The Green Room

7 Quick Takes (16)

1

We finally got our tree and pulled out most of the decorations! My husband the scientist was most excited about pulling out all of his family's old trains. They've been in boxes for years, and he was so excited to get them out. At one point he couldn't fix one of them, and said he might need to go to a train store and have them help him. Then he said, "Wait, I'm a rocket scientist. I can figure this out!"

And he did.

And he was so excited when he did, that he had to show me before dinner. And I had to say, "That's nice, dear, now let's go eat" four times before he would put his toys down and come to the table.

2

I heard this week that the Pope plugged the book The Civilization of Love. Apparently this is a big deal, because he doesn't do that too often. I read it this past summer, and to be honest, found myself dozing off at points. But if the Pope thinks it's good enough to recommend, perhaps I should give it a reread (when I'm quite awake and alert).

3

I found out in the same day that Pope Benedict and Barack Obama are both on facebook. I don't know why I was surprised.

4

You know who is soon to not be on facebook? My husband the scientist. He's threatened for months (years?) to leave it, mostly because he never uses it and really isn't into the whole social networking thing. Well, the other day he finally decided to close his account on December 31. He even wrote a status update to announce this. I think this is the first time he's ever written a status update. Here it is:


I'M DONE. It's over between Facebook and me. First: I'm too old for this stuff. Second: I have no use for this stuff. Third: It's time for me to free my mind. January 1, 2010 is the day I untether my mind, body, and soul from the matrix (a.k.a. Facebook). If you want to get in contact with me, you can find me in reality.

(I was going to include a picture of this, but realized I don't know how to edit a picture on a mac. I was able to do a screenshot, but didn't know how to edit it after that. Is there like Paint or anything that I can use to block out names and whatnot? Not that I'm really worried about you finding out our names. It'd probably be quite easy to do. And if I've ever emailed you, you already have it. Does it seem to anyone else like this parenthetical comment should be its own QuickTake? It's getting long enough... )

5

I know I'm not the only person a little panicked that Christmas is a week away and their shopping is still not done. Earlier this week I went out to do it, and it turned out that everything (everything) is made in China. Anything not made in China is inevitably made in India. Nothing is made in America.

I came home and took it out on my poor husband the scientist, who had decreed that we would only buy American products this year. And then felt guilty the whole night for being crabby with him.

Luckily we went out again last night with a bit more success, and I'm planning to finish up this morning. I'm determined to finish today, because I don't want to be out in the craziness that is the weekend before Christmas, especially since it's supposed to snow here!

6

Sarah at This Heavenly Life had her second book carnival yesterday, and I missed it. I'm so disappointed! Mostly because after her first, I went to our library book sale and bought a bunch of books, and was so excited to participate!

I bet I still could, actually. She's super nice like that. But the wind has gone out of my sails for it. So I'll just show you a picture of the post that could've been. And resolve to remember to do it next time.

7

If you are grossed out by feet, consider this the end of my QuickTakes and do not scroll down to the bottom.

Okay, so for the rest of you, I'd like you to know that my toe is gross. It has a purple bruise under the toenail. This happens once in a while, because my shoes do not fit right. But I really like to wear them, because they are those indoor soccer shoes that all the real soccer players wear. I feel cool when I wear them.

But really cool people do not buy shoes a size too small. Really cool people do not insist on wearing them to play indoor soccer for two and a half years, despite your big toes screaming in pain and numerous blood blisters. Really cool people, upon taking off their toenail polish to discover what is below, immediately cease wearing the shoes that caused this.

Actually, it doesn't look so bad in this picture. And you know, it doesn't really hurt now, five days later.

Oh dear, I'm starting to rationalize keeping the shoes. I'd better donate them ASAP.

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