The Tree

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Anticipation...

It's about 1:30 AM Mountain time (where we're spending this Christmas with family) and--although I've been very tired because of our travel out this way--I woke up to get a drink, and check on Christmas' progress. There's a light new dusting of snow outside, and a plethora of presents resting under the Christmas tree!

It's a white Christmas (regardless of your definition), and now I must figure out something to do until the little kids wake everyone else up ...

I'll keep you posted as things develop, but for now, Merry (early) Christmas!

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E.R.B. Annual Report: 2008

We tried to email this out to everyone -- but just in case you didn't get it:

Read/download our Annual Report here.

And, send us your email to be included in future updates =)
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

We made the A-List/Politico ???

So this post is horribly belated. After much procrastination and some neglect/forgetfulness, we wanted to tell you about a fun evening we had a few weeks back.

We spent part of one evening searching for ugly sweaters, and then wearing those sweaters to a holiday party hosted by some friends of ours. There was quite the turnout of style, including some shout-outs to Hanukkah and a full Santa suit (complete with beard).

...but little did we know that the group was being watched...

Turns out, the gathering made Politico's/Mike Allen's "Playbook" for the day. (Relevant passages quoted below, taken from its permalink (be sure to click "Read All" if you visit this page.))

--The A-list GOPosse showed strong for the “5th Annual Crappy-Christmas & Heinous-Hanukkah Sweater Party” in a white tent in an Arlington yard, with part of a Santa costume tossed on the roof. (One of the Santas was swilling Korbel through his rented white beard.) Mike Neal, who’s among the founders (11 hosts this year), gets the RECIDIVISM AWARD for his annual zip-up red holiday vest that would be a hit in any bingo parlor. Special category: “3-D Sweaters,” festooned with ornaments and such [[ed.note: just sayin', but we think we were the only ones with ornaments attached to our sweaters.]] By the time we got there, Jay was down to a T-shirt promising, “Nice Jewish Boy!” Actual Nice Jewish Boy Rob had a hooded red, snowflake-bedecked number that he planned to burn in order to determine the “fiber” composition. Ryan Haddad sported antlers. When we left in the wee hours, Brian was closing but the party wasn’t. There was talk of rallying to Atlantic City, but debate about who would drive.

SPOTTED: April “The Goldstein” Goldstein, asking Santa for a Playbook shout-out.

OVERHEARD: Sarah Sendek, explaining her brother’s failed Uncle Eddy costume to his buddies when he was inside.

ALSO OVERHEARD: “You won’t bring jobs to unemployed Republicans? YOU’RE not the real Santa.”

So there you go!

some TEDTalks Videos

Pick "Player 7" or "Player 8" to bring up the video.


Just.Darn.Amazing.


If you can get past the wheezing and the comedy, some interesting thoughts on education and creativity.