What's on your mind? Do you have a sinus infection fighting it out with this year's Oscar picks and the paper you have due next week?

There's just too much to think about this time of year, so spill it all here and then you can forget about it. We here at xeney.com are all about catharsis.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Answers

Besides Christmas, laissez faire capitalism and the WTO, snide former communists, Jennifer Connelly in Labyrinth (I don't recall that her character was really supposed to be under age 15-- were you just putting Lohr on, Beth?), I am also trying to figure out whether I have to get certain shares of stock (not my own) registered with the SEC before I can issue them. It's taking an enormous amount of time. Also, why won't my voice mail work, and where the hell does the local law library keep the Delaware statutes?

Not to mention, the basement smells like sewer gas. Also, although I don't think it's related, the drain to the bathroom sink is leaking and last time it took me about four hours and $40 worth of supplies to fix it. As if the work week ain't enough, I now have a reason to be officially Dreading Saturday.

Whew. That was helpful. Thanks.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Money or the lack thereof is currently my biggest preoccupation. I'm desperately trying to figure out ways to cut down our monthly expenses and coming up blank.

Being in debt sucks.

As for various Delaware legal documents: tried this yet? http://www.state.de.us/research/dor/code.htm

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

I was going to answer a similar comment on the teen flick topic, but it's really a brain clutter kind of issue, so I'll answer it here. Jeremy and I were both of the opinion that Jennifer Connelly and Molly Ringwald looked about 12 in those films. Molly Ringwald looked older and somewhat lust-worthy in her later films, like Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, but in Sixteen Candles she looked barely pubescent. I've only seen Labrynth once, so I consulted with Jeremy before writing what I wrote before. He thought the character seemed about 12 or 13, as well. And he's a pervert, so if he thinks something's creepy, it probably is.

At least, that's how I determine what's creepy. I just ask Jeremy.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Thanks for the Del. Code link -- Lexis, of course, is only putting up the 1998 version for free, so I still have to shlepp over to Suffolk Law School and look in their rationally organized stacks to be sure my info is up to date.

Wish I had an equally useful scheme to help with money woes. My best advice is, don't go to law school. Unless you already have, in which case my advice doesn't change, but the likely benefit pretty much disappears.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

"Don't go to law school" is pretty much my advice for every situation. There is no situation so bad that law school can't make it worse.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Okay, Beth, I hear you on the Jennifer Connelly issue -- but can we go back to Jeremy for clarification about whether it would be creepy if (a) you were 19 at the time and (b) clueless? How about if it was just sort of a crush, and not overt lust?

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Here's what Jeremy says (cleaned up by me, because he's a rotten typist):

Okay, one clarification and an answer:

1. I didn't say that Molly Ringwald looked 12 in Sixteen Candles. She definitely looked the young side of 16, but I thought we settled on 15 (as opposed to most of the cast of 90210, who were 22+ playing 14 year olds).

2. Moving to Labrynth, it was more of an Alice in Wonderland theme instead of a coming of age movie, but her age was very unclear. I think she was playing someone younger, though.

3. On either issue, a 19 yo (especially socially clueless) doesn't have to hide in the pervo corner for being attracted to someone a couple years younger just because she's underage.

J

There you have it. The pervo hath spoken.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

All sorts of things. I got a parking ticket Tuesday morning. My license plate was stolen Tuesday night (and it took 1.75 hours to deal with reporting it, which I'm glad I did because...) and I got a parking ticket yesterday for not having a license plate. So, it's the DMV for me tomorrow morning. Yay.

I'm still not done Xmas shopping. Help.

I leave Tuesday morning to go to Indiana for Xmas. I have so much to get done before I go...work is busy (have you ever tried to get California wine shipped INTO France? Ergh!). I'm also waiting to hear about an anthology that I submitted a story to last month. The editor's online journal suggests that the only letters not sent are the "Please revise just in case we need your story because the deadline is making us nervous" ones, and she says all letters should be - should be - out by Monday. By Monday I'm going to be a complete mess, trying to get shit together so I can go home (where I won't have access to or time to mess with computers), but I want to know before I leave if possible. I'm just hoping I'll have time to revise it (I've no idea when they would want them back, but if they're nervous about the deadline...) and that I won't be worrying about it over my entire vacation....rrgh. If I didn't want to be in this anthology so badly, I wouldn't sweat it as much, but I want to do a good job of revising if it comes to that.... And I don't want to bug the editor...sigh.

David's buggin' out in "GO" mode today, and we're supposed to have dinner....I just hope it's not another shitty night this week...this week has sucked so very badly for the most part....

Yours in bitchiness, Heather

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Comment on Barbara Kinglsolvers book: I was instantly wary when I read in the preface (or intro or whatever-I have a stuffy head too, not too coherent) that Mumia had approved of the manuscript. Why?? Why did she have Mumia read it? Is he an expert on colonialism in Africa or Southern Baptists? Or is it because she's doing the political thing? I don't get it. Am I conservative or naive? It was a pretty depressing book, but I usually like her writing, especially Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven. Just thought I'd throw that out there....

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

What I'd like out of my head:

The song "Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Down in My Heart."

The fact that I know Garth Brooks is only pretending to retire so he can be Chris Gaines forever.

The one Christmas Card I still have to send out.

My never-ending focus on vacation time. If I stopped thinking about it, maybe it would get here sooner.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Why didn't I finish grad school? Why don't I go back? Pork chops or chicken? The dog looks suspicious. What is that smell? Is that a twinge? Wait, is that a twinge, or is it a pain? Is something hurting? Maybe it is cancer. Oh, God...what if it IS cancer? I wonder how badly I would be ostracized if everyone knew I was addicted to bad 80's music? Damn! That is a pain, it isn't a twinge, and it is probably cancer and I did not look good bald and I wonder how long after my tragic death from cancer that brian would wait before he started dating again? Oh, it isn't cancer, it is the cross leg of the chair pressing against my shin again. But I could have a tumour, and not know it. I wonder what Brian got me for Xmas? I wonder if I have health insurance for a tumour? I better check with Brian on that. Should I just come out and tell him I have a tumour, or should I be rhetorical about it? I wonder if I wonder if I have a tumour I will actually get one? I think I only need 3 more courses for a masters. I should go back to school. Maybe I should go to law school. I want to have a baby! Wait, I wonder if I want to have a baby. I don't want to have a baby. I want to have a baby. I don't want to have a baby. I want to have a baby. What is that smell?

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Brain clutter: -- I still have 19 Christmas presents to buy. -- My assistant quit last week, giving two days' notice. I am now doing two jobs. -- I need to get stuff for my wedding, like a photographer, dj, florist...wedding bands, a dress, etc. -- I need to *pay* for my wedding. This last is giving me total agida. -- Michael's birthday is three weeks after Christmas. Can we say "broker than broke?" <:P

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

The never ending lack of money. Christmas. A new job. A new job as a web design/maintenance/update kinda job. I'm scaredthrilled. I start Monday.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Christmas presents, mainly for my mom who doesn't need anything and doesn't want much, yet I want to buy her things. Thank god I thought of something good for someone I owe a really nice present: a limoges box shaped like a champagne bottle. I even know where to get it. Now it's just a matter of driving to San Francisco and doing it. I'm trying not to think about that part.

Money, not having enough. Pat just said to me "Don't for get to withdraw $1600 from your credit union like we talked about." Huh? Wha? We talked about this? He painstakingly reminded me that if we make the January house payment in December it improves the tax situation, so we have to borrow it from my credit union. We talked about this. I have no recollection of this, but hey, it makes sense.

Christmas cards, which I bought but which are still sitting in the bag. We haven't sent out thank yous for our wedding presents in October and those feel like more of a priority. I tell myself, we'll just do 5 every evening, that's ten a night, then we'll be done. Number we have done: zero.

Trying to schedule a sauna somewhere.

Our trip to LA next week. Is it too late to get plane tickets? Oh, why didn't I email Lucy last week? Anyway, it's time to start thinking about what to take. That brings me back to presents for Mom.

Until yesterday I was obsessed by finding my watch, but somebody found it in the copier room and all is well again.

I have my health, at least. Knocking wood.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Want guy. Vic dragging feet on bringing him to me. Abandoned vocabulary, grammar. Sick of mailing list bruhahas. Glad to know some grades. Sick of Christmas gift stuff. Want guy.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 1999