(At the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney...)
Did ya ever notice... the design differences between people who put up multi-colored lights and those who use only white lights? There's definitely a whole different design ethic between the two. It also seems to be some sort of "class" distinction, but that's not really the right word.
The white light people seem (mostly) to be the 9-5'ers who work in an office. They place lights in their bushes and have icicle lights along the roof. Maybe there are some little deer on the lawn, grazing by a spiral christmas tree or two.
The colored light people seem to be the blue-collar families. They like to light the house in general, the roof, the windows, the steps and porch. They might even a wrap a string or two around a lamp post or fence by the driveway.
What's weird though, is that it isn't a money thing -- these days a mechanic or contractor can easily be pulling in more than a white collar manager. I don't know -- it's just a strange thing.

And what is it with people who just outline their windows with lights? No lights in the bushes or trees, no "icicle" strings along the roof line -- just two sets of lights around each of the two main windows. Kind of makes me think of Velma. Split level houses are especially likely to be done this way.

Which brings us to the exact opposite -- the "Winter Wonderlands." It seems that most every town has at least one or two Winter Wonderlands. There seems to be no rhyme or reason. Any neighborhood could have one, but there never seems to be more than one in an area. (Maybe the power grid can't take it?) And they're usually gracious in their intent: they often invite people to walk around the yard goggling at their wonderous displays of blazing seasonal esprit -- creating, just for a few minutes -- an escape into the old-fashioned neighborhood Christmas spirit, when groups of neighbors and friends would gather to go caroling on a cold December night, keeping warm only with several layers of itchy sweaters and the fortification of Hot Toddies.

Now I've jumped on the Blog bandwagon. After the word "Blog" became the most looked-up word in 2004 on the Merriam-Webster's dictionary site, and having read some other interesting Blogs, I decided I might as well stick my thumb out and jump on board Blog wagon, too. (As a side note: I fully realize that most Blogs -- probably even this one -- are inane and of interest only to their owners. So I hereby rename the Blog wagon: "Two Tons of Fertilizer In A One Ton Truck.")
As of now, I figure mine will mostly be movie and book reviews/ratings to expand on those listed on my main page, but I'm sure I'll slip some social, political, technology or news-related opinions and diatribes in here. Probably some personal happenings as well.
Speaking of other Blogs, here are two that I read often.One is written by my best friend lo-these-past-twenty years. He's known as "Punkass Biker." The other Blog I read often is James Lileks'. He's a journalist by trade, writing for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. I've never met him, but his blog -- called "The Bleat" is amazing. Actually his whole site is really good-- especially the "Gallery of Regrettable Food" -- a wonderful, nostalgic trip through the cookbooks your mother and grandmother probably used in the 40's and 50's.