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Where would I be without free downloads?
Jun. 18th, 2006 11:43 pmI'm a little embarrassed to tell you about what I've been doing with my free time in the past week, so let me tell you first about Father's Day. My father and I have a relationship that is friendly, but often contentious and strained because while we're similar temperamentally, we're very different when it comes to everything else, and we don't always trust each other's motives, and so any time that we spend together past about three hours has the potential to go disastrously wrong in ways that make life extremely unpleasant not only for us but for everyone around us.
Today was one of the good days, I'm happy to report. I'm not spending money on anything that isn't strictly necessary right now, and so I was absolved from the difficult task of buying something that he wanted that he hadn't already just gone out and bought. Instead, I gave him a bunch of downloaded comedy video, and though you may not think an hour and fifteen minutes of George Carlin talking about suicide was the most appropriate of Father's Day gifts, I assure you that the collection was a big success. I also donated three hours of time changing out a CD drive and reconfiguring things on his PC and laptop (which was sort of a present for my mother, since my father's easily frustrated by computers and has a control over his temper that falls somewhat short of suffucient).
I also cooked dinner, which since my parents started the South Beach Diet last week (I know, I know), I had to look up all these special recipes, and here is what we ended up having: steaks rubbed with garlic and olive oil, garlic mashed cauliflower that was kind of shockingly tasty, baby spinach salad with tomatoes and mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette, and mocha ricotta for dessert (which sounds perfectly disgusting but is perfectly edible).
It was a good day, is what I'm trying to say. Nary a fight, not even a harsh word. The kind of day which makes me kind of sorry I sometimes dread these family gatherings.
( Okay, so on to what I've been doing for the rest of the week. )
Today was one of the good days, I'm happy to report. I'm not spending money on anything that isn't strictly necessary right now, and so I was absolved from the difficult task of buying something that he wanted that he hadn't already just gone out and bought. Instead, I gave him a bunch of downloaded comedy video, and though you may not think an hour and fifteen minutes of George Carlin talking about suicide was the most appropriate of Father's Day gifts, I assure you that the collection was a big success. I also donated three hours of time changing out a CD drive and reconfiguring things on his PC and laptop (which was sort of a present for my mother, since my father's easily frustrated by computers and has a control over his temper that falls somewhat short of suffucient).
I also cooked dinner, which since my parents started the South Beach Diet last week (I know, I know), I had to look up all these special recipes, and here is what we ended up having: steaks rubbed with garlic and olive oil, garlic mashed cauliflower that was kind of shockingly tasty, baby spinach salad with tomatoes and mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette, and mocha ricotta for dessert (which sounds perfectly disgusting but is perfectly edible).
It was a good day, is what I'm trying to say. Nary a fight, not even a harsh word. The kind of day which makes me kind of sorry I sometimes dread these family gatherings.
( Okay, so on to what I've been doing for the rest of the week. )
