The Chalkboard -- Post your status updates here.

[FluffyMcDeath]

Christmas is coming fast and the year end is coming fast so work is busy like crazy as usual at these big calendar markers - and once again it's getting late to get the cards out and it's getting late to tell people I don't want to do presents this year (which has been how I've felt for quite a few years now) which means that I'll probably end up having to do a panic shop next weekend ... or Christmas Eve. Dammit I do not like this season. Too much running around like a maniac pretending to have fun. How many Christmas dinners to eat? How many Christmas dinners to cook?
I guess back in the olden days after the harvest was in and the wood was piled there'd be a bit of a lull in which to get ready - but today's business culture doesn't do seasons so much as end of quarters. Oh well. When I retire (if??) maybe I'll be able to enjoy it again like when I was a kid.

 

[cecilia]

it's been unseasonable warm so far....63° F today. Dec 10th.

I haven't had a chance to photograph them yet but for at least a week several cheery trees around here have bloomed. The trees think it's spring!

When i get a moment I'll try to take a photo and show it here

 

[Simply Sara]

I get busy over the holidays with work. Lots of folks wanting photographs and lots of events to photograph at work. I do love our decorations though and the music is cool. (Although I could do without hearing the theme song to the Polar Express - it is nails down the blackboard cringing after a while). As for shopping, did a bit online to use up unused gift cards to be honest, but I prefer to go and shop and buy impulse whimsical type stuff. I haven't hit the toy departments yet, but with my daughter getting older, probably will just go to window shop. It's difficult because she likes everything. She's pretty much agreeable, except about going to school as a whole. She is a teenager after all, and it is a right of passage to be frustrated with everything in the world, so that's where we are at. I can't believe so much time has gone by since I was last on here, but I will try to check in more often. Sara

 

[Simply Sara]

Oh, and I was happy to get 4 tickets to the new Star Wars movie for 11:45 PM on the 18th - movies at midnight, yay! They had just opened up another showing on an ETX screen at the theater, so I was excited to get tickets for my family to be one of the first to see it. Imagine my chagrin to find out Wayne gets to see it on the 16th - just gotta love Wayne. Being a good customer at his favorite movie theater has certain perks. Well, we can compare notes on the 19th I suppose. I am totally excited for this movie!!!

 

[cecilia]

Close up of blooming cherry tree taken TODAY - Dec 11

20151211_153822 by cecilia fx, on Flickr

at least three trees in this area (only got two in the photo, but trust me)...plus several trees several miles away. I'm sure there are others.....these trees think it's spring. And, yes it was around 62° F at least today

20151211_153834 by cecilia fx, on Flickr

 

[cecilia]

I'm not the only one noticing the warm Dec weather - https://twitter.com/i/moments/676159099915083777

another 63° F / 17° C day this Sunday.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/676098569569439744

 

[Robert]

He reminds me of Iggy Pop.

 

[cecilia]

btw, this is what they are predicting for this weekend:

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/201...Snow-possible-Fri-Sat-from-DC-burbs-to-Philly

ugh, not looking forward that THAT!

anyway, assuming we have power (they are claiming high winds), I'll let you know if it's bad or not......

oy vey

 

[Speelgoedmannetje]

Mozes kriebel!

 

[cecilia]

snow not in NY yet....but it's happening in other States


⚡️ "Bundle up: Blizzard 2016 is underway"

https://twitter.com/i/moments/690534574619803648



best tweets so far:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/690551469213253632

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/690592018641330176

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/690629388707205120

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/690562370934935552

 

[cecilia]

btw, it's 10:43PM as I write this and it's 5 Degress F (-15 C)
It is expected to be 0 F by 5AM (-17 C)

and 50 F on Tuesday. (10 C)

I kid you not

 

[cecilia]

so this morning I got in the car - which was naturally in the garage - and the temperature as registered by the car was 19 F (-7 C)
I pull out of the garage and the temperature starts to plummet, naturally. within a minute the outside temperature was 7 F (-14 C)

yikkies, it was cold

 

[the_leander]

Woo, I'm finally back online! This time with an actual land line instead of tethering off of my mobile phone.

The internet seems... Fast!

 

[cecilia]

Woo, I'm finally back online! This time with an actual land line instead of tethering off of my mobile phone.

The internet seems... Fast!

I know I'm spoiled with FIOS - and that's not even as fast as it can be
(FIOS = fiber optics)

anyway, welcome back!

 

[the_leander]

Thanks! Currently getting around 10Mbits a second on ADSL, I could have gone for FIOS but the only plan available in this area would have effectively doubled the costs but not increase the speeds all that much.

Other providers offered faster connections (for a price), but tbh I struggle to saturate what I have now.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Been having some very fine weather over the last week and a bit. Damn I miss my convertible.

 

[Simply Sara]

Ah, the days of the convertible - and I miss mine, too. My daughter is taking drivers education online - yikes how time flies.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Ah, the days of the convertible - and I miss mine, too. My daughter is taking drivers education online - yikes how time flies.

Well, I hope to get mine back from the shop in a few weeks - it needs a bit of work after I drove it under an SUV. Only drove it a couple of days after the engine rebuild - I had a video about it on my youtube.

Yeah, tell me about it. And after everything I got up to in my parents car after I got my license - sheesh - it's kind of hard to let them borrow the car.

 

[Robert]

Well, I hope to get mine back from the shop in a few weeks - it needs a bit of work after I drove it under an SUV.

Harsh - the other month I had someone run through a red light and write off my girlfriend's car and leave me with concussion.
I also (unwisely but I wasn't all there) walked about two miles home, carrying a new printer.

Oh, and nice soundtrack.

 

[cecilia]

Hoping that everyone DIDN'T panic and had a lovely Towel Day!