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Got a Christmas card this morning from my old housemate Theresa (aka T.R.), who’s working in Kosovo at the moment. I was more interested in the card than in the stamp at first. Then while I was checking T’s address on the card against the one I had on file for her before dumping the envelope, I noticed that the stamp was denominated in Euro.

“Huh,” I thought. “Didn’t know Kosovo had gone onto the Euro…” And I took a closer look at the stamp. Quite neat. The tiny little letters say “United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo.” (Click on the image for a larger version.)

Here’s UNMIK’s web page. Fascinating…

I look forward with slightly unnerved interest to T’s promised MP3s of New Year’s celebrations in Pristina, which she suggests contain considerable amounts of both fireworks and gunfire…

“Speaking of dancing chibis…”

(As one does.) 🙂

For those who might be interested, we’ve now got a Palm (.pdb) version of the book available for purchase and download. There’s a separate button for it in the right-hand column.

This version of the book was edited in WordSmith and has been tested in that and in Palm Reader / eReader. There are some more details about loading this file in the A Wind from the South / “Raetian Tales” weblog.

…Yet more tea on the keyboard. I really should bring the paper towels in here: it’s plainly going to be one of those days.

In Texas we made two archangels guarding the church entrance with huge swords, and they had the best mullets. Any angel or archangel that this company makes, the hairstyle is the mullet.

The above from an article in Stayfree Magazine, entitled “Jesus in Space”: an interview with a man who designs and implements robot Jesuses (and other such Christian-oriented animatronics) for churches and other religious organizations.

(And if you can hear Anna Russell’s voice saying “I’m not making this up, you know”, well, so can I.)

It’s hard to keep it in your mouth sometimes. Especially when reading stuff like this:

Muscle: In a small number of tested cases (84%) PANEXA was found to cause abdominal wall muscle breakdown coupled with spasmodic activity in lower back/spinal muscles, resulting in most patients violently bending forward like a book slamming shut. While some other drugs promote similar responses (gemifbrozil, fresh cherries, nicitonic acid, cyclosporine, mustard gas, and acetomenaphin) PANEXA’s reactions are over 48X as powerful and take place with a great deal more panache and flash. Also, PANEXA can contribute to developing inhumanly powerful tongue muscles, capable of licking through steel.

(Thanks to Peter David for the link.)

No, seriously. From the package instructions:

They can be fed year round straight from the pack or re-hydrated by soaking them in warm water for 15 minutes or until soft. Re-hydration will further enhance their appeal to birds.

I bet it will. But I’m not dealing with any worms at all until I’ve had my tea.

Re comments from yesterday:

Speaking of theology, did you know that you’ve been accused of committing a heresy so ancient that it was condemned by Augustine?

Let’s see, can I copy and paste Greek?

Looks like I can: It’s called apokatastasis.

(The cut-and-paste from the comment to here wouldn’t work, so I transliterated.)

Anyway: yup! That would be me. (In the fictional mode, anyway.) And Augustine? Fooey. Who’s he when you have St. Gregory of Nyssa and the excellent Origen on your side? (“That most modest of writers.” A good role model.)

But, wow, it’s been weeks since I’ve been accused of a good heresy. Someone bring the Comfy Chair in here. And the Soft Cushions.

(wanders off to get some tea, muttering: “Xanten. Antichrist. Still can’t get over that one….”)

So here’s one for you, people:

“sword-of-xanten antichrist”

What? What??

Dear Seeking Person:

You are very confused. I guarantee you won’t find whatever you’re looking for here. Go somewhere else.

(headclutch)

“I’m impatient with genre as a label of quality. But if we could stop critics being ignorant, genre would be interesting.”

If!

…If C. S. Lewis is my master, U. K. LeGuin is unquestionably my mistress. (For certain very specific values of “mistress”. Calm down, you guys.)

(Thanks to Jessa at Bookslut for the link.)

Just so the UK readership knows: Channel 4 will be airing Sword of Xanten — that’s the title they gave the feature version of Ring of the Nibelungs — on Friday, December 23rd at 12:35 PM.

I have to say that neither of us is entirely wild about the feature cut. It’s tough trying to ram four hours’ worth of screenplay into so small a space, and I’m afraid the roughness shows. But (as we keep telling each other) at least the thing got made. So make some popcorn and kick back. The dragon’s fun, at least.

(BTW, considering the hour at which they’re showing the thing, I have a feeling some of Kristanna Loken’s more, uh, revealing scenes are going to be curtailed. Well, fooey.)

By email. And anonymously. I swear, whoever did this, I’ll track you down and make your life annoying somehow. (sigh) But doubtless this is the Universe getting back at me in some obscure way. I was just muttering the other day about being endlessly on that “Have you read this book?” meme. (And afterwards, yes, thinking, “What the heck are you complaining about, you loony?” Never mind.)

1. What’s your favorite holiday movie?

For funny? No contest: A Christmas Story. (Scrooged would come in a close second.) …For serious? Probably the original version of Miracle on 34th Street.

2. What’s your favorite holiday song (title and artist)?

The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York.” (The only Christmas song I know which contains the word “maggot.” And other words that rhyme with it.)

3. What’s the best holiday gift you were ever given and why?

There was this “Patti Play Pal” doll that I remember with great affection. I think I was six at the time.

4. Do you have a special someone to kiss at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s?

Absolutely. Been kissing him for nearly twenty years now and have no plans to stop any time soon.

5. Name your favorite reindeer?

Comet. Comet’s had a lot of bad press in the last few years. I never did believe that whole thing about the “honeypot” sting and the missing plutonium. I blame rogue elements of the old KGB, myself.

6. Favorite holiday food?

Pumpkin pie.

7. Snow day — cuddle by the fire or hand me a snowball?

(sigh) Do I have to pick one? Okay, I’ll have the cuddle. (Other required accessories: cognac by Remy Martin, snow by Leukerbad, fireplace by Brauereigasthof Aying outside of Munich.)

8. What was your New Year’s resolution from this year?

To keep off the weight I lost in ’04.

Did you stick to it?

Yup.

9. Is there really a Santa Claus?

(blink) Last I saw, the Bishop of Myra was still a historical personage. Let’s not get too revisionist here: it might damage the results on the morning of the 25th. (BTW, does anybody know any other saints who were victims of bodysnatchers? I’m not just talking relics here: I’m talking the whole body. Though since it’s “merchants” who’re reported to be responsible, I guess we can assume that relics might have been on their minds. Who knew that the commercialization of Christmas got such a head start?…)

10. Present or stocking stuffer?

Uh, this sentence no verb.

Speaking of cheese, I just got a spam email with the subject heading Careless cheddar. What, guilty cheese has got no rhythm?

Heh.