Il'deav Ilah'naie's Indiscreet Intimacies on Indigo Iceboats Random Banter #135

[Anuan]

Giving people surprise Christmas presents when they're expecting nothing is fun

[Quincunx]

. . .As far as Neil Gaiman goes, the one book by him I emphatically say "Don't buy for a thirteen-year-old!" is American Gods because, well, vaginas in teeth are mentioned.
I actually haven't read the book though, so I'm basing it off TVTropes and a little Wikipedia knowledge. . .

No. . .No, they're not. You assumed it was there because your vast erudition had made you aware of the symbol, which schooling would have come either during your post-13-year-old schooling or esoteric earlier readings which we can't expect of every reader. I'd sooner eliminate Anansi Boys from the young teen's reading list, simply because the main character is lifeless and boring. His characterization, such as it is, stems from the problems of a feckless persona not living the adult life, and what teenager cares about old people problems? At least Shadow, protagonist of American Gods, has the whiff of coolness about him. He loved, and did hard time, and the story reaches in and wrenches control away from him in the first few pages instead of doddering along in introspection. Don't bother being the responsible figure. Don't take the coward's path towards a wholly safe book. Give American Gods and let the reader know it's a dangerous place. (Give Good Omens just because it's that good.)

[Kaelaroth]

American Gods was fantastic.

It scared the hell out of young-me, and ruined a holiday as I cowered from potential televisual entities watching me from Lucy Ricardo's blouse and equally horrible entities, but was incredibly amazing, and, as Quincunx implies, or, at least, led me to infer, has characters one can actually identify with, to some great level. Though the Queen of Sheba's vaginal antics were a tad dismaying. By that I mean they scared the hell out of me, and I was fond of men to start with (I wonder how many heterosexuals were repulsed after that?).

However, disagreeing with Quincunx, I thought Fat Charlie (in Anansi Boys) was such a good protagonist because he was bit boring. His neutrality and confusion at the myth and magic made him in touch with the reader, and sharing identity is always nice - 'specially with the happy ending, which empowers the reader too! At least till you remember this hasn't happened to you, and your life's still awful.

[Player_Zero]

Allow me to interrupt you with Muppets here for a second.

[Phase]

Aye, dios mio. I've slept for eleven hours. I missed so much! Stupid headache...

[DraPrime]

Aye, dios mio. I've slept for eleven hours. I missed so much! Stupid headache...

On the other hand, you got a full night of sleep. That's always nice.

[Phase]

I need no sleep! My body replenishes itself automatically! Sleep is for the weak, I usually just sit there thinking for several hours, before standing up and eating my breakfast steak.

[Anuan]

It is 12:26 pm here.

Merry Christmas from Australia.

[DraPrime]

I need no sleep! My body replenishes itself automatically! Sleep is for the weak, I usually just sit there thinking for several hours, before standing up and eating my breakfast steak.

Well...then get to work and make up for the lost time! Now!

*cracks whip*

[Mauve Shirt]

Are there flying cars in the future, Anuan?

[Player_Zero]

I slept for twenty five hours. And then five hours. Tonight I don't think I shall sleep.

Maybe I should set up a system where I sleep a specifically random number of hours.

Hmm... It shall be fortold by the stars themselves! I will look at the sky and count the number of stars and sleep that number of hours!

It is 12:26 pm here.

Merry Christmas from Australia.

You mean AM. Midnight is AM.

[Anuan]

Are there flying cars in the future, Anuan?

Yes. Yes, there are.

You mean AM. Midnight is AM.

Yes. Yes, I do. Didn't even notice. Tired Anuan is Tired. Works for Redundancy department of Redundancy even on Christmas Day.

[V'icternus]

It is now Christmas here!

...Yes, I'm still up at 1:35AM.

On Christmas.

Childhood? GONE.

...And this is my first Christmas as an Adult..

How fitting.

Now Avvie, too! My presents are given.

[Anuan]

Pffft, you silly people with your Daylight Savings Time.

What presents did y'get people, V'ic?

[Phase]

Well...then get to work and make up for the lost time! Now!

*cracks whip*

Yes, mein Dragonprime!

*Does pushups while eating steak.*

[Ikialev]

We don't celebrate Christmas, only the christmas Eve. :F So merry christmas now.

[Destro_Yersul]

it is 7:42 AM on Christmas Eve. I have just woken up after sleeping for two hours because my sore throat decided pain was more important than sleep. Now my mind won't shut up, so I can't fall back to sleep, and I'm stuck sitting here sucking on a cough drop and wondering how I'll manage being pleasant and awake at the right times for the next couple days, as well as lamenting the complete lack of rum and eggnog I'm likely to have to suffer through on Christmas day if this persists.

And I only have five cough drops left.

[CurlyKitGirl]

It is eight minutes to three on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. I have finally done all the Delivering - silly late people forgetting to bring stuff in - and wrapped presents because the KoorlyKin cannot be bothered to do it themselves. I know what many people are getting for Christmas, including the fact that I should be getting Serenity in my stocking.
This will be my first Firefly related thingummy. I hear it's a good film. I'm also getting some books.
Eldest Little Brother? Oh, he's getting an XBox360 and some games.
Littlest Brother? A handheld hoover. Yeah. He did ask for one though.
Little Sister? Ah, she's getting a 19" LED flatsreen HD TV with built in DVD player and freeview.

And well, I have a bottle of martini all to myself. Mum does want a glass though, so she can have some.
'T'will be opened this evening during out Christmas Eve Party.

@Destro: Hot honey and lemon does wonders for a sore throat. Best advice though is to go to bed really early. Say about eight or nine o'clock if not earlier.

[Destro_Yersul]

@Destro: Hot honey and lemon does wonders for a sore throat. Best advice though is to go to bed really early. Say about eight or nine o'clock if not earlier.

If I can't get myself to sleep in the next little while I'll have to go make myself some. As for the next bit, 5AM is really early. Normally don't go to sleep till around 7, if not later. Because of my job, you see. Staying up all night is in the contract. Fortunately today's my day off, so it won't matter if I end up sleeping in a bit. Assuming I do manage to sleep.

[CurlyKitGirl]

Aaaah, night workers, right. Umm, get thee hence to bed right now! 'S'it hard working nights?
I'm actually a nocturnal person myself, so night work'd be attractive for that reason, and switching from day to night is dead easy.

ION:
Mini lemon meringue pies. I'm in heaven. Shame about the cat climbing up my back.

[Thufir]

And so ends my week of singing. And my month of carol-busking.
I'll explain. Me and various friends decided we should raise money for our choir, so we can finally make those CDs which we finished recording and took orders for 2 years ago.
So we've been carol-busking every weekend of december, in addition to a couple of gigs, a bag pack, and donating various amounts of loose change. For the past week, we've been singing every day for different reasons. It's been awesome.
This morning, during a gap between carols on the radio, we presented our conductor with £1200.

I am very satisfied this christmas.

[Destro_Yersul]

Aaaah, night workers, right. Umm, get thee hence to bed right now! 'S'it hard working nights?
I'm actually a nocturnal person myself, so night work'd be attractive for that reason, and switching from day to night is dead easy.

Not at all. Only tough bit is getting to sleep sometimes, but we've fixed that by tacking a dark sheet over my window. The hours don't bother me.

Also, three cough drops seems to have reduced my level of throat pain from 'breathing hurts' to 'mild discomfort'. I'm gonna call this a success and try to get some more sleep.

[Player_Zero]

I didn't get anyone any presents on account I am a terrible barstead. And I need that money for food. Didn't ask for anything either.

Christmas smells.

[Zocelot]

I don't observe Christmas, but I am slightly worried that the job application I sent in will not arrive on time because the post office is closed one extra day.

[CurlyKitGirl]

I'm getting money too because food is mildly important - almost as much as books - and I'm too cheap to buy with my own money.
I'm also about to phone Best Friend - or her ansaphone because she hasn't called me back and I phoned her more than a week ago. Frankly, I'm a little worried even though she's probably just gone on holday so I'm going to leave her a Christinglemas Talkie Pressie.

@Thufir: £1200 in three weeks?! £400 a week. That's . . . £75? A day.
Busking makes good money. I just know that your conductor was ecstatic.

@P_Z: Christmas smells because it's Christmas.


EDIT:
I'm also going to attemp watching Oliver! all the way through. Shame really. It started an hour ago.
Eh, the first hour's rather dull. I hope.

EDIT EDIT:
Except that, naturally, I've missed the three most iconic songs in the whole film.

[Rutskarn]

You mean AM. Midnight is AM.

Technically, no, it's neither. It's usually referred to as AM, but it's at a transient point in the days, so isn't considered part of the one night or the one morning.

[Player_Zero]

Technically, no, it's neither. It's usually referred to as AM, but it's at a transient point in the days, so isn't considered part of the one night or the one morning.

Now, tell me what is wrong with your post. And what have we learned?

That's right. You disagreed with me. And I am the pope and therefore infallible.

What's that you say? I'm not the pope? But I am. And I must be right, I'm infallible.

[Kneenibble]

Hey baby, I'll make black smoke come outta your chimney.

Okay, I'm giving my nephew Anansi Boys. I think it'll be alright. American Gods I already bought for my brother, alas, and I'm also giving the one about wolves in the walls to traumatize my niece. Thanks for the advices, you UK fabulous (and the Quincunx Hibernia). If he doesn't like it, well we're close enough that he won't lie to be polite.

[CurlyKitGirl]

Okay, I'm giving my nephew Anansi Boys. I think it'll be alright. American Gods I already bought for my brother, alas, and I'm also giving the one about wolves in the walls to traumatize my niece. Thanks for the advices, you UK fabulous (and the Quincunx Hibernia). If he doesn't like it, well we're close enough that he won't lie to be polite.

No problem my favourite demented budgie. I'm glad to see that your family follows the wonderful trait of dark and scary stories. Traumatise the little ones young and they'll grow up just wonderfully! I did.
By the way, I am now adopting the phrases "Quincunx Hibernia" and "Britlander fabulous" to be broughht out and wielded whenever deemed fit.

Our party has started; the KoorlyParents have sent out for Chinese and the KoorlySiblings are muching down on party food.
I am also on my second martini and lemon.
Elder Younger Brother partook of his first alcoholic drink today: martini and lemon. He liked it, but does not want any more for the day.
Littlest Sister also had her first sip of an alcoholic drink today. Also martini and lemon. She liked it, a lot of the enjoyment may have had to do with the fact that it was an illicit sip snatched when the KoorlyParents were out of the room. This is fine with me, but she is forbidden from drinking when either myself or one of our parents aren't present. In other words: she won't have any more until she's sixteen and at a wedding reception or eighteen.

I am also surprisingly bored even though I'm halfway through watching a film. And another show. And surfing the 'net. And reading.

Stuff to be watching or looking forward to:
QI with the Doctor tonight.
Hamlet either tomorrow or Boxing Day. Why? It's Hamlet. With Patrick Stewart. I've always wanted to see a production of Hamlet. Oh, did I mention it has Patrick Stewart as . . . the uncle, I think.

[Quincunx]

I hope it's broadcast on Boxing Day because that's when I intended to watch it! (shakes bbc.co.uk until a viewing schedule falls out) Speaking of holiday viewing, if anyone sees Toy Story or Toy Story 2 on the upcoming schedule, flag it for me please. Somehow my husband has missed out on seeing either. I can't even show him the outtakes without spoiling a plot point or two.