Ex Bibliotheca

The life and times of Zack Weinberg.

Thursday, 26 December 2002

# 1:40 AM

I'm writing this entry from Seattle, where I'm visiting my aunt and her family for Christmas. Seattle is cold and rainy this time of year, but still a fine-looking city to spend some time in; I would like to see more of it than is possible over a three-day visit. But that's okay.

Trip highlights: Yesterday, drove around town with my cousins Sam and Travis. Sam has just started college, Travis is in high school. We went to "the Av" (University Avenue, near USeattle) and to the Pike Place Market. That evening, we all got in a car and drove around a nearby neighborhood almost all of whose residents compete to decorate their houses in the gaudiest possible manner. Thus, e.g. six-foot-high inflatable snowmen. Most awe-inspiring.

Today, all of us went to the Woodland Park Zoo for an afternoon stroll. Most of the animals were hiding from the rain, but we did see some friendly elephants and monkeys. There were only a few other humans present.

I'd like to give a shout-out to the fine folks developing the Bash Debugger, which is slow and somewhat buggy itself, but nonetheless saved my butt last week; and also to Isometric Space Ninja, fine web comics about skateboarding cubes. Finally, Powell's has a review of Baudolino, Umberto Eco's new novel (which I have a copy of, waiting for me at home).

Merry Christmas; catch y'all on the flip.