From Niagara's Watercooler to All of You

From Wendy, Craig, George, Howie, and the cast of Shenanigans we all wish you a very Merry Christmas.

As part of a holiday tradition that we at the Cooler would like to continue for many years to come, we present you with the full text of "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Better known as "Twas the Night Before Christmas," it was first published anonymously in 1823. It has been commonly attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, after he claimed authorship in 1837. Members of the Livingston family believe that their relative, Henry Livingston, Jr., penned the poem. In any case, the poem has long been a classic Christmas tradition. In it's entirety, ready to be read to your children, is that famous work:

On the Homefront: Viewing Comfortainment

A few days ago I presented you with my randomly ordered list of the best songs a person might hear this time of year. Here is the sequel to that list, and it gives you the best movies.

Also randomly ordered, this list is mine. It is purely subjective, hardly scientific, and most definitely open to scrutiny. For instance, you'll notice one movie many consider a Christmas classic is conspicuously absent. That movie is Christmas Vacation, and I simply can't sit through it. Proving that all comedy is subjective, I do not like Chevy Chase's brand of humor. I find him (and his dramatic counterpart, James Spader) completely off-putting.

Reminiscing: Lights Up Main Street

Last week, I wrote about how we couldn’t put up Christmas decorations until after my birthday. I made mention of liking to drive around to see the decorations. So, I figured I would expound upon that thread and give you another Reminiscing article. Besides, it’s Christmas time, so it’s the best time to write about it. Although, next week, I may write about summer because I’d rather it be warm.

On the Homefront: December is My Comfortainment

Lists.

We love lists. We argue over lists. We spend too much time dissecting who is on a list and where they are placed on the list. Or whether a person or thing was snubbed from the list.

This time of year is no different as from as early as Nov. 1, we are bombarded with Christmas music on multiple stations and a variety of holiday movies on numerous channels. And there never fails to be a list generated by someone somewhere ranking the best songs or movies of the season.

Reminiscing: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

I just had my birthday this past Thursday. In the broad scheme of things, it really means nothing, but I do thank all the people who took the time to wish me a happy birthday. Also, I want to thank Paul Oates for making sure all the listeners of WLVL knew it was my birthday. However, in my household, my birthday is a big deal. And it has nothing at all to do with my day. It has to do with Christmas decorations.

Shenanigans Episode 10 - The Happy Birthday Show!

The guys talk a little bit about some upcoming birthdays in the group, and a lot about comments on things found on the Internet. Howie educates the guys on the happiest little town in the world, and we all learn about the mass destruction capabilities of sugar-free gummy bears.

Scrooge Fills the Palace With Song and Dance

How do you know that it’s Christmas season in Lockport? Is it the 42 inches of snow we got in the last four hours? Nah. Is it the beautiful decorations lining Main Street? Maybe. Most likely, however, it is the annual appearance of “Scrooge: The Musical” at the Historic Palace Theatre. Despite it being in the mid-50s the evening we went to the show, there was definitely a feeling of Christmas around the city.

Old Fort Niagara Castle By Candlelight Tours December 9th & 16th

Old Fort Niagara invites the public to experience the holiday spirit in the company of 18th century-style merrymakers at this season’s Castle by Candlelight tours on December 9 and 16. Music, crafts, demonstrations and more will make the French Castle, decorated by the Youngstown Garden Club, brim with festivities. The event will also include the feu de joie celebratory cannon and musket firings.

Thinking Out Loud: I'm Positive That I'm Optimistic.

Hello, again, everyone. It's certainly been awhile since I graced this virtual space. Silly me; I thought the school year would offer me extra time to do what I wanted. Alas, there is but one day per week when something is not planned or scheduled, so all that extra time - even for this stay-at-home dad - was a pipe dream.

PowerHawks Fall to League-Leading Vengeance

With a pair of wins over the visiting Niagara Falls PowerHawks this weekend, the PIttsburgh Vengeance have now taken over the NA3HL with the most wins by any team. With 42 points, they lead the North Iowa Bulls and the Yellowstone Quake by a single point for the overall league lead. The also extended their lead over divisional rivals, Metro Jets, to five.

This Is Not How You Build A Hockey Team

I haven't done a sports column in a long time, and I am seeing a pattern emerge with the Buffalo Sabres that inspired me to write about sports today. There have been rumors about the Sabres trading Evander Kane since last season, and now the media is speculating that every player on the roster except for Jack Eichel is up for grabs. It seems to me that the Sabres in general, no matter who the general manager may be, have no idea how to actually build a winning hockey team.

Defiant Monkey at Taylor Theater December 6th

Defiant Monkey Improv will perform their live "Master of Improv Comedy Show" at the Kenan Center Taylor Theater at 7:00pm on December 6th, 2017.  The Kenan Center is located at 433 Locust St, Lockport, NY.  Over an hour of live comedy improv presented by Karen & Andy – The First Couple of Comedy! Admission is $10.

Soaring With the PowerHawks Week 9

The Niagara Falls PowerHawks are back in action this Saturday and Sunday as they travel to Pittsburgh for some games against the Vengeance. Pittsburgh sits in first place in the East Division by a single point over the Metro Jets. Meanwhile the PowerHawks sit in third place in the Northeast Division, only four points behind Binghamton for second. Saturday’s game is scheduled for 6:30pm. Sunday’s is set to get underway at 11:40am.