The one where someone else was piqued

I hab a cold. Probably from getting to sleep really late for a couple of nights in a row in Florida, followed by waking up at 4:55am to catch my flight home.

This comes just in time for this weekend's trip to see the whole G family.

I'll post an entry about nationals in the next day or two (short version: we finished 2nd and won the spirit award.) For now, there was an interesting article in this weekend's Play Magazine about a travel writer's Mt Kilimanjaro climb. If you recall, I climbed in June, and my account is here.

ta,
sg

The one with Ultimate Christmas Crosswords

Ultimate

It's time for Nationals. I don't play for Zero anymore--I moved up to the old(er) man division.

We leave tomorrow and play Thursday, Friday and Saturday. See results here (they should be updated after each game), or read about the action at this page.

Masters is definitely different--tonight we had our only team meeting of the year, which was entirely about the logistics of getting more than 400 pounds of Surly beer to Sarasota.

Christmas

Houston, we have a problem. I have no idea what it is, but The Christmas Cottage has been delayed until 2008.

Actually, I assume the problem is just that the movie sucks.

Crosswords

I'm okay, getting better, at doing crossword puzzles, or at least the New York Times'. (Different puzzles have different styles, conventions, etc. Once you do them for a while, you even get to know something about the different constructors...I'm not there yet.)

But I'm slow. I recently solved a Saturday in about 40 minutes (they get harder throughout the week, and Saturdays are the hardest) , probably the fastest I've ever done. If I finish one of these in less than an hour I think I've done well. Fast solvers are in a whole nother world; for example, the fellow Carleton grad who's one of the best there is did it in under 6 minutes, faster than I can do even the easy Monday puzzles.

I am trying to improve at least a bit, and I've started following some bloggers (Carleton woman, a slightly more mortal SUNY English Prof) who write about each day's puzzles.

Note that I generally enjoy the puzzles a bunch, but if you read this on Wednesday, October 24 (or December 5 if you do the syndicated puzzle) I hope I haven't inspired you to try it out. Today's was dumb, unless you're the type who happens to remember that the Latin term for 'the die is cast' is ALEA IACTA EST. Trust me, that's not normal.

Go Surly,
sg

The one where omigodimsoexcited

The Steelers were just like Homer said. But at least I got to watch it among fellow fans.

Headed to Tulsa this weekend for regionals. It would take some work for us to not win. Thankfully, they've backed off the original forecast--now it looks like it might only be in the low-to-mid 80s instead of the 90 they originally called for. And, not sure if this fits CY's schedule, but we should be done in time to catch the game at Cowboy Sharkies.

I'll be in Sarasota for Nationals at the end of October, Philly for a bar mitzvah the next week, and home for the holiday, which in my family means Thanksgiving.

Finally, and here's what's so exciting, this year's presumptive Best Picture comes out November 30. Anyone want to see The Christmas Cottage with me opening night?

bask in the light,
sg