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So I believe that the spirit of Patrick’s Christmas lights have attacked my camera…

4 minute read

December 4, 2011, 10:39 PM

Yeah, it’s only been a week since my Thanksgiving trip to Stuarts Draft ended, but better late than never, I suppose. I’ve kicked production work on Falcon into high gear, and just about everything on my Internet life has taken a back seat to that, including Wikipedia (I’m taking a Wikibreak!). I have a feeling that if you look into my eyes, you’ll see that blue squares-in-squares pattern that I use burned onto my retina.

But this is a Video Journal. So that means one of these, which I shot on the drive home from Stuarts Draft along Route 29:

Yes, the spirit of my friend Patrick’s Christmas lights have come back to attack my cell phone and GPS mount when I spoke ill of said lights on the drive home from Stuarts Draft. But yeah, the lights would not synchronize to save their life. Patrick and his father tested up, down, and sideways, and they ultimately got them all on solid color at the same time, and decided to leave it at that for the evening, and hope to figure it out in the morning. These lights, if you could imagine this, had three modes: solid white, solid color, and alternating between them. Two out of the three strings, left and center, were together, and the third at far right was the troublesome one. While the first two started up on color, the third one started up white. Then they would all cycle differently. Even if they got them all on flash, the third one would be flashing opposite the other, i.e. it would be while while the others were color, and vice versa. Not a good thing to have happen, especially after the lights are all up. I’m not sure if they ever got it figured out, but I’m sure that Patrick and his father came up with something. I certainly hope that they didn’t have to take down one or more strings of lights, though. That would have to be really unpleasant.

Otherwise, here are the recipes that I mentioned:

As I’ve grown to expect with my father’s cooking, both came out absolutely perfectly. And they were really good, too!

Otherwise, here are pictures from the trip:

This was seen in the restroom at the Kia dealer, since, as my mother says, "Men are directional, not specific," when it comes to using the toilet. And thus men tend to miss, and so this is a little reminder to be neat and watch where you're pointing.
This was seen in the restroom at the Kia dealer, since, as my mother says, “Men are directional, not specific,” when it comes to using the toilet. And thus men tend to miss, and so this is a little reminder to be neat and watch where you’re pointing.

This is me in size 48 jeans. These fit everywhere just fine... except in the crotch. That's kind of unfortunate. Thus these stayed in the store, and I'll stick with the jeans that Mom and I got in August, which are now too large for me (the second time I've sized down out of pants). Fortunately, though, thanks to the efforts of my mother and I, as well as Isis, Cubby, and I in an earlier outing, I now have plenty of shirts that actually fit after a few thrift store trips. So baggy clothes like the ones I've been seen in lately will hopefully be a thing of the past... for now, at least. I would love to drop another shirt size before everything is all said and done.
This is me in size 48 jeans. These fit everywhere just fine… except in the crotch. That’s kind of unfortunate. Thus these stayed in the store, and I’ll stick with the jeans that Mom and I got in August, which are now too large for me (the second time I’ve sized down out of pants). Fortunately, though, thanks to the efforts of my mother and me, as well as Isis, Cubby, and me in an earlier outing, I now have plenty of shirts that actually fit after a few thrift store trips. So baggy clothes like the ones I’ve been seen in lately will hopefully be a thing of the past… for now, at least. I would love to drop another shirt size before everything is all said and done.

Then this is me at The Warehouse in Waynesboro, wearing a Stuarts Draft letter jacket, minus the letter and the embroidery that usually goes with one. My sister is wearing one in this photo. No one ever told me in more than fifteen years' of seeing those jackets that they weighed a ton and a half. Seriously, they were heavy, weight-wise, and I don't understand why.
Then this is me at The Warehouse in Waynesboro, wearing a Stuarts Draft letter jacket, minus the letter and the embroidery that usually goes with one. My sister is wearing one in this photo. No one ever told me in more than fifteen years’ of seeing those jackets that they weighed a ton and a half. Seriously, they were heavy, weight-wise, and I don’t understand why.

Mom and I also tried out a few new winter coats for me, since the jury came back and said that I needed a new winter coat, since the current one is too big. This is one at the Costco in Harrisonburg, and it felt like I was wearing a neck brace. Seriously, it grabbed me a little too tightly around the neck, and that was no good. We never did find a winter coat that I liked. I'm still looking, but I have a feeling that my current coat is probably going to end up doing duty for a sixth winter.
Mom and I also tried out a few new winter coats for me, since the jury came back and said that I needed a new winter coat, since the current one is too big. This is one at the Costco in Harrisonburg, and it felt like I was wearing a neck brace. Seriously, it grabbed me a little too tightly around the neck, and that was no good. We never did find a winter coat that I liked. I’m still looking, but I have a feeling that my current coat is probably going to end up doing duty for a sixth winter.

And then speaking of Mom, yes, she is doing exactly what you're thinking she's doing. She is riding the cart down the parking lot at Costco. Mom is small enough that she can ride the cart down the lot unloaded. I can't do that. Fully loaded, maybe, but I'm too mature to engage in such antics. Mom, meanwhile, even went so far as to say that you can be immature forever. And there you go, I suppose. Still riding the cart down the lot at sixty years old.  And then speaking of Mom, yes, she is doing exactly what you're thinking she's doing. She is riding the cart down the parking lot at Costco. Mom is small enough that she can ride the cart down the lot unloaded. I can't do that. Fully loaded, maybe, but I'm too mature to engage in such antics. Mom, meanwhile, even went so far as to say that you can be immature forever. And there you go, I suppose. Still riding the cart down the lot at sixty years old.
And then speaking of Mom, yes, she is doing exactly what you’re thinking she’s doing. She is riding the cart down the parking lot at Costco. Mom is small enough that she can ride the cart down the lot unloaded. I can’t do that. Fully loaded, maybe, but I’m too mature to engage in such antics. Mom, meanwhile, even went so far as to say that you can be immature forever. And there you go, I suppose. Still riding the cart down the lot at sixty years old.

So all in all, I had a fun Thanksgiving, wouldn’t you say? I figured out what kind of new car I’m getting (a Kia Soul), and I had lots of fun with friends and family. Awesome!

Web site: Moo Thru, which I discuss in the video

Song: Sale madness in Australia. You couldn't pay me enough to get involved in these sorts of sales, either as a customer or an employee.

Quote: I also got a lot done in moving Schumin Web to WordPress (i.e. "Falcon") over Thanksgiving. I believe I'm going to start spending more time working on the site from my netbook while out of the house a bit more. I got way more accomplished then vs. while at my computer. Seriously.