Quick thought or two

1) Reason #265 to be glad to have moved out of Northampton: B-Side Records and Gypsy Heart are closing/have closed. Two more in the long list of casualties that pretty much changed the face of downtown into serious yuppie paradise - you know it's bad when old standards like the Army Navy store, LaSalle Florists (hell, they survived the fucking building burning down at one point!), Beyond Words, Space Crime and Whalens have jumped ship for cheaper climes or early retirement. *sigh* I know times change and all that, but barely anything is left of downtown from when I first got here almost a decade ago. What next? Taipei and Tokyo?

2) I find it amusing that when purchasing something potentially embarrassing (for some people anyway) like condoms or yeast infection creme or tampons or pregnancy tests or adult diapers or enemas or diet pills or something else the compulsion is to also buy something else reasonably innocuous as if that cancels out the other purchase. Like diet pills and christmas candy. Or Depends and a soda. Or tampons with the latest issue of Motor Trend. (I saw a guy purchase that combination not to long ago; me and the checkout girl had a vast gigglefit afterwards). I mean... what's the mentality behind that? when all is said and done and the purchase has been made, are we really going to care what the clerk or the people behind you in line are going to think about the fact that you purchased an enema? And do you honestly think the dinky bottle of water or the face cream you got with it are really going to hide the fact that you purchased a box of Fleet? I mean really, if we're going to be embarrassed about our drugstore shopping list, how about finding something to balance that gigantic animatronic reindeer you just bought? That right there is embarrassing...

a sort of actual update

I'm tired. No real earthly reason why, I just am lately. Probably a combination of job stress, school stress (got my final take-home handed out today - eep), holiday blues and seasonal effect. I like winter, but I also like more than a mousefart's worth of sunshine in my day. Also I'm a little out of wack physically - I'm still coughing up leftovers from that cold I got, what, a month ago? the aforementioned tiredness, and right now my uterus is acting like a six year old refusing to take her cough medicine, as I seem to have missed a period now (nobody home, before you ask, I checked twice) but of course i just went to the gyn last week and everything was fine. So... I'm not sure what's up. All indicators seem to be saying that I should take better care of myself, really, though I'm honestly doing the best I can right now... I think after the holiday I should take some time off work though.

Hmmm, sticky r key now? *sigh* *makes mental note to clean keyboard again* Gorram cat hair.

Still despite everything, my baseline mood lately has been better overall. The only reason I even mention holiday blues is that I'm going to have to exhibit some creativity in people's amorphous holiday presents due to the usual lack of monies, but that's true every year. That and I want to put the electric candles in the windows, but I can't be arsed right now to get up and find them. *chuckle* maybe later. Still I have a bit of a break, as the Amoeba's festivities won't be held until New Years, so I can stall on getting the yobbos I live with stuff until then. :) Seriously, though... it's been okay overall... it's weird, on one level I'm a stressball, but on another is a place of odd tranquility, where I can let go enough to enjoy the nesting instincts of winter... it's the time for cozying up with kitties, hearthmates, blankets, and warm mugs of hot beverage after all... Lets hope C and I can refrain from destroying teakettle #3 in as many months tho. :)

Speaking of holiday cards

if you would like to recieve one from me and C, post your addy in a comment (will be sceened), or send me an email at kjpepper at gmail.

Also, let me know if you would like to recieve yours from last year - I have a pile I never sent. *sheepish*

What the hell, I thought I'd do this again

so this time last year there was a meme circulating about drawing santa hats on the icons of your friends, so I went through and tried to put the hats on the most incongruous icons possible. I figured this year I'd do it again, though y'alls must have gotten happier this year since I was having trouble finding grumpy or silly icons to santafy.

anyway...( lookit )

apologies to those featured.

Last year's