Today is the first Sunday of Advent for the 2003 holiday season. Advent is a time of anticipation and preparation. It’s my favorite aspect to Christmas (even moreso than the getting giving of presents). When Amy and I were very small, the folks started our family Advent tradition. I’m not sure why they started it (other than perhaps our current church doing it) but I wouldn’t be surprised if one reason was to calm down little Trina and give her something to think about *other* than opening presents on December 25th.

When we were small, we got Advent Calendars. These were little paper layered things that had little openings. One of the preAdvent traditions was to find the perfect Advent Calendar for each of us. The one I remember best had (bad) jokes in it. Dad always bought a little Advent devotion book and from the First Sunday until Christmas Day, we’d take turns in reading the devotions. (Firstly it was mom and dad reading, then eventually Amy and I joined in.) Eventually, Amy and I no longer needed the Advent Calendars – the devotions did everything that we needed them to do.

Well… As happens in all families, the kids grew up and moved away. OK, so I only moved next door. But before then, I had 4 years of college, then 4 years in Eaton and so dad would buy each of us a devotion book. And I had my Advent Wreath with the 3 purple and 1 pink candle. And the center white candle. Amy did the same when she left home. My own tradition was to listen to Christmas music and read the daily devotion while my candle (or candles) were burning. It was a nice time for serenity in a usually chaotic time.

Several years ago, I read the devotions and realized there was something missing. They didn’t make Advent devotions for families with lesbians or gay or for folks who were members of the Jesus Seminar (part of the Westar Institute) or for people whose best friends weren’t Christian. And the devotions just didn’t work for me anymore. Then I got what I thought was a brilliant idea – why don’t we write our own?

I put the idea before the family and it was greeted with mixed results. Mom was a bit panicked about having a written assignment and Amy was busy with BMC (Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Interests) work. I asked if Judi could join in, and everyone liked that idea. Mom, thinking to reduce her number of required writings even further, suggested that I invite Elsa. The more, the merrier, IMO.

So I set up a schedule and we took turns writing our own Advent devotionals. And that year, it was just what I’d been looking for. The following year, we did the same, and it worked pretty well, but by the third year, people were pretty burnt out. (It ain’t easy coming up with Advent devotionals!) So last year, the folks and I used the Chicken Soup for the Soul Christmas Treasury as our Advent devotions. We’d randomly pick entries and read them aloud to the others while we basked in the glow of the Advent Wreath. I’m not sure what all Amy did, but she didn’t use the Chicken Soup book. 🙂 (For Christmas Day, last year, she read “A Wish for Wings that Work” by Berkley Breathed.) This year, we’ll suppliment the Chicken Soup book with a book by dad’s friend Ed Beutner.

So, anyone planning on doing something for Advent this year? If so, here is my Advent Devotion for the First Sunday that I wrote back in 2000.

And with that quote to start this Advent season, Tradition is thrown screaming from the window.

Tradition. Of all of the members of my family, both real and virtual, I’m the one most likely to grab hold of Tradition and not let go. I refuse to change e-mail readers because I’m familiar with Netscape and don’t want to learn any other program. I assume that if something is done two years in a row, it must be a new Tradition and we’ll have to stick with it. (Memorial Day gathering at the Lake, anyone?)

And yet, despite the usual Tradition of buying books from Cokesbury (or rather, having dad buy us books and us never reimbursing him for them), I wanted A CHANGE. Why? Well, I think the best answer is because sometimes new traditions are in order. Especially when the old ones stop having any real meaning to them. (Even *I* have figured that out.) For the past couple of years, the Advent books have left me feeling a little empty. Maybe it’s because I’ve met so many unique people: Christian, Jewish, Atheistic, or Interdenominational. Maybe it’s because my perspective has changed as I’ve gotten older. (But I haven’t grown up – you all know that. :-)) Whatever it is, the magic of the passages has dissipated.

So, I thought maybe we could make our own NEW magic. You see, even more important to me than Tradition is Love. I’ll forgo any Tradition if it conflicts with people I love. And if I can get the people that I love dearly to join in a new Tradition, then it might become even more magical than the one it was replacing.

So (cuz I love starting paragraphs with “so”), I decided to start this Advent passage not with a Biblical Passage, but a quote from a video that we Traditionally watch at Christmas. One that I will definitely watch again this year. Because — just like having my sissy over for Christmas Eve, doing Luminaria before going to Granny’s, wearing Christmas socks and sweats whenever I have the chance, wearing a Christmas badge for EVERY day of Advent, and writing my e-mail in Netscape — there are just some Traditions I refuse to give up. 🙂

Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Music: “First Noel” by R. Carlos Nakai / William Eaton

As much fun as visiting Amy was, I’m happy to be home. It’s nice to be with Leo (who hasn’t left me out of his sight since I got home) and to have my computer & Sylv wallpaper & Xmas music & BROADBAND. It’ll be nice to sleep in a bed again (after 5 nights of sleeping in a recliner (comfy though it was).

Yesterday was a Do Nothing Day for most of us. Rachel had to work again, poor dear, but apart from a few household fixes that Ame & dad worked on, nothing productive was done. We finished most of the leftovers. We slept and read and played Free Cell (me, dad, and mom respectively). We went with Amy to pick up Rachel and shopped a bit in the Calhoun Center Mall. I tried a peppermint hot chocolate. (I thought it was a bit too pepperminty, but the neat sensation of drinking a hot beverage but having a cool aftertaste was intriguing.) Didn’t buy anything, however.

Today, we got up early-ish (not as early as Rachel, who was up by 5am) and got ready to depart. The flights from MSP and ORD were both on time and uneventful. And now I’m listening to my Christmas Music, petting my cat (from time to time), and working at my computer (which has BROADBAND). It’s good to be home!

Current Mood: content
Current Music: “Fantasia on Christmas Carols” by King’s College Choir / The London Symphony Orchestra

Apparently every year from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Minneapolis puts on the Holidazzle Parade (Wed-Sun). Tonight was the first of these. The parade takes place at 6:30 when it’s nicely dark (and nicely cold) and the floats and people are all covered in lights.

Our intent tonight was not to see the parade, but to dine at The Local on Nicollette Ave. The Local is an Irish Pub that Amy and Rachel like. So we got to the pub and they had a seat for us in nonsmoking right off the bat. And when we got to it, it turns out that Amy and I could see Nicollette Ave and the eventual parade. So when 6:30 rolled around, the lighted floats started coming down the street.

Since this is something that happens from now until Christmas, they don’t actually stop cross traffic. So the parade only goes down Nicollette when the lights were green. I figure by the end of the season, they’ve probably worked out the pattern with the lights, but tonight they still had some dead spaces when the lights were green.

Rachel would come around behind me whenever the lights were green and mom was able to see what was going on from her seat if she craned her neck. Dad finally got to see the bit where the Giant Turnips waddled down the street. These were turnip shaped costumes that were lit up – and eventually we discovered they weren’t colorful turnips but Christmas Lights. (Mom wondered if one went out would the rest go out?) These Giant Turnips frightened dad and he refused to watch any more of the parade.

The meal was nice – I had fish & chips and tasted Rachel’s lamb curry pie – both were very good. For afters, I had hot chocolate. Rachel ordered a “Hot Kiss Goodnight” which is a liquory coffee with peppermint, and mom & Amy split a “Nutty chocolate whirl” which was a liquory coffee with peanut butter & chocolate flavoring.

Rachel’s said that if I show up at Starbucks tomorrow, I should order their peppermint hot chocolate (since they didn’t have any non-alcoholic peppermint hot chocolates at the Local). Today when Amy and I picked her up, I ordered an Egg Nog Steamer. Yum!

Alas, only one more full day with Amy (and again Rachel works). But we’ll enjoy the time with her – the trip so far has been a real blast!

Current Mood: full

In order for Amy to get some work done for school, the folks and I went shopping in downtown Minneapolis. We walked down Nicollette Ave and shopped at the big Target (where I bought Koozebane Kermit) and then onto Marshall Fields where we stood in a long line to see the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 3D moving display. It was really neat to see. And afterwards I bought myself a Willy Wonka figurine. I know that Quentin Blake was not the original illustrator for the book (I tend to be faithful to the original illustrators) but I still had to have a figurine based upon his drawing. Long before Doctor Who or my other obsessions, I was (and still am) a Roald Dahl fan. So this was the ideal display for me.

One of the things I discovered as a result of this trip was the website www.roalddahl.com. When I get back to broadband land, I’ll investigate the site further.

We then left Marshall Fields (no Frango mints for us – I never saw the appeal, myself, despite being a mint fan) and moved onto the mall across the way. We had lunch in a food court (gyros for me, sammiches for the folks) and moved onto other shops using the Skyway. Mom bought some jewelry made by local artists, dad bought some magazines from Barnes Ignoble.

We then walked back home to Amy Lou and now it’s time for Amy and I to pick up Rachel.

Current Mood: jubilant

Today’s the day to pause for awhile and think of all the things we’re grateful for. I have so many things that I’m grateful for that I shan’t be able to relate them all here, but I’ll at least get a bit of coverage.

Family: I think I’m blessed with the best family ever. My folks are kind and understanding, funny and wise, and great fun to hang out with. My sister is cute as a button and twice as smart, her fiance Rachel is a wonderful addition to my wonderful family. Granny’s still active and fun to be around. I have many lovely aunts and uncles who love each other and their families. My cousins are wonderful people as well. The little ones (my cousins’ little ones) are fun as well.

Friends: As well as being blessed with a wonderful family, I have wonderful friends. Elsa and Judi are my Bestest Friendsests in the Wholest Wildest Worldest and I enjoy every moment that I spend with them, online and in person. I have many other virtual and real friends from IRC and my mailing lists. My coworkers are fun to hang around with during lunch and on our Friday evenings out.

Leo: My kitty is so sweet. He means the world to me. It’s a bit difficult being away while he’s off alone at home, but Brandi (whom I’m very thankful for) is looking in on him and feeding him daily. And whenever I see Amy’s cat, Fruvous, I’m reminding of my furry little friend.

My job: I have a job that I love. Dad always said that if you get a job that you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Where else can I teach physics and chemistry AND be a network administrator? I have students who are excited to be learning and are geuninely kind people. I have coworkers, as I mentioned before, who are friends as well. Although we’re currently having money problems (what Ohio school isn’t?) we’re still providing a wonderful education for the kids of the community.

My community: Small Town, USA, for sure. But full of kind people who care about their town and their school. I own a house, which is a wonderful experience, and a car and a cat. I can’t ask for much more.

My health: I’m overweight, but other than that I’m usually healthy and happy. I can walk for miles and miles and still have the energy to do other things when I’m done. I have occassional sinus headaches, but nothing chronic and nothing that can’t be helped with OTC drugs. (Better Living Through Chemistry, eh?)

My life: I’m doing what I love, living where I love, and hang out with people that I love. I am grateful for my life and the people in it. Thank you all for such a Wonderful Life. 🙂

Current Mood: grateful
Current Music: The sounds of people cooking Thanksgiving Dinner

Well, mom’s sleeping in the recliner, dad’s sleeping on the futon sofa, Amy and Rachel are sleeping on Amy’s bed (poor Amy’s suffering a cold) and I’m not sleepy at all. So I’m clackity clacking away at the computer to type in my LJ entry for the day.

Yesterday afternoon, the folks and I flew together for the first time. We left around 4pm (which gave me a half an hour to replace a power supply in my Aunt Becky’s computer so she’d have her games for the long weekend) and got to the Dayton International Airport (which is neither in Dayton nor particularly international) shortly after that. After picking up our boarding passes and going through security, we stopped into the Max & Erma’s for supper. Then a long wait at the gate for our delayed flight to O’Hare.

We were getting a bit worried as the delays continued since we had a connecting flight to MSP from there, but the lady at the gate assured mother that our connecting flight was 2 hours delayed. When we successfully arrived at ORD, we discovered that her two hours was their ten minutes. Thankfully, our new gate was just a few down from where we landed. We made it onto the new plane and got to Minneapolis/St. Paul without a hitch.

We opted to only do carry-on luggage, so there was no long wait at baggage claim. Amy and Rachel met us there and we headed out to the car. Rachel drove us in a car just barely built for five (we had to take turns breathing in the back seat) and we eventually made it to Amy’s place. Lots of snow around, but most of it had been cleared off the roads. A few icy patches on the way into the apartment. Makes this Christmas Elf happy to see the snow (but never ice). 🙂

Fruvous, Amy’s cat, wasn’t pleased to see us. Fruvous never looks pleased. But we were happy to see his frowning face. He’s such a cute little grump. Amy made cocoa and tea for folks and we ate the last of Rachel’s homemade brownies. Then for the sleeping arrangements, Fruvous and I took the recliner, Amy & Rachel the futon, and mom and dad got Amy’s bed. I slept pretty well, all things considered. (Though Fruvous kept pulling the blankets away from me.)

This morning was a nice slow moving day. Dad made everyone Egg McMikey sammiches (which is what Ame & Rache call ’em) and we discussed the grocery list. Amy has a teeny tiny kitchen, so it’s going to be interesting seeing how everything’s going to be prepared tonight and tomorrow. (I’m in charge of the cheeseball, which I’ll make tonight, and the smashed taters, which I’ll make tomorrow.)

We went to the Uptown Rainbow for groceries and got in and out rather quickly. Not really all that bad, crowd-wise. Alas, no sign of canned chestnuts, so Amy’s chestnut stuffing will have to be modified to Amy’s almond stuffing. We got the groceries home and then walked down to the Indian place (New Delhi) near the apartment. Mmmm! Indian Fud! And no little 11 year olds to look disdainfully at the food. Then a walk downtown to Walgreens to get the stuff we forgot and to take a peek in the windows of Marshall Field’s.

Friday the folks (or at least mom) and I will walk back to Marshall Field’s to check out the display on the 8th floor. They’ve done Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (one of my favorite books – the sequel of which *is* my favorite book). Judi might be able to answer this – did the Marshall Fields in Chicago do the same display? Or does each big store do a different display during the holidays?

After a quick stop in the liquor store (mom’s first time in a liquor store since she was little, she claims) we headed back home, to crash. And now everyone’s crashed except me. But when I finish this entry, I’ll probably sit down and listen to my Xmas music on my little Rio MP3 player.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you playing at home!

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: none – it would disturb the sleepers!

shebit has been doing some movie “memes” in her LJ, and I decided that I wanted to try this one myself.

(Although these all say “best” I think mine are really “most favorite” because when I get a favorite, it’s the best IMO, even if technically another flick is more superior.)

All-around favorite: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Best Sci-fi/Fantasy genre: Logan’s Run
Best action movie: The Italian Job (take your pick of versions)
Best romance: Miracle on 34th Street or Victor/Victoria
Best movie that an adult and child can see together: The Emperor’s New Groove
Best teen zeitgeist movie: Ferris Beuller’s Day Off (I agree with shebit here)
Best all-out comedy: The In-Laws (original, of course!)
Best musical: Sound of Music or Oliver!
Best animated: Kiki’s Delivery Service
Best documentary: Walking With Dinosaurs (again, I agree with shebit again)
Best noir/mystery movie: Murder by Death
Best escapist fantasy: Willow (It’s got Jean Marsh and Patricia Hayes cat-fighting in it – what more could you ask for?)
Best “bad” movie: The Three Kinds of Heat (Well, it’s baaaaaaaaad – and I’ve seen it a gazillion times. I love inflicting it on my friends.)
Best chick flick: Not my thing, chick flicks… Charlie’s Angels has chicks in it…
Best space opera: Star Trek: The Voyage Home (the one least like a space opera… Hmmmmm)
Most Rewatchable Movie: 9 to 5 (if, while flipping through telly, this is on, I watch it until the end)

Add your own genre at the end.

BTW, I showed the original The Italian Job to my seniors today (half were gone due to a band field trip) since I’d showed them the end when we were talking about center of gravity. Some of them seemed to enjoy it. (Alas, we ran out of time just before the big chase scene started – maybe during their study hall someday we’ll get it watched.)

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: “White Christmas” by Rosemary Clooney

Today is the 40th anniversary of the BBC series Doctor Who. While I don’t know if I’ll be watching or listening to anything Who-ish today, I have been reading (and writing) Who-ish things in honor of the anniversary. GallifreyOne has a huge set of articles and fan remembrances on Doctor Who (with more coming). I wrote the Seventh Doctor retrospective. It’s been fun dipping in randomly and reading what various people think about the series. (I’ve seen some names that I’ve not seen in awhile, and that was fun.) Another great source of 40th Anniversary celebrations is the 40th Anniversary Issue of Enlightenment, the fanzine of the Doctor Who Information Network. DWIN has also released a collection of fanfiction in honor of the occassion called Myth Makers Presents: The Essentials. They’re very well done and you should buy them. 🙂

For me, Doctor Who is more than a television show (with multiple spinoff media). It’s been the biggest factor in my expansion into the world. My two best friends in the world (ElsaF & Judiang) I met through Doctor Who fandom. I got online because of Doctor Who. I’ve been to England (6 times), Australia, New Zealand, California, Vermont, Cape Cod, and many other places because of Doctor Who. I’ve been published in fanzines, both online and on paper, because of Doctor Who. I have spent far far too much money on photographs of Sylvester McCoy because of Doctor Who.

I am sometimes amazed at myself when I compare the Current Treen to the Treen in College. I was a homebody. I went to Wright State University because (a) it was less than 40 minutes away from home, (b) I knew some of the science folks because my dad graduated from there and taught physics part time there, and (c) cuz I could get a dorm room with only 1 roomie (though I’d’ve preferred no roomie, they rarely gave those to freshmen.) Oh yeah, the scholarship helped too. But the Treen of College wasn’t adventurous. She certainly didn’t go to parties (and certainly not to parties in her own hotel room that went on until 3am). She didn’t go to science fiction conventions (though she did go to record collectors conventions – a completely different thing). She didn’t talk to anyone online (and certainly didn’t fly off to stay with people she’d never met before in person). She had dreams of someday going to England, but didn’t know anyone there to visit. She eventually graduated and got a job teaching chemistry and physics.

Well, the newly teaching Treen soon bought herself a computer. And, thanks to an article written in a Doctor Who Magazine about an online forum called “rec.arts.drwho,” she decided that her summer vacation that year would consist of the phone bills that would come when she got online. (There was no local ISP at that time, so every online connection was expensive.) She tried AOL and some others, but decided that Pipeline (remember those days, Elsa?) was the ISP for her. So, in the summer of 1995, she first began posting to radw. And found out there were many many people out in the world who loved the same series she did. It was an awakening. (And certainly better than the one Doctor Who club meeting she’d gone to at WSU, which was populated by Tom Baker scarf-wearing weirdoes who didn’t even acknowledge the existance of other Doctors (like, say, Sylvester McCoy) and preferred to make fun of Star Trek fans during the meeting.) Not only were there Doctor Who fans, but there were Seventh Doctor fans on radw.

It was on radw that newly online Treen found out about Visions ’95 and that Sylvester McCoy would be a guest. The convention was in Chicago (not terribly far away – the family used to go there to visit Uncle Lee and Aunt Ruby) and over Thanksgiving Break. There really was no excuse for not going. So the Treen mentioned on radw that she’d love to go to Visions, but was very much a homebody and scared to be on her own, yada yada yada. The ladies on radw were very supportive and encouraged Treen to come, and one poster, in particular, offered her services. Elsa Frohman, whose posts I’d always enjoyed reading, said that she could meet me partway and take me there, and we could then room (to help sway costs). And she swore she wasn’t an ax murderer.

So it was that the day after Thanksgiving in 1995, that my family (I’m getting tired of talking about myself in the third person – why did I ever start?) drove me up to Fort Wayne, IN to meet Elsa in the mall by the (then existing) ice rink. Now, those in the US know just how busy shopping areas are the day after Thanksgiving. But it worked out. We found Elsa, she found us (poor dear, coming alone to meet up with a family of four – one of whom could well have been an ax murderer – but wasn’t!) We went out to eat together (I forget where, but I’ll bet Amy remembers). When it was time for Elsa and I to depart together, we discovered that she had parked in the same region that dad did. She also owned a Dodge Shadow (I had a Dodge Shadow). In other interesting coincidences, we had similar hair colors and cuts and she was wearing a long red coat (I had a long red coat that I wore to school). Apparently, when the folks and Amy got back in their car, Amy queried the folks “Um, was it just me?” Yes, it looked like Trina and Elsa were going to get along just fine. (We did and we still do!)

Visions ’95 was my first venture out into the Real World without a school group or family members. I met many radwers there and made more friends. I found out about IRC and decided to eventually try that. By February, I was on Dalnet on IRC and in the #drwho channel on a regular basis. IRC is still my favorite way of talking with online folks. I prefer the instantaneousness of it. What’s more, thanks to IRC, I met Spigi and Keeper. And then flew off to Santa Cruz (my first flight, my first time to stay with people I’d never met before in person, my first time on the West Coast) in the summer of ’96 to hang with Spigi and Keeper.

Visions ’96 was coming up and by then the talk of a new Doctor Who was rumbling around fandom. One person who heard the rumble and wanted to find out more was Judi Grant, a Chicago native. She came on IRC and quickly became friends with me and Elsa. So when Thanksgiving came around, we convinced her to room with us. She figured she could always leave home if it turned out we were ax murderers or weirdoes. But when we three met, it was as if we’d been best friends forever. And it’s been that way ever since, IMO.

May of ’96 was when Paul McGann debuted as the Doctor. It wasn’t long that many ladies in fandom (or new to fandom) decided to make a McGann fanclub. And the PMEB (Paul McGann Estrogen Brigade) was formed. I decided to be the token Sylvester McCoy fan in the fanclub (though he already had his own fandom, the SMCSB – Sylvester McCoy Chocolate Sauce Brigade) and have been with PMEB since the beginning (or nearly). I made many more friends thanks to the PMEB. Indeed, I went on the first PMEB Invasion of England tour (basically, me, Elsa, Judi, and fellow PMEBer Brenda), and thus fulfilled one of my dreams in life. I got to go to London. Heck, I loved it so much, I’ve been there 6 times now. The last two trips I’ve gone on my own, even. A far cry from homebody College Treen.

Geez, I think I’ve written plenty. But as you can see, Doctor Who has been instrumental in my life. It’s more than just a TV show. More than the sum of its parts. So I thank Doctor Who for helping me come out of my shell, for introducing me to many many lovely people, for giving me the best friends a girl could want, and for taking me all over the world.

I shall finish this very long entry with my Top 15 Reasons why I Like the Seventh Doctor (which I’ve sent to a few mailing lists that I’m on):

1. He can play the spoons.
2. He talks his way out of a jam by using his captors’ own rule book in Paradise Towers.
3. When Ray is in desperate need of comforting, he hasn’t a clue what to do. He’s an alien who likes humans, looks human, but still just doesn’t get humans.
4. “That’s right, yes, you’re going. Been gone for ages. Already gone. Still here. Just arrived. Haven’t even met you yet. It all depends on who you are and how you look at it. Strange business, Time.” – Dragonfire
5. Suddenly, we find out that this Time Lord whom we’ve all known and loved for twenty-five years actually has a past that we haven’t a clue about. And even when Remembrance of the Daleks is over, we still don’t know about it.
6. “Look me in the eye. End my life.” – Happiness Patrol
7. This Doctor likes jazz music.
8. He can walk out of an exploding circus tent and not even flinch!
9. He is Merlin – or was Merlin – or will be Merlin. Or something.
10. “I can’t stand burnt toast. I loathe bus stations, terrible places full of lost luggage and lost souls. And then there’s unrequited love, and tyranny, and cruelty. We all have a universe of our own terrors to face.” – Ghost Light
11. When he needs faith to combat haemavores, he mutters the names of his companions.
12. Even when given the chance to finally destroy (yet again) his deadliest enemy, he still can’t do it.
13. The New Adventures of Doctor Who. (‘Nuff said.)
14. Death Comes to Time. (ditto)
15. He regenerates into Paul McGann. (I have plenty of friends who love the Seventh Doctor for this very reason.)

Current Mood: grateful

I need to be careful when I buy jeans from now on. I buy the cheap-o $14 jeans from Walmart and usually go with a light blue and a dark blue pair. This time I bought a light blue pair labeled “low rise.” Didn’t know what that meant – didn’t think it mattered… Well, “low rise” means the waste is a little lower than one is used to. While wearing the jeans, I have this need to continually pull them up. The dark pair of jeans that I bought were “boot cut” jeans. Again, no clue what that meant, so I went ahead and bought them. Guess what? (Yeah, you folks all probably knew this already.) They’re just bell-bottoms with a new name. Cool! I’ve got bell bottoms! I haven’t had a pair of bell bottoms since I was 10 (or maybe younger). Mom liked them on me – says they’re slimming. I think these might become my new favorite jeans. 🙂

In other shopping news, mom and I joined Sam’s Club today. This is one of those places where you pay $XX to join for a year and they have loads of bulk products and (supposedly) less expensive shit. I made out well – spent nearly $300!!! But I got some really cool shit. I bought a Rio S10 MP3 player (64MB internal RAM and a 32MB MMC card) and a 128MB SD card for less than $130. And it’s sweet. Already filled it up with Xmas music for our Thanksgiving trip to see Amy Lou. I also got some long-sleeved t-shirts for me and the science department since I’ve promised to make them department t-shirts. Haven’t made iron-on transfers for awhile, so I’ll need to get back into the swing of things. Also bought a sweater, some flourescent bulbs, computer puzzle games, and some Slimfast bars (the granola kind – great for breakfast). Oh yeah, got some socks and some sucky candies (long story) as well.

‘Twas a good time shopping. The folks didn’t buy as much as me – except that mother bought herself a new pair of glasses, and that did surpass my total. Whether or not I’ve made up for the cost of the club, I don’t really know. Nor do I care. The joy of shopping at Sams is just in seeing all the bulk items one could buy. I mean, I could have bought 3-lifetime supplies of ranch dressing, had I so desired! (I had no such desire.) Oh, and at the eye-place, they gave us each a small bottle of glasses cleaning fluid and a small cloth wipe. I love freebies. 🙂

Current Mood: drained
Current Music: “In the Bleak Midwinter” by John Bowen / King’s College Choir

I think if my geneology were truly investigated, they’d discover there was a Christmas Elf in there. So, although I know many people who get irritated by the earlier and earlier Christmas frenzy that overtakes shops, I don’t mind it — I even relish it. So now my computer has its Christmas Desktop Theme (Sylv-centric, of course) and I’ve started listening to my 766 Christmas MP3s. And to even get my LiveJournal into the spirit of things, I’ve made a Holiday icon.

Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: “Snow” by Loreena McKennitt