a package for me wasn't able to be delivered yesterday because i didn't hear the doorbell. what was left instead was a note telling me to visit the porter square post office to pick up my parcel. that is, pick it up on the coldest day of the season! by the time i left my house in the early afternoon, i was bundled up like i was taking a trip into outer space (the temperature, for those who're curious, was 9 degrees fahrenheit). i had so many layers on that i started to feel dizzy, like i wasn't getting enough circulation to my brain. after i signed for my package i came home. along with an assortment of cable turtles (cheap chinese knockoffs, but they still work), i was surprised to see another lambency diffuser. i checked the online invoice to make sure i didn't accidently order two, since i already received a diffuser on new year's eve. fortunately for me, it looks like an inventory error so now i have two.

i went with my parents to the burlington mall sears to buy a snow blower. not just any blower, but one with automatic drive and a plow width of 24". it's actually for business use, to clear the sidewalks around the cafe after snowstorms. they used to have one but it got stolen last year. my father ended up deciding on a $700 craftsman model. after getting some slightly expensive indian food from the food court, we went back to the sears to pick up the blower. in hindsight i would've been better if only two of us had gone: with the 180 lbs. blower stowed in the back, there wasn't anymore room for me. i ended up crouched down in the back in a pocket of space between the blower and the rear hatch door.

when i got home i was glued to the iowa caucus coverage on tv. barack obama - the person i'd vote for if the presidential election was hel today - won the democratic caucus. i also like edwards, and glad that he came in second. should obama get the final nod of the party, would he pick edwards as vice president? as for hilary, i might've said this before, but i just want to go on the record and say that i would not vote for her, even if she did get the democratic nomination. there's something about her that's disingenuous, seems too calculating. even her smile, it always seems so forced. with her as president, i think it'd be business as usual, there wouldn't be any real changes.

along with my cheap china merchandise from hong kong, my fleece j.crew hoodie arrived today as well. it will replace my old hoodie, which is still wearable, but the sleeves are starting to come apart. besides, that one didn't have a fleece lining, which comes in handy during these cold winter days. (can you see the image on the right? it's a png file with background transparency. older versions of internet explorer for the PC don't support this feature, so if it looks weird, that's why).