Posts Tagged ‘Holidays’

…On the Other Hand, We All Need a Major Time-Out

November 29, 2011

The holiday shopping season (as distinct from the shopping-less “holiday season,” which is about stupid things like “family”) has two faces. One is the wacky, Schwarzenegger-punching-a-reindeer side:

And then there’s this:

Across the country last Friday, competitive shoppers of all stripes braved cold, sleep deprivation, and any sense of personal pride to bust down the doors of big box commerce. In this case “bust down” can be used literally, as Friday was BLACK Friday: the one day a year where doors are obstacles, shopping carts weapons, and your only allegiance to an Old Testament, dual-core processor God. It’s a fun party!

…That is until an older man dies of a heart attack and a crazy lady pepper-sprays 20 people in the face. At most parties you dread the moment the cops arrive, but on Black Friday you keep asking when they’ll show up. You’re down on Wall Street and on college campuses roughing up peaceful activists? We could REALLY USE YOU IN ALL THE WAL-MARTS.

Keep reading!

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in "News", Absurd But True, Gripes & Tirades | Leave a Comment »

The Greatest Generation Loved Buying Sh*t, Too

November 25, 2011

BLACK FRIDAY BLACK FRIDAY BLACK FRIDAY means it is now officially Christmas Time (or Hanukkah Time, or…) marking not only the true start of the holiday shopping season but, for a certain part of the population, the green light for an equally affirming activity: grumbling about our 24/7 consumer culture. After all, the only thing comfortably-living people like more than Criterion Collection Blu-rays is talking about how disgusted they are with buying Criterion Collection Blu-rays! Raise your hand if in the past two weeks you’ve heard:

  • “Christmas decorations already? It’s not even Thanksgiving!”
  • “I find it sad that we value brand names over quality. Does anyone even like the sweaters at Abercrombie & Fitch?”
  • “I don’t want anything for the holidays this year, not when kids in Botswana are murdering each other.”

Extravagant purchases – self-awareness + reusable grocery bags + Twitter. WELCOME TO THE 99%, Y’ALL!

Keep reading!

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Gripes & Tirades | 1 Comment »

(Candy) Explosions in the Sky

July 27, 2009

This is just awesome:

Right? Of course it would have been infinitely more appropriate to post this three weeks ago (when the fireworks were still firing), but Flood Immunity means I can operate outside your traditional timetable. And isn’t this animation sweet REGARDLESS of holiday affiliation? Acquitted of all charges.

The guy who made this, PES, might not sound familiar to you… but you’ve definitely seen his work. He’s promoted Coinstar and Bacardi, among other well-known brands, and his distinctive visual style is really something to behold. Check out his website and ponder your own lost artistic dreams.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

A Bright New Future

April 1, 2009

Notice anything… different?

tamagotchi_2Here at Lifting Fog, we pride ourselves on reinvention and the idea that life is an ever-changing tapestry, always sending us in directions wide and exciting. Young, liberal, and filled with unbridled hope for the future enthusiasm, DJ Steve and I embrace change on an almost daily basis. New clothes. New ideas (have you read Nietzsche? Like, really read him?). If you didn’t know better, you’d think we’re schizophrenic! We’re not!

But this change that we’ve sprinkled so lovingly on all facets of our lives has so far not extended into Lifting Fog. Afraid of revealing about ourselves those things new and potentially alienating, we’ve hidden our FORM under blankets of gray and light blue (depression much?)… restricted our CONTENT in straitjackets of snark and “humor.” That is, until now. Meet the new, real us!

UPDATE: April Fool’s! Remember the good times we had today here and here. Memories…

Let us know what you think in the comments below and remember – you are beautiful creatures, all of you. Spread your love!

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Junk Drawer | 9 Comments »

“All Y’all Seen The Leprechaun, Say ‘Yeah!'”

March 16, 2009

… I mean, we couldn’t NOT post it.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Yes, we’re a wee bit early, but any holiday that endorses public drunkenness or turns a Bennigan’s upside-down can never get enough of a head-start. Two days even seems conservative, given the time it takes revelers – and the sanitation workers cleaning up their vomit – to recover. But that’s tomorrow.

Today, you’ve got nothing but prep time. Why not spend it learning about the exciting origins of St. Patrick’s Day? Making Irish potatoes and reading Ulysses? … Signing up for a massive NYC Pub Crawl tomorrow night? (Do that one.) We at Lifting Fog throw all of our Irish for a day support behind this sacred celebration and wish everyone a safe and happy day. Or half a week.

Erin Go Bragh! Whatever it means!

Tags:, ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Happy Lent, Sinners!

February 25, 2009

normal_4x09-cap521Today is Ash Wednesday, and everybody who’s anybody is repenting like crazy for their transgressions against God and man. (I’m sorry for stealing your inhaler, Keith!) Today also marks the first day of Lent, identified by Wikipedia as the “forty-day (not counting Sundays) liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter.” No, Sister Aloysius, I didn’t know what Lent was. Call out my lack of Christian knowledge if you want, but remember that God alone holds the power to judge. That I steal neighbors’ newspapers and dogs or severely overuse the word “retard” should be none of your concern, only His. HE will judge me.

… Actually, that’s a lot worse.

…………

Eager to hop on any religious, social, or political endeavor that might nudge us even a little way up from Hell, DJ Steve and I have decided this year to embrace the repentant spirit and give up something for Lent. It’s supposed to be something you shouldn’t be doing in the first place, right? Something fun and potentially harmful to others? After thinking long and hard that’s what she said about what to give up, we both finally came to the obvious answer: Lifting Fog.

That’s right, DJ Steve and I will be giving up blogging for the next forty days. In the meantime, read a book or adopt a kid or something. See you at Easter!

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Junk Drawer | 3 Comments »

Alone Today? Look On The Bright Side…

February 14, 2009

… You’re not this guy.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

(Be sure to catch more of Sexman’s antics on his very own YouTube channel. This kid’s the real deal.)

Tags:, ,
Posted in Junk Drawer | 5 Comments »

Punxsutawney Phil Does Nothing to Allay Recession Woes

February 2, 2009

The bad news (as always, preceded by some unoffensive good news) 20 seconds from the end:

So against a backdrop of ongoing economic crisis and the harsh realization that yes, Slumdog Millionaire will win Best Picture, we also have to contend with six more weeks of winter. Thanks, Phil! Today’s 52 degree heat in New York (Editor’s note: DJ Steve, shut up about California) does raise questions about the groundhog’s weather forecasting abilities, but if Groundhog.org’s FAQs are to be taken seriously, the impact of Phil’s prognostication will be felt soon enough.

“You want a prediction about the weather, you’re asking the wrong Phil. I’ll give you a winter prediction: It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be grey, and it’s gonna last you for the rest of your life. ” – Phil Connors, Groundhog Day

Optimism!

Tags:, ,
Posted in "News" | 3 Comments »

Red, Green, Blue, and Silver

December 8, 2008

The holiday season is finally, forcefully upon us and so as to not piss anyone off demonstrate our commitment to multi-faith fun, Lifting Fog is going all Chrismukkah on your ass! We spent all Sunday afternoon nosing around the attic for decorations. After stumbling on Dad’s old Playboys and a duffel full of acid-washed jeans, we finally found the family menorah (our mother’s side) and plastic Christmas wreath (our father’s). I think they add a lot of cheer to the banner, don’t you? And not to be outdone by your coffee cup, we’ve dressed the whole site in Starbucks red. (Red)iculous! Check your RSS feeds for more Lifting Fog holiday action as we close in on the end of December. We’ve got plenty of- No way.

… Is that snow?

This is going to be the best Chrismukkah ever!

url

Glad Tidings #1: Hanukkah’s colors are blue and silver, not blue and gold. Oy gevalt.

Glad Tidings #2: We thought we’d kick off the gift-giving a little early by adding two new links to our sidebar favorites. The first you’ve definitely heard of – everyone’s favorite compendium of cracker culture, Stuff White People Like. Despite lots of press and a recently published book, SWPL is still hilariously dead-on. We DO love peacoats! The next site is a recent obsession of Henning’s, Videogum. Offering commentary on everything from the latest eyebrow-raising Gossip Girl episode to the Juno backlash, it’s like a much tighter version of Lifting Fog. I mean keep reading us.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Bildungsroman | 2 Comments »

Happy 75th Birthday, 21st Amendment!

December 5, 2008

147576_mainThis afternoon, Lifting Fog breaks up our usual rotation of soap opera recaps and iPhone fan fiction to soberly quietly reflect on an important day in American history. Today, the 5th of December 2008, marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition in the United States. Mormon? National prohibition, as mandated by the 18th Amendment, rendered the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol (even wine spritzers) totally illegal for 13 years. Part of that during the Great Depression. Arguably the least Spring Break-hospitable time in our nation’s history, Prohibition also gave rise to Chicago gangsters like Al Capone and most of singer-songwriter Usher’s wardrobe. Truly awful years.

More sudsy truth-telling after the jump!

Tags:, ,
Posted in "News" | 1 Comment »