I'm going out of town here before the end of the day. No updates until then, unless I can sneak away to the library in Ruidoso. Or if dad finally decided to join us all here in 2004. Should anyone need to get a hold of me, I will have my cell phone.

I just got back into town. I haven't heard from my dad so I don't know when I'm going to head for Ruidoso. Christmas wasn't as bad as it has been in previous years. I was just incredibly tired the entire time.

Molly, my oldest dog, has been really sick lately. She's probably about twelve or thirteen years old, and she has artritis. Her eyes have been swollen for the past few days, and she's just getting old. She's not much longer for this world, I'm afraid, which makes me incredibly sad. She didn't do to good on this road trip. She just slept alot and whatnot. She'll be okay, she's just old.

Tomorrow at the ungodly hour of 5:00 AM I will venture with my mother to the death pit of doom and pain, otherwise known as my aunt's house in Austin. Here's the thing, my grandmother died around this time back in 1999. Five years ago. Five freakin' years. I have four cousins on that side of my family, and while they wanted nothing to do with this very cool and awesome lady when she was still around, they take this time of year to fight and drink and ruin other people's life. My mother and her siblings have gotten over this, because they are also cool and awesome people, and they can seem to move on and not ruin what should be a fun time. I was very, very close with my grandmother, so if anyone has a right to mope around and piss off other people, it's probably me. So I have to spent the weekend with them, and I can't even sneak away to hunt for comic stores or other cool activites. And when I get back, I'm probably going up to Ruidoso to see my dad, which should be... interesting, if nothing else.

The drawback of having so many friends is you have to worry about gifts and whatnot. So this year I burned everbody a special "Alan CD" that they can either enjoy or throw away, because they only cost me about thirty cents a piece. So, if you're wondering what's on your special "Alan CD," here's a track listing.

1. The Smiths - Ask
2. The Roots - The Mic
3. Underworld - Born Slippy
4. Mos Def - Close Edge
5. Flogging Molly - What's Left of the Flag
6. Jurassic 5 - I am Somebody
7. Bad Religion - I Want to Conquer the World
8. Rancid - Journey to the End of the East Bay
9. The Violent Femmes - Kiss Off
10. De La Soul - Me, Myself, and I
11. Radiohead - The National Anthem
12. Four Star Mary - Pain
13. The Pharcyde - Passing Me By
14. Flogging Molly - Tomorrow Comes a Day to Soon
15. Bad Religion - Walk Away
16. Jurassic 5 - What's Golden
17. NOFX - Franco Un-American
18. The Roots - The Next Movement
19. Travis - Blue Flashing Light
20. Underworld - Moaner

It's a perfect CD for all the punk rockers/hip-hop lovers/sad sappy fourteen year old girls in all of us. Basically, people just like me. And my friends. I hope everybody enjoyed it.

I've been debating which holiday I should celebrate. I don't want to celebrate Christmas anymore, and there are two alternatives. There is a Festivus for the rest of us, and contains three main elements: the displaying of the aluminum pole, completely unadorned with any decorations, especially tinsel. Tinsel is distracting. Then there is the airing of grievances, where you can tell people how they disappointed you that year. Last, of course, is the feats of strength, in which head of the family tests his or her strength against one participant of the head's choosing. Festivus is not over until the head of the family has been pinned. Of course, I might have something better to do during this. The second alternative holiday, while newer, if of course, Chrismukkah, which combines the powers of Moses and Jesus into something greater than bother of them. There are yarmakules and similar items to wear.

I think this year Festivus might win out.

Holy crap, it's snowing. That came as quite a surprise, considering I live in the desert. It's all wet and cold and given that, you would think I live very far North. We had our Christmas lunch at work today. Free food. Goodness abounds.

Comics for today are as follows: Astonishing X-Men #7, which is late, but is so good I don't really mind; The Authority: Revolution #3 (of 12), which I'm enjoying; Black Widow #4 (of 6), which is also really good; Catwoman: When in Rome #3 (of 6), which is decent enough; Conan #11, which seems appropiate given the weather today; Green Arrow #45, which is Phil Hester's and Ande Park's last issue; Green Lantern: Rebirth #3 (of 6), for the Blake-like fanboy in all of us; JLA Classified #2, which continues Grant Morrison's three issue opening arc; Manhunter #5, which is excellent; Mystique #22, which is ending soon; New Thunderbolts #3, which is quite good; Nightcrawler #4, which kicks lots and lots of ass; Richard Dragon #8, which is just fun; Rogue #6, which is Rob Rodi's and Cliff Richard's last issue; Sleeper: Season Two #7 (of 12), which is always good; Solo #2, which spotlights Richard Corben; Space Ghost #2 (of 6), which is very drama-like; Ultimate Elektra #5 (of 5), which was kind of a letdown; Wolverine #23, which has been pretty good with Mark Millar on board; Wonder Woman #211, which should not be as good as it is; and X-Men #165, which is stand alone issue from Chris Claremont.

Good stuff this week. I also got paid today.

Not much happened. I had my first weekend without anything hanging over me. It was fun. I did nothing and enjoyed it.

I just felt the need to post something. Blake and Paolo are both back in town today, and we're going to go hang out after I get off of work, which is in about an hour. Then I'll do nothing important tonight.

Laziness and irresponsibility are awesome.

I am done with finals. I'm still reeling from the relief I feel.

Nothing much else to report. I went over to my mom's house last night. My dad called to tell me he's getting all his teeth pulled this weekend so he can get dentures (he's had these nasty infected teeth for years now). I'm probably going to go down there the week after Christmas, which should be, at the very least, interesting.

Identity Crisis #7 was excellent this week. In the end, it's just a good old fashioned murder mystery with comic book characters. I was very pleased. The other best of the week goes to Daredevil #68 and Ex Machina #7.

I've also been rereading Runaways from Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona in anticipation for the second series that starts in February. It should kick alot of ass.

One more test to go. And today I get to get comics. Good days all around.

Here's what comes out this week: Adventures of Superman #635, which has been really good lately; Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes #3 (of 8), which is really cool; Birds of Prey #77, which is always good; Catwoman #38, which starts Scott Morse's three-issue arc; Daredevil #68, which is always excellent; Enginehead #6 (of 6), which is one of those series that I really like, but I couldn't tell you why; Ex Machina #7, which is always badass; Exiles #56, which has swords and stuff; Fantastic Four #521, which is always good; Gotham Knights #60, which should get back on track now; Hawkman #35, which has art from Joe Bennett; Identity Crisis #7 (of 7), which I'm going to hoarde and then make it bare my children; Justice League Elite #6 (of 12), which shouldn't be as cool as it is; Madrox #4 (of 5), which is also incredibly cool; Marvel Team-Up #3, which is alot of fun; Ocean #3 (of 6), which makes me want jump with glee; Robin #133, which has been really good; Trigger #1, some new series that is supposed to be really good; and Ultimate Spider-Man #70, which always astounds me.

Good stuff this week. Especially the end of Identity Crisis. Fun times.

I finished my papers and took a test this morning. I sold back my books and got $97. For $350 worth of books. I still have one more test on Thursday that I should do okay on. Hopefully, anyways.

Today needs to be over. They also need to fix our internet connection in the dorms.

I saw Blade: Trinity this weekend. It's a really fun movie. I'd see it again, eventually.

I went to my mom's company Christmas party with her last night, like I've done every year. It was a bit more fun this year, because the average age of the employees my mom takes care of are my age, and most of them seemed pretty cool. As the night wore on, though, it became alot of old drunk people that I didn't know. There was an open bar, too.

Our internet went out again yesterday. Because this weekend, of all weekends, the weekend before finales when a million papers are due, is really the weekend that we don't need it. So, I'm over at my mom's right now.

I finished my History paper. I'm going to work on my English paper tonight and tomorrow, as I'm off of work. Then it's an English test on Tuesday and a Psychology test on Thursday and I'll be done. If I can make it through next week without killing anybody, I'll be good to go.

Another good day for comics. It a little over an hour they will be mine.

Oh, yes. They will be mine.

Here's what comes out today: Action Comics #822, which continues Chuck Austen's run on the book; Bloodhound #6, which I enjoy; B.P.R.D.: The Dead #2 (of 5), which is from Mike Mignola, so you know it's good; Bullseye: Greatest Hits #4 (of 5), which has turned out to be pretty decent; Doctor Spectrum #4 (of 6), which isn't as good as it should be, but looks like it might pick up with this issue; Emma Frost #18, which is the last issue; Fables #32, which is always good; Gotham Central #26, to which I say "yay" and do a happy dance; Hulk and Thing: Hark Knocks #4 (of 4), which is the end of Bruce Jones at Marvel; JLA #109, which has been really good; JSA #68, which I'm very much looking foward to; Legends of the Dark Knight #186, which seems to be on a high note for this storyarc; Marvel Knights 4 #13, which is always good; Marvel Knights Spider-Man #9, which kicks alot of ass; Nightcrawler #3, which kicks far more ass than it has a right to; Nightwing #100, which has been building to this issue for the past two years; Powers #7, which is always fantastic; The Punisher #15, which I'm a little behind on, but is still good; Rising Stars #23 (of 24), which is almost over after five years; Spectacular Spider-Man #22, which should be good; X-Men/Fantastic Four #1 (of 5), which should be at least interestintg; and X-Men: The End Book One #6 (of 6), which is good enough for me to keep buying.

The semester is almost over. When it is I will keel over and die.

I went and worked out last night for the first time since I moved. I kicked my own ass. Hard. I'm incredibly sore today, yet I'm already making plans to go again tonight.

I'm not sure why. In a few days the pain will stop and in will start to feel good. That's the plan anyways.

Again, Mondays are crap. I get paid tomorrow. I'm going to go pick up Gargoyles: Season One DVD set tomorrow and bring back memories of my childhood.

I'm looking foward to Blade: Trinity as well. The geek in my dances.

When I finally got ahold of my dad yesterday, he said that I need to come up there and that my grandfather was sick. So I get about fifty miles down the road and he calls me back, saying he's not the sick and not to come. So I wasted a night, missed my class, and wrote a check for gas with money I didn't have in the bank. But my mom covered that for me. I was still pissed when I got home.

Anyways, not much I can do about it now.

Here's some comic thoughts.

Fallen Angel #18 - I think that this issue was written to be a type of finale for the book, because that's what it feels like. I'm glad it's going on for at least two more issues, and hopefully more. Peter David lays out a bunch of answers for questions he introduced at the beginning of the series. I hope this can continue for years to come.

New Avengers #1 - this is the book I've been waiting a long time for. This is Brian Bendis and David Finch at their best. And it has all the best characters they can slam in the damn thing. I don't see how people can bitch about this. How is this not the coolest thing ever?

Superman/Batman #15 - I don't know what to think of this book anymore. There's been two issues now of crap that doesn't even take place in the real timeline, and then at the end we get some semblance of what's going on. But not really. It'd been so long we've gotten who that guy at the end is supposed to be. Maybe I should go back and reread the first storyarc. Or not. I have better things to do.

The Ultimates 2 #1 (of 12) - back when the first series of this title came out, I wasn't going to get it. I'm not sure why, but I also didn't use to like Mark Millar. I don't know what was wrong with me. It's so cool that this thing came out on the same week as New Avengers, because we get two incredibly awesome books to discuss. This is comics at their best.

Y: The Last Man #29 - this is also comics at their best, but this is also fantastic. Brian Vaughan is the master of pulling his readers off in a totally different direction that you even thought you were supposed to go. This is great stuff, and I shudder to think that this book actually has a set ending. At the same time, I can't wait for that ending.

All for now. I also read the new issue of Uncanny X-Men, but it was so bad that I don't want to talk about it.

I got seven pages of comic script out in an hour earlier today. I'm almost done with issue 3 of the book I'm working on, which still needs to be drawn. I'm going to get through the fourth issue, which is the end of the first story arc, and then put it aside until Chris can get to drawing it. There's no point in continuing to write it without it being drawn. I'll move onto something else, though I'm not sure what. I'm sure something will come to me. It always does. I think I'll go back to the novel idea.

My dad called me at work when I wasn't here. I'm not sure, and now I can't get a hold of him. It has me a little worried.

The internet in my dorm is once again incredibly screwy. On top of that, the two main torrent sites I frequent are both down for unknown reasons. Now I can't see yesterday's episode of Gilmore Girls. Go ahead. Laugh. I don't care anymore. It's a good freakin' show. And I'm a girl.

Alot of good comics come out today, despite it being a relatively small week. Captain America and the Falcon #10, which is to good for its own good; Detective Comics #801, which starts David Lapham's year long run on the book; Exiles #55, which ships three issues this month; Fallen Angel #18, the end of the current "season" that I'm really looking foward to, since it doesn't come back until March; Firestorm #8, which is good enough for me to keep buying it; The Intimates #2, which I shouldn't like, but I do; Jubilee #4 (of 6), which got bumped down to a mini-series; The Monolith #10, which I'm sad it ending; New Avengers #1, which will be the awesomeness of all awesomenessitivity; Ousiders #18, which is going to be bad; PvP #12, which is always funny; Superman/Batman #15, which is the second part of an Elseworlds type story; Ultimates 2 #1 (of 12), which returns for the first time since late March; Uncanny X-Men #453, which desperatley needs Alan Davis doing the art all the time; and Y: The Last Man #29, which is always incredibly good.

On top of that, the Daredevil: Director's Cut DVD is out. And the first season of Gargoyles comes out on DVD next Tuesday. Geek nerd happy dance.