Oh, sh*t, did we miss the Apocalypse?! Because I totally was not paying attention.

This past Sunday these weird and rather alarming storm clouds rolled through at four-something p.m. when My Fair Maiden and I were hosting a few friends. They were the kind of unusual clouds that make one review his/her choices in life and wonder if this was The End.

I just hadn't been paying attention to the outside world, and the weather. (Translation: Some friends were over while I had my own personal freak-out about beef roast and mango chutney, but as a team we served up good food and good cheer otherwise.)

So we had already eaten our holiday meal and were all watching our "Robot Chicken," season II DVDs and laughing, when our guest pointed out the clouds. The clouds were in a horizontal funnel shape, and I couldn't help but think, "Oh, sh*t! Did we miss the Apocalypse?! Because I totally was not paying attention. I didn't even hear that Apocalypse if it was coming. I was too busy hanging out with our friends. If the rest of the world was wiped out in that time, whoops, I was having too much fun and I missed the Apocalypse."

At first, I felt guilty, but then I felt that given the events of this year, being engrossed in hanging out with friends was a really nice place to be.

Until the sun shines out of YOUR arse...

On the subject of energy conservation, here's a "cheeky" commercial about using energy-efficient light bulbs. It doesn't make much sense, but it made me laugh anyway, which means a lot on this rainy D.C. day.

Ireland acts on bright idea to ban energy-wasting lightbulbs

The government of Ireland is working to ban energy-wasting lightbulbs by January 2009. Other European countries are kicking around the idea of phasing them out, too.

Do you have energy-efficient bulbs in your home yet?

L7 is for Lovers: New Flickr Photo Pool

In an effort to assemble photos of my favorite band, L7 (R.I.P.) into one place, I started an L7 photo pool on Flickr called L7 is for Lovers. Please take a look and if you know anyone who has shots of L7 from 1985 to when they went on hiatus in 2000 or so, please let them know to look for the pool (or send them the link.) Here's a little bit more about it:

"L7. You know them; you love them. This Flickr group seeks to find photos that help define what made L7 who they were. Photos are welcome that include Donita, Suzi, Dee (Demetra), Jennifer, Gail, Janis from when L7 was a band (1985 - 2001 or so)... and Roy and Anne (if anyone has photos that old to share.)

The original HELL7 web site's motto was, 'L7 is not just a band; it's a religion.' If you feel the same, please help me assemble L7 photos in one place. Thanks in advance!"

-Capt. Jack Sparrow (formerly known as HELL7 until someone else took the name "in honor")

Another day, another game of "Guess who's in the hospital (now)?"...

Another game of "Guess who's in the hospital (now)?" took place a few minutes ago when I got home from work.

The ill: a family member.
The hospital: in Minnesota.
Travel required: Perhaps.

What a year. Please let it end soon.

Continuing the tour of hospitals...

Lately My Fair Maiden and I have a little game (mostly used on the phone) called, "Guess who's in the hospital (now)?" It's our attempt to have a sense of humor about the mishaps, illnesses, and deaths we've been touched by this year. The year got off to a horrible start with the passing of MFM's father, and has had some strange lows since then. The past month, it seems like every time the phone rings, either someone's in the hospital, on the way there, or is very ill.

Thursday night I dreamed over and over that one of our friends was badly injured in a car accident (but that the car she was in was actually a train car that dropped off a bridge.) I was a little freaked out when I heard in Friday's news that there had been a collision between an Amtrak train and a freight train.

Then I got news that bothered me even more: Thursday night one of our acquaintances lost control of his SUV, drove off the road, and collided with a tree, sustaining some serious injuries and totaling his car.

We visited him in the hospital last night. While he's going to make it for sure, his upper arm and shoulder was crushed, and he has possible spinal injuries. I cannot imagine what it would it feel like to be him right now.

It was pretty awful to see a friend all bloodied up with a neck brace and various red-tubed drains coming out of his upper arm (which is now pieced together with metal.)

I have no idea if our friend's accident was alcohol-related, and I don't mean to imply that it was, but please people, keep it safe out there on the roads, especially during this holiday season! No one wants to end up in the hospital....