Becca Stareyes

So, I spent my new year in the traditional manner -- I played video games and trivia with Sara on the Eve, and then got up late and watched football with Mom.

(Go Big Red! It was a good bowl game for Nebraska, with the team rallying in the second half to win the game. Less good that a lot of the points Clemson did score came from fumbles & interceptions.)

Anyway, I'm trying to think of Resolutions. I'm thinking that I should try to write every day* and I'd like to get in shape.

* Within reason. If I get the horrendous stomach flu I had last November, I'm gonna spend the day in bed with the largest ambition being to keep food in my stomach.

I just finished the afghan I made for my sister - I didn't know if I'd get it done before the holidays (my goal was 'I'm not hauling the thing back to Ithaca, so it'll be done or left by the 4th'.) Anyway, it's wrapped beneath the tree.

Everything else is wrapped, with bows and stuff on it. Ben and I just got done watching The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in between flipping to check the score on the Notre Dame vs Hawai'i game. (After the first quarter it wasn't that good -- and watch me eat my words since I didn't see the final quarter at all.)

I've been sneaking cookies all day (okay, two cookies), and there are pies on the counter. There's a blanket of snow on the ground, and I'm tired enough I'm going to drop off to sleep soon. Sadly the mad dash to finish the afghan meant that I didn't get to read Hogfather again like I planned. Oh, well...

Happy holidays to everyone.

So, I figured out why I didn't log onto the 'net at night. The insulation in the spare room's window stinks. My fingers are freezing here.

Christmas at Dad's was all right. Sadly both Dad and I had outstanding gifts towards one another -- the coffee mug I ordered got there the day after, and Dad said one of the books he got me was lost in Outer Mongolia or whatever. Anyway, I ended up with books and games, and Mom found out from Ben later that he Really Really Wants Chrono Trigger. (I got to explain to Ben why Chrono Trigger DS was not on the Best Game of 2008 -- mostly because the original is on the Best Game of the SNES Era list)

Yes, I'm playing Chrono Trigger now. I'm already on the way to get Frog back in my party. Also trying to do it without the walkthroughs, unless I get stuck.

Also reading -- I got three books by Charles Stross, and have read two. (See this is why I only brought four books with me on the plane.)

I don't know what else to say, besides that my hands are cold, and it's spreading to my toes and nose and I want to stop typing because of it. Oh, yeah, turned in my Yuletide story.

So, I made it to Nebraska, safe and sound. Despite iffy weather the whole way out, losing my scarf somewhere between Ithaca and Chicago, and a flight crew that was an hour late getting into Chicago, causing us to be an hour late to Omaha. Jenn picked me up since she works in Omaha, and drove me back to town.

Jenn showed me 84th street as we drove into town, which is a lot more built up than I remember. That and the bus system has gotten worse. I didn't think this was possible, but I guess cutting out half of the routes does that.

Mom also got high-speed internet, which means I can now go online without tying up the phone line. I'm supposed to help her set up wireless as well, which means I can use my laptop online. (She also got a spiffy used Mac from my uncle Donny, which should let me work remotely over break.)

I'm hoping my dad's present gets here safe and sound within the next two hours. It arrived in Omaha, and is supposed to be out for delivery, but I haven't seen it yet. We're going over to Dad and Marjorie's to celebrate the holidays, since they are heading down to Florida for winter break. (Marjorie has a 'thing' about winters, and only stays in the northern half of the country for them since that's where her paychecks come from, and finding somewhere in the South that will take two chemists would be not fun.)

I should be online sporadically over break, and certainly in e-mail contact. Friday, we're decorating the tree with Jenn and Matt, and we're supposed to do the big Christmas thing at lunch on the 25th, so Jenn can visit Matt's parents for their dinner as well. (Jenn trying to negotiate with her in-laws is a family tradition -- Matt's mom doesn't seem used to the idea that Matt's in-laws would like to see the happy couple too, and Matt has extended family in town and we don't, which complicates things.)

I sent out cards on Monday, so I hope everyone gets them who wanted one. If not, I can try to make up a pretty e-card for you all.

I've been moody recently. Possibly because I've been bad about taking my meds. I have an anxiety disorder, and generally unless I take my meds, I get this kind of bull-in-a-china-shop feeling when in any sort of social situation, that any sort of action is going to break something. Yeah, this ain't fun, and it's usually distinct from my PMS symptoms (which is mostly just crying at anything). On the plus side, I don't get any of the other fun symptoms of SSRI withdrawal, the anxiety just comes back and if I try to restart, I go through a week of being tired, just like when I first went on the meds.

( Anyway, my weekend was fun. )

Also, on Friday, I am sending out Christmas cards. If you want one, comment and check to see if I have your address.

So, I'm going to tell a Valentine's Day story.

When I was growing up, my mother used to give each of us kids a box of chocolates on Valentine's Day. Heck, she'd still do it when I was in college, and last year she sent me a care package with chocolate and a new purse and hat. It sent us a message about what Valentine's Day was about -- celebrating love in all forms, whether it be familial, friendly, or romantic.

So, I was a bit surprised when I got to college and discovered a lot of my single friends hated Valentine's Day. Because to them it was about couples rubbing it in their face that they were together, and greeting card and chocolate companies making money off of things.

So, I guess I just want to extend the hand of friendship to you all, and hope you have someone (or many someones) who loves you on this day, whether it be a lover, a friend or a family member.

Since I can't give you all chocolates, (and virtual ones don't taste as good), have some pictures instead:

Scientist Valentines

Astronomical Valentines

Everything is done. I even finished my Yuletide fic -- I'll post a link to it when the reveal comes. About the only thing I didn't get done was to color my MRCAeX and MAX pictures. I have them scanned and I'll color and upload them at home.

So, until then, I'm heading to Nebraska.

I am so tempted to, after grading is done, to take a mental health day off and just use it to catch up on all my projects -- Yuletide, my MAX and mrcaex projects, and Christmas gifts. Maybe Thursday, especially if there's miserable weather.

(And maybe pick up something to hold all my CDs/DVDs)

I'm also doing 12dayschristmas, but I'm also not starting that until I leave for Christmas break. (I'm going to try to do 12 fandoms, with one getting all 12 days, one getting 11 days, and so on...)

In holiday news, the holiday party was a sucess. Sadly, only one professor kareoke'd, though several of the office staff, many grad students, and even some of the people catering dinner. (Though having Dr. Bell and his three grad students (all Martian geologists/planetary astronomers) sing 'Rocket Man' by Elton John cracked me up. Especially the second verse:

Mars ain't the kind of place you raise your kids,
In fact, it's cold as Hell.
And there's no one there to raise them, if you did.

And all the science, I don't understand, (Dr. Bell told the others to take this verse.)
It's just my job five days a week.
A rocketma~n.
A rocketman.


Dr. Bell also did "Sweet Caroline", which I have a special fondness for, as it's a song I associate with my mother's family.

(Also, apparently Dr. Bell has a Wikipedia page. My advisor doesn't have a Wikipedia page, though he's mentioned on the Icarus page.)

Sometime in the next week or so I will be making out holiday cards. If you want one, feel free to leave an address here.

I had a box of little light clips over the weekend, when I ran out of lights and put off finishing decorating for that. I now do not know where they are. I have the little sticky tabs that hold them to the wall, but no clips. Things would be helped if they weren't made of clear plastic.