Life, Fannishness, and Thespic Infatuation

Geo and I went back to Ohio for Christmas. It was really strange, and kind of didn't really feel like Christmas. This is the first Christmas we've spent somewhere other than in our own house.

We left Thursday. Travel was reasonably smooth, though there was snowy travel in the mountains in Maryland. No surprise there.

( Christmas Eve )

( Christmas Day )

( December 26 )

Then came back Monday.

A warm thank you to smalltwndreamer and luvwinchesters for the v-gifts. They came at a much-needed time. Thank you to just_ruth for the card. It arrived yesterday. And I've already thanked Izhi for enabling my habit the mags. :-)

And that, in a nutshell, was my Christmas weekend.

Thanksgiving was both relaxing and hectic yesterday.

My first sweet potato pie (photo taken with my new camera):



( Parades, food, family, movie )

( Black Friday )

( Adding an additional bright to the day )

( Plus bonus landscape photo )

I will post in much detail about yesterday's anniversary activities. It was exhausting, but fun, and the play was FANTASTIC! I was in the same theater with Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane! They were RIGHT THERE! It was great. But as I said, more details when I get home.

Also, I have no appropriately somber or commemorative thoughts for Veteran's Day, but it looks like much of my f-list has covered that base anyway.

Finally . . . so what's this about the latest wank? Having adventures in the big city tends to limit time for wank-watching. Anyone care to explain? Do I really want to know?

Time to go get breakfast, hit Macy's one more time, then hop the train back to C'Peper. Home in time for Show tonight. Yay! \o/

I've been thinking recently, that when I get my weight down, rewarding myself with a navel piercing. Haven't decided yet (I've got time, trust me), but Geo does not approve of the idea. He says they freak him out.

This is the first 4th of July I haven't had to work in the past couple of years, so we're in Ohio this weekend for the 4th of July/Independence Day activities. At my Bro's place right now, getting ready to head to the parents.

Girlyghoul? I know I still owe you an entry regarding the skit I did last week. I will do that this weekend. *thumbs up*

First, the irises are in bloom, and they are gorgeous.

Second:

There's a way, way, way, way, WAAAAAAAYYYYYYY, way, waywayway, way . . . way outside chance that Geo and I will be going to Paris this October. Yes, the one in France. My question is this: What's the best, most efficient way to learn some rudimentary basics of the language? If we were going to Spain, I could maybe get by. If we were going to Italy, I've heard that Spanish is similar enough to Italian that I could maybe get by. (I also know a few people who have visited Italy and have fallen in love with the country. *sigh*) Traveling to the UK, it would be a matter of trying to sort out the dialect, I'm sure, with no doubt embarrassing but humorous results (separated by a common language, and all that).

French? Not so much. French isn't like anything else, is it? Not really. Yes, it's a Latin language, but it seems like it developed in a completely different direction than the other Romance languages.

I think everyone has heard of the Rosetta Stone programs, but good grief they're expensive. And yes, I know that English is a pretty universal language when it comes to tourism in larger cities, but I've also heard that it is of great benefit to at least attempt the native language before showing yourself to be an "arrogant American."

Suggestions? Other, less expensive language programs? On-line sites?

In other travel, I want to go somewhere special for our 15th anniversary this year. I've heard lots of good things about San Antonio.

Traveled to DC yesterday without incident. It wasn't nearly as overwhelming as I anticipated. Traffic was not bad (big city traffic often freaks me out), and I apparently chose a good day to go, as it was a lot of tourist--some of whom asked me for help and directions--rather than Beltway business people who might run me over because I'm not going fast enough. And I was able to give it. Go me! (If I can navigate LAX, a metro station should be a piece of cake, right? Right.)

Met up with kimmer1227 and saberivojo and had lunch at Johnny Rocket's and talked fannish stuff.

Took a walk, saw three different wedding parties (the weather was gorgeous).

Then the three of us met smalltwndreamer as she got off her train, got the three of them checked into their hotel, and talked fannish stuff.

Went out to dinner at the Irish restaurant attached to the hotel. Had a FANTASTIC Irish coffee. Talked fannish stuff.

Went back to the room, watched "Monster Movie," talked fannish stuff.

Got on the metro and drove home without incident (other than being concerned I took a wrong exit, but I'd just taken a different exit onto the same highway.)

Lots of fun, and now that I know what to anticipate should I ever do that again, I think I'll be good to go. Ladies?

We've been kicking around names for the Neon. Since it's actually Geo's car, he'll probably come up with something completely different, or it will get a name by default.

One of his co-workers said the car is "smurftastic." I actually suggested The Smurf because it's little and blue. When I told him my f-listed declared the car a "she," he said, "Smurfette?"

He suggested Betty Blue. Which I actually am partial to because "Betty Blue" is the code name of one of the guys on The Unit. Geo was actually thinking of a French movie that came out in the '80s.

In other news, there's a chance I won't be watching SPN and N3 until Sunday. It looks like I'll be making another trip to Michigan (leaving on Thursday, returning on Sunday) for Uncle J's memorial.

We had lovely beautiful weather this weekend, but it's really rainy right now. I hope I'm not in the office by myself all day today, but I think I probably will be. Six billion people on the planet, and I spend most of my days alone.

Off to check out some of the Aussie con goodies.

The trip to Michigan went well. Or as well as can be expected. Drove to Ohio and spent the night with Li'l Bro. Watched Ironman on his Blu-Ray player. Very fun movie.

The drive together was pretty cool, and it was actually really neat to be traveling as a couple of adult sibs with our own timetable that we didn't have to clear with the parents, etc. Heh.

Aunt J2 is . . . not well. Bro and I thought she was in better spirits than she was when we saw her at T-giving, but we attribute some of that (a lot of that) to the drugs and the pure oxygen. And Mom said Aunt had gone down hill in the few days that Mom and Dad were there visiting. She's on oxygen all the time now, and the tube connecting to her machine is about 50' long, so she can at least get around the first floor of the house if she's not too tired. She did sit outside with us (keep in mind, we're in Michigan, in December, and none of us need a more than a sweater) for a little while.

Cousin SJ2 was there, as was SJ1's youngest daughter. We also got to meet Live-In Caregiver, who is a delightful lady from Hungary. I'm so glad she takes such good care of Uncle J, and now Aunt J2.

We watched Mama Mia! and stayed up late chatting. I crashed about 1 am, but was then the first one up the next morning.

Mom and Dad left before Bro and I did. I spent some time in the late morning playing Christmas songs and hymns for Aunt J2, Cousin, Youngest, and Li'l Bro. It was nice and relaxing.

I got to drive Bro's Prius part of the way back to Ohio, which is always an experience (power button instead of keys, GPS, controls on the steering wheel, etc.).

Mom and Dad came to visit at Bro's house the following day. Bro and SiL have a new kitten that is just the cutest li'l thing.

I drove back yesterday afternoon/evening.

A fast trip, to be sure, but good to see what family I could.

Hug your loved ones tightly, dear f-list. You never know what life will send you.

First: see the pretty new icon? mistraltoes said to snag freely, and so I have snug. Or snagged. But definitely not snogged. That would just be totally inappropriate.

So. I'm back in Ohio for a cousin's graduation party. And since I now live in Virginia, where vanity plates are dirt cheap (I'm still considering JAG WANA B for my Sonata at some future date), I saw some fun ones on the (9.5-hour!!!) drive:

On a red Cougar: HOT MEOW

On a Toyota Prius: SIPZ GAS

On a mini-van that passed me: HERY UP

Oh! And I was going to ( post this earlier )