We've had a mostly quiet Yule.

Belovedest put up the tree that I acquired (with some little effort) last year. It's pre-lit, and we decorated it with the (likewise free) gold ribbon and the (deeply discounted and last set in that color) set of blue, iridescent white, and silver baubles. There are a few other things for interest, too.

Most of the ornaments are on a tinsel garland strung well out of cat range over the living room. Belovedest has approximately 36 items of college nostalgia in ornament form. These are displayed proudly. In honor of the season, the fairy lights normally on in the hours of darkness are illuminated all day. (I finally set up IFTTT rules, starting the 21st, so I don't have to remember it.)

Stockings are hung. Mine is dark blue velvet with my initial in glass beads (not adequately distinguishing in this aggressively genderqueer collection of housemates), Belovedest has the public call box (bigger on the inside), alexseanchai has Alex in gold glitter on the traditional red with white trim, and Ev has the pawprint one (originally for a cat, I think). Ev found a set of small bamboo cutlery in hers, which was fortuitously timed because her old set had become manky.

I had been struggling with what to actually get Ev, because I'm broke and all. I had originally decided to just make a toy for Meow Meow, and had done three nearly identical catnip toys with streamers (all exceptionally upcycled) but we went on a Sprouts run with krja and inoru_no_hoshi and on the IKEA portion of the trip I saw a koala. Two koala, actually.

Ev has this semi-ancient Build-A-Bear koala named Koala. He is imbued with the spirit of a dirty old man. So when I saw a parent koala hugging a baby... "Depending on how Koala feels about kids, this is either his new wife and stepchild, or his side bitch," I declared. "Side bitch," Ev would later confirm.

We got Alex an electric throw blanket, perfect for the cold days. There was some debate about color. I nominated grey. "Shouldn't we match Thea?" Belovedest asked.

Thea is a dilute calico, and electric throw blankets do not typically come in dilute calico. And Yellface is grey.

Ev came for the 24th and 25th, whereupon we opened presents. Belovedest's aunt had sent a little something for the whole regular household. Belovedest got some books and shows, as well as the seasonally colored Cadbury robin eggs. Plus item #36 or so in the display. I got a set of iridescent glitter ("Oh no!" --Belovedest), an array of mica shimmer pigments (eye safe, with instructions for resin), and a pair of peppermint-striped socks. Alex got a Miraculous! (Ladybug earrings, officially blessed, in an appropriate octagonal box.)

Belovedest's family tradition for Christmas Eve is similar to many Catholics (current and former): eat a nice dinner of Chinese takeout before Midnight Mass. Unlike many Catholics, Belovedest will go if visiting the ancestral home. Uncle Father Bob would notice their absence. (His main flock these days are balls and tees, but he pops his head out of retirement from time to time.) But katarik had made note of a newly opened branch of a very nice Chinese buffet, and had proposed that for Christmas lunch. So we decided on a meal in for Christmas Eve: Trader Joe's orange chicken (plus satsuma peel and carrot shreds), rice, "some dim" (potstickers, egg rolls, cream cheese wontons), cheese sticks. And it was good.

Ev was well supplied with steamed broccoli, yogurt, and other little things throughout. We discovered that she does in fact like taking fruitcake apart, and likes my best cakefruits. Score one legitimate point for white people nonsense!

The Christmas brunch party was Kat, Alex, Belovedest, and me. Ev was not feeling the outing. ("I'm being a sulky teenager but I like it here.") We arrived just before the rush, but as this is another tentacle of a regional chain, they have their flow control and such well-managed. I found a loophole in the chocolate fountain rules. It says don't put your ice cream in the fountain (a good rule for legitimate health interests) but it says nothing about dipping a clean spoon in to then pour over the ice cream. Though the highlights for me were the salmon sushi 🍣 and the creme brulee.

Then we came home and watched Brave, as some of us hadn't. I made a quick fruitcake, which overbaked.

Belovedest's siblings called while we were still at Ev's after taking her back. They may have gotten to see Meow Meow, who is feeling much better after her de-toofing and subsequent release from the Cone of Shame.

There were games with the siblings (Belovedest's) the following day.

Less rain this morning.

Lunch involved the guys talking about the genre of gross-out humor movies. I chatted with sithjawa about important things like cock discipline dealing with aggressive roosters.

Purple attempted to domesticate his beard over the weekend. It has had all week to regain ground. The angle of the sun this afternoon made it look like he had cheek puffs like some of my favorite chickens: http://www.poultryclubsa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/Barbu-DAnvers-6-Small12.jpg This amused me.

Poor Madam Standards was having a hard time with some of the various SaaS; it turned out to be generally woeful and unhappy. Fortunately my documentation was still good, and I could get the party partway started.

lb swung by in hopes of chocolate cake, but that had been at the workplace of another #adventuresofstnono denizen, not me. We walked up to the milkshake dungeon. While we were out chatting, there was a bird commotion. I thought it sounded like a crow having an altercation. We did not see the bird. We did see what looked like a double-wide pigeon on top of the cafeteria. It was a very impressive bird, but wasn't the source of the noise.

I suggested that it could have been a roosting argument in one of the trees, but lb pointed out that if it had been that, there should have been more shaking.

"Yeah, people flying out of the tree from all directions," I mused, having once again blurred the line between bird and human, and who counts as "people".

As we walked back, we encountered R, so we stopped to chat. Then Mr. Zune walked up the path. R continued on a little hike. Mr. Zune headed back to the quad with us. Somehow the discussion got around to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Willis

I decided that I would wear my festive headdress tomorrow. "Assertively" is not the correct word for the way it conducts its festivity, that being too mild. Mr. Zune was intrigued.

After some more beating my head against my email box, I decided it was time for some holiday cheer. I stretched the little white lights all around the top of my cube. I'd estimated the length pretty much exactly right: the little white lights ended at the top of my whiteboard as planned, and that's where I stretched the color-changing stars with the compatible connector, going over the top and then dripping down the outer edge and being gathered back up to make that edge extra festive with the remaining length. I located a blank bit of power strip, then strategically placed the plug connecting the extension bit to the lights bit so I could get at it easily rather than digging for the plug each time. The effect is pretty festive.

The Dean stopped by, attracted by my lights. He likes the sour cherry balls, though he seems to think they're cinnamon? Perhaps I should get cinnamon things as well. He had an update on the door labeling situation: there are quotes in the works from the actual sign vendor. Woo!

The Dean earwormed me with Abney Park, so I shared the earworm with Purple. I will have to keep an eye out as to when they're next in town, so I can go (and attempt to convince him to come with). He mused that their sound requires too much steam to qualify them for the local amplified-but-allegedly-acoustic concert series (though it would be awesome if it happened).

My cube was very brightly lit. Purple could see it from around the corner as soon as he came in. Switching off everything took a little bit. Purple was reminded a bit of shutting down his audio rig and how that used to be...

Purple parked in the ants yesterday. Alas. We stood around in the parking lot while he tried to let some of them out of the car.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rez came up in discussion, along with the bit where most games with controller-buzzing feedback has that happen when something bad happens, like your character falls off a cliff or catches on fire. An imaginary conversation with a game store sales clerk about games in which the character can catch on fire, ensued...

The light caught one of the cheek puffs, so I giggled, then explained the tangent. That got into some commiseration about how much fun shaving isn't. And then a tangent into how I have not just a friend with condition X, I have binders full (not the phrase he used, which was unmemorable) of friends with condition X.

The head-based knock-on-wood gesture is suitable for any parking lot. The crotch-based knock-on-wood gesture is not suitable for the work parking lot.

When Purple hugs me goodnight, I'm reminded that I really would like the opportunity to curl up next to him on a couch and read while he plays a game, or something.

Tomorrow is the A-Team briefing, so I shan't be about for lunch with Purple and crew.

I sent Sneezy a certain list, de-internetted somewhat. I hope it keeps him entertained while he is out of the office and feeling vaguely miserable.

I did not find the specific festive headband I was thinking of, but there is a different one which is very similar. I have enhanced its previous decking a little, as it had shed a ribbon in the interim.

My sleep schedule's been all "fun", but I did get to my aunt's on the 21st. We had a quiet dinner in honor of the longest night & return of the sun. She was wiped out due to lack of sleep (Deacon, the elderly lab, hasn't been sleeping well at night, and passing along the favor), and I have been ailing for something.

Last night was a dw_news entry, which was all sorts of lovely. The comments are full of delight and happiness. Unfortunately, my internet was blipping in and out intermittently all day. amberfox called, which was fun.

This morning, the Yuletide fics were revealed. I got a lovely, lovely fic -- Divergence to Infinity (Anna to the Infinite Power), which was everything I hoped for from that fandom: shiveringly creepy but with a note of hope.

Even better, my recipient was full of glee!

There was MythBusters from about the time I woke up, continuing throughout the day. Hooray!

In the afternoon, my aunt texted and wanted to know if I wanted to come for a walk. I did. She and the poodle and I had a walk around Fort Funston during which I did not need to sit down even once.

IRC has been quiet but lovely. I subscribed to comments on the news entry, because there was just so much various happiness there.

For Solstice, Aunt-Fayoumis gave me a Tarot deck and book (The Enchanted Tarot), my parents gave me a journal, and Guide Dog Aunt handed down a rice cooker (mine is going on 15 and one of the handles is cracked, and the basket is starting to look dubious. For Christmas, my parents gave me long underwear (useful! comfortable!) and the internet gave me the aforementioned fic. I have a package from my parents waiting for the Western New Year.

I'm feeling better than yesterday, but I'm sniffling and coughing intermittently.

I called my sister. She was there today, and is doing well; she's also got a cold. She's been busking. She and I have gained sister-rapport without the rivalry now that we're no longer living together. Worm burgers may be the meat of the future. (Anyone Seattle-area need an awesome smart person, multitalented? Violin teacher! Hard worker! Likes working in the organic food industry!) The only problem with our long conversation is that my voice is now a croak.

I called my best friend. He was watching movies with his mom; we chatted for a bit. I left messages for Dawn and MissKat (I called too late to catch her, I think).

There are other fun shenanigans scheduled for later on. Whee!


Also holiday-related, but on a far sadder and more hair-tearing note: ( Read more... )