Dune
Blessed is the Maker and His water. Bless the coming and going of Him. May his passage cleanse the world. May He keep the world for His people.
-- Frank Herbert, Dune, Liet Kynes
Saturday, December 9, 2000
One year ago: Chatting
Two years ago: Shim Sham
Three years ago: More Lanterns
The first mention of me placing online personal ads was three years ago. That was certainly a good thing to have done! Of course I got lots of clueless responses, and some that were even unpleasant. But I met a number of guys, went out with some, and dated a few. And Jack contacted me because I took that action. Good for both of us, I think!
We had a slightly lazy morning, with Jack cooking eggs and a large amount of bacon, plus toast. My sister has told me that she only cooks bacon once a year, as a Christmas treat. I can understand that, since it's not exactly good for you, but tastes so good!
We discussed working on straightening up Jack's office/bedroom upstairs, but decided to go shopping first. I made a list of needed items: a vase from goodwill for my carnations, plastic hangers, and a lid for the rice cooker. These weren't needed for the cleanup (except for the hangers), but are things we would notice were needed around the place, then forget about when actually in a store.
* * * * * * * *
We stopped at the jail downtown, so Jack could visit his daughter A---- first thing. I was going to wait in the car, but there was an obnoxious car alarm (is there any other kind?) resounding from a car across the street, so Jack suggested I come up and stay in the waiting room. We were admitted via remote control! They look at you on video, ask who you are, then open the door. You walk through halls and around corners, find the elevator, enter it and wait for them to activate it (you are on video again), exit on the top floor and walk to the waiting room. The room is bare, with a table and a few tattered magazinges. (Jack should bring in his old ones!). There's a fine view from up there -- I could see the whole North half of town.
Seeing A---- was tough for Jack, of course. She still sees herself as totally put-upon. She thinks she's where she is now because people are mean to her. "If only I'd walked the other way when I saw that cop, I wouldn't be here now!"
The owner of the alarming car came out of the building at the same time as us, through another door. He must have overheard Jack and me laughing about the general uselessness and annoyingness of such alarms as we walked towards the car. I even remembered the Robocop car alarm which gave you an electric shock (or worse?) if you didn't get back when requested. The owner sheepishly turned off the alarm as we drove away.
* * * * * * * *
We drove a few blocks to the used book store we often go to. This one has a big selection of the Dover Thrift Editions, so Jack picked out some classic literature for relatives. I got some for my nephews, and spend a long time back in the children's section, piling up books on history, science, and sports. I found a few books by Edward Eager, whom I'd really liked as a kid. I hope they prove popular!
I was slightly irked when the store owner refused to take my check! Seattle is too far away to count as a local check, I guess, and I don't have a credit card. So I dashed across the street to another bookstore and got Jack to come and pay, feeling slightly huffed the while. But I still wanted the books! I gave Jack a check right then, which I should remind him to cash.
We headed North, towards another bookstore, but stopped at Yeagers, a sporting goods store, on the way. Jack had heard about this place, but hadn't visited it before. Like chubby and tubby's, it has a lot of miscellaneous items besides its putative specialty. At this time of year, they turn the entire basement into "Toyland." Jack bought toys for his family; I bought a breyer horse -- I couldn't ignore the Marine standing there next to the toys for tots donation barrel.
By this point we were getting hungry. Jack suggested an odd establishment he's tried a time or two: Morrie's chinese and burger place. I got the burger, Jack got sweet and sour chicken combo. This was right across the street from the USB we go to that's in a house and also sells odd lot merchandise (reading glasses, random "power" bars) that the owner picks up somewhere. Bellingham still has a bunch of these independent offbeat businesses. I didn't buy anything at this store, but Jack bought some true crime novels as a gift for a family member.
Next stop: Salvation Army. That's why we came up to this end of town. I selected a vase from the many that had gone from the florist, to someone's cabinet, to the donation barrel. Jack found an ink jet printer that he thought might be useful to me at dance camp. It was missing an ink cartridge so we couldn't test it, but he rooted around on the shelf and found the manual, and there was a printer cable, and it was only ten bucks! (Twenty, normally, but everything there was half off today, such a deal!) Even if we couldn't make it work, it wasn't a huge risk. I grabbed some random sacks of Christmas odds and ends, to be used next weekend at SantaCon in Vancouver BC.
Should we continue to costco? I said yes. Jack found a gift for me and told me to look away as he put it in the cart. (but I know what table in the store it came from, so I know what it is. that's ok!) plus wrapping paper, more almond roca, something for his mother , and even more.
Jack was fading, but I still needed a cartridge for the printer, so we went into office depot next door. the cartridge costs more than twice as much as the printer!
Jack had a headache as we drive home. (He drove today for a change, instead of me.) We had plans to go watch Dune with some friends. Should we go? We decided to see how he felt after a rest.
* * * * * * * *
But instead of resting, Jack decided to wrap up some sf novels he's been collecting with gift-giving in mind. I set up his laptop and the new printer, to see if we could get it going. It was a bit fussy at first, but finally we got the paper feeding correctly.
I helped with the tape when wrapping the presents. I know now that Jack is much fussier about gift wrapping than I am! (I didn't realize this our first Christmas together.) The job must be neat and done right. I didn't realize for a while that he was signing my name along with his to the Far Side christmas cards that went with the books. I didn't mind, but it seemed to be giving me too much credit.
I drove over to Jim Kling's house, where everyone was gathering to watch this new version of Dune. I brought some of the snack items I'd brought from home: peppered beef jerky and pistachios. (Salty, much?) I also contributed a few bucks towards the pizza that another woman was ordering. Jack handed out the gifts, and I think the recipients were pleased! He'd chosen books for each person that he knew they hadn't read, but had been discussing with him in this past year.
The show was pretty good! The expansive length (five hours or so) meant that the issues and themes of the complicated story had room to develop. Paul, in the first episode, did seem to me like a snotty teenage brat. I don't remember him giving me that impression when I read the book, but maybe I was too young to pick up on it. I first read Dune when I was in late elementary school, and I've read it several times since. I remember trying to explain to one of my teachers, just exactly what science fiction was. "It's on these other planets, see, but they aren't the ones in this solar system..."
The digital special effects were good -- the only thing that looked fakey to me was when they were running alongside the worm. That part looked like an old-fashioned process shot when the stars would be driving a car with "Paris" projected in the background.
The headgear was distracting. "It's all about the hats!" I whispered to Jack. Jack's comments were not whispered, which irked some other members of the group. Good thing I didn't feel responsible for his actions. I did ask him to keep quiet when he was bugging me, though.
I'd orginally thought we were going to see one, or possibly two episodes of the three, but when we'd completed two tapes everyone wanted to go on to the third one, so I agreed. I was interested too, though fatigued. It was a good show, and a fun evening. Now I want to reread the book!
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