After Solstice to the New Year catch-up
Jan. 3rd, 2013 09:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rowanfOnce again I am behind with Lj. *sigh* I really do mean to journal here but it takes more thought than a quick facebook share. And on top of my convalescence I have a lovely rhinovirus making me even more tired and draggy. :(
Nonetheless, it has been a lovely couple of weeks since Solstice. Adobe did their year-end shut down so Russell was home the whole time. So he and I saw the Hobbit in 48 frames/sec 3D. I am not a fan of 3D movies but I thought Peter Jackson had the right idea; using 3D for depth rather than to push things out at you. I liked the movie, although I do understand the criticisms about the added material and pacing. And I didn't like what they did with Radogast who was always my favorite of the wizards. And we saw the Cirque du Soleil movie, in regular 3D and it gave me the usual nausea + headache (although not a migraine, possibly as I spent a fair bit of the movie with my hands over my eyes). Also it was really boring (see parentheses above; I do admit that might have contributed). But also I had seen most of the shows the scenes were taken from and I really didn't think it did the Cirque justice. And finally, we went to the Tech to see the Mythbusters exhibit. That was a fair bit of fun. The Tech seems allergic to making signs with fonts large enough to read which always annoys me and reminds me why I let my membership lapse. But watching the kids play with the interactive Mythbusting exhibits was a blast. There was a station with various devices for pushing or flipping toast off a table with a Yes/No abacus thing to count how many times it landed "butter" side up. There were ledges from which to hang by your fingers (to see if all those movies are credible) with a wide "novice" ledge and a narrower "expert" ledge. Some of the kids did pretty well but I didn't see anyone break 30 seconds. There was a "dodge a bullet" exhibit and there were a few people who might have managed to dodge a bullet coming from 2 football fields away... if they knew it was coming. Anyway, fun!
Then Erika joined us for four or five days so there was much conversation and food and activity around the house. And they went off and had adventures and I got in a fair bit of Warcraft Winter Veil activities. Getting many of my 70 toons to make gingerbread cookies for Great Father Winter and having all my high levels kill the Greench everyday in hopes of getting the lump of coal pet (which I did!). The Daughters of the Horde holiday party was a blast, we killed the Greench and then went caroling to the Ally capitals. It was so much fun that Falkenrath Knights did the same thing on Sunday (except for caroling the Horde capitols, of course). Fun and achievements. We also joined Dark Forest and friends for a birthday party for Nette which was a lot of fun.
For New Year's Eve Russell and Erika went to a party and I went with Kurt and Chris & Tracey and Gwen & Jeff to see John Lee Hooker, Jr. and his Band at Biscuits and Blues in San Francisco. Gwen had used her conference organizing guru points to get us a free hotel room and so there was no driving. Our taxis were prompt and had nice drivers. The music was fabulous and the food was fine (it was a special NYE menu so not the usual Biscuits and Blue Southern fare. Filet mignon and collards - what's not to like. Well, I think there was molasses in the collards but there was also lots of bacon. LOL Mr. Hooker's band also joins the long list of bands that I have slept through (starting in high school with Steppenwolf) for at least some part of the concert. I really suck at staying up until midnight. I keep thinking someday I will be a fun party animal but I'm thinking this is another fantasy-self meme since there is no evidence that such a party animal is on the horizon. (P.S. Why don't I have a bad cell phone pix of me and Kurt like I do of our friends. Doh! Hand off the phone idiot.)
The holiday was rounded out by stopping by Marina & Edna & Kurt's New Year's Day Open House which was mostly their new neighbors and a few close friends. The Erika headed off south and we have been getting back into the work-a-day routine.
Yesterday the EDD finally called me and will let me know if I am still qualified for unemployment. I'm glad to finally get the call but a bit worried because I didn't have a form to fill out for this last two week period. Will they reinstate me? Did I miss the extension deadline (which I think was 12/23)? Ack. It isn't like I'll be out on the street if they disallow me or messed up with the deadline but I like having *some* income stream and if I have to jump through a bunch of appeals and such I will be cranky.
Nonetheless, it has been a lovely couple of weeks since Solstice. Adobe did their year-end shut down so Russell was home the whole time. So he and I saw the Hobbit in 48 frames/sec 3D. I am not a fan of 3D movies but I thought Peter Jackson had the right idea; using 3D for depth rather than to push things out at you. I liked the movie, although I do understand the criticisms about the added material and pacing. And I didn't like what they did with Radogast who was always my favorite of the wizards. And we saw the Cirque du Soleil movie, in regular 3D and it gave me the usual nausea + headache (although not a migraine, possibly as I spent a fair bit of the movie with my hands over my eyes). Also it was really boring (see parentheses above; I do admit that might have contributed). But also I had seen most of the shows the scenes were taken from and I really didn't think it did the Cirque justice. And finally, we went to the Tech to see the Mythbusters exhibit. That was a fair bit of fun. The Tech seems allergic to making signs with fonts large enough to read which always annoys me and reminds me why I let my membership lapse. But watching the kids play with the interactive Mythbusting exhibits was a blast. There was a station with various devices for pushing or flipping toast off a table with a Yes/No abacus thing to count how many times it landed "butter" side up. There were ledges from which to hang by your fingers (to see if all those movies are credible) with a wide "novice" ledge and a narrower "expert" ledge. Some of the kids did pretty well but I didn't see anyone break 30 seconds. There was a "dodge a bullet" exhibit and there were a few people who might have managed to dodge a bullet coming from 2 football fields away... if they knew it was coming. Anyway, fun!
Then Erika joined us for four or five days so there was much conversation and food and activity around the house. And they went off and had adventures and I got in a fair bit of Warcraft Winter Veil activities. Getting many of my 70 toons to make gingerbread cookies for Great Father Winter and having all my high levels kill the Greench everyday in hopes of getting the lump of coal pet (which I did!). The Daughters of the Horde holiday party was a blast, we killed the Greench and then went caroling to the Ally capitals. It was so much fun that Falkenrath Knights did the same thing on Sunday (except for caroling the Horde capitols, of course). Fun and achievements. We also joined Dark Forest and friends for a birthday party for Nette which was a lot of fun.
For New Year's Eve Russell and Erika went to a party and I went with Kurt and Chris & Tracey and Gwen & Jeff to see John Lee Hooker, Jr. and his Band at Biscuits and Blues in San Francisco. Gwen had used her conference organizing guru points to get us a free hotel room and so there was no driving. Our taxis were prompt and had nice drivers. The music was fabulous and the food was fine (it was a special NYE menu so not the usual Biscuits and Blue Southern fare. Filet mignon and collards - what's not to like. Well, I think there was molasses in the collards but there was also lots of bacon. LOL Mr. Hooker's band also joins the long list of bands that I have slept through (starting in high school with Steppenwolf) for at least some part of the concert. I really suck at staying up until midnight. I keep thinking someday I will be a fun party animal but I'm thinking this is another fantasy-self meme since there is no evidence that such a party animal is on the horizon. (P.S. Why don't I have a bad cell phone pix of me and Kurt like I do of our friends. Doh! Hand off the phone idiot.)
The holiday was rounded out by stopping by Marina & Edna & Kurt's New Year's Day Open House which was mostly their new neighbors and a few close friends. The Erika headed off south and we have been getting back into the work-a-day routine.
Yesterday the EDD finally called me and will let me know if I am still qualified for unemployment. I'm glad to finally get the call but a bit worried because I didn't have a form to fill out for this last two week period. Will they reinstate me? Did I miss the extension deadline (which I think was 12/23)? Ack. It isn't like I'll be out on the street if they disallow me or messed up with the deadline but I like having *some* income stream and if I have to jump through a bunch of appeals and such I will be cranky.
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no subject
Date: 2013-01-03 07:25 pm (UTC)That does sound fun!
Glad you had happy holidays even if now it's paperwork time. And I wish you a speedy recovery from your current cold/flu.
no subject
Date: 2013-01-04 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-01-04 03:47 am (UTC)Glad your holidays were merry! Now how about your birthday--plans?
Counting down the days to pcon. We did not get a room in the Doubletree in the various very complex lotteries, but are nearby. Will book flights soon--is your living room floor an option for Thur night?
no subject
Date: 2013-01-04 05:46 am (UTC)This Sunday for my birthday I've invited folks to join be for Sunday brunch in Berkeley. It is a fish place with a large buffet and it is dungeness crab season... need I say more? LOL
Russell was just telling me about your P'Con panel. Absolutely, a Thursday night on the futon is available. I don't check in until Friday. Looking forward to it.