The Machinery of Night

Friday, December 24, 2004

Posted 3:15 PM by Angie Schultz

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Ah, looks as if we will have a white Christmas, or at least a white Christmas Eve. The weather has turned cold and snowy, and I bet we get two, maybe three millimeters before it's all done.

I live in Houston, where it rarely snows. It's snowing now, though, and there's a light dusting on the cars and rooftops. Some foolish natives are outside in the wind, marvelling at it. I made Niles take a picture of it, and that's as far as I'm willing to go.

It snowed here in January of '94, I remember, for about fifteen minutes. But that was during the day -- big wet flakes that barely survived contact with the ground.

I wish everyone a pleasant mid-winter work stoppage. Or, Merry Christmas, If That's OK.

Monday, December 20, 2004

Posted 5:52 PM by Angie Schultz

How Long Till It Becomes a Standard?

I think we have here the makings of the first Blogosphere Christmas carol. How promising is this line?:

oh my goodness oh my goodness oh my goodness, they are so going to arrest me! this is going to be great blogfodder!

We can call it "Sarah's Christmas in Jail". Sample lyrics:

He gave me my present
Wrapped up all nice for me.
Said, "Don't peek at it, now!
Put it under your tree."

Well, I got to the airport,
And the lines were so long.
Thought, "I don't need to check in.
I can carry this on."

...

Down at my feet
There's a bomb-sniffing dog[*]
God, they're going to arrest me!
This'll be great on the blog!

Gotta call up my man
And arrange for my bail
How long will this take?
Is there WiFi in jail?

...

[*]Bomb-sniffing dog is artistic license, 'coz it rhymes with blog

This would make the perfect country-and-western song. (Steve Goodman, eat your heart out.)

I suggest we get someone competent, though. Maybe Dr. Frank can write the first punk C&W song.

Via the criminal element at Silent Running.

Thursday, December 16, 2004

Posted 10:25 AM by Angie Schultz

Mystery Gift

Hmmm! This is odd. I got a box from Best Buy today: the documentaries Trekkies and Trekkies 2, on DVD. But there's nothing to say who sent it! I tried to look up the order status, but that requires a last name and the phone number listed with the credit card company. The list of suspects is very short; I suppose I could try each of their names and phone numbers in turn.

It will not be anybody reading this blog, because a) no one does, and b) they wouldn't know where to send stuff, and neither would Best Buy.

I have Trekkies on VHS already, but...well, that's on VHS. (I better start getting rid of all my tapes. Soon you won't be able to give 'em away.)

So, W00T! I guess. Until I track you down, whoever you are, this thank you (which you won't read) will have to do.

UPDATE: It was my brother. Got it on the first try. I'm a little disappointed the explanation was so prosaic. He did not mean to be incognito; he says Best Buy just goofed up.

Speaking of goof-ups, and free things in the mail, we got our order from the Swiss Colony the other day. We always go overboard and get a big ol' pile of sugary stuff, and a Beef Log, Baby (you know, once Michele posted this song -- can't find the exact post now -- and I thought that was a real story about her son; I don't watch South Park). Anyway, we found that they had not sent us an item, but did send us something we didn't ask for: Olde Worlde Cookiese.

Niles called them up to ask what the hell? (we wondered if maybe they were out of the booze-stuffed chocolates we ordered, and they sent these instead) and they said they just goofed, they'd send the hooch-truffles, and meantime we could keep the cookies. We don't like 'em, much, but we don't look free cookies in the mouth, either. We pop 'em in our mouths! Sweet!

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