December 31, 1999

Friday, December 31, 1999: Happy New Year!

The peaches and plums of the poor houses also create shade. ~ Huguo

I do understand the logic of the people who say tomorrow doesn't start the new Millennium, or a new century. I understand it, and I don't care. My dad brought it up at Christmas, and Bob argued with me about it at dinner the other night to the point of both of us getting a little angry.

John Murrell, in his column for December 14, says:

Reality, I am fond of saying, is a matter of consensus. That sort of relativism irks some people, but only selectively. The people who keep harping on the 2000-2001 issue don't raise an eyebrow at references to the Big 10 conference (which includes 11 schools) or the blue sky (which only seems blue because of the quirks of our sensory equipment). Sometimes, the facts just don't matter.

Bob says the point is that it isn't accurate, and I didn't remember the comment about the Big 10, but he'd probably say he doesn't agree with that, either, doesn't go along with it. I don't know. And the blue sky, well, it's all a matter of perception, and it's all perception, anyway, isn't it? It's just a number. It doesn't really mean anything, it only has whatever meaning we choose to give it. It's a symbol. And if the world wants a symbol that a new century is starting, that seems like a good sign to me.

Barb was in town for Christmas and we had planned on getting together on Tuesday, but she called on Tuesday to say she had been sick with the flu all week and wasn't going to be able to make it. She was feeling better by today, though, and she came over this afternoon for a little while so we could exchange Christmas gifts.

I got a pair of very cute Pooh and Piglet salt and pepper shakers in the shape of a tomato and a green pepper with Pooh and Piglet hanging onto the sides--very cute--a little box in the of a walnut which, when you open it, has a little scene with two hedgehogs inside, and a birthday balloon that's flown away, a blank journal with polar bears inside, and Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn action figures, with an electronic reader so they can talk: "I have a bad feeling about this;" "May the Force be with you."

I got Bob a Darth Maul figure for his Christmas stocking, so we were able to hear him talk, too, although he only has two lines.

I can foresee all kinds of photographic opportunities with all the dolls and action figures; Mike sent me a book of Halloween customs and spells for Christmas, and a witch's calendar, so I'll have lots of inspiration for things to write about. I think it's important to have fun, and I think it's important to always keep playing and inventing things and being creative. I never want to lose the ability to play and to think of new ways to have fun.

I went to Toys-R-Us today to look at Barbie and Ken clothes. I ended up buying a Barbie lingerie set with a pale green slip and a pink patterned negligee mostly because they looked like colors I would wear. I couldn't find any Ken clothes that I could imagine Qui-Gon wearing without embarrassment, but I did find a German infantry uniform meant for an Ultimate Soldier doll, which I ultimately bought for the coat.

It's a calf-length olive drab double breasted coat that looks almost exactly like my winter coat, which is a London Fog that I absolutely love. I haven't tried it on Qui-Gon yet, who is back in his Jedi robes, although I've been unable to get his boots back on him . . . Barbie is wearing the coat now and looks quite fetching.

The uniform also came with (of course) all kinds of scary accessories--a helmet and a knife and a gun and boots and, I don't know, a canteen and possibly some grenades or something. I didn't really want to buy it, but I really wanted that coat.

Well, it's 9:30 p.m. here in the central United States. We've been watching television sporadically all evening, watching the Millennium celebrations around the world, and it seems as though it's going to be pretty much a non-event. Midnight struck in Europe and nothing happened, apparently, and I'm pretty sure nothing is going to happen here as well.

Today I came across that Y2K for Women site that I had found earlier this year. It's really easy to make fun of, so I won't, this time, except to quote this passage from the most recent newsletter:

P.S. Don't be surprised if it appears that "nothing" has happened when the clock strikes twelve - after all, this isn't Cinderella! Also, hang in there if, at one minute after midnight, the lights are still on and they start to tease you. Remember, this isn't about being right - it's about being prepared "just in case" and in this case, "just in case" may be later rather than sooner!

So, you know, hang in there, and if we're lucky, the lights will go out and we'll be able to say "I told you so," and maybe, if we feel like it, we'll give you a drink of the water that we saved in an empty soda bottle ("be sure to drink the soda first!")

Happy New Year! Happy New Century!

Back | Next