Ah, Winter. Here You Go, Again.

Christmas and the Christmas Season for 2011 is officially over!

Oh, I know.   That's pretty boo hiss, I agree!

We are saying goodbye to that scary ass monkey...remember him? The Christmas Monkey with all knowing eyes who was ready to toss monkey poo at you if you misbehaved? Yeah... I know you didn't forget him.  How could you?

Especially since I've placed him here for you as a reminder!

We're also saying goodbye to the St. Nick Express that rolled in on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day delivering prezzies and fun.

And so, it's finally time to accept that we are in Winter.

I am finding that a little hard to acknowledge with it being 51 degrees out there today with lots of sun and that extra warmth.  Frankly, it felt like Spring.  I best not complain though before the ice starts kicking in from blizzards but maybe this is just how things are going to be for the next few months.

But then again, we haven't even seen February yet.  :::shudder:::

So just in case things start to get cold and wintry white, instead of being all depressed about being stuck inside your house, throw yourself a party!

Leading the charge on the blog is our very own Momiji Party Girl!

With boombox and smiles, she'll throw down the tunes for us to enjoy and be lively in the coming months.

Fret not.

It's a party up in this place.

Definitely Not Cool

Definitely not! Cold, perhaps.  Cool? No.

I have never hidden the fact that I hate Summer.  Summer to me is most people's Winter.  Have no fear though, my mind has not changed.

I still do not mind the Winter.

The cold, sometimes bothers me but only when I sit in cold train cars like a toothless* (new use of the term to describe someone or something that is a bit of an asshole), or I fail to dress warm enough.

The snow does not bother me.  Unlike H1, the snow can touch me and I won't get all crazed.

The ice, on the other hand...

Ice should always be in a drink or in the freezer but NEVER under my foot.

If it's under my foot then I panic.  It paralyzes me and I just don't want to walk.  I can't walk.  I ...complain.  A lot.  Oh, and I do the grip of death on to H1's arm when we're together in the city.

All this just to post some pictures of the crazy snowy winter weather we've been having thus far - with 2010 ending in a blizzard, and a snow storm every week, I thought I'd share some evil photos I took of the evil ice, and the not so evil snow.

I did not really take pictures of the Boxing Day 2010 blizzard, but just know at 10 p.m. that night at the heart of it all, Beetchie and I trundled through the snow to go from H1's house to my own.  It's not far by any means but I could not get there in 20 seconds by the leaps and bounds I intended to make.  No, sadly, the snow was up to my knee and all I could do was slowly drag my lower half like a sloth rather than the agile frog I was trying to be.

In any event, on to the pictures of everything you all have been missing! or experiencing! or...not caring! Meh.

Winter in our hearts, and in our stomach.  Tres Leches cake.  Yum.  What? It's like snow! with cherries.  Yeah.  Cherries on top.

Ah the house.  Uninhabitable, at this point I reckon.

It's all fun and games...

...until someone loses their shovel.

Then January came, and brought...the evil ice.

Just look at it waiting to kill things! Ugh.  Not funny at all.  It's truly a menace.

Just look at what it did to the snow.  Destroyed his brethren.  Shudder with me! ::shudder::

Looks like a baby may have piddled..no.  no.  It would be some degree of yellow.  Let us perish the thought.

Hanging outside my window like the assclowns that they are.

Oh but I'm on to you, assclowns.

On.  to.  you.

Caught

Winter has been here for quite the while now and to prove that it is, we got not one but two snow falls already.  The first was a nasty blizzard that thrashed about throughout the state on Boxing Day.  The second happened yesterday and while it gave us about 5 inches or so, there was not much to speak of.

With 8 days well into the Year, we shall now bid farewell to Jack and his prey.  They've been caught.  It's over. 

 Now let us not dwell on the carnage that happened here but instead, say hello to Snow.

Say hi to millions of flakes as they huddle together for support, for creating blankets, and for being a general often pretty mess.

Here they are pretending to be friends with a fallen branch from a nearby fir.

We're on to you, snow (and snow bughs).

We know you're coming this Winter to give us more of your sneaky attacks!

A Few Words on the Winter Olympics 2010

First, that poor luge Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili who died today - it's so sad.  I cried a little when Georgia did the Parade of Nations.  It's as H1 said - this should have been a happy time for them instead only teary eyes could be seen.

We all feel for you, Georgia.

Secondly, I'm watching the opening ceremony and I might have nightmares.  The totem things they set up scared the hell out of me!

The Lowlamps:

1. The scary flag bearer for Ireland, with her flaming hair and neon green pants was hella scary.  In fact, Ireland looked like a freakin' mess with all their neon green pants!

2. The Italians athletes are awfully scary as well and their flag bearer clearly did not know how to wave a flag.

3. The ugly coat dresses the Canadian hosts are wearing coupled with their bad dancing, makes for a viewing mess.  Though if I may make a confession, I actually kinda like the bad dancing.  It's slightly funny and cute.

4. The U.S. Team stealing the Moose from the Canadians by wearing them on their snow hats.  Low blow, U.S.  Low.  Blow.  Plus their smug white pants...they're killing me.

5. As usual, the U.S. coverage of any Olympics - they were focusing so much on the U.S.A. team that they completely disregarded the country after.

6. I could have sworn that Bryan Adams just missed his cue and is lip synching his Opening Ceremony performance.  And really, Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams?!?!
Why couldn't you just get Alanis to sing something racy instead?
O Canada.

7. I used to think French Canada was the Best Canada and the only Canada in the land.
Turns out it really is the bullsheet Canada...what with it's fiddlers, Irish River Dancing and Batman.  I always thought Batman was from the 'hood in NYC.  I always thought he was a bad-assed motha'chucka who went from the 'hood in NYC, (although the rich 'hood) to the Ninja/Yakuza 'hoods in Japan.

No, Batman's actually a fiddlin' fool from Canada.

My childhood has just been destroyed.

Thanks, Canada.

8. Slam Poetry and Canadians do not mix, my brothas... my Shistas.

9. Having commercials during the Opening Ceremony is the worst.

The Highlights:

1. That gOO'd looking Canadian who walked out Iran.  It pains me to say it but he really was gOO'd lOOking.  Ha.

2. There's a dancing Canadian host at the end who really can dance.  He's making the country proud and making my eyes feel better.

3. Okay, the hilarious story about the 1964 Olympics when the Mongolian athletes showed up without having an official entry form and not knowing they needed one but were allowed to enter anyway just goes to show : whether or not they win any medals during an Olympic ceremony, Mongolians will always hold the gold for Invasion.  Ahahahahahahaha.

4. Master Chi! Master Chi was leading out one of the countries (I forget which now)! Wait, shouldn't this be a lowlamp? Master Chi? A Canadian?!
In reality, that Asian was pretty gOO'd lOO'king and it's not that Master Chi isn't but he's like a brother.  He gave me Tenchu as a present before he left college, so yeah...  I'm going to go with the story that that Asian didn't really look like Master Chi but it is a fact that all Asians look alike.  Right, Beetchie?

5. It was sad, but yet so damned funny at the same time! I cannot believe they had technical difficulties at the most important time of the Ceremony...at the friggin' Torch Lighting!!!!!
Those poor louts.  Man, Wayne Gretsky looked peeved.

Once again Inuits get screwed, as all Aboriginal peoples do.  The four torches was supposed to be representative of the Four Aboriginal Nations (from what I could gather from the very beginning of the Opening Ceremony) but when that last one didn't show, it seemed like a slap in the face to some Inuits to me.

Memorable Converstaions of the Night:

Or 2: I'm watching the Opening Ceremony, and China still has everyone beat.  See how immediately my Asian blood just conveniently comes out?
Bughie J.: Haha.

Or 2: Oh.  They made a maple leaf on the mountain.  Lame.
Bughie J. Well, what else could they have made.  Hmm...maybe a very big room...with a moose.

As Kazakhstan did the Parade of Nations:

Luuuuuiiiiiisssss: Where's Borat?

As Japan did the Parade of Nations:

Or 2: Awww! Look at my little Japanese! They're so cute!!! And look! They're...waving Canadian flags as well in addition to their little Japanese flags!
H1: Ass kissers!
Or 2: Hahaha, yeah.  But you don't really get to be a super power without being...
H1: Assholes! Wait, Ass kissers?!?!
Or 2: Ha, yeah.  Ass-kissers.  Sneaky bastards.

Or 2: I always knew there was more of a reason why I don't like Canadians.  They're hippies.

H1: What is that thing Sarah Mclachlan is wearing on her neck? Is that a maple leaf?
Or 2: No, man.  That's a hibiscus! She's representin' Trinidad!

The final word on the Opening Ceremonies?

H1: This is a boring shit.

Snow Day

At the tail end of 2008 into the first three months of 2009, we had soooo many snow days.

Those days combined with a bunch of days off due to various nasty colds, stomach bugs and NINfluenza, I was in danger of not making my hours at the jorb for the 2008/2009 period.

This winter so far, we had no snow days until yesterday.

Although I truly had a snow day, mind you. I was fortunate enough to bring work home so that this year I will not fall into last year's trap of struggling for hours.

I have to remember that I need to save my days for there's a potential trip to London in September and CLee Toy Story 3 buisness in June.

With all the snow fall this time around, I wanted to go out to take more pictures but these are the only ones I could muster up.

Wow, what a nice tree. 

It's not one that's in our yards though.

This is more of what's in our yards. 

Poor, sad, whatever you used to be, plant

At the side of H1's house is a lonely, keeled over flower pot.

Well this one is promising, at least this pot has company.

Also, nice shrubs you got growing there, H1.

What's growing in this one?

Awesome.

I dreaded the ice today and I'm dreading the ice tomorrow because if there's one thing I hate about winter, it's the ice and my inability to avoid slipping and cracking my assback.

Thanks for not falling today into Friday, snow storm!

No, that would just be too precious of you.

Christmas is Way Behind Us; Winter Well Here

While today may be sunny and warm enough for me to sprint next door with no coat, February has not yet arrived and we all know how evil that can be.

Bye little disco snowmen in the tree, we had a wonderful Christrmas together with family and friends and are already 16 days into the New Year.

So here's winter and we're expecting snow, maybe a snowman built and purple snowflakes covering decrepid trees?

It's also blindingly white here at the HOchieS blog but we're just preparing for the snow that's sure to fall.

Currently listening to: "Natural One" by Folk Implosion.

Partial Goo'day, Winter!

Today is the first day of Spring and we're bidding Winter a partial goodbye.

Why?

Because it snowed this morning.





So, partially farewell snow-covered trees.

Partially farewell building-sized reindeer, and frosty moonlit night.

Partially farewell lonely house on the hill with your burning logs to keep the inside warm and the outside full of smoke from the chimney.

Partially farewell broken snow globe and the blizzard that tumbles out of it.

We'll see you again in December, or maybe tomorrow?

Currently listening to: "Ocean Breathes Salty" by Modest Mouse.

That Scary Halloween Cat in Winter

There was a bit of a blizzard on the 2nd day of March, and I noticed That Scary Halloween Cat was smirking plenty at the fact that no one could leave the house.

I took pictures of him as he enjoyed the snow globe (as H1 rightly noted) that became our neighbourhood.



Sure the weather outside was frightful, but nothing is more frightful than TSHC.

Brrrr, it's Winter!

Winter's here again and H1 is not happy.

Yesterday, we were hit with a bad snow storm that had us digging out ourselves from the 8-12 inches of snow left behind.

Welcome to the HOchieS 2008 Winter Blog Layout, where everything looks a lot sharper in Corel Painter (curse you JPEG and curse you Blogger for not being able to recognise RIFF files!).

Here you'll find a Snow Globe of Pine Trees that cracked and let out snow dusted hills, a lonely house with an equally large lonely reindeer, silver wind, a blue moon and a sky ripe with snow!

Did I mention H1 hates winter?

Currently: Feeling really pissed off if my package was indeed stolen today. This is what happens when Momma HOchie gets a present that she's not supposed to be getting from me.

Winter's On Its Way

Much to H1's dismay.

I haven't told her yet but I heard talk of flurries in the morning.

She'll be well cranky tomorrow.

Another sign that Winter's coming, was the sight of this fat ass squirrel.



The fatty was a sly one.



His back was mostly turned to me and he ignored that I was calling him. He did not budge when corn bread was tossed to him but when he was finished munching on whatever strange thing he had been investing in, he made his way to the corn bread.

Papa HOchie and I then threw him some walnuts but he didn't want those.

It's a good thing I was paying attention because I stepped outside to take a better picture of him and the next thing I knew, he was almost on top of me!

There, he was, trying to jump on my foot and give me plague. It would have been a horror story if he had darted into the house.

Here's the asshole with his chunky squirrel ass to me, as all animals enjoy doing.



Momma HOchie says he's the squirrel brother to Pumpkin. I would thank her to not call my cat fat.

He's big-boned!



Currently listening to: "Vessel" by Nine Inch Nails.

Goo'day Winter '07 Blog Layout

Even though it's not officially Spring yet, I bid you goo'day.

Thanks for the goo'd time memories slightly-yellowed snowman and pagwa snowflake.



Bye Bye Darkness of Solemn Winter. I'm going to try something new.

Currently listening to: "Time of the Dreamwatch" by Yasunori Mitsuda, from the Chrono Cross Original Soundtrack

Just Because

Happy Leap Year!

I just wanted to post anything on this day since we won't have another for four years.

So what exactly did we get on this day? Nothing more than an extra day of a winter kick in the ass (it's beginning to snow as I write this) and work.

Hooray for Leap Years.

The Pictures and the Things I've Wanted To Post But Only Got Around To Doing So Right This Second I

I've titled it "I" because I know there'll be others in the future.

Here are some cheery or not so cheery wintery photos (depending on who you ask) I've taken in the past few weeks:



The Mist has been trying to get us for years now! It's finally catching up and we are scared.



The crows and black birds have been trying the same for years as well. We. stay. very. still....



It's snow, not Christmas lights.



I remember this morning. It snowed, it sleeted, the rain fell, the roads were icy and the car rolled back down the hill.





The train came anyway and the birds didn't fall through the ice.



It's lights, not snow.

Some food I consumed during NYC's Winter 2008 @ Inagiku:



The yummy salmon tartare



The sushi I almost choked on and died from. Also, the sad realization has sunk in and that is that I probably cannot enjoy sushi unless I'm in Japan which means I probably will never eat it again



The tail of shrimp I munched on from Aims plate



The flan of tofu I rather enjoyed but it's not nearly as good as real custard but since H1 hates me and hasn't made it for me, I have to suffice with things some may call shart.



The head of a worm I ate not at Inagiku but at my desk one day.

Here we have some truths revealed. We need to look no further than on a canister of nitrogen near Grand Central Terminal:



But what's 9 (two) II?

Memorable Quote I've Used since the rebirth of Mac, Chrissy Lee's obsession with Apple and the Mack Vs. PC ad Campaign:

"Mac Users are Smug".

Currently listening to: "Weenie Beenie" by Foo Fighters.

New Blog Layout - For The Beginning of the New Year 2008

The slightly yellowed snowman remains for it is still winter after all. The black is back because since the season has just begun and with the start of the new year, we're feeling a little somber. Besides which, black is our favourite and our best.

Why the colour selection, you ask? I'm channeling my Rock Band character and her often not-that fantastic colour schematic clothing choices.

Rock it, Zarnyx!!!!

Whoooo!

Thank goodness for our band manager, H1, who has a better sense of style than I. Otherwise things would be looking a lot like a disaster and a ton more hot pink with red.

Currently listening to: "Rockers to Swallow" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Random Things

Jack Bauer may have gone to prison for a month but I can assure you people, he's already got a plan to bust out.

I love winter save the two things about it that make me crazed. The first is that I loathe ice and the second is that I loathe static shock.
I am so static-ie, I got shocked by touching a piece of broccoli.