Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Hey, it worked last year....
It's like this cartoonist drew one especially for Mr. Mike!
The above being the case, I am inviting all my friends and family in on our newest New Year's Eve tradition, which we learned from the Two Denver Carols.
We will be having a midnight bonfire tonight, consisting of cardboard and paper that holds lists of things from 2008 we did not like and Do Not Want for 2009.
Anyone who isn't in a locale where they can have an open fire at midnight can send me their lists of things to spurn and burn. I'll print them out and include them tonight.
Right now, before Mr. Mike explodes, I must go take a last swim at the motel pool. Then we will finish our drive back to Lamar, returning home, nevermore to roam, until the next time.
The above being the case, I am inviting all my friends and family in on our newest New Year's Eve tradition, which we learned from the Two Denver Carols.
We will be having a midnight bonfire tonight, consisting of cardboard and paper that holds lists of things from 2008 we did not like and Do Not Want for 2009.
Anyone who isn't in a locale where they can have an open fire at midnight can send me their lists of things to spurn and burn. I'll print them out and include them tonight.
Right now, before Mr. Mike explodes, I must go take a last swim at the motel pool. Then we will finish our drive back to Lamar, returning home, nevermore to roam, until the next time.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Trees
Well, here we go, running out the clock on Christmas. I've had a jolly day of doing almost nothing...my big activity was taking two very long naps! Which I may regret in the morning when we get up at 5 am to go fight over the leftover 75% off scraps of shiny at Wal-mart.
It is perhaps lucky for me that the trees I am about to show you come from Alco, because I found them both tempting, but even $37.50 seems like too much to me for an indulgence that only comes around once a year.
This one made me think of my son-in-law Nigel, World's Most Intense Broncos Fan. Can you picture it with blue Broncos lights and ornaments? I can!
The pic of this one isn't as good. But in real life when I first happened on it, it was on the floor right beside me when I walked up the aisle, and the sudden rush of bright red was thrillingly shocking.
We really have no need for another tree. Besides having a few small ones around in case we ever get a jones to make a specialty tree for the annual charity tree auction, we've got our old sturdy 6 footer, reluctantly purchased when the local Jaycees finally decided it was too much trouble to go cut and haul in a load of real trees to sell every year.
That one was accidentally elbowed aside when we went to an auction and could not stop ourselves (well, okay, *I* could not stop MYself) from buying an 8 foot, pre-lit tree for...one dollar. It was a BARGAIN, don't you SEE? My plan was to find some deserving group or family and give it away, but I had not reckoned with the persuasive powers of Mr. Mike in full acquisitive mode. (You know boys and how they feel about things that are bigger. And light up.)
I have to admit, the big tree is handy, so maybe a second tree wouldn't be out of the question next year. We have way too many ornaments for just one tree right now, since we have been adding hand-made ones for decades. So we have lots featuring pictures of loved ones frozen in time. Then there are the beloved media gang: Sesame Street crew, Blue (she of the Clues), SpongeBob and Patrick, a Snoopy or two, Pinky and the Brain, and the plug-in shuttlecraft where Spock wishes you happy holidays and to live long and prosper when you push the button. We have lighthouses, cats, dogs, trains, horses, fish, carrots and dinosaurs, as well as crafted memorabilia from our past, like the key from Galileo, The Clone's first car, and a bottle of stencil corflu from our zining days. (Alas, kids today will never know the joy of hand-cranking a Rex Rotary, high on anticipation and ink fumes, at 2 am the day before a con.)
Most likely I won't buy a tree tomorrow, though. Because what I would REALLY like, actually, is one of the old-timey aluminum ones, with the color wheel light! Just like the one we had when I was a kid!
It is perhaps lucky for me that the trees I am about to show you come from Alco, because I found them both tempting, but even $37.50 seems like too much to me for an indulgence that only comes around once a year.
This one made me think of my son-in-law Nigel, World's Most Intense Broncos Fan. Can you picture it with blue Broncos lights and ornaments? I can!
The pic of this one isn't as good. But in real life when I first happened on it, it was on the floor right beside me when I walked up the aisle, and the sudden rush of bright red was thrillingly shocking.
We really have no need for another tree. Besides having a few small ones around in case we ever get a jones to make a specialty tree for the annual charity tree auction, we've got our old sturdy 6 footer, reluctantly purchased when the local Jaycees finally decided it was too much trouble to go cut and haul in a load of real trees to sell every year.
That one was accidentally elbowed aside when we went to an auction and could not stop ourselves (well, okay, *I* could not stop MYself) from buying an 8 foot, pre-lit tree for...one dollar. It was a BARGAIN, don't you SEE? My plan was to find some deserving group or family and give it away, but I had not reckoned with the persuasive powers of Mr. Mike in full acquisitive mode. (You know boys and how they feel about things that are bigger. And light up.)
I have to admit, the big tree is handy, so maybe a second tree wouldn't be out of the question next year. We have way too many ornaments for just one tree right now, since we have been adding hand-made ones for decades. So we have lots featuring pictures of loved ones frozen in time. Then there are the beloved media gang: Sesame Street crew, Blue (she of the Clues), SpongeBob and Patrick, a Snoopy or two, Pinky and the Brain, and the plug-in shuttlecraft where Spock wishes you happy holidays and to live long and prosper when you push the button. We have lighthouses, cats, dogs, trains, horses, fish, carrots and dinosaurs, as well as crafted memorabilia from our past, like the key from Galileo, The Clone's first car, and a bottle of stencil corflu from our zining days. (Alas, kids today will never know the joy of hand-cranking a Rex Rotary, high on anticipation and ink fumes, at 2 am the day before a con.)
Most likely I won't buy a tree tomorrow, though. Because what I would REALLY like, actually, is one of the old-timey aluminum ones, with the color wheel light! Just like the one we had when I was a kid!
Never too many socks for Christmas!
Both pair I got this year are great. Ultra-fuzzy dark silver gray ones with subtle pink and purple streaks, which I am wearing right now, and Light-Up Peace Socks!
(Does Mr. Mike know me or WHAT?)
The Clone got me many assorted amusing animals. Donkeys, for the obvious reason.
(I love that one guy's grouchy, put-upon expression.)
Unruly Fish! The little one has the fabled "lambent trout eyes" and the big one is such a charmingly unlikely looking flying fish that you have to love him.
The little ones 'nod' on their holder. I have to wonder why the maker thought it was a good idea to have them on a rose-based base. ("Ew, now it smells like fish and roses!")
The monkeys nod too, but the 'roos do not.
The penguins just roll around. They are chocolate and will be eaten soon anyway, so it doesn't matter.
AND I was apparently so good that I got not one, not two, but THREE ponies!!
Admit it, you are jealous in the tree. The CHRISTMAS tree.
(Does Mr. Mike know me or WHAT?)
The Clone got me many assorted amusing animals. Donkeys, for the obvious reason.
(I love that one guy's grouchy, put-upon expression.)
Unruly Fish! The little one has the fabled "lambent trout eyes" and the big one is such a charmingly unlikely looking flying fish that you have to love him.
The little ones 'nod' on their holder. I have to wonder why the maker thought it was a good idea to have them on a rose-based base. ("Ew, now it smells like fish and roses!")
The monkeys nod too, but the 'roos do not.
The penguins just roll around. They are chocolate and will be eaten soon anyway, so it doesn't matter.
AND I was apparently so good that I got not one, not two, but THREE ponies!!
Admit it, you are jealous in the tree. The CHRISTMAS tree.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
See?
I didn't post anything yesterday, despite all those good intentions. For some reason, I was afraid I would run out of time to get all my important errands done. Then by the time The Clone and I were back from town, I was all tired. Spent most of the rest of the day laying down reading a kind of good but sort of weird book, More Than It Hurts You, by Darin Strauss. It's about Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome, among other things, and I happened on it because there was an article about the author sort of accidentally getting in a flame war on some blogs because he complained about how tough life can be on the book promo circuit.
Anyway, that was fun, just laying around reading, because I hardly ever do it any more. What was also especially pleasant yesterday was just sitting and doing my book wrapping while The Clone and Mr. Mike worked on some Christmas ornament crafts. We were playing Christmas songs and talking, and it was just a really nice, family time. So that counts as yesterday's happy for the Eight Days.
Today I have been doing ornaments. We came across four 'add your own photo' types that I have been unpacking and repacking for over a decade! But no worries, I have photos stored going back that far, so I was able to print out some Mr. Mike as an adorable little tyke, and finally get them done.
Looking at my old pics always make me happy.
While I'm posting stuff, here's an example of the sort of thing I like to get for Christmas.
Did you know you can now WATCH Santa being tracked by NORAD? My fave so far is Santa visiting the Space Station!
OK, I have to stop and eat lunch now, and then do MORE holiday fun things!!
Anyway, that was fun, just laying around reading, because I hardly ever do it any more. What was also especially pleasant yesterday was just sitting and doing my book wrapping while The Clone and Mr. Mike worked on some Christmas ornament crafts. We were playing Christmas songs and talking, and it was just a really nice, family time. So that counts as yesterday's happy for the Eight Days.
Today I have been doing ornaments. We came across four 'add your own photo' types that I have been unpacking and repacking for over a decade! But no worries, I have photos stored going back that far, so I was able to print out some Mr. Mike as an adorable little tyke, and finally get them done.
Looking at my old pics always make me happy.
While I'm posting stuff, here's an example of the sort of thing I like to get for Christmas.
Did you know you can now WATCH Santa being tracked by NORAD? My fave so far is Santa visiting the Space Station!
OK, I have to stop and eat lunch now, and then do MORE holiday fun things!!
Monday, December 22, 2008
State of the Susan: Emotions
A couple of weeks back my friend Dawn posted that meme where you are supposed to post once a day for eight days about something that makes you happy. It sounded like a great idea, because I thought it might help rebuild my posting habit, which has all but disappeared in the excitement and busyness of the past campaign year.
So here I am finally doing it. Not because I'm caught up, or anything. THAT'S not likely to happen in the next decade or so. But I'm trying to work out a plan for myself that won't let me ignore social stuff for home and/or business stuff, or any combination thereof. So I'm thinking if I plan to post something each day as I am getting started, that might work as part of The Big Plan.
That's sort of my Twitter Plan, as well. For those who don't know yet, Twitter.com lets you post very short messages of 140 characters or less, which anyone who "follows" you can read, either online or (I believe) on cellphones, if you have the sort of new-fangled contraption that allows it.
I've been trying to make my Twitters be to normal posting as haiku are to regular poems: much shorter, but crafted to be just as meaningful and/or fun. A whole little scene summed up in 140 characters. Hopefully this will also lure me into posting more on my 'real' sites.
But now, emotions. Today I am feeling frazzled and frustrated. Christmas is just a couple days away, and I haven't finished all the stuff I was going to do. Some of that was craft projects as gifts. The web site said all you needed for excellent results was 'finesse'. Apparently you also need to be good at reading and following directions precisely, and to have the craft goods mentioned on the page, which probably work better than the substitutes one finds at home lurking on a shelf where one put them after they were acquired at an auction some time in the 90s....
OH WELLL, as Mr. Mike used to say.
Now for the happy part. They had a craft party day at our local museum, Big Timbers, where The Clone is now working. One of the previous directors was Jinx Clark, a Lamar girl who made a career for herself back in the day as a well-regarded skater in ice extravaganzas, including some of the Holidays on Ice shows. (There's a good article about her HERE.) Part of the display on her at the museum features Christmas ornaments she and her mother made with sequins from her old costumes. So that was the basis for the theme of the party. The Clone spent months collecting up the needed craft items from yard sales and donations from friends -- some of the sequins we ended up using were leftovers from the Broadway show Wicked!
So here is one of the ones I made. It made me happy.
So here I am finally doing it. Not because I'm caught up, or anything. THAT'S not likely to happen in the next decade or so. But I'm trying to work out a plan for myself that won't let me ignore social stuff for home and/or business stuff, or any combination thereof. So I'm thinking if I plan to post something each day as I am getting started, that might work as part of The Big Plan.
That's sort of my Twitter Plan, as well. For those who don't know yet, Twitter.com lets you post very short messages of 140 characters or less, which anyone who "follows" you can read, either online or (I believe) on cellphones, if you have the sort of new-fangled contraption that allows it.
I've been trying to make my Twitters be to normal posting as haiku are to regular poems: much shorter, but crafted to be just as meaningful and/or fun. A whole little scene summed up in 140 characters. Hopefully this will also lure me into posting more on my 'real' sites.
But now, emotions. Today I am feeling frazzled and frustrated. Christmas is just a couple days away, and I haven't finished all the stuff I was going to do. Some of that was craft projects as gifts. The web site said all you needed for excellent results was 'finesse'. Apparently you also need to be good at reading and following directions precisely, and to have the craft goods mentioned on the page, which probably work better than the substitutes one finds at home lurking on a shelf where one put them after they were acquired at an auction some time in the 90s....
OH WELLL, as Mr. Mike used to say.
Now for the happy part. They had a craft party day at our local museum, Big Timbers, where The Clone is now working. One of the previous directors was Jinx Clark, a Lamar girl who made a career for herself back in the day as a well-regarded skater in ice extravaganzas, including some of the Holidays on Ice shows. (There's a good article about her HERE.) Part of the display on her at the museum features Christmas ornaments she and her mother made with sequins from her old costumes. So that was the basis for the theme of the party. The Clone spent months collecting up the needed craft items from yard sales and donations from friends -- some of the sequins we ended up using were leftovers from the Broadway show Wicked!
So here is one of the ones I made. It made me happy.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Old ink needs home
Yeah, I'm still alive and all that. I finally succumbed to the virus I was wrestling with since before Thanksgiving, and as we all know, after Sick Time comes Catch-up Time. It's 15 degrees and snowy here, my laptop is frogged and...I forget what I was going to complain about next. Never mind.
I'm trying to re-derange my desk area as I clean up a little, and I've run across some old printer ink I don't have printers for any more. These are the recycled kind and are a little old, but the price is right. If you can use black ink for a Canon BJC 3000 or 6000, S400/S450/S500/S600/S630/S700/S4500/S6300, let me know and I will mail it to you.
I also have two black cartridges for an Epson Stylus C68/C88/CX3800/CX3810/CX4200/CX4800/CX5800/CX7800.
Just let me know!
Oh, yeah, and I'm managing two or three sentences a day on Twitter. Same name as here, so feel free to follow if you like!
I'm trying to re-derange my desk area as I clean up a little, and I've run across some old printer ink I don't have printers for any more. These are the recycled kind and are a little old, but the price is right. If you can use black ink for a Canon BJC 3000 or 6000, S400/S450/S500/S600/S630/S700/S4500/S6300, let me know and I will mail it to you.
I also have two black cartridges for an Epson Stylus C68/C88/CX3800/CX3810/CX4200/CX4800/CX5800/CX7800.
Just let me know!
Oh, yeah, and I'm managing two or three sentences a day on Twitter. Same name as here, so feel free to follow if you like!
