When I look ahead to 2008, it looks good. My calendar is already filling up with breathless speed, and I don't remember looking forward to all the crazy stuff I'm planning in a really long time. I'm really grateful for the place I find myself in right now.

And really - how could I not feel grateful when I get photos like this in the mail?

That's the "Family B" in Holland. Note, if you've missed it, the Christmas tree "decor".

Thanks everyone, for everything. Looking forward to making 2008 something special.

A few things, hither and yon: I failed spectacularly at NaSoAlMo, or National Solo Album Month. I just didn't have enough time to devote to it (and I didn't even know about it until about November 6 or so, he said, to make himself feel better). I did get some new things written, and the beginnings of several new demo tunes. I played one for Pete and Lizzy of HZ and they said: "Huh." There's another one of these in... February, I think - February Album Writing Month. Not sure what the difference is there, but maybe I'll give it another shot then. I'm also planning on doing the one for screen writing in April, and there's a 48-Hour Film Festival thing that happens in July. I want to do all of these things! I won't let my lack of success this time around sway me.

I'm finished Christmas Shopping. I think. There may be some SMALL things that I choose to acquire here and there, but I'm basically done. I've got to get the things that need to be shipped out of here into boxes bound for lands far away - thank goodness for APC machines.

One more week at work and I'm off for the rest of '07. Unpaid, natch - but ask me if I care! I do not! Thanks for the Wonky Box orders that came in this week. I'm ALMOST finished putting together the Soft Palate Demos bonus disc. A little more work on that this weekend and that puppy be DONE, and I can get those faux "boxes" out to you.

I am not traveling this year for the holidays, and will in fact be hanging out on my own (with Petey dachshund) on Christmas. Various members of my family are upset at me about this: I am sorry to have upset them. I know it seems... odd, but I won't mind at all! Needing time to myself is the whole point of not traveling this year. Ya know? I'm doing it on purpose. It's not as if I haven't traveled eastward every year for the last decade at Christmas time, because I have. Is it really so strange to think that I might just want... a break? Well, I do want, and I shall have such a thing and no one needs to worry about it. I'll see you crazy people next year anyway. I know damn well I won't be able to get away with this two years in a row.

One thing I have been considerably successful at lately is maintaining my daily output of Morning Pages, as mandated by The Artist's Way. It's been fun. And now after nearly four straight weeks of it, my right hand isn't achy anymore after three pages of longhand scribbling.

I'm also continuing my watching of the Twin Peaks box set. I'm about two episodes after the final resolution of the "Who killed Laura Palmer" story - and the drop in quality after that tale ended is pretty shocking, frankly. You can really see the show flailing for some sort of new footing, and they tried to solve the "well, NOW what's our show about" issue by introducing a whole slew of unnecessary new characters. One of which is David Duchovny in a HUGE wig as a tranny who works with Cooper at the FBI! Who knew? I don't think I saw these eps when the show was originally on, and boy, one can see why the show got canceled. Allegedly the last few episodes return to form. I sure hope so.

Ah, it's also about time for me to be putting together my annual Mix CD. I think this year I may upload MP3 files of it somewhere folks can find them (which will be, of course, illegal) but hey. It's the yearly mix! Should be an interesting melange of songs, I would say that '07 has been a pretty good year for me finding new albums that I liked a lot.

OK, I'm sure you guys tire of the "pimp the merch" posts. But if I don't do it, who will? I ask you for your indulgence today. Thank you.

Two big things to mention:

ALL SHIRTS ARE 15% OFF!

Yes, indeed! All shirts, all styles, both Men's and Women's, are all on sale for the month of December. If you haven't checked out the wearables lately, you oughta, we've got some new items (long-sleeved Men's Dogs N' Cat shirts, for one thing).

Click HERE to GO TO THE SALE!

And then, we have a thing called THE WONKY BOX:

OK, so "Wonky Box" is a bit of a misnomer. There isn't really any "box," per se. Here's what you're getting: The entire Wonky Records catalog, at a hugely discounted rate, and a couple of exclusive extras.

More specifically, you get:

• Yogi - Any Raw Flesh? CD
• Yogi - Salve CD
• Yogi - half-pint demigodCD
• Half Zaftig - Retrograde EP CD
• Half Zaftig - Life Like Luster CD
• Half Zaftig - The Eyes Have It: B-Sides CD

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL, FOLKS! You ALSO get:

• Funhouse - Oom Fala Skepsis CD
• The Soft Palate Demos CDR

What's that extra stuff, you ask? Well, I'll tell ya.

Funhouse - Oom Fala Skepsis: This 1992 release was Shawn "Yogi" Farley's first-ever release, and it was also the first release of Wonky Records. The album was the swan song of the band Funhouse that Shawn played in for two years with his childhood buddy and partner-in-crime, Tobe Ramsey. This CD is from the original pressing of the album, in all it's "We're kids who don't know what we're doing" glory. There's a "special edition" of this album in the works (probably in 2012 for the 20th anniversary), but for this limited holiday offer, you can get a copy of the ORIGINAL PRESSING. Shawn wrote three of the 12 tunes, co-wrote 3 others, and played guitar on all 12.

The Soft Palate Demos: In September of 2003, Shawn gave 7 newly-completed demos (all done in the space of one month) to his bandmates in Half Zaftig for consideration. Six of the seven songs eventually formed the core of what would become Life Like Luster. Here is a chance to hear what these songs sounded like in their embryonic, not-really-always-in-tune, but absolutely new and exciting form! This is a no-frills release, with the title hand-written on the CDR face by Shawn with a Sharpie.

In addition to the seven-song audio portion of this disc, there will be some bonus audio in MP3 format in the data portion:

• Full-length Life Like Luster commentary by the members of Half Zaftig
• The Salve-era recording of "Numbered Days", featuring the Any Raw Flesh? band of Chris G on drums, Bryan Beller on bass, and Shawn on guitar and vocals.
• Anything else we can squeeze on there. It's a MYSTERY!