Happy holidays!

Merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/.../!

And if you don't have anything to celebrate, I just wish you some nice days next week!

I'll probably be back soon to tell you about our turkey experiment, the untraditional christmas and how my family will react to celebrating on the 25th instead of the 24th...

Happy holidays!

ultimate geekdom and buying presents

don't you love days that start slow?
It's not that I have nothing to do or anything (quite the opposite, actually), but my sister is sleeping over on the couch in the living room and that means I can't get up without waking her.
Now, that sounds worse than it actually is, because I'm well prepared.

Gf and I had our laptops ready for use at the side of our bed and are now in bed feasting on online procrastination. Other people have breakfast in bed, we postpone eating for computer time in bed (also, I'm not hungry yet).

Also, I wanted to clear up yesterday's crypic: It was a regular christmas thoughtfulness, about how people are showing their worst side instead of their most peaceful and lovable ones - all in the name of the most important holiday in the western hemisphere...
wouldn't you think that a financial crisis would lead to less people in the shops and a return to the more traditional values of this holiday season?
No, I was tackled by a hockey mom buying christmas presents on Thursday, because I was too close to her sons new favorite video game (of which were a thousand more on the display). I didn't even want that game, I was just passing by the section because I needed to in order to get to the concert ticket selling place...
damn, you anonymous hockey mom, I'll remember you for next year, you betcha!

sleepy

For a lack of an "Exhausty", that's me:

And as McC cheerily pointed out to her mom just now on her phone: Finn fell asleep in the bunny cage! (Her mom's response being: Did they drag her into the house?)
Nice, really nice. She also could've woken me up but she opted for the fun of the gf lying on the floor with the bunnies dancing on her back...
I probably looked like a Sim passed out on the floor because I couldn't make it to the bed in time...

PS: no bunnies were harmed by my falling asleep. I didn't actually fall.

Purzeltag

it's a fairly good day. I could leave work a bit early, the bunnies aren't feeding on the card board boundary of their enclosure, and the speakers surround me with a nice and happy melody.
It's one of those non-particular days where nothing in particular happens and non-particular people are smiling at the few rays of light and freezing their ears off because they refuse to wear hats in the cold but sunny weather.
Everything was on average, the exception proves the rule. The exception being my phone that seemed to be ringing constantly. But since I have very bad reception in my office and not having time at all I didn't pick up and grew more unnerved with every caller wondering what they want.
then someone texted me instead of calling and I took the time to have look. It was my little sis, wishing me a happy birthday.

Talk about oblivion. I guess that's what happens to people who never had anyone explain to them why the passing of time needs to be celebrated. I like my presents though.

the socialists' lament - a rant

gf and I went to a concert today. we're in vienna, in one of the most prestigious and pretentious buildings the city has to offer. The Musikverein. gf's mom is playing in this orchestra and they played Grieg and Carmina Burana. I like the Scandinavians, so Grieg wasn't a problem. Carmina Burana is ok in the beginning and in the end, but I'd be ok with cutting out the middle part. Carmina Burana in 15 min - my ideal.
We sometimes go see gf's mom, and we're both not the biggest fans of classical music but today's music was ok.

I have a "problem" with the audience and the environment usually. First off, they had a fence on the edge of the stage. I wasn't sure if it was to keep the musicians from falling down or to make it clear to the audience that they are "just down there". After all, the musicians sit; unless one of them has a seizure they CAN'T fall off the stage!
The room is all golden and really pretentious, but only for people without legs, because I have the shortest legs, and my knees would hurt from crashing with the front seat...

So, apart from listening to ok music in a building I find ugly I really don't get the people there.
None, and I mean NONE of these people there smiled at one point. They didn't have fun at all in there. Why do they go? because it is so beautiful. Serious music. "we don't listen to music to be entertained". bottom line: they don't have fun.
during the middle part of carmina burana - the one that I found so boring - I could see people shift in their seats, keeping straight faces to appear as if they were taking serious what happens down there. they all have sticks up their ass and the nerve to suit up on sunday morning. I don't get them.

why do people like the pathos of all this? why do people like to listen to the same thing over and over again for centuries and not change a single thing? why can rock bands incorporate a bach sonata but a symphony orchestra hardly ever play korn?
why is there no real variation? no wonder they were all bored to death.
I hate their arrogance, their elitist thinking.
the musicians thinking they are better than the rest because they are up on that pedestal and ALL these people came to see them. and the audience thinking how good they are being there listening to all this great music and really being a part of the upper crust.

I'm gonna stop this rant now. I think you get my point.
Sorry to come back from hiatus with a rant, but I felt like it.
btw, I met the deadline and my paper was handed in just in time to be accepted for grading. YAY!

half-year resolutions

I thought it's time to make some new resolutions since I can't remember the ones I made at new year. I don't even remember if I made any...

So here I go:

1. More photography - for myself, for blogging, even if it means being less lazy and bringing some order into my photo-chaos on my computer.

2. I guess one is enough...isn't it?

traditions gone wrong

and sometimes when I break traditions and age old rules I feel so free and light and everything is easy. and then get thrown back down from my pedestal of liberty and I'm forced to see how deeply rooted I'm in obligations of tradtion and how I'm not free at all. And it usually doesn't take a good end.

Will I ever learn?