So, I don't want to sound like I think Christmas is a materialistic treasure-hoarding event, but here's my preliminary report:
* a gift certificate to Mangoes
* a big ceramic jar, full of cookies
* a gift certificate to Borders
* a gift certificate to Macy's
* a gift certificate to Walmart
* the Xbox Live starter kit
* a pair of UberOrbs
* book: Don't Think of an Elephant!
* dvd: RoboCop 2
* book: The Joy of Cooking
* book: The DC Comics Encyclopedia
* book: Eats, Shoots & Leaves
* book: Less than Zero
* book: Stealing Sheep
* game: Steel Battalion: Line of Contact
* a crazy knit full-head-and-face mask
* a nice wool scarf
* book: The Princess Bride
* an Inca Cola t-shirt
* an iPod car charger
* four new rubber feet for my PowerBook
* a subscription to In Character magazine
* some ferrero rocher
* ghiradelli chocolate and caramel squares
It was a nice Christmas, all told, including (especially) non-treasure-related events.
On Thursday we went over to the Paul's for a little Christmas party, and I saw a number of people I hadn't seen in ages, including Matt Hittinger, who I hadn't imagined I'd see again, and Steve Beck. I saw Steve around town once or twice a few years ago, but we hadn't spoken in years, so we hung around in the kitchen for a good long time and did a little catching up. Adam and Lori suggested some music we should track down, but I don't remember any of the names. I may endeavor to email them about it.
We had Christmas Eve dinner at my parents', and there was the (apparently traditional) fried fish. It was good, and Dad had a pretty good Australian white wine. We also had some more of the gingerbread men Gloria had made. Everybody but Dad got a grey scarf. Steve and I got them from our aunt (my godmother) and Heide, Mom, and Gloria got them from Steve. (The boys got wool, the girls got alpaca.) We got some pictures of the scarves in action, and some other Christmassy things, including me in my face mask.
http://rjbs.manxome.org/images/2004/christmas
Steve got the mask for me while in Peru. I will totally wear it, once it's awful and cold again. He and I also traded some music, which led to me reorganizing my mounts to make room. I had to write some AppleScript, too, when I realized how many of his albums were really messed up in the ID3 tag department. Why can't people get "artist" and "album" and "track name" in the right place? Classical music is usually the most horrible. iTunes needs some little tweaks to make it work, including a useful way to indicate piece and movement. Also, browse by composed.
Anyway, Gloria and I also exchanged some gifts (and opened some that came in the mail) on Christmas Day itself, and it was good. Gloria was very happy with the crazy, neat-looking dancer sneakers I got her, and I am stoked about the things she gave me, which include a subscription to In Character magazine (check it out) and new not-yet-arrived little rubber feet for knave. I am looking forward to a PowerBook that doesn't slide around.
We watched RoboCop 2, which was just as I remembered it: a fun sci-fi action movie. Sure, it isn't as great as RoboCop, but it's still fun.
We ate at Perkins twice, enjoying it both times and upping Gloria's opinion of the place. (Mine had been upped already by some recent visits during work hours.) Today they had a whole special menu page just for eggs bennedict variants. I had one of those, and a corn muffin, and it was good. After that, we relaxed in the apartment and I finished reading The Princess Bride. It was good, but I'm hoping that the sequel mentioned in the closing material remains unwritten. After some dinner, we headed out with Heide and my parents to see the Series of Unforunate Events movie. It was utter shit. It was dreadful. I did not expect to like the adaptation, but I had expected to hate it less. Do not see it. Read the book again, instead, or read a new book. Or pour salt in your wounds.
Gloria and I have both been feeling sort of lousy for a little while now, and my head is getting pretty well congested. I feel feverish, but I'm reading 98.6, so I think I just need water and sleep. In the morning, maybe I'll start working on reading another new book.
