yesterday was my mother’s birthday (i know, two days before christmas#–what a crock…as a kid she got to open a gift early) so i drove down to nixa for a surprise party. coyotes in nixa is a good place to get a boulevard wheat and some hot wings, but i don’t recommend the buffet#–get a burger or quesadillas instead. after we "surprised" my mother (i think she knew about the party), she opened gifts and blew out candles, and since i’m still deep in post-production land i had to leave early. heading down highway cc towards springfield, i passed the aire-master building#–out front was a person dressed as the aire-master mascot (a skunk) wearing a santa hat, waving at passersby. it was surreal#–a six foot tall santa-skunk wishing all a merry christmas. i’m still not sure how that particular act helps the business of aire-master, but i guess it’s just part of the season.