Red-Handed Jill

Ransom already knows who her Secret Santa was.

Back in the Dark Ages, when I managed a cafe in a health club, I got to experience New Year's resolutions first-hand. For the first three weeks of the year, the place would be packed by folks who had obviously made New Year's resolutions about getting more fit and spending more time working out. The regulars patiently put up with this frenzy (since they knew it would be finite) and after the three weeks were up, the place got back to normal as the resolve wore off.

I've made a few New Year's resolutions over the year - I think I accomplished about half or two-thirds of them. I'm of the mind that resolutions are best made when there is something other than an arbitrary date on which to make them.

Mine is mostly informative with some commentary. I gave up on diaries years ago, since they could come back to haunt me.

I've been blogging for a couple of years now - mostly musings brought on by things I've seen, read or experienced or occasionally recommendations (and in one post, a fabulous recipe for sea salt caramels...) I don't blog every day - sometimes a few weeks will go by and then I may have a couple of things to say in just the one day. And at one point I did a whole series of posts covering what I thought was wrong with the current trends in fashion.

It's not too hard to set up; there are sites designed for this (LiveJournal and blogspot come to mind) and they make it pretty easy for you. You sign up, pick the format of your page and start posting.

Mine arrived today and since I mostly open my gifts on Christmas Eve (because I'm usually cooking Christmas day), I opened it as soon as it arrived. A hand-made rum cookbook/journal and some booty. Thanks, Secret Santa!

I'd say anything girly goes on girly day at Ojai...

I couldn't resist - hope you like it!

Mine went out today! And yes, I couldn't help myself - the choice of present was just too darn good.

Have you ever seen "Jack of all Trades"? Another wonderfully absurd series with Bruce Campbell. And sadly, one that lasted just the one season. Best one liners EVER.

No, but this is the second time it has been recommended. I'll put it on the list. (Is that a Whedon show? I have to confess, I have a thing about Whedon shows that now borders on the irrational. Although it was a series of 4 different Whedon shows that had something I have yet to quantify about them that led to this 'thing'. So I feel self-righteously justified in my estimate as regards my preferences. )

No, it's not a Whedon show.

Here's hoping you're having a great birthday, filled to the brim with the absurd!

Have you ever seen "Jack of all Trades"? Another wonderfully absurd series with Bruce Campbell. And sadly, one that lasted just the one season. Best one liners EVER.

the guy from California who can actually keep up with Patrick Hand when he's drinking

What?? Is that even possible??

Wow - congratulations! Here's to many more years!!

Okay - just heard from her. She's still bogged down but wants to do one more piece of art for the holidays and send out the book.

Well, I did send Sophia's book to her, so she should have it. Also sent her an email asking about the status of Pew's.

Ah, it's a pity I'm not nearby to give you your birthday beating. Hope you're having a good one!

I already picked up my gift - someone's going to be laughing so hard...

She said that she did have it and would send it out (if she hasn't already.) Between the move and events she attended she was a bit overwhelmed.

You provide a valuable service to them, as one of the local colourful characters and they call you a squatter? What's wrong with them???

Looking forward to seeing pics of your renovations to the RV, BTW...

If you're ever in Brussels, check out the Musical Instruments Museum. They've got hundreds of musical instruments from all over the world, including ones I've never even heard of and several that have fallen out of use. You walk through it wearing headphones and as you get close to each display, a sample of the music that particular instrument or group of instruments produces will play.

Musical Instruments Museum

If memory serves, weren't a lot of pub names meant to be a sly play on words? What about painting a sign with seals peeking around rocks, as if they were hiding?

The Nina was out thisaway late last year and I had a chance to check her out. And all I have to say is... holy crap - that's a small ship!

It's hard to believe a complement of twenty-four men sailed on her for the months it took to cross the Atlantic. And it's not as though they spent any time below; nope - that was for the stores. The deck length was 66 feet and everyone had to share space (sleeping, eating, sailing, repairing, etc.) with a fourteen-foot whipstaff and their ship-to-shore boat (which took up quite a bit of deck space; this was no small dinghy.) And her hull design guaranteed that she would have had a horrible time yawing - I expect that the men spent a lot of time hanging over the side and "feeding the fishes" in rough weather; heck, in not so rough weather.

Y2K came to nothing because a bunch of folks (including me) worked for years to make sure it was a non-event. 2012 is a bit out of the pervue of us techno-geeks so I suppose we'll just have to let it happen...

My vote is for the Caribbean.

Never! She's Captain Hayden's baby!

Since some of us have had the pleasure of crewing on this beautiful ship (and firing cannons at landlubbers from her deck), I'm starting a topic so that those of us who have been sailing on her can talk about the experience and share photos.

She has been built over the past thirty-five years by Hayden Brown. He built most of her himself (although he admits that he had to buy the lines, sails and engine.) I've had the pleasure of being part of her crew for the past five years, including taking part in multi-day, off-shore sails.