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Christmas tree

December 15, 2005 by Michael Boyle

Christmas tree

flickr photo: Decorated XMas tree 2005

Originally uploaded by mikel.


This is the first year that we’ve done our own Christmas tree. In the past, we were always travelling to see family over Christmas, but this year we’re staying put, so we got our own tree.

We went out on Sunday to a tree cutting place but we didn’t have the heart to cut a living tree so we ended up buying one pre-cut. Except for the one that our friends cut down, which was lovely, all of the pre-cut trees were nicer anyhow.

So far we’ve been lucky – the dogs have hardly noticed the tree. That might change once we get some gifts spread around the bottom, though.

Tags: Christmas, Personal

At Christmas I received

May 30, 2001 by Michael Boyle

a copy of a new edition of John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces [excerpt], a novel I’d always avoided. I don’t exactly remember why I avoided it – all that remains is a shadowy idea that I was afraid the story behind the book would be more compelling than the work itself. If you’re unaware of the story, the novel was written by a young writer named John Kennedy Toole who committed suicide – with the manuscript still unpublished among his papers – and only later did his mother submit it for consideration to an English professor she met.

In any case, I’ve been reading it for the past few days, and I’m really glad I got over my avoidance – it’s simply beautiful. Confederacy features one of the oddest protagonists since (oddly enough) the Scarlet and the Black, a guy who has really gotten under my skin – who I want to hold by the shoulders and physically shake before he frustrates me any more. But it’s not the writing that’s frustrating – it’s the character, well-drawn.

Tags: Books, Christmas, Personal

Back in Montreal

December 28, 2000 by Michael Boyle

now, though I still have a couple of days off, which I plan on spending by doing as close to nothing as I can. Christmas highlights? Food, wine, more food, good company, seeing my brother, and (finally) reading Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. A lot of friends picked it up and didn’t find it that interesting, but I’m really enjoying it. It’s not for the geekery and crypto stuff either – I’m enjoying it as a novel, as a story.

Tags: Christmas, Food, Friend, Montreal, Wine

I’m headed out on my

December 22, 2000 by Michael Boyle

annual Christmas trek. This time it’s easy – Montreal to Ottawa, Ottawa to Mont Tremblant, Mont Tremblant back home – 2 hrs each leg of the journey. So – Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Eat, drink, and be merry.

Tags: Christmas, Montreal, Ottawa

Sad news today

December 19, 2000 by Michael Boyle

via Prol: Singer Kirsty MacColl dies in an accident. “Happy Christmas your arse/I pray god it’s our last…”

Tags: Christmas

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