auld lang syne

Main Entry: auld lang syne
Pronunciation: “Ol(d)-“(l)a[ng]-‘zIn, “ol(d)-
Function: noun
Etymology: Scots, literally, old long ago
: the good old times

Quiz Time!
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Bounder burned down his dog house while we were all in Baltimore!

Luckily, no dogs were harmed in the process, and now my dad has to buy Bounder a new dog house.

Bad dog!

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Yesterday, as was traditional, we played Oh Hell.

This was the bidding for the three hand.
Me: Okay, bids?
Mom: One
Dad: Two
Me: One. That’s four to you Michael, you can’t bid negative one.
Michael: Cool. I bid zero.
Dad: Wait! I didn’t bid!
Me: Yeah you did, you bid two.
Mom: Yes, you bid two, I heard you.
Dad: No! No! That wasn’t my bid! That was ‘One, two, buckle my shoe!’

Merry Christmas!

Happy Hanukkah!

And Happy whatever else you may or may not be celebrating today!

Love,
Michelle

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled, all snug in their beds.
While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.
And Ma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter!
Away to the window, I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutter and threw up the sash!

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below.
When what to my wandering eyes should appear
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment, it must be St. Nick!

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet! On Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now, dash away, dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the housetop, the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too!

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound!

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot!
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry.
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was a white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in this teeth.
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump — A right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod — Up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight:
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Happy Winter!

Just got back from seeing The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was good, although I did have a few nits to pick. First, I realize the movie was only PG, but not only was there no blood, but Peter’s sword remained shiny throughout the entire battle sequences. That was just entirely too clean. They could have made it at least dirty looking. Second, I thought the fight between Peter and the White Witch was beyond belief. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch was gorgeous in her handling of her swords, while, for good and obvious reasons, Peter came across as little more fumbling. She should have cut him to ribbons. My disbelief was having trouble being suspended there.

But other than that, we really enjoyed it. It was fun. Lots of sword bashing. Very low gruesome factor. See it in the theater, only try to avoid seeing it with toddlers, like we had the misfortune to do.

Sorry, but I don’t think three year olds belong at a PG movie.

Well, I’m up to 25k words now. Things aren’t going quickly, but at least they’re going.

I had a problem last week, when I decided that I had a major plot continuity problem, however, I have resolved that issue, at least for now. We’ll see if it holds up.

And for the curious, here’s the first draft of the Prologue. Please be warned, the first thing I do is kill a whole bunch of children.
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For those who regularly go to The Breast Cancer Site, is it just me, or is their December fund raising meter rather…unfortunate?

“Well, I’m good at acting like decapacitated poultry.”

A Great and Terrible Beauty (2003) Libba Bray

I picked this book up because the cover caught my eye. I think it’s the corset, which looks both authentic and terribly uncomfortable (or so says the eternal tomboy). Before the book starts, Libba Bray quotes part of the poem, The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, a poem that has interested me since I was younger, because it’s mentioned in the Agatha Christie book The Mirror Crack’d. I figured that was pretty good grounds for getting a book–despite the fact that the main character is a teenager.

Read More about A Great and Terrible Beauty

In celebration of finishing the semester, we went to see a matinee of Aeon Flux. A little gratuitous violence is always a good way wind down after finals. Although I enjoyed the movie, I cannot say the same for the setting.

Because the new theaters didn’t have a matinee showing, we went to Carmike Cinemas.

I wish we hadn’t.

Apparently they’re saving money but not turning on the heat in the theaters. I was wearing a turtleneck, sweatshirt, and jeans, and was still huddled under my coat trying to keep warm. Michael never took his coat off, and said his feet were frozen by the end of the movie (which was, mind you, only an hour and a half long.)

I probably should have gotten up to complain, except that I didn’t want to leave the tent of warmth I’d built up under my coat. I’m pretty sure I’ve been to November football games that were warmer than that theater.

Additionally, I was subjected to entirely too many coke commercials. Which is just one more reason not to go there again. I don’t need to spend $5 for a matinee and be subjected to commercials.

But the movie was fun. It wasn’t great, but it was enjoyable.

Might have been more enjoyable if I hadn’t spent most of the time wishing it was over so I could go outside where it was warmer.

Bonus: In a utterly geeky moment, a preview for George Cooney’s movie Syriana came up, and I got to exclaim “It’s Doctor Bashir! It’s Doctor Bashir!” Yes. Yes I am a geek. Why do you ask?