The word of the week is hobbit !!!
Dec 19 - Lonely Guy On The Trolley
I took the Langford Trolley home from work today, of which both things were unremarkable. But while I was on the trolley, I overheard a conversation between two guys that was rather telling of the season: it was about loneliness. Seems the one guy was alone, more so than I've heard in a long time. Both his parents were dead, he had no siblings and no close family members this side of the Rocky Mountains. He was divorced, so the large family on his ex-wife's side was no longer a welcoming place for him. All he has are his friends, one of whom was with him on the trolley tonight.
Thinking about it, I was again stuck by how lucky I am, to have my parents with me here in BC and to have a loving sister to talk to when we can. I've been blessed with a massive extended family on my dad's side, who growing up really showed me how close all one's loving aunts, uncles and cousins can be. Being where I am now in BC, I am away from almost all of my good friends, which this time of year really pulls at my heart - I don't have any parties to attend this year, same as last year. This is the time of year to spend with friends and family, so I'll take my family and think about the friends I have that I'll see again perhaps in the new year... as well as some new friends I hope I'll make when I get some more free time after leaving MMart soon.
Dec 20 - The Hobbit Movie Trailer!
Ohboyohboyohboyohboy!!!! *ahem* I rarely get excited about things, so when I say this is THE most excited I've been since my eighth birthday, you know I'm talking something special: The Hobbit trailer was released today!
As most of you know, I love fantasy and especially J.R.R. Tolkien - while I can't recite whole sections of the book from memory as some can, his works have stayed with me since the day I read them as a child. Especially The Hobbit; that book influenced me more than any other I've read before or since. So today's trailer was an appetizer to the fantasy feast that will be released in December 2012, which I can barely wait for - I've literally waited my whole life for this film to be realized, over thirty years. Huzzah!! Enjoy!
Dec 19 - Lonely Guy On The Trolley
I took the Langford Trolley home from work today, of which both things were unremarkable. But while I was on the trolley, I overheard a conversation between two guys that was rather telling of the season: it was about loneliness. Seems the one guy was alone, more so than I've heard in a long time. Both his parents were dead, he had no siblings and no close family members this side of the Rocky Mountains. He was divorced, so the large family on his ex-wife's side was no longer a welcoming place for him. All he has are his friends, one of whom was with him on the trolley tonight.
Thinking about it, I was again stuck by how lucky I am, to have my parents with me here in BC and to have a loving sister to talk to when we can. I've been blessed with a massive extended family on my dad's side, who growing up really showed me how close all one's loving aunts, uncles and cousins can be. Being where I am now in BC, I am away from almost all of my good friends, which this time of year really pulls at my heart - I don't have any parties to attend this year, same as last year. This is the time of year to spend with friends and family, so I'll take my family and think about the friends I have that I'll see again perhaps in the new year... as well as some new friends I hope I'll make when I get some more free time after leaving MMart soon.
Dec 20 - The Hobbit Movie Trailer!
Ohboyohboyohboyohboy!!!! *ahem* I rarely get excited about things, so when I say this is THE most excited I've been since my eighth birthday, you know I'm talking something special: The Hobbit trailer was released today!
As most of you know, I love fantasy and especially J.R.R. Tolkien - while I can't recite whole sections of the book from memory as some can, his works have stayed with me since the day I read them as a child. Especially The Hobbit; that book influenced me more than any other I've read before or since. So today's trailer was an appetizer to the fantasy feast that will be released in December 2012, which I can barely wait for - I've literally waited my whole life for this film to be realized, over thirty years. Huzzah!! Enjoy!
Dec 21 - Lost and Found!
Ah, irony: it crops up so unexpectedly. Recall how I spoke recently of replacing my 'old' cell phone? The one that I've never lost these last 4 years? Well, I lost it last night - the belt clip failed me and I searched for it at home, work, in the car and all points between; nada. My parents and a co-worker checked the parking lot at work later on last night just in case, but again no luck. After suspending the phone, I went to bed thinking that I would have to get a new phone a lot earlier than I had planned.
But in the morning, I got a phone call: the phone was found! Apparently it had slipped my belt on the outside stairs up from the parking garage, a route I normally do not take save to mail work letters on my way home( there's a mailbox at the top of the stairs ). I'd not thought to look there for it, having forgotten I'd come that way instead of my normal route. A guy in the Bear Mountain office found it on HIS way to work, and called me soonest. I went down there ASAP and thanked him quite honestly, but he was busy and really just wanted me out of his office - I was definitely the happier of the two of us and again thankful for the kindness of strangers in this part of the world!
Dec 22 - Errol Flynn, Writer??
Talk about something I'd never have guessed: today I found out that Errol Flynn, superstar of the early Hollywood, was a frustrated writer? Who could have guessed? Apparently this was something that was with him for his whole career as a film actor, which makes me wonder about choices. Here we had someone who was at the top of his game: rich, famous and able to do almost whatever he wanted while adored by millions. Yet for all that, he still yearned to write, to be taken seriously in that capacity despite his other obvious gifts that had led him to fame and fortune. I find that fascinating, that someone who had attained such heights would still aspire for something else totally unrelated... and in so doing be inspiring in a way unlike the rest of what his work and life might have shown others was possible. Thanks, Errol!
Dec 23 - Work and Games
Today I felt like I was in some sort of retail video-game; for 5.5 hours straight I ran around like crazy serving customers and taking phone calls - alone. By the time help arrived and I backed carefully away from the counter, I had served one person every 3.5 minutes with no break; ouch. Then I went to close the OTHER store, as( you guessed it )we're short-staffed. At least all I had to do there was be busy to a lesser degree; an exhausting 12.5 hours.
Which brings us to the Year In Games 2011 trailer from X-Play! An extremely well-done summary of the best of this year in video games, I love it! Watch:
Dec 24 - Good Eve!
Good things come in threes, sometimes. Today is Christmas Eve, I'm off work and I don't have a lick of shopping left to do - I didn't do ANY this year and it felt great to avoid the whole mess of consumerism and stress( I have enough already ). But it got me to wondering, as I sometimes do, about how Christmas Eve might be different if this were a different world, or time; there's a lot of stories and movies out there about just this subject, but I'll let you, dear reader, discover those on your own. For tonight, I'll leave you with a little gem just discovered today, shared by Patricia Tallman, star of TV and films such as Night Of The Living Dead... so perfect for the holidays, when everyone's dead tired!
Dec 25 - Merry SpongeBob!
As I've mentioned, there were no presents this year in my family; the best one we could POSSIBLY have gotten was the news months ago that my mom would live instead of succumbing to the then-unknown deadly danger of blood clots. So this year( and in years to come )it's going to be a low-key family Christmas, just spending time with each other and enjoying the peacefulness. I did however, get an unexpected gift in the mail, one I'd not thought would arrive until January: the First 100 Episodes of Spongebob Squarepants arrived on Friday! It's one of the few shows where I can completely relax and get into to laugh, without overthinking or looking for layers - it's all right there on the screen, and I am grateful for that of late. I watched more than a few episodes on and off as the day progressed, laughing all the way. In fact, I spent a good part of the day just soaking in the Christmas spirit from the boob tube, trying to avoid the teeth-hurting shows and specials to focus more on the ones that really brought across people genuinely caring for each other and enjoying all that the season brings. It was a good day, with a lot of quiet time and a good amount of family time just spent relaxing.
Have to do it again next year, I think. :-)
Merry Christmas, everyone... and to all, a good night!
