Girl Power

I did not put up the Christmas tree last night.  Nor have I done so today.  I blame technology.  The digital world has conspired against me and my green, plastic salute to the holiday.

I popped a new ink cartridge into the printer last night and prepared to get going on that print job that I need to do if I am going to finish up the first part of a rather large project.  It's one of those things that I have been putting off for a while now.  Since performing that rather simple act, the printer and the computer have decided to stop speaking to one another and nothing I do to try and mediate the conflict between them seems to help.  The printer acknowledges the presence of the computer.  The computer gives a nod in the direction of the printer.  But neither is willing to do more than admit that the other exists.  I hate them both.  They are standing in the way of Christmas.

The printer is going to be blocked by the Christmas tree once it is finally erected in all its false greenishness.  I was trying to be responsible by getting the printing done before losing access to the printer until the New Year.  Now, because of some USB-based war, I will have to either just put up the tree and forget about printing or live in my decidedly unfestive quarters until these two get over it.

I tried going to the website hosted by the mean people who crafted this demonic piece of equipment, but found no answers.  I was going to call tech. support but that kind of seemed like a bad idea today.  I am not in the best of moods after so many hours trying to negotiate this truce, after all.  Add to that the fact that I have spent much of the day watching the Kill Bill series of films and you have the potential for an "incident."  I tend to get rather fired up when I watch Uma kicking butt all over the globe and start seeing myself as more of a warrior than I really am.  

Trying to talk to some poor guy working the weekend in tech support (who may actually be in one of those locales highlighted in the films, now that I think of it...) is only going to lead to trouble.  I need to step away from this for a bit.  Get some perspective.  I don't actually own a sword.  Nor would I know what to do with it if I did possess one.  I should really get a handle on that little slice of reality before I deal with people...

The Big Fluffy Kitty, having had to fight a few of her own battles since last night, was pleased to see that a truce had been reached.  Her brother, the Absurdly Gi-normous Kitty, was rather giddy over the arrival of the weekend and celebrated by torturing her mercilessly.  In his defense, his intentions are noble.  He is a good-natured lad and really only wants a fellow reveler to help him party down.  The BFK, however, is not really all that interested in participating and I found myself having to intervene in order that she not hyperventilate from the hissing.

Note:  They usually observe a pretty much iron-clad truce and can even sleep in the bed together without arguing over space.  Don't get me wrong.  There is no real love here.  But they have learned to live with one another.  Sometimes, though, the AGK's emotions get the better of him and he makes some rather poor judgement calls regarding how best to approach his older sister.  For example, it is a very bad idea to hide in his cat cave, then leap out and bowl her off her feet.  Purring at her is only adding insult to injury at that point as well.

Apparently tuckered out from all this sibling rivalry, the AGK retired to the bedroom for much of the day.  This left the living room and all its wide open spaces free for the BFK.

She took advantage of the peace.  And the "good" napping spot.

Except for when she took a break to glare at me.  If you are reading anything in those eyes but, "I did not ask for a brother, you know...," then you don't speak Cattish very well.

Since I wasn't putting up a tree or breaking up sporadic bouts of sibling rivalry and couldn't print anything, I had to find a way to use my time.  I also needed to come up with an activity that that did not involve punching my way through walls or fighting off hordes of sword-wielding minions.  I figured I'd wrestle with a whole bunch of yarn on needles that are too small to accommodate it.  It's not quite the same as the cool stuff The Bride/Black Mamba/Beatrix Kiddo can do...

But I'll bet that she couldn't knit a mitten.  She probably wouldn't have time in between battles, but still...

Maybe the BFK and I should team up.  We could use our awesome Girl Power to intimidate the printer into better behavior so that we can start celebrating Christmas.  That'd be kinda cool...

SA