Posting has been, well, just a little irregular lately, eh? I suppose that's the holidays for you. Who really has time to blog in between visits with family and friends, reading, watching movies, and catching up on sleep?!?!

This Christmas hasn't been a bad one--not by any method of measurement. I've seen the people I wanted to see (that's the most important thing!); I got everything I wanted.

Except that my grandfather is still in the hospital.

He broke his hip (again!) almost three weeks ago so that he's still in the hospital is understandable. He's getting the care he needs. What's upsetting is that he's often too disoriented by the medication to realize that.

That hospital visit was probably the most upsetting single experience in my recent memory.

you are aqua #00FFFF

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well. Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right. Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

[Quiz found via Becky.]

Record Returns of the 'King'

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King lived up to expectations over the weekend as it took in an estimated $73.6 million, to bring its five-day total to $125 million. The results certified it as the biggest December opener ever. It was also the biggest five-day opening for a movie premiering on a Wednesday. Its total for the five days was 24 percent bigger than last year's second sequel, The Two Towers. It was the fourth-fastest movie to cross the $100-million mark.


In those first five days, I saw the movie twice. Number three will probably be this weekend.

I've been home for half an hour after spending in excess of fifteen hours at the local Silver City. Trilogy Tuesday has come and gone. And I'm emotionally spent thanks to The Return of the King.

Let's just say that my friend's girlfriend commented how every time she looked over at my, I was crying a new set of tears.

Time to rest up, so I can see it again!

Oh, did I mention that I LOVE Hot Hot Heat?!

Just saw them at T.O.'s own Opera House (which has, surprisingly even shittier acoustics than Call the Office!) But, again, wow. Those four boys still managed to rise above the venue acoustics. And, this time around, the upped the ante in terms of the show aesthetic--and I don't just mean better lights. They seemed much more excited to be performing (probably because this was the last show on their tour)--they were more animated.

So two Hot Hot Heat shows in two different cities in less than two weeks. And I can't wait to see them again!

Dinner party tonight. I'm serving a white wine and asparagus soup for openers, and my famous glazed ham with sides of Ligurian roasted potatoes and cranberry and apple sauces for the main course. Paully's bringing the bread and salad, Jess is bringing the wine, and Mel's bringing the dessert. (I've got some of my mother's Christmas cookies to serve, too.)

Ordinarily, I'd make a couple more side dishes, but I really don't want to get stuck with too many leftovers, since it's just me here to finish them over the next few days and even I won't be around much.

Jess' scarf is done. Ker, I've started on yours (and yes, the wool will allow for some kickass tassels!)

Some music links to keep you busy while I finish that paper (NO, I'm not finished YET):

- a history of the punk scene in London--wait for it!--Ontario! ; )

- Exclaim! magazine's "Critics' Cliches" attempt to demystify the murky world of the genre. (Too bad* that for every band that fits neatly into a category, there are at least three who don't.)

More later. Or, if you're impatient, go bother Kerri. She has lots of links (music and otherwise) to play with.


* Phrase used ironically.

You are John "The Mod!"


Which SLC Punk are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

And, on a more serious note, please check this out [link via Trapped in a Box of Tremendous Size It Distorts My Vision And Closes My Eyes].

What is it about December that just makes my body crap out? Almost every December--according to some perverse clockwork--I get sick. This past Thursday night--I was sicker than I've ever been in recent times (the last time I had that so-sick-you-feel-like-you're-going-to-die feeling was probably when I was in the eleventh grade. I don't think it was a December, though.)

So now I'm behind on my paper. And am still here at school instead of at home.

Last night, my mom drove up to bring me soup and help me out, so I could try to focus on my work. I'm feeling stronger now; I'm still not a hundred percent, but I'm strong enough to be able to finish my work/hand it in tonight/tomorrow morning and take the evening bus home tomorrow. Mom's meeting me there.

Listening to "Bandages" by Hot Hot Heat.

Well, where have I been? It's been almost a week since I last posted. Napping all this time? Nah. It would've been nice to sleep that long--I could certainly use the rest--but I've had better things to do: little sisters to host, concerts to see, movies to watch and--oh, yeah--papers to write.

Last Friday, my sister came to visit. Well, she came to see The Constantines (only her favourite band apart from The Stills), but she stayed for me. The Constantines put on a really good show (and my sister says that that was a bad night!), managing to produce a really tight sound despite the venue's less-than-stellar acoustics. I was impressed. Really, I know I shouldn't be surprised; Mer loves the band and she's VERY selective with her devotion (well, her newly-minted love for Black Dice is suspect, but apart from that...) It was nice to have my expectations (which had been whipped into a frenzy because of my sister's enthusiasm for The Constantines) exceeded nonetheless.

The next day, Mer and I went out for lunch, did a little shopping and a little visiting, and rented a movie (Lost in La Mancha--not the greatest documentary ever made, but it really does manage to give you a sense of just how great Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote could have been if production wasn't shut down. I grieve for Terry and the loss of that movie. I hope he manages to buy back his script and make that movie someday real soon.)

I finished classes for the semester and wrote paper number four (of the five that have been due in the past two and a half weeks), but not before attending last night's Hot Hot Heat show (the paper--which I started writing only after 6 p.m. last night [yep, started it just two and half hours before I was supposed to leave for the concert]--was due this afternoon. That I still went to see H.H.H. last night is pretty telling.) You know what? I just don't think those guys could disappoint me. They were just as great, just as energetic (how do they keep up the momentum?!?!) as they were the last time I saw them, and they managed--once again--to rise above poor venue acoustics (the same venue acoustics The Constantines rose above this past Friday; I would love to hear them in a venue with good acoustics! I'm confident they'd blow my mind.)

And no, I'm not just saying that 'cause I think Dante DeCaro is as adorable as he is talented!

So, now that I've come down off that high, what's left for me to do?

For starters:

- complete research for paper number five;
- write paper number five (an exploration of the canonical (mis)placement of New Woman fiction);
- finishing knitting Christmas presents/doing Christmas shopping;
- go home for a few days to recuperate;
- return to use the library for thesis research, meet with one of my profs from this past semester (the one who's also the Graduate Placement Coordinator) to discuss job placements (yikes!) for May, and to host a couple Christmas dinner parties.

And that's just for starters!