You might as well try to convince a Raiders fan to root for the Chargers.
It’s just not gonna happen.

However, with the release of Mitt Romney‘s tax return and the hubbub perpetuated by talking heads reading from teleprompters I’d like to offer this thought.

I’d rather have a rich President than a poor one.

Think about it.

Do you want someone in the White House running America who can’t handle his own personal finances wisely? Or someone business savvy and fiscally responsible who’s individually wealthy and can apply the same principles to our sensitive economy?

I don’t know if I’ll vote for Mitt Romney and I’m not sure if I agree with his stance on every issue, but I do know I’d rather have a filthy rich President than one with empty pockets and money troubles.

What are you looking for in the next President of the United States?

I hope you and your family had a Merry Christmas!!

Why do you have your particular handle?
Do you use your real name or a moniker?

I’ve been using @ThatGuyKC for over 12,000 tweets and I really like it.

Lately though, I’ve been wondering if there isn’t a strong case for switching to my real name. Something like @kcprocter or a variation.

As I think about my personal brand, this blog and Some Wise Guy, I want to be intentional about how I’m presenting myself.

What do you think of “ThatGuyKC”?
Do you have a strategy or goal behind your Twitter handle? 

That being said, the fun really got started when we began the white elephant gift exchange.

courtesy of Desert Living Today

I think there were about 20 people there and we all stood in circle with a present in hand while the hostess read a story. The rules were simple.

Every time the word “right” or “left” was said in the story you had to pass the gift right or left.

The intention (I believe) is for everyone to end up with the same present they started with, but there were so many rights and lefts that we got mixed up.

Anyway, the first present opened was a fifth of Mad Dog 20/20. That pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the gifts.

By the time we got around to my turn someone had already claimed the award for “Most Awkward Present”. One of the teacher’s brought her new boyfriend to the party and he opened a pair of purple lace panties in a large blue Tiffany’s box.

Yeah, awkward.

While I was relishing my luck of avoiding that particular present the feeling was not enjoyed for long. After LK had opened a cute little snowman measuring spoon set I began opening my giftbag with high hopes.

If I’d only known what was about to happen…

As I removed the item from the bag the cheerful smile on my face quickly faded to horror as my head fell in shame.

I was the lucky recipient of a naughty elf thong for men.

Yes, it was every bit as awkwardly hilarious as you can imagine.
No, there will not be pictures of any kind.

What is the worst gift you’ve given/received during a white elephant exchange?

BOOM!

Sorry, that idiot just got struck by lightning.
You do not mess with Jimmy Stewart.

I’m generally averse to the cheesy holiday flicks and corny Hallmark films, but in recent years there have been some solid additions to the Christmas movie hall-of-fame.

My personal contemporary favorite?
Elf. No contest.

courtesy of Jon Favreau

However, White Christmas with Bing Crosby will always have a special place in my heart.

What is your favorite old school Christmas classic?
What newer movie has become a family fav? 

I hope you enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Little Drummer Boy by Sean Quigley

My Favourite Time of Year by Florin Street

What is your favorite Christmas song?
What holiday song has been over done? 

• MP3 player
• Xbox/Playstation/Wii
• Smartphones
• DVDs
• even Lego‘s have gotten cooler

There is one invention though that rises above them all:

The leaf blower

any tool named "vortex" is awesome by default

This little beauty would’ve made outdoor chores so much easier.

• Gotta sweep the driveway? WHOOSH! Done.
• Have to clean off the roof? WHOOSH! Done.
• Leaves filling up the yard? WHOOSH! Done.

Now, I understand that leaf blowers probably existed when I was a kid, but my parents deprived me so that I could “build character” or some other useless life lesson.

It was torture.

Actually, I’m glad my parents didn’t make chores easy because it helped teach me the value of hard work. It probably felt like an eternity at the time, but raking leaves or cleaning the garage together for a few hours was great for reflection and appreciating how hard my parents worked to provide for us.

Maybe I learned a little something after all.

What invention/technology do you use now that you wish you had as a kid?
What is your least favorite chore? 

1. Slow down time, or
2. Speed it up whenever you wanted?

I think it would be pretty cool to be able to speed up time.

Got a boring meeting? WHOOSH! Over.
Waiting in line at the DMV? ZOOM! Your number is called.
Server still hasn’t brought your check? SNAP! You’re signing your name.
Baby won’t stop crying at 2am? BLIP! The coffee pot dings for breakfast.

Of course there is that tendency to overdo it and suffer the same fate as Adam Sandler‘s character in the movie Click! and miss your family’s whole life.

On the other hand, the ability to slow down time is a sweet gig.

Waited until the last minute to do Christmas shopping? CLAP! Stores are always open “late”.
Forgot to prepare for major presentation? BLINK! Minutes become hours to nail the details.
Left your wallet at home and can’t be late to work (again)? BOOM! Grab some coffee too.
Rush hour traffic risking your dinner reservations? ZAP! Feel free to drive on the shoulder.

While I would relish the chance to slow down time, I know myself well enough to guess that the time I spent in “regular speed” wouldn’t necessarily be used any wiser.

How are you using your time?
Would you rather have the ability to speed up or slow down time? 

I want something minimal that removes distractions and gets out of the way of writing.
(Sidebar: WordPress.com does get props for it’s spiffy full-screen drafting feature)

There has been a lot of buzz and support for iA Writer lately and I’ve had the free version of Ommwriter for awhile. Before I go plunking down some cold hard cash I wanted to ask you.

Do you use a dedicated writing app?
What do you recommend?

UPDATE: At Moe’s recommendation I have taken the plunge and am now a kool-aid drinking iA Writer user.

Given my family background and general health I expect to hit about 80. An additional 50 years beyond that would be 130. While I think it would be cool to be the oldest living West Coast Ninja, who’s to say what condition my body or mental faculties would be in.

I’d definitely take the $50 million. Our family is on the Dave Ramsey plan and current trying to be gazelle intense about paying off debt (wife and I both have 2 jobs). 50 super-sized greenbacks would set the Procter family up for generations.

Also, I can think of so many incredible things that kind of cash could accomplish that I could never do with another 50 years.

I’m going to use World Vision as a non-profit organization through which to channel funds.

With $50,000,000 you can buy one of the following:

• 4,000,000 chickens
• 666,667 goats
• 8,333,333 ducks
• 3,125,000 rabbits
• 476,190 sheep
• 222,222 donkeys

I think you’d need to hire Noah as a consultant to build an ark.

Or if you have a passion for people you could buy:

• Education for 1,562,500 kids
• Bicycles for 588,235 girls
• Safety for 1,000,000 formerly exploited children
• 2,272,727 backpacks fill w/ school supplies
• 2,777,777 Bibles
• 3,125,000 soccer balls
• 2,272 schools

But you know what? I don’t have $50 million and neither do you (I’m assuming).
And you know what else? We don’t need that much money to make a difference.

This Christmas season would you join me and make a difference in the life of someone in need? World Vision has a gift-giving catalog and even if all you can afford is $10, you can help change the world.

Merry Christmas,
-KC