(no subject)

Have you ever had such a wonderful weekend that you don't even know where to start describing it? I'm faced with that very problem today. I admit I went into this busy, busy weekend with a bit of trepedation. I mean I haven't had the energy to face a full 48 hours packed with stuff in a long while. I guess I keep expecting my body to fall apart again and leave me curled up fetal somewhere for a good portion of the time.

Not dealing with nausea, pain and fatigue is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Despite not slowing down since leaving work Friday I feel utterly energized today, excited, ready to take on almost anything. It helped that before I left Friday I got an update on the work my team's been doing on my first big game production and I was utterly floored. I have the best people working for me in the entire world, bar none. Between them, my exquisitely talented writer and my frighteningly good artist I couldn't be happier.

Zoomed down from work to pick up ravenmb, and after a little miscommunication at the terminal we were on our way. Stopped at tersa's to change into our Hogwarts costumes, then off to the Mercado. Parking was dicey, but after about 10 minutes of driving around we lucked into a spot and made it to the restaurant pretty much on time. rexluscus joined the gang a bit later and we had a wonderful meal, and delightful conversation. The line wasn't bad at all when we got into it, and we amused ourselves during the wait without any difficulty. We also amused many others in line and some folks just passing by as well. I must coax tersa into uploading them because the dueling Gryffindor/Slytherin shot needs to be an icon rather badly. She got a sneaky one of me too which I call "Portrait of a Ravenclaw with cell phone". I may caption it, "What do you mean I only get one bar at Hogwarts?"

( And now my brief but spoilery review of GoF (with some HBP spoilers as well). )

Saturday I had some time for errands and laundry (yay!), then met up with the gals to watch tersa and ravenmb play the GoF game, then Aelf joined us and we took off for dinner and a little shopping. Then there was hockey, which started off badly, but then the Pod Sharks came out on the ice in the second period so it became a lot more interesting. It's always sad to lose in a shootout, but I'll take that over a complete shut out, you know?

Yesterday we had brunch at Baji's, which is quickly becoming a tradition, before splitting up. I procured IMAX tickets (yay!), did a bit of packing over at J- and J-'s place, then zoomed home to change for dinner. We had the restaurant to ourselves for most of the evening, which meant pretty attentive waiters and a nice relaxing chance for ravenmb, jimweasel, Aelf and I to chat. Our dancer for the evening was Parri, and as there were very few people by the time she arrived, we got a great deal of her attention. Suffice to say that everyone at our table got their shot at the spotlight. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. She came over and joined us after the show, and mentioned some dance opportunities for Aelf so that was cool. We also got caught up on the latest dance gossip :)

And that's about it, I got home around 9:30, just in time to snag some earrings that Aelf needed for a gift since she was trapped on 17 hell, poor thing. Tonight I clean my apartment, tomorrow's packed with work stuff, then Wednesday I have some cat sitting to attend to and that's about it before the holiday, woo!

(no subject)

All I can say to this is, "What the fuck?!":

British-trained police operating in Basra have tortured at least two civilians to death with electric drills, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

John Reid, the Secretary of State for Defence, admits that he knows of "alleged deaths in custody" and other "serious prisoner abuse" at al-Jamiyat police station, which was reopened by Britain after the war.

Militia-dominated police, who were recruited by Britain, are believed to have tortured at least two men to death in the station. Their bodies were later found with drill holes to their arms, legs and skulls.

The victims were suspected of collaborating with coalition forces, according to intelligence reports. Despite being pressed "very hard" by Britain, however, the Iraqi authorities in Basra are failing to even investigate incidents of torture and murder by police, ministers admit.

With drills? Christ, what next? This almost makes one think back fondly on the Inquisition...

Attaturk adds:

That's right, the POLICE recruited by the Coalition, drilled holes in people suspected of working with the Coalition!

Well, I guess it could be worse, they could be getting creative with a dremel. We could be looking at a collaborator turned into a coffee table or something.


And could we please come up with something worthwhile that the evangelicals can spend their time doing instead of this retarded shit?

Evangelical Christian pastor Jerry Falwell has a message for Americans when it comes to celebrating Christmas this year: You're either with us, or you're against us.

Falwell has put the power of his 24,000-member congregation behind the "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign," an effort led by the conservative legal organization Liberty Counsel. The group promises to file suit against anyone who spreads what it sees as misinformation about how Christmas can be celebrated in schools and public spaces.

...

Fanning the Yule log of discontent against what the Liberty Counsel calls "grinches" like the American Civil Liberties Union are evangelical-led organizations including the 150,000-member American Family Association. It has called for a boycott of Target stores next weekend. The chain's crime, according to the group, is a ban on the use of "Merry Christmas" in stores, an accusation the chain denies.

Aren't there, I don't know, poor or sick people they could be helping? Real wrongs they could be righting?

Apparently not. I'm considering starting a campaign, Teach an Evangelical to Craft. See I figure if we get them hooked on knitting or quilting or something it might actually fill up all that empty time in their lives that is currently being spent on really fucking stupid crusades. Just a thought.

Attaturk adds:

These people are the biggest killjoys since Prohition. Now I cannot figure out whether we are supposed to boycott Target for employing a few wingnut pharmacists, or go to Target because they say "Happy Holidays". "My religion of love and tolerance is superior to all -- and if you don't like it, I'm going to sue your ass."