Merry Christmas, Everyone!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

Errors, Errors, and More Errors!

I was working on an about-to-be published history book a few months ago, and as I was going through I noticed that many of the dates were either:

1. incorrect

OR

2. inconsistent (a certain war was said to have started in, say, 1756 in one place, 1757 in another, and 1759 near the end of the book). Which is it people? Pick ONE.

There was a time when publishing was far more about quality and accuracy than about profit and schedules. Now it's "You've got 1-2 weeks to edit this 1,000-page book. IT CANNOT SLIP OUT OF SCHEDULE!!!" Editors used to spend 6-8-10 weeks making sentences perfect and facts accurate. I remember literally studying each and every sentence in a manuscript for phrasing and accuracy. But that was so long ago. Now everything is "Hurry up! We need it NOW!" Bye-bye correct phrasing and overall accuracy.

It's so sad that an industry that was for so many years consumed by the issue of quality is now run by financial guys interested only in the bottom line. Change is not always a good thing.

Yep, definitely sad.

Another Target Trip--Does It Get Any Better?

I'm feeling mighty cranky today ... so it must be time for a visit to Target's!!!

Here's what I'm getting:

A new cordless phone

Body butter (this one's the best, by Boots U.K.)

I'm going to make Fluffy Tapioca Pudding for guests. You haven't lived until you've tried Fluffy Tapioca Pudding. Oh no you haven't.

Reddi Wip, to top off caramel frappuccinos for the same
most-fortunate guests (okay, one for me alone as well when no guests are here). Because.

That's it. Can I pick up up something at Target's?

Ugh. A Meme Stolen from Dick Small

THE CHRISTMAS MEME

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift cards IN gift bags.
2. Real or artificial tree? I have a real FICUS that I wrap with lights.

3. When do you put up the tree? You mean when do I put the LIGHTS on the FICUS??? I'm aiming for Friday.
4. When do you take the tree down? I'll take the lights off the tree during the first week of January--or in June. Whenever I get around to it.
5. Do you like eggnog? Love it.
6. Favorite gift you received as a child? A ballerina doll.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? No. It's astonishing I even have a tree.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My mother. She's incredibly fussy for her age.
9. Easiest person to buy for? The super. He wants cold hard cash.
10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? An envelope from my millionaire aunt--it had $5.00 in it.
11. Christmas cards... I don't send cards. Bah, humbug. :)
12. Favorite Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? First week of December.
14. Have you ever "recycled" a Christmas present? Yes. At least twice. (Hanging head in shame.) Does it help to say I was desperate and the recipient was pleased? No? Oh.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Anything with fat, sugar, and lots of calories.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Why, color. Of course. Clear and white lights are boring. TO ALL THE CLEAR AND WHITE LIGHT LOVERS: But what do I know?
17. Favorite Christmas songs? Silent Night; Oh Come All Ye Faithful; We Three Kings, etc.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel.
19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Rudolph. Feel free to name the rest yourself people.
20. Do you have an angel or a star on top of your tree? Neither. Why? You want to make something of it?
21. Open the presents Christmas eve or morning? Sometime during Christmas Day since I travel.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The extreme commercialism of the holiday.
23. Shopping mall or on-line? Both. This meme is incredibly LONG!!
24. Do you decorate outside for Christmas or just inside (or at all?). Both. Is the meme almost over? I'm exhausted.
25. Favorite Christmas cookie? Sugar cookies. With colored sprinkles and in shapes.
26. Do you own Christmassy clothing or jewelry? Good grief, no.

27. Do you believe in Santa? I can't say. I don't want to spoil it for others. I'll bet you all still believe in him.

I Wonder If She Killed Him ...

Fifteen years ago when I moved to this building, I brought with me my cat Muffin. She was tough and totally disobedient. She'd get in bed with me for 30 minutes or so and then prowl the apartment all night long, as if we lived in the jungle.

We were here only three days when, at 4 or 5 A.M., Muffin jumped up on the night table next to my bed and knocked over a tall, heavy lamp onto the uncarpeted wooden floors. The lamp fell so hard that it put a dent in the flooring.

I could hear the man downstairs shout out in alarm as he was awakened from his sleep.

The next morning the man went to church at 10 A.M., and had a massive heart attack and died in his pew by 10:30. To this day, I think Muffin's "accident" killed him.

Muffin died in 2002 of a massive heart attack as well. How very ironic, huh? The killer cat ...