Picture credit

The good President, Mr. Gates, decided to give everyone a half day off today. Effectively, all university offices will be closed until January 1. Come January 2, everything should be get back to normal, or so everyone said.

I deposited five new samples these past three days. Further processing will wait until we get back from DC/NYC.

Almost went on a cardiopulmonary arrest when the main pump was suddenly stopped in the middle of things. Armed with a multimeter and some schematic of the relay, I tried to resolve the situation. Turned out, when the heater was turned back on a few seconds before, it sent extra current down the line that activated the relay's protection mechanism. One push of the reset button and it was all set back to normal. What a relieve.

Speaking of the trip, if the transit workers strike is not resolved until then, we have to face the increasing travel cost in the form of catching cabs. Either that or we walk and walk and walk for blocks in the freezing day or night. Good thing is the place we will stay at is right there in the middle of Manhattan.

Oh, NY and I baked some Putri Salju and Kaastengel tonight. The smell of butterry goodness permeates throughout the apartment. We still haven't decided on to actually have an "open house" during Christmas day. Either way, I am in the mood of cooking Lontong.

I think this post is getting way boring. I am stopping it here.

I woke up today to find that there is a bit of swollen reddish area on my upper lip. Is it a zit or cold sore? I don't know. I am just glad that Christmas is this coming Sunday. After four weeks, I just have enough of Soon and Very Soon as the closing hymn for every mass. Don't know about you, but to me, the song is a bit...tacky.

Speaking of songs, this is still my Christmas favorite and so is this. Make me all teary, already.

What about you? What are your favorite Christmas songs/carols?

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Last Saturday, CNN pulled up a story about the Vatican getting a Christmas tree hauled in. And I suddenly remember we haven't put up any of our Christmas decorations. I found the box in the closet downstairs. The only Christmas village piece we have is now standing happily on the bar area between the kitchen and the living room, the Nativity is right there beside the TV on the space which previously occupied by unopened mail, the wreath embelished with festive ornaments is on the front door (of course), and the three Dollar store stockings are up on the wall.

I totally forgot about the mini Christmas tree. It must be buried somewhere inside the messy closet and I still don't feel like digging. So we'll make do on what we have up for now. I am not sure if I am in the mood to buy new Christmas lights. This whole festivity...commercialized.

Ah, where does my holiday spirit go? At least (Ndoro Yadda and) I managed to finish making White Chocolate and Chocolate Barks as a little Christmas gift for some people we know. We wrapped it inside a clear favor bag and put curlied ribbon around. Here's what I got in the e-mail for one of them.

Thank you so much for remembering me at Christmas. It was so sweet of you and I know I will enjoy my "goodies". Are you going home for Christmas or will you be here? Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,

L

If I had a penny for every time like this, it won't be enough to make a quarter
If I could write meaningful words for every time like this, it would be the most effective
If I could compile melodies for every time like this, it would sing about a heart no longer beating

But I could only internalize and psychoanalyze things, and run, literally (and sometimes snack)

There are things that you'd only hope won't befallen you for the rest of your life
There's a good chance that this is one of them

So, just a chance, or two, please, Lord?
Are you still there?
And I will be happy

Not-so-little Brother photoshopped this picture of the three of us taken on Thanksgiving dinner to be used for this year's Christmas card. I guess he is exercising a derivative of his own Warholian here. Also, notice how he worked with the colors of my and Little Sister's tops instead of the traditional red and green to convey the holiday spirit. Good job, Bro!


We are sending Mom, Dad and Little Brother, the printed version of it along with a small bouquet of homemade white chocholate coated roasted pistachios and dried cranberries. It's kinda hard this year with Dad at work in Sumbawa, Little Brother at school in Jakarta, Mom at home in Rumbai, and the three of us here. At least the three of them can spend Christmas (and possibly) New Year's together.

Name 10 things that bring you JOY and tag 5 people to do the same

1. Clean house
2. Clean bathroom
3. Folded clean laundry
   
4. Well-fed and well-clothed children and husband
5. ...

O wait, that would be... Fuhgedboudid, at this rate, I might as well prepare for other options.

But hey, here's the list for now:

1. Love and be loved
2. Comprehending anything
3. (daily) Mass
4. Working out
5. Creativity/originality
6. Taking good pictures
7. Parking myself in front of favorite TV shows in the dark, alone
8. Food and good food
9. Laughters
10. Succesful time management

And as a bonus...
Sizeable disposable income after significant chunks for saving, investment, and charity (ha ha)

Finally, I (kinda) finish writing the two most unfortunate book sections ever written. I honestly think they won't go anywhere near being picked to be published. They'd better not be, anyway. This whole ordeal of getting naive graduate students to contribute on the writing of something as important as a textbook is unprofessional at best. Anyhow, now it's time to prepare for that last final on Monday and to make plans for the much anticipated trip and to bake Christmas cookies. But before that, a Rec session or two is much needed. Gosh, I miss the place, I miss the pace.

On another note, I am glad that the weather is changing to the right direction, at least for the weekend. Bring it on, baby. December in in south Texas is not supposed to be like this.

Speaking of cold weather, I slipped and fell over while walking home at five in the morning two days ago. I had noticed that there were ice everywhere and went gaga over the cryogenic phenomenon for a split second before I realized that I had underestimated this thing called ZERO friction. Ha ha ha.

It was beautiful and magical--the surrounding, not the falling. You should listen to the symphonic sound of the crystal leaves as the wind blew over them, oh man, and the surreal ambient under the soft moonlight. If only I could paint.


Note to self: slow down and listen to your heart. Is it still pounding?

one final class project, which btw, account for 35% of the grade. I am writing two sections of a book chapter on a subject I don't quite have an interest on, using available reference materials the gists I couldn't fully grasp. Gaaghh... Doing experiment until five in the morning on an empty stomach is much more enjoyable than this.

This somehow cheers me up if not for a split minute.

A random MSN chat:

X: never seen dog booties before, something like this?

I: hahah, that look gay on Bilbo
X: huahuaha

The end. Now back to writing.

The coming out of some things I did presented itself as the answer to many days of thinking and rethinking, lost sleep, and daydreaming. Sure, it was not pretty just as I had expected.

dr. D, I'm taking a raincheck for that visit, at least for now.

I like the season of Advent at St. Mary's for some of these external things. Ha ha ha. Really hope that I can attend the first two at least once. As for Caroling, which unfortunatelly is not my cup o' Joe, I'll just delegate my part and leave it to The Piano Snowman. Is he cute or what?

The Brazos Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will present Advent Afternoon Concerts on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30 PM in the main Church at St. Mary’s on Dec. 1, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15. Everyone is invited to attend these reflective concerts during the Advent season.

Everyone is invited to Advent Evening Prayer with the Brazos Valley Schola Cantorum the Sundays of Advent at 6:30 PM (after the 5:30pm Mass) in the small chapel. The prayers will include spoken and sung prayers in English and Latin.

St. Mary’s Celestial Sounds

The sounds of Christmas are in the air!! Did you play in a High School Band or Orchestra and your musical instrument is now sitting in a closet? Come and join us for some fun playing Christmas carols. If you are a current student of Texas A&M or Blinn and a brass or woodwind player, you are welcome to join us. We play for the enjoyment. There are no chair tryouts or playoffs! We perform during our December study breaks and at our annual evening of caroling. The next practice is Sunday, Dec. 4, at 3:00 PM in the Nursery. If you would like to join in the fun or need more information, contact Fr. Keith at 846-5717 or kkoehl@aggiecatholic.org.

We've never cooked so much pasta in one day!

I always have such a low threshold resistance for pain, specifically, for the one that manivest itself approximately on a 28-day cycle. I remember all through highschool, for the first two days of my period, I would help myself for the prescription only 500-mg Ponstans --fyi, Mother had her midwifery practice at home. Those Ponstans worked their wonder everytime. In minutes, I was comfortably maneuvering back through my busy teenage day.

Ah, highschool days, what a wonderful time: bowling, basketball, church organist, gossipping with the girls, motorcycle rides to the city, movies and me, communal nap times in the living room with Mother and the sibblings, Sunday trips to Pasar Bawah eateries. Comes to think of it, maybe not so much: the pressure to achieve everyone's, yours truly included, highest expectation, the daily private tutorings, the start of the 7-year *gasps* crush. Anyway, I digress, big time.

Where were we?

Ah. The pain. The darn pain.

When I first came here, I had brought enough Ponstan strips to last the whole year and a half before I could reload on my first trip home back in December 1998. I so could start a life as Miss Painkiller Addict, I tell you. I didn't remember if I had kept continue stealing for more of those mighty yellow caplet. I guess not. From that year on, I've switched to local over-the-counter stuff. Being over-the-counter, those things are Goliath to my Ponstan's Samson.

Today, during the meeting with the advisor to discuss that-impossible-to-be-turned-into-working-device-thing better known as my research, I am --100%-- sure, I had a complexion as pale as a...uhm...a menstrual ghost. [Speaking of ghost, doesn't she look lovely?] The problem was, it wasn't only the pain, it came with me slighty wanting to puke. All in all, I just couldn't wait rushing for two tablets of aspirins. Those thing work for me too, albeit, very slowly.

Ladies should all be granted some time off for days like this. Don't you lovelies out there agree? I mean, how could one concentrates on one's work when one's circulation seems to travel one-way south and out?

So, guys, be good to your girls. They, too, suffer, sometimes more than you could ever imagine.