And yeah, I'm an import, but still, really -- do we just have to have a new blanket of snow every single morning? I mean, is that really necessary? The old stuff hasn't even melted, for chrissakes.

Bah. Anyway, I suppose tha Life O Slack has been treating me decent the last day or so. Much like anyone who has even a little bit of geek in their blood, I've already seen LOTR, and yeah, it's pretty freakin cool. That's all I'm gonna say about it, tho, because I'm sure all of us will hear a million different people's take on how amazing it is in days to come.

Hm, that reminds me of something. I don't know if I actually got around to saying so here, but even if I did I think it bears repeating: Not all that fantastically impressed with Kill Bill. I mean sure, it's conceptually originally and brilliantly executed -- unfortunately, all that do tell a story that I've found thus far none too interesting. Guess I saw it kinda like -- well, doing something that's not worth being done really, really well.

But then again, he's the film genius and I'm not, right? Anyways...

So I'll be gone for about a week around Christmas, and won't be able to update. Kinda sucky really, I wonder if I'll be irritated if I think of something and don't get to blather about it. Meh, I guess I'll just have to fill in the details after. Because really, I'm sure it will all be quite fascinating.

Mm. Well, honestly -- nice to get out of MN for a while, but honestly visiting around Christmas just sucks balls. Fr'instance -- haven't bought a single Christmas gift yet. And as we all know, shopping in the last days of this frenzy is just a pain in the ass. Oh, and I don't have any money anyway.

But, it's really not all just about cash -- honestly, it's not by chance that I don't live in my home town, and if I'm there for as long as I will be this next week, the things that ran me out in the first place become blindingly apparent. Really, two/three days is about the longest I can casually visit before I start gritting my teeth.

But nothing for it now -- my family has bought me a plane ticket. I don't know what I was thinking. There's no deciding to escape early, when your arrival and departure are set. There's no gittin while the gittin is good. Oh, these are the times that try men's souls, indeed.

Oh, and what I was thinking of when I began this entry: Out with Best Friend last night. Really, it's a very strange kinda thing, being a straight guy who's good straight male friend clearly does whatever he can to keep you away from women.

Yep, it's bizarre, but ya see, that's Family for ya -- "Yes, these people are lunatics ... *sigh* ... and thanks anyway, but no, I don't really want to escape from them. For better or worse, kinda seems I'm one of them."

Oh, but it was occurring to me: My friends here drink too much. I mean, it makes sense, because for most of my adult life I've drank too much, and bird of a feather and all that ...

But really -- eh, I can just as well not drink so much. It's some fun, but it's certainly no guaranteed blast. This I can assure you, after some 12 odd years of intensive research.