NiftyLife

Karl has made a nice implementation of Life for Mac OS X. The sample .lif files he includes make me smile. Make sure you try it with the "speed limit" option turned off.

Xmas at Minas Morgul

This is the first year that I have really and truly participated in holiday gift-shopping. At no time in the past has the year ended as it is now, with me possessing, at the same time, a) lots of friends and b) a little extra money. I find that this has nicely evaportaed all my previous Grinchicism about the season. I purchase thoughtful things for my friends because I choose to do so, not because I am a gluttonous robo-consumer. Go me.

Actually, I haven't obtained that many gifts; just things for my housemates, some older friends up north, and my parents & brothers. This is still way more into the spirit than I've ever gotten, though, and I look forward to it just getting worse as time passes (assuming I can hang onto my job). Next stop, of course, is Cthulhia's Epiphany Thing, but I am waiting until after the 25th before I start in on that business.

Last night we had our little tree ceremony at Minas Morgul. I gave N&M a copy of Knizia's Lord of the Rings board game, and so did N's grandma, so they have two now. (Ever-practical M suggested that both games be kept for later divvying when someone moves out.) M gave me an Episode I Jabba the Hutt toy that oozes phlegm when you squeeze its head. Rock. Lots of people gave lots of other people chocolate, and so everyone had a little chocolate. A fine holiday.