Big Bear du Jour!!

Xmastime: how long does it take to get from Cherry Bomb's school to home?
Big Bear: same as it does from home to her school.

🤗🤣🕺🇮🇪☘️

#dickymacks #dingle  

Now This Drives Me Fucking Crazy

Maybe I'm extra-sensitive because it just so happens I'm planning on being on Martha's Vineyard - or as I call it, "The Vineyard" - on June 20, but WHY set the release for this documentary about the making of Jaws, which they did on Martha's Vineyard - or as I call it, "The Vineyard", for July 10 instead of....June 20? I mean you've had 5 fucking years to plan this & in the end you're like "oh damn, just missed, whaddya gonna do 🤷‍♂️?"

Grrrr. 😡🦈 As me & Cherry Bomb said back in the day, I'm rooting for the shark!

OFAH du Jour - SPECIAL BIG BEAR EDITION!!! 🤗🕺

Moi Say Moi back in 2010:

The highest-level English class I took in college as an English major was Literary Criticism, in which the professor would constantly tie in how, say, The Mimetic Theory, could be applied to The Muppet Movie. It sounds silly 15 years later, but at the time it was always like "...is this guy retarded? what the...oh, shit, look at that. He's right." Bizzare. "How would Aristotle or Pope have interpreted this particular passage from Frankenstein? Okay, let's go to the tape: here's Fozzie and Kermit coming to a fork in the road while driving and..." 

I thought of that just now when I saw this:

and of course the first thing that popped into my head was, "Is it...the fungus 2 Chinese researchers are charged with smuggling into the US?"

Which of course reminded me of this all-time Xmastimc Classic from my godson Big Bear back in 2010:

(walking with Big Bear to pick Cherry Bomb up from school and trying to gauge if we could make it home before it started raining, or if I needed to call for a car service)

Xmastime: how long does it take to get from Cherry Bomb's school to home?
Big Bear: same as it does from home to her school.

Which brings us to our Only Fools and Horses du Jour, tying all of these disparate parts together as one, YOU'RE WELCOME VERY MUCH!! 

HAPPY BIRFDAY CHERRY BOMB!

One of my all-time favorite people ever!!!!! 🤗❤️. Every minute since she was born this kid lights up a room with her charisma; a truly great kid who also gave the world the question, "how did Op have such a chatty kid?"

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Viva la Cherry Bomb!!

HAPPY 19th BIRFDAY......

.....to my godson Big Bear!!! :) Here he is, age 3, trying to rip a tree out of the ground with one hand…AND HE DID IT, PEOPLE! HE REALLY DID IT!

I can not believe the kid's 16 17 18 19 already...I have way too many great memories, a billion of which are in the blog over the last 19 years, so I'll just post this moment from when he was born:

Minutes after he was born, his dad brought him out to meet us all. Then the two of them got on an elevator to go downstairs. For something, I have no idea what. There were maybe 10 of us, and we're all just kinda standing there watching them get on the elevator, and a few minutes later we're all still standing there, chatting or whatever, and the elevator door opens. And standing there is some kid, looks to be about 10 or 12. Everybody's just kinda standing there looking at him, and finally I say "Jesus christ...how the hell long have we been standing here?"

ZERO LAUGHS!!! My greatest line ever, no laughs. ZERO!!!!

Still bugs me to this day....here's a great Big Bear moment: 

Today was Big Bear's first day of first grade. He told me all they did all day was play, to which I replied "well, tomorrow they're gonna get serious about you learning stuff, you know", to wit:

Xmastime: They're gonna teach you how to read.
Big Bear: I already know how to read.
Xmastime: Oh. Well, they're gonna teach you how to write.
Big Bear: I already know how to write.
Xmastime: Oh. Well, they're gonna teach you math.
Big Bear: I already know math. 
Xmastime: Well. (long pause...) I guess there's no reason to go back, then.
Big Bear: Probably not.

Back in 2012 via HERE:

(walking with Big Bear to pick Cherry Bomb up from school and trying to gauge if we could make it home before it started raining, or if I needed to call for a car service)

Xmastime: how long does it take to get from Cherry Bomb's school to home?
Big Bear: same as it does from home to school.

BIG BEAR & CHERRY BOMB!!

It apparently sat behind the front desk in my building for a month but this years Xmas card from Mamalizza finally got here!! 🤗🕺❤️

HAPPY BIRFDAY MAMALIZZA!!

Some of my favorite days as a Manny were field trips with Mamalizza bringing Big Bear & Cherry Bomb. Our days at the Staten Island Children's Museum will always be one of my favorites of all time:

February 2008

May 2009

From a scrappy little bestseller (in 0 countries worldwide), WILLIAMSBURG RATS:

         It was a rare treat whenever Luke and Bobby’s mothers, Liza and Donna, were free for the day; we’d take the boys to the Bronx Zoo, or Staten Island Museum, wherever - our favorite was the aquarium at Prospect Park because they had the best cafeteria, which we always made sure was our first (and longest) stop. The Holy Grail was any time Liza and Donna would bring the boys over to Chuck’s house, which was really just a thinly veiled excuse for us to eat a large pizza from Carmine’s and gossip as much as possible before the kids melted down. They’d gripe about their husbands and thoughtfully pretend to marvel how could I possibly still be single, we’d all threaten to challenge each other to a week-long liquid cleanse diet, and then each of us would try to convince the other two it was ourselves who was having the least amount of sex, with the two of them being polite enough to include themselves in the “debate.”

        “Hiiiiiiii!” Liza, Donna and I sang in unison, hugging each other hello and laughing our way into the living room. We called ourselves JUGS, “Just Us Girls,” and if you ran into the three of us you’d almost think you were looking at Charlie’s Angels. Donna was the tall blonde who always looked like she’d just gotten back from the beach, Liza was the radiant Irish beauty who always looked like she was about to play the greatest April Fool’s joke ever on someone, and I was with them.

Here she is pregnant with Cherry Bomb, then with Big Bear and then with Cherry Bomb! 🤗

HAPPY BIRFDAY TO ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREATS!!! 🤗🕺

For You EGG FOO WHAT?! Fans

I mentioned the fantastic Staten Island Children's Museum on the latest episode, so here's the earlier posts about those great trips with Mamalizza, Big Bear, The Short Bus, Husky, Cherry Bomb & a very disgruntled Watty 🤣🤣.

February 2008

May 2009

VIVA LA STATEN ISLAND CHILDREN'S MUSEUM!! 

HAPPY 18TH BIRFDAY...

.....to my godson Big Bear!!! :) Here he is, age 3, trying to rip a tree out of the ground with one hand…AND HE DID IT, PEOPLE! HE REALLY DID IT!

I can not believe the kid's 16 17 18 already...I have way too many great memories, a billion of which are in the blog over the last 18 years, so I'll just post this moment from when he was born:

Minutes after he was born, his dad brought him out to meet us all. Then the two of them got on an elevator to go downstairs. For something, I have no idea what. There were maybe 10 of us, and we're all just kinda standing there watching them get on the elevator, and a few minutes later we're all still standing there, chatting or whatever, and the elevator door opens. And standing there is some kid, looks to be about 10 or 12. Everybody's just kinda standing there looking at him, and finally I say "Jesus christ...how the hell long have we been standing here?"

ZERO LAUGHS!!! My greatest line ever, no laughs. ZERO!!!!

Still bugs me to this day....here's a great Big Bear moment: 

Today was Big Bear's first day of first grade. He told me all they did all day was play, to which I replied "well, tomorrow they're gonna get serious about you learning stuff, you know", to wit:

Xmastime: They're gonna teach you how to read.
Big Bear: I already know how to read.
Xmastime: Oh. Well, they're gonna teach you how to write.
Big Bear: I already know how to write.
Xmastime: Oh. Well, they're gonna teach you math.
Big Bear: I already know math. 
Xmastime: Well. (long pause...) I guess there's no reason to go back, then.
Big Bear: Probably not.

Back in 2012 via HERE:

(walking with Big Bear to pick Cherry Bomb up from school and trying to gauge if we could make it home before it started raining, or if I needed to call for a car service)

Xmastime: how long does it take to get from Cherry Bomb's school to home?
Big Bear: same as it does from home to school.

15 Years Ago Today on Xmastime

He was much too young to remember of course, but one of my all-time favorite days is when I took my godson Luke to Build-a-Bear 🤗🕺❤️ 🥲:

For his second birthday, I got Big Bear a gift certificate to Build-a-Bear. Saturday being 3 weeks from his THIRD birthday, I figured it was time to go and, you know, let him finally get his present. So me, Mamalizza and Cherry Bomb headed with him into the big city to...READ MORE

The Other Bird

We all know about my signature #1 finger (which, btw, brought democracy to Iraq), be it an inspiration to Paddy Mac or Cherry Bomb or Big Bear or The Short Bus or...Nancy Grace...? Now I find out my influence has reached American Muslims in Boston. Once again, I remain humbled that the world is finally declaring me to be its leader. - XMASTIME, at some point through the ages

I was humbled a decade ago when I learned Mickey Mantle, my favorite baseball player of all time, once honored me with the #1 finger sign; today it is my honor to now see my favorite NBA player of all time do the same thing. No, gentlemen - thank YOU!

More Happy Birfday Mamalizza!!

My favorite days as a Manny were field trips with Mamalizza bringing Big Bear & Cherry Bomb. Our days at the Staten Island Children's Museum will always be one of my favorites of all time:

February 2008

May 2009

From a scrappy little bestseller (in 0 countries worldwide), WILLIAMSBURG RATS:

         It was a rare treat whenever Luke and Bobby’s mothers, Liza and Donna, were free for the day; we’d take the boys to the Bronx Zoo, or Staten Island Museum, wherever - our favorite was the aquarium at Prospect Park because they had the best cafeteria, which we always made sure was our first (and longest) stop. The Holy Grail was any time Liza and Donna would bring the boys over to Chuck’s house, which was really just a thinly veiled excuse for us to eat a large pizza from Carmine’s and gossip as much as possible before the kids melted down. They’d gripe about their husbands and thoughtfully pretend to marvel how could I possibly still be single, we’d all threaten to challenge each other to a week-long liquid cleanse diet, and then each of us would try to convince the other two it was ourselves who was having the least amount of sex, with the two of them being polite enough to include themselves in the “debate.”

        “Hiiiiiiii!” Liza, Donna and I sang in unison, hugging each other hello and laughing our way into the living room. We called ourselves JUGS, “Just Us Girls,” and if you ran into the three of us you’d almost think you were looking at Charlie’s Angels. Donna was the tall blonde who always looked like she’d just gotten back from the beach, Liza was the radiant Irish beauty who always looked like she was about to play the greatest April Fool’s joke ever on someone, and I was with them.

Here she is pregnant with Cherry Bomb, then with Big Bear and then with Cherry Bomb! 🤗

Happy Birfday Mamalizza!!

One of my all-time favorite people who is the mother of two more of my all-time favorite people! 😜🤣

Here she is at just another Manny Movie Day with Big Bear, Cherry Bomb & The Short Bus. 🤣

Here she is inventing the ever-popular "raise the roof!" move:

I'm sure I'll post about her birthday a few more times throughout the day, but here's the latest she sent me a few weeks ago, captioning an old picture she found with me and one of her nephews circa 2009ish:

“First of all Rats, you never let on how much you like a girl. "Oh, Debbie. Hi." Two, you always call the shots. "Kiss me. You won't regret it." Now three, act like wherever you are, that's the place to be. "Isn't this great?" Four, when ordering food, you find out what she wants, then order for the both of you. It's a classy move. "Now, the lady will have the linguini and white clam sauce, and a Coke with no ice." And five, now this is the most important, Rats. When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV.”

HAPPY BIRFDAY CHERRY BOMB!

One of my all-time favorite people ever 🤗❤️. I've posted stuff with her a million times before I left Brooklyn (including the day she was born) and far too rarely since 😢, but every minute since she was born that kid lights up a room with her charisma. A great kid who also gave the world the question, "how did Op have such a chatty kid?" 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Viva la Cherry Bomb!!

PS - the pic on the bottom left is the last one I ever took living in Brooklyn.

HAPPY 17TH BIRFDAY...

......to my godson Big Bear!!! :) Here he is, age 3, trying to rip a tree out of the ground with one hand…AND HE DID IT, PEOPLE! HE REALLY DID IT!

I can not believe the kid's 16 17 already...I have way too many great memories, so I'll just post this moment from when he was born:

Minutes after he was born, his dad brought him out to meet us all. Then the two of them got on an elevator to go downstairs. For something, I have no idea what. There were maybe 10 of us, and we're all just kinda standing there watching them get on the elevator, and about 2 minutes later we're all still standing there, chatting or whatever, and the elevator door opens. And standing there is some kid, looks to be about 10 or 12. Everybody's just kinda standing there looking at him, and finally I say "Jesus christ...how the fuck long have we been standing here?"

ZERO LAUGHS!!! My greatest line ever, nuthin. ZERO!!!!

Still bugs me to this day....here's a great Big Bear moment: 

Today was Big Bear's first day of first grade. He told me all they did all day was play, to which I replied "well, tomorrow they're gonna get serious about you learning stuff, you know", to wit:

Xmastime: They're gonna teach you how to read.
Big Bear: I already know how to read.
Xmastime: Oh. Well, they're gonna teach you how to write.
Big Bear: I already know how to write.
Xmastime: Oh. Well, they're gonna teach you math.
Big Bear: I already know math. 
Xmastime: Well. (long pause...) I guess there's no reason to go back, then.
Big Bear: Probably not.

Back in 2012 via HERE:

(walking with Big Bear to pick Cherry Bomb up from school and trying to gauge if we could make it home before it started raining, or if I needed to call for a car service)

Xmastime: how long does it take to get from Cherry Bomb's school to home?
Big Bear: same as it does from home to school.

Happy Worlds Colliding!

Back in 2012 via HERE:

(walking with Big Bear to pick Cherry Bomb up from school and trying to gauge if we could make it home before it started raining, or if I needed to call for a car service)

Xmastime: how long does it take to get from Cherry Bomb's school to home?
Big Bear: same as it does from home to school.

Via Dick Mack's Instagram just now 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 

Xmastime 10 Years Ago Today

The Unintentional Comedy of Kids

Big Bear holds up three popsicle sticks to Cherry Bomb.

"How many popsicle sticks am I holding?"
"Ummm...2?"
"No"

"1?"

"No."

"1?"

"No."

"1?"

"No."

"1?"

"No."

"1?"

"No."

"1?"

"No."

Long pause.  "She's figured it out," I think.

"1?"

"No."

HAPPY BIRFDAY....

...to one of my all-time favorites, CHERRY BOMB! :) 🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂

Cherry Bomb has just about had it with your bullshit!

Patiently explains Alvin & the Chipmunks to me. "No, in real life chipmunks can't really talk."

"Yo! 1994 called, it wants its...wait, 1994? That was a real year? Are you making that up?"

"Welcome to Bob's Big Boy!"

Irish du Jour

 

Reminds me of Big Bear! :)

(walking with Big Bear to pick Cherry Bomb up from school and trying to gauge if we could make it home before it started raining, or if I needed to call for a car service)
Xmastime: how long does it take to get from Cherry Bomb's school to home?
Big Bear: same as it does from home to her school.

25,000th Post

This is my 25,000th post. 25,000!!!!!! Since November 2005, I've been pounding away (heh heh heh, still got it!) here, day after day after day after day. Nobody asked for it. Nobody wanted it. But I've persisted. And I'll continue to do so. I may not get to 50K quite so fast - I had a LOT of free time for some years - but I will get there.

Over the years there's been some recurring "characters" you can do a search for, such as:

Op, Watty, Kdawggy, Mamalizza, Fashion Herald, Marley (grrrrr! Marley!), Rrthur (YES, ladies, THAT Rrthur), Sistatime!, Brothatime!!, illWill, Favorite Playah, Marah, Craig “Ironhead” Heyward from those soap commercials (RIP), Theodore, Big Bear, The Short Bus, Husky, Cherry Bomb, Josie, Paddy Mac and many, many more...I'm sure I'm forgetting some folks (be on the lookout for an updated XMASTIME HALL OF FAME in the next few days) so I'll just stop now and say thank you for peeking in here every once in a while.

It's been a blast, and I'm looking forward to the next 25k posts! :)