The Witching Well

Will Smith is good. Will Smith is damned good. And the movie is pretty cool, too.

Better than the other two adaptations of this story that’ve been done over the years. And one of them starred Charlton Heston, so I’m saying something here.

Except that the first two-thirds is one long build-up that might have been trimmed (I say this despite the fact that it’s IMHO the best part, because I adore the relationship between Robert and Sam), and the last third is important stuff that should have been expanded. And the ending is too tidy and, well, happy for my tastes.

But then, I’ve read the book. And the book is still better. By miles.

Mood: content

So, Yule and Christmas came and went, and there was baking and eating, and there was wrapping and opening. And yet, it is not over, for there are still packages that need mailing and out-of-state relatives that need visiting.

And real life continues apace as well, with unexpected car repairs and sudden computer troubles. So, really, it’s been a swell couple of weeks around here.

On the humorous side, Mom couldn’t get all the way to the back of the big hall closet last weekend, so Santa had to put our chocolates and novelty toys in brown paper bags this year.

Mood: tired

Which sci-fi crew would you best fit in with?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Serenity (Firefly)
You like to live your own way and don’t enjoy when anyone but a friend tries to tell you should do different. Now if only the Reavers would quit trying to skin you.

Via Emma Bull.

Mood: amused

Under normal circumstances, it should take about 10 minutes to drive from Kenmore Square to the Cambridgeside Galleria in East Cambridge. Maybe 15-20 during rush hour. Yesterday afternoon, as apparently everyone in Boston tried to leave early because of the incoming storm, it took over 2 hours. And a fun ride it was, too. Andy and I spent so long staring at the back of one particular SUV, as we creeped our way across the Mass Ave bridge, that we bet on how long it would take for a particular slab of snow to fall off its rear window. We were moving so slowly that we had to get out periodically to clean the accumulating snow off the car. Hell, we were moving so slowly that we *could* get out to do that. On Memorial Drive.

By the time we got to East Cambridge, we were both desperate to get out of the traffic for awhile, so we stopped at the mall, ate something, and bought me a pair of jeans I’ve been needing for awhile now. We were there until 6:30 or so, then we hit the road again.

I got off work at 2. We got home at 9. Then we had to shovel.

Thank the Gods it’s Friday, because I’m pooped.

Mood: exhausted

Well, the new oil burner is being delivered today, which means that we can stop checking the old one every day to make sure it has water in it so that it won’t shut itself off.

Andy took a trip down to Florida over the weekend, to get the stuff we inherited from my father and stepmother organized and itemized as a preliminary step for getting it moved up here.

And while he was gone, I baked nisu. Which is always fun, but it’s a huge, all-day to-do, so I’m a bit pooped still from it.

Also, I’ve found a couple of new online games: Holy War and DragonFable. They’re both browser-based games that you can play for free but that have upgraded pay versions.

Holy War’s a bit slow but it’s fascinating. (One hint if you’re thinking about trying it: you can’t stop working and it happens real-time, so don’t sign up to work 8 hours unless you’re sure that’s what you want.) You can choose to be Christian, Saracen, or Pagan. Guess which one I picked?

And DragonFable is just plain fun. The Flash animations are just too cute and the world is full of wonderfully bad puns.

Mood: sleepy

Our oil burner’s acting up, and we’ve lost our heat twice in the last 12 hours. It’s currently somewhere in the middle-50s in my living room and dropping. But the burner service guys should be coming today, according to the landlady (aka my mother), so I’m hoping it’s fixed by the time I get home from work tonight.

Cross your fingers for me?

Mood: grumpy