I have come to several conclusions: 1) extended holidays are a lot of fun, as I get to spend much time with the family. Working at a university doesn't pay much, but these between-semester breaks can't be beat; 2) I don't spend any time online at all during these breaks; 3) time off really plays hell with my writing production.
For those of you keeping track at home, it's now 2005. Whee! A short while ago, I opened some bottles of wine I liberated from my parents' house last week during the Christmas visit. They'd been stored upright, in occasionally hot conditions. As I suspected, they'd turned to a rather nasty vinegar. Pity. So I toasted the new year with a Shiner Bock, as Lisa'd developed a sudden sore throat and body aches earlier in the evening and turned in early.
I plan on racking my batch of mead in the next day or so. We visited Central Market earlier today and I gathered the ingredients necessary to make both a spiced holiday metheglin (with the exception of vanilla beans--at $5.99 a pop, I figure I'll force myself to settle for vanilla extract) and a raspberry melomel. Lisa also picked up a bottle of ginger flavored currant wine, which struck us both as unusual and intriguing. I'm sure I'll have a report in the next week or so.
Absolutely no writing progress to report. I'm telling you, I've been shamefully lax and non-productive.
Lisa also decided, a couple of weeks back, that she wanted to get involved in the TV program Alias. Three years ago when it debuted, it struck both Lisa and I as something we'd really enjoy. All the ingredients were there: James Bond-style spy action, conspiracy and intrigue (remember, the X-Files had jumped the shark and was winding down), and of course Jennifer Garner. But the job upheaval and moving situation kept us from watching. Until now. The promos for season 4 prompted Lisa to sign us up for Netflix, and over the last three days we've crammed the first dozen episodes. It's a very well done show, involving even though I know some of the major plot twists on the horizon because, well, I just accumulate useless facts like that. But cramming four months' worth of episodes into three days does tend to expose some flaws in the program. For example: Sydney is involved in violent hand-to-hand combat almost every episode, yet with the exception of one stylish scuff on her forehead one episode, her attractive face remains unscathed. Nary a blemish. And she regularly beats the crap out of all the other opposing "super-agents" that are supposedly so much more skilled and experienced than her. Things like that. Spaced a week apart, they probably wouldn't be noticed, but I am noticing them, and it's annoying. By this time next week I'll probably have seen the remainder of season one, and will know how eager I am to continue into season two. It is, after all, a lot like the X-Files, only there's more action and fewer aliens.
The Aggies play Tennessee in less than 10 hours, kicking off in the Cotton Bowl. I am utterly stunned and flabbergasted that Texas Tech upended Cal so easily in the Holiday Bowl, so perhaps that's an omen for A&M's chances against the supposedly less-daunting Volunteers. I certainly hope so.
Finally, I've accumulated quite a few new CDs over the past week, most of which I haven't had a chance to give a thorough listening to. But the one currently playing (see below) is one I've had my eye on for several years now, and just now gotten around to adding to my collection. It's every bit as good as I'd hoped. I love the Gipsy Kings, and am shamed I have so few of their albums.
Now Playing: The Gipsy Kings Volare
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