For what it's worth, my decision re: cards made me feel freer than I had in years.

And now I want to see a Gothy Santa. Except I'm flashing onto the picture of Santa from the card game Xxxenophobia, and I so didn't need to see a pierced Santa.

Nilly, will send.

Susan, received.

Zenkitty, whoa. Strong.

Connie, I basically announced it: no more dead tree cards from me. I'll bake things, but I'm sparing the trees. E-cards to those I love, if I remember to do it.

Funniest Christmas card ever: from the local radio station in Brixton, London, a neighbourhood with a high concentration of West Indian culture and people. This came to all the engineering and media staff at Dolby; we'd fixed the station up with Dolby FM.

Card had a Santa in dark glasses, full dreads (the station manager had posed for it, and he was a not nearly as pretty version of Bob Marley), holding a spliff. Inside? "Merry Christmas, honkies!"

Card made me unbelievably happy.

I orphan myself, and it feels like Christmas again.

Connie, that's wonderful stuff. Very powerful, very true.

AmyLiz, BWAH! I think I'd feel much the same way as Nils.

OMG, whoever said they have no holiday hell, would you adopt me? I don't even eat that much... I'm sitting here thinking *which* hideous story I may tell.

I don't want to tell a holiday hell story. I think I may be cursing myself, by heading into a holiday hell story that tops whatever hell story I write. The SO is all glad to be headed home. Me? Still attitude problem. And I heart my family. I even heart road trips. I told the SO, "I just don't want to fix anybody's computer." Turns out? Already committed. Blargh!

erika, that was me, and I can't adopt you; I already internet-married you, remember?

No holiday hell, over here. Just nice memories of beautiful food and occasional prezzies and things.

Liese! That sucks.

It got that way for my brother -- everytime he came home, he had to work on the car.

He used to love that sort of stuff and it started to make him hate it.

It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't every single place I go and every single person I know. ARE THERE NO OTHER GEEKS IN THE MIDWEST???

The geekier member of (my side of) the family? Moved to Africa. When he came back, he was out of stream, so asked for help.

In my head, I run a little tally. This would cost you X dollars if you took it to a qualified tech.

This would cost you X dollars if you took it to a qualified tech.

I did that too. I actually told one friend/acquaintance this, and he's started keeping track too. Every now and again, he'd just give me stuff. It has the potential to turn into a "now we're counting favours???" thing, but sometimes folk just don't understand what they're asking for, and how many other people are asking for it too.

I did read a piece by an IT guy who says that he started introducing himself as working in insurance, because then no one ever wanted him to do anything.

I will spend Christmas setting up and loading a new computer for my sister. I note that Dell would have charged her $200 to set it up. I did consider for a moment writing "computer support" on a piece of paper, putting it in a box, and wrapping it.

I am also sorting through the holiday hells in my head to find one that can be covered in 100 words.