A Christmas Message from Dupree

Cousin Bob is taking the day off, but has authorized me to lay down the pliers, set aside the blow torch, and shout out "Merry Christmas" to both troll and non-troll alike -- for today, as much as I hate to admit it, we are all "brothers under the pelt."

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bob for taking me in after Katrina and providing me with those three precious things that make anyone's life meaningful: something to do, something to look forward to, and someone to mock. It would have been nice for all concerned if there had been a fourth thing -- I am referring, of course, to the murphy bed in the garage -- but we'll let that go.

As you know, Bob is generally creeped out by praise (he undoubtedly likes to believe this makes him "transcendent" when it really just makes him neurotic, IMO). However, it means a great deal to him that those for whom the blog is intended enjoy it, and I can see that he is always deeply touched to hear from readers who testify to the, er... what the hell, it's Christmas -- the wondrous benefits of joining El Maestro in his daily verticalisthenics and mental gymgnostics. In fact, he says it keeps him going, as he feels a certain responsibility to not let them down. He has no interest in being well known, but he would definitely like to reach that tiny but underserved audience of Cosmic Raccoons scattered around the globe ever since our great diaspora after the Atlantis fiasco. Kind of puts Katrina in perspective, don't it?

Anyway, I don't know what the next year will bring me -- the vagaries of interstate extradition laws being what they are -- but I hope yours is filled with light, love, and especially slack. Because let's face it, without slack, you can't have much of a spiritual life, and one thing all of our adversaries share -- both domestic and foreign -- is a desire to diminish or destroy our sacred slack.