Read posts about holiday

December 8

A short holiday trip to Drenthe (Kilala.nl (Cailin Coilleach)) by Cailin Coilleach


This weekend I "surprised" Marli with a weekend in the country, just to get away from it all. I'd taken the Friday off so we could take care of all the household chores in a hurry, letting us leave for the province of Drenthe around one. I'd rented a nice cottage at the Kuierpadtien camping park, which came at a nice price since it's off-season.

Incidentally, the area we visited this weekend is also where my dad used to go on holidays with his parents back in the fifties (or was it the sixties?). Wezuperbrug is home to about 200 people and is kind of stuck in the middle of nowhere, along with a few other small villages. We loved it :)


We really didn't do very much this weekend, but that's why it was so relaxing. No Internet, no work, no household work, just the three of us and nothing to tie us down. We had a nice dinner, we had breakfast together for the first time in a year and we made a small visit to the tiny town of Orvelte. Orvelte was voted number five in the list of the Netherlands' prettiest towns and it does live up to this! We arrived around 0930, mist still hanging thick in the air, with the town still quiet and peaceful.

I've mentioned before how we'd love to move to the country and Drenthe is one of the places we've been eyeing. The scenery's just lovely over there and the housing prices are just insanely low. We just checked out a real estate site and seriously: the difference in what you get for 200k between the provinces of Utrecht/Flevoland and Drenthe comes down to two rooms and about fifty m^2. Holy crap! Ie 4-5 rooms @100m2 versus 6-7 rooms @150m2. That's making things -very- tempting.

Posted in: drenthe , holiday , relaxing , trip
December 5

’tis the reason for the season (multifarious miscellany (kitters)) by ami

Christmas is an odd holiday for me, and it always has been. Growing up in a Buddhist family, we obviously didn’t celebrate Christmas for the “real” reason. We did the tree and the decorating and the presents because… well, actually, I don’t know why. As I got older, I came to realize that New Year’s Eve was the more celebrated holiday for us, because that’s when we came together with our friends and family. Having no real traditions for the holiday season, I spent my early 20s doing pretty much nothing for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and I was okay with that.

In the past few years that the husband and I have been together, Christmas has taken on new meaning for me - both in the familial and Christian sense. While this has opened my eyes as to why people so thoroughly enjoy the holiday season, it’s also made me realize why everybody is so stressed out for two months straight. There are parties and get togethers and choir practices and days off from school and presents and trying to remember who gave you a card last year and trees and lights and… It’s no surprise as to why many people are glad when the holidays are over.

I tend to get all nostalgic and sentimental around Christmastime, and this year’s no different. What is different is my direction of thought. While I am still and will always be forever grateful to those who have loved and supported us through the past year, there is a distinct sense of sadness hovering right behind the gratitude. It’s sort of like being in a snowglobe, with the whirlwind of activities swirling around me and creating a façade of Christmas joy. Eventually the snow stops swirling and I’m left with what’s at the core.

Now, before you all go crying “Seasonal Affective Disorder!”, stop. Granted, that doesn’t help matters, but it certainly isn’t the cause, either. When there is so much dysfunction and estrangement and overall crap severely outweighing the positives… it sheds a different light on the holidays. Instead of reveling in the joy of family, we’re lambasting each other for being “wrong”. Well, I’ve been trying to stay out of it, because… just because.

So why does this bother me so much? Aside from the obvious, it’s because I cannot stand hypocrisy. These are people who (allegedly) believe in Christ’s love and who (allegedly) desire to live as Christ would have us live, yet have become completely blind to the reason of the season. A season of redemption. A season of celebrating the ultimate gift. Instead of obeying God’s greatest commandment, it’s being made perfectly clear that we are not wanted nor welcomed. And why? Because we made a decision that doesn’t jive with the thinking of the rest of the hive mind.

I’ll admit, I’m not completely free of fault here. I know I should be reaching out and showing grace. Instead, I’m turning my back and embracing those who aren’t a major thorn in my side. The easy way out? I suppose. Then again, the right thing to do is often the most difficult thing to do. I know I’m being selfish in wanting to protect my own sanity and trying to figure out what my thoughts are all about for once… or am I? Is it so bad that this year, I want Christmas to just be between God and me?

Posted in: family & friends , holiday , ponderings
December 1

Thanksgiving wrapup (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way--

-- Sorry! Wrong entry --

Well, let's start with Wednesday:

Pot Luck and a dream
We had pot luck at work. It was an odd sort of pot luck, since I have never had "Thanksgiving" with dim sum, hot chicken wings, and burritos. There were some pies, cornbread stuffing, ham, and I brought mashed potatoes. Sadly, the burritos were not cooked very well, and I got sick. But I spent the rest of the evening talking to [info]molarity about getting a job where I work. I think this can work out. He gave me a ride home, and I spent the rest of the night praying I wouldn't be sick through the holidays.

Thanksgiving Day
I woke to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is a tradition for me. [info]takayla hates it, but I was too sick to watch it downstairs with the cold floor. Later, I tried to start a fire in the fireplace down there, but the wood just wouldn't catch or stay lit for long, and the house ended up being all smoky. CR actually had to work, so he left for a 4-hour shift and said it was busy from open to close. I guess people really want their coffee every day.

After he got off work, we went to Anya and Brian's house for Thanksgiving, and had a good time there. There was [info]takalya, CR, and myself with Anya and Brian's parents. I found out about Anya's zoo of pets as a kid, while the parents played "who had more seizures as a child." Anya's dad is a wanted man in Switzerland (wouldn't pay a speeding ticket), Delaware (wouldn't pay a toll), and the McLean Family Restaurant (something about a tip). The food was excellent, the company entertaining and fun, and I hated to leave.

Black Friday
This is tradition with me, and I got to spend the early part of the day with CR and [info]aksident at Fair Oaks Mall. It was pretty crowded, which went along with the 10.6 billion sales day the news later reported. I know the economy is in the shitter, but the mall wasn't vacant by any means. I got a few gifts for people, but mostly I hug around CR and [info]aksident which was a hell of a lot of fun. We went back to CR's work and hung out. I had to leave early (I was on call) CR and [info]aksident walked home when his shift was over.

[info]stodgycat stopped by around 6pm, and dropped off Scarlet. I needed Scarlet's help taking apart computers, and with her help, I was able to disassemble EVERY spare computer I needed parts from and junked. Both her and [info]aksident stayed the night while CR played his new game, "Sonic Unleashed."

DCRG
Saturday, Scarlet and I finished up the computers. [info]aksident had to go back home to babysit her little brothers, but Scarlet stayed for for DCRG. We left for the metro, met Brain and Anya, and went to the DC Armory for a 3-round bout. First up with a the Cherry Blossom Bombshells versus the Northside Stranglers, a group composed of various Flat Track stars from Pennsylvania to Richmond. CBB beat them 47 to 34. Next were two rounds of the DC Demoncats versus the Scare Force One. We left during the final minutes of the game, but it was Demoncats 112 to 94 when I left, I think. This was a massive upset since up to now, SF1 was winning unopposed.

The halftime entertainment was terrible. It was loud, obnoxious, and uncoordinated. It was a series of "MCs" and some small kids screaming rap into a microphone and jumping around. I mean, I am all for free-styling and whatnot, but these people were just bad. What happened to the girls dressed as men and singing Elvis and Chris Issac?

BUT, the crowd was the BIGGEST I have ever seen. I mean, the DC Armory was almost packed full. This is good, because the DCRG needs the cash.

Moon Phase
Frankly, the illness I had a week ago came back when the antibiotics ran out. My throat swelled up again, and I have a lot of trouble breathing. I spent most of the day in bed watching a dozen or so episodes of the anime, "Moon Phase." It starts of slow, but gets pretty interesting around episode 3 or so. Sadly, it's one of those anime shows that get a little uncomfortably close to "Lolita" anime for me. I don't know why this bothers me as much as it does, but hinted sexualization of underage kids always squicks me out. Why can't they just say she's a short adult or whatever? Yeah, yeah... the whole "innocence" thing, but blecch...

I only went out to see my Jenny Craig counselor, who has been on rotation all month while my usual nutritionist is away seeing family in Lebanon. I haven't lost much weight this month due to illness, SAD, and Thanksgiving, but I haven't gained much, either. I have been around 305-309 all month.

But I am really sick today (Monday). I have a doctor's appointment (instead of seeing a clinic, what I did last time) at 11:30 today. Enough with this shit. Posted in: anime , black friday , dcrg , holiday , rollergirls , thanksgiving
November 26

happy thanksgiving (multifarious miscellany (kitters)) by ami

An early Happy Turkey Day to you all :) After the jump, a meme that reminds me that I have a lot to be grateful for, because good or bad, I was alive for it all.


Things I’ve Done (In Bold)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii - technically it was just a several hour layover, but we did leave the airport, so it counts :P
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse <– I’ve seen several eclipses, but I don’t remember if any of them were total
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - from above the clouds, no less (forgot about that when I originally posted this)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community - kinda hard not to around here…
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - it was short lived, but still :P
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car <– Never have, never will. Especially when buying used current model year saves you about 5 grand.
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - does it count if they became famous after you met them?
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby <– and it’ll never happen
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

Posted in: holiday , memes & quizzes
May 11

happy mother’s day (multifarious miscellany (kitters)) by ami

It would be too easy to list my mom as the recipient of my gratitude today. She deserves that every day :) No, today I’m grateful that I get to experience being a mother. Sure, there are the days that make me want to pull my hair out and scream at the top of my lungs, but the good days outweigh those… or at the very least, they break even ;)

So to all the mothers and mother figures out there… Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted in: gratitude , holiday
April 23

Costa Rica, not a holiday destination for me (Kilala.nl (Cailin Coilleach)) by Cailin Coilleach

Yesterday I did something uncharacteristic of me: I took a night off :) No homework, no cooking, no cleaning.

Instead, we went out for a quick dinner at our favorite Greek restaurant in Nieuwegein, followed by a visit to our dear friends Peter and Wendy. It'd been too long since we last talked to them and they had a big book of pictures from their last holiday trip. Apparently they'd been to Costa Rica for a few weeks, without us knowing it. -That's- how long we hadn't spoken with them ;_;

Anywho... It looks like they had a great trip and they took some beautiful pictures. I saw how a pineapple grows and flowers for the first time in my life and I'm very happy for it. I learned something cool about a fruit I love :)

However, both Marli and I have to agree: Costa Rica (or middle and south America for that metter) is not a holiday destination that we'd pick.

Any country where frogs are the size of your finger nails and where bugs come as big as your fist is just a bit too fscked up for me :) Mosquitoes the size of a finger and meat eating flies that NOMNOMNOM at you -through- your jeans? No sirree! Not for me! ^_^; Besides, I loathe any abundance of creepy crawlies and Marli's just scared shitless of snakes.

We definitely enjoyed seeing all their photos and hearing their stories. But all of that did make us realize once more that we're people for the urban jungle, not the real jungle :) I usually feel at home in any city that I visit, within a few hours... That's my forte. Amsterdam, Leeds, Helsinki, Budapest, Prague, Tokyo? That's where I feel at home!

Posted in: a nice night in , costa rica , friends , holiday
April 14

a day late and a dollar short (multifarious miscellany (kitters)) by ami

Actually, since Songkran lasts three days, I’m still in time for the party - Happy Thai New Year :)

Posted in: holiday
March 23

happy easter (multifarious miscellany (kitters)) by ami

It’s not about the bunny.

It’s not about the little plastic eggs filled with candy.

It’s not about the jelly beans.

It’s not about cooking a gourmet “Easter dinner”.

It’s about a priceless gift.

Posted in: holiday
February 14

all commercialization aside… (multifarious miscellany (kitters)) by ami

Happy Valentine’s Day

We plan on celebrating by, uh… doing nothing. We’re lame :(

Posted in: holiday
December 31

happy new year (multifarious miscellany (kitters)) by ami

And so we finally draw to the close of 2007. While this year definitely created some lifetime memories, compared to last year, 2007 seemed a bit dull :P

Alright, I take that back. I just skimmed through my blog archives for the year. Some of the highlights:

  • Fostering Kaos
  • Finding all the things that needed to be fixed and/or replaced in this house - for example, Dakota’s letter to Kaiser
  • The week leading up to Easter, or: the beginning of a fantastical friendship with the Burks
  • Chopping off my hair for Locks of Love
  • Baptism!
  • The Re-Wedding!
  • Tree(s) fall down and go boom
  • FOURTEEN loaves of bread
  • Fun times in the ER
  • Sing sing sing… I picked an interesting time to start singing with the church’s worship team, what with carnivals and parties and Christmas (oh my)

So yeah… not quite the big events as last year, but still plenty of excitement. As usual I’ve had various people there to help get me through the bad times. The best thing about that statement is that each year the list grows, and this year it grew a lot.

We have no plans for this evening, which is a little odd for me. I’m looking forward to a quiet evening at home, though, especially after all the Christmas craziness.

Happy New Year, y’all :)

Posted in: good things , holiday
December 27

the post-Christmas nap. (multifarious miscellany (kitters)) by ami

Or, “thank goodness the two-month-long holiday is over”.

I hate that the commercialization of Christmas leads to me being Christmas’d out by mid-December. I love the feeling of the holidays, but I’m tired of it after seeing all the decorations and everything for so long. Christmas Day itself was actually very quiet around here since we had the girls for the 23rd and 24th this year. Gifts were given, squeals were heard ’round the globe, and food was eaten.

So what’d we all get for Christmas? Lessee… older kidlet got a Willow Tree ornament, a candle set, and various hand lotions from Bath & Body Works. Oh, and a hefty amount of cash as her “big gift”, because what teenager doesn’t like cash? Younger kidlet got the Harry Potter hardcover collection as her big gift, plus a sweater, one of those wooden roses, and new headphones (her old pair was pathetically held together with masking tape). I got the husband a keychain, a new nativity scene (with ALL characters included!), the usual desk calendar, and the usual tool-related item. Ok, this year, it was a tool - a Skil Power Wrench. The husband got me the new Veggie Tales movie (yes, I’m serious), a book, a necklace, and portable speakers for the iPod. I also got a cold, but not from him. I’d like to return the cold, if at all possible. And Dakota? He got a bunch of homemade doggie treats from his furry cousins (this family is a little… odd) and a brand! new! laser pointer.

I even hit up the day-after-Christmas sales to stock up on wrapping paper, gift tags, and other Christmas miscellany. The highlight of said shopping trip was finding Faygo soda at K-Mart. Sam has been telling me for years now that I need to try Faygo, which up until recently hasn’t been available around here. Review forthcoming, as right now, all I want to do is take a nap.

Posted in: family & friends , food & drink , holiday
December 21

Planning my trip to Japan (Kilala.nl (Cailin Coilleach)) by Cailin Coilleach

A few days before my departure to Japan, the pieces to the puzzle start falling together. I've made a list of things that I really want to see, leaving a few days to spare.

Tokyo-area:
* Comiket 73
* The Ghibli museum
* The Miraikan museum of tech
* Namco Namja Town
* Visit my Arsian acquaintance Durf (assuming that he's in town)
* Some shopping in Akiba

Osaka-area:
* New Year's
* The Kojasan temples

Kumamoto-area, on Kyushu (southern island):
* The Kyushu Railway History museum
* The ryokan Chikurakutei

Wow! This is going to be awesome <3 It'll be especially exciting to visit Kyushu by myself, since I really don't speak any Japanese :D

Posted in: holiday , japan , planning , tourist , trip
November 23

Happy Thanksgiving (Stonetable) by Adam

Happy Thanksgiving to those that celebrate it. I spent the day relaxing. I played some video games, watched some movies, worked on a short story, and cooked this marvelous little feast: Thanksgiving 2007 I cooked a turkey breast, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and brownies for dessert. I'll be eating leftovers for a week, but it was worth it. Posted in: holiday
October 15

Blog action day - Make it yourself (Studio Pickett (Soph)) by gmpicket

Preferably make it yourself and from scratch (as much as possible) instead of buying everything pre-manufactured. Making things yourself provides you with an opportunity to be creative and have fun.  I find that buying plastic train cars leaves me cold.  But making them from scratch is fun, fills my time productively, and results in train cars [...] Posted in: holiday
October 8

Sometimes I can’t resist playing hookey (Studio Pickett (Soph)) by gmpicket

Between having a terrible cold, going to Open House New York (visited nine sites in two days!!!), and getting a new camera to play with, I’ve not been working too hard on my models.  I plan to get back to work soon (maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow night). Posted in: holiday
May 30

Assembly 2007: not this year (Kilala.nl (Cailin Coilleach)) by Cailin Coilleach

Unfortunately I won't be attending Assembly 2007 this year ;_;

I've mucked about a bit too much with my vacation days at work, meaning that I'm already at a negative subtotal for this year. I've also had a little accident with my company car in Paris, the repairs for which come from the same budget that would have covered my trip.

No money + no vacation days = no Assembly 2007.

Shame, 'cause I was really looking forward to visiting my family and Helsinki.

Posted in: asm07 , assembly 2007 , damn , holiday
February 19

Home alone (Kilala.nl (Cailin Coilleach)) by Cailin Coilleach

No not the movie, but literally: Marli's off for a short holiday in the UK with a friend of the family. She deserves it too since she hasn't had a real vacation for over two years now while my last trip was last year in April. And with her out of the country for a week that leaves me home alone, $EXPRESSION.

I really couldn't think of a proper expression to insert above.
* "Free as a bird" would have made it sound like I was happy to be alone and that I'd treat the week as if I was single. Which I most definitely will not.
* "To my own devices" would make me sound like the simpleton husband who can't do anything around the house. Which I most definitely am not.
* "Free to do as I please" would make Marli the oppressive wife who restricts her husband's movements. Which she most definitely is not.

Any suggestions as to a proper maxim are more than welcome. ^_^

What it boils down to is that I am utterly unencumbered in my schedule, with one less person to take into account. That sounds way more egotistical than I mean it to sound, but yet again I'm lacking for better words. I have to say though that it's a very fresh feeling, one that I haven't had for years.

So at the end of the day I feel that I've been very efficient about my schedule. I've achieved things while remaining unstressed and in a comfortable manner. I've folded five baskets of laundry and have laundered three baskets more. I've cooked a good meal, I've run a few errands, I've taken care of some festival work, I've done my ordinary job (night shift), I've been restoring an antique buffet and I even found enough time to fit in an hour or two of relaxation.

But, now that the day is coming to a close and I'm lying here in bed, alone, I wonder whether I wasn't just keeping myself occupied. Because right now the house feels a little foreign, like it's not mine. And I pay attention to all kinds of noises coming from outside that I usually ignore. And I can't help but notice that her blanket smells of her. *huggle blanket*

This is going to be a very interesting week.

Posted in: holiday , home alone
December 16

Deck the train - Part 2 (Studio Pickett (Soph)) by gmpicket


.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }
.flickr-yourcomment { }
.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

PC160110, originally uploaded by gmpicket.

Posted in: holiday , ribbons

Deck the train - Part 1 (Studio Pickett (Soph)) by gmpicket


.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }
.flickr-yourcomment { }
.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

PC160013, originally uploaded by gmpicket.

Nothing says Christmas better than a train (in my opinion, anyways). These photos were shot using white boards and white felt for the background and ground. The track is the straight track that I built last spring. The lighting is sunlight streaming in my window - yuppers, nothing like real sunlight in my NYC apartment.

Posted in: holiday , ribbons

Red xmas bows (Studio Pickett (Soph)) by gmpicket


.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }
.flickr-yourcomment { }
.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

PC150097, originally uploaded by gmpicket.

I got some velvet red ribbon while I was picking up Christmas cards this evening. I had thought about this earlier in the week, but hadn’t gotten excited enough to go in search of ribbon, but the store I was at today had the stuff, so I picked up some.

The ribbons turned out a bit big-ish - like the pumpkins - slightly large to scale. It is hard to initially get something scaled down enough. This trouble shows up in my early attempts at making these boxcars - maybe I’ll snap some photos of those to show someday. I have photos taken when I made them, but my photo skills have improved since then, so new photos are in order! The early boxcars looked cartoon-ish primarily because of details being big-ish.

I’d like to get a good shot of the boxcars that I made this year (the three that keep lurking in photos) with red bows perhaps for use as a Christmas card. The bows are made of cut ribbon pieces layered together, and side views expose them as fakes, thus shots will need to be straight on. I should also shoot some photos of the logcar (also from this year) with a bow on its front railing. Ought to be quite cute!

Posted in: holiday , ribbons