wordinista | Entries tagged with christmas

I can has snowflake cookie v-gifts!

Thank you

mscongeniality

aoi_tsuki and

kangawu !!!

This has brightened my day so much, y'all don't even know. <3

Current Mood: grateful

OMG OMG OMG. GUYS GUYS GUYS.

WILLIAMS-SONOMA EXPLODED ALL UNDER MY CHRISTMAS TREE.

I CAN HAS A MIXER. A RED KITCHEN-AID MIXER. OMG. OMG. OMG. AND KITCHEN TOYS THAT ARE COOL AND AND AND STUFF.

A-AND A LAPTOP. HOW DID I GET A LAPTOP OMG OMG OMG WHAT. JUST. WHAT. IT'S NOT HERE YET BUT IT'S GOING TO BE HERE SOON AND OH MY GOD A LAPTOP WTF.

AND DID I MENTION THE MIXER? AND IT'S RED.

AND MY LAPTOP IS RED TOO.

OH MY GOD. WHAT. I. WHAT.

AND A SHIGURE PLUSHIE AND A RECIPE JOURNAL AND BOOOOOKS I GOT BOOKS AND TEA AND OMG OMG OMG A MIXER AND A LAPTOP AND PRETTY SPARKLY EARRINGS AND MY MOTHER AND GEORGE SPOILED THE CRAP OUT OF ME HOLY MACKERAL I HAVE A MIXER AND A LAPTOP. AND THEY'RE RED. AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!11!! ASJKDF;

EDIT: ALSO, I GOT TWO STORIES THIS YEAR IN

yuletide AND THEY ARE MADE OF WIN AND AWESOME. SECRET SANTA AND SECRET TREATER, I LOVE YOU.

Current Mood: shocked

( how quickly I lapse into maudlin... )

#1: We can has Christmas tree! It's... in the garage right now, but we have one! And it's pretty! ~~And I have no idea where it's going to go!~~

#2: Tora did indeed get a bonus. It's... not as large as last year's, but he got one, and it'll be helpful.

#3: Several excellent things happened for Tora at work between yesterday and today. I... can't really talk about them yet, but GOOD STUFF. And we are happy.

#4: Made reservations at our favorite restaurant for dinner next Friday (also reserved our favorite table, so double WOOHOO there).

#5: For reasons unbeknownst to me, our cable bill went down significantly. I... do not know if this is a billing error or what, but YOU WILL NOT CATCH ME COMPLAINING.

I have to decide whether I want to try and wrangle the tree into the tree stand, or if I want to wait for my better half to bring his Y chromosomes and upper body strength to help with that venture.

Am also SERIOUSLY considering ordering pizza, because, like. Everything we have in the kitchen needs to be cooked. And that is just not on.

Fifteen days till Yuletide stories are due and... I have not started yet. Shit. I AM NOT GOING TO DEFAULT, BECAUSE I AM NOT MADE OF QUITE THAT MUCH FAIL ~~YET.~~

Also, if you have a holiday card post somewhere on your LJ, CAN YOU PLEASE LINK ME TO IT?

Additionally, if you haven't hit me up for a holiday card PLEASE DO SO HERE.

My last class is tomorrow night, which is good. I have not yet finished my project, which is less good.

Tora may not be getting a Christmas bonus, which is bad. (Very bad, holy shit.)

And Bronte has had three accidents in as many days (which is v. v. bad and also unpleasant).

However, I'm not sick, which is an improvement over last year.

I'm also giving serious consideration to teaching for the college again. I'm trying to talk myself out of it, but I kind of miss doing something that feels worthwhile, even though I did bitch a LOT about the rampant idiocy. I... don't know. The job caused me a lot of stress towards the end there, but that had a lot to do with other things going on at the time. I enjoyed teaching, and it's something I'm good at.

I also feel utterly detached from just about any sort of fandom these days. I want to finish OGAM, if only because I ... need to finish it. I don't like the idea of leaving something that huge left unfinished. But writing in general has been difficult. If I write at all, I try to focus the efforts on original fic. It's like... the OGAM-verse used to be a lot more vivid in my head, and it just... isn't anymore. I may just try to make the next chapter the last chapter, because... it very well could be -- it'd just mean cutting a lot of extra frou-frou bits. I don't know. I... kind of need to make myself give a damn again.

The same goes for BitR -- ever since Takaya ended the series, I have had zero urge to work on the story, because I hated her ending so very much. I dunno, might just yank that one -- or figure out how to make it shorter.

So! Going to walk Darwin, work on my project, and pick out a couple of things to read in order to get myself primed to write my Yuletide story, and ... and I am going to attempt to get into SOME SEMBLANCE OF THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT because, damn, I am no fun like this.

Just a quick post to share with everyone a jpg version of the portrait Mom commissioned for me!

( Cut for space, yep... )

Current Mood: happy

Whee! Christmas!

And I'm currently completely exhausted. Lord.

Darwin woke me around 6:30 to let him out for potty, and then again at 7:30 to be fed. I then crawled back into bed and slept till about 9 or so, at which point Bronte and Darwin seemed to conspire to wake us up. Or maybe it was just Darwin, since Bronte was asleep at the foot of the bed looking at him like, "For the love of Bast, you stupid mongrel -- go to sleep."

So then we got up, and there were presents -- a corrogated cardboard scratching thingie (with catnip!) and some catnip spray mist for the kitties; a new Kong and a box of dog biscuits for Darwin; and a lot of stuff for the humans in the house. Then we trekked over to Mom's house for coffee and stollen and more prezzies: Mom got me some yarn and knitting needles, and gave them to me with all of my grandmother's knitting supplies, which almost made me cry; and I found out she also raided my PC for Darwin pics, which she then sent to a graphic artist friend of hers in Michigan, who does pet portraiture -- and he doesn't usually do the portrait from other people's pictures (he usually sets up a photo shoot with the animal in question), but he made an exception for Mom -- so I opened up this gorgeous portrait of Darwin, and... okay, yeah. I started crying then. OMG, it's so beautiful.

She also loved her prezzies, and Tora loved his. It was much fun all around.

I finally got a chance to read my yuletide fic, and I was completely surprised to have received a "stocking-stuffer" fic as well! Both of them were wonderful, and both were in the Samurai Champloo fandom, which was a pleasant surprise (and I'm now totally in the mood to go back and watch some episodes). The fic from my Santa is called "Grace" and my stocking-stuffer fic is called "Quiet Companionship," and both of them were such a lovely surprise this morning. I'm probably going to read them a few times over again. :D (Fuu/Jin is my secret crack, I swear to god...)

And speaking of crack -- "Viva Pinata" is cracktastically addictive. OH MY GOD I HAVE NO WORDS.

And now I must go start making the rolls for Christmas dinner. And somewhere in there I'm going to catch a shower and a nap, possibly not in that order.

Current Mood: touched

There were moments when I wasn't sure I'd survive till Sunday. But I did. Huzzah! So, Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah!

Okay, let's see...

We went to see King Kong, as I said, and it was gorgeous and wonderful and Peter Jackson's a complete genius, but I didn't share with anyone the little gem Tora-kun's mother shared with us as we were walking down the corridor to our theatre. We passed one of those big cardboard cutouts for Casanova, and I said I wouldn't mind seeing that, because, really -- debauchery and hedonism in old Italy? OMG YES. So, Heath Ledger is in the flick -- he's Casanova, apparently.

And then his mom turns around, looks at us, gestures at the cutout and says, completely straight-faced (because she was serious): "I didn't know Heath Ledger was a homosexual."

I nearly tripped.
( A headdesk moment, and a Christmas recap... )

Current Mood: calm

I don't expect 90% of the people on my f-list to understand what kind of crack I'm on right now, so please just smile and nod at the crazy person.

Long story short, last year

evilpuppy made a voice post of Chibi-Chuu (her minion, supplied by the talented

miyun) singing "O Holy Night." I thought it was the cutest thing evar, and told her so, profusely. This year,

saya415 was trying to get her to make another Chibi-Chuu voice post. I joined in the cajoling.

The following exchange occurred Thursday night:

niamh_sama(11:46:01 PM): I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Liz.

niamh_sama(11:46:08 PM): There must be another Chibi Chuu Carol!

evilpuppy(11:47:25 PM): HEY!

evilpuppy(11:47:32 PM): you aren't supposed to agree!

niamh_sama(11:47:37 PM): I know! But I do!

evilpuppy(11:50:39 PM): *sticks out tongue*

evilpuppy(11:50:42 PM): don't give her ideas
[...]

niamh_sama(11:51:49 PM): Shiku-chan would love Chibi-Chuu forever if he did another carol this year. :D

evilpuppy(11:53:11 PM): .... stop that

niamh_sama(11:53:25 PM): forever and ever and everrrrr~~

evilpuppy(11:54:09 PM): *sly look* What about you?

niamh_sama(11:54:19 PM): What about me?

evilpuppy(11:55:54 PM): why don't YOU sing?
[...]

niamh_sama(11:56:56 PM): Why don't I sing?

niamh_sama(11:57:05 PM): ....There's an excellent reason why I don't.

niamh_sama(11:57:13 PM): And once I think of it, I'll tell you.

evilpuppy(11:59:56 PM): once you think of an excellent reason, I'll start listening for requests

....Suffice to say, I couldn't think of an "excellent reason." So after convincing Shiku-chan (another minion supplied by the aforementioned talented

miyun and shown in this post's icon) that "Let's Get it On" is not an appropriate Christmas carol, and several tries with crappy cell-phone staticky results, allow me to present Shiku-chan's gift to Chibi-Chuu:

PS: So, Puppy, where do we sign up for requests? I myself am rather fond of "What Child is This?" and "White Christmas."

Current Mood: silly

Went to the post office. Got stuff sent out Priority.

I love my mom.

That is all.

(And I'm going to cry if the stuff I is stale by the time it all gets to where it's going.)

Current Mood: better than earlier

You win at candies,

dqbunny. Thank you!

I got my

yuletide story uploaded!

Tora-kun's sense has been miraculously restored to him in less time than I expected! W00T!

However, I have a nasty crick in my neck, and I'm godawful tired, so I'ma hittin' the hay early tonight.

Current Mood: sleepy

Lots of "squee" entries in December. Should just re-name it "Squee-cember."

Anyway.

youkai_tsuki1, I got your card today! Thank you!!

jazzy_fay, I got the package! Eeeeeeee! *lub!* Thanks so much -- the teacup is beautiful. :D

And now time for a little pimpage: [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] C'mon! Fruit's good fer ya! XD

Hmm... what else? *taps chin* Got all my wrapping done, so I'm very happy about that...

I know I've been busy today, but damned if I can figure out all I did.

However, I DID FINISH MY FIC FOR

yuletide!!!!!!111onE! And I'm kinda pretty happy with it. It's cute. I just hope the recipient likes it. I think I fulfilled the request. Pretty sure I did. I feel like I did.

It's funny, but the last story I did for this challenge turned out to be "Shaken, Not Stirred," which was just a fun, light, silly story, and I was absolutely SHOCKED at how many people liked it. I mean, it was really silly. (But so fun to write.) This fandom is a lot more obscure, but was just as fun to write. In fact, it was harder to END the blasted thing!

Current Mood: nerdy

Got some more photos of Darwin last night. His eyes still aren't open, but if there was ever a more potent little "juggernaut of cute," I haven't seen one.

( Beware teh Cute-Fu! )

Crazy day. Grocery shopping. Christmas tree shopping. Gotta pack up the tins and ship them out (probably first thing tomorrow morning). Gotta do cards. *taps chin* And more baking next week. I'm making chili right now -- well, thawing out the meat for it -- so we can decorate the tree tonight and I won't have to worry too much about making dinner.

And YAY for the crazy-out-of-left-field-cold-snap!

*runs off to be productive!*

Current Mood: productive

I have my stats final tonight. I'm going to get a shower and start ~~cramming~~ studying. Class is at 5:30, but I'd like to get there a little earlier to register for spring. OMG, it's nearly over. I can't believe it. I SURVIVED.

In other news, I hope to send out cards and such on Friday morning. I still have to fill out said cards, which I may do when stats starts to eat my brain, but I'm determined to send them out. I had wanted them out by the tenth, but it just didn't happen that way, alas.

By the way,

hallowd,

merith, and

eostra -- I got your cards! Thank you! (And

hallowd, you have the most gorgeous handwriting, ever. Thank you so much for the note.)

I'm still plugging away at my

yuletide story. Up to 1300 words so far, and I'm quite pleased with it. I'm having a little trouble moving the actual action along, since I want my final scene to be at night, but I'm pretty sure I'll think of something. Also have written a bit on the next chapter of BitR, and have done... okay, absolutely nothing on the next chapter of OGAM. Yeah, I should think about that. I've been editing UT, so fanfic has been the happy break from o-fic.

....

And Tora-kun really should know better than to leave a shipping box OPEN on the endtable. I can see it from here, and I KNOW it has one of my Christmas presents in it. *sigh* I have his stashed in my closet. My proudest acquisition? The Lord of the Rings edition of "Risk." It was sold out just about everywhere I looked, until I went searching on eBay. (Thank goodness I know he never reads my LJ.)

And, no, I'm not going to peek in the box. I already know where it's from. ;) Doesn't mean I know what it IS, just that I know where it's from.

Yick -- I have a headache from last night that still doesn't want to go away. *shakes fist* Damn you, holiday stress!

Current Mood: blah

I got such a laugh out of

dqbunny's candy-making adventure that I thought it was only fair to give a little back.

Well, I've decided to make a bunch of baked goodies and share them with a few of my friends. So I went looking through my cookbooks and family recipes and have found a collection of cookies and goodies that either (a) I've always wanted to make or (b) I've made in the past and they've gone over very well or (c) something from my childhood that my grandmother used to make and my mother doesn't make anymore.

So far I've got:

Cinnamon-almond biscotti
Pistachio crescents
Candycane crunch cookies
Almond/Anise sesame cookies (not almond and anise together, of course, but they can be flavored with either almond OR anise)
Scottish shortbread cookies
Snickerdoodles

I figure the biscotti would be the most time consuming, so I started that this morning. I've got a recipe from my great-aunt, which I begged for after she sent us a batch a few years ago. Something about the recipe intimidated me then, but I can't tell what it was. So this is my first try making them. Everything went very smoothly until I got to the part where it said to handle the dough with buttered hands, and mold dough into three strips per cookie sheet. The recipe then said: "Warning: Dough will be sticky."

No shit.

I felt like Brer Rabbit upon meeting the Tar Baby. Probably looked a bit like him, too.

So the first batch of biscotti is in the oven and the house is starting to smell distinctly cinnamon-y. Should start on the second batch now, I think. It's kind of nice, because I've got holiday music going, and the house is decorated, and... I'm starting to get into the spirit of things, I think. It doesn't hurt that we've got a cold front going through and I've got the windows open.

I really do anticipate getting all of this baking done today. Especially if I, you know, don't spend a whole lot of time on LJ.

EDIT: 1:00 PM -- Well. Homemade biscotti? Is really ugly. But tastes reallygood

EDIT: 2:07 PM -- Okay, so I've made it through the biscotti, the shortbread dough is chilling in the fridge, and the sesame cookies are in the oven, and I think I'm just about ready to quit for the day. The kitchen is a disaster area, and I'm totally wussing out and getting tired. ~~And I have to stop snacking on the biscotti.~~

Current Mood: content
Current Music: "Baby, It's Cold Outside" ~ Dean Martin

I imagine people will get tired of the puppysquee before too long.

But until that happens...

( Squee behind the cut! )

Current Mood: sleepy

Okay, so I'm hunkered down at the 'puter, doing a little early holiday shopping. I want to take advantage of Amazon's "super saver" shipping, which usually takes a little longer, but is free, so it's kind of worth it. And it's, like, a month before Christmas, and that's really good for me, because I procrastinate liek whoa.

So, I get to the checkout, and see that my purchases will not ship UNTIL JANUARY, because I live in an area "affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma."

WTFH?

Uh, no? I don't? And Hurricane Wilma? Uh... as far as I can tell, the worst of that hit way south of where I am.

So, what, I can't do my shopping on Amazon now? At least 80% of my shopping is going to be done on Amazon. WHAT THE HELL?

I sent them an email to see how "accurate" this shipping date is, because if my stuff isn't going to ship -- isn't going to leave their warehouse till January 9th, I've got to start looking elsewhere.

Damn it.

So, yeah -- anyone who lives somewhere that even got a taste of Katrina or Wilma, and you're expecting to do some Amazon shopping, you might want to check that out, because... yeah. A problem.

EDIT: Oh, jeez. This is going to be interesting.

I sent the following email to Amazon's customer service:

I'm trying to get my Christmas shopping done early, and
am noticing that my chosen items will not ship until well after
Christmas. I live in Florida, but any damage done by Hurricane Katrina and
Wilma was done far south of us.

My zip code is not in the "areas affected" list, but your shipment
estimate isn't until the first week of January. I've had planned on doing
80% of my shopping on your site, so this will pose a problem, since I'm not
sure where else to find most of the items I wish to purchase.

Before I place my holiday order, I would like to know how accurate
this shipping estimate is. I realize that an estimate is just that --
an estimate, but if my Christmas shopping isn't due to ship until
after Christmas, I'm afraid I can't continue my holiday shopping with
Amazon.

Thanks for your time,
Teh Bunneh

And just got this reply:

I'm very sorry, but I was unable to determine what type of assistance you need from the content of your e-mail message.

We would be very happy to serve you if you could write back to us with more info regarding the item you wish to purchase.

*headdesk*

(And, yes, I made sure to send it to the right department to begin with.)

So I wrote back:

I don't need help finding a product to purchase. I have a shopping cart full of goods. My difficulty lies in the fact that it looks like nothing I purchase will arrive in time for Christmas, even if I buy it a month in advance.

My zip code is XXXXX, and while it is not one of the zip codes listed in areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, the estimated date of shipment lies between January 3 and January 9, 2006. I cannot do my holiday shopping at Amazon if my purchases arrive after the holidays. That's why I started my shopping on November 29 -- so purchases arrive in time.

Could you please tell me just how accurate your "estimated date of shipment" is?

Thank you,
Teh Bunneh

Hopefully this is clear enough. We shall see.