Any of my friends who own a 4-wheel drive in/near Mont. County able to do a two-hour favor for us today? There's a 45-ish pound parcel we need picked up. Dinner can be exchanged.

Sorted. My friends are awesome, and I don't know what I would do without them.

( It's like the Odyssey, but less epic-y... )

In the end, it took just about three hours to get home.

Home, safe and sound. Tale of the epic journey to get here to follow.

I can now officially say I walked almost a mile uphill in the worst snowstorm of the year just to get to work.

Called a cab, they just said they didn't have anyone available. At all. Dithered for a few, then decided to hike up to the Metro. Fun! Had to skip the Strathmore grounds, because no way those would be ford-able. Went up Strathmore Ave. instead, then walked down the Pike. Walked in the road most of the way, as I could follow the tire tracks, and frankly, I have no idea where the sidewalks are. Good times. When I got to the station, there was ice in my hair.

There is formally a crapload of snow out there, people. Buses and trains are running, but everything else is slow-going.

I do have to compliment my own forethought at bringing a spare pair of socks and jeans to change into once I got here. The wet pair are currently drying in one of the equipment rooms that are like 80 degrees and bone dry.

From the latest update:

"The 18th century was a time of rapid innovation; in the space of a single year, the two-storey building, the stage play, America, and the rocket launcher were all invented by the same man: Shakespearicles, the strongest writer who ever lived. Despite his powerful grasp of language and the ability to bench press 700 British pounds, several inventions eluded his iron grip—most tragically among them, stairs. For the next three hundred years, people who needed to get to the second floor used the only method available to them: shooting a rocket launcher at their feet. Yes, it was ridiculous, crippling, and awful, but what are you going to do? Not go to the second floor? That’s where your bed is.

"Luckily, in 1857, a young bearded inventor named President Abraham Lincoln stumbled upon the answer: stairs. Unluckily, he never grasped the full import of his own invention, and died attempting to rocket jump up the world’s first staircase in his laboratory at Ford’s Theater. Horrified by this tragedy, mankind agreed never to invent anything again, turning its many scientists and scholars to that most noble endeavor, astrology.

"It would not be until 1921 when hotheaded Pisces Franklin D Roosevelt, languishing in a hospital after losing both of his legs in a rocket-jumping accident, stumbled upon Lincoln’s notes and perfected the modern staircase, freeing people from the tyranny of the second floor as Lincoln intended."

This Saturday evening
Spellbound
Citizens are encouraged to buy a drink for leesalogic.

"It seemed as though every black mother on the block told her girls: Get your education; don't be worried about those little boys up the street; and, if you do get married, make sure you have your own bank account. There would be no prince galloping in on a horse, black or white, to save you. That was the story line of our fairy tales. We never learned to be damsels in distress. And Hollywood never gave us someone who looked like us. Not a black princess, or a black prince."

Marvel announces Girl Comics, to highlight female talent.

and

"Stan Lee - originally named Stanley Lieber - can now add 'Jewish spokesman' to his multi-talented resume, as he uses the Thing to explain the sometimes tricky aspects of Hanukkah to his Christmas-celebrating compatriots."

MGK talks about the awesomeness of the Dark Phoenix Saga, and why modern comics are unlikely to hit upon the same success.

Have I mentioned I love TF2? It's still true.

I've been slacking on the LJ life updates, but yeah. Tonight was supposed to be the third night in a row of holiday partys (Wed. was my work, yesterday was M.'s work.) Specifically the annual cruise/dinner for M.'s dad's establishment. I'm not big on the boat aspect, but it's always a nice spread. But tonight, comedy of errors. I'm waiting at the Metro, M. doesn't think they will get there in time. We hem and haw, and decide to just call it off. Few minutes later, turns out traffic just opened up, and they're going for the long bomb to race there in time... except I'm already on a train going back stateside. Turns out they made it, with literally seconds to spare. And, had they had to pick me up, they wouldn't have. So now they're cruising, and I've got an unexpected night to relax.

Good read: MGK discusses why people were upset when Dollhouse got canceled, but no one really noticed that Hank was sacked.

RELEVANT TO MY INTERESTS:
* Analysis: Lady Gaga, dangerous and powerful.
* On young girls, body image, and the Disney Princesses.
* OK, found my new super villain HQ.
* New post-Dollhouse interview with Joss Whedon. Minor spoilers. (Courtesy squishydish.)
* Comic book artists illustrate sci-fi legends. (Courtesy shadorunr.)
* It's been a great decade for movie villains.

Happy birthday to Mr. Tom Waits, who turns 60 today. Truly a national treasure.

Wednesday, work party after work*.
Thursday, work, then Metro'ing to a work party for M.'s other job.
Friday, work, then right after work, heading down to Alexandria for the annual Potomac cruise for M.'s dad's company. Yep, I'm the boss's daughter's date, check me out.**

I intend to sleep and shower at various intervals between these things. Hopefully.

* - M. isn't going to be there, so if you happen to be in Georgetown and interested in, uh, hanging out with a bunch of people from my work, let me know. Heh.

** - My goal this year is to not freak out for the first half of the cruise because we're, you know, on a boat. I will also try my best not to think about Cloverfield while I am on the water. but no promises.

M. is currently feeding Z. pomegranate seeds, so, you know, happy winter everyone!

Previously, on Top Chef...

( Finale, part one )

"Translation: Very few people are strictly straight or strictly gay... but most people do have something of a preference for one gender or the other. Quote unquote 'true' bisexuals, people who are attracted to women and men equally, are fairly rare. Even if we take self-identification out of the picture — even if we define orientation purely on the basis of desire or behavior — we still see this tendency. Why would this be?"