Around the Christmas season, it’s not that there are that many big things going on, but an excessive number of small things.  And so, here are some snippets of interesting things I’ve been privy to.

- Jordan had a bunch of us over to his place on Thursday night, and Kim decided to pick up some snacks on the way.  On the way back from Sobeys we were stopped at the corner of Regent and Prospect, just in time to see a bus marked “16 Downtown Only” turning south on Regent Street toward the mall.  For those unfamiliar with Fredericton geography (which apparently includes the transit people), from Prospect Street, downtown is north.  Or perhaps they’ve redefined the word “only”?

- Some of the highlights of Jordan’s party included a short game of Apples to Apples (in which I did not receive any points, because apparently Microsoft is more cruel than Darth Vader, and something is more emotional than girlfriends, though I can’t remember what) and a few rounds of Wii Boxing, including a match in which Nathan repeatedly punched out Mon only to get a real shot to the stomach for his trouble.

- While finding the Apples to Apples hyperlink in the above vignette, I found out that there is also an Apples to Apples Bible Edition.  Ironically, this may very well be a sign of the Apocalypse.

- I went to the Regent Mall yesterday to pick up some Empire Theaters movie money, since I was misinformed as to the suggested price for a Secret Santa I’m participating in, and I had to top up my gift.  Unaware that the theaters were actually open at 10:30 in the morning I got in line at the mall services counter, which lends out strollers, does some customer service, and sells gift cards.  Kim went off to get some other stuff and came back more than ten minutes later to find me still in line.  Some older woman at the head of the line was buying at least 20 gift cards, possibly more, apparently one for each of her relatives and their respective pets.  And I thought I was an unimaginative shopper.

- This story, in my opinion, takes the cake for “funniest computer hardware hack ever”. Kim’s mom’s boss is apparently giving his aunt a refurbished iMac for Christmas, and as part of the upgrades he wanted to add more RAM to it.  However, his technical competence is apparently such that he snapped off the tabs which hold the RAM in place, either while removing the existing chips or while adding the new ones.  Fortunately, after a moment’s thought he apparently found a equally effective way to hold the RAM in: cribbage pegs.

- Wrapping up this round of vignettes, my parents went out to the local co-op yesterday to get some last-minute groceries, and came across what seemed like a good deal: sheets of wrapping paper for $0.45 a package, marked down from $2.95.  Normally I would approve of a 85% discount, except for one critical fact.  The paper smells like ass.  Seriously. No wonder they wanted to get rid of it.  I just better not have any odd-smelling presents on Christmas morning.