tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189334372011-04-21T20:55:04.681-07:00leopoldnoreply@blogger.comBlogger101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1134957386859484722005-11-28T00:01:00.001-07:002005-12-18T18:58:27.656-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">This is the last of seven posts that will highlight a personal favorite Christmas film or television special. Today's post...<br /><br /><strong>Favorite Classic Christmas Film</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><em><span style="color:#333333;">The Bishop's Wife</span></em></strong> (1947) - I know what you're thinking: "What about <em>It's A Wonderful Life</em>?" While I appreciate the popularity of Frank Capra's Christmas classic, I find <em>The Bishop's Wife</em> to be a much more enjoyable holiday film. It's humorous, touching and romantic. And who can beat the combination of Cary Grant, the under-appreciated David Niven, and the ever-beautiful Loretta Young?</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113495738685948472?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1132777088544309752005-11-27T00:01:00.000-07:002005-12-18T14:58:17.586-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><em><span style="color:#333333;">A Christmas Story</span></em></strong> (1983) - ...and over and over, especially when it's on cable for 24 hours straight! And remember, be sure to drink your ovaltine!</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113277708854430975?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1132777054426544562005-11-26T00:01:00.000-07:002005-12-18T13:57:05.233-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><span style="color:#333333;"><em>Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas</em></span></strong> (1993) - If you enjoyed the film, I would recommend you visit Disneyland during the holiday season and try <em>The Nightmare Before Christmas</em> themed Haunted Mansion attraction. Much fun!</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113277705442654456?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1132777022544520872005-11-25T00:01:00.000-07:002005-12-18T15:24:50.766-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">From <strong><em>National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation</em></strong> (1989) - "...we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fuckin' Kaye!" - Clark Wilhelm Griswold, Jr. (Chevy Chase)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">In my adult life, there has never been a holiday season where this quote has never been frustratingly applicable.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113277702254452087?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1132776979944361742005-11-24T00:01:00.000-07:002005-12-18T13:50:26.833-07:00<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><em><span style="color:#333333;">The Santa Clause</span></em></strong> (1994) - Witty and hilarious!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113277697994436174?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1132691340587692192005-11-23T00:01:00.000-07:002005-12-18T13:55:43.253-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><em><span style="color:#333333;">A Charlie Brown Christmas</span></em></strong> (1965) & <strong><em><span style="color:#333333;">Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!</span></em></strong> (1966) - A tie between two classics!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Honorable Mention: </span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong><em><span style="color:#333333;">A Pinky and the Brain Christmas</span> </em></strong>(1995) - My favorite animated Christmas special with talking mice!</span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113269134058769219?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1133207461816500612005-11-22T00:01:00.001-07:002005-11-28T12:53:05.483-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">...for watching Christmas movies. This is the first of seven posts that will highlight a personal favorite Christmas film or television special. Today's post...<br /><br /><strong>Favorite Adaptation of Charles Dickens' <em>A Christmas Carol</em></strong><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#333333;">Scrooged</span></em></strong> (1988) - Even though the title and the names of the characters are different, this film still conveys the same emotions and lessons ... but with more humor.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113320746181650061?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1132205436166337272005-11-17T00:01:00.001-07:002005-11-17T18:27:24.446-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">One of my more recent hobbies has been collecting pennies, specifically the Lincoln Cent. This past summer, I discovered about 100 of these coins in my grandmother's farmhouse after she had moved into an assisted living facility. This small discovery spurred my interest in the one-cent piece. What I found were mostly Wheat Ear pennies, where the reverse side of the coin (the side opposite of Lincoln's image) shows two wheat stalks encompassing the words <em>One Cent</em> and <em>United States of America</em>. This version of the coin was first minted in 1909, marking the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Minting continued until 1959 when the current design showing the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse side began production. My current collection includes various dates and mint marks from 1920 through 1982, the last year the <em>mostly</em> copper penny was minted. The composition of the copper penny is actually 95% copper and 5% zinc with trace amounts of tin in certain years. Since 1982, however, the Lincoln Cent has been made up of nearly 98% zinc and only 2% copper.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113220543616633727?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1132004286542678942005-11-14T00:01:00.000-07:002005-11-15T12:26:39.593-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">One of my favorite pastimes is </span><span style="font-family:arial;">hiking with my wife. We frequent the Superstition Mountain Range, which is located approximately 40 miles east of Phoenix. Although farther away from the more centrally located trails, the fresher air and quieter setting make the extra drive time worthwhile. Unfortunately, m</span><span style="font-family:arial;">y knees aren't what they used to be, so hiking is oftentimes a challenge. But the time I spend with my wife away from the toils of the city is worth the pain.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113200428654267894?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18933437.post-1131931446889019602005-11-13T00:01:00.000-07:002005-11-15T12:33:33.513-07:00<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">As of this posting, I am 33 years old and married without children. I have been gainfully employed with the same Fortune 500 company for 6 years, but the details of my career are irrelevant other than to say that I work so my wife and I may live a comfortable existence. Ah, my wife ... Kathryn. She is a beautiful creature. I refuse to imagine my life without her.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18933437-113193144688901960?l=poppycock.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>leopoldnoreply@blogger.com