greybeta | TU Cent Thoughts, Christmas Day 2005

A prayer
To all our far flung troops, away from home on these happy holidays. I specifically pray for samurai Maph and his safe return in mid January.

Obligatory acknowledgement
Feliz Navidad!

Administration
In my blogging etiquette, I state that I use the Golden Rule. I do unto others as I would have them do unto me. I rip people because I expect them to rip me. But that's not exactly a good way to keep friends. So I suppose I should try being nicer. This requires change. And I hate change. Yet I must, so I will.

That being said, I'll be nicer when I am stepping outside the confines of my own blog. But when you're on my blog, you're subject to the whims of this benevolent dictator. A fair warning, no?

Presents
My elder sister gave me her old 2 megapixel digital camera, a camera bag, and C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters. Mom and Dad gave me shaving cream, a razor, and an electric toothbrush (uh, thanks?). My American grandparents got me some awesome gloves, which is a good thing since I needed a new pair.

On my side, I got my sister two CD's of our church choir music. I didn't get Mom or Dad anything material this year. Instead, I promised to graduate with a 4.0 next semester.

Pictures
It's Christmas, so I'm breaking my two post a day limit to put up some pictures in a short while.

Midnight Mass
Father John took me out to check out an Episcopalian Midnight Mass. Fairly interesting, though a bit too ritualistic for a Brimstone Baptist like me. Instead of putting my hands out to receive communion, I crossed my arms to receive a blessing. Southern Baptists don't do this eucharist sacrament stuff, we have the non-alcholic Lord's Supper (where the wine is replaced by grape juice...even though Jesus poured wine).

Convos of the Day
John: So did you like the service?
D2: Yeah, actually, I enjoyed reciting the liturgy with everyone else. I do have one minor beef, though, old friend.
John: And what's that?
D2: The celebrant would converse naturally, then abruptly stop before resuming the liturgy. Those were really awkward pauses.
John: Father Jeff does that for all of his messages, though.
D2: Maybe, but couldn't he transition or something?
John: I hate transitioning. Then you have everything clearly marked, so it feels like you have to A then B then C then D.
D2: Uh, old friend, he's already doing that with those awkward breaks.

Hannah: There's some of those Crunch ice cream bars you like in the fridge.
D2: Okay.
[D2 gets up and goes to the bathroom, and he runs into his mom.]
Mom: By the way, I bought your favorite Crunch ice cream bars the last time I went to the store.
D2: Alright, I'll eat some later.
[D2 walks out of the bathroom]
Dad: Hey, I saw some of your favorite Crunch ice cream bars in the fridge.
D2: Fine, I get the hint, I need to gain some weight. I'll eat a freaking Crunch ice cream bar for you people!

[D2 calls

zarhooie on her cell phone]
D2: Hello, is Miss Kat there?
Kat: Um, this is her.
D2: Merry Christmas, Miss Kat!
Kat: Who is this?
D2: I'll give you one hint. You were very surprised by how many mutual friends we had on LJ.
Kat: Oh hey!
D2: Most people call me D2, Miss Kat.

Kat: Yeah, that sounds kind of weird doesn't it?
D2: The Brimstone Baptist in me wants to pull out a shotgun and shoot you right now.
Kat: [laughs]
D2: I am serious.

D2: So, do we want black beans in the chili or not?
Mike: NO!
Andy: Well, actually, I wanted black beans, so...yeah.
D2: I don't care either way, but it looks like somebody already opened up the beans.
Mike: Dang it, in cases of a tie, the status quo wins.
Andy: Pwned.

D2: So how did you like the chili I made?
Mike: The parts I liked were good...the parts I didn't like were bad.
D2: Which parts did you not like?
Mike: The green papers, the corn, and the beans.
D2: You mean the stuff that makes the chili taste better?
Mike: Shut up.

D2: Hmmm, this meal has to be good because you have a white mage and a black mage doing the cooking.
Andy: Yeah, but we're weak at hand-to-hand combat.

Quote of the Day
"Instead of being a time of unusual behavior, Christmas is perhaps the only time in the year when people can obey their natural impulses and express their true sentiments without feeling self-conscious and, perhaps, foolish. Christmas, in short, is about the only chance a man has to be himself."
~Francis C. Farley

Links of the Day
I tell a story about monkeys. An explanation of my heresies, if you will.

Ferrett-sensei gave Mrs. Ferrett the most heartfelt Christmas gift ever. I've listened to the mushy song three times already (LOL at "they were both in...like). You should also know what the ten worst Christmas specials of all time. What were they thinking of when they made a Noam Chomsky Christmas special (c'mon, we all know Chomsky is a TERRIBLE candidate to base a Christmas special around).

Sports Report
Denver is the team that the Colts should be most afraid of. Seattle should win the NFC.

Random factoid
The C.S. in C.S. Lewis stands for "Clive Staples". No wonder the man went by C.S.

Cooking
Mom is going to show me the secrets to making her egg rolls tonight.

*D2 does a happy dance*

Curiousity question
At church this morning, they announced that a couple had been married for sixty-three years. 63. That's longer than most people live in this world.

Out of pure curiousity, how long have my older readers been with their spouse/signficiant other?
*EDIT*: A minor detail, but "older" means you're older than me. And I'm just old enough to buy alcohol.