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Dec. 26th, 2012 09:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dmxratedEarly yesterday morning, several hours even before we woke up again to gather and start opening presents, Mom, Dad, and I had all gotten up. Dad was having one of his sessions checking the WoodenBoat forum, but Mom was straightening things up for Christmas. I helped her with some things after typing my blog entry for the day, and she told me that from this year forward, I can be Santa's Helper, given how early I tend to get up by default. One of the things she asked me to do was to stack Ferrero Rochers into a pyramid, but that proved too hard to pull off.
I then showed her the aforementioned blog entry, and we watched the YouTube video together that I linked to at the end.
-----
Earlier this month, Mom told me that she couldn't find any MAD Magazines anywhere, and I suggested that she pick up the player's guide for Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 to substitute. Turned out she lied, seeing as this quarter's issue of MAD was the first thing I opened up from my stocking. I was the only one to get an issue, though, but that's no surprise, given how the company behind it reduced it from monthly to quarterly due to the economy.
Other things I got included Truth In Advertising, The Huge Book of Hell, and best of all, the very first issue of Nintendo Power magazine (inside a rather thick picture case).
From me, I got Brian Nichijou on DVD, Marie a calendar of sleeping kittens, and Dad a PowerBall ticket with the PowerPlay activated, on which I wrote "Christmas Power" on the back, in the style of Nintendo Power's pre-Future logo (except with lines on both sides of both words. Ended last Saturday, and wasn't a winner anyway). And then, for Mom, Dad told us that we'd all chip in for an iPad, though I still have yet to pay my share for that.
(I should note that I was previously going to get Marie a piggybank that I saw at Michael's the other day. Bought one, using a half-off coupon that Mom had so that I would only pay two dollars for it, and put my spare change inside it when we got home. The following day, though, I figured that I sure could use it myself, as an alternative to having coins sit in the corner of my drawer or trying to get rid of them however possible. This pretty much negates any reason to buy lotto tickets or scratch cards from now on... maybe unless I have such a tiny amount of cash in my wallet that it isn't worth going to the bank just for.)
Brian also got a wooden-and-bronze cannon from Dad, that he himself made, along with a bottle of gunpowder to fuel it. We sure had lots of fun with that throughout the day, stuffing it with tissue paper, going outside with it, and lighting the fuse.
And, finally, our family gift was a Roku that either Brian or Marie bought at BestBuy the other day. Brian helped set it up, and we enjoyed watching stuff like Malcolm In the Middle, Blackadder, and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
I, meanwhile, took out my Nintendo Power mag, and read it all the way through. Reading the walkthrough for the hard mode in Legend of Zelda sure reminds me of when I played that game back on 2002. I think that might just be the next game I play after I finally get back to Kanji in Context after completing Wonder Project J2 and Mother 3 and doing a few lessons. Zelda II kicks ass, too, but I think that one can wait until I finish Unit IV of KiC.
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Until last night, we had been planning to drive down to Virginia today to visit Grandma Barbara, Aunt Marie, and Cousin David. (Mom told me that Uncle Ray is currently in the Philippines.) I suggested that for our gifts to them this year, we all buy scratch cards for the three of them, just like everyone else did when we visited them in New Jersey the other day.
Later on, someone found out we were out of milk, and Brian and Marie had to sort themselves out before going out to get some. I asked if we should buy the cards while we were there, and long story short, kinda harped on how we should buy them. I made a bigger deal than I should have about how to randomize it so that each of us give a different brand (i.e. three cards each of five different brands). Mom suggested I work off some stress by walking up and down Masem Court. I did, and it didn't really work.
Not long afterwards, Mom decided that she should just take me and Marie to RiteAid to get the stuff. Marie got the milk, but the clerk told me they don't do lotto, although I could obtain some cards at Hess not too far away. We had to fuel the car up anyway, so this was perfect.
As it turns out, they only had one $1 brand anyway, unlike the gas station in Patchogue. This rendered my big fuss moot, but I didn't make any big deal out of it.
-----
Later on, Aunt Marie called, and told Mom that Grandma broke her hip while vacuuming (by tripping on the cord). We had to call the trip off, and Marie burst into tears thinking that she might never completely recover (unlike Grandpa Bob, younger than her). I took things pretty well, though, and Brian seemed to as well.
-----
Watched several episodes of Bob's Burgers with Brian and Dad last night. Not a whole lot about the first episode we watched (Spaghetti Western & Meatballs), but I can sure relate to the second one, Art Crawl.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Crawl
This episode goes to show how important it is to respect yourself instead of bending your own rules to cater to someone. For the sake of his business, Bob initially refused to allow Aunt Gayle to use his restaurant to showcase the kinds of art she painted, and Linda, whose idea it was to cut her some slack in the first place, couldn't even stand such stuff herself. None of the antics in the episode would have happened if either of them had put their foot down and said "No animal ani! Period!", and if Bob had stuck to it even while being confronted by the Art Crawl managers, whom he had been on bad terms with from earlier on, regarding Gayle's artwork instead of changing his mind for the sake of his ego.
Oh, and earlier in the episode, either Bob or Linda (don't remember who) tells Gayle that they like her artwork. I make a personal rule never to lie about my opinions about anything, to anyone, regardless of how they'll feel or any other possible consequences. If you think anything I write or create sucks, I'd like to know that; if I think your shit sucks, deal with it!
-----
Brian had his friend Janine over at around 9 last night, and went out somewhere shortly afterwards. In anticipation, Mom had me sleep back in my room in case they wanted to watch anything on the computer, which they might have upon coming back (I was asleep by then). Our actual TV was out, so as to not bother her and Dad while they were sleeping. Would have already typed this entry up much earlier this morning if Brian weren't asleep on the futon, or if the wi-fi was working so that I could type it up on my laptop. He's still asleep, but Mom, Dad, and Marie are already watching another episode of Bob's Burgers right now, so I guess it's no big deal at this point if I want to play Wonder Project J2 after letting Dad on for a bit if Brian's still asleep (and he sleeps in pretty late whenever he's home with us).
I then showed her the aforementioned blog entry, and we watched the YouTube video together that I linked to at the end.
-----
Earlier this month, Mom told me that she couldn't find any MAD Magazines anywhere, and I suggested that she pick up the player's guide for Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 to substitute. Turned out she lied, seeing as this quarter's issue of MAD was the first thing I opened up from my stocking. I was the only one to get an issue, though, but that's no surprise, given how the company behind it reduced it from monthly to quarterly due to the economy.
Other things I got included Truth In Advertising, The Huge Book of Hell, and best of all, the very first issue of Nintendo Power magazine (inside a rather thick picture case).
From me, I got Brian Nichijou on DVD, Marie a calendar of sleeping kittens, and Dad a PowerBall ticket with the PowerPlay activated, on which I wrote "Christmas Power" on the back, in the style of Nintendo Power's pre-Future logo (except with lines on both sides of both words. Ended last Saturday, and wasn't a winner anyway). And then, for Mom, Dad told us that we'd all chip in for an iPad, though I still have yet to pay my share for that.
(I should note that I was previously going to get Marie a piggybank that I saw at Michael's the other day. Bought one, using a half-off coupon that Mom had so that I would only pay two dollars for it, and put my spare change inside it when we got home. The following day, though, I figured that I sure could use it myself, as an alternative to having coins sit in the corner of my drawer or trying to get rid of them however possible. This pretty much negates any reason to buy lotto tickets or scratch cards from now on... maybe unless I have such a tiny amount of cash in my wallet that it isn't worth going to the bank just for.)
Brian also got a wooden-and-bronze cannon from Dad, that he himself made, along with a bottle of gunpowder to fuel it. We sure had lots of fun with that throughout the day, stuffing it with tissue paper, going outside with it, and lighting the fuse.
And, finally, our family gift was a Roku that either Brian or Marie bought at BestBuy the other day. Brian helped set it up, and we enjoyed watching stuff like Malcolm In the Middle, Blackadder, and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
I, meanwhile, took out my Nintendo Power mag, and read it all the way through. Reading the walkthrough for the hard mode in Legend of Zelda sure reminds me of when I played that game back on 2002. I think that might just be the next game I play after I finally get back to Kanji in Context after completing Wonder Project J2 and Mother 3 and doing a few lessons. Zelda II kicks ass, too, but I think that one can wait until I finish Unit IV of KiC.
-----
Until last night, we had been planning to drive down to Virginia today to visit Grandma Barbara, Aunt Marie, and Cousin David. (Mom told me that Uncle Ray is currently in the Philippines.) I suggested that for our gifts to them this year, we all buy scratch cards for the three of them, just like everyone else did when we visited them in New Jersey the other day.
Later on, someone found out we were out of milk, and Brian and Marie had to sort themselves out before going out to get some. I asked if we should buy the cards while we were there, and long story short, kinda harped on how we should buy them. I made a bigger deal than I should have about how to randomize it so that each of us give a different brand (i.e. three cards each of five different brands). Mom suggested I work off some stress by walking up and down Masem Court. I did, and it didn't really work.
Not long afterwards, Mom decided that she should just take me and Marie to RiteAid to get the stuff. Marie got the milk, but the clerk told me they don't do lotto, although I could obtain some cards at Hess not too far away. We had to fuel the car up anyway, so this was perfect.
As it turns out, they only had one $1 brand anyway, unlike the gas station in Patchogue. This rendered my big fuss moot, but I didn't make any big deal out of it.
-----
Later on, Aunt Marie called, and told Mom that Grandma broke her hip while vacuuming (by tripping on the cord). We had to call the trip off, and Marie burst into tears thinking that she might never completely recover (unlike Grandpa Bob, younger than her). I took things pretty well, though, and Brian seemed to as well.
-----
Watched several episodes of Bob's Burgers with Brian and Dad last night. Not a whole lot about the first episode we watched (Spaghetti Western & Meatballs), but I can sure relate to the second one, Art Crawl.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Crawl
This episode goes to show how important it is to respect yourself instead of bending your own rules to cater to someone. For the sake of his business, Bob initially refused to allow Aunt Gayle to use his restaurant to showcase the kinds of art she painted, and Linda, whose idea it was to cut her some slack in the first place, couldn't even stand such stuff herself. None of the antics in the episode would have happened if either of them had put their foot down and said "No animal ani! Period!", and if Bob had stuck to it even while being confronted by the Art Crawl managers, whom he had been on bad terms with from earlier on, regarding Gayle's artwork instead of changing his mind for the sake of his ego.
Oh, and earlier in the episode, either Bob or Linda (don't remember who) tells Gayle that they like her artwork. I make a personal rule never to lie about my opinions about anything, to anyone, regardless of how they'll feel or any other possible consequences. If you think anything I write or create sucks, I'd like to know that; if I think your shit sucks, deal with it!
-----
Brian had his friend Janine over at around 9 last night, and went out somewhere shortly afterwards. In anticipation, Mom had me sleep back in my room in case they wanted to watch anything on the computer, which they might have upon coming back (I was asleep by then). Our actual TV was out, so as to not bother her and Dad while they were sleeping. Would have already typed this entry up much earlier this morning if Brian weren't asleep on the futon, or if the wi-fi was working so that I could type it up on my laptop. He's still asleep, but Mom, Dad, and Marie are already watching another episode of Bob's Burgers right now, so I guess it's no big deal at this point if I want to play Wonder Project J2 after letting Dad on for a bit if Brian's still asleep (and he sleeps in pretty late whenever he's home with us).