LAST NIGHT'S TV

Alabama wins national college championship game (again - sigh) with a long touchdown pass from a freshman quarterback.

In overtime!

Catalyst is stunned.

A FIERY DAWN

Dawn arrived this morning with fire and fury.

Not what you may think but just a cloudy sky lit up with the brilliant light of a rising sun.

Were I to be a little higher on the hill I might be able to get rid of some of those power lines.

But then I think they provide a nice contrast.

A few minutes later, from my back yard, the violence of the preceding pictures had faded to a gentler appearance.

Call that one "the soft fuzzy."

And so another day and week begins.

ROCKIN' ROBIN

It seems like a long time until Spring but I guess as long as the temperature hovers in the mid 60's I will get visits from this guy and his relatives and friends.

This robin red breast made several visits to the bird bath this morning but not to bathe, only to drink.

He seemed very nervous and kept looking through the window glass at me.

I find it curious that when he puts his head down to take a drink, he appears from the expression on his face to be angry and ferocious.

Once he got his fill, he changed his position to be looking out into the yard before flying away.

WHAT'S THIS? POLITICS?

Regular readers of Oddball Observations know that I generally avoid politics on the blog.

But sometimes it just overwhelms me and comes spilling out.

So forgive me for this one day of observations on the current political scene in these United States of America.

Our president is a genius, you know.

He just told (tweeted) us so.

Even with all the jibberish coming from our leader's mouth, he still has his followers.

And finally, here's one more for my friends in California.

And Oregon.

And Washington.

And Nevada.

And Colorado.

And Massachusetts.

And the District of Columbia.

Where would we be without our cartoonists, eh?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

At this time of year, the beginning, some people of more hope than experience will be setting down their resolve of how to improve their lives in the coming months.

Here at the international headquarters of Oddball Observations we call these people "delusional".

But be that as it may, go ahead and make your New Year's Resolutions but remember the reality expressed in the following pie chart.

Or here.

On that daring note, I shall bid you adieu, Gentle Readers.

Please have an exciting and fulfilling weekend and always remember to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(oh, no, bail money again)

TBT: THE SAGA OF AMBROSE BIERCE

When I lived in Mexico, back in the 80's, I used to mess around with doggerel.  Here's one I wrote in August of 1989.

Ode to Ambrose Bierce

When you go down to Mexico

     away down in the Tropics,

          you'll find no friendly Texaco

               and the folks aren't philanthropics.

In Ajijic or San Miguel

     there's music in the air.

          The beer is cheap, tequila's swell

                and gringos everywhere.

The sun is bright, the palms are green,

     the ladies are so Spanish.

          But the nights can turn a little mean

               and sometimes people vanish.

A lot of them just disappear

     without a lot of traces

          and no one sheds a single tear

               and no one knows their faces.

So when you cross the border

     to cantinas that are fierce,

          be careful what you order

               and remember Ambrose Bierce.

(Explanatory note: Bierce was a journalist and fiction writer who traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1913 to gain first-hand knowledge of the Mexican revolution.  The 71 year old Bierce disappeared and was never seen again.)

DAWN

As one lonely soul sets out to begin the day.  

And the year.