Just like a stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerfherder

Sorry I missed so many of you while you were home on break - hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving. And you're feeling better (Katie). And you all had a decent trip back to your respective schools.

Our holiday was nice, we spent the day in pajamas. Made a turkey (Jay gets one from work every year), ate much, slept much, read much - it was all good. Oh yeah, lest I try to make myself think otherwise (again) next year - I hate turkey. Really. The taste has never sat well with me. That's why we usually don't do a "traditional" dinner - I think next year we're donating the turkey to the food shelf and going with something else. (although, mini-confession: I like fruitcake. especially the really rich stuff that you can only have a few bites of at a time.)

Then on Friday we went and saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This is my favorite movie so far. I don't want to spoil it for any who haven't seen it yet (and we saw it on IMAX - wheeee!), but let me just leave you with the impression that this movie is what the storyline for a book adapted to movie form should look like. Gone were the extra subplots that really don't move the whole story forward, and in their place were the polished bits that you need to continue the core story along with a few fun flourishes (I LOVE Snape in this movie). Anyway, go see it - this one is fabulous!

So, what's taking up my time and energy now? I'm glad you asked! Star Wars - or rather, the next library trip to Boston to see Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination this Saturday. The plan: Leave at 6 (am!!) go to the museum and see the exhibit (YAYAY!), have lunch, hang out in the general exhibit, go to see "Special Effects" at the OMNI-IMAX 180 degree screen (WHOA! - I hope no one has major height or moving sickness issues...), then leave, stop for dinner, come home around 7:00 pm.

Then on Sunday I've got a read-through of the Vagina Monologues for which I have a tentative casting. I'm going to call everyone back and try to read-through the monologues with everyone cast in their tentative roles and then we'll see how it goes.

Otherwise, things are going along swimmingly...although I am looking at another week where I'm not going to get home any evening before 9. Next week should be better.

And now that I'm at the end of November National Novel Writing Month I can share my word count (a la Microsoft Word because I'm not posting my novel anywhere it could be read right now!): 25,322. I think I've got a pretty good story going right now actually. It needs a lot of fine tuning, and I need to re-write some parts (lots of parts....) but I've got a solid, unique story.

I've got some fun stuff to share:

I used to think it was just the stores that were shoving Christmas down everyones' throats right around Thanksgiving, now I see the houses are just as decorated. It is kind of nice to see the pretty lights, but we're not putting anything up yet. Perhaps when we do we'll follow this cat's guide to tree trimming (with pics!!).

Did the Jedi have it coming? I love this essay. It's a fun, little piece of geek-flavored, brain candy.

Coraline is going to be a movie!!! *squeeee*!!!

I saw this as an email in the early 90's - how funny to stumble across it now.

Throw rocks at boys. No, not for real.

You must have speakers to click here. Turn them on first.

I love Calvin & Hobbes. Really. I own all the books and I bought the new collection and I've read it so many times since that, well, I still love them. Enjoy a few. Watterson is a genius.

What I'm Reading: I've been on a Christopher Moore bent the past few days. I can't explain it other then to say that it all started with Good Omens. And then I reluctantly finished that (twice) and still wanted more silly. I didn't happen to have any Terry Pratchett on hand. Instead I came across The Stupidest Angel, which has my favorite first line of all time:

Christmas crept into Pine Cove like a creeping Christmas thing; dragging garland, ribbon, and sleigh bells, oozing eggnog, reeking of pine, and threatening festive doom like a cold sore under the mistletoe.

Well, after that I decided to visit the character Tuck and Roberto (a giant, talking fruit bat) in Island of the Sequined Love Nuns. And then, oh, what the heck, it was right next to it on the shelf. I continued my silly little marathon with Lamb: The Gospel According to Bif, Christ's Childhood Pal. Yes, in case you are wondering, these are the type of books that grace my personal collection. I'm proud of that.

Where would one go after finishing those? Why, right back to the shelf to reach out blindly and grab........Fluke: Or I Know why the Winged Whale Sings. Go me!

What I'm Watching: I'm tired, it's late, I'll write about more at another time, besides you know I saw an awesome movie.

Mini-edit: WICKED!!!!!! (All shows sold out)