Oval Within Oval

Back to it, after a thoroughly restful break, much of which revolved around eating, Bioshock (thanks Christy!) and Rock Band. This lovely new pin is another Christmas present from Christy (she got me many lovely things, actually). I'm not sure what this one will represent for me yet - I'll have to think about that for a while.

I'll post design details later, because I don't have them to hand.

Rudolph

What, you thought I'd be all "bah, humbug!", eh? Not at all. It's Christmas Eve, so naturally it's time to wear Rudolph, confirming that I'm more of a sentimental soul than I'd normally care to admit.

I'm not a religious person, but that's no impediment to appreciating the Christmas spirit, especially the "peace and goodwill to all men" stuff: what a pity there isn't more of that about. But one example of (temporarily) beating swords into ploughshares has endured.

For fifty years, NORAD has provided a Santa tracking service, so you can follow Santa around the globe as he delivers all those gifts. This year, there's even a 3D version based on the stunning Google Earth. And don't miss the Kids' Countdown, even though it's over - there's still fun stuff to explore there.

Christmas is also a time when I remember (all too painfully) those I've loved and lost, most especially my Mum. This was always a special time for her, and she always made it a special time for my brother and me. Whatever your beliefs, hug your nearest and dearest: hold them close, show them that you care. Do it now. And do it often.

Merry Christmas, everyone - and a Happy New Year.

Repeat: Ladybug Scatter Pin

I wore this Thomas Mann pin for luck, the last time. Today I wore it for productivity (the ladybird is an industrious little creature), as I continued to clear out old email, and all the other no-longer-useful digital stuff that accumulates over the year. Much as ladybirds clear out aphids, and other pests, I suppose.

On the home front, Christy has been baking cookies with welcome gusto (six sticks of butter went into yesterday's batch), although our two boys have been more than a match for the output. Few things inspire them to shared enthusiasm, but home-baked cookies are always a safe bet. Not that I'm shy about tucking in myself, of course...

Repeat: Dragonfly Branch

On its previous outing, I wore this pin because it's just a great pin. Today it seemed the best match for my prevailing mood, which can be summarised as "calm". I knew I didn't have a single meeting scheduled today, so I planned to clear out my email and hard drive folders of all the stuff I've been storing, but almost certainly don't need.

It's one of those largely mechanical activities that's time-consuming, because I had to review a lot of stuff, but it's not difficult, and the results (especially of deletion) are immediate and satisfying. It's not enough fun to get excited about, but it's not onerous enough to dread: hence "calm". And, unusually for me, I actually stuck my nose to the grindstone and got it done. Well, most of it anyway...

Fisherman (third time)

Looking at the two previous posts, I noticed I was wearing the same shirt both times. Hmm. Different shirt today though: it's a bit brass, so I'm wearing a turtleneck sweater rather than a T-shirt.

I wore the Fisherman on an impulse today, with no particular reason in mind. He's relatively big and bold in relation to most of my other pins, so he just sort of leapt into my hand. It turned out that I had a lot of written work to do, so he serendipitously served as a role model again, prompting a meandering consideration of the nature of cause and effect. I really must learn to focus. But not yet.

Repeat: Angry Fish

I'm shocked that I haven't worn this pin since August: it felt good to pull him out of the box. Rather than setting him on my co-workers, I'll be setting him on my fellow travellers tonight when I fly home. They'd better behave themselves is all I have to say.

The unusually cold weather will hopefully reduce the incidence of appalling velour suits, but will do nothing to eliminate the "Holiday" muzak which also sets my teeth on edge. Far from broadening the mind, travel now serves to narrow the eyes as I wince my way to the sanctuary of my velour- and muzak-free home.

Repeat: Determined Dog

Another day full of meetings, so I needed a pin that would help me get stuck in. And Determined Dog was just the right pin for that, as I've said before. Some meetings were productive, some less so, but none required gritted teeth, which I always count as a win.

In other cheery news, I received a sympathetic comment on yesterday's moan from a delightful Angie's List person. I'm already a Promoter for the service, and only wish other companies were willing to be so responsive to their customers.

The icing on today's cake was having a few beers with Dave, before he moves to a new job with Nokia, in Cambridge, MA. It sounds like everybody wins with this deal, and I wish him well. Despite his cheeky tweets impugning my character.