Happy New Year or Else!

Paul Parducci is watching...
Later,
Paul Parducci

"Risky" Business

This Christmas Santa brought a whole lotta games: Davinci's Challenge, SET, King's Table, Apples to Apples and RISK.
I am a games guy and I come from a games family but for one reason or another I had never played RISK. The box describes it as "The Game of Global Domination." I had quite a bit of family visiting, so I grabbed two, my brother Jim (who is a games guy like me ) and my brother-in-law Greg. My son Patrick was far too involved with a stack of new video games to be bothered with sitting for hours at a table with a furrowed brow.
Three days, eight (That's right 8) matches and many bitter and taunting words later I can honestly say that in playing this game you risk developing an obsession as well as permanent rifts between family members.
But it is so fun...
This morning my house is hear-the-kitchen-clock quiet as my Christmas visitors/opponents have all returned home.
They say that Alexander the Great wept when there were no more world's to conquer...I know now just how he felt.
See you later,
Paul Parducci

Cartoon Future

Click and you'll see.
Nice going Fred.
Later,
Paul Parducci

Shopping

Last night I grabbed my son and headed to the Mall for some shopping---for me this was not last minute shopping, this was early prudent shopping. (My definition:last minute shopping-9 AM Christmas morning at Seven Eleven)
I picked up a couple of things for my wife, I won't list them in case she reads this post. I also picked up a game called SET, it's fantastic. Look it up you will not be disappointed---very clever.
Remember everything's the same thing,
Later,
Paul Parducci
Before you go please check out the PS below, it will bring you to an organization doing fantastic and important work.
PS: The Wounded Warrior Project

Holiday party--- post party feeling

This weekend I had my annual Holiday Party---Even though I should really call it a Christmas party since my house is literally encased in Christmas decorations including an elaborate Nativity scene in the center of my living room.
But the name of my party is the not the purpose of this post, it's that after party---feeling.
The food was terrific, I'm from the east coast originally -NJ, so food has always been important to me and I always take particular delight in watching all my underfed Southern California friends eat like wild boars. (My wife Kelly is an outstanding cook and real good looking to boot)
There was Holiday music(Christmas music) lots of great people all laughing and talking and dressed for success.
I did my job as host and moved from group to group and cluster to cluster, a conversation about digital media here, protein powder there etc.
But when the evening ended @ 2 am, there it was again, the feeling that I just didn't quite do it right. There always seems to be a couple of sticking points for me per party---this time it was an unfinished conversation about Technicolor with my friend Bob(the phone rang and I went to find it) and not saying good bye to my friends Mario and Donna because I was in the backyard by the fire pit smoking a cigar with my friends Christian, Annie and Mary Kay.
By Sunday afternoon relief came... My wife said that Bob had said "Tell Paul Goodbye" before he left. So I figured he was OK with the incomplete Color timing discussion. And she also mentioned a little later that Mario was tired, as he had just gotten over being sick. So I extrapolated that into an early departure that let me off the hook. Then grateful call after grateful call---mostly about the food washed away any remaining doubts.
So by today 36 +hours after the party I am just fine with my little fest, left only with the memories of twinkling lights, my brilliant son Patrick charming the ladies and my wife's truly amazing Swedish meatballs.
Have a Great Day!
Later,
Paul Parducci

All I need is a Battery on my Shoulder...

This is my pensive, tough but fair look.
Later,
Paul Parducci

My friend Mark Newgarden's New Book

This is a must get!
Later,
Paul Parducci

Welcome to My Blog!

My house has been properly festooned with lights---I went the LED route this year.
Although the light doesn't reach the way incandescent does the effect is quite striking. Mark my words! LED is the future of Christmas lighting,
Apparently you save a fortune as well, (ie: 12 cents a day of electricity) but of course I won't know for sure until sometime in January.

I wish you all a Safe, Happy and Peppy holiday season.
Many people leave out Peppy but Peppy is almost as important as Happy, because you can be quietly indemonstrably happy but when you're Happy and Peppy you make others happy as well!
See you later!
Paul Parducci