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Helloooooooooo, World! Happy 2012 to all of you, gentle readers!
Late last night, my darling![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
miss_amaranth and I returned to Chiron Beta Prime, after a delightful twelve day trip to the States. Hence my inaugural LJ entry for the new year, now that my galavanting has concluded for the nonce. We had a fantastic vacation, and it was truly awesometacular to see so many of you, my dear friends! The journey took us to New York City for three days, Philadelphia for three days, and Chicago for five days... with one day in between Philly and Chi-town for driving. It was a brilliant mix of sightseeing and socializing with splendiferous people. We ascended the Empire State Building and the Sears Tower; we ushered in the new year with our dear friends at Asylum House and we toured the Big Apple's Christmas sights with friends from the Sooper Sekrit Pagan Festival; we walked the Brooklyn Bridge and toured Independence Hall; we went to poly karaoke night in Chicago, celebrated a birthday with Ohana house, and enjoyed a visit from my favourite Michigoose, the astounding tawneypup. All this and more, making for twelve wonderful days! Also, it was miss_amaranth's first time in the States, and I dare say that she enjoyed herself enough to return at some point.
So now it is the start of 2012, the beginning of the year that will supposedly end the world. Sounds a lot like last year in that regard, doesn't it? As I re-integrate into my life in Merry Olde Englande, I find myself sometimes confused upon seeing people for the first time this year. How long is it okay to greet somebody with a "Happy New Year"? Tis clear when to begin granting such new year wishes; on the day after Christmas, I drop the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays", replacing them with a hearty "Happy New Year!" But when do you stop? For me, I was cheerfully addressing strangers in this fashion for two or three days, but stopped sometime around the fourth or fifth. However, I am still employing the phrase with acquaintances if I encounter them for the first time in the year. Not quite sure how long that will last before it, too, feels out of place. How do you phase out the New Year greeting, gentle readers?
For that matter, how long is it acceptable to keep one's holiday decorations up? Whilst enjoying breakfast at Butterfield's on January 4th, I noticed them taking down their Decemberween ornaments. At home, on Chiron Beta Prime, ours are still in place, as I have been away for nearly a fortnight. They shall be coming down over the weekend, with our lovely tree being donated to become wood chips in a local park. How about you, my friends? When do you restore your home to its non-December mode?
Finally, and apropos to nothing, I should note that this entry is being written from Ye Olde Oxford Tube. Of itself, this is not surprising, as many of my entries are written thusly. However, there was one unexpected detail when I tried to post. I am online by generating a network connection via my phone... as the WiFi network on the coach no longer allows me access to my journal. This is new and has never happened before. A little investigating revealed that it is not LiveJournal as a whole that is blocked, but my individual journal. It would appear that new content filters are in place... and they seem to balk at accepting the word "Anarchist" in a URL. Oi!
Nearly home now, so time to sign off. I hope that everyone had a vunderbar holiday... and I am rather looking forward to interacting with all of you in the new year! Huzzah!!
Late last night, my darling
miss_amaranth and I returned to Chiron Beta Prime, after a delightful twelve day trip to the States. Hence my inaugural LJ entry for the new year, now that my galavanting has concluded for the nonce. We had a fantastic vacation, and it was truly awesometacular to see so many of you, my dear friends! The journey took us to New York City for three days, Philadelphia for three days, and Chicago for five days... with one day in between Philly and Chi-town for driving. It was a brilliant mix of sightseeing and socializing with splendiferous people. We ascended the Empire State Building and the Sears Tower; we ushered in the new year with our dear friends at Asylum House and we toured the Big Apple's Christmas sights with friends from the Sooper Sekrit Pagan Festival; we walked the Brooklyn Bridge and toured Independence Hall; we went to poly karaoke night in Chicago, celebrated a birthday with Ohana house, and enjoyed a visit from my favourite Michigoose, the astounding tawneypup. All this and more, making for twelve wonderful days! Also, it was miss_amaranth's first time in the States, and I dare say that she enjoyed herself enough to return at some point.So now it is the start of 2012, the beginning of the year that will supposedly end the world. Sounds a lot like last year in that regard, doesn't it? As I re-integrate into my life in Merry Olde Englande, I find myself sometimes confused upon seeing people for the first time this year. How long is it okay to greet somebody with a "Happy New Year"? Tis clear when to begin granting such new year wishes; on the day after Christmas, I drop the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays", replacing them with a hearty "Happy New Year!" But when do you stop? For me, I was cheerfully addressing strangers in this fashion for two or three days, but stopped sometime around the fourth or fifth. However, I am still employing the phrase with acquaintances if I encounter them for the first time in the year. Not quite sure how long that will last before it, too, feels out of place. How do you phase out the New Year greeting, gentle readers?
For that matter, how long is it acceptable to keep one's holiday decorations up? Whilst enjoying breakfast at Butterfield's on January 4th, I noticed them taking down their Decemberween ornaments. At home, on Chiron Beta Prime, ours are still in place, as I have been away for nearly a fortnight. They shall be coming down over the weekend, with our lovely tree being donated to become wood chips in a local park. How about you, my friends? When do you restore your home to its non-December mode?
Finally, and apropos to nothing, I should note that this entry is being written from Ye Olde Oxford Tube. Of itself, this is not surprising, as many of my entries are written thusly. However, there was one unexpected detail when I tried to post. I am online by generating a network connection via my phone... as the WiFi network on the coach no longer allows me access to my journal. This is new and has never happened before. A little investigating revealed that it is not LiveJournal as a whole that is blocked, but my individual journal. It would appear that new content filters are in place... and they seem to balk at accepting the word "Anarchist" in a URL. Oi!
Nearly home now, so time to sign off. I hope that everyone had a vunderbar holiday... and I am rather looking forward to interacting with all of you in the new year! Huzzah!!
