It must be time for Dragon*CoN!

I had a dream last night about trying to check into a hotel while approximately eleventy billion things were going on to distract me from said purpose. People were streaming in and out, we were in the wrong hotel, we couldn't find an ATM that worked to get the money, we were mistaken for other people, interesting discussions were going on in other rooms, goth girls were trying to talk us up to their hotel rooms, and somehow I had this skein of yarn that I felt that I had to learn how to crochet into a hat before anything else could happen.

This can only mean it's time to start this year's Dragon*Con cycle. Of course, we're still paying off last year's trip, but that's okay. We should be able to sort that out pretty quickly. And if we're clever, we'll get badges this month, while they're still $50 apiece. Our crew for the trip so far consists of myself, kittenpants, triadruid, Kittenpants' brother Gangly and cousin Goofy, but a few others have made rumbling noises about it and might be dragged along in our wake.
( And then, there's costuming... )

It's probably too early to start getting excited about this, and yet, here I am. Anybody want to come with?

It must be time for Dragon*CoN!

I had a dream last night about trying to check into a hotel while approximately eleventy billion things were going on to distract me from said purpose. People were streaming in and out, we were in the wrong hotel, we couldn't find an ATM that worked to get the money, we were mistaken for other people, interesting discussions were going on in other rooms, goth girls were trying to talk us up to their hotel rooms, and somehow I had this skein of yarn that I felt that I had to learn how to crochet into a hat before anything else could happen.

This can only mean it's time to start this year's Dragon*Con cycle. Of course, we're still paying off last year's trip, but that's okay. We should be able to sort that out pretty quickly. And if we're clever, we'll get badges this month, while they're still $50 apiece. Our crew for the trip so far consists of myself, kittenpants, triadruid, Kittenpants' brother Gangly and cousin Goofy, but a few others have made rumbling noises about it and might be dragged along in our wake.
( And then, there's costuming... )

It's probably too early to start getting excited about this, and yet, here I am. Anybody want to come with?

My car and my virtues

Asmodeus (my 160,000 mile, four-wheeled companion) has developed a hitch in his transmission, which is expressed by a general unwillingness to shift into fifth gear. He will eventually shift, and does not make a horrible CLUNK when he does, but where he used to transition smoothly to fifth at about 55 mph, he now whines and revs and finally turns over at about 62.

diermuid has suggested that he might be in need of more transmission fluid. I was having that thought myself, and will be giving that solution a test this evening. I am not keen on the idea that he might have hit the distinguished age where a rebuild or replacement of the tranny will be required. For lo, I will have a difficult time finding the money for that all at the same time, and also, it will not be easy to leave him at the mechanic's for an extended period of time. It's doable, but unpleasant to contemplate.
( In which I worry a lot, and talk about self-reliance )

My car and my virtues

Asmodeus (my 160,000 mile, four-wheeled companion) has developed a hitch in his transmission, which is expressed by a general unwillingness to shift into fifth gear. He will eventually shift, and does not make a horrible CLUNK when he does, but where he used to transition smoothly to fifth at about 55 mph, he now whines and revs and finally turns over at about 62.

diermuid has suggested that he might be in need of more transmission fluid. I was having that thought myself, and will be giving that solution a test this evening. I am not keen on the idea that he might have hit the distinguished age where a rebuild or replacement of the tranny will be required. For lo, I will have a difficult time finding the money for that all at the same time, and also, it will not be easy to leave him at the mechanic's for an extended period of time. It's doable, but unpleasant to contemplate.
( In which I worry a lot, and talk about self-reliance )

Passing along some things:

1) Robert Anton Wilson died this morning. Light a candle, ingest a psychoactive substance, or vote for an ostrich in his memory, would you? He will be missed. Sad news reported by kaidevis. For those of you who can't be arsed to click links, Bob's more or less final word on the subject was "I don't see how to take death seriously. It seems absurd."

I'm really down about that, so here is some more appealing "news":
2) If you're in Kansas City, you'll have an opportunity to catch the film Pan's Labyrinth at the Glenwood Arts theater starting 1/19. (Thanks, gamera_spinning!)

3) There's a fairly good article about polyamory in Tikkun this month. Tikkun is a progressive Jewish magazine which runs a lot of interfaith and spirituality of peace sorts of stories.

Passing along some things:

1) Robert Anton Wilson died this morning. Light a candle, ingest a psychoactive substance, or vote for an ostrich in his memory, would you? He will be missed. Sad news reported by kaidevis. For those of you who can't be arsed to click links, Bob's more or less final word on the subject was "I don't see how to take death seriously. It seems absurd."

I'm really down about that, so here is some more appealing "news":
2) If you're in Kansas City, you'll have an opportunity to catch the film Pan's Labyrinth at the Glenwood Arts theater starting 1/19. (Thanks, gamera_spinning!)

3) There's a fairly good article about polyamory in Tikkun this month. Tikkun is a progressive Jewish magazine which runs a lot of interfaith and spirituality of peace sorts of stories.