit in it.

Have a great morning. And if you're done with that apple with almond butter smeared on it, I can take that off your hands for you, no prob.

A Giving Tuesday Wish List

It's Giving Tuesday, a day to remind us to share our time and wealth with those less fortunate. I have picked three of our favorite charitable organizations to give to this year to give you some ideas.

Heifer International  Heifer is perhaps most famous for their buy an animal program. Giving an animal (A goat, a cow, a flock of chickens) is like giving someone a small business, providing wool, milk, eggs, and more. Animal donations can provide families a hand up, increasing access to medicine, school, food, and a sustainable livelihood. Last year, Bob bought chickens for a family in Mr. Rosenberg's name, as a Hanukkah gift. (It took awhile to explain to Bob that the chickens would not be coming to our house first.) Until midnight tonight, your contribution will be matched dollar for dollar to help Haitian farm families.

The Midnight Mission The Mission, serving the population of skid row in downtown Los Angeles, offers a bridge to self-sufficiency for the homeless through engagement, education, training, and job placement. They provide food, shelter, clothing, personal hygiene, needs, and medical care. The Mission supports a twelve-step approach to recovery that is very close to my heart.

Doctors Without Borders For Doctors Without Borders, the ability to respond quickly to medical humanitarian emergencies is crucial to saving more lives. Unrestricted funds allow them to allocate resources most efficiently and where the needs are greatest. They help refugees, those caught in the way of armed conflict, victims of natural disasters, and forgotten people. This is our Rosenberg go-to organization to give to when the global news events of the day leave us feeling helpless.