Friday, April 09, 2010

Vague ramblings.

The inevitable has happened: Once I start feeling better, I lose my head and overdo and wind up in more pain than I started out with. However, the pain is shorter-lived and there's actually a reason for it so it's a little less annoying. Still feel like a dumbass for doing this, though.

So, not much going on with the knitting. I'm still spinning about an hour a day but can't take more than that. It's physical therapy as well as a hobby, though. I'm so glad to be such a hard-core crafter. My occupational therapists and I have always managed to cook up something interesting for me to do with myself, rather than the 'real' treatments like rolling a ball bearing around with my thumb. Compared to that, I'd MUCH rather sew flowers or do origami.

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Yesterday was the 19th anniversary of the husbeast-Samurai hookup. We'd originally planned a real wedding, in a church, with bridesmaids and groomsmen and all the trimmings. But our families kept getting in on the act and demanding we do one thing or not do another, and, well, even in our early twenties we were stubborn cusses. So we canceled the wedding, took a Wednesday afternoon off work, and went to the Justice of the Peace.

The old rhyme, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue"? For new I wore a casual sort of suit I'd bought for the occasion. For old, borrowed, and blue, I wore a pair of the husbeast's underwear. At the time I was working for a guy who was nosy in the manner of a young boy (openly curious, not judgmental or offensive), and the next day when he asked "What did you do yesterday?" I said "Got married" and he about fell over.

We had known each other ten years at the time we got married. I grew up with the husbeast's cousins and we met at a family function when we were about twelve. So when we went to the JOP and the whole family on both sides spazzed out and said it was 'sudden', well, I still don't get it.

It's been an interesting couple decades. For everything that's sucked, and of course there have been some rotten times and lousy aspects, there have been dozens of other events, experiences, and moments that were wonderful. I'd never have gotten to Hawaii to live if the husbeast hadn't dragged me out there, kicking and screaming (that's another good story, for another day). We've still got long-range, vague plans to retire to Oahu in another couple decades. Right now we're enjoying the novelty of being near our families again for the first time since we got married.

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I think I mentioned this before. Meet the new Blackberry. I named it HAL. I always name things that talk to me. Usually so I can swear at them.

Anyway, we originally purchased it because it has GPS and navigation on it, to help me deal with the highway system around here, and it does work beautifully for that. The husbeast has the same model in black, and he purchased it because he's Son Of Gadget and had to buy the phone with the most buttons on it when he got a new phone. After playing around with it myself (mostly making sure I could push the buttons), I agreed I wanted one. We originally meant to get mine next year after my current contract expired. But I needed GPS anyway, and I text a good bit, and we just gave up and got the Blackberry. In purple, so we could tell it apart from the husbeast's.

I meant to only use it as a phone, for texting occasionally, and the GPS. Really. Instead, I fell down the rabbit hole. I keep the grocery lists on it. I keep a 'book list' of books I want, so I've got it with me when I wander a book store. I've been listening to the radio on it. I watch TV on it while I'm spinning (or sitting with the cat on my lap). I surf the internet and chat with my buddies on Twitter while riding around with the husbeast in the car (I never, ever text while driving, but I text nonstop when I'm riding). The husbeast has been calling it my "Crackberry" as in I'm hooked.

I feel like the biggest geek in the universe.

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And while I'm geeking out, Girl Genius is getting REALLY GOOD.

If you've never read it, start here and work your way through. As a former English major, I have got to say it is one of the best-plotted stories I've read in a long time. I'm constantly impressed by it as a Lit Student. Add in that it's hilarious, and it's pretty much perfect. Seriously, if you love a good story, go read.

I'm pretty sure the husbeast is moonlighting as Airman Higgs. Or Airman Higgs is moonlighting as the husbeast. The resemblance is striking, as is the shared mechanical ability and attitude.

17 comments:

amy said...

Happy Anniversary! I still think we should have completely eloped, instead of almost-eloped (we let a few people follow us, basically). But I wanted to wear my mother's dress, and although I think she would have let me have it and run, it seemed wrong somehow. We briefly considered a bigger (as in, bigger than the 8 people we let come) wedding down here, but when I started getting too many "suggestions" I balked.

I can't read graphic novels. Whenever the boys want to hear one out loud, it's my husband's job. They make my head ache. And I'm still stubbornly keeping lists in a small notebook. When one runs out, I buy another. My husband mocks me, but the battery never runs out on my notebook. ;)

Emily said...

My daughter has a Blackberry; my son has an i-phone. My son is a Gadget Man & is lusting after the new i-Pad. I'm waiting to see if you Gadget People follow suit.
Happy Anniversay!

missleya said...

You still have the netbook? I can't remember what was introduced to tea :D

I'd recommend evernote. It's cross platform and they have an app for blackberry. That way you can have notes in multiple platforms. Nothing lost.

it's base level is free so it could be better, but it's decent and fairly reliable.

http://www.evernote.com/about/download/

Cailleach said...

I do love me some GG. It's in my daily reading list, along with your blog. OK, so on days that aren't M/W/F I have to just close it again, but hey, more Agatha is never a bad thing.

Louiz said...

Happy anniversary!

I have my own suspicions about the idenity of airman Higgs... that I'll keep to myself to avoid looking dumb if I'm wrong!

I've been looking at blackberries, but so far it's only looking. I do like your purple one though.

Bells said...

I eloped the first time. Great idea, wrong guy.

I feel the same way about my iphone. It's my very best friend in the whole freaking world. I go nowhere without it!

debsnm said...

Happy Anniversary!! I don't know a lot of people who've been a couple for as long as you have. Enjoy the day, the ride, and your families.

Donna Lee said...

Since we paid for our wedding, we made the decisions (such as getting married in the morning so I didn't have to pace around all day. I'm not high maintenance and would have gone crazy!). Happy Anniversary. I think retiring to Oahu sounds just about perfect.

walterknitty said...

Happy Anniversary! Hope you two did something, or will do something, fun to celebrate.

roxie said...

OMG I have such a wet-on for Airman Higgs! Of course, it's probably because he resembles my beloved spouse. I have got to start buying the books, so I can return to the stories even when the power goes out.

Happy anti-versity! You wore your husband's boxers for old, borrowed and blue? I do so love you!

Heal fast and quit being such a dumbass.

And all hail the Crackberry. Better get a hand-crank charger. Get two - one for each.

My verification word is flogish. As in, "Where did I leave the cat-o-nine-tails? I'm feeling rather flogish this afternoon."

Rose Red said...

Happy anniversary! Great story. Fortunately neither mine nor my husby's family are the interfering sort, so we did the traditional white wedding - which I loved - but the idea of eloping is pretty cool. As is the idea of retiring in Oahu. Nice.

Yours (and Bells'!) addiction to the crackberry/iPhone is the main reason I haven't got one! I spend too much on the internet as it is - if I had it on my phone as well I'd never get any knitting done!

Amy Lane said...

'Crackberry'-- that's like me and my laptop... "I only want it for writing..."

*snort*

And happy anniversary-- "sudden"-- honestly, you two sound like you couldn't actually function w/anybody else... a true partnership-- that's awesome. Many decades to come...

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary! I'm a regular lurker, but I just popped in to say that I LOVE Girl Genius. Especially the making coffee scene. Any time I need a laugh, I go back to that one moment. And I'm glad the spinning is helping your hand/wrist.

Take care.
Sarah/scienceprincess

Roz said...

So romantic, you two! Happy anniversary!

Galad said...

Happy Anniversary! Even when you were younger you had the good sense to do what worked for you with great results.

Now I'm wondering if my Blackberry could do all of those things. Now that I've seen the new Android phones though, I may just wait and get one of those. Toys are wonderful.

Brewgal said...

Girl Genius--OMG, so good! Thank you for the recommendation!

historicstitcher said...

Dammit - it's YOUR fault! I blame you ENTIRELY for my total and complete loss of time to Girl Genius! If you hadn't linked to it I never would have found it!

HOURS! HOURS and HOURS lost to reading, starting at the beginning, and I'm only into 2003!! I'm a single mom working full time and dealing with local parents - I don't have time to waste on shit like comics!

I hope you're happy, Julie, cuz I am.