Fear and Loathing on the Road to Christmas, '09.

Something oddly familiar about typing this.

Why? Well, right now I'm sitting at my grandmother's computer, as we recently switched to Suddenlink for our internet/phone/cable/plumbing, and I let it slip my mind to pick up a wireless router for our new cable modem. It's sort of...ridiculous how completely that can cripple my online activity, but the choppy crawl that this five-year-old PC calls performance makes it near impossible to run more than one program at a time. I actually had to reinstall Firefox just to keep the computer from freezing when someone talks to me on Facebook chat, or when Blogger auto-saves something, with background amenities like AIM of Google Talk absolutely out of the question. Hell, there's not even a working media player on this machine. Anyway, it's very similar to the situation I was in last December, where I was pretty much living off someone else's computer.

Not that any of this is the end of the world. We'll just file it under "pleasant reminders of how privileged I usually am," and move onward. It's not like I haven't been busy.

Lot of moving around going on. What I didn't mention last time was that even with all the comic books I'd moved into my room, there were several Rubbermaid tubs still full that needed transferring to long boxes I didn't have. BCW Supplies came through like no body's business, though, and when I woke up this morning UPS had dropped off my new boxes. Getting the books out of those rubber containers and into long boxes took a little longer than I expected, mostly because the new cable package has a couple of movie channels, and Empire Records had just come on. I'd recently suffered through the extended cut [I'm being unfair, but I just really prefer the original, and the director's edition makes me miss it], and the menial task being accompanied by the good movie made it feel like kismet.

Plus it kept me from stopping to re-read comics, which can easily turn the job into an all day affair.

I also put up the Christmas tree. It felt like time, and I was worried that if I put it off until later in the month, I wouldn't get done. I could really tell my grandma was pretty ambivalent over whether or not we decorated -- which I can understand perfectly, especially considering what a job it is, and how this is going to be the first Christmas since Dad died. I've been trying not to look at it like that [which, I know, I know, usually I'm up for any reason to be miserable], and even though some of the Christmas stuff was in rough shape, I think I did a good job. One of those times I sort of wish I had a digital camera, so I could take a picture, and share it here. Technically, this is the first tree I've ever trimmed wholly on my own, and I think it came out well.

Had plans to clean out the storage room today too, but I just didn't get to it. One of the chores that has been on the list for a little while, but I've been so busy that I keep pushing it back. Not that I'm complaining -- everything that's been getting done is necessary stuff, and I've even knocked out some Christmas shopping, which I'm trying to do this year with the money I had for the Pittsburgh trip that didn't happen. Plus all the regular week-to-week errands have doubled, which I'm sure is because of the Holiday Season.

I guess it doesn't sound like so much when I lay it all out like that. I did a little writing the other day, this thing I've been toying with about peeping toms, and incest, and meth heads, but there's some part of it that just feels a little too low brow, a little too blue, and I don't know if it's a worthwhile use of my time or not. There's something about that kind of subject matter that I feel weird approaching casually -- like if I'm going to write about it, half-assing it isn't an option, anymore than pulling a Chuck Palahniuk and treating it like a sideshow would be. A classy way to be classless? I think that might be what I'm shooting for.

Have to see. Anyone trying to get in touch with me, e-mail or Facebook is the best way. Or a direct message on Twitter.