Vacating

First I would like to thank all those who gifted me with new music during my CA stint. I am thoroughly (and appropriately, I hope) enraptured at the moment (aka, today) by the sounds of Brandi Carlile (purchased way cheap at the Tower closing sale--Tower Records RIP) and the fabulous stellastarr*. The latter has been located on MySpace and added to my favorites there (I'm so happy to finally find a band of interest in the MySpace sphere. It makes me forget temporarily that I am beyond being of interest to most media marketeers. Actually it's the second band I like with MySpace presence, the other being Gnarls Barkley). ANYWAY...I am musically replenished and fulfilled. Many thanks.

Where have I been, my gentle readers enquire. Some of you have seen me, heard my boring tales. For those who have not, here goes: I spent half my vacation sick with the flu and the other half entertaining myself in the burbs of California or visiting with family and friends in the area. I enjoyed an eventful Sharks hockey game with my brother. I watched on TV as the Cal Bears and SF 49ers (in the last case, implausibly) won and the UH Cougars and Ohio State Buckeyes (in the last case, unbelievably/tragically/oh-my-goodness-did-that-just-happen?!?!) lost. I babysat the world's cutest nephew (mine), with whom I read and ate oatmeal and watched fish. I spent a glorious afternoon in San Francisco, visited Crissy Field and drove to the top of the Presidio and Twin Peaks. I made some very tasty oatmeal cookies late in the night. I watched first Josh then David kill locusts and berserkers in Gears of War. I even tried my hand at Sonic the Hedgehog, XBox 360 style (I did not get far). I fared a touch better with Guitar Hero on New Year's Eve at Tara's. That "game" could be seriously addictive. I got some work done when I was not bleary eyed from lack of night-time rest (argh, the coughing) and I revived my mom's computer (and to some extent my own). And last but not least while on "vacation" I contemplated my future: residence, employment, graduation date, move date, house selling.... Not that there is any pressure from our loving friends and family. It's nice to be wanted. :)

So, how was your end of year break? Was it more or less exciting than mine?

Spotted

Spotted: 1 bicyclist on the UH campus. I repeat, it was a bicyclist, rider and bicycle and all. While this is pretty unusual (I don't recall any bike riders in middle of campus though doubtless they have existed before now), what makes it all the more unusual is that she was spotted riding on what has been the coldest day in Houston since my arrival (temps hover in 30's all day). Maybe she was lessening her time outside by moving more quickly.