Blargg.. I’m at work not really working. It’s so quiet you’d think all the world has retired. Wouldn’t that be something? Wanna go to the store? No. It’s closed. They’re ALL RETIRED. RETARDED? No, RETIRED.
The 3 Days of Christmas celebration are finally at an end, and I deem a 50% success rate — if you count by the amount of beer still left in the basement. It’s sort of troubling, since I didn’t really have the cash to begin with and now I’m stuck with 7 sixers of pint and I can’t pay the bills. Well, at least I can become an alcoholic when the financial downturn crashes in around February.
Anyway. On the Eve before Christmas (23rd of December) Norwegians usually watch the Grevinnen og hovmesteren, which is a British short film made for New Year’s Eve and it’s totally great. They air it the same time on the same channel every year. Same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie? Same procedure as every year, James.
Except for this year. Almost at least. I worked with the RG-6 coax to RF setup in the livingroom until afternoon on the 23rd. It started working around six o’clock in the evening. It’s always nice to see your own home cabling actually work. The problem was that I had setup and bought RG-6 coaxial F-plug keystones, while Norwegian television actually use what they call RF antenna cables, which are a little bit different. I was able to solve it with a couple of TRIAX cabin TV/Radio outlets though, having discovered that the TV and RADIO ends actually is different(!!). Who would’ve thought? You’d think it didn’t matter. I told Lady C about it and she said: "Well, OBVIOUSLY! That one says TV and the other says FM then you connect the one saying TV DONTCHA!?" I should always check with her first.
When the TV finally turned on (after 1,5 hour calibrating and installing new firmware) it was a magical world to us. Me and Lady C have been without moving images for one and a half year almost. We watch DVDs, lots of it, and lately some divx downloads as well. But Real TV? Chopped into episodes spread out over time? With Real Crap Commercials? Gawking like little children.
Christmas Eve was nice but a little crowded. We were 14 in total. The living room is quite big enough, but our table had to be supplemented with Lady C’s brother’s unruly role-playing table. Luckily, no one was killed. Lady C was happy though, ’cause we were able to show off our new chinaware – a gift from my mother – and the newly erected family bar counter:
The last couple of days were hectic, but also relaxed in that I didn’t once leave the building save for taking out the trash. It felt nice. I’m looking forward to easing out on the couch and catch some badly written TV show. Or just drink more beer. Whatever comes first. Right now I’m just sitting at work making myself available for non-existing calls, catching up on tech news and friends’ blogs. They way X-mas ought to be.