inbetween

Without drastic action, the spam issues have been solved. I've got a nice, handy dandy little web page set up to show the 5 most recent comments, or the 50 most recent, or what have I! Spam comes in, then it dies. What have I learned from this little endeavour? Jason likes to urinate on things (s. the second and fourth comments).

Without drastic action, the homework problem has been solved. Well, not so much solved as just sort of vanished due to a severe lack of drastic (read: any) action. Speling remains a problem, as does a little bit of stress and depression, but with the holidays coming that should clear right up. That should clear right up. It should clear right up. It will, won't it? Yes, the holidays will clear up the stress lickety-split.

I already feel warmer on the inside.

Without drastic action, tears, yelling or screaming, the lack of Ben and Michael time has begun to fix itself. It seems to have been replaced with a lack of Dante & Michael time. Fishy needs some loving. That's right, its time for some good (not hot!) fishy love. Probably a water change or two will fix things.

Without drastic action, my mother seems to have calmed down a little, although drastic action may still be necessary. There is too much noise in this house on Saturdays, when I would like to sleep in. There are too many phone calls before ten. There were five people in my house this morning, whom I do not know. And I thought it was my house too!

Without drastic action, the bad movie problems continue, but efforts are underway to improve the situation. Saved and The Stepford Wives were warmly welcomed into the DVD player recently. More good movies to come, I'm sure.

All things considered, all things are improving other than my writing style. I've decided to have fun with it. Screw formalism, spellyng, and substance. I'm going to work on the style alone for a little while. THAT shall be fun.

Oh, and I'm turning the dining room into an office/computer room. I'll have my bedroom back as a bedroom, and the unused dining room (in which we have not dinned, even once, in sixteen years) shall have a purpose. A meaning.

I should get one of those for myself really.

Because I should be studying, but I'm just not motivated enough to do it yet...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluenowhere/1598731/ -- The angle is a bit gimicky, but I really enjoy the traffic and the tower in the background.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/1948539/ -- I like the dramatic colour and the repeating curvy shapes of the pumpkins. The rough twig branches give a nice contrast to the smooth surface of the pumpkins.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imjustincognito/1617640/ -- A long night exposure, with fun curves.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/larimdame/1649726/ -- Almost the yello brick road. Very dramatic.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/msboo/1685599/ -- Good composition and interesting subject. I like the calm ocean, its a good contrast to the storm.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/schauba/1468478/ -- Contrasting colours and textures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tankgirl/1689453/ -- Right here in Victoria. The photographer was using a daylight film at night, which always messes up colours. This time it worked really well, but doesn't often.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/werner/1847511/ -- Very interesting subject, it could be politicised.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zen/1817822/ -- I can feel the texture of the stump just by looking at the photo!

Ok. Blog free-for-all time. Ask any question you want, I'll try my best to answer it.

Really.

Ask.

Like weekend update, only a little less funny and a lot more bitter. Always take with a grain of sugar, a grain the size of your fist.

Presents purchased: 1 - for me.
Gifts concieved: 3 - not for me.
What the hell will I get you people: 4
Amount spent: One billion dollars, and change.
Liquor cabinet: Devoid of anything yummy.
Hysteria level: low.

No need to panic yet. RIGHT?

Guardian Unlimited | Life | Guardian life bad science

"...and the only other groups who have managed to create superdense quark-gluon plasma used a relativistic heavy ion collider. The prospect of such equipment being used by hairdressers was deemed worthy of further investigation."

Entirely worth the read.

And yes. I've been trying to do the Christmas shopping. Because its all about spending money and giving people things they don't want. Bah.

Presents purchased: 1 for me, four for other people.
Gifts concieved: 4
What the hell will I get you people: 2
Amount spent: Oh I don't know. I'll look at the mastercard bill in January
Liquor cabinet: Desperately empty.
Hysteria level: increasing. Nearing a yellow alert stage.

Humbug.

And to London Drugs: I WAS in line before that fat old fuck.

HA! I'm almost done! And I'm almost done early! So excitingONE.

Presents purchased:

All except for one.

Presents wrapped:

none. What fun would it be to wrap them before Christmas Eve? I don't remember a time when I've actually finished the shopping portion of our torture before Christmas dinner.

Gifts conceived: All of them! Woot. Time to celebrate

What the hell will I get you people:

Done! I know what I'm getting everybody! HEEE... I'm almost giddy.

Amount spent:

Don't know. I'm afraid to look at the credit card bill. Thankfully, it doesn't come until January.

Liquor cabinet

• Gin (one bottle)
• Vodka (one bottle - vanilla flavoured)
• White Wine (one magnum)
• Red Wine (two bottles)
• Kahlua (one half bottle - for granny)
• Other stuff I don't remember

Hysteria level

subsiding, with thoughts of cookies. Yes Virginia, I might even bake some cookies.

Random notes:

1. Shopping is easier after three martinis. Breakfast martini's are the bestest, save breakfast kisses.
   
2. I hate Walmart.
   
3. The Papery is a wonderful place.
   
4. A&B sound is staffed by crack monkeys.
   
5. Thank you Lord, I didn't have to go to Futureshop.
   

Now to tackle this tape and paper thing called wrapping. Will I be able to use scissors after all this coffee? I hope so.

Didn't even think about shopping today! Hooray. I do have to pick up two things tomorrow while I'm downtown, but that won't be difficult. Got to drop the Big Green Van of Death and Destruction off at the mechanic's tomorrow, to make sure that everything is tickety-boo. Don't want the Big Green Van of Death and Destruction to blow up on the way to PG.

PG is fast approaching, just like Christmas. I wonder if I'll be ready.

Spent the day taking care of Grandma, and trying to keep her out of my hair at the same time. And I baked cookies and made some chocolates. In a little while, the cookies will be dipped in dark chocolate. Hee... yummy.

Since I seem to be in a list-making blog-rut, lets go:

1. I'll write a blog at least once each week.
2. I'll answer each and every email within a week,
3. I'll pay my bills on time.
4. I'll remember to open my mail WHEN it arrives, not six months later.
5. I'll kiss Benny at least once a hour when he's around.
6. Getting Puking drunk really sucks. I don't want to do that ever again.
7. There's more to life than science and math. There's Ben! I need more Ben.

There. Feel free to add your own New Years resolutions, or suggest some for me. Anonymous comments welcome.