An Especially Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Top o' the morning. We have a special St. Paddy's Day present for you this year: A new song from The Let's Make Outs!!!

In the spirit of the day, it's called "Here's to Guinness," and is all about me and Red's favorite drink. It even has a special appearance by our friend Erin on the tin whistle. One small warning, the mix is ... well, let's just say I'm still learning Pro-Tools. If you can't hear the lyrics, and would like to know what they are, click "More Info."

And now, without further ado ....





Thanks again to the lovely and talented Falwess for making this video!

How You Should Spend Your Weekend

Mmmmm...Phillip and Vincent. Choices, choices...

Dudes, Red is tired. It's been a long week. I have some friends in town and they insist on doing things like "going out for dinner, drinks and poetry slams" and "socializing." Gah! My Wii Active trainer Tami is gonna so pissed at me!

Anyway, here's some shizz going down this weekend you should probably check out:

Friday Night: Dollhouse - Only 2 episodes left! Does anyone else watch this show? Anyone?

Saturday/Sunday: Football - This is who we're all rooting for, okay? Saints, Ravens, Vikings and Chargers. THIS CANNOT BE DISPUTED!!!

Sunday Night: Golden Globes - This year should be pretty great with Ricky Gervais as host. He is truly hilarious. I was going to do a predictions post, but I have no idea who will win anything...other than Christoph Waltz, who is favored to win Best Supporting Actor, something I called on Aug. 21. I am amazing. I'm also pulling for Jeff Bridges to win Best Actor for Crazy Heart because The Dude really gives a terrific performance and Michael C. Hall for his always stellar turn on Dexter.

Monday: Do Nothing - The first holiday since the holidays is gonna effing rule as I spend it on my couch, watching TV and Netflix with my new cats. Does like get sweeter, friends? I think not.

What awesome things are you getting up to this weekend?

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2010 friends. Let's make it a good one.

Merry Day After Christmas!

Christmas has technically come and gone, but it's still Boxing Day/St. Stephen's Day, so allow me to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry, if slightly belated, Christmas. I meant to post something yesterday, but I was busy unwrapping gifties and stuffing my face with cookies.

From all of us as Gingers is the Watchword, I hope you experienced peace on earth, good will towards men, silent nights and little towns of Bethlehem. God bless you, every one.

(Except you. You know who you are).

Some Bullet Points or Whatever

I currently have a serious case of the Christmas humbugs which is caring over to general humbuggedness (humbuggery?) in all aspects of life. Here's the thing: I am the worst gift giver in the universe. I apparently gave my dad Ghostbusters on DVD two Christmases in a row (an act I have no memory of, but about which my family teases me every year) and I literally lost sleep over this year's gifts last night. I just put too much pressure on myself to get "the perfect thing" when really I should just say, "Screw you guys! I'll get you what I want," but apparently that's not very Christmas spirity or whatever. So, I'm a grumpasaurus and you all suffer the consequences. I'm sorry...I don't want it to be this way...I just don't see any other option! Anyway, here are some talking points for your water coolers this morning/afternoon:

• Golden Globe nominations are out. When will House and Entourage stop being nominated? At least True Blood and Glee made the cut. Oh, and apparently we all need to see Avatar now. It better be effing good, James Cameron!
• I went to bed at 7:30 last night and missed The Sing Off (though I did DVR it). What's wrong with me?!?
• My Fantasy Football teams went 4 for 4 this weekend and I'm now in the black. So, that's something to be happy about. We're all rooting for a Packers/Chargers Super Bowl, right?

How about you? How are you feeling about this holiday season? Do you still love House and it's predictable plot lines? Did you stay awake for The Sing Off? And do you want to see me win this fantasy league or not? Selfish...

Happy Hanukkah!

The Festivle of Lights begins at sundown, so a very happy Hanukkah to all our Jewish readers. I am not a member of your faith, but as a fan of latkes, chocolate gold coins and three thousand years of beautiful tradition from Moses to Sandy Koufax, I applaud your continuing efforts.

La Chaim!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Gingers is the Watchword.

God, Words Words Words' family is SO lame.

This year, may your gravy be smooth, your mashed potatoes buttery and your turkey stuffed with various other poultry. Its 2009 folks, time to get on the turducken train. Woo woo!

We are thankful for all 9 of our loyal readers. And Jon Hamm. We're also really thankful for Jon Hamm.

Have a good one guys!
The cast and crew of GitW

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

To all our Mexican readers, congrats on defeating the French 140+ years ago. I'm sure, since they were French and all, they put up a really tough fight and didn't surrender immediately or anything!

To all you other people, try not to die of tequila and taco overdoses tonight!

Top 5: Signs You've Been Single a Little to Long

1. You learn one of your oldest, dearest, happilyest (totally a word) married friends is pregnant and it makes you cry...and not in a "I'm so happy for her" kinda way. More in a "Great, there's someone else I'll never see" kind of way.

2. You tell your dad and step-mom "I need to get a dog to reap the benefits of happiness and prolonged life they give" and your dad says, "You're gonna have cats. Lots of cats."

3. You put on pajamas as soon as you get home on Friday night and don't change out of them until brunch on Sunday.

4. You become so tired of saying "Not much" when people ask "What's new?" that you start telling everyone you are the scorekeeper for your company softball team like it's the most wonderful development to ever happen.

4a. You are the scorekeeper for your company softball team.

5. Your grandma tells you she considered getting you a gift certificate to E-Harmony for your birthday, but your mother told her not to. "Plus," she says, "apparently they can reject you on those sites. You'd probably get rejected."

So, you know, how was your Easter weekend?

It's the most wonderful time of the year

It's Opening Day! For baseball fans, everything is right with the world today: The air is full of anticipation and everybody is undefeated. Anything is possible on Opening Day.

(And yes, I'm aware the season technically opened last night on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. I choose to ignore that unless my team is involved).

A few games have already been cancelled due to weather (Snow in Chicago? Yikes!) but that's OK. Those teams get to have Opening Day tomorrow. It's like two Christmas mornings in a row!

Good luck this year to the two teams most important to this blog, the Padres and Red Sox. And to all our readers' teams (except when they're coming up against our teams, natch). May the spirit of Opening Day keep you and sustain you through the grueling 162 game schedule. It's a marathon, not a sprint, etc. etc.

This (sort of) Just In: St. Patrick's Day edition

Red may have the ginger genes, but I’m the writer on this site “lucky” enough to get Irish genes. (Pale skin, a tendency to hold grudges and a suicidal liver. Erin go Bragh!)

As such, I have taken it upon myself to write a St. Patrick’s Day post, with a few bits of Celtic goings on:

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the IRA is back! Splinter groups of the Irish Republican Army are rearing their head in Northern Ireland lately, killing two soldiers and a policeman. Luckily, leaders on both sides of the sectarian divide are condemning the attacks, and people of that region are determined not to let their province devolve into “the Troubles” again. FOR NOW!!! (Cue old timey organ music).

Apparently it's spelled O’Bama. President Obama is part Irish. Jeez, is there any box this dude can’t check? Here is a song about it, which is really silly but also ridiculously catchy. You’ve been warned.




Also back, House of Pain. This white rap group is not from Boston (like everyone thinks) but they are playing a reunion show in Boston. So get out ya seats and jump around!

The Irish invented English. OK that’s not remotely true, but it is a fun fact that a lot of English slang words (especially American English) are believed to have roots in Irish Gaelic. For example, “so long,” comes from the Irish word for goodbye, “slan.” “Snazzy” is thought to come from the Irish word “snasach,” which means shiny. There’s a million others, many of which are in this book. I guess this last one wasn’t so much a “This Just In” as an “Interesting Tid-bit,” but who asked you anyway ye feckin’ eejit?

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

This (mostly) Just In...

I'm Back! - As you probably noticed, I am back online at home and posting like a mad woman!!! (okay, not really, but 3 posts in 3 days is at least back to normal.) It's truly embarrassing how happy it makes me to have internet access again. When did we come to this?

Adriana Lima is Married - Fellas, it will be okay. You never had a shot anyway.

(While we're on this subject, I asked elsewhere why A. Lim seems to be the most coveted VS model when Miranda Kerr (and others) are so much prettier. I'd love to hear your thoughts.)

It's Mardi Gras! - No one I know is celebrating in any real way...except my aunt who is in NOLA. However, tomorrow is the beginning of Lent and I'm following Liz's lead and giving up alcohol during the week (except for the week of St. Patty's because I'll be in Chicago and what's the point of being in Chicago for St. Patty's if you don't drink, I ask you?). Please pray for our strength to make it through.

So, what's the deal with A. Lim? What are you giving up for Lent? And are you as excited as I am to see me back to the blogging...or something?

Happy New Year

Don't let the door hit ya, 2008 - it's time to make room for 2009!!!

We hope you all have a fun time ringing in the New Year tonight. Remember guys: Friends don't let friends make resolutions they have no hope of keeping and that will only serve to depress them sometime in mid-Febuary when they take stock of their lives and realize its been all for not. For realz.

Have a good one. 2009 = BEST YEAR EVER!!!!!!!

Happy Hanukkah!

I realize we only have one Jewish reader (that I am aware) and I only have 1.5 Jewish friends (my ex-boyfriend is both half-Jewish and half a friend), but I love the Jews. I can't help myself! So, here's to celebrating your 8 nights of fun, gifts of white gold hoops and Chinese food on Christmas day. Happy Hanukkah to you all.







I have no idea

What's the Best Gift You've Ever Received?

(Disclaimer: I will probably offend someone reading this by neglecting to mention their awesome gift giveryness. I apologize in advance.)

In case you haven't heard, the holidays are upon us. Rather than provide you with gift giving ideas, I thought I'd share some of the best gifts I've ever received from my friends (because my friends are really effing great and maybe some of their awesome ideas will inspire you to greatness, or something). Here now, in no particular order, are the greatest gifts I've received in the mail from friends (have I added enough qualifiers yet?) over the years:

* Books - This year for my birthday Garney gifted me with King Dork, a book he thought I'd enjoy (I just finished it and I highly recommend it to all). The gift was totally unexpected, which is always fun. A book may be my favorite gift ever because it says, "Hey. I read this and thought of you" and someone thinking about me is the greatest gift of all...for the both of us.

* DVD/Socks/Guinness Coasters - I spent a chilly weekend in Boulder with my old friend Mike a few years ago. Upon my return home, he sent me Guinness coasters from the bar we went to (coasters which proclaimed "Guinness: Only 120 calories!"), socks to keep my feet cozy (because, being from Cali, I neglected to pack socks, never expecting to be snowed in an extra day) and a DVD of the Woody Allen film Play it Again, Sam (because we'd talked about how much I like Casablanca). It was one of the most thoughtful (and romantic) gifts ever. I totally should have dated that guy.

* Homemade Quote Collections - While in high school, some friends and I kept a journal of sorts where we wrote incredibly self-deprecating blurbs that all began "You know you're pathetic when...." When my friend Jason went off to college, we continued to sign our emails with these "patheticisms." For my birthday that year, he created a new book of sorts, full of all the crazy and witty things we'd said over email. It was incredibly surprising (being the jerk I am, I just deleted the emails after I replied) and totally rad.

Contrary to popular belief (mainly due to things I've written), I'm not incredibly materialistic. I'll take a thoughtful/memorable gift or card over diamonds and a Mercedes any day.

So, enough about me and my incredible friends. What's the best gift anyone has ever given you?

Lots Better Than Your Neighbor's Tacky Decorations

Recently, my lovely friend Falwless posted a rant about Christmas lawn decorations. She ain't seen nothing yet*:

My neighbor's house. Unfortunately, I took this picture before the added the holy family on the front steps.

The neighbor's neighbor joined in on the fun. The neighbor mainly has a Disney theme, while the neighbor's neighbor (I'm pretty sure they are related) is more House at Pooh Corner. They refrained from lighting everything for a few days (the electricity bill must be a bitch), but I finally caught the lighted goodness Saturday night:

It's much brighter in person. As Liz asked last year (oh, yes. They had these same decorations last year. And from the state of most of them, they've had them since at least 1989), "Can they see your neighbor's house in space?!" Of course, she has this in her house so I don't think she can make fun of anyone:

Happy Holidays, people.


*horrible picture taking by yours truly. I'm already gunning for Blog with the Blurriest Photos at next year's Drysdale's.

Questions Pondered While Watching the Last 20 Minutes of Christmas in Rockefeller Plaza

- When did Harry Connick Jr. get so skinny? Not that he was ever very big, but he was much hotter with good ol' NOLA meat on his bones.

- Is Hanson totally pissed that the Jonas Brothers stole their gig? And speaking of the Jonas Brothers, they sang some song about giving up all other gifts to get a hot chick for x-mas. It included the lyric, "You can take this awesome scarf my grandma made for me," which is now, officially, the greatest lyric in the history of time.

- Why in God's name did I ever think soy egg nog sounded like a good idea? All the Jameson in the universe can't save this crap. Guess I'll just have to drink the Jameson on it's own. Oh, the humanity!

- Do you think it's too late for me to grow up to become Beyonce?

- Why is Britney Spears so crap at speaking on camera when she's been doing it since she was, like, 5?

- How much better would this show be if produced by Jack Donaghy? There would definitely be way more fireworks and, as we all know, everything is better with more fireworks.

- Are we the only country in the world crazy enough to produce a hour long music extravaganza just to light a damn tree?

I think I'm too cynical for Christmas this year. Add that to the list of reasons I should become a Jew.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year, Red and I are thankful for all our readers and their awesome comments. Also, we're thankful for our God-given lack of work ethic that allows us to post during the weekday, guilt free. We might post sporadically over the next few days. If not, see you next week.

Have a nice holiday!

Happy (?) Veteran's Day

Like Good Friday, Yom Kippur and Lincoln's Birthday, Veteran's Day is one of those holidays where I'm never quite sure how to greet people. Should one say, "Happy Veteran's Day" when the day is designed to honor people who died? Also, can it really be "happy" when so many offices like mine won't let their employees properly honor our veterans by giving us the day off? I swear I would have watched a wreath laying ceremony on TV, boss!

For those of you stuck at work like me, here are some things you can read to pass the time. This one is cute, this one is depressing. Take your pick.

Also, if you're really in an honoring kind of mood, you can go to Starbucks and buy a pound of coffee that will be shipped to troops overseas. Because nothing says "America" to our troops abroad like a cup of Sumatran Gold Blend. I don't have details on this, but I saw it at a local 'bucks.

And for those of you who did get today off. Well ....

For the child in all of us

In addition to America, public libraries and The Cars, Massachusetts has just given you something great.

Boston Beer Co., the company that makes Sam Adams beer, announced that it's making a chocolate dessert beer just in time for the holidays. My first thought was, “Yummo!” My second thought was, “Wait, could that be gross?” My third thought was, “Beer and chocolate joining forces can only be for the good of mankind.” My fourth thought was, “Why is it Monday? I want to party now!” And then I fell asleep at my desk.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock will apparently be on the shelves throughout the holiday season.