my sister serves in the only unit I know of that is mostly "women-only" - not as a limitation, but because they've discovered that women do this specific task better than men.

Ok, now I'm curious. But I'm guessing ya can't tell for security reasons, and I certainly don't want to risk your sisters safety for my curiosity.

Blah. Aunt and Uncle (on my side, not The Girl's), committed right-wing Christians, are refusing to come to civil partnership ceremony. We sort of expected this. However, in a total embodiment of British passive-aggressive repression, they say in almost the same sentence that they want us to sit and have tea and cake with them as much as possible in 2010, along with their son they haven't told about us. We're writing the 'calling you out on your Britishness' letter right now. Damn those Brits. Everyone should be Irish, like the other side of my family, and shout about things until they're settled.

Happy Tuesday, all! Hope all's well with everyone today.

Aimee is it a television without pity show? Can you choose to focus on something from an early season and read all the recaps up to then?

We got one of these for Olivia's bff for Hanukkah. I need to find something small to go inside. Maybe a bracelet or something.

That is so exceptionally cool, Cash, that it makes me wish I celebrated Hanukkah, too.

How have you been feeling?

Talking of Britishness: Wake Up With Eddie Izzard! [link]

"Thank you for flying Church of England."

ETA: Cashmere, that's lovely! (I need to have The Girl's presents ready in time for Hanukkah. She gets all excited and can't help but give me mine before Christmas, so I really should sort them out now.)

Very well, Andi, thanks! Healing up nicely, with no complications. I'm supposed to go back for my follow up on Wednesday but if the weather is supposed to be as crappy as they're calling for, I may reschedule for Thursday or Friday.

You guys staying warm?

Ugh. Some utter jackass called me at 4:00 am today. Their number was blocked, so I don't know who it was, and when I answered the phone they just hung up.

My phone was in the living room, and I wrenched my sore ankle stumbling out to get it.

I've deployed the rare, mid-week pancake breakfast in an attempt to not hate everyone in the whole world, but I'm not sure that's gonna be enough. (Buffistae excepted.)

Ok, now I'm curious. But I'm guessing ya can't tell for security reasons, and I certainly don't want to risk your sisters safety for my curiosity.

It's not top secret, it's just a "one word in Hebrew gets translated into two sentences in English" case.

So, basically. My sister belongs to the field intelligence corps, where she commends a cell of girls like herself, who are watching over the borders (in my sister's case: North Gaza) for any terrorist activity, and watching over our combats' asses when they're entering there. All is done with a hell lot of technology, and every 3-4 weeks she'll have a patrol in the area (or mostly on the line) she sees through all of the high tech gadgets. She also one of the few who have permission to operate long-distance shooting when she thinks there's a dangers, and she directs troops on field like no one else. Got hugged numerous times by guys who claimed she saved their lives, and has 4 certificates of excellence in service on her wall. Very involved with everything there, military wise (not so much in the big decision making level, but can say some things about how things should and could be done - which she uses. I'm not talking about lives here, but her, an animal right activist, refuse under pressure from commanders way high-ranking her to kill animals as a warning shooting not to get near the security fence).

Mostly, it's about screening and searching for anything suspicious. And she excels that.

Pancakes: OK, what carbs couldn't accomplish, video has. Someone put together a typographically fabulous parody of "Poker Face" called "Neutra Face". (If the original Poker Face video is safe for your workplace, this would be, too.)