Ooooh, another book delivery from paperbackswap.com ! Daughter of the Goddess--historical perspects of the HP in various cultures.

Kudos to the Beyond Victoriana blog, focusing on multi-cultural steampunk (some gems in there)! http://ping.fm/qoBLI

Today's Djhali's favorite day of the year--she gets to shred the gift wrap without being fussed at. :D

Not quite sure how she did it, but I just found Doc under the little tree--curled up around the trunk, under the tree skirt.

Favorite gift of the day--has to be the window cat hammock from my nephews--they were so excited--picked it out and paid for it themselves!

I hope everyone had a wonderful first day of Christmas! :D

Just discovered chocolate egg nog. Yum!!

Into the theoretical/academic side of steampunk? Found the Journal of Neo-Victorian Studies yet? http://ping.fm/Czbwu

Mom made it through surgery--so far, so good. :)

It's official. Office Depot has lost my XPS system *again*. I've been at this since 9/29 w/ these, um, people--time to file a small claim?

Yet again, Office Depot fails--my computer was supposed to be in on Mon--it's Thurs and still no computer.

Just saw this on tv. http://ping.fm/zLP12 Wrath would probably LOVE having a blue one!

Effort to save Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's former home, Undershaw http://ping.fm/ib1Fi

We're in a holding pattern with Mom's surgery. Her sodium's too low, so they're working w/ her to see if they can get it to a good level.

Have absolutely epic location ideas for SL tours for VWBPE ? Shoot them my direction! Remember--this year's theme is "Be Epic!"

Less than 24 hrs before Mom's surgery. I'm still half expecting her to change her mind and not go through with it.

Saturnalia going on now at AncientWorlds ! Join in the activities at http://ping.fm/SSnyD

I'd forgotten just how good Inis smells! I may have to treat myself to an after-holiday smell-goods shopping spree. :)

Gotta love Paperbackswap.com. Just unwrapped an *amazing* hardcover edition of Joan Evelyn Ames Mastery book. Merry merry to me! :D

Got MOOC? VWBPE will! Curious? Check out what a MOOC is at http://tinyurl.com/3ff6n6j & stay tuned for VWBPE MOOC updates!

Finally heard back from Office Depot about the computer--it *might* be back on Monday. I'll be taking my future biz to Staples/Office Max.

After they flubbed the repair the 1st time, the local store "lost" it & once found, sent it "rush" to their tech center--nearly 2 wks ago.

I am never using Office Depot again for tech services--they've had my good system for nearly 2 months and still haven't fixed it!

AMC's got a great lineup of classic holiday movies--tonight's the original Miracle on 34th Street!

Been tired and achy today--I'm hoping that whole "grad student winter break curse" isn't upon me! (At least I finally got in my articles!)

Great timing! Turned on the tv just in time to see History Channel has Tesla Tech on Modern Marvels! :D

I've rediscovered Summer McStravick's Flowdreaming podcast--fun and inspiring to get jazzed up here in the winding down hours of the day.

"Witchcraft" used as an excuse for violence and abuse against children http://ping.fm/v0cA5

I need to find my digital camcorder. Tomorrow's the boys' Christmas play and Weston's got the lead role of Santa! :D

Guess it's a good thing we don't have damage enabled @ Jaguarland--I did learn that my exploding bear still works!

Was flipping through channels today and caught Wayne Dyer on PBS--he had Dan Caro on--amazing story and spirit! http://www.dancaro.com/

Made Hamburger Helper Stroganoff w/ Boca crumbles. I thought it was yummy, but the fam wouldn't touch it. More for me!!!!

Fun week to look to the skies! Lunar eclipse tomorrow night and a meteor shower on Wed! http://tinyurl.com/cr4mnqu

Trying to come up w/ my vw tour potentials list for VWBPE--I have the SL based stuff, but I'd love to find a cool little-known fab vw.

Just got home from Golf's grad dinner. Congrats Golf! Finally hooded and off to the "big people" job! :D

New SAESL post--SITE conference call for virtual presentations http://tinyurl.com/7axgb22

Popped into Inworldz for a bit but gave up on touring Ona--it'll have to wait 'til I get my good compie back. http://tinyurl.com/85xot4a

@m Aev's News of the Aetherverse is out! http://bit.ly/nI5Irg
Virtually Educated is out! http://bit.ly/oUKkaB

Very nearly ended up as a splat on Hwy 90 this morning--they really should train those flatbed truck drivers better!!!!

Want to learn more about ancient winter celebrations? Join AncientWorlds Saturnalia celebration! Dec 17-19 @ http://tinyurl.com/7c2k2u7

Getting a kick out of the History Channel's "History of the World in 2 Hours" playing while I work today. :D

btw, anyone in the Pascagoula area hear that explosion about 4pm or so? What's the story there?

Kudos to the Cable One tech guy who was waaay patient in helping get the lappie & modem to detect the new router (I killed the old one).

Aev's News of the Aetherverse is out! bit.ly/nI5Irg
Virtually Educated is out! bit.ly/oUKkaB

The latest incarnation of my lit review just hit 24 pages and I still have a *ton* to go through--soooo woot?!

Great way to fight the cold--gumbo! (Lucked into coming home to a bowl from Martha's Tea Room)

Spent a good bit of this afternoon getting Jaguarland ready for the winter season. Forgot how fun playing in virtual snow can be!

@m Aev's News of the Aetherverse is out! http://bit.ly/nI5Irg
Virtually Educated is out! http://bit.ly/oUKkaB

I'm glad I didn't try to rush these survey instruments--I keep thinking of more questions!

We did the "early bird" thing for dinner tonight, but I'm not complaining--that Pacific Veggie pizza was yummy!

I'm blaming being cold for my lack of focus--I think I've read this same page of this article four times now. :-/

It's bad when you plan to go by the coffee shop and order a huge coffee for the drive home, not just to drink, but as a hand warmer!

Internship w/ VWPBE has been approved--ready to rock and roll with designing some virtual world tours! :D

You'd think that meditation would be the "anti-hives" cure but it's hard to relax/concentrate when I'm so danged itchy!

Finally broke down and got more coffee--I keep reading the same page of this article over and over!

Happiness is a sun-bathing cat. (Djhali's splayed out on the kitchen floor, slowly following the sunbeam as it shifts across the room.)

My family does things a bit backwards--yesterday, we had family dinner @ a restaurant. Tonight, Mom decides to make turkey & dressing.

The matchmakers are circling...just spent the better part of an hour trying to explain how not interested I am. 'Tis the season?

I'll be spending some time w/ my journal today while everybody's napping, delving into what I have rather than what I can't/don't have.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Whether you'll be eating a bird or not, I hope today is full of awesome! :)

Dusting off the Dickens Village collectibles tonight--tomorrow's the official lighting day 'round here! :D

Nice surprise today--I had to drive to Ocean Springs to pick up Bubba food and discovered gas in Gautier at 2.87/gal.

Yay for Rockcliffe University--5 yrs in SL, going strong! http://tinyurl.com/844978o

Nice writeup about how educators are using SL for med students and outreach-- http://tinyurl.com/87mhw64

Bah--it's awfully hard to screw up potato salad, but I think I just did! O.O

Spent a bit more time in Inworldz, exploring Verona. Considering just how much cheaper it is than SL, I may consider residing there. :)

Guilty pleasure--watching old Bewitched episodes on Hulu in between reading research articles and reports. :)

Today's one of those muggy days that's unseasonably warm and you can just feel the storm brewing out there over the water.

It's been forever since I've caught Britcom night on MPB. I'd forgotten how much fun Hyacinth "Boo-kay" is! :D

Looking forward to putting together tours for VWBPE12 --can't wait to get the "good" machine back to really get rolling! :)

Yay! Mobile's Chef King got rid of the funny taste in their shrimp & broccoli! (I used to love the stuff but shied away for a while.)

My knee is really telling me of its discontent today but I was determined to go work out this morning! It'll be good for it, long-term.

My knee is hating this latest weather shift, or maybe its the fact that I'm working it out in the mornings. *snap crackle pop*

Stopped by Books-a-Million on the way home and snagged a nice guided journal for 3 bucks, plus a yummy mocha to chase the chill. :)

Sending out a Jaguarland welcome to the University of Alabama Birmingham students who are visiting the island this week! :)

So I started back at the gym on Mon. 3 days working out and 3 crying jags immediately after. What the heck gives?

Skype for professional development--Bama and I are critiquing each other's CVs, and we don't even have to be in the same state!

Was drenched enough times today, I'm thinking of investing in head to toe rain gear--wonder if there's anything with cat ears? ;D

Tonight may be an early one. My eyes have been stinging like mad. :-/

Rumor has it that Inworldz' Verona/Capulet sims have something cool coming up. Logged in to explore (and snoop) but the compie lag got me.

I'm craving a foot massage from Wrath right about now. (Funny how spoiled one can get in a week!)

I'm not happy w/ Office Depot. Had my compie home for less than a month after they installed a new motherboard, and it died last night.

Have been getting the "play by play" via text of the AECT conference--I'm so jealous!!!

I need to send a shout-out to Whitney and Golf--today's staff training was a really cool review of our Wordpress site. :D

Aether Ed took a wee hit by a wannabe griefer earlier but it's already been taken care of and the items replaced with more improved ones :)

Two spaces right on the Firth next to the Wicked Wench are ready now--if anyone wants a piratey secret hideout type of spot. :)

RL trumps out. I'll be giving up my plots in Caledon Wellsian soon. IM me inworld if interested.

Lesson here? I really shouldn't be eating pizza! ;D

Remembers 30min or its free for pizza--tonight, Pizza Hut was 30 mins *late* and only offered 3 bucks off.

Been fighting a lack of "get up n go" today--of course, it may stem from my sad lack of coffee. ;-P

Listening to Bill & Donna Bauman in the Art of Love series. I'm so in awe of these two, I'm without words (almost). ;)

I'm giving up 2 of my parcels in Wellsian on the Firth, next to the Wicked Wench--need a piratey spot to set up shop? IM me inworld :)

Spent a bit of time poking around the steampunk nations of Capulet and Verona over in Inworldz. Fun!

Bah! Managed to get a facefull of Tony Cachere's seasoning last night when the container fell out of the cabinet--been sniffly ever since.

Listening to the Art of Love seminar #2 w/ Arielle Ford and Pamela Haag--good info, but they could've done way better on audio quality.

I'm trying to improve my cooking skills--tonight, salmon filets and mushroom rice w/ green salad. Eventually, I'll get this combo right!

But I've been kinda zombiefied since getting on the plane to come back--I feel like I left a major part of me back there.

Had a great time with Wrath, meeting folks and poking around all the little historical towns in the CA mountain area around Placerville.

Having an amazing time with Wrath so far. Ladies, the knight in shining armor thing? Not really a fairy tale--some do exist. :)

Oof--I have to be at the airport by 4:30--guess tonight's gonna be an all nighter!