Holiday vacation

I love this time of year. You get time off in both November and December for the holidays. It just sucks that we don't get anything again until May. That's a long stretch.

Anyway, this week is a bit busy, because I'm getting ready to fly to Montana for Christmas with my boyfriend and his family, and then we're going to Canada to go skiing with my family. I finished up a good deal of work today, and then went out with a friend to a cool jazz show at a bar with some of his friends. They even played a couple of jazzy Christmas tunes, which was nice. Good time with good people.

Tomorrow, I'm going to have to go warp speed to get all of my packing done and ready to take off on Friday morning. I've never been to Montana before, so I'm looking forward to seeing everything even though I know that it's going to be really cold. At least I'll have L. there to keep me warm, and since his body temperature is always a lot warmer than mine, I'll just have to cuddle up.

What is it with guys and body temperature? I've never dated a guy who wasn't consistently several degrees warmer than me. And it's always my feet and hands that are freezing. I read somewhere that women's bodies sacrifice the extremities to keep the womb area warm. While that's a sort of interesting theory, I'm not sure how far I'd get attracting a guy and procreating without limbs. So, that plan seems a little flawed. Dunno.

1918 flu pandemic

This is an example of why I'm so anal about washing my hands and staying home when I'm sick. I wish other people would do the same...

Links and clips

I just finished updating my sidebar links. It had been awhile and I figured out that a few weren't working anymore. So, I updated them and linked out to some new sites. I added to the funnies and music areas, so make sure to take a look and a listen if you have time.

Also, I just caught up on the Daily Show, and saw this hilarious gem about president shrub's vibrating mode. Brilliant!

I'm flattered

I'm Person of the Year according to Time Magazine. And if you have a blog, you are also a Person of the Year.

But it sure took long enough. I started this blog almost 2 1/2 years ago. And before that, I had my own Web site full of interesting information and pictures. I guess they are correct about the community-minded thing though. Things such as MySpace and Wikipedia do make it nice to collaborate online with others, and it's sure a heck of a lot easier to sign up for an account on Blogger than code your own Web pages.

Oh well. I'm flattered that someone noticed.

Bringing out the best - or worst - in people

Listening to the radio over the past few days, it's been nice to hear how everyone pulls together in a crisis to help one another. On KIRO AM 1000 (one of our local radio stations), people have been calling in either requesting help or offering assistance and information.

But, there is a dark side to all of this aside from the lack of electricity. There has been a surge in people having their generators stolen, and criminals are taking advantage of houses where people are away. I guess there is no rest for scum. Not that it's any better that they do such things when the power is on, but it seems even more insidious during a disaster. And my dad reported seeing $2.99/gallon gas yesterday at one gas station. No better time to jack the prices up than when people are most in need. I understand adjusting prices for supply and demand, to ensure that supply does not run out. But, this seems rather steep.

Hopefully things will be back on track for everyone this week. This storm has really taken a toll on the region.

Power is back on!

Thank you Puget Sound Energy! The power went out last night, sometime late, after I went to bed. The wind was crazy loud, and when I woke up around 3:00 to pee, it was eerily dark everywhere.

Power was out at work, so I hung out in my chair, reading in front of my nicely lit fireplace. I'm quite happy that I have a fireplace, considering I've never really used one before, but somehow remembered to pick up some Duralogs yesterday on my way home just in case. This evening, my place was down to 59 degrees, so sitting in front of the fireplace was crucial to stay warm.

L. and I ventured out to get some additional supplies and food this evening, and about a half an hour after we got back, I heard the heater come on and the cable box lit up. There's nothing quite as exciting as that moment when you realize you're back to civilization.

Anyway, I'm quite thankful that there are so many hardworking people out there getting our electricity back up!

Blinking lights

Well, the wind is rip-roaring around my place, and we had lightning and thunder earlier. The lights have blinked a few times, so I imagine they'll go out at some point as the storm picks up tonight. They're planning on shutting the 520 bridge down tonight after the Seahawks game. I still can't believe that anyone would go to a football game in weather like this. It was pouring cats and dogs on my way home earlier. Why would you want to sit in that?

I stopped at the store on the way home to get some water, food that doesn't require cooking, and a few duralight logs in case the power goes out. At least I can sit by the fireplace and keep warm that way.

The storm tonight is supposed to be similar to the Inaugural Day storm in 1993. I remember being held up in the library at school that day, and we had to stay away from the windows incase the wind blew anything into them and broke them. The power was out, and we sat around telling ghost stories, which made for a creepy time at home when I had to pee in a dark bathroom lit only by candles.

Thank you Death Cab for Cutie

L. and I just got back from the Death Cab for Cutie concert at Key Arena. It was a great line up, withTed Leo and the Pharmacists, and Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins opening the show. The highlights were definitely Me and Mia (Ted Leo & the Pharmacists), Rise Up with Fists (Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins), and Title and Registration, Soul Meets Body, and Sound of Settling (DCFC). DCFC did a really cool cover of I'm Going Home by The Sonics (who are from Tacoma).

I've seen DCFC twice this year, and both times they did a really outstanding job. They do some really cool long songs that blend different sounds. And the other cool thing is that like the whole band plays different instruments, etc. throughout the show. Talk about great musicians. I just can't say enough good stuff about them. They rock!

What kind of people are these?

I absolutely love Joan Chittister. I haven't checked out the National Catholic Reporter Web site recently, so I went today to see the last few things she's written. This article,What kind of people are these?, was particularly well written and right on in my opinion.

I thought this was a great statement:
"Indeed, we have done exactly what the terrorists wanted us to do. We have proven that we are the oppressors, the exploiters, the demons they now fear we are. And -- read the international press -- few people are saying otherwise around the world.

From where I stand, it seems to me that we ourselves are no longer so sure just exactly what kind of people we have now apparently become."