days on which cocoa would be good, for different reasons

[ontology]

Yesterday began with me sitting about and feeling sorry for myself, because my iPod was refusing to work properly, and -- I am sure there was something else; I just remember being quite cross and listless. And then Sarah and Hannah and Victoria showed up at my door to kidnap me for the purpose of bringing Jonathan a spot of birthday cheer. (Here I felt terrifically guilty because I had thought his birthday wasn't for two more days.) So I grabbed some of the fresh cookies other people had been baking and we set off. We also decided to wear moustaches. Sarah and Hannah had just bought a package of stick-on ones, and it seemed like a good idea. I must say we looked most magnificent. Quite a lot of people stopped to look at us, which was vastly amusing -- the way they would walk past us, and then stop, turn round, and gape, thinking, I am sure, why on earth are a lot of attractive young ladies growing moustaches? Did I have my coffee this morning? Did I have all of my coffee this morning?

Anyway Jonathan was very surprised (especially because there were moustaches), and we were all very happy and cheerful therefore. Then we made fudge and played poker and set things on fire. (Only a few things.) It was the best day ever. Also, doing nice things for other people is rather comfortable and cheering, oddly enough. And the poker game gave me a lot of inspiration for the not-NaNo-anymore. Yes, I am one of those terrible people who views the entire world through what I happen to be writing at the time. But I had many interesting ideas about poker games played by a lot of disreputable Oxford boys and what sort of things might be put into the pot when there is magic involved. (Also someone -- Hannah? -- suggested that someone in dire straits bet their moustache. "Aha, you're out of money, Jenkins! Reckon you'll have to bet your shirt now!" "NO& I WON'T. I'VE STILL GOT SOMETHING LEFT." And he swiftly shaves off his moustache with his switchblade and throws it onto the table.) 

And I came home and cookies were being baked -- although I was beginning to have a bad sugar headache from too many cookies and fudge and Hockmans truffles and sampling dough -- and the house was very warm and lovely smelling, and the fairy lights on the mantle and the Christmas tree seemed brighter and warmer and there-er than before, and I curled up with the iPod and fell wildly in love with Merlin (thanks to the splendid such_heights), which is also cosy and fun even if Giles does wear leather gloves while eating his dinner (this is very impractical). (GIIIIILES! I LOVE YOU WHY ARE YOU WEARING A& SILLY CAPE. Everyone else I love you too! because you are all ridiculously adorable and British and have nice hair. Seriously, everybody has really great hair, from Gwen's cheery disarryed curls to Arthur's cultivately casual floppiness to Morganna's sleek black hair with the lovely wavy bits in front and Merlin's darling little fringe. Oh what, these things are important.) And I had cookies.

This all sounds very cheery because I was very cheery yesterday but I did not like today at all, for varying reasons, some of which do not belong in a breezy post such as this one is. Also I had to go to work and I was very cross -- except so busy that I forgot to be cross -- people kept asking me, "how are you today?", and I would answer truthfully, "I have no idea." But it was the Busiest Shopping Day Of The Year and I could tell. My leg got very sore and I forgot to eat lunch before I left and hadn't had any breakfast either, but when Hannah and Mrs Meholick dropped by, they had mercy on me and got me a soft pretzel. It was the most delicious of all pretzels that have been baked since the dawn of time. The good thing about being horridly busy was that my shift went by very very quickly. And then there was a mess with my drawer because there was hardly time to count it out, and it was horrible, and I got out very late (but bought Ghirardelli peppermint bark to cheer me, and it was fifty percent off, too).

Tomorrow will be cold and wet and I will have to go to work again. Bah.

Comments

[barefoottomboy.livejournal.com]

Speaking of disreputable Oxford boys, have some links about the (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerous_Sports_Club) Dangerous (http://www.btinternet.com/~dafyddk/dsc.htm) Sports (http://www.btinternet.com/~dafyddk/fenton.htm) Club (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strange-Adventures-Dangerous-Sports-Club/dp/1899344284).

There was also a club at Oxford in the 1920s that used to pull similar stunts (like rooftop mountaineering), but I can't remember the name, or find any more information on the web. I read about them in the Horrible Histories book The Twentieth Century (http://www.amazon.com/Twentieth-Century-Horrible-Histories-Special/dp/0590542664/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229834606&sr=8-1), though, which you may be able to get hold of.

[barefoottomboy.livejournal.com]

Also? That is an amazing icon.

[such_heights]

even if Giles does wear leather gloves while eating his dinner (this is very impractical). (GIIIIILES! I LOVE YOU WHY ARE YOU WEARING A& SILLY CAPE.

Heee! I heart you so much. This whole post is entirely charming.

[suangelita.livejournal.com]

Also, the other day when we talked... I forgot to show you something I had made you (not a Christmas present, just something you'd appreciate). ;) So, when you get a chance...

And YOU NEED TO WATCH SEASON 4. R says it's like 14 episodes, so it's not that long, and we just finished the fourth episode, and AHHH. I NEED SOMEONE TO TALK WITH!!!!!!!!!

[take-a-sadsong.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you had a good day! The mustaches escapade sounds wonderful. Lately I've been really wanting to dress up like Charlie Chaplin and walk about downtown. And I've really been wanting to learn to act like Chaplin and do all his sorts of gags, which is odd especially since I've only seen half of one of films. :P Do you like silent films?

Also, I kind of want to commandeer a few of your lj friends because nobody reads my blog. Well, besides you and Alyssa, and I think Luke does, but no one else, and I get a comment a month usually (admittedly I haven't blogged in forever because I don't really have much to say). Do you think any of your lj friends would enjoy reading my blog? (I sound totally needy or something, haha)

Have a merry Christmas week. :)

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

I want to say that I like silent films, but I've never really gotten a chance to see any. I seem to remember that I was somewhere with my family a very long time ago where we saw a silent film in a theatre (attached to a museum?) and there may have even been live piano? But I think they are nifty and vintage film -- just the sheer quality of it, the lines on the screen and the way things jump about and the texture thrills me.

[burningstarsxe.livejournal.com]

Hey, at least your drawer didn't get stuck like mine did last night. It took four people (and several others watching and suggesting things helpfully) who finally had to literally take the thing apart and put it back together.

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

Oh good heavens, I am so glad I did not read this last night or I would have had HORRIBLE NIGHTMARES. :p

[builtofsorrow.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOODNESS MERLIN. !!!!!!!! (My younger sister and I just started watching it last night, but only had time for one ep.)

& now I must run away and take a nap because I have not been getting any sleep lately, and work is going to be especially stressful this week, and I will comment with something sensible later, but MERRRRRLIN. -flails-

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

I KNOW I KNOW IT IS COMPLETELY DARLING AND I WANT TO KEEP IT IN MY POCKET. :D :D :D

[goddessreason.livejournal.com]

We did not get you a pretzel, we got you a rat!
(And yes, the mustache betting was my suggestion>)

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Okay, I had to watch Merlin after you endorsed it (um...because I'm a stalker? Obsessive about sharing fandoms?), and I kind of love it too, inconsistencies and such aside. Merlin is adorable. Although I kind of spent the whole first episode going "GIIIILES! GWENNNN! HI GILES AND GWEN! IT'S TOO BAD YOU'RE BOTH KIND OF EVIL THOUGH!"

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

All of the above? ;)

But yes! I was going to recommend it very very soon and possibly provide iPod-friendly uploads (...maybe), because IT MAKES ME ALL HAPPY. The inconsistencies pale in the face of EVERYONE BEING ADORABLE and it is like a big cosy quilt and I love it. (ALSO MERLIN IS JETHRO FROM 'MIDNIGHT' DID YOU KNOW THIS?)

Ahahaha, I was like GILES GILES OH HI GIIILES LOOK OVER HERE IT'S ME HI ... well, I haven't stopped doing that yet, actually, and I'm three episodes in. But then he did Something Kind Of Heartless and I was like ... RIPPER?!

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha, really? No wonder he looked kind of familiar! That almost makes up for the fact that Jethro would make a great companion but no doubt won't be. ...Hee, that means we've got two people who played DW oneshot roles, at least one of whom is definitely a major DW nerd, and one Torchwood cast member who...oh yeah, also showed up on a couple DW episodes. I hope at some point they all got together all "Let's be SF nerds and talk about Doctor Who!" except they probably didn't which is sad. BUT I CAN PRETEND IF I WANT TO.