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floatingleafFinally, I have a bit of time to make an update. I'm not sure I have the energy, though. I feel rather sluggish for some reason. I wonder if that's due to the unusual amounts of human interaction over the past few days (unusual for my uber-introverted self, that is). This year, I didn't get the chance to have a "chill out" day by myself after spending Christmas with my parents - it was right back to work the next day, and the day after I was meeting friends for dinner (which is also something that doesn't happen very often). Apparently, even such a tiny bit of "being social" wears me down.:/ Or maybe it's the weather. Or the heavy "seasonal" food I've been eating. Or a little bit of everything, perhaps...
On a more positive note (I suppose), I was absolutely inundated with gifts this holiday season. I feel humbled by everyone's generosity - as well as totally inadequate as a "gift giver", because, by comparison, it looks like I didn't put in nearly as much time or effort. Which is relative, of course, considering I fuss over everything to a ridiculous degree, and can easily spend hours browsing stores or websites for a suitable gift for someone and not finding any. Due to this, I find the whole idea of a mandatory gift exchange incredibly frustrating - to be honest, I'd much rather not receive anything either, if only I didn't have to worry about getting stuff for several people at once. The thing is, I like to give useful and/or meaningful gifts - I simply can't force myself to pay for some (however cheap) piece of junk that happens to be in a ribbon-wrapped box, just so I am not empty-handed. So if I don't know someone REALLY well and have no clue what they want or need, gift-shopping for them becomes a tedious, mind-numbing chore. I'd rather just avoid seeing them around the holidays, so that they don't feel obligated to get something for me (because that makes me feel trapped). Unfortunately, you can't avoid some people without causing offense; and you really don't want to be the first one to say: um, can we skip the whole gift thing this year???... And yes, I am feeling guilty even saying this here, because I DO appreciate the gifts I received (well... most of them, anyway ;). I'm just tired of feeling inadequate because I didn't spend a fortune or pile up a mountain of stuff around everyone on my list (not that anyone said anything to make me feel this way; simply comparing what I gave to what I received was enough). It happens every year. And no, I am not about to start buying MORE just so I can keep up. I want other people to start buying LESS - I just don't know how to say this to them face to face... LOL.
So yes, me & my parents & sister did tell each other what we wanted for Christmas, and I did get each of them the thing they asked for; and they each gave me the thing I asked for PLUS a bunch of other stuff (silly me, I thought the whole purpose of asking was to, you know, AVOID having to look for something vague and unspecified... so I didn't). I'm not even sure I can keep track of it all at this point. I didn't bring it all home with me, either - that'd be way too much to carry. And I don't just mean the new printer my dad bought for me. I obviously couldn't take it home via public transport. My dad was planning on driving me home with all the stuff on Christmas day, but he wasn't feeling too stellar after the massive two-day binge - so he's coming over tomorrow instead, bringing the printer and a full bag of other things that didn't fit into my little suitcase. What I did bring was a pretty lacy cardigan from mom (she actually bought it for my sister, but I liked it far more than the sweater she bought for me, and vice versa - so we swapped), and the lovely collection of natural scented soaps from my sister (I now have enough soap to last till next Christmas, probably...:). And, of course, my Lacrimosa CD and my graphic novel version of Interview with the Vampire (she did get me both, in addition to the soaps). Which I am more than halfway done reading by now. I am undecided as to whether I like the drawing style; I mean, it's very well done and quite realistic, but perhaps I have been spoiled beyond repair by the highly stylized manga versions of the characters, and therefore find their more human-looking renditions (oh, the precious irony... LOL) too plain. *snort* For example, Louis has short hair. I mean... really??? WHY???... He still looks pensive and a little lost, which is very much in character - but long, flowing tresses would help.;P Lestat's hair is longer, but it sort of hangs limply around his face and shoulders, instead of curling into a glorious golden mane.;D The facial expressions do reflect his personality pretty well, though, I have to say. He comes across as charming in a superficial way, but cold and intimidating underneath - which is how Claudia (the narrator in the story) would have perceived him. Louis, on the other hand, appears almost too gentle sometimes; you can tell that she loves him, but is frustrated by his "weakness" (the "humanity" that she lacks, having been made a vampire before she had a chance to truly become a "person"). So the artist who drew them is definitely very talented, focusing more on the characters' personalities than on superficial beauty (Claudia looks like a doll - cute and a little creepy, which is also quite spot-on). And the whole story is very closely based on the book, with no allusions to the movie (the characters bear very little resemblance to the actors, if any). One of the coolest things about the artwork is that it's all black and white... the only two things shown in color are blood and fire. Which, considering the profound symbolism of these two elements in a vampire world (that which sustains, and that which destroys), is, indeed, perfection.
And now it's late, and I can't remember what else I wanted to talk about. Ahhh yes!... the seven pairs of pants I found in my old bedroom closet in my parents' house. The ones in sizes 12-14 that I left there a few years ago, because they were too loose and baggy and I thought I wasn't going to wear them anymore. Oh, how glad I am my mom never got around to giving them away! They fit perfectly now. Well, the fourteens are still a little loose, but there's no danger of them falling off my hips any longer (I am not nearly as heavy now as I was back when I bought them, but apparently the circumference of my hips is another matter - it all accumulates below the waist these days...). So it looks like I'm all set for the winter, clothes-wise. Who knew? *amused headshake*
On a more positive note (I suppose), I was absolutely inundated with gifts this holiday season. I feel humbled by everyone's generosity - as well as totally inadequate as a "gift giver", because, by comparison, it looks like I didn't put in nearly as much time or effort. Which is relative, of course, considering I fuss over everything to a ridiculous degree, and can easily spend hours browsing stores or websites for a suitable gift for someone and not finding any. Due to this, I find the whole idea of a mandatory gift exchange incredibly frustrating - to be honest, I'd much rather not receive anything either, if only I didn't have to worry about getting stuff for several people at once. The thing is, I like to give useful and/or meaningful gifts - I simply can't force myself to pay for some (however cheap) piece of junk that happens to be in a ribbon-wrapped box, just so I am not empty-handed. So if I don't know someone REALLY well and have no clue what they want or need, gift-shopping for them becomes a tedious, mind-numbing chore. I'd rather just avoid seeing them around the holidays, so that they don't feel obligated to get something for me (because that makes me feel trapped). Unfortunately, you can't avoid some people without causing offense; and you really don't want to be the first one to say: um, can we skip the whole gift thing this year???... And yes, I am feeling guilty even saying this here, because I DO appreciate the gifts I received (well... most of them, anyway ;). I'm just tired of feeling inadequate because I didn't spend a fortune or pile up a mountain of stuff around everyone on my list (not that anyone said anything to make me feel this way; simply comparing what I gave to what I received was enough). It happens every year. And no, I am not about to start buying MORE just so I can keep up. I want other people to start buying LESS - I just don't know how to say this to them face to face... LOL.
So yes, me & my parents & sister did tell each other what we wanted for Christmas, and I did get each of them the thing they asked for; and they each gave me the thing I asked for PLUS a bunch of other stuff (silly me, I thought the whole purpose of asking was to, you know, AVOID having to look for something vague and unspecified... so I didn't). I'm not even sure I can keep track of it all at this point. I didn't bring it all home with me, either - that'd be way too much to carry. And I don't just mean the new printer my dad bought for me. I obviously couldn't take it home via public transport. My dad was planning on driving me home with all the stuff on Christmas day, but he wasn't feeling too stellar after the massive two-day binge - so he's coming over tomorrow instead, bringing the printer and a full bag of other things that didn't fit into my little suitcase. What I did bring was a pretty lacy cardigan from mom (she actually bought it for my sister, but I liked it far more than the sweater she bought for me, and vice versa - so we swapped), and the lovely collection of natural scented soaps from my sister (I now have enough soap to last till next Christmas, probably...:). And, of course, my Lacrimosa CD and my graphic novel version of Interview with the Vampire (she did get me both, in addition to the soaps). Which I am more than halfway done reading by now. I am undecided as to whether I like the drawing style; I mean, it's very well done and quite realistic, but perhaps I have been spoiled beyond repair by the highly stylized manga versions of the characters, and therefore find their more human-looking renditions (oh, the precious irony... LOL) too plain. *snort* For example, Louis has short hair. I mean... really??? WHY???... He still looks pensive and a little lost, which is very much in character - but long, flowing tresses would help.;P Lestat's hair is longer, but it sort of hangs limply around his face and shoulders, instead of curling into a glorious golden mane.;D The facial expressions do reflect his personality pretty well, though, I have to say. He comes across as charming in a superficial way, but cold and intimidating underneath - which is how Claudia (the narrator in the story) would have perceived him. Louis, on the other hand, appears almost too gentle sometimes; you can tell that she loves him, but is frustrated by his "weakness" (the "humanity" that she lacks, having been made a vampire before she had a chance to truly become a "person"). So the artist who drew them is definitely very talented, focusing more on the characters' personalities than on superficial beauty (Claudia looks like a doll - cute and a little creepy, which is also quite spot-on). And the whole story is very closely based on the book, with no allusions to the movie (the characters bear very little resemblance to the actors, if any). One of the coolest things about the artwork is that it's all black and white... the only two things shown in color are blood and fire. Which, considering the profound symbolism of these two elements in a vampire world (that which sustains, and that which destroys), is, indeed, perfection.
And now it's late, and I can't remember what else I wanted to talk about. Ahhh yes!... the seven pairs of pants I found in my old bedroom closet in my parents' house. The ones in sizes 12-14 that I left there a few years ago, because they were too loose and baggy and I thought I wasn't going to wear them anymore. Oh, how glad I am my mom never got around to giving them away! They fit perfectly now. Well, the fourteens are still a little loose, but there's no danger of them falling off my hips any longer (I am not nearly as heavy now as I was back when I bought them, but apparently the circumference of my hips is another matter - it all accumulates below the waist these days...). So it looks like I'm all set for the winter, clothes-wise. Who knew? *amused headshake*
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(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-29 03:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-30 05:17 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-29 10:23 pm (UTC)That book sounds pretty good, apart from Louis having short hair (I echo your WHY??? to that!). I like the idea of the artwork being in black and white except for the blood and fire; enough for me to try to hunt it down myself at any rate. I'm glad that you got your Lacrimosa CD - have you had the time to listen to it properly yet?
Anyway I hope, between all the inadequateness and sluggishness, that you have had a Merry Christmas. And I also hope you find the time for a 'chill-out' day soon!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-30 06:12 am (UTC)Yes, I FINALLY managed to listen to the new Lacrimosa album - about 3-4 times so far. Took a few days before I had a chance to load it on my iPod - but it's there now, and I will probably play it to death for the next few weeks, until I tire of it... LOL.
Christmas wasn't bad this year, all things considered. No family-related angst and no indigestion.;) And I'm definitely planning on a chill-out day tomorrow...:D