Well, it would seem as if we got out of Vancouver just in time as, by all reports, the city has been blasted by another storm that has made getting around almost impossible. “Christmas is cancelled,”my writing partner matter-of-factly informed me Lawren, meanwhile, reports that his car is stuck, essentially trapping him at our house with the dogs. I sincerely hope he is able to get at least two day’s worth of protein out of that can of kippers sitting in the pantry. At least he has the dogs to keep him warm. Unfortunately, Lawren is a light sleeper so that dogs had to sleep in their own bed, greatly offending Bubba who apparently spent a good hour crying and barking in outrage. Eventually, they all settled down and fell asleep Lawren, however, made the mistake of poking his head up to make sure they were alright. Bubba, who proved an even lighter sleeper than Lawren, immediately perked up at the sight of him and resumed his plaintive appeals.
Here in Montreal, it’s been more slushy than snowy. Fortunately, as the out-of-towner, I haven’t had to do any driving. Instead, I deferred to my sister who did the honors, taking us to the city’s St Leonard district where we picked up Italian pastries and visited my auntie Jeanette who is spending the holidays in the hospital as she undergoes tests. Her neighbor to her left is a chatty 75 year old woman who monopolized most of the conversation until we offered her a big cookie. After that, she did more chewing than talking. The neighbor to her right was a guy, that couldn’t have been that much older than me, who had suffered a stroke. He, in contrast, hardly said anything. My aunt was, as usual, in fairly good spirits, heaping praise on the hospital staff as she polished off her lunch, a prickly pear, and the cake my mother had sent. Hopefully, we’ll be able to spring her before the New Year.
As is the case with most European families, Christmas Eve is the big night in the Mallozzi household. We sat down a feast of scampi and prawn followed by a dessert assortment highlighted by a collection of macarons my sister picked up for me. Unlike most of the Canadian macarons I’ve had to date, these were excellent – and very unique. Flavors included: foie gras and fig, olive oil and sundried tomatoes, salmon and dill, raspberry and pepper, goat cheese and squash, and avocado and saffron. I believe they ship. If so, I might offer a prized selection for one lucky/adventurous reader.
Also, as per Christmas tradition, my mother phoned up every relative she could think of and had me talk to them. Among the cavalcade of calls was one to a cousin I hadn’t spoken to in years. She congratulated me on my success, reflecting back on my youthful obsession with comic books and role-playing games that no doubt paved the way for a fruitful career in making shit up. Reflecting back on her reflections, it suddenly dawned on me that while comic books and role-playing games may have helped shape me creatively, I can’t honestly say I ever left them behind. I still read comic books (and my complete collection of Asterix and Obelisk books in the original French), watch cartoons (anime in particular as my personal library now holds well over 3000 dvds), and have never curbed my desire to pick up the occasional action figure, statue, or toy. Hell, if I had the time, I’d probably still be spending my Friday nights playing Dungeons and Dragons. Dear Lord! I’m freaking Peter Pan in and cobras cufflinks!
Well, again in keeping with European tradition, we opened our present last night. My mother got enough wine to last to her 150th birthday, I got Fondy a Wii while my sister got her a spa package that I picked up for her back in Vancouver (“Hey,”said Fondy last week while going through our online VISA statements, “have you had a massage lately?), weights for my sister, and while I asked for world peace, I received shaving products and a crazy assortment of macarons which was just as good.
This morning, I worked out the first scene of my Stargate:Universe script while showering. I do some of my best writing while either showering or driving. Go figure.
Hope all of you are doing well and enjoying time with your respective families!
Awe Mr. M.,
Thanks for the update! Since I am alone and snowed in, seeing someone having nice Christmas with a bit of comedy mixed in is always a pleasure!
Glad to hear Lauren and the pups are doing okay too!
Hope your Aunt gets well soon!
Side bar…
@ Anne T… Glad to see you posted! Hope you are doing well and improving daily as we go into 2009!
@ Whoivan, Hey Trish, that JibJab elf dance was hilarious! You all look soooooo cute! Thanks…I needed that giggle!
@ Kassandra… Keep safe and warm! I know the feeling…I’m getting cabin fever too!
@ Shirt n’Tie… and how did all “her highnesses” enjoying Christmas?
Cheers & Happy Christmas to one and all!
Patricia Lee
” If so, I might offer a prized selection for one lucky/adventurous reader.”
You wanna get rid of them that bad huh? (grin)
Well gook luck with the snow, and never turn your back on a gnome illusionist. Especially one who lives in a tower and employs purple spiders as guards.
Sorry I’ve been remiss with my reading of you blog recently Joe but life as they say gets in the way of living.
I have promised myself that I will read all the blog from where I left off….Japan I think it was!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a peaceful goodnight.
Pauline x
Hi, Merry Christmas!
Very nice christmas present you got!
May I ask you some question about SGU?
I read an article about SGU audition sides.
It says that the Ancient long range communication device will be used in the SGU.
My question is will SGU team use this device communicate with earth?
Or SGU team can’t communicate with earth at all.
Merry Christmas Joseph and everyone here!
I had a great Christmas. I got the 3 seasons of Stargate Atlantis DVD’s (I already had season 4). Even though I had bought all the episodes on itunes in February, I still wanted the sets for the commentaries. I also go a hair dryer I needed badly because my last one started on fire when I was doing my hair a couple weeks ago. Luckily, I had the dryer far enough away from my head at the time.
I really liked the movie Get Smart. It was hilarious.
The Wii games are fun. You forget sometimes that you are not really on the tennis courts when playing. A spa gift is nice too.
Have a wonderful rest of the day/evening
Looks like you had a wonderful Christmas Eve! Thanks for sharing.
Is there an American version of macarons? I feel like I’m missing out!
Christmas has been rather downplayed here this year. You do what you can, I guess. With our friends headed for Idaho in the storm in our SUV, hubby and I stayed up watching Bad Movies, waiting for the phone call telling us they’d survived the trip. We feasted on Solstice leftovers (there’s a metric ton) and opening the gifts we hadn’t gotten to on the Solstice. I got blinky things for my bike, he got real licorice. I cheated and bought myself a 50s edition of Wizard of Oz, used to be an old library book. Exactly the same printing as the one my brother had when I was growing up. And the Dr. Horrible DVD showed up yesterday, I’ve already geeked out on it quite thoroughly. The SIL is feeding dad and my hubby, I’m staying at home with a nasty sore throat. It is snowing sideways and icy. Ick
Merry Christmas!
YAY! Pressies! Good to see you got some cool and some edible pressies.
I got a fish tank from my youngest son, some really comfy slippers from my youngest daughter and a Phillips Streamium from my mum so I can watch all the crap from my computer on my TV. Tomorrow brings another christmas day when my other two kids and their partners turn up for gaming day, one is bringing his PS3, my son-in-law is bringing his X-Box 360 and we already have a Wii, PS2, DS lite and various other incarnations of portable nintendos. I shall be exiting stage left at some point to have some respite with my lil sis down the road while my nephews come and join our own particular brand of mayhem. Youngest daughter is happily ensconced in her bedroom with her new laptop and new LCD TV so I guess you could call today a success. I even managed to remember to cook AND serve everything I’d planned as opposed to last year when I totally forgot the yorkshire puds! Now having a well earned glass of port before bed.
Poor Bubba being relegated to his doggy bed, shame on Lawren for being so harsh and at Christmas time too. LOL
Cheers
Moyz
Hey Joe,
Merry Christmas to you and your family. I think I can match your Peter Pan-ness. I too have action figures behind my desk (mine are Star Wars), I have Star Wars Mr Potato Heads on my PC at work. While I haven’t got the enormous collection of animation dvds (my interest isn’t anime), I do have a box set of Pinky and The Brain. This Christmas my brother got me a Dalek model kit (a href=”http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j320/chevron725/chevs/dalekmodel.jpg”>Dalek Model 1, Dalek Model 2. While I don’t watch Doctor Who, it was funny and cute. I sat down last night while I was watching COTG and started putting it together.
Cheers, Chev
p.s. Is that your wedding photo behind you in 8th photo?
Oops, try that first link again – Dalek Model 1.
Cheers, Chev
Tell ya what – you can keep those yummy macarons, if you don’t kill Todd off in the movie… 😉 (Yes, yes, YES! I am obsessed!) But if you’re planning on doing him in – then send those colorful puppies my way! ALL of ’em! 😀
Some things: Poor Lawren (personal story to follow), thanks for making not feel so bad that I read comics and collect action figures, and especially thanks for sharing your holiday adventures with us.
Some questions:
1. What is your favorite anime series?
I’m not real big into anime, with the except of a thing for Speed Racer back when I was 5 😳 , a big obsession with Star Blazers/Space Battleship Yamato back in the early 80’s, and mild interest in Fullmetal Alchemist (yeah, yeah, yeah…I have a crush on Edward – does that really surprise anyone??), and most recently, a big interest in Samurai 7 (yeah, yeah, yeah…I have a crush on Kambei…does that really surprise anyone??).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/dasNdanger/samurai71.jpg
Okay, so that’s an extra-hot pic of Kambei – but STILL! Which leads me to my next question…
2. Joe, have you ever had a ‘crush’ on a fictional character? If so, who? (And Bond girls DO count…or so says my husband. 🙄 )
3. You’re really, REALLY good at updating your blog, even while on vacation. Do you (like the rest of us) have a touch of ODC?
A quick personal ‘dog sitting’ story…
When hubby and I got married, we had no big plans for a honeymoon, mainly because 1. I don’t fly, 2. money, and 3. my nerves could barely handle planning a wedding, let alone planning a honeymoon. So my cousin, recently retired from Dupont, offered us his home in Myrtle Beach – complete with inground pool and very private *wriggles eyebrows* walled-in back yard. One stipulation: We had to puppy-sit his dog, a lovely Samoyed, while he was up in the northeast visiting relatives for the week. Well, being animal lovers, we had no problem with that!
Every night when we went to bed, the dog would lie on the floor beside us, making this noise…something like, “Ooooooohhhhuuugghhh.” Repeatedly. And yeah, it did sound like *that*…and yeah, it kinda threw us off our game until we realized that she only wanted to get up in the bed with us, but wasn’t able to.
So we locked her in the kitchen. 😀
das
Haha, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so happy as in those photos.
The skies are finally clearing up here in Vancouver (I can see some blue!); it snowed the whole day yesterday, and overall it seemed that we got 2 feet of snow since that first storm. The last time it snowed like this, it was back in 1996 when I first came to Canada! Craziness.
Hey, I’m 21 today. I don’t like it. It means I’ll have to act adult-ish. That sucks. Powerfully sucks.
I gotta get me some of those macarons; they look so colorful, which of course means they’re delicious. Yep, perfect logic. Though I would want more…conventional flavors. Heh.
Is it sad that when I read “I believe they ship” I immediately thought about shipping, as in “oh, you mean the salmon is shipped with the dill? How romantic”. Yes, I believe that is sad.
You know, I hesisted to comment on this, but if Lawren is truly stuck in the house…with 4 dogs…and he’s running out of food…and he becomes hungry…and he sees the 4 dogs…
You may have made a huge mistake, Joe.
Anyways, I hope you, and all who comment here a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays! 😀
Hope you have nice holidays with your family. 🙂
Well, the last ep was leaked on the internet and there’s talk about it everywhere. This post is … well, yes, spoilerish. But then I know you’re monitoring the comments on your LJ anyway and it’s up to you if you’ll let this one out. Understandable if you don’t want that. 🙂 In fact, it’s probably better if you don’t.
[Sorry, had to edit this. Hope you saved it because it will make for interesting discussion in the months to come. JM]
Merry Christmas Joe! Thanks for the update. I also do my best work at random times, I wrote crucial parts of my undergrad thesis whilst trying to sleep, I ended up keeping a pen a paper by my bed for months.
Chris
Hey Joe.
Glad you had a good Christmas! I did too…………lots of coo gifts.
Have fun in Montreal!
I hope Lawren hasn’t lost power.
Just read that Eartha Kitt died.
Chev
Christmas Eve=gifts, beans, cornbread and chocolate chess pie
Christmas=Cade’s Cove (mountains) and spaghetti.
Check.
Asterix et Obelisk are amazing! Good to hear that you are back in Montreal. Unfortunately the weather hasn’t been that great lately.
How long are you in Montreal for?
Have you met Robert Carlyle?
Will he be playing Dr. Rush in his natural accent?
“This morning, I worked out the first scene of my Stargate:Universe script while showering. I do some of my best writing while either showering or driving. Go figure.”
Considering some of the Atlantis episodes and subsequent scenes we’ve had over the last five years… that is quite an unnerving statement, Joe. The mind simply boggles. And then again, it also really doesn’t want to. What it wants to do, is turn around and run away. Quite fast.
Sounds as if you’ve been having fun anyhows. And Felix looks just.. well, cute. Sweet. Aside from the tad vexed ‘WhyhaveIbeendressedupasRudolph’ssidekick’ expression he’s wearing, that is 😛
You are VERY LUCKY you got out when you did!!! Not only did we get more snow (with more on the way), but pretty much all of North Vancouver was plunged into darkness at about 11:30pm lastnight and didn’t see lights again until quarter after 10am Christmas morning!!! Needless to say it was pretty dishearting to look out the front window and see lights over in the British Properties and the orange glow of Downtown Vancouver. But then looking around at the houses in my neighbourhood and nothing!!!
Yay for European traditions. Opening presents on christmas eve is the only way to go. That way you’ve got all of christmas day to enjoy your new Force Unleashed game on wii (or maybe that’s just me). Happy christmas! 😀
Merry Christmas Joe and the Mallozzi family!! We woke up this morning to our first white Christmas in almost 20 years. I think I was seven the last time. Unfortunately, I have the best vehicle and had to do the driving in the wonderful (read with intense sarcasm) slush.
I’ve had to work quite a bit so my family won’t be getting any baked goods until probably Saturday. I know they won’t mind as they know I am the WORST procrastinator in the world. No matter how hard I try I wait until the last minute and then nothing gets done or I’m hurrying and ruin everything. My brother, however, made pistachio brittle that was very good. He hardly bakes/cooks so itwas amazing that he decided to make candy. I would have gotten quite a bit of baking done yesterday if I didn’t have to work until 9pm. Having to deal with skiiers at a Starbucks on Christmas Eve while it’s snowing outside is not my idea of fun, but my brother and I did go out and look at the Christmas lights (they were so-so).
Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday and now I have to go and attempt to fit more food inside my already full belly. Maybe I should lay off the coffee.
Multi-colored macarons? Pretty. Interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever had one.
We are getting pounded with lots of wind and rain here in lovely Las Vegas. But we need it.
Merry Christmas. Have a great time with your family and safe travels home. ;-D
Fondy got her Wii! After the trouble you had last year in getting one did you keep one in storage for the year just to be on the safe side?
A “massage” showing up on a VISA statement could mean a world of trouble for a husband.
World peace for a Christmas present hey? I said yesterday peace amongst families on Christmas day would be a good start. You can start to feel like the rope in a tug of war some years. Makes me extremely appreciative of my family who’s Christmas motto is ‘Never be worried about upsetting us.We’re flexible. Keep the peace.’
Off to watch the Boxing Day Test Match!
Have a great day everyone.
Oh poor Felix aaaaaahahahaha! Watch out Mama Joe for the eventual revenge. Have cleaning gear ready.
Yummo at those italian pastries. God, I just gained a kilo by looking at those delectable delights. Lucky you.. how many did you have.
ZIRH.. does someone imply you stink?
Thanks for the piccies from yesterday and today. Sis looks good with her hair lighter and Mama Joe has grown her hair! No more Billy Idol!
Spose I’m gonna die for that one.
A very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday to you and your readers Mr. M. Glad to see you’re having fun. The macaron selection sounds…interesting. Perhaps you can put a link to the business? One question for the day though. What sort of paper do you use when writing in the shower?
Merry Christmas and such.
I love Asterix and Obelix! And Idefix!
That’s interesting that you do your best writing while showering and driving. And dangerous. Have you lied down and then tried to write? Increased bloodflow to the head is supposed to help you think.
I’m thinking about buying a Wii, would you and your wife be able to do a customer review, some pros and cons, after a couple of hours of nonstop playing? Once you’re back in Vancouver of course. Have you bought any games for it?
Quiet day in our household, which accounts for the early comment. lol Was supposed to work today (no holidays in radio!) and was pleasantly surprised by hubby taking my shift (he does Saturday AM there, usually). So spent the day watching DVD’s and writing a bit.
Sounds like all’s well in your corner.
What’s a macaron?
I forgot to say…
I never had heard of a macaron before reading your blog…and I’m still not 100% sure what they are! But I DO know what a cannoli is – eating one right now! Love these suckers…
Also – 3000 dvds? That didn’t even register the first time I read today’s entry. I have about 50, and can’t find room for them all. I’ll only buy ‘must haves’ now – like flicks with flowing-locked albino dudes, and anything that says ‘Columbo’ on it. Also, must have my classic movies, especially film noir and anything with Bogart or Cary Grant.
Joe – you ever watch Mystery Science Theater 3000?? God, I loved that show…more so with Joel than Mike, but he was okay, too. They made bad films enjoyable to watch, except Manos: The Hands of Fate …NOTHING could make that movie watchable! The crawling Wraith hand in The Rising immediately reminded me of the movie, The Crawling Hand, covered in MST’s first season. However, because of MST3K, when I saw that crawling Wraith hand, I was so ready to hear Crow snark about it, that it almost killed my suspension of disbelief. Almost.
Whoa. Tim Tam Slam with dry red wine…now THAT’s quite delicious!! Wow…
Sorry, ADD moment there… 😳 (And yeah, eating goodies right before bed, and I wonder why I can’t sleep… 😛 )
das
Happy 21st birthday, PG-15!!!! 😀
I actually got presents today (*shock*), a couple of gift cards — I wasn’t expecting anything at all, as I thought it was understood that my gift was going to Dragon*Con last September. And I figured I was on the Naughty list. 😉 So yay! One is to a bookstore — I think I may go get some manga. Actually, the other is to the mall, which has a bookstore as well, so I may get a *lot* of manga. And a “Team Edward” shirt. ^^ Okay, I might spend it all in Hot Topic *cough* …
I fixed french-dressing-marinated ribeyes for dinner (as they are always fixed in my family) — tame, I know, but the folks seemed happy with them, and I liked mine. 🙂
Otherwise, I worked on that short story of mine all day (well, when I wasn’t playing with my bunny or watching holiday stuff or Coupling), and we watched It’s a Wonderful Life tonight, which is one of my all-time-fave movies.
Didn’t finish the story yet — hope to over the weekend — but it’s my “gift” to everyone this year. (Well, everyone who doesn’t mind a shounen ai — a “boy’s love” story. *Cough*) It’s called “A Conspiracy of Spirits”, and is a retelling of “A Christmas Carol” from Jacob Marley’s POV. (Jacob is in love with Ebenezer in it.) It’s also a sequel of sorts to my “Nussknacker” (a retelling of “The Nutcracker and the Mouseking”), containing the main characters from it (as the Ghosts of Christmas). Both stories are set in my New Avalon storyverse, and therefore are reshaped to coincide with how magic works in that universe. (I have a few other faerytales I’ve been reworking too ….)
Amyway, again, Happy Holidays, everyone. 🙂
Merry Christmas! I hope that you and you family have a truly wonderful day and New Year! 2009 is gonna be a great year!
We will have to hit you up for a night of D&D sometime if and when we’re ever in Vancouver. We could make it a great evening for friends with a delicious BBQ and some tasty garlic and parsley baked corn on the cob. The corn is a recipe I learned from a previous D&D session. Our group would try various international dishes while playing. Good times, very good times indeed. =D
I have never tried a macaron, but those do sound very tasty. I usually make a chocolate/peanut butter double decker fudge for Christmas. It’s a recipe handed down to me by my father, and it’s truly excellent. I’ll send you some with the next batch I make, provided you like peanut butter. =) My fiance’s family believes that I could even sell the stuff here in Australia. lol.
This year I made pumpkin pie as I had a lot of canned pumpkin left over from Thanksgiving. It wasn’t nearly as big of a hit as the fudge, as most were not daring enough to try it. The response I got was…”You made a pie out of pumpkin? Eww….” Those who ate it, loved it, and there were no left overs, so it proved to be a success.
I’m hoping that next year’s Christmas will be spent in Ohio with my family. This was my third christmas in a row away from home. 2009 will be a successful year for all of us, I’m sure of it. My number one goal is to get the story that I’ve been working on, published! I also hope to find a job closer to home.
Best Wishes for health, wealth, and success for the new year!
Mmm macarons. My family also got a wii.. We’re already addicted.. Its so much fun to spend some time with family. Merry Christmas… we had a white christmas here. it was great..
Oh yeah, and I forgot to add that I got seasons 9 and 10 of Stargate SG1, (with season 8 on the way) and season 3 of Stargate Atlantis for Christmas. So, my family helped with US sales of Stargate as they shipped them over. I also have 15 new books to read as well. =D
Oh rats…you approved stuff….
@ PG15 – About the shipping…when I read it I thought the same thing! But then I immediately realized what he meant. I didn’t think quite as deeply as you did about it, 😉 I was more like, ‘ship…huh?! Oooooh….ship.’ So, I guess that means you rank higher on the fandom geek-O-meter than I do. 😀
@ Perragrin – Got your e-mail – will reply sometime tomorrow. But, ya know, I see things the same as you do – this season has colored Sheppard the villain, and Todd the victim. I like a character with edge…but in some ways Sheppard has stepped over the edge. I was discussing with my butcher this very subject…
See, we were talking about animals – eating them, wearing their hides. I said that I have always had a great respect for the animals I consume…a connection with them…like a oneness, I suppose (especially when it comes to wearing leather or fur). I never take it for granted (I am also selective – will not touch endangered animal products – I know to some that is not enough, but…alas…I am still a carnivore). Somehow this lead to Stargate, and the Wraith (NO idea how that could happen 😉 ). Well, the discussion got very interesting after that, considering this is a young 20-something guy who was surprised that the heroes engage in such things as experimentation on captives, genetic manipulation, and talk of ‘genocide’ (and yes, I explained to him that Wraith feed on people, but he basically said, ‘all living things must eat’. Hmmmm… maybe he was pulling my leg when he said he’s never watched the show…). It then got even MORE interesting after that…but I’ll save that for private, since it involves net rumors that I do not want to broadcast (most, I believe, deal with SG1, though).
And, yeah…I got side-tracked…again. 😛
das
Merry Christmas! I have a quick question for you if you get the chance. You recently stated both “I’m a collector and like the look of real books sitting on my bookshelf,” and that you have over 3000 anime dvds… So could you give an estimate as to how many books you own?
Thanks,
Bethella
One, a very Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Second, good luck getting back into BC. We’ve been hit HARD, Prince is finally warming up to -20ish which means we’re getting snow, a lot of it. Though it looks like Vancouver got a shit more than we did. So good luck with that getting back to land of Snow Covered home!
Merry Christmas to Joe and wife (who gets prettier every time you post her picture) and family and to all you readers and commenters out there. May you find warmth and peace during this joyous time of the year.
So Lawren doesn’t want to sleep with dogs? Somehow … I really don’t … find a problem with that. Just think Joe, that means the dogs will be that much more happy to see you when you return. Keep up the good work Lawren! (whats it been 1 or 2 days now?)
I must confess. In some of these pictures I found myself yelling, “Joe get out of the way! Move!”. I was more interested in the pictures hanging on the wall in the background. I mean, this is your Mom’s house. Good grief! No telling what’s on those walls! We might get to see you as a kid or something.
Have a wonderful time.
Have a lovely rest of your trip back to Montreal Joe!
@Patricia Lee- awww *HUGS* If only you could of celebrated merry thursday here!!! This is getting pretty crazy, I don’t think our weathermen know what they are talking about anymore!
…Sooo… have you started work on your next “pilot”: MACARON MAN?
Me, I washed socks…
AND enjoyed some really great – what I’d call, Cajun – brownies! [Laced with what tasted like cayenne pepper?] They were leftover from my Muslim neighbour’s daughter’s workplace Xmas party! Seriously addictive! :]
My christmas was great…where I was actually expecting to be showered in scifi stuff, like the last few years, which was again all the stuff on my list…I actually got nothing scifi…go figure.
It’s funny…my christmas presents every year have a theme. I swear…and it’s always by accident. One year, everything Lord of the Rings, next, everything Yankees, next, everything Stargate and Battlestar, next, everything Farscape….I’m so not kidding…that’s what the last few years have been…
And I think this is the first year EVER that I got no movies….HUGE surprise…I’m really easily when you just stick with movies…
Oh, wait, I lied…one farscape thing…
Anyway, so…what exactly is your definition of “lucky/adventurous”?? I have actually never had macarons before? Just never got around to trying them…
LOL…I think all writers have their little “epiphany spot”, as I call it, when our minds should be on something else but never is…I have come up with my greatest ideas in the last few years while either in the middle of class (that I waas actually paying attention to, I swear), and I mean a class that has nothing to do with that particular idea…and the other is actually while I’m in the movie theater. And what I’m watching has nothing to do with what I just came up with.
well…it figures, it goes the rest of my bizarre self…hehe
Oh, and I forgot…should have started with Merry Christmas….
Surprisingly, my Christmas really did feel like Christmas. All the family around really helped. We buried my Grandma on Christmas Eve (literally, we asked the cemetery staff for shovels) so it has been very weird and sad. Granddad was determined that we all have a happy Christmas.
I’m back at my parents house for the summer and Granddad has decided that he still wants the big party on the 3rd for their 60th wedding anniversary. So again, familied out.
I got an ipod nano today (boxing day) after mum gave me a tearful IOU yesterday. Even though we all know no one has had much of a chance to get shopping since Grandma was admitted into hospital a couple of weeks ago after her fall, mum had still decided that at 21 my twin and I were too young to not have something to open on Christmas.
Well, there we go. For some reason I was compelled to tell you about my Christmas. Now I’m heading back upstairs where I can hear at least 3 conversations going on and a lot of laughter.
Merry Christmas, Joe! You look like you had a great time! But I have a question: Was your shirt shiny or were you sweatin’ like a fat rat in a cheese factory? 😛
padawan_aneiki said:
Found the following article on macarons at Wikipedia. I must say I’d never heard of them until I started reading Joe’s blog and I’ve never tried one myself.
Cheers, Chev
I hope Lawren hasn’t lost power.
Just read that Eartha Kitt died.
Saw my earlier post. On second reading it may have implied that the two were related. Hmmm….I don’t think that’s the case.
Cheers, Chev
Merry Christmas Joe and Family!
My holiday’s been nice but pretty low key. No out of town family, Mom and Dad both feeling a bit under the whether, brother and sister around but also pretty quiet. I had to work nights at the lab earlier this week (usually I work days) including my birthday last Saturday. So though I had Tuesday and Wednesday night off I slept 18 hours straight through from 3pm Tuesday to 9am Wednesday. I tried to get a nap this afternoon before going back to nights Thursday – yea, that never works. I’m stuck doing this through the rest of the weekend. I’m too old for this stuff.
PG15 – Happy Birthday. Do not worry about or even try to act “grown up” – mostly no-one else bothers and if they do they are usually pains-in-the-you-know what. I seem to maintain my own inner child at around 14 yrs old.
Joyeux Noël !!!
So you read Astérix et Obélix in french. I didn’t know that.
I’ve began the collection when I was young, have you read of all them ?
If you like it, you should try the comic called “Kaamelott” as Camelot. It is a kind of parody, first it’s a french tv show but they made comics. I love it.
But if you speak french you must look the tv show. It’s awesome !!!
Have good holidays !
Question : Have you italian origins ?
Coucou Joseph!!
Yé!!! Merci de nous faire partager ce moment et ces photos!!
Oui et bien mon reveillon été un peu pareil sauf les macarons, je me résérve pour Paris^^!
Votre soeur a changer de couleur de cheveux non? sa lui va bien je trouve =)!!
Mouhahaha vraiment defois il’y’a des choses bizzard hier soir j’était justement entrin de regarder Astérix et obélix en dessin animée et je me disais que vous ne nous avez pas encore parler de votre lecteur de ces BD lol XD
Passer une trés bonne journée!!!
Je vous adore!!
Awww, sounds like you’re having a good Christmas, and I hope you manage to spring your Aunt from hospital soon.
and my complete collection of Asterix and Obelix books in the original French
Brilliant! My Dad and myself in particular (in our family) love Asterix and Obelix. We used to watch in English, although we do have one of the French books around somewhere, we bought it on one of our visits to the Asterix [and Obelix] park in France (Le Parc Asterix).
anime in particular
You know, my sister and I keep saying we want to watch more animé. We’ve watched our fair share of TV programmes, but the only films we’ve watched are Howl’s Moving Castle (which I own, and adore), and parts of Spirited Away, which although confusing, was mesmerising. Could you recommend any?
Hell, if I had the time, I’d probably still be spending my Friday nights playing Dungeons and Dragons
Hell yes! Fighters all the way.
@ PG15. Belated Birthday Greetings!
…..erm does that mean I’m s’posed to have been acting all growed up for the past 24 years then? cuz believe you me it hasn’t worked!
I sometimes look at what I’m doing and think only grown ups do this and then I realise that in spite of everything I seem to be putting on a pretty good show anyway so might as well carry on the way I’m going. If its any consolation my youngest son was 21 on the 18th and I’m going to be *cough* 46 *cough* on Jan 6th and I STILL wonder when I’m going to feel grown up I mean I’m practically middle-aged and my body certainly feels it but in my head I’m 21 with 24 years experience!
Hmm, macaron. strikes me as being meringues on acid!
I love the ‘with European tradition’ and ‘with most European families’. I’m like ‘Waouh, is that so different?’. I don’t really know how it works over there, but, well in my little french town, there were Maracons too, but with more ordinary flavors! I love the pic with the Get Smart box. It looks like a very good Christmas!
Ah, if only one had a family
Hey Joe!
Well the Wii is a blast. We gave one to Princess Erin. She had no clue she was getting one, either. So she thought her mom was an idiot for constantly looking at Wii games the past few weeks. And for her last present to be the Mario Kart steering wheel annoyed her to know end. I even apologized to her for getting her something she couldn’t use on her DS. Then I said, “I know… you can go try that on the Wii in the family room!” With that Erin shrieked with joy and I even got a massive hug. 😆 Soooo worth the plotting on that one!
I guess I’m not that brave to eat those macarons. They sounda tad icky to me. But that’s why YOU do the weird food purchase of the day.
@Patricia Lee: Aw thanks! Those dances are really fun. The first time I watched it I laughed so hard that I cried. It’s just a funny picture of Annabelle.
@Das: *GLOMPS Das back* Thanks! Missed ya too. Things are good here. Just soccer for both kids means soccer 6 days a week. Plus piano/voice/school. And Allie finished up her physical therapy and now it’s my turn. I am a clumsy sleeper I guess. 🙄 So we need to fix my neck/shoulder problem. Plus I need surgery on my right wrist. That will happen next month. Good times! I know you’re totally jealous of all the fun I’ve been having. 😀
@Kass: Wait a minute… are you saying you GOT the sunny Florida weather I sent ya? But it only raised you to 36 degrees? Ok. I’m sending some more. Feel free to send the cold air my why. I’m sick of using the a/c and wearing a tank top on Christmas is just WRONG to this former Chicago girl. 😉
@Narelle: Ha ha ha! I agree that a massage showing up on a bill could mean a world of trouble for a husband!
Take care everyone!
Trish 😀
Merry Christmas, Joe.
Never had macarons but the cannolis look delicious. We also had the huge Christmas Eve meal (scampi, linguine and clam, tuna salad) and topped it off with a huge Christmas day dinner (Lasagna, Turkey and stuffing).
Looking forward to the last two eps although bittersweetly since I know there will be no more til the movie.
Enjoy your vacation.
Sounds like a wonderful Holiday!! Thanks for the update. (The cannoli looks wonderful, poor Felix…did you get his permission before posting his Holiday finery?!)
I seriously need to look into this “macaron” thing. All I’ve ever seen around here is “macaroons”, which are lumpy coconut merenigue cookies, all very much the same. (Toast the coconut, beat the egg whites, bake on parchment…pretty pedestrian.)
I need to invent a whiteboard for the shower….I think best there too, but somehow forget almost everything as soon as I grab a towel!
Hope the Holidays continue on such a great track for you!
Hope your Aunt feels better soon
No gifts no $$ but my son got a Wii from his dad, so I guess I’ll be finding out what the hype’s been about.
DD
Happy holidays Mr M & family
Glad you got out of Vancouver before they gone down to one runway and much reduce service. And the BC lower mainland grinds to a halt from the snowfall. Welcome back to Montreal.
Mind you the weather in Montreal is only marginally better. Got glazed ice sidewalks & streets all around my neighborhood today. Have amusing time getting home from Anjou on the Met on xmas eve from sis’s family gathering. Or more precisely the water logged elevated canal. The large sedan I was in actually loss contact with the road several times and keep spewing up columns of water when crossing puddles. You don’t expect this type of monsoon weather in the winter.
Hope you don’t over-indulged too much during the holidays. Don’t see how you are not PEAR physique with your latest gourmet adventures. It’s un-natural.
Too bad about the last 2 episodes got leak onto the web. This is happen quite frequently with SG-1/SGA/movies. Is the studio taking additional security measures?
Ofaite, il n’y à jamais eu de Noel sur atlantis??
Roh….j’imagine deja le film….Une Noel,du Sheyla, et Keller enceinte =D
………….bon je sais je rêve -_-‘
Hey Joe!
Well, it’s Boxing Day now (whoo, sales!), but have a Happy belated Christmas! Looks like you had lots of fun, and it is great to see you got to meet or greet with many family members, including ones you haven’t seen for many years. It is always good to see or hear of that. 🙂
Have a good one, and thanks as always! Don’t eat too many macaroons!
– Enzo Aquarius
Hey, Mallozzi! Some pretty interesting stuff here about the mating rituals of spiders…might come in handy if you ever decide to slip some Wraith reproduction revelations into a movie. Well…except the torn-off genitals part…that just would not do. At all. 😛
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28353590?GT1=43001
Enjoy!
das
Yeah Joe what is a Macaroon???? is that something that can be bought at a local grocery store?…I would like to see a killer snow storm in Norfolk VA. I miss snow havent seen any in years.
Glad to see that I am not the only one that has been away from the blog. The holidays have kept me very busy between family get togthers, working extra hours, making gifts for the family (scrapbooking gifts), and final exams the week before christmas. but I am back.
I did manage to see Infection and Identity. I liked Infection because it was another Team episode and I liked at the end when Sheppard let Todd go. I’m usually not picky about SGA episodes, but I didn’t care too much for Identity.
On my mom’s side we always celebrate christmas on Christmas Eve, too. However, this year we didn’t because both my husband and my brother – in – law had to work. So intead we get to celebrate it next year on January 1, which is fine by me because then four days later its my birthday.
I hope everyone had a good christmas.
Tami
Ah, Christmas, the crazy time…we are the traveling branch of the family, too, so we are always camping at someone’s house over the holidays. This year it’s my husband’s youngest sister, who only has healthy food in her house (low fat, low salt, low sugar…). If it weren’t for the pies left over from yesterday, I’d be going into sugar withdrawal!
Emma had unexpected surgery on Christmas Eve, which was a bummer since she’s now spent two of the four Christmases of her life in the hospital. However, the surgery seems to have uncovered the cause of her intermittent mysterious fevers–a bacterial infection growing inside her chest port. They removed the port, which she no longer needs anyway, and she’s doing fine. The nurses spoil her rotten, so she doesn’t mind hanging out with them and riding the elevator as much as she wants.
Last night my cousins announced that I’m much “cooler” than I used to be. It only took me 40 years to realize that I was an uptight pain in the neck and RELAX! Apparently I’ve succeeded in that. They kept refilling my wine glass for me for some reason…We spent the rest of the time trading embarrassing “remember the time” stories, like the time Andy was sleepwalking and mistook the refrigerator for the bathroom…
Thank God GeekBoy figured out how to get the laptop hooked up to his aunt’s wireless internet, because I’d been more than 48 hours without email or blog-reading! I sneaked some sugar (a lot) into my iced tea and have caught up with Christmas in Montreal (and Lawren’s adventures) so now I’m feeling much more like myself! My sister-in-law doesn’t approve of sugar, cable TV, or alcohol, so distractions are limited here. GeekBoy fled to his cousin’s house to kill zombies on the XBox and watch zombie movies for hours on end–his idea of a fun Christmas!
It’s our 25th wedding anniversary today, and I believe we are celebrating, as usual, by visiting relatives and eating takeout pizza. That’s what happens when you get married the day after Christmas.
Oh mon dieux!! il fait -10° degrés à Montréal en ce moment O_O. Mais comment vous faites?
Je me prépare deja spychologiquement à affronter les -2 de Paris..alors -10…je viendrais avec 3 combinaisons de ski là!!
@NZNeep – Very sorry to hear about your Grandma. Your in my thoughts.
Chev