gonzai: (Checking In)
2012-12-29 09:22 pm

Homeland And Cranky Computers

OK, so, anyone besides me can't get LJ to cooperate this week? I've been able to manage just one comment and one post this week, and those only came from switching to Chrome. And that was a really marginal improvement. I've had a lot of trouble with the compie this week, it's fully updated, turned it on and off a few times, cleared the cache, Norton says all clear, but it's still cranky. Eesh.

I passed on Menygwacon, I'm exhausted, the weather is lousy and I'm just not up to driving a distance in 'mixed precipitation' and then dealing with their crazy neighbors and certain unpleasant gamers. So instead I took down and put away all the Christmas decorations (before you say it's early, Mom wanted them down on Christmas), and then sat down to mainline 'Homeland'. I have all of that and Dexter recorded and waiting for marathons, and today I watched six straight eps. I'd like to finish it tomorrow except football will likely get in the way, but I should be able to finish all of both shows by the time I go back to work Wednesday. Meanwhile, 

it takes some balls to waltz in and blow away an FBI task force. Meeps.

gonzai: (Snarl)
2012-12-26 05:04 pm

Christmas, Not So Great

Christmas Eve, Mike didn't snark too much, except for complaining about our artificial tree.  I told him if he was willing to go out, buy a tree, ship it to my house, put it up, decorate it, take it down after Christmas, take it to recycling and do that *every year*, then sure, we’d have a ‘real’ tree. There were no more comments about the tree.

Christmas…the younger nephew was obsessed with building Lego sets and barely acknowledged anyone. The older one was obsessed with their latest game system (4th system, for those counting) and wouldn’t do anything else. I wound up reading the guidebook to my Kindle because everyone but the little guy was busy playing video games. My brother only acknowledged me to make openly snarky remarks (“people who have *real* jobs don’t work Christmas week”, collecting anything is a sign of mental illness, etc) and finally at dinner, he launched several insults in quick succession at me, I snapped back, and he told me to leave. Then Mom was upset, because I was her ride home so if I left she felt she had to leave and she didn’t want to go, so his in-laws had to talk him into letting *our mother* stay. I doubt I’ll be invited back anytime soon and honestly, I don’t want to go. I’ve had enough crap from Mr 1%.

gonzai: (Tired)
2012-12-24 09:34 pm

Christmas Eve, Check

Well, whaddya know - we have a white Christmas. Can't remember the last time that happened, but almost an inch of snow fell today, just enough to touch up everything. Nice. Unfortunately it also touched up the roads, a friend didn't even try to come after she barely made it home, and the family was late.

I've got a decent haul: the Kindle, of course; series 2 of 'Luther'; Dr Who's 'Christmas Carol' special; Cards Against Humanity; a party game called 'Martini Time', how appropriate; some books and some accessories for the Kindle. Promptly spent time playing backgammon with No. 1 nephew on the Kindle. Mom's haul included a book written by a certain meerkat-ish author (thanks for the signed nameplate, she loves it!) and a ton of Keurig-related things to include the machine itself. I don't drink much coffee, so I've never been inclined to invest in one; but the family is crazy for theirs and felt Mom should have one. Fortunately they did include a lot of tea for Mom and cider & chai for me. The boys were very happy with their games (Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride USA, and various card and Star Wars games), Janine loved the necklace & earrings and Mike is intrigued by his annual sampler CD.

The dinner was crazed; we did the usual pickup of a complete dinner at Safeway, but for some reason half the stuff was frozen solid. The turkey's juice overran the pan and caught fire in the oven, fortunately just smoke. The mashed potatoes needed over twice the recommended time to cook because they were an ice cube, and Mom forgot the vegetables until after everything else was cooked, so by the time the veggies were ready most things were cold :/  But it was a darn good turkey and mashed potatoes, and I suspect we'll be eating it all week.

Phew. Need bedtime. After I let out the hysterical dog.
gonzai: (Dean)
2011-12-10 07:48 pm

Schweddy Balls!

Not that I watch SNL or actually care about the stuff, but I finally found Schweddy Balls today. One pint, hiding in the back of the freezer case at Safeway. As noted, I don't know what it's about, I just know that this ice creams annoy the hell out of just the sort of people who need the hell annoyed out of them. Anything I can do to contribute to the annoyance!

Meanwhile, I'm finally getting to Syfy's Christmas selections. (Haven't gotten to the Showtime selections of the week or Neverland, but we're getting there.) Eureka was FREAKIN' FANTASTIC. Instant vault to the top of the Christmas programming list. Although that means anything Warehouse 13 & Haven can throw at us will be anti-climactic. But seriously? If you haven't seen the Eureka Christmas ep, find it and watch. Most awesome.

gonzai: (Yikes)
2009-12-24 11:36 am
Entry tags:

Babysit? NOW?

There's presents to be wrapped and put under the tree, a house to be cleaned, much cooking to be done, a table to be set, etc etc and I'm working a half-day - so my brother decided now would be a good day for Mom and I to babysit. Two hyper Christmas-crazed boys who want to open their presents NOW in the middle of all the work we have to do yet? Swell.
gonzai: (Default)
2009-12-23 10:46 am

Writer's Block: You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch!

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The Grinch of course. The cartoon, of course!

There are standards I try to catch every year, but this year I've been really bad about it. And I've had quite enough of 'It's a Wonderful Life', thanks, I'll take something else. A few TV shows have had good Christmas eps recently - Supernatural's 'A Very Supernatural Christmas' and Bones' 'The Man In The Fallout Shelter' spring to mind.
gonzai: (Yikes)
2008-12-25 05:32 pm

Beaten Like a Rented Mule

For the first time since I can remember, I lost at Monopoly. And not just lost. My brother just whipped the tar out of me. He traded me for New York Ave, put a hotel on it and then I managed to hit it 3 straight times. Game over. They're continuing the game without me now. Mind, this is the 'Star Wars - Clone Wars' version of Monopoly I gave Jack for Christmas. I would rather have played the Beatles Monopoly I gave Mike, but little boys rule on Christmas.

BTW, my Christmas haul included:
Seasons 3-7 of the West Wing, completing my collection
Season 4 of Lost
The Dark Knight
The Torchwood Archives book
a Torchwood calendar
The John Howe Workshop book
a black and purple winter hat (Ravens!)
the complete Tom Lehrer collection
and Good Old War's new CD.

Mmmm, fandom. Lots of fandom for me.
gonzai: (McGeek)
2008-12-25 03:55 pm
Entry tags:

Coincidence? I Think Not!

Yesterday wasn't a total wash. In fact, there was a fun coinky-dink. While waiting for Verizon & family, Mom & I continued mainlining NCIS eps, now up to Season 5 and eps we've never seen. Yesterday's selection was 'The Ex-List', in which a pivotal plot point was, of all things, Tom Lehrer's 'The Chemical Song'. I lurve Tom Lehrer. I sang along. A couple hours later we're opening gifts and there is - the complete Tom Lehrer collection. Everything. I'm on a Lehrer kick now. That can't be a bad thing.
gonzai: (Bad Day)
2008-12-23 04:51 pm
Entry tags:

Holiday? What holiday?

The office was open all day today, and I figured it was going to be slower than mud what with the holiday, so I decided what the heck, I'll take a swing at writing a fanfic. Yup. Busy as bees, we are today. The boss called from France, the primary clients had a crisis, one of the attorneys is having a personal crisis, tons of mail and complaints, and a month's worth of referrals. Didn't get squat done beyond actual work.

Then when I get home, I have to tackle the Christmas tree (Mom tried to put it up yesterday despite my repeated statements that I was going to do it, and she put it up upside down) and finish cleaning the house, and find Jack's stocking because we still haven't found it, and get a haircut, and...holidays. Sheesh.
gonzai: (Yikes)
2008-12-21 09:04 pm
Entry tags:

My least favorite part of Christmas...

...is finally sitting down to wrap the presents, and discovering I can't find several of them. This time, they're all for my brother. As of press time, his pickings are slim until I find the DVDs and the board game I know I got for him. And the elder nephew's stocking is also AWOL. *face palm*