Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Christmas is (almost) over!
My Christmas usually runs for three days.
It starts on Christmas Eve - it's my Dad's birthday, so there's usually a family gathering. Sometimes with friends of the family, so it'll have a Christmas vibe running through it. Then there's Christmas Day proper - get to see more of the family - and then Boxing Day, when I catch up with friends. I didn't get to catch up with everyone, due to running away to see Return of the King, so I've still got a couple of presents to go.
Hmm. Make it four days. The Sunday before Christmas, we did Christmas with my Mum's brothers in Rockingham.
Since Christmas, I've tried to relax as much as I can. Went a couple of days with no email or net access (gasp!), watched 18 episodes of Farscape and had people over for MustSeeMovies and a really nice pot luck dinner.
Alas, work isn't far from my mind - we've had a server go down and I've having problems getting Sun Microsystems to understand that "the University is closed and could they please ring me back on my mobile number". I now know how to access my work voicemail from any telephone anywhere. Ah, well. Think of the overtime.
My Christmas usually runs for three days.
It starts on Christmas Eve - it's my Dad's birthday, so there's usually a family gathering. Sometimes with friends of the family, so it'll have a Christmas vibe running through it. Then there's Christmas Day proper - get to see more of the family - and then Boxing Day, when I catch up with friends. I didn't get to catch up with everyone, due to running away to see Return of the King, so I've still got a couple of presents to go.
Hmm. Make it four days. The Sunday before Christmas, we did Christmas with my Mum's brothers in Rockingham.
Since Christmas, I've tried to relax as much as I can. Went a couple of days with no email or net access (gasp!), watched 18 episodes of Farscape and had people over for MustSeeMovies and a really nice pot luck dinner.
Alas, work isn't far from my mind - we've had a server go down and I've having problems getting Sun Microsystems to understand that "the University is closed and could they please ring me back on my mobile number". I now know how to access my work voicemail from any telephone anywhere. Ah, well. Think of the overtime.
Funny Subject Lines
Just arrived in my mail box:
"[spam] Now available without perscription"
I knew I should never have asked my Doctor for spam.
Just arrived in my mail box:
"[spam] Now available without perscription"
I knew I should never have asked my Doctor for spam.
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Merry Christmas
I've been wrapping presents this morning and desperately trying to finish one off that somehow turned into some bizarre craft/writing/graphic design project.
I hereby declare this Christmas to be the Christmas of Awkwardly Shaped Gifts. I swear, next year everyone is only getting stuff that comes in boxes.
I've been wrapping presents this morning and desperately trying to finish one off that somehow turned into some bizarre craft/writing/graphic design project.
I hereby declare this Christmas to be the Christmas of Awkwardly Shaped Gifts. I swear, next year everyone is only getting stuff that comes in boxes.
Friday, December 19, 2003
In Other News
I went and saw Peter Pan last night. Loved it to bits. It was really very well done. Full marks to Jason Isaacs as Hook (and Mr Darling) and Rachel Hurd-Wood as Wendy, who were both brilliant. Jeremy Sumpter in the role of Pan was little disappointing with his American accent that didn't really match the running away from Covent Gardens, but he had the impish grin and cocky demeanor. I'm told it's very close to the book (which I'm never read - an embaressing admission) and is certainly as dark as it should be, with undertones of death and sex. Definately recommended.
Last week I saw Looney Tunes: Back In Action. Laughed, giggled and gasped in excitement all the way through. Apparently, I was very amusing to be sitting next to. If you love the Looney Tunes cartoons you'll probably like this one. Lots of in-jokes, film references and just plain clever and subtle stuff. Looking forward to the DVD so I can catch the bits of dialogue I missed because I was paying too much attention to the backgrounds and vice versa.
Oh, and congratulations to Anthony and Lyndall on the birth of their daughter, Imogen Rose, on Tuesday. Apparently everyone is doing well.
I went and saw Peter Pan last night. Loved it to bits. It was really very well done. Full marks to Jason Isaacs as Hook (and Mr Darling) and Rachel Hurd-Wood as Wendy, who were both brilliant. Jeremy Sumpter in the role of Pan was little disappointing with his American accent that didn't really match the running away from Covent Gardens, but he had the impish grin and cocky demeanor. I'm told it's very close to the book (which I'm never read - an embaressing admission) and is certainly as dark as it should be, with undertones of death and sex. Definately recommended.
Last week I saw Looney Tunes: Back In Action. Laughed, giggled and gasped in excitement all the way through. Apparently, I was very amusing to be sitting next to. If you love the Looney Tunes cartoons you'll probably like this one. Lots of in-jokes, film references and just plain clever and subtle stuff. Looking forward to the DVD so I can catch the bits of dialogue I missed because I was paying too much attention to the backgrounds and vice versa.
Oh, and congratulations to Anthony and Lyndall on the birth of their daughter, Imogen Rose, on Tuesday. Apparently everyone is doing well.
Feeling Better
It's nice to be feeling better. People said nice things about me in the forum (thank you), my throat infection seems to have gone, things have come under some level of control at work and I'm sleeping more and feeling much better for it. Lack of sleep makes Simon go all funny.
I've recently been watching Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and identifying a little too much with the post-dead Buffy. I'd like to start by saying I'm not sleeping with any peroxide blonde vampires. It's the little things - the over use of the phrase "Since I got back" and the sense of displacement and detachment that comes with being away for a period where things were simpler.
But I'm getting back into the swing of things, going out and having an otherwis pleasent time. And getting things under control. After Christmas promises a new era of less commited and more relaxed living. For a couple of weeks, anyway.
It's nice to be feeling better. People said nice things about me in the forum (thank you), my throat infection seems to have gone, things have come under some level of control at work and I'm sleeping more and feeling much better for it. Lack of sleep makes Simon go all funny.
I've recently been watching Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and identifying a little too much with the post-dead Buffy. I'd like to start by saying I'm not sleeping with any peroxide blonde vampires. It's the little things - the over use of the phrase "Since I got back" and the sense of displacement and detachment that comes with being away for a period where things were simpler.
But I'm getting back into the swing of things, going out and having an otherwis pleasent time. And getting things under control. After Christmas promises a new era of less commited and more relaxed living. For a couple of weeks, anyway.
Friday, December 12, 2003
Creeping Dread
It's the 12th of December already. Twelve more days until Christmas. A stack of deadlines at work. Haven't started my Christmas shopping. Have very few ideas about what to get various friends and family members. One idea I do have requires lots of work. Suddenly it becomes at time of high anxiety and spend more time worrying about it than doing anything about it and avoid the issue in creative ways instead of dealing with it and then have to panic even more at the last minute.
Maybe I should start a convention that runs over Christmas so I can avoid it completely like I do Easter....
It's the 12th of December already. Twelve more days until Christmas. A stack of deadlines at work. Haven't started my Christmas shopping. Have very few ideas about what to get various friends and family members. One idea I do have requires lots of work. Suddenly it becomes at time of high anxiety and spend more time worrying about it than doing anything about it and avoid the issue in creative ways instead of dealing with it and then have to panic even more at the last minute.
Maybe I should start a convention that runs over Christmas so I can avoid it completely like I do Easter....
Saturday, December 06, 2003
The Whinging and the Moaning
At bookclub last night, I noted something odd for an SF-oriented crowd. Of the eight of us there, six people were women. "Yay" I thought. "I actually have some social group that's not massively male-skewed." Slightly more disturbing was the realization that I'd dated exactly half of my female friends who happened to be at bookclub on Thursday.
Which reminded me of this little incident: In early November, I attended a small gathering to celebrate the engagement of Adrian (who I know from Uni) and Lousia. At one point during what was a very pleasant afternoon of eating and chit-chat, Iain (who I also from Uni, who has been happily married for a number of years now) turned to me and said "You know, you've dated more women than both Adrian and I combined. You stud."
So, which is it? Stud, or just incapable of forming and sustaining long-term relationships? You decide! Vote now!
(yes, I write in my blog as a form of therapy. why do you ask?)
At bookclub last night, I noted something odd for an SF-oriented crowd. Of the eight of us there, six people were women. "Yay" I thought. "I actually have some social group that's not massively male-skewed." Slightly more disturbing was the realization that I'd dated exactly half of my female friends who happened to be at bookclub on Thursday.
Which reminded me of this little incident: In early November, I attended a small gathering to celebrate the engagement of Adrian (who I know from Uni) and Lousia. At one point during what was a very pleasant afternoon of eating and chit-chat, Iain (who I also from Uni, who has been happily married for a number of years now) turned to me and said "You know, you've dated more women than both Adrian and I combined. You stud."
So, which is it? Stud, or just incapable of forming and sustaining long-term relationships? You decide! Vote now!
(yes, I write in my blog as a form of therapy. why do you ask?)
When comics go bad
Earlier this week Grant posted a link to webcomic called Sh*thouse. I clicked on the link and proceeded to read the entire run. My brain went something like this:
"Hmm. I can see why Grant - heh - thought this was - teehee - funny, but it's a bit - hehe - juvenile and bit gro- Bwhahahahahaha."
Grant and I spent Tuesday night at dinner scaring the rest of the people at the table by reciting 20 or so strips.
"I have a syringe". "I have some soy sauce"....
Earlier this week Grant posted a link to webcomic called Sh*thouse. I clicked on the link and proceeded to read the entire run. My brain went something like this:
"Hmm. I can see why Grant - heh - thought this was - teehee - funny, but it's a bit - hehe - juvenile and bit gro- Bwhahahahahaha."
Grant and I spent Tuesday night at dinner scaring the rest of the people at the table by reciting 20 or so strips.
"I have a syringe". "I have some soy sauce"....
Monday, December 01, 2003
Madness, Sheer Madness
When did Transperth change their corporate logo? Go away for a while and the world changes around you.
On a more depressing note, I discovered today that the closing date for submissions for the 2003 Aurealis Awards is the 15th of November, 2003. A full month and a half BEFORE the end of 2003. Which means that I didn't get my act together enough to submit the Borderlands: Trilogy convention booklet in time. My heartfelt apologies to Amanda Markham, Lily Chrywenstrom, Martin Livings and Chris Quin - if this years fantasy shortlist was anything like last years (where nothing won) you all stood a damm good chance and between my job, my holiday and my subsequent feelings of displacement, I blew it. I'm sorry.
(For anyone published in the magazine, I believe the stories were submitted on time, because I didn't have anything to do with it.)
When did Transperth change their corporate logo? Go away for a while and the world changes around you.
On a more depressing note, I discovered today that the closing date for submissions for the 2003 Aurealis Awards is the 15th of November, 2003. A full month and a half BEFORE the end of 2003. Which means that I didn't get my act together enough to submit the Borderlands: Trilogy convention booklet in time. My heartfelt apologies to Amanda Markham, Lily Chrywenstrom, Martin Livings and Chris Quin - if this years fantasy shortlist was anything like last years (where nothing won) you all stood a damm good chance and between my job, my holiday and my subsequent feelings of displacement, I blew it. I'm sorry.
(For anyone published in the magazine, I believe the stories were submitted on time, because I didn't have anything to do with it.)
![[info]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif){kind=small}
