December 2024
Another month that was, by volume, really intensely about work! But I ate a lot of delightful things, some of which were work-related and some of which were not. (At my workplace's Winter Celebration my friend and I agreed that it really said something about how very sad we were that we were SO, SO happy at the Winter Celebration, and had been long forward to it SO, SO much. I was moved to tears by a gingerbread man.)
I also was in downtown Ithaca two separate times, which is a feat (despite the fact that this is, indeed, the location of my gas station and a place I drive through on the way home from the grocery store once a week). Once for the Habitat for Humanity cookie walk, which is a big fundraiser where a bunch of community members bake a bunch of cookies, and those of us who do not want to bake cookies come and buy them and donate the proceeds by volume to Habitat. And once for lunch with someone, plus an exploration of a new local bread bakery and a chocolate pop-up, both of which were delicious and educational.
I've been in California to visit family for the holidays and meet my dad's new dog, who is neurotic but full of personality and very cute. Also featured: soup dumplings, many a taro confection, syrok, sushi from a Hello Kitty-themed conveyor belt sushi place, and more.
We also went to the local silent film museum, where the top two things I learned were that playing films at too slow a frame rate could result in them erupting into flames, and that since the films were hand-cranked and didn't always come with specific instructions about what frame-rate they should be played at, sometimes the showings weren't identical and the projectionist might get artistic about it. On Saturday evenings the film museum also hosts showings, so we went to comedy shorts night. They were splendid, and the whole affair was charming and full of enthusiasm on the parts of the hosts and audience. And wouldn't you know, my tenth grade high school English teacher sat behind us?? He approached my afterward to ask my name, and I was so impressed he still remembered me. <3
The other main thing I've done this November/December is play a ton of Zelda--I beat Ocarina of Time and it only took a month (my and my sister's previous attempts took seven years, which suggests that maybe I am, indeed, smarter and/or more observant now. Certainly I am not better at hand-eye coordination, a video game skill I've never possessed, but I can read for subtext and solve the puzzles, lol). I also played Link Between Worlds, which was so much fun I immediately started a new playthrough and am now halfway through the entire game a SECOND time. It's a pretty short game, and I find New Zelda (she says, about a game that came out in 2013. But all Zelda from 2003 is New Zelda to me) easier/a lower barrier to entry than old Zelda, without compromising on it just being FUN.
One thing I haven't done much of in the last two weeks is write fanfic, though, which I want to get back to. But you know what's a lot easier than writing? Collecting pixels in the shape of baby hermit crabs scattered across Hyrule, that's what.
Next year (next MONTH, as a matter of fact) is my 20th LiveJournal anniversary, which is pretty phenomenal just in terms of sheer dedication to the form. I stay here because 1) This is still my favorite fandom format, even if "fandom" proper hasn't existed here in over a decade, and 2) you, my LJ friends, mean a lot to me. So to everyone who's on this platform, with frequency or just here and there, I love you, and I hope you have a wonderful 2025!