I hate my computer. It's old, it's cranky, and it takes me two hours to put together a Christmas mix CD (when the CD Creator asked for the next disc, it would reject said disc at least five times before recognizing that, yes, there was the proper disc in the player and it could proceed to read the damn thing). I'm tired, but have to go downstairs and start my laundry (if I wait until the morning, I'll never get it done before I have to start my morning Christmas shopping. Blah.

At least I get to listen to the CD to make sure it works before I give it away tomorrow. I like the blend of music on this disc--Bette Midler singing White Christmas, The Weavers singing a Shalom/Peace on Earth medley followed by a spiritual, then everything from Simon & Garfunkel to the Brian Setzer Orchestra and Mediaeval Baebes to John Denver and the Muppets.

I introduced myself as "yay-see." En Spanglish. I wasn't even speaking Spanish! And yet? Der.

I always pronounce my name the Spanish way. I wish some more Americans would give that a shot.

I went to 4 hours of black belt training still bearing the migraine that wouldn't die (it's been since Wednesday). Required me to stand outside the room and look dazed a lot. Hopefully anything I learnt went straight into my subconscious and not into the dustbin.

Have Jamaican folk music stuck in my head. Where did I put that t pre tag? Ah. Found it.

Dis long time gyal me neva see you,
Come mek we wheel an tun.
Dis long time gyal me neva see you,
Come mek we wheel an tun.


Peel head johncrow sit pon de tree top,
Pick off de blossom.
Mek we wheel an tun gyal, 
Come mek we wheel an tun.

And there you have it. You'll have to just imagine my abbreviated gyrations.

Also, I hate doctors who have not yet authorised a refill on the prescription I called in on Wednesday, and insurance companies that pretend I'm not insured, despite having taken my money.

And I hate having a cold.

Now I'm going to make myself insensible with pharmaceuticals.

is it just me, or is Numb3rs just not as believeable as it once was.

Don't get me wrong, I love Math, but if Math could solve everything that fast, doncha think the crime rate would be WAY down with just a couple Mathmaticians on staff???

ita are you doing okay?

great day yesterday, including so many buffistas from near and afar.

But, I got to spend a day with msbelle and mac! OH MY GOD! He's adorable. So adorable that you want to scoop him up and feed him soup and swing him around and teach him to jump on the bed.

Now I think I'll wake Lori up so we can go eat brekkie then wander the city. Where? Dunno. I should go look stuff up. While I have energy. Before my meds do their thing.

Sometimes I'm willing to handwave at Numb3rs, since what they suggest would probably work that way... but you'd need a couple months to run the equations and data crunching (particularly of the databases worth of clues -- quality datamining is hard to do). My forgiveness probably has to do with the cuteness of some of the cast, actually....

I lost my ability to handwave at Numb3rs a while ago. There were just too many things that just wouldn't work.

The math is hand-wavy, the way the FBI works is hand-wavy, but the hottness of Morrow and Krumholtz? It's all real, baby.

G'morning. It's a lovely, grey day in Oshkosh, WI.

That's all I got. Except I gotta sit in the lobby of Howard Johnsons (eating my continental breakfast) to get WiFi.

What Robin said. Plus, how cute was it that they all gathered together to watch Larry blast off?

Interesting article about how some schools are trying to figure out what holiday symbols are OK to display, and which aren't. [link]

The Yorktown policy identifies specific religious symbols, which it says “include, but are not limited to, star of David, crèche, cross, Buddha, crucifix and menorah with candles or lights,” and says that such symbols are to be used primarily for educational purposes in the classroom.

“Holiday cultural symbols” — defined as those with no religious significance themselves but which are associated with a particular religion, like Santa Claus, menorahs without candles or lights, star and crescent, candy canes and dreidels — may be used for decorative purposes elsewhere in schools.

The distinction between a menorah with candles and one without candles is interesting.