BYOSlurpee in the alley behind the local convenience store?

I'm thinking we may not even get the convenience store.

I'm really looking forward to the krav one. Okay, last year sucked and I was incredibly headachey, but that just means the bar is set low.

It is all about managing expectations. It has to be better than last year. Contemplating the alternative can only lead down the dark and lonely road of holiday suckage.

And my Official Letter explicitly talked about uploading, but not one single word about/euphemism for/reference to *down*loading. Weird.

Maybe the rarional is that if you're downloading, that's just one instance of piracy. But if you upload, you are possibly aiding many people download many copies.

It makes more sense if we're just talking about, say, an ftp site. Dunno how the mathematics would work out in a torrent situation.

Dunno how the mathematics would work out in a torrent situation.

It doesn't work out that great, really, because the whole torrenting protocol means you're uploading while you're downloading. It's just that when you seed, you would be, yes, hitting many more other people.

Here's a very nice thing: I discovered a local soap-maker at the Renaissance Faire up here this summer, and fell in love with a lot of their stuff.

So I went to the website and bought gifts for my agent and my editor for the holidays, lotion, soap, and a roll-on scent in Blue Moon for my editor, and in Orchard Blend for my agent. Shipping was cheap, delivery was quick -- and when I opened the box I found two body butter bars in the same two scents included. Looked on the invoice, where the owner had hand-written: "Thanks, Amy! Please find two free body bars included also!"

How nice! I mean, I haven't checked, and given their prices I'm sure the bars are only $4 or $5, but still -- that's profit she gave away. I think I'm never buying handmade soap or lotion from anyone else.

For anyone interested, it's The Handmaiden's Garden.

Because I can crosspost as well as anyone:

Firefox/Firefly filk: [link]

Caution: Very geeky

I just really don't get the whole concept of restraining orders. Do they really stop wackos?

It seems to be working with my uncle, but he's a wacko with a lot of respect for the legal system. When I asked my cousin if she thought it would work, her response was that he can't break it, because if he does there are all these horrible consequences (read "slaps on the wrist") that he will face. The funny thing is that I think he, like she, will interpret "slaps on the wrist" as "horrible consequences" as well.

tomorrow is pie day. the town brings in tons of pies for the worker bees. mmm....pie.

Hey. When we have pie day, it means we have to bring in the pie. Actually, we don't have pie day, but that's the case with any other kind of food.

I hate potlucks. There's always some guy who shows up with a 2 liter, while the women are looked down upon if they don't make something. I love to cook, so that's not a problem, it's just the Principle.

The few guys here are actually pretty good about bringing good stuff, and no one gets on anyone's case if they don't feel like cooking. What I hate, though, is when someone who never helps coordinate any event comes up with really great, helpful suggestions that will require lots more work for me. My response is usually, "That's a great idea. I think you should do that," at which point I usually get splutters or defensiveness ("I was just trying to be helpful!!)

My Cousin is apparently all furious that my family's T-giving is going to be a smaller affair, instead of the usual do at rented hall with 50 people as in the past. She always invites friends to the event but has never, to my knowledge, brought a single item. She has promised to, every year, but somehow never has been "able" to help out. My 78-year old mom and her 80-year old mom were the ones to get to the hall in the morning and set up all the tables and lay out all the silver and cook the turkeys (when I was home, I did that stuff, of course, but I haven't gone home for Thanksgiving for 5 years or so). They decided this year to let another cousin host a family-only event at her home. Cousin has accused them of selfishness and said they ruined the holiday. It kind of blows my mind.

Blarg. I made it downtown only to find that we are once again craxy with unpaid parking tickets. A quick check with the circus center at the end of the block confirmed that they're still registered with the "Volunteer here to pay off your parking tickets!" program, so off I go to sign up with that tomorrow.

Hmm. Matilda is in the Baby Björn right now, ruminatively licking my shirt. Possibly it's time to feed her again.

Hmm. Matilda is in the Baby Björn right now, ruminatively licking my shirt. Possibly it's time to feed her again.

She's trying to seduce your shirt. "Ohh, mah sweet lovely shirrrt... open yourself to me mah delicate flowerrrrr..."

Cousin has accused them of selfishness and said they ruined the holiday. It kind of blows my mind.