Seejaye's Realm

seejaye @ 2009-01-24T12:52:00

2009-01-24T20:57:34Z

I haven't posted much lately, but right now I'm in the Mountain View, CA library, and online with my laptop.

You know the saying "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is?" Well, here's an exception. By virtue of my living in the same city as illustrious Google corp, I can get their WiFi FREE, and it rocks! This is a smokin' fast connection.Thing is, I don't know how strong the signal is when I'm back inside my own place.

I may ask my landlady if I can rig up an antenna to pick up the WiFi signal - why pay for fast service if you've won the internet "lottery" as we citizens of Mountain View have?

A man's work is never done...

2008-12-23T00:19:42Z

Bring me flesh, and bring me seejaye,
Bring me pine logs hither.

Good King Wenceslas
from the Christmas Song Generator.

Voice Post

2008-12-21T03:43:56Z

seejaye @ 2008-11-05T09:09:00

2008-11-05T17:24:09Z

Just time for a quick post. Yes, i'm unabashedly euphoric over this victory, but I realize the country is in a dire state, and Mr. Obama has his work cut out for him. What's most gratifying is, while the electoral votes may have resulted from just a shift of a few points in a few key states from '04 (which appears to have been the case), there's nonthelesss been a sea-change in public attitude towards the role of Government, with liberal ideas dominating the debate. After a generation where people spoke the "L" word with sneering condescention as if they were referring to a Satanist or child-molester, I can't tell you how happy this makes me (to be fair, it's equally objectionable when conservatives on college campuses are treated with ridicule and contempt beyond reasonable disagreement).

I dont' have time to post further, but this is an exciting day for me!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, ALL!

2008-10-31T16:37:56Z

This has always been my favorite Holiday/Observance/What-have-you, something that made me feel like a little kid. Unfortunately I haven't been much in the spirit this year - too many all-too-adult stresses to deal with.

But hopefully a lot of you have fun plans in store. Make it a great one!

Updating my update

2008-09-19T04:39:27Z

Following up on this post: my brother still has a tough road to hoe--they've had to remove an internal abcess, which they drained and cultured to determine future course of action. Even when he returns to California he'll have to have extensive infusion therapy under the care of a specialist. So this is even more involved than I thought. It's really sobering, and shows you that life's circumstances can turn on a dime.

Also, it looks like that increase in pay was merely a one-off. Today's deposit was the amount I'd been making before, which is okay, but just that much tougher with rent and other expenses.

At least there's a small follow-up on my goddess-connection front: on Tuesday I got an email reading "Sofia Vergara has sent you a message on facebook." So I thought "What else is new?" and, stifling a yawn, said to myself "I may as well knock off this email before lunching with Salma." :-p

Actually, she was returning my message. That picture I'd posted is considered by facebook to be one of "my" photos, so I'm given notification and permission privileges. Someone had applied a tag request, applying a name to the (very lucky) young boy in the pic. I asked Sofia - whom I'm unabashedly referring to on a first-name basis - if it was legit. She replied "Thank you. My English isn't best. I don't know about that boy, since the name isn't on Facebook. So I don't know if it's him." Pleasant enough, but strictly business, I realize. That didn't stop me from making a mountain out of a molehill and writing back: "Thank you for responding! Let me know what I should do. I've had a hard week, and hearing from you really brightened my day! Say hi whenever you want, and I hope we can keep in touch." (hey- can any of you tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing?)

Life is uncertain, so we gotta make the most of these moments.

meme that's goin' around

2008-09-19T03:03:46Z

Take a picture of yourself right now. Don’t change your clothes. Don’t fix your hair. Just take a picture. Post that picture with no editing. (Except maybe to get the image size down to something reasonable. Don’t go posting an eight megapixel image.) Include these instructions.

The unshaven joys of working from home:

And notice how when I'd previously shaved, I hadn't gotten in right under the nose, so I have the Fu-Manchu thing goin'.

Finally, an update

2008-09-15T02:34:04Z

Well it's been a long time since I rocked and rolled on LJ, even though I've been meaning to post some items. As fate would have it a jolt of RL scariness forced my hand: my oldest brother, while in Chicago, has had to be hospitalized for a burst appendix. Right out of the blue. It's not life-threatening, but it's so debilitating that he has to stay in the hospital for 10 days. He can't even eat or drink--he has an IV tube, and has to dab water on his lips when they're dry. Thank Eru for modern medicine, but it shows what a thread we're all hanging from. But he should make a full recovery. That kind of thing shakes you up; but the prognosis is he'll be fine in the long-run

In more upbeat news, I checked my bank account, and my pay-deposit last week was significantly higher than it had been. I had gotten a bonus, but that was its own separate deposit. So from the looks of it, my super gave me a sweet little payraise without telling me. Now I'm not wealthy - far from it, but this really helps matters, especially with my exorbitant rent.

Lastly, the least important bit, but which gave me a much-needed giddy fanboy rush: my readers know of my adoration of mi mami chula Sofia Vergara, the Colombian hottie and actress (though only marginally famous here in the States). I was thinking that noone here would care to read about this, but then it struck me that the gratifications of fandom strike a universal chord. Anyway, Ms Vergara recently got a page on facebook. It was linked to from an official site, and I - skeptic that I am - have become convinced (for reasons I won't get into now) that it's really her page, and not a "hoax."

Anyway, I posted one of her pics in a "fan contributions" section - saying it was a favorite of mine - then Saturday morning I saw she had made it her PROFILE pic! Later in the day, my heart leapt into my throat with this bit of scrumdidldlyumtiousness:

How do you like that? Now I realize this doesn't pay my rent or put food on my table, but I got a shout-out from SOFIA FRICKIN' VERGARA! And I actually helped her with the look of her page! It might not seem like much, but last night I was amped to a degree that's probably detrimental to one's health. Let this be a lesson in fandom: never think you have nothing to offer as a fan, 'cause you just may do something to help you stand out from the crowd, for which they'll show appreciation. No, she hasn't proposed or offered to have my next 5 babies, but I take my pleasures where I find 'em. HOO-yaa!
BTW, in case you're curious, the picture is one of her on Santa Monica Boulevard in LA. It's a huge image-file where you can read distant street and restaurant signs, and even see a passing bird in flight. I especially like the classy touch of the ice-cream dribbling on the sidewalk. pic is here.

All-in-all a much-needed high note in the midst of everything else.
I don't know why it gave me TWO lj-cuts, but I can't seem to fix it.

From torn_eledhwen and others

2008-08-12T23:40:57Z

1. How much exercise do you get in an average week?
- I try to run 3 /12 miles at least three times during the workweek. Every Saturday I go on a route at a hiking area (running, mind you) that takes me 11 miles when done twice. Sometimes I just do the 5 /12.

I work out with weights twice a week - that's perfect for giving the muscles time to rebound.

2. Do you make an effort to fit exercise into your daily schedule?
- Most days I try to get running in because there's no better physical/mental "recalibration" to kick off my day.

3. Is there any part of your body that you feel could use a little extra work?
- If I'm not diligent, I get a beer-belly - the curse of my beloved late father. I don't want to hear guys say how they developed a belly in their thirties. At age 11 I had a prominent, round pot-belly.

It's hard for me to get bulk on my arms - have skinny-ass wrists. Also, I'm lacking equipment for lat-pulls. So for my back I do overhand pull-ups, but I've been stuck on doing 5-6 of them at a time for the last year, seemingly, I wish I had a machine where I could do 8-12 - i bet I'd make better progress that way.

4. What time of day do you prefer to work out?
- Usually in the mornings, for the reasons I've given.

5. What kind of music or what song gets you pumped to work out?
- I don't listen to music while working out or running, but I often have music in my head - maybe even mentally composing/arranging something of my own ("This seejaye has no problem with the ego-thing" you're probably thinking :-p)

And now I tag Richard Simmons, The Guvanator, Jack LaLanne, Madonna and Sisyphus.

glunked from kashmir87

2008-08-04T00:27:31Z

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.
No.
Explanations.

Where is your cell phone? pocket
Your significant other? none
Your hair? lessening
Your mother? hale
Your father? gone
Your favourite thing? music
Your dream last night? ***thinking***
Your favourite drink? beer
Your dream/goal? music
The room you're in? family
Your ex? friend
Your fear? loss
Where do you want to be in 6 years? healthy
Where were you last night? molly's
What you're not? average
Muffins? pointless
One of your wish list items? studio
Where you grew up? Los (the first word of a two-word town)
The last thing you did? cooked
What are you wearing? shorts
Your TV? nil
Your pets? none
Your computer? companion
Your life? unmaximized
Your mood? drained
Missing someone? no
Your car? honda
Something you're not wearing? shoes
Favourite Store? Trader (...)
Your summer? unmaximized
Like someone? many
Your favourite colour? blue
When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
Last time you cried? Her

Third annual August-First angst-fest

2008-08-02T04:41:03Z

It's like clockwork. Today I had to pop into a Rite-Aid drug store, and was immediately greeted with shelves of Halloween-shit that's been put on display. They even have Halloween candy out! Never too early to stock up, I suppose. And no harm in nibbling on occasional pieces throughout the day, every day between now and October 31st, right? :-p

I haven't even been to the beach yet this summer - what with gas prices - and here we're heading into the dog-days. Like I've said before, this day in the midst of bright, gorgeous summer seems to be a grim marker for the passage of time and hurtling towards mortality - more so than the decay of fall or the dark, frigid nights of winter. Go figure.

And to really put me in a festive mood, I just received a note that my rent will be raised to $1400 starting next month. I live in the perfect apartment, but the cost had already put a damper on other goals of mine. So, I gots to do me some decidin'..

What a jolly note on which to kick off the weekend, eh?

update (weird glitch again where text can't be seen against a dark background, so highlight if nec.

2008-04-25T03:03:08Z

I've grudgingly come to realize that the universe doesn't revolve around me and my particular setbacks; still, without posting about how I'm coming along I have no LJ-inspiration, it seems, so here goes:

I've had this cold for just over a week, and while it's not too severe, I've had to curtail my exercising, which is frustrating. For all the people who talk about "needing a break" from the (as they see it) onerous, taxing ordeal that is exercise, I'm BESIDE myself wanting to be at full-strengh again so I can throw myself back into my routine. Hopefully by this weekend I'll be better, though I doubt my usual 11-mile Saturday run will be in the cards.

As for my eyelids, post-surgery: it's safe to say I've turned the corner, as this pic, from yesterday the 23rd shows. Just over a month since surgery, there's still time for the remaining effects (still a touch of swelling, and a small lump) to continue to subside, but like I've been saying, though we say we can see beyond a disfigurement and how it affects looks, and we understand that intellectually, it's STILL a relief to look in the mirror and have "myself" back.

Lastly, curse the 30-day status of this month, 'cause I have to have my $1250 rent in just before my weekly payment, which is gonna be tough. But that's the price I pay for my own place in Silicon Valley, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Update

2008-03-19T17:32:12Z

The opthamologist looked stricken as he turned his head away from the microscope after examining my still-afflicted eyelid. I was able to read his reaction easily enough. "So we need the procedure done?" I asked. "Yes" he answered, stating there's a "deformity" in the eyelid.

Not what I wanted to hear. It's always other people who suffer deformities. I asked if it'll be back to 100%, and he said it should be improved, but will still take a couple weeks to recede, and might never look completely normal. Now I remember back when I was wondering if it could be a malignant condition, and thinking "Aw, I can't sweat that. If it is, I'll deal with it at the time" and there was no panic. But - this is my shallow side speaking - I get complimented on my eyes a lot, and the prospect of a permanent deformity, at such a focal point of my face, has thrown me for a loop.

But it could be worse. It makes me think of an exchange from a certain favorite film of mine. Since most of my readership is female, they'll recognize the tender, comforting, nurturing and wise perspective of the chick-flick I'm referring to. I'm speaking, of course, of the estrogen-fest that is Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs.

Cop: I'm fuckin' deformed, man!
Mr. Orange: FUCK YOU! FUCK. YOU!!! I'm fuckin' DYING here! I'm fucking DYING!!

It's the perspective we all of us need from time to time.

Slapdash Saturday miscellany

2008-03-15T23:48:39Z

So my extra-pics account lapsed for a few days, and when I renewed, half of my av titles - and credits - had vanished. I'll try and rename them in due course, but it'll be harder to remember each person I should credit. Ah well, if anyone recognizes their contribution, by all means let me know. Not tryin' to plagiarize here.

Well, on Monday I'm going in for a second appointment with an opthamologist for a condition I've had since back on MLK day. That morning I woke up with what I thought was an insect bite on my left eye. Now I happened to get a picture of myself which I'll include here:

The swelling lends a bit of a psycho-look to the proceedings, I think. Anywho, this condition worsened, and included swelling, discharge, itching, basically across-the-board yuckness. It improved after a week or so, then later relapsed again. That's when I got it looked at, and it was diagnosed as a "Chalazion." After treatment with antibiotics and eyedrops, it's much better. Still, apparently even when these things heal, they may leave a core that could relapse periodically. So there's a possibility I may have minor surgery to have it removed - just something with a local anesthetic that takes 15 minutes. Some of you are probably thinking "I could tell looking at this pic that you're suffering from a serious condition. Hopefully the doctor is going to be able to cure you once and for all...of your addiction to moldy classic-rock!" To which I answer "F-You, Charlie - 's never gonna happen!"

Onto positive health-matters: my tradition for the last 4 months or so has been to run for my "Saturday 11" - that's 11 - yes, ELEVEN - miles at my fave hiking area. Since it rained last night, I figured it would be mucky, so I got in 7.5 miles/12K in suburbia. As part of my getting myself into shape, I want to document how I lost 25 pounds 6 years back. But I want to dig out some "before" pics to really drive the point home. Visual evidence can work wonders for those skeptical of my claims, and the way I go about it. Unfortunately, after my dad died, my mom threw out a lot of old photographs. But sometime I will post my "Cam's Weight-Loss Workshop" installment on LJ, maybe cross-posting to redux (I'd get my toned buns over to KS, but I've long-since been banished.)

Lastly: Although I've cut back on going to coffeehouses to get my morning Joe - it's ridiculous to pay what they charge day in and day out - I occasionally splurge. Well, on Friday the dude I mentioned in an earlier post (too lazy to find it and link to it now) took my order - for the largest size of beverage, only charged me 50 cents for it, and wrote this on the cup:

So I'm the DANCE MACHINE, am I? Honestly, the guy said he's seen me gettin' down at my Mountain View hangout, and appreciates it. Gotta love it when you do something you enjoy, and it pays such dividends. Sure kicks the crap out of my younger days when I'd spend a Saturday night immersed in D&D (will ALL DUE respect for the late-departed Gary Gygax).

I'm preferrin' these days.

Answers to favorite movie-meme

2008-03-02T02:06:37Z

NOTE: copying and pasting from one richtext field to another resulted in some weird-ass HTML commands appearing, which aren't visible in the compose window and I have no way of removing. We'll just have to live with them; thank you for your contined understanding.

1. Pick 10-20 your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Fill in the film title once it's guessed.

#1: "In the world of advertising, there's no such thing as a lie. There's only expedient exaggeration."

- North by Northwest. </a></a>abient

#2: " 'Course I'm respectable. I'm old. Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough."

- Chinatown </a></a>abient

#3: "I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job."

- Reservoir Dogs. </a></a>abient

#5 "You didn't think you'd find Samurai, did you? "Yes, we did - Seven!" "SEVEN??"

- Seven Samurai - </a></a>celandineb

(NOTE: Number 5 is my introduction to a classic foreign cinema reference - Think of it as like those first few ludicrous questions on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" that were there as a warm-up to ease you into it. "How many Samurai was that again?")

#6: "[telling joke] "You've never had a day off, have you?" "No." "Why? Are you indispensable?" "No. I don't want them to find out they can do without me."
"I can't afford to hate people. I don't have that kind of time."

- Ikiru - Nobody (and I therefore take it laislabevita was tied up with her law-school studies for this one)

#7: "Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.."

- The Third Man - Nobody

#8: "And it seemed that love would make any difference, and it did. So, I guess it means that there is trouble until the robins come."
"You're a neat girl."
"So are you... I mean, you're a neat guy."

- Blue Velvet - Nobody

#9: "You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charley."

On the Waterfront. </a></a>abient

#10: "I thought my ideas were so clear. I wanted to make an honest film. No lies whatsoever. I thought I had something so simple to say. Something useful to everybody. A film that could help bury forever all those dead things we carry within ourselves. Instead, I'm the one without the courage to bury anything at all. When did I go wrong? I really have nothing to say, but I want to say it all the same."

- 8 1/2 - Nobody, and this one I predicted noone would guess. This Fellini masterpiece may be in my top 5, but unlike other quotes where I guess I was deluded enough to think maybe someone would know the title- well, I KNEW this one reflected my own obscure tastes, which I realize are even more bizarre and unapproachable that I thought...which is a good thing. I mean - I'm me, I gotta be me, ya know? *sniff* I'll be alright. *clears throat* One is the loneliest number that I'll ever dooo...

#11: "You're gonna need a bigger boat." (An easy one in honor of the recently departed actor who ad-libbed the classic line. RIP Roy Scheider)

Jaws. </a></a>abient
A bonus, that I can't BELIEVE I forgot to include in the original meme:

"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

"God darnit, Mr. Lamarr, you use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar whore."

Movie meme - from winter712

2008-02-22T17:42:59Z

1. Pick 10-20 your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Fill in the film title once it's guessed.

EDIT: I accidently had two #5's originally, but have corrected that. abient's answers based on my own faulty numbering were correct.

(A few of these are the English subtitles of - GASP - foreign-language films)

(To a certain anonymous reader, if you see this post: you and I saw four of these movies together)

#1: "In the world of advertising, there's no such thing as a lie. There's only expedient exaggeration."

- North by Northwest. abient

#2: " 'Course I'm respectable. I'm old. Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough."

- Chinatown abient

#3: "I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job."

- Reservoir Dogs. abient

#5 "You didn't think you'd find Samurai, did you? "Yes, we did - Seven!" "SEVEN??"

- Seven Samurai - celandineb

(NOTE: Number 5 is my introduction to a classic foreign cinema reference - Think of it as like those first few ludicrous questions on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" that were there as a warm-up to ease you into it. "How many Samurai was that again?")

#6: "[telling joke] "You've never had a day off, have you?" "No." "Why? Are you indispensable?" "No. I don't want them to find out they can do without me."

"I can't afford to hate people. I don't have that kind of time."

#7: "Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.."

#8: "And it seemed that love would make any difference, and it did. So, I guess it means that there is trouble until the robins come."
"You're a neat girl."
"So are you... I mean, you're a neat guy."

#9: "You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charley."

On the Waterfront. abient

#10: "I thought my ideas were so clear. I wanted to make an honest film. No lies whatsoever. I thought I had something so simple to say. Something useful to everybody. A film that could help bury forever all those dead things we carry within ourselves. Instead, I'm the one without the courage to bury anything at all. When did I go wrong? I really have nothing to say, but I want to say it all the same."

#11: "You're gonna need a bigger boat." (An easy one in honor of the recently departed actor who ad-libbed the classic line. RIP Roy Scheider)

Jaws. abient

Most of these memes are silly, but I rather liked this one.

2008-01-08T02:03:00Z

You Are a Powdered Devil's Food Donut

A total sweetheart on the outside, you love to fool people with your innocent image.
On the inside you're a little darker, richer, and more complex.
You're a hedonist who demands more than one pleasure at a time.
Decadent and daring, you test the limits of human indulgence.

What Donut Are You?

Glacked from deej_1

2008-01-03T18:12:46Z

In 2008, seejaye resolves to...

Apply for a new sex.
Start a music fund.
Pay for my beaches on time.
Put fifty hitchcock movies a month into my savings account.
Keep my art clean.
Admit my true feelings to winter712.

I guess the first one goes hand-in-hand with that last one. :-p And the second-to-last one is going to be way too hard to live up to.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALL!

2008-01-01T23:32:37Z

And it's a glorious Jan 1st here in Northern Cali - crisp, clear weather that's just chilly enough to kick my heiny for my run at my fave hiking area, which I just got back from. Speaking of which: taking stock of things I'm thankful for, recently celandineb produced a list that included "my body." I like that, 'cause I'm grateful to not be afflicted with chronic ailments like so many of my friends have. Even seeming setbacks - like recent sore heels and ankle - have become triumphs as I recovered relatively quickly. And in a way, I'm even thankful for my propensity for my beer-belly (the curse of my beloved late father) to appear if I'm not careful. THAT kicks my heiny to keep exercising, which then provides many additional benefits.

I'm thankful for my musical abilities, and the fact that I have my own place with my own piano. I love being the ivory-tickling entertainer at my place. (Some readers may remember the fun n' hijinx I've recounted this last year pertaining to that)

Looking at my flist, I see that the core is made up of the incredible people I met on theOneRing.com. Unbelievable I've cultivated a circle of friends based on that common interest that brought us together years ago. I'm thankful for my friends on Kindred Spirits who still have me on their flists, displaying surpassing magnanimity and forgiveness despite the fact that I've long since strayed to The Dark Side.

And I'm also thankful for my small circle of friends from daily_zeppelin. Whoda thunkit? I'd love to meet up with one or ideally both of you some day, and when that happens, we gotsta gotsta parTAY!

Hope everyone's recovering today. Let's count our blessings and look forward to a wonderful '08.

Voice Post

2007-12-22T04:58:22Z

HAPPY BIRTHDAY kashmir87!

2007-12-04T00:14:49Z

And welcome to tweenhood.

MAKE IT A GREAT ONE!!

seejaye @ 2007-11-23T15:53:00

2007-11-23T23:59:49Z

Well, it's unfortunate recent events have resulted in this non-family Thanksgiving week, but I gotta say, having "me" time has paid off for me BIG-time. Wednesday I shampooed my carpet, and Thanksgiving morning when it was dry I moved the furntiure back. The place looks transformed. It was long overdue.

This morning I went to my fave hiking area and set out jogging. There's a route that stays relatively flat for 2/3 of the way, then goes uphill for the last 1/3rd just in case you weren't experiencing enough masochistically greuling intensity. Running the route "there and back again" takes you 5.4 miles according to the map. Well I did the round-trip TWICE without stopping, then kept going further to take me to over 11 miles! Yeah, baby, yeah! (And i'm joking about the masochist part; once you're used to it it's like flying. No, masochism would be going out shopping today.)

I kind of feel like browsing a well-stocked DVD section of a store. The best prices are at Fry's Electronics, but I'd rather have my teeth pulled with pliers than brave that place today.

If the spirit moves me I'll start decorating my place for Christmas. One family thing I'm missing most, even though we only did it once: last Friday-after-Thanksgiving, I had my mom, brother and his family over to my place. I recorded some xmas songs with my nephew (a fledgling musician himself), and told my niece "Open the bottom drawer of the futon sofa - there's something in there to kick off the Christmas season." Waiting in the drawer was the fellow you see pictured below. Once she inflated Alien Santa, my place really began to acquire that traditional, homey, country-Christmas vibe.

It's officially happened - I've become the eccentric bachelor-uncle that you'll find in every family.

Hope everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

In Seejaye's Realm, two contributors stand tall...

2007-11-20T03:21:07Z

Towering over the rest of you Pukel-Men (for those who get LOTR references)

,,,Jesss' kidding! Please don't get all in a snit and go defriending me on this Thanksgiving week.

Top Commenters on seejaye 's LiveJournal (Self comments excluded from rankings)

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34	nenya217	1
35	pukel_man	1
36	koinegeek	1

Total Commenters: 37 (1 not shown) Total Comments: 661 Report generated 11/19/2007 6:23:21 PM by scrapdog 's LJ Comment Stats Wizard 1.7

Just a couple more work days before the break, and, although unfortunate circumstances have scotched Thanksgiving plans, it'll be nice to have no obligations, and just decompress.

seejaye @ 2007-11-16T20:12:00

2007-11-17T04:25:07Z

Well, it feels nice to be going into a weekend preceding what will be a sedate three-day workweek prior to Thanksgiving weekend. Thing is, for reasons I've laid out in this flocked post, there'll be no get-together for our family this year. It's unfortunate, but it will be nice to have three days off with no obligations so I can decompress and tie up odds n' ends. However, I just found out my mom's getaway will be the whole week, so I have to house-sit and take care of her terror of a terrier. Since I can't haul the stuff I need from my place (where I work from) to hers, I guess it makes sense that I stay over at her place, then walk the dog and such, THEN head to my "home office," then back to her place in the evening. It'll sure be doable, her house is only 12 minutes from where I live.

On the other hand:

Miscellany

2007-11-14T23:26:02Z

I have a lull in my duties working from home here, so I thought I'd make a post. I tell ya, although my work can get monotonous, it barely even feels like work a lot of the time. Very nice for the psyche. So much so that I don't mind checking in at odd times. Like last night, when I helped my boss with an urgent task that had just cropped up. I solved it while enjoying an evening beer.

*Like a stand-up routine where the comedian gets down to business with an obvious, forced segue* Oh - annnd, SPEAKING of beer:

I've been enjoying some of the seasonal ales for the holidays. Sierra Nevada has a "Harvest Ale" that's terrific - has somewhat more of a pungent bitterness that their usual, balanced with a creamy smoothness. I think that an assertive bitterness is important in beer; despite the fact that the word "bitter" has negative connotations (like when describing an emotional state), it's important in food and beverages. Where would Black Walnut ice cream (yum) be without the bitter contrast to the sweetness?

Also had Anchor Steam's Christmas Ale, which they tinker with every year, and which is a winner this time 'round. It has some of the spice-cake flavor we associate with the Holidays, as well as a subtly sweet vanilla flavor, again balanced with a healthy bitter edge. Beer tasting can be a complex experience, and it's too bad it's not accorded the respect of wine-tasting. And American beers used to suck so badly; I'm glad the profusion of microbrews has given us more choices.

Onwards sans segue: I swear that this woman never lets me down. Seeing Sofia Vergara, I gotta say that Shakira is so NOT the hottest export from Barranquilla, Colombia. (More pics of Ms Vergara at the Latin Grammys can be seen here). She's never had completely nude pics taken, and with some of us wondering if she would, she does us one better with a sheer dress that's tantalizingly see-through while still retaining some mystery. Even at age 35, this woman ain't bringin' sexy back, she's raised the bar for all-times.

Then why isn't she more famous, identifiable by a single name, like Shakira, Salma, Penelope, or...."J-"? I saw her in Dirty Sexy Money (for the record, I don't even own a TV, but was at my mom's on Halloween and caught some of the show there). While her acting seemed fine, it didn't seem to have that little extra "something" that was star-making. Maybe a breakthrough role will come along; in the meantime she can keep treating us to her devastatingness in photo-shoots such as these. HURT meee....