Misi and Krissy have mail coming -- mom's is delayed. Brian is good. I'm too dizzy to think straight let alone stand so he went and mailed them for me. Was gonna try to make Krissy something else but failed. That's why mom's is delayed -- working on something else. Might still make Krissy something to make up for crappy thing she's getting now, but got sick of not mailing her something given it was combo b-day / Christmas and her bday was in erm... September I think?
They offered us $100 lower rent to renew our lease which is up in February. Guess they're not tearing this place down for at least a year then, yay! If we'd gone to month to month it would have gone up like $200 as that's the going rate now. Only catch is they're now charging water too but still lower if what they quote for water is true -- don't think they have individual water meters so we gotta talk to them.
Senator Kerry suggested TW and Fox go to mediation -- TW said yes, Fox said no. Ha. Guess we know who really wants to work this out and who is just being greedy jerks. Fox is being sued in Florida. They're the network who plays football games. Gators are pissed that they'll not have their game played locally and Fox won't budge / no one else can air it.
Previously I'd written about Time Warner's Roll Over or Get Tough campaign. Well at the time I'd written they didn't really explain what channels we were in danger of losing. National stories were sort of just going by whatever they'd heard -- I think based on whatever New York had been at risk of losing. Now the Roll Over or Get Tough has added a enter your zip code feature, so you can see just what channels may will be lost in your area if they "Get Tough". To recap -- some networks are telling TW something like eh ya know, what we get paid from you now + what we make from ads, well that's not enough. We want to raise rates about 300%. We went through this earlier this year, or was it last? with Viacom networks. Customers keep getting pissed about the uber uber high rate increases so TW was like, eh yeah not so sure about this one since they'd obviously just jack up our rates to cover it.
Anyway, here's what I find interesting.... This is the list of channels here:
- KCOP
- KTTV
- Fuel
- Fox Reality Channel
- Speed Channel
- Fox Soccer Channel
- Fox Sports World Espanol
- FX
- Prime Ticket (Fox Sports West 2)
Do you see a trend? For those who don't -- I'll help you out, KCOP and KTTV are local Fox affiliates. Fuel is owned by Fox. Speed is owned by Fox. I'm wondering where Fox News is? I have two theories.
1. They figured that if they listed threatened to take Fox News away from Los Angeles not only would people NOT complain, they'd tell TW "yes, please" given that usually if they mention us it's to talk about how we're the devil Liberals ruining the country, etc.
2. The reason they want to charge more for these other channels is they aren't making enough in ad revenue. Even in LA, Fox News is making a killing in ad revenue so taking it off air would kill it. But hey, they can play with the other networks -- even plain old Fox and not really care. Why else threaten to remove pretty much all of your networks here, except for that one, unless we pay up?
Now -- I need sleep. Was gonna sleep earlier in the day but my cat went psycho jumping at the window so hard I thought she'd break it. Dunno why. She saw a cat she always sees and never goes psycho over. -- worst she does usually over the dogs, cats, squirrels is hiss at them, but no she was full on psycho charging at the windows. She was also taking swipes at Lister. Hiding from us. Dunno wtf got into her today but she just went crazy. Now she's calmed down. It was like she'd turned into her momma cat (the craziest, meanest cat ever) for an hour.
Still gotta mail stuff (it's packaged up) and still trying to figure out when to see Avatar -- but between Brian's working his vacation away and me sleeping screwy hours through it, who knows when we'll do either. I always sleep worse when he's not working. I think because he keeps worse sleep hours too and our sleep hours overlap more! He tells me that if he's in the bed, he notices he wakes me up a lot. Heh. I swear those 50s sitcoms and their twin beds make sense. We have separate blankies... he steals mine. He steals my pillows, though he always said he didn't like pillows -- so when he realized he liked mine, we bought him some -- still took mine. Pushes me to the edge of the bed. Etc. *yawn* he's off eating lunch, I shall go claim the bed!
YaY! The Avatar edition of Cinefex is out. Usually they have 5-10 copies on average. Brian got their last 2. I might send mine to my mom and get another later. Mom missed Brian's name in the credits while looking for them and this is cooler -- a full page ad taken out to thank his team and another -- with his name in it. Can't miss it.
So, as we near the end of the year I though I would put together my best / worst lists. I'm too lazy. Sleep is a mess. Not getting anything done. Didn't get to go see Avatar again yet. Didn't get to mail stuff yet as I've not been awake at hours I could use sewing machine, so stuff to mail to mom isn't done. Etc. So, I'm just going to do.. hmph. My best person and worst person of the year, how's that? Good, good. Here we go then:
Best person of the year -- The Iranian people. I realize they're not one person. Shush. They realized they got screwed. They knew they'd face death if they stood up and said so. They stood up and said so anyway. They're still saying so. They're still dying. In fact today, it's being reported that Mir Hossein Mousavi's nephew was killed. It seems to be confirmed on Mir Hossein Mousavi's FB. Other reports say it wasn't him. Whoever it was that died -- it's a YouTube video. I'd not post the link, except they want to be seen it seems. Because that's what they're fighting for. Their country doesn't want them to be seen or heard. So, whether protesting or dying they want it seen. Sad.
Runner up for person of the year -- Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. I know, I know. He says he's no hero, that he was just doing his job when he landed that plane in the water. But you know what? We also had some pilots who should have been doing their jobs while they missed their runway by what 70 minutes? So while airlines charge customers more and more for every little thing and pay pilots less and less? And those other pilots sleep through their duties? Good job to Sully for being awake and alert and doing his job pretty damn well!
Worst person of the year -- Politicians. Most of them collectively. Again not one person, I realize this. But there were only a few who seemed to stand true to what they believed without wavering back and forth about opinions, without caving, without being bought and sold. And while I'm okay with a little silliness? Most of them seemed to encourage flat out stupidity, rudeness, ignorance, just -- wow. Between the two major parties -- I can probably use the fingers on ONE hand to count the ones who stayed totally true to their political views all year and weren't douchebags in the process and didn't encourage really bad behaviour. A little showmanship I expect -- the rest, shame on them all.
Runner up for worst person of the year -- rude people. From Kanye West deciding to ruin Taylor's moment, to Joe Wilson yelling You Lie, to people deciding that "I have Freedom of Speech, God Dammit" means being the biggest jackass man has ever seen. Your neighbor too has Freedom of Speech and frankly I'd rather listen to the one who was speaking calmly and respectfully -- not the one yelling over everyone, insulting everyone, ranting, waving their arms like a madman, etc. Act respectable or I'm gonna suggest that people take headphones with them everywhere they go -- and when you exercise your freedom of acting like a fool they should blast those headphones as loud as they go until it's someone else's turn to speak, oh wait it wasn't your turn -- that's why you're rude.
. Serves its purpose. $29.95. Now I'm onto the more serious business -- actually catching up on my reading. I've got two paperbacks I'm reading (well one is a comic) and one Kindle book. Whichever I am in the mood for when it's time to read, I read. I'll do this until I finish my stack of paperbacks. Then onto Kindle only (and comics).
In fact, time to read a little, then sleep. Need to try to sew some to make my mail tomorrow deadline (though we extended it due to Brian's vacation + me being nowhere near 100%, or 90... more like 70... sniffly for a week now, tiggly, and sleep is a disaster since Avatar party).
Okay so after watching our traditional Christmas movies (A Christmas Story
So what did I get?
From mom:
- Bags and the like (1 purse, 1 tote, 1 keychain bag, 1 wallet, 1 pencil type of case)
- A paint by numbers faerie painting.
- An Eeyore shirt.
- A bracelet
- Vinyl that I wanted for sewing with but couldn't find easily online and forget to buy in the store -- then getting back to our local store is woah boy no way due to traffic in that area
- Drink blender
From Brian:
Are you ready for my big surprise? A Kindle
I skimmed the store a bit. Decided I'd buy a book from my wishlist (Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck
If you're a mass online book "window shopper" as I am -- I think the web site itself is slightly better for that. I always feel like I end up on random 100 click spree and that's how I end up finding stuff usually since I don't keep up with the must read stuff, I find it later or I find more obscure stuff or whatever -- like this, try that, then this, then that. There's some of that while shopping directly from the Kindle but since the navigation is obviously different -- well there's a bit less of that too but since you can shop from the Kindle or your computer -- either / both / whatever, who cares.
From my little time with it so far, no serious gripes. The ones I have are minor.
1 - I think some publishers are on crack when it comes to pricing. But that's their issue not Amazon's or B&N's or whoever you use to buy the books from. Not sure they remember that they don't have to print them on paper, ship them, etc. I don't expect free books -- but it shouldn't cost me the same or basically the same as it costs me to buy a hardcover book -- and those are the ones I won't be buying -- douchebags. Paperback prices? I'm cool with that. Hardcover? Screw you.
2 - On pretty much every page within the Kindle, the cursor thingie -- it defaults to the link that is on the top of the page. As you would expect on any computer page, browser, etc. But if you click within the Kindle store and go to an individual book -- usually the top link is one to be a read more within the description yet the cursor is always on the buy now by default. So you'd want to be careful not to press down on the erm pointer thingie when you go to scroll up or down as you go to explore that page right off or you might go to buy the book instead. I say this because as someone with a tremor, the first time I went to use that pointer thing I pressed down on it on accident when I went to navigate with it. So having it right on a BUY button first thing as it gets to a page is annoying. With my memory probs I already forget if I had to confirm or not. I don't think I did, but their site says you can contact them for mistakes at least and Amazon has always been good to me, so I'll believe them and hope I never have to find out.
3 - The one click purchase in general. It makes sense on the Kindle itself -- maybe it's a pain in the ass to allow you to log in, manage a cart, pick a card, etc. I'm okay with needing a default card stored for shopping directly on the Kindle. They'll disable it instantly if I tell them it's stolen. Etc. Cool. But if I want to buy books on the website for the Kindle or the Kindle app on my computer? I often like buying more than one book at a time. With 1-click Kindle purchases, you buy a book. BAM sale. E-mail receipt. What if I want to buy 3 books at once, I'm erm old school digital shopper, I kind of like the cart and picking how I pay for each purchase. Minor annoyance given I get them in seconds, no longer will have 100 cardboard boxes around my house, etc.
Brian thinks I'm crazy -- I do plan on buying a cover. He thinks I should just store it on my bookshelf as I have this one shelf that has a filing box in it. So the cats can't get into the shelf but it has room to set something like the kindle on top of that -- between it and the shelf. Erm, what fun is that. I read, sometimes a lot. Why store it out of the way all of the time. I'll want to keep it out where I am and not have to keep getting up, putting it over there for 10 minutes while I do something else, then go get it, etc. I want to keep the screen protected from ev0l kitties and keep it out where I'll be using it. Now my real tough decision? Do I go with something modern -- zipper and all
From Karina and Keegan:
- An Amazon gift card -- and in the words of the attached e-card:
"Unfortunately I am a broke ass bitch so hopefully there is something
both you and Brian equally want, its up to you though... you two can
agree on something, you can keep it for yourself or you can divide it
anyway you want."
I told Brian we could figure that out later -- he just said maybe I could send a Doctor Who book to the Kindle... lol. I was thinking well maybe there's some DVDs or something we'd want to order or something, but I should have known he'd want to play with my present -- he warned me. Then when I opened it, he was like no no it's your present, when would I read a book on it anyway, etc. Now... I had my time ;)
I'm still awake. The cats went crazy -- Santa brought them catnip and peacock feathers. Due to our late night, movies, new toys, I didn't work on those to mail this weekend stuff at all. Probably won't get to today either. Brian assures me it can wait til this week as it's a holiday and enjoying Christmas stuff was more important. Me? I kind of agree though I'm already way way way way behind. *shrug* We had a good time. Materialistic stuff was good of course. Did the charity stuff. Keegan will get his stuff today. Kitties had a blast. Lucky all around.
So, best as I can tell -- we'll open presents at midnight tonight as Brian's a big kid. In Brian's case I mean he gets to open the one left from me he hasn't already gotten since he already knew the other two (one he needed to open early and one he got today because he kept saying "presents"). For some reason he has been apologizing to me telling me that I will only have one present. Uhh I told him he wanted to buy something bigger then Kindle or Nook, if he wanted to buy something smaller then Amazon gift card -- I didn't ask for a bunch of stuff, I didn't expect a bunch of stuff. Silly man. And it appears I got the Kindle. So yeah. no apology needed as that kicks ass. Unlike him, I'm patient and not begging to open it early. Also we have the box that mom sent.
Then well after midnight when it's actually time for a Christmas dinner, we'll get something from Norm's as it seems Brian prefers that to his old tradition of holiday pizza. And if I feel up to it we're planning to see Avatar again.
Mom told me a story about Keegan. Seems he got his cat to shred one of his present's wrapping paper. Whether he bribed the cat or just looked the other way as it happened is in debate. Needless to say, he got a present early as the cat did a good job and now grandma has put the rest of the wrapped presents in a cardboard box. Uncle Brian appreciated his tactics, using the cat -- cats are ev0l.
Of course according to his mommy, Keegan is just as ev0l since I got this in e-mail tonight about his wanting a learn to draw program which his mean mommy wouldn't get him leading me to buying him learn to draw books --
"REALLY upset? MEAN MOMMY?! LMAO! He's never mentioned it to me once!! That little booger forgot to mention I bought him a how to draw pokemon and manga book!! I'll make sure he sends ya some original copies of some drawings, and definitely anything he creates I'll scan or save to file and put up on my myspace so you guys can see it! I think if he actually sits down, and focuses quietly (hahaha quietly..and focusing!) he will be really good! The tablet is a little confusing, but he's getting it slowly but surely! I think I am going to have to officially train myself on it and then give him a lesson."
Merry Christmas all.
Books:
Yes I am way behind on my reading, but still I downloaded the kindle version of InterWorld
People are crazy:
It seems that Brian's movie isn't the only movie under attack. The #2 movie in the country is also under attack. What movie is currently #2? The Princess and the Frog. Yeah... I did just announce that people are crazy. I don't even have the patience to follow this. I'm all crazy people'd out. Best I can tell from the 4 or 5 stories I skimmed -- if you have a movie with good vs evil themes and religious undertones, you need to flat out go ahead and put Jesus or Christians in it otherwise it's just VooDoo mumbo jumbo and bad for your good Christian children. Or something. I dunno. They lost me on this one since I haven't seen the movie though the clips I've seen and the reviews I've seen make it appear to be just your average kids movie. I mean seriously -- kids can't read HP because OMFG they might turn into ev0l witches! They shouldn't watch Princess and the Frog because it's not Christian enough? People are crazy! Where were you people when I was growing up? No one complained as I was watching this. And lemme tell you, that's scarier than anything that kids have now! But then these kids are smarter than their parents, they know that a movie is just a movie, that the bad guys aren't real, that the magic isn't real, etc. And it's not like these movies are porn or anything -- though I bet they let their kids on the net and they can probably find the characters from these movies in porn pics if they search enough. Bet their parents aren't monitoring for that.
Ya know sometimes when book shopping for myself, I have a tough time deciding. What do I really want to add to my collection next. Does that book really sound good -- or horrible. Etc. So when I suddenly have a kiddo that I love as if he were my own telling me that he might want to be an artist and would like to have something to help him learn how to draw, well I want to encourage him. And woah boy. Book shopping for something like that is even tougher than shopping for myself.
I thought going into it that I had it all figured it out. Just stock up on those $4-5 learn to draw your favorite character books for kids until I hit the free shipping rates. But then I started thinking to myself Keegan is above his reading level, so I don't need to dumb down the books TOO much. But they are art books, so they should be fun and it is those kids ones that are fun. But if all I get him is something like SpongeBob he's gonna be bored real fast even if they will teach him basics quickly. And hey, even I like those kinds of art books. So I settled on three -- then if he really puts effort in and shows he likes it and is trying well then we have some other ideas for later. But only if he really gets use of any of these and keeps going with the I want to be an artist thing. For now he's getting these:
Best of Nickelodeon (Nick How To Draw)
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Drawing Manga
Drawing for Dummies
I think he's set. A good late Christmas given all we already sent him for Christmas. I better get a signed piece of artwork someday.
So for all of the OMFG Avatar is the most stunning movie ever and the political debates about it, all I really cared about was one reviewer -- Keegan. He's a big Star Wars geek. His first favorite movie was Scooby Doo at about age 3. At 4 he graduated to Harry Potter. Since then he's been an uber Star Wars geek. He wouldn't know of or care about the glowing reviews nor would he care of the political drama, he'd just watch it with his young innocent eyes. His verdict?
He now wants to learn to ride the alien horses and "dragons" but he has a slight problem -- he's not sure he can grow a long ponytail with "tentacle things at the end of it". So Keegan, is it better than Star Wars? Yes. What's your favorite movie ever though? "Hmm." He paused, clearly thinking this one over. "Avatar." In the background his mom was trying to get my attention, "Yes it's DEFINITELY better than Star Wars." A sentiment she repeated when she got on the phone. Mom, like many found the storyline basic, and the visuals great. Unlike most though she did catch that not all humans were bad -- some were truly good. Probably because she's seen it.
I had been worried at the last second before they went to see it -- Umm the Na'vi speak in a native language, subtitled. Would Keegan be able to read it all? I couldn't remember if any of it would be above his level. But then I figured if it was above his level he'd ask him mom or grandma. Silly me, he's reading 300 page novels and only having to ask for help with words now and then. His teacher told them she wouldn't recommend this usually -- but he shouldn't be reading books from his grade level, but well above. Smart kid.
Some of you will remember that Keegan had plotted out his career choice years ago, after he and Brian drew robots together, he had decided that he wanted to build robots. He told me tonight he's no longer sure about that. Well he loves books and has written some Star Wars fanfic. So I guessed -- "You like to write, so maybe you've decided on being a writer then?" I asked him. Nope. One of the things he had decided was important about building robots was drawing them. Now he's thinking that instead of making real robots, he should work on his art. Make them on paper or the computer and when older maybe Brian can teach him how to do what he does so he can make robots in movies. But he's really upset with his mom because his friend found a learn to draw DS program and she won't buy it for him. So, even though he's got a hefty Christmas from us already I'm going to buy him some How to draw books geared at kids. He already has a tablet for his computer we bought him a few years ago. He says he did make a teddy bear on it by playing with colours but that he doesn't understand how to draw too well yet and feels he needs guides to help him get better. He saved his old drawings so time to encourage that.
