A Hot Cup of Holidays - 2013 Edition

Ahhh, the Christmas season is right around the corner. And rather than frantically shopping last minute, I (mostly) will be doing my shopping online. You should, too, since there are plenty of great things out there that you can conveniently get right from your couch. Or desktop. Or dog. Wherever you put your computer when you're using it.

-Tribut Apparel is a solid choice for both guys and girls that need a little upgrading to their wardrobe. And with pricing between $19-$89, the music-meets-fashion tees and, hoodies and accessories are affordable, too. Check out their Fall 2013 Collection here.

This shirt looks as good as Jimi's guitar sounds.

-Nordstrom has a lot of clothing and accessories for the holiday season, but my favorite is from ShoesThatFit.org. For $10, you get a little tag, but the real gift is in giving: the $10 goes toward a pair of New Balance shoes for kids in need.

-Rachel Hofstetter's book "Cooking Up a Business: Lessons from Food Lovers Who Turned Their Passion into a Career -- and How You Can, Too" may be a mouthful to say, but it's a great read for those friends of yours interested in pursuing their own business. And after all, shouldn't you be doing what you love?

-Henry Bushkin's "Johnny Carson" gives an in-depth look (Bushkin was Carson's lawyer) at who many consider the greatest host in late night history. And it's often dark and a little grim. Carson is such a likable and kind person on-camera that it's a little disorienting to see him portrayed as a loner offscreen. But it's certainly an entertaining read.

-I've always looked forward to Matthew Berry's articles on ESPN.com. The man doles out mostly good fantasy advice, but his stories before he gets into the nitty gritty are what keeps me coming back. He's tackled everything from his own personal struggles with bullying to his experience on The Howard Stern Show. In "Fantasy Life: The Outrageous, Uplifting, and Heartbreaking World of Fantasy Sports from the Guy Who's Lived It," he does repeat some of those stories, but there's plenty of new material in here, and lots of good family-friendly messages.  

In related news, there's about a 100 percent chance my fantasy season is ending today in heartbreak.

-Even here in Austin, it gets cold during the winter months. Mujjo's Double-Layered Touchscreen Gloves keep your fingers warm while allowing you to still do things that require regular fingers, like, for instance, handling a touchscreen. Since we're all on our phones 24/7 anyway, it works well.

-Cards Against Humanity has been around for a couple of years, but it's still quite fantastic. It's everything I enjoy about Apples to Apples, except it's actually fun and provides for some of the most ridiculous answers I've ever heard. If you haven't played this "party game for horrible people," you essentially fill in the blank of one card with another card in your hand, and the funniest pairing wins. Very simple, often lowbrow, always hilarious. I also give bonus points to the company for raising their prices on Black Friday.

-For the (healthier) foodie, this sampler from Dry Creek Olive Co. offers a variety of options that gourmands will love. Plus olive oil is really good for you, so that's a nice little bonus. 

-One acre of Mars apparently costs about $30. That's not too shabby for a place that may someday be our home.

-What would a gift guide be without some shameless self-promotion? My album Pedestrian at Best is the perfect way to stay warm, because tapping your toes and bobbing your head keeps the blood pumping. It's science.

I scoff at dangerous intersections.

*Note: I received a few of these products to review free of charge (especially my own CD). I wouldn't include them in here if I didn't like 'em!

Key & Peele Update the East West Bowl Game for 2013

You may recall the premise of the East/West College Bowl, which made its first appearance last year as a skit from Comedy Central's Key & Peele. The names are silly, the personas are ridiculous, and they're back at it again this year. Highlights (for me, at least) included the "Online Classes" degree of Wingdings, and Harvard University. Also, I'm just glad they got "The U" correct this year, after foolishly saying "University of Miami" last year. Way to go, fellas.

NFL Predictions!

Nothing beats the NFL season–particularly fantasy football and making predictions. The two go together like honey and peanut butter, fingers and toes, and…well, other things that kind of go together pretty decently. We’re gonna go by division and then give a little summary of each. Le’ggo!

NFC West 
1. 49ers 12-4 
2. Seahawks 11-5 
3. Rams 8-8 
4. Cardinals 6-10

This might be the strongest division of ‘em all. The Niners and Seahawks should return to the playoffs, bolstered by their fantastic defenses and solid second-year QBs, and the Rams can certainly contend for that last wild card spot. The Cardinals still have some work to do, but I can’t imagine their offensive line being worse than last year. That team had more holes than a swiss cheese party.

NFC North 
1. Packers 11-5 
2. Bears 10-6 
3. Lions 7-9 
4. Vikings 5-11 

I’m hoping Da Bears can pull something magical and upend the Pack, but I just don’t see it happening. The offense is a little bit better and the defense a little worse, so an identical 10-6 record (which they managed last year) seems appropriate. I believe the Lions are more like the 2012 team than the 2011 team that made the playoffs, but I’m thinking big things for Stafford, since he’s my fantasy team’s starting QB. Let’s get ‘em! Oh, and the Vikings–AD doesn’t repeat his amazing nearly-record setting season from a year ago, and Christian Ponder continues to make people wonder how he’s getting paid like a starting NFL quarterback.

NFC South 
1. Falcons 13-3 
2. Buccaneers 9-7 
3. Panthers 8-8 
4. Saints 7-9 

I really believe Atlanta is the most complete team in the NFL, and could see them pushing 14-2 pretty easily. But we’ll take the safe route and say they go 13-3. Josh Freeman terrifies me but the Bucs should be much improved and have a pretty soft schedule. The Panthers will also be better than expected, with Cam Newton making a big leap this year. As for the Saints, I love me some Drew Brees and Darren Sproles (my fantasy team is nicknamed “Sproles Royce,” after all), but that defense is TERRIBLE.

NFC East 
1. Giants 9-7 
2. Redskins 8-8 
3. Cowboys 7-9 
4. Eagles 6-10

The NFC East will get the most attention from ESPN, but truthfully, this is a really mediocre division. I’m guessing RGIII gets hurt at some points, ruining the ‘Skins chances of repeating as division champs. The Cowboys will again be mediocre, both offensively and defensively, and the Iggles will be great to watch, but I don’t think Chip Kelly turns them around quickly this year. That leaves the Giants as the default team to talk yourself into to win. Blegh.

AFC West 
1. Broncos 13-3 
2. Chiefs 8-8 
3. Chargers 6-10 
4. Raiders 3-13

Hard to believe the Chiefs could reach .500 after finishing last season with the worst record, but this division is just that bad. The Raiders are a mess, the Chargers are inconsistent at best, and…well, if the Broncos don’t win the division, it’ll be the biggest upset this side of Truman.

AFC North 
1. Bengals 10-6 
2. Ravens 8-8 
3. Steelers 8-8 
4. Browns 6-10

The Bengals should have no trouble winning the division; now their next goal needs to be not losing to Houston in the first round. It’s a coin toss between the Ravens and Steelers for second place, though I don’t believe either makes the playoffs. And the Browns will be a lot better than people think, but hey, it’s still Cleveland, so…

AFC South 
1. Texans 11-5 
2. Colts 8-8 
3. Titans 6-10 
4. Jaguars 4-12

I don’t know which division is worse between the AFC South and the AFC West, but they’re both pretty bad. The Texans should run away with the division crown again–the most important thing during the season will be keeping Arian Foster and Andre Johnson healthy. The Colts will probably regress a little bit from last year (after all, they had a negative point differential), but should still contend for a playoff spot. Tennessee will again be pedestrian at best, and the Jags will just be glad Pocket Hercules is back.

AFC East 
1. Patriots 10-6 
2. Dolphins 9-7 
3. Bills 5-11 
4. Jets 4-12

This is a down year for the AFC, ain’t it? Miami could sneak in and actually win this division–games against the Bills and Jets should be easy as pie, and they always play New England tough. The Pats will struggle without a lot of their offensive weaponry from last year, but it’s not wise to count Tom Brady out. The thing I’m most curious about is how much worthless air time gets dedicated to covering the Jets. Over/under for the season is 1,647 hours.

NFC Playoffs
Seahawks over Giants
Packers over Bears
Falcons over Seahawks
49ers over Packers
Falcons over 49ers 

AFC Playoffs
Bengals over Colts
Patriots over Dolphins
Broncos over Patriots
Texans over Bengals (again)
Broncos over Texans

Super Bowl: Falcons over Broncos

Wow, this looks a lot like last year's playoffs. The Falcons again beat the Seahawks, the Niners again defeat the Packers, and Atlanta meets San Fran in the NFC Championship game. Except this time, THEY WIN.

Similarly the Bengals again lose to the Texans, although at least this time they win a playoff game, first. Peyton gets his revenge against Tom Brady for having more rings, and then the horses keep it going by bucking the Texans.

In a rematch of the Super Bowl featured on The Simpsons, the Falcons reverse their fortunes this time around, beating the Broncos. We'll say the final score is 31-20. Can we kick off already?