The one good thing about being sick is that I've spent the passed two days curled up on the sofa, alternately sleeping and reading, and the reading part has allowed me (finally!) to finish The Count of Monte Cristo. Now I know many of you didn't believe I'd ever finish this book, and there are those of you who wrote counseling me to give up, but I persevered and was rewarded by the exciting revenge-laden climax of The Count. A thoroughly enjoyable read, well worth the effort.
Month: January 2002
Sick now from NY
It snowed last night and for the first time since the winter of '98 I was out and about during a snow storm. It was lovely, albeit cold, and Jason and I walked the twelve blocks back to our hotel to experience it. I'm not sure why I love snow so much, it must be a relic from my childhood with its associations of closed schools and hours spent building forts and playing outside. Or perhaps it's because of skiing and all the time I spent on the slopes during the winter as I grew up. Or perhaps it's just because it's so pretty and quiet when surroundings become blanketed in snow, transformed from something common and gray to something sparkley and new.
Also, I'm sick.
Hello from NYC
So far so good here in NYC. The weather is cold, which I was looking forward to but have decided now that I was crazy to look forward to cold, and the gloves I've brought are not very warm. Snow is predicted for this evening, which I'm looking forward to (and I may later decide I was crazy to look forward to snow as well, especially if it really dumps 6".) Lots of neat sights seen and people talked to and a wonderful bed at a very nice hotel slept in, so two thumbs up. I have lots more to discuss but not now, not yet.
The Christmas tree
A thought occurred to me today as I closed a pop-up ad window and a new one sprung up behind it saying something like, "Don't close that window just yet" before I closed it too. Can you imagine if your TV, upon having its channel changed away from a commercial, went back to that same station, and the ad said something like, "don't go away just yet!" Rude beyond all belief, but that's what happens every day with this unwanted in the first place pop-ups that spawn generations of pop-up children.
Off to NYC
I'm off to NYC tomorrow for a few days of visiting with friends, some family, and some work-type folks. I'm looking forward to stretching my brain and seeing the sights, and I'm hoping for some snow while we're there as well. I'm going to try and update from the road, since it isn't as much a vacation as a relocation (albeit temporarily).
The Christmas tree
We took down the Christmas tree today and I kept thinking, "we could keep it up a little longer. It still appears fresh, and it smells so good and looks so pretty." And then it dawned on me: I have the potential to turn into one of those crazy women that keep the Christmas tree up until July, or worse yet, all year. I'm sure it will happen gradually, first I'll keep it 'till the end of January, the next year, February. Then one Christmas, it will be August and I'll be watering the tree and turning on its lights. And probably feeding my fifty cats too, because I think I have that tendency as well…
Megnut Marketing and Telecommunications Bill
I would like to propose the "Megnut Marketing and Telecommunications Bill of 2002" for consideration by the United States Congress:
Section 1: It shall be illegal for telemarketers to call outside the hours of 9-5 local time for the number they are dialing, Monday through Friday. If they call outside the designated hours, they will be fined $1,000 for each violation, 50% of which goes to the victim.
Section 2: It shall be illegal for financial companies (like credit card companies) to label envelopes with formal-looking warnings like, "Requires Immediate Attention" or "Signature Required" when in actuality the envelop contains some stupid credit card offer and requires no attention at all on the part of the addressee. This section can be summed up: It shall be illegal to make junk mail look like real mail.
I'm sure this bill requires additional sections that escape me now, but this is a start.
Also, I'm going to start referring to ATM's as "automatic T machines" from now on. You should too.
Search on megnut.com
I added a "search" to the site on the right there (yes, eons after everyone else has already done it. We don't make trends around here, we follow them, way way after the fact…) Anyway, I did it because I couldn't find content I knew I'd written, and Google wasn't any use. They don't seem to be indexing my archives and rather than figure out why (well I know why, but rather than change how I archive), I just added the easy-to-use and free Atomz search. Voila! Search away, my friends, search away.
Now that the Five Days of Huskers Mourning have passed, I'm ready to resume posting. Actually, I wasn't in mourning, and there's no five days of mourning or anything like that for the Huskers, like they used to have years ago when people were widowed (first mourning, etc.) I had a zillion deadlines (or two) which needed to be met and prevented me from focusing any energy on ye olde megnute.
Trains in Cali
I've always thought we could do with a high-speed rail system here in California, so imagine my joy when I found this on Nick's site: The California High Speed Rail Authority ("Moving Californians Into the Future"). Though they don't have a high speed rail to Vegas, or to Tahoe, it's a start. I hope it gets built, though it will be something like 20 years before it's done. Still…20 years is better than no years.
And while they're at it, they should do something to improve the current ride up to Tahoe. Here's an article about a great idea: taking the train up for the weekend to go skiing. Alas it takes six hour or seven hours, one way, and is over $100. Plus the trip is often delayed. But it sounds so pleasant. I'd be more inclined to head up there via train (if it took three hours and cost $50/rt). Maybe someday.
Today’s the Big Day
Today's the Big Day and I'm working very diligently so this afternoon I can head to a party to watch the game. If my dream from last night (I swear I'm not making this up) comes true, it should be a good game. I dreamt Nebraska was up 40-19 with 7:17 left in the 3rd quarter. Unfortunately my dream didn't carry the final score, but my hopes are high. GO HUSKERS!