A Jim Carrey Happy New Year – twelve years old and still very, very funny, and, once again, available for embedded viewing right here after a short commercial message. Note that a 10-minute version of this memorable appearance on David Letterman is available here.

— Happy New Year to one and all and thanks for reading! —

We are back from our trip, no worse for wear, after a wonderful time with friends and relatives. Listened to Christmas music the whole way back today, but didn’t hear this one.

We are off to California, so, unless the house sitter fires up one of the laptop computers that we left behind, don’t look for too much to appear here this week.

Some old posts would have been queued up, but the last day has been spent battling a malware program that, in the end, led to the purchase of a new laptop that required some prep time. The old one was two years old, so, it’s days were numbered anyway.

The photo above is about all that can be mustered today (hat tip ES), a Christmas decoration practice that is apparently becoming very popular based on the results of this Google search. Either that, or it’s the same people doing it every year with different color lights.

There are a few people around here who have really done it up this year, though the theft of Baby Jesus out of the nativity scene on one of the main thoroughfares in town does seem to have dampened spirits just a bit.

Wow. I guess not getting a flu shot and then getting on an airplane right around the time that flu season gets going wasn’t such a good idea.

It’s been about ten years since I was last sick like this – where something like swallowing becomes a chore and you just want to lay in bed but you really can’t sleep because it’s all so uncomfortable – and I hope it’s at least another ten years before I have it again.

Hopefully, the worst is now over and I’ll feel human again in another day or two, at which time, new items will begin to appear here.

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UPDATE – Thursday, Nov. 10th, 2:30PM MST

My prognosis was much too optimistic a few days back as, apparently I didn’t remember how slow recovery is from the flu. When I last had this a decade ago, I now seem to remember going back to my cubicle after being out for a week and then, after about an hour, heading back home and not returning for another few days. I think that’s where I am now. The good news is that fever, sore throat, congestion, etc. are all gone (it’s nice to be able to sleep again) and now it’s all about coughing, mucus, and feeling exhausted all the time. The bad news is that I don’t think there will be anything new here until next week as just typing out this paragraph has already set me up for my next nap.

Having flown only once in the last six years – a trip that included a harrowing flight into Seattle where we were “crabbing” on the landing and, then, after a brief wait, were in the crosswind again on takeoff so I could get back to Bend, Oregon and drive the moving truck half way back to Montana – I’m hoping that things go a little smoother this time.

A quick trip back to Pennsylvania with an even quicker visit to New York lies ahead, so, there won’t be much new here at the blog until early next week. Some old material will again be hoisted up along with a few odds and ends that have piled up in recent days.

No, a visit to Zuccotti Park is not planned, though, I’ll only be a mile from there on Friday and, if one of those proverbial “wild hairs” takes sprout, I might just head down there.

We’re off to Yellowstone for the rest of the week where, if all goes well, we won’t see any of these terrifying creatures (we carry bear spray, but the thought of having to use it just makes my stomach tie up in knots, though, judicious use of the stuff might have saved two peoples’ lives in the park this year). Hopefully, all the bears will stay on Wall Street…

A few items hoisted from the archives will appear here in the days ahead, however, there will likely be nothing new until sometime over the weekend, after we’re back and unpacked.