Scattershooting / The Tale Of The Shirt Tail

Twas the twelve days before Christmas,
and all through the site,
Case begins more Scattershooting,
at least at this write....

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Sometimes, I wonder about the makers of shirts. You get a casual or dress-up shirt and, once it's tried on, it has to fit. As a big guy, I have to have a Double XL shirt if I'm going to get around in it. The thing is, different brands have different makers, and they tend to do different things. One shirt I had on today fit in every spot (the neck, the arms, the shoulders) just fine, but was a bit short in the tail. Now, folks, if that's a XXL, then why couldn't they make the tail longer? Don't these people know that we're big guys? Oh, I've grown out, but I still have to have the shirt length go below the hips. Sometimes, I'll get a shirt as a gift from another family member, and they'd better have kept the receipt in case I need to make an exchange.

You can't forget the tail in a XXL-sized shirt, or any shirt, for that matter. It has to have breathing space up front, since losing a little weight has become, say, problematic for this poster, but that danged shirt tail has to come down below the waist so that it doesn't pop out of my pants when I rise up from a chair.

Really, now. Do I need to go in and give the shirt-makers a few lessons in tail-stretching? While I'm no textile expert or fashion buff, somebody's got to stand up and blow the proverbial whistle.

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I've already gotten a third of my Christmas shopping done. There will be more to come. As for you out there, hopefully, you didn't wait too long. Take advantage of some savings out at these stores. You might run into a serious discount like the one I ran into at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. A new stove top pot. 39 dollars. T'ain't bad.

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December 7 has already passed, and we need to take time to remember those who have served our nation in times of battle. Here's a link where one survivor, who has told many a story about a fateful day in 1941, had just breathed his last breath. Good, long life, too, as one of those in the Greatest Generation.

Take a look: Pearl Harbor survivor, greeter at memorial dies at age 99 | Fox News

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A little horsing around now in a Dutch restaurant, and I'm not playing games here. And you don't ride, either. Cooks are coming up with new things all the time, but they had to go to the stable with this one:

Dutch restaurant serves up

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Band concerts are taking place at high schools across America, as the music of Christmas permeates many auditoriums. It's been a pretty good first year at Frisco's (Texas) Lebanon Trail High School. Already, so much has been accomplished in a very short time, and all they have are freshmen. Out of some 110 students, they had twenty-four of them selected to the All-Region Band in Region 24 Texas UIL.

What will be interesting is to see how much further the kids will develop. Unbelievable things are happening there. More on the made-from-scratch Trail Blazers to come.

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My bosses at work will not approve my vacation until the first of the year arrives. That's understandable. I am confident that they will take care of this when the calendar does change. Plans for me to go to Corpus Christi are still on for February. When I hear some news, you will find out right here.

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Did jolly Old Saint Nick decide to leave an empty chair at your neighborhood mall? Maybe he wants a Starbucks latte. Or he might want to shoot pool with the guys. One has to wonder where he'll be next:

9 wacky ways to see Santa Claus this year | Fox News

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Life lesson: The stupidest question you could ask is the one that doesn't get asked.

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Could this year's NFC Championship NFL game feature the Dallas Cowboys for the first time in about two decades? I say it's a definite possibility. I'm not all that worried about the New York Giants trying to disrupt the process, but the road to the Super Bowl will go through Seattle. Dallas is very close to getting home-field advantage throughout, but let's just see what transpires this next weekend. We'd already be talking about such had they won on Sunday.

I may be a Houston Texans fan, but I haven't given up completely on the Cowboys. You have to know that I grew up with the Cowboys, seeing those great teams and great players. No one can ever forget Tom Landry and the giant that he was in NFL circles. Just because there's a chap named Jerry in the big house now, that doesn't necessarily mean I can't root for Dallas when the team has a legitimate chance at Super Bowl contention. This year is their best chance since the Troy and Emmitt days. The wait's been too long.

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Speaking of the Super Bowl, Houston is getting ready for the big week. They did an outstanding job of hosting in 2004, and I predict they'll pull it off again. Downtown hotels and the George R Brown Convention Center are going to be packed with guests, and there will be much going on for Super Bowl week.

Houston Super Bowl Host Committee

And those dressing up the downtown environs had quite a bit more to do this time around.

How Houston will look different during the Super Bowl - Houston Chronicle

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Talk about a beautiful big baby! Here's a long-necked birthing at a local zoo somewhere.

Blank Park Zoo welcomes very tall new baby

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Christmas is also a time for parties and social gatherings. Feel all alone sometimes? Heck, join in the conversation. Don't be bashful. Here's a look at some ways to break the ice without you turning red.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/s...ard/ss-AAluHrZ

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We remember the baby in the manger. The star in the shining night sky. The reason for the season. Sometimes, we just need to pause and reflect on the year that was, but never forget the reason for not only Christmas, but for life in general. Jesus is alive! And we have every reason to celebrate.

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Have yourself a merry little Christmas. May your yuletide season bring much joy to you and yours, along with a very prosperous New Year!

And there you are.