The Tease of Things I Don't Need

The Holidays -- at Last!

I've been holding off on posts recently in part because I've simply been too tired and mostly because I found myself holding off until I could say "I'm done!"

Well, that last part isn't happening just yet -- but I'm getting close.

The pic up top, and the next side shot, are courtesy of Crypt Leak, who use the camera in his new phone to catch this... enthusiastic bit of seasonal, vehicular dress-up. Click on each image to get a larger view. The nativity scene in the grillwork is somewhat inspired.

This was in a parking lot near El Cancun, where we (this being a trio including Jason, CL's assistant) decided to have lunch on that last work day before the holiday break.

My wife had been in the hospital a week earlier, from Monday the 11th through Monday the 18th, and there were follow-up visits and multiple runs to the pharmacy throughout this past week, which meant another week of havoc wreaked on the work schedule, though one has to observe priorities.

I gave Jason, Mike T. (my assistant) and Eric each copies of The Kree-Skrull War trade on Friday, though Eric doesn't know it yet as he started his Christmas vacation a day early.

Eric and Mike are contemporary comics fans, so since Bendis has chosen that conflict as the trigger for the formation of The Illuminati, whose secret history will be unveiled in a 2007 miniseries I thought it a nice touch to give them the background. In Jason's case, he lacks the comics background but is a big anime fan and has quickly gotten into Heroclix. Since so many of the players in the Kree-Skrull War have been rendered into clix form I thought it might be of some interest for him. The first few chapters were done in the capable if somewhat cartoony style of Sal Buscema, then there's a large chunk of Neal Adams work, and the wrap-up chapter is done by perhaps my favorite Avengers artist, John Buscema. Thomas' scripting hasn't aged well - Jason was already joking about the unnatural exposition, made worse by repetition over the course of a few pages, by lunch time - but it's an entertaining chunk of Marvel comics history.

Mike T. gave me Bowie's 1971 Hunky Dory disc, which I'd mentioned a while back was something I was thinking of picking up along the way. I'd had it in my Amazon shopping cart just recently, too, but shifted it to my wish list instead as I was already spending more than enough on other gifts. So I had that playing Friday morning over my computer speakers.

Friday night, after taking care of dinner I went into a controlled dive and was asleep well before 10 pm, so I missed the last half hour of the second season-ender for Dr. Who. I'll watch for that later. I needed the sleep.

Waking in a crusty, thirsty, swollen-bladder daze not much before 8:30 today, lurching like a zombie, impelled by needs to vent at one end and refill the other. I had to rehang lights in the front window (damned cats), then get a second glass of water (I'm more used to it than I once was, but forced-air heating still leaves me dehydrated) and take something for an aching lower back.

A slow start-up, some overdue email tended to and then out for shopping - remaining presents and general provisions.

Tomorrow sees me with no more must-do shopping, though I might be struck with a strong impulse or suddenly realize an imbalance in the gifts, but even lacking that the kids and I will be going to visit my mom. (Getting something for Mom & John was part of today's task list, and that fell in line.) I'm still bummed that we're obligated to travel Monday, so it'll be late Christmas afternoon/early evening when I'll next be in the comfortable state of looking at a stretch of a day plus where I don't have to go anywhere.

Since we will be driving back and forth part of Christmas day we'll be having Christmas "morning" around 8 or 9pm Christmas eve. This way people can enjoy their new things, stay up late, and we can rise from the dead mid-morning Christmas day to get ready for the ride.

A box from Tammy & Darren, and one from Grant are already waiting there for me, and while she was sweating their arriving in time FedEx and the USPS each came through with two items she'd ordered from different places for me. So, I'll have a little bit to open tomorrow night, too.

Now, though... a few more things to wrap, then I can relax and get some sleep. I'll have at least one other, seasonal post tomorrow sometime, too. It's just not ready yet.

I hope your holidays are all going smoothly.