Here's the Scoop by Brian Sweeney

Winter film festival time
At some point last Friday, it started becoming clear that maybe the blizzard forecast calling for 18-24 inches of snow in the Catskill Region was just a bit “overblown.” Or is that “underblown”?
Like practically everyone else in the northeast, I took plenty of peeks at the weather forecast in the days leading to “the event.” One-and-a-half to-two-feet of snow is lot to handle. Folks living a bit to the east can vouch for that sentiment.

Things are looking Shark®
As a general rule, I don’t put a lot of stock in items that are primarily sold via “cheesy” television ads or infomercials. You know, the type where there’s some over-caffeinated spokesperson practically yelling in glee about the greatness of the product being hawked. So good, in fact, that you can now get two of product XYZ for only $19.95.

Popular topic
There are some topics that simply aren’t spoken about in polite company. Fortunately, I’m not always polite. Plus, I’m “talking” about it in writing.

As a result, today’s topic will be mice. For the most part, mice are not desirable creatures. Sure, some folks own mice for pets. However, most of us refer to these creatures as “pests” not pets.

Hatching an anti-cabin fever plan
Even though it’s barely a month since the “official” start of winter, I think it’s OK to admit that the season has started to wear on some people’s nerves a bit. I’m a member of this group.
High temperatures this week are predicted to be only in the teens, with nighttime lows around zero. It’s not the Arctic, but this stretch of consistently low temperatures is the first real cold snap we’ve had this year.

The ears have it!
It’s not something I like to admit, but I can be a teensy bit “quick to judge.” I like to think that my instincts are usually pretty good, but sometimes I have to eat a little crow and admit a mistake.
Crow is usually tough and has a lousy aftertaste.

One such case applies to “winter hats with ears.” You’ve seen them. Heck, some readers probably own one of these items. And, I’m sure you look really cute with that cuddly creature wrapped around your head. I mean it, too.

Bubbling over
I finally made the move. Actually, the move was made on my behalf, but I’m glad it happened. I’m now the proud owner of a Sodastream.

Sure, I know what you’re thinking: Duh, what took you so long?
It’s well-known in certain circles that I love drinking seltzer. Lots and lots of seltzer. It’s a nice beverage — a bit fizzy, no calories and it tastes good. What’s not to like?

What’s in a name?
Does anyone else think that the new trend of “naming” winter storms my just be a bit of overkill?
So far, Euclid, Draco and Freyr are among the winter storm names that have been applied by the Weather Channel, with its bold idea of attaching an identity to winter storms.

Light my fire...please
When it comes to items we utilize on a daily basis, I’m pretty tolerant. If my computer refuses to compute, I may get frustrated, but I still understand that it’s a machine with many complex parts. For instance, I can forgive the computer if it makes typographical errors in this column. Sometimes.

A kernal of truth
I’ve been banned from writing about Christmas this week because there have been accusations of me giving away too much present information and ruining the element of surprise. Funny, I looked at it as saving money on wrapping paper.

Nevertheless, I’m not allowed to discuss presents — real or imagined — this week. So, I’m just going to write about the first thing that pops into my head. OK, the winning topic is: kettle corn!

Not so bright idea
It’s difficult not to write about holiday traditions at this time of year. Personally, I’m not in favor of “rushing” the season. I like the tree to go up two weekends before the actual holiday, give or take.
The benefit of climate change is that holiday decorating has become much easier. Stringing outdoor lights, hanging garland and other festive items is much more pleasant when it’s a balmy 50 degrees with a pleasant breeze.