Wrinkles and Keane

Thursday, Dec. 09, 2004 - 10:00 a.m.

A couple of days ago, a package got here from Amazon Japan, and it was addressed to John.

Our house rule is that nobody opens packages addressed to the other person during the month of December without asking first.

But last night, when he got home from the chiropractor, he brought the package to me and said I could open it.

Since I thought it had been for him, this had caught me by surprise.

So I opened it...and inside was the Japanese release of the Keane CD, Hopes and Fears. It's got a DVD in it and bonus tracks, too.

I'm stunned.

Thank you John, and thanks to Toren and Tomoko for facilitating its acquisition!

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We got fed up with my asthma attacks so John purchased two new air filters from Bionaire. One for the bedroom and one for the bathroom.

We're hoping that the problem clears up or at the very least doesn't happen as often.

The plugs aren't grounded in the bedroom, and yesterday I made the discovery that when the ionizer function is on, it will throw an electric shock at you if you get too close. My left arm was largely useless for the better part of the evening after I found this out.

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Yesterday evening, John hangs a dress shirt on the living room door for me to tend to, because he has a business meeting Thursday morning and actually needs to wear a business shirt and tie. The way he asked for my assistance was as follows: "I don't need you to iron it, I just need you to steam the wrinkles out of it."

So I thought about this. "John?" I said. "If you'll explain the difference between 'steaming the wrinkles out' and 'ironing', then I'm sure ready to hear what it is. They're the same thing, John. You're allowed to tell me that you need a shirt ironed. It's okay."

So before he went to work today, I ironed his shirt.

I think it's the extremely urban equivalent of mowing a lawn, in that it's a chore that has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and you see satisfying results immediately. I love ironing a shirt.

Yes, that's squirrely, but I still enjoy doing it.

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Okay. For both of you who sent me your snailmail addresses so I could mail you a Yule card -- thanks for your patience.

They're going to be mailed just as soon as the stamps get here.

There's a story behind the stamps I plan to use.

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Last year, I wrote about the Eid stamp boycott. There's been a very jingoistic email making the rounds, and I got a copy of it forwarded to me by my father-in-law. In the aforementioned link, you can read the original letter, and you can read my response.

Ever since then, I have deliberately ordered Eid stamps for my holiday correspondence.

Thanks for the inspiration, Dad. :-)

Last year's Christmas card didn't get refused by his household.

I have a feeling this year's won't, either.

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Okay. Done. :-)

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