OK I’m BACK from the Christmas whirlwind. Whew I’m tired.

I went to Atlanta and saw my mom and her new place. Boy I lucked out this year, going to ATL first meant I avoided the complete midwest snow shutdown. Also met up with Greg and little Greg, had some Waffle House, and hung out a bit. Too bad Amy couldn’t make it but sounds like she’s still going to try and get me the tour hookups for when I’m in DC in February 🙂  She works for Ron Wyden the senator from OR (along with Gordon Smith, I always forget him) and since I am a CONSTITUENT of Wyden’s, then I’m Amy’s bosses boss! Well one one-millionth almost.

In Cincy, I saw everyone I wanted to see except my friend Nick. Next time, dude. But I did get to see Dad and everyone (incl. K & ) as well as Mary, Miner and Janet, the Mauchs, and the other Janet, who is apparently a lot better off than she was earlier this month. (I heard the anaesthetic hit her pretty hard and she was out for 4 days, during which time she went through alcohol and cigarette withdrawal. Eek. I guess knocked out is the way to do it…)

While I was there I went with KG to the really-expensive-but-very-cool Newport Aquarium. The pic dump is up but some especially cool shots are:

some foot-long albino (?) gourami
a huge sea crab
clownfish in sea anemone
a tigerfish
some sixy-nining otters
a sea turtle
sharks and KG
some Gentoo penguins
a top view of the big tank

We also had a car accident but everyone is OK. And I set up a wireless access point but no one but me had a wireless computer, doh! Sounds like Dad, K, C, and C Fletcher will soon, so I guess I’ve done my duty of pushing them into the 21st century…

Back in PDX, my new keyboard arrived (a Yamaha AN1x) and the replacement for my twice-defective RAM, so I’m good. I also got Fred two new tankmates, some Australian Rainbowfish. Pretty innocuous. I thought Fred was skinny but he’s a giant bruiser in comparison!

OK that’s it. I need to figure out my new synth, and get back on PST. Work tomorrow.