So after alot of cajoling, empty promises and the covenant that if anything happened to his beloved I would make amends with the soul of my first born, I managed to wheedle the PS2 out of my (lovely) older brothers possession and into my clutches for the next week.


It's like having a redheaded stepchild to entertain you but with the whole bound-in-the-closet thing.


He was apprehensive at first, worried about it being trampled on or lost, which I told him was just silly because I'm the most responsible person he knows. After convincing him that the only reason why I never beat games when I do play them (PS/PS2 game playing falls under my 'Blue Moon' catagory) is because certain parties take them away from me before I ever get the chance, he gave up. Now I can play and beat Fatal Frame to my little black hearts content. Want to know something extremely sad? I've had the Playstation to myself for three days now, and haven't even turned it on. That in a nutshell is the whole reason I've never bought one, becides the fact that it plays DVDs, the lure of playing games isn't strong enough for me. Unless people start making more games that don't involve Barbie or sniper rifles, I probably never will get one.


Oh well.


I ran out to The Book Bin today. The Book Bin is a small Northwest chain that mixes a little bit of Borders with some local used book store love, combining all the greatness of new titles with the ohmigod of being able to buy those titles at three-to-whatever bucks off the cover price. They also carry rare and hard to find books, and if they don't have it, they'll get it for you. The Salem store covers two floors of a lovely building right smack downtown and I'd live in their basement if they'd let me.


I did some browsing, and found a couple titles I couldn't find at Borders when I was there yesterday (and some I did, but cheaper at Book Bin), and some I wasn't even looking for. I'm going to pack up a box and take it in to exchange for some store credit, and move some of the library that has burrowed its way into my garage out on it's hiney. It wouldn't be so bad if 80% of the books that have been abandoned on me didn't have the redolence of a backed up sewer pipe in July. I just hope that the Book Bin is less harsh then I am. `Cause I need more books, man.

Ahh...Christmas. Have I mentioned I hope everyone has a good one? I have? Good then. Eat some pie for me. More about pie later in the post. My plans for today? Not a thing. I'm doing diddly. Diddly = Gosh Golly Darn Good. We love Diddly. I haven't had much slacking time and I'm going to milk it. Nothing else about milk in this post, sorry, but moving along...

I'm going to win back the $6.35 I lost yesterday in penny point Rummy (and some change after, mark my words), going to play some more Fatal Frame (And give you my 'post beating' review, which I know you're waiting with baited breath for. Perfect Christmas game, blood, gore, horror, ghosts! WOO!), going to cook a couple pies (mm..pie. This is the only time of the year I eat pie. Why? I don't know, pie is good. Runner up Snack of the Gods. The first place snack being snacky cakes, of course. Pie. It even sounds pretty. Pie. Piiie. Pieee. Ok, I'm done.) and a ham (I have an alphabet wall decoration at LKP, which has P (of course) and for P it's Pudgy Pig loves to eat Pizza. I wanted to redo it to have it say 'Pudgy Pig loves to eat Pork Pizza' and see if anyone caught it, but the company beat me to it...he's eating Pizza with Pepperoni on it. Think anyone but me'll notice?) watch a couple movies (Scary ones, of course. Maybe a couple Christmas ones...maybe.), and call my sister (Who's at her Dads with my youngest brother and according to the phone call they got this morning, having a crappy time. Her Grandparents took them to their Dads, and they knew they were coming, and didn't get them anything (not that presents matter, but they do when 20 other kids are there and they all have presents) and to make matters worse, their Grandmother unwrapped someone elses socks, and rewrapped them and gave them to my Brother and gave my sister a new toothbrush that was ment for someone else. I think they win the shitty Yule award for this year.) becides that, I have no plans.


I'm just going to enjoy being lazy while I've got the chance, I've got to get right back to work tomorrow. The state is withholding all the money they owe us until Thursday (wasn't that nice of them? So nobody has presents, because we didn't get paid, which dosen't matter but does, especally when you're just a kid.) after we get our check we're going to go do a bit of shopping and have a little Family day next week with all the kids and let them open a few presents then. But in the mean time, if you'll excuse me, I've got to reavenge my card-virtue and wollop some people at Rummy.


Merry Christmas everybody.

I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas. I hope that you have great ones :)

I managed to snag a few minutes last night after all the big Brother birthday stuff was done (I did a little party at my house for him) and played a tiny bit of Fatal Frame. (A game about a girl who's brother vanishes in a haunted house in Japan and she goes in looking for him - armed against the ghosts that occupy it with only a camera that captures them) I'm only about two minutes past the intro, but so far I'm enjoying it. Some things, for those of you who are thinking about checking it out:


1: The controls aren't as bad as all the reviews I've read say they are. They, like every other game, take a few minutes to orient yourself to, but once you've got it down, you'll have no problem with it. My only complaint is that in the intro, once you go into camera mode you stay in camera mode, but once out of the intro you don't (You have to hold down the circle button to go into camera mode, and keep it held to stay that way). I'm not sure if I like this or don't, but it does take a few minutes to get the hang of popping in and out of camera mode, and holding buttons down while doing stuff in camera mode. No big deal though.


2. The characters do move a bit slow, (but then again so would I if I was in that situation) and when your characters run it's not much of an improvement over walking. Once you get going, you really don't notice it anymore.


3. The intro (and flashbacks) are grainy and dark and mostly in greyscale and dark colors. The actual game (so far) isn't nearly this bad, and you can actually see outside of the beam of your flashlight. On a survival horror scale, this one is lighter then Silent Hill but a bit darker then Resident Evil. Just so you know. The game also has a kewl feature that lets you move your flashlight without moving your person, it's great for checking out dark corners.


4. All the characters are on valium, so be forwarned - the voice acting is bad. (Like most other games) They all sound like they're floating on a cloud of drugs.


5. The ghosts are super cool. They've made them the way I think ghosts should be: see through people who fade in and out. They talk too, sometimes what is being said is hard to catch, so paying attention is probably a good thing.


6. Examine everything, even if you've examined it before, examine it again. Sometimes things because of the camera angles and lighting is hard to get at or see, don't let it get you down, there are things that you need to know hidden all over the place.


7. The background music/sound effects can make you a bit wary, especally when you're trying to learn the controls while slinking around the house getting your barings hoping no Ghosties pop out to get you. Don't let it get you hyperventilating. I've noticed in most games, plot points circulate around the sudden change of background music or noise. This one is kind of the same, but also has that fun little tweak of changing for absolutely no reason other then changing rooms. One thing I've noticed so far, ghosts don't really pop out with no warning at all, there is a heartbeat sound and/or a rumble from the vibration (if you're doing the whole controler that vibrates thing) when one is there or is going to show up. So you don't have to be worried about getting caught completely unaware. Unlike the sudden chanting that starts out of nowhere, that's just plain creepy. The game also is sweet enough to give you a quick tutorial the first time you encounter a ghost you have to catch so you can get a feel for the controls.


Anyway, that's my assesment so far. I'll post some more when I've got more time to play, which unfortunatly won't be till probably this evening for me. I've got a whole crudload of stuff to do today (including cleaning up dishes from last night, I'm so bad)and tomorrow, and it stinks because I really wanted to slack off and play. Oh well, maybe I'll con Kev into letting me hook it up at my house. Whee.

I live in a town that has a pretty good balance between city conveniences and small town atmosphere. Seperated from Salem by a 4" thick 'Welcome To' sign, anything we don't have can be found by crossing the limits line. Keizer manages to keep itself feeling with the times and family friendly all at the same time. On one hand you have everything you'd really want in one spot and plenty of things going on (and the big city downfalls - too much traffic, pizza and coffee houses litterally on every other block) but it's small enough that everyone in the stores and banks know your name (and the small town downfalls - stupid city council decisions, rumor mills).


I spent alot of time growing up here. My family has been in Keizer for ages, the house my mom lives in (and three more houses on the block) were built by my family. When I was growing up the home I lived at wasn't very stable, (as in, we spent alot of time moving and living in strange places) my mom did a good job of making my childhood as stable as it could be, but we lived in such strange ways that what we lived in was just never concrite. I spent alot of time at my Grandparents house (the house my mom lives in now) and I actually went to most of the 5th grade here. I like this neighborhood, I know almost everyone here, and when I was living here there was a whole pack of kids that I hung around with. I like Keizer, it's not as busy as Portland or Seattle (or even Salem) but it's a good town. Like alot of other towns, it has festivals and activities it does every year. They decorate for Christmas (like they should, of course) and one of the cutest tradition Keizer has during the holidays is Candy Cane Day.


Last Saturday (and every other 21st of December as far back as I can remember) Santa climbed up on a KPD Fire Truck and was escorted around town by some of the locals best. They drive around in front or behind him, because he spends most of his time walking, and helps him give out candy canes to anyone who braves the weather (usally rain, did you know Santa wears a poncho?) to come say Hi. You can tell Santas coming not by the jingle of bells, but by the magnified "Ho Ho Ho's" that come over the loud speaker as he waves at everyone who's watching from their windows. Kids of all ages (and some adults) run out there to give Santa a hug and get a candy cane. It's also neat to watch how good people behave when Santa's going by. Sure, all the adults know it's probably just the Cheif all dressed up, but they still slow down and smile and wait behind the firetruck, because after all, it's Santa and what kind of scrooge gets mad at Santa for holding up traffic while he gives little kids candy and hugs?


The treck around town lasts for about four hours, and you know, It's probably really lame, but it's one of the things that I most look forward to during the Holidays. I like listening to the belting "Merry Christmas"es echo across town, I have for as long as I can remember. I don't remember when they started doing it, I'm sure they had it when I was a kid. And as silly as it is, I really like it. I always have, and it never fails that every year, as soon as the fire truck decides to make it's slow way down my street, I jump to the window with a grin to wave back at Santa.

The countdown is on, 17 days until LKP offically opens, and I've got a good 30 days worth of work left to do. I managed to get a small chunk of things out of the way today (ABN forms (I need two more, don't let me forget), more wall decorations (I make most of ours, since they're expensive), pricing on other things we need, things like that) I also found a guy downtown who's selling very nice trees for five dollars, so tomorrow I'm going to go down and get one.


Everyone around here is broke, so so far we can't afford to do any sort of Christmas thing. My sibs are probably going to their other Grandparents, my brother and his girlfriend are coming up here and everyones going to my house, but nobody can afford anything for anyone. I've managed to squeeze a bit of money to do a little shopping today, so hopefully it rounds out that everyone will get one or two things and dinner. Here's to hoping right?


My older brothers birthday is the 22nd, and he's coming down Saturday and staying through Christmas I think (I don't think they're going back down to turn around and come back up) and the sweetpea is bringing me Fatal Frame for my birthday! Is that just the best or what? I can't wait to play it. (Incase you're wondering, I got him ############ ####### for his birthday (object censored incase subject stumbles upon this journal in hopes of finding out what he got) ) Now I just have to get other presents and food. We're supposed to get paid, but if the check dosen't come into USDA by Monday, we won't get it until the 3rd of January, which is bad because I'm so broke I'm going to lose my power and water and apartment.


Oh well. I'll think positive. TreetreetreeI'mgettingatreee....

I found the peice of music. It's "At Dawn" from the William Tell Overture. Aren't you glad I found it? I am, now I can get that flash thing done.



Since I've still got Preschool songs on the brain, I leave you with my (long winded!) version of "Boom Boom, Ain't It Great To Be Crazy?" Complete with finger/body movements (for those of you into those sort of things)


What's that? Oh. You're welcome.


Boom Boom, Ain't It Great To Be Crazy?

A Horse a Flea and Three Blind Mice, [Hold one finger up for the horse, one for the flea, and three for the mice]

Sat on a curbstone shooting dice, [Squat like you're sitting, shake your fist like you're shaking dice - parents love that]

The Horse he slipped and fell on the Flea, [Teeter like you're going to fall while flapping your arms, and then lean on the person next to you standing while standing on one foot]

"Whoops" said the Flea "There's a Horse on me!" [Shrug and give the person leaning on you a little push]


Chorus:

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


Way down south where banana's grow, [Point south, peel an imaginary banana]

A Flea stepped on an Elephants toe, [Lightly step on your neighbors toe]

The Elephant cried with tears in his eye, [Fake cry]

"Why don't you pick on someone your size?"[Shake your finger at the person who stepped on your toe]


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


Way up North where there's ice and snow, [Point North, and shiver]

There lived a penguin his name was Joe, [Walk like a penguin]

He got so tired of black and white, [Make disgusted faces]

That he wore pink slacks to the dance last night. [Show off your pink slacks]


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


Eli, Eli he sells socks, [Pull up your pant legs and show people your socks]

A dollar a pair a nickle a box, [Pull out your 'wallet' and count your 'money']

The longer you wear `em the shorter they get, [Stretch really high then shrink really low]

Throw `em in the washer and they don't get wet. [Shake around like you're a washing machine]



Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


Late last night I had a real strange dream, [Close your eyes and act like you're sleeping]

Ate a nine pound marshmellow my Mom gave me, [Pretend to gobble up marshmellows]

When I woke up I knew something was wrong, [Wake up, look really worried]

I looked around and saw my pillow was gone. [Look around, scream]


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


I bought a suit of combination underwear, [Put your 'underwear' on]

Guaranteed not to rip or tear, [Try to rip or tear your underwear]

I wore them six months and to my consternation, [Hold your nose]

I couldn't get them off I'd lost the combination. [Pull on your clothes]



Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


I take a swim in my swimming pool, [Swim]

I jump from the board 'cause that's the rule, [jump up and down]

I hit my head on cement and mortar, [Rub your head]

Forgot to look - there was no water. [Slap yourself on the forehead]


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


That one-eared cat who used to sit, [Squat, cover one ear]

Watching Grandma rock and knit, [Rock back and forth, knit]

Swallowed a ball of bright red yarn, [Pretend to swallow yarn]

And out came kittens with red sweaters on. [Pretend to pet kittens]



Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


Way up north and a long way off, [Point North]

The Emu's got the whooping cough, [cough]

He coughed so hard with that loud hard cough, [Cough really hard, fall to the ground]

That he coughed his head and his tail right off. [Cover your head and your tail]


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


There was an old doctor and his name was Peck, [Pretend to be a doctor]

Fell down the well and broke his neck, [Fall to the ground]

Served him right, he was doing wrong, [Shake your finger, lots of finger shaking in this song]

Should have tended to the sick, and let the well alone. [Groan, that was bad, that dosen't even rhyme, sue the writer]


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


I call myself on the telephone, [Pretend to talk to someone on the phone]

Just to hear my musical tone, [Talk to yourself]

I ask myself for a heavy date, [Well, ask yourself already]

And I pick myself up at half past eight. [Pretend to drive your car, get out, and get back in]


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


I love myself. I think I'm grand, [Pat yourself on the back]

When I go to movies, I hold my hand, [Hold your hand]

I put my arm around my waist, [Put your arms around yourself]

And when I get fresh, I slap my face. ['slap' yourself]


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy?

Giddy and foolish the whole day through.

Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy.


Told you it was long. There are variations on all those lyrics I've seen, as well as a few more 'animals ate this' lyrics. That's about as far as you can go before kids (I) get really sick of it.

I'm working on some flash elements for a website. I've been especally searching today for a peice of music that I know I've heard in countless cartoons, mostly Looney Toons and the majority of the time being used during Sunrises. I've tracked it down to a movement that very well might contain it, I just have to wait till it's done downloading to see. If it is, I'll pop it up here so you can revel in the peice of music that's been bugging me all day long.


In a few minutes I'm going to head off so I can take care of some LKP stuff. I have music to make copies of and things like that. While we're on the subject of music, especally childrens music, I have stumbled upon something that makes me very sad. I've noticed with all the childrens music I've been exposed to lately, that the lyrics of songs that I used to sing as a child (good, wholesome, meaningful songs) have been changed to be 'politicly correct' or 'less abrasive'. For example:


Little Bunny Foo Foo Hoppin' Through The Forest

Scoopin' Up The Feild Mice And Boppin' `Em On The Head

Down Came The Good Fairy And She Said:

Little Bunny Foo Foo I Don't Want To See You

Scoopin' Up The Field Mice And Boppin' `Em On The Head

I'll Give You Three Chances, And If You Don't Behave, I'll Turn You Into a Goon....



'Little Bunny Foo Foo' is an awesome, silly, wiggle kids song that has a good message. The Bunny (for those of you who aren't familiar with kids songs) dosen't behave and in the end gets turned into a Goon. There are all sorts of morals that can be taken from the song, becides 'Hare Today, Goon Tomorrow', especally the importance of being nice to others. Of course, the fact that Foo is bopping upsets tender parents so much, that they changed it to:


Little Bunny Foo Foo Hoppin' Through The Forest

Scoopin' Up The Feild Mice And Kissin' `Em On The Head

Down Came The Good Fairy And She Said:

Little Bunny Foo Foo I Don't Want To See You

Scoopin' Up The Field Mice And Kissin' `Em On The Head

I'll Give You Three Chances, And If You Don't Behave, I'll Turn You Into a Goon....



Kissing? Oh my god, Clarence, that rabbit is kissing strange feild mice!!! Hurry! Do something! It's a subtle change, but it totally throws off the whole meaning of the song, nobody gets in trouble for kissing people (unless you live in the grown up world and it's your boss) but on a kids level, it dosen't really happen. Think I'm being silly? There's more, lyrics have been changed for 'I Know An Old Woman'. Changing from, perhaps she'll die and dying to everything from she went to the doctor and got fixed to she got a tummy ache. Lyrics for 'Bringing Home A Baby Bumble Bee', totally wiping out the second (I'm squishing) and third (I'm wiping up) verses and just sticking to the first one repeated over and over. Lyrics from 'Found A Peanut', removing some of the middle verses (Went To Heaven, Didn't Want Me, Went The Other Way, Didn't Want Me) and changing the ending in a few versions. I've noticed a few other changes in other songs (The Cat Came Back, Nobody Likes Me, Ants Go Marching, ect) and I just think it's goofy. First, it removes any morals that the songs have by removing things that might not be P.C., but it also takes away from their original neatness and fun sing-along-ness. Plus, it messes up the songs people my age (and older) remember from their childhoods, which is just mean.


I've noticed that cartoons and other things have changed too, we opt for more sex and more violence, and that's all ok but God forbid someone puts a graphic that would have been perfectly fine on a game board years ago (IE: a child getting spanked or a child smoking, which can be found on one of the first 'Chutes and Ladders' gameboard.) on a game these days, yet you can find people blowing away other people and walking in their blood. I just find it interesting that we swap one set of weird standards for a whole new set of weird standards.


Anyway, I'm not going to use watered down nice-nice silly songs for the kids, I'm going to teach them the good old fasioned silly songs where people attempt to blow up cats, women eat horses and die, and little bunnies named Foo get turned into Goons for bopping the silly field mice.

Some questions about the layout I've been asked, so I'm oh so nicely answering them here so I don't have to answer them anymore. Ok, so maybe it's more out of lazyness then niceness, but you can't blame me for taking the easy road.


Q. What?

A. What what?



Q. What's 'Mele Kalikimaka & Hou'oli Makahiki Hou?'

A. 'Merry Christmas & Happy New Year' in Hawaiian. Haven't you ever heard that song? "Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say, on a briiight Hawaiian Christmas Day"...urm...No? Oh.


Q. Is that snowman giving me the finger?

A. ::sigh::


Q. He's surfing?

A. Yeah, and if I had the time, I'd be really annoying and put all my links in pidgin. (Note: I've decided to, no slaping me now.)


Q. Pidgin?

A. Pidgin is a Hawaiian type slang language. (I'm not Hawaiian, and I've never been there. I have an aunt and uncle who live there and my Uncle is Hawaiian, although that might not get me out of a beating from someone who really speaks it.) I figure, I've got a theme, let's run with it. It's nifty. Chee! You spahk, yeah?


Q. You speak Pidgin?

A. Oh no way! I know a few words and phrases and can put basic sentances together and can understand it ok, but I can't speak it fluently or anything. If I could, I'd probably get laughed at. I just think it's a neat language. I'll add the new menu and content to the pages when I get time.

Ok, so far I'm liking how this is. I decided to throw together a layout for Christmas when I was inspired by some christmas cards I saw (and then was conned into designing some). So if I claimed this idea as mine completely from out of the blue, it would be a lie, and lying gets you nowhere but a front row seat in hell. I actually did four different versions of this layout, this was the idea in its simple form. I decided on this one because I was too lazy to make the other ones work. The text isn't exactly how I want it, and the pages the links point to don't have anything on them yet, but I'm not going to nitpick too bad.


I can't promise alot of posts, I closed IBOM before because I honestly don't have a whole lot of time or even the want to post here. If I do post, it will be at my convinence, ok? And probably sporratic at best. So no comments or emails yelling at me to post, otherwise I'll just close it again. Please don't take offense, I appriciate that everyone likes reading my posts (the reason baffles me) I just feel like I'm spending too much time being pressured into thinking up something to write and slapping it up, and not enough time writing for me when it's inspired - which is the point of this in the first place. You're just going to have to think of it like Christmas (or a bad rash) it's only going to happen every once in a while and gives you something to look forward to.

This is just a test to see if this Christmas layout I threw together works.

Thanks to Prana for the dollar. Now that I feel completely cheap and easy, I'm going to go beta test TSO.


Well, after work, that is.

I went out to H.O.M.E today, did some prelim. floorplans for the temporary room. It will work good for LKP as long as it dosen't run longer then a month or two at max. Hopefully our building is finished by then, so we can move things into there. I have a good list of phone calls and things to sort out today, I also need to do a complete revision of the handbook. I'm thinking of looking into pricing bubble form machines, just because it would be much more functional and amusing. Last time I checked on them though, they were insanely expensive.


Got a letter today from the same person who left a note in my post about Cin, it's always fun to see other peoples opinions. :) At least this person was decent, I replied to the letter. I don't if they're beligerant or rude. (Which I've only ever gotten two of, both of which were from people who were angry because of my stance on internet copyright.) You know what I realized today? TPC has never gotten one single stich of hate mail, or any posts damning us to hell. Jesus.com gets more of it then we do. (A good sense of humor is always a good thing to have.) Poor Jesus.


Don't get me wrong, I'm glad about it, I just thought it was interesting. After all, our name is The Pervert Club.

I was goofing around making Kao's again today.


The first:




The second:



Whatcha think?


Yes, they're transparent but they're made for a white background, not a black..that's why they're on tables

Ewok is sick, and I'm not quite sure what's wrong with her. Her symptoms are more akin to a fluish bug then distemper, but I don't know. I hope to have Leanne look at her when she comes to get her girls because she works at a Vet office. Right now she's just really lethargic, but if she gets any worse I'm going to have to take her to a vet.


I don't want my kitty to be sick. :(

Since we're closing the childcare we're left with a whole slue of toys we're never going to use. It breaks my heart (I love buying toys...I love toys...toys! WOO!) but we're having a garage sale to sell them (ARGh...hhh..) and all the other crap we've got.



In my garage.


Whee! So I spent last night cleaning it, setting up stuff, and raking the mountian of freaky leaves that have piled in the driveway and yard, praying they wouldn't topple over on some poor soul walking by. Ended up doing that till about 1 am.


Then I spent the rest of the night throwing up.


A great start to what I'm sure will be an interesting and eventful (if not boring and cold) weekend.


Did I mention it's raining?

Haaaaaaaappy Biiiiiiiiirthday Toooooooo Youuuuuuu! Happpyyyyy Biiiiiiirthday TOOOOOooooOOOOOOO yoooooou! Happy BIIIIIIRRRRRTHDAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY DEAAAAAR MEEEEELIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! HAaaaaaaaappy BIIIIIIIIRTDAHY TO YOU!


I do believe that was satisfactory in being completely annoying. Happy Birthday Pranie, Hope you have a good one. ::hugs::

I have noticed here and there on the Net that Cinnaberyl (A name, and character in a series of novels I've written which was made up by me) has been taken and used as some peoples RP character names.


This upsets me for two reasons:


First, a completely selfish reason. Cinnaberyl was a name I made up, and a 'person' who belongs to me. It's been on of my 'handles' online for almost seven years and it upsets me that someone saw it and used it thinking it was 'neat'. (And yes, this is what I assume, wrong or right of me, usally this is how someone finds a name. Becides, what's the chances of someone copying that name with the exact spelling?)


Second, Cinnaberyl is a character in novels I hope to have published someday, and it frustrates me as a writer to know someones snagging not only her name, but alot of her personality types and using them without permission from me. On some hands I could care less, but when things start getting very simmalar to the point that you know that what is being used was taking from a work you did, it gets frustrating. Plus, this can (and has for other authors) cause problems for me down the road with publishers. Some publishers feel that things published online, or things that have been 'borrowed' or posted someplace are already published (or may violate copyright laws on some level) and will be hesitant to pick up anything. I don't expect this to happen, and it would be really extreme if it did. But we all know how my life goes, and it would just figure.


Problems are bad! BAD!


It's just frustrating because alot of work goes into thinking up names and personalities of my characters and then knowing nobody else out there has used it for over half a decade and then to stumble on someone who just plucked it from something they've seen and used it irks me.


It's sort of like someone stealing my graphics and using them, but insted it's my words.


Ok, I'm done whining now.

Ok! I'm back. Sorry I had to vanish like that, but stuff happens. I hope everyone had a good Halloween, I really didn't, I spent the last four days very sick.


But I did manage to write a bit on my NaNo novel. I'll have it posted to my NaNo site as soon as I get it off the laptop where it's currently hiding. I'll also update my NaNo site, TPC, and what not today hopefully.


That is of course, if I'm not hit by a bus on an overpass and flung to my death.

If I vanish today and am gone for a week or so don't worry (Or, don't get too excited) because I'll be back. :)

John Walsh has `Net preditors on his show today, and I agree: There are preditors online.


Just like in your neighborhood, in a bar, in a personal ad, at the local football game....


I think that parents need to pay attention to what their kids are doing (ESPECALLY IF YOUR CHILD HAS A WEBCAM!), moniter their chat buddies, block chat places like yahoo, pay attention to their E-mail, and if they DO want to meet a `net friend don't discurage them, go with them.


I've met a good amount of the people I know online, and I've known almost everyone I talk to from anywhere to a year to almost nine years. I conciter them very good friends. I don't go into chat rooms, unless it's a chat room I own, because I think chat rooms are annoying. My sister enjoys chat rooms, so she's got a rule..she can only go into a chat room made by her or one of her friends that has people we know in them. (Like RL friends) She also chats now and then to the people I know online. But I rarely let her go into public chat rooms because I know how often I get a solicit for cyber, so I know for a fact she gets them.


Plus, did you know there are naked people on webcams on yahoo? Seriously, it's scary stuff.


I can't moniter what she does online at friends house, so I hope the other kids parents do. But I don't think it's too much for a parent (or the mean older sister) to put limits on what younger kids do online.


Paying attention to your kids would solve so many problems in the world today.


The Net can be dangerous just like every other place can be, but it can also be really great. A good place to meet good people, explore your hobbies and learn. It's all in how you use it.

A short photo log of my foot:



Foot Day 1

Foot Day 4

Foot Day 5


It's much better now.

I've been out running around tacking up new advertisment for LKP, so we threw the kids in the car and took them with us. We were going to stop at the park but unfortunatly Mackinzie wet her pants, so she was in a diaper and a T-shirt and there was no way to take her out of the car. On the way back, they all pretty much feel asleep, so we just came back here.


I've got bunch more ads to put together so I can go put them out tomorrow, but first I'm going to call everyone in the phone book so I know who has public BBs so I don't have to waste time driving all over the place.


I'm so darn smart.

Even though I didn't get anything I needed to get done this week because of my foot, some good did come out of it. I've been signed up for a seminar on publishing your first book, it's on the 10th, which is great timing because it'll give me an extra boost to get me through a tough spot during Nano.



I've also been invited to a writing group, they meet every second Saturday of the month. I'm really excited about this because I've tried to put my own together but most local people shy away from it because they're already involved with one or don't want to expose their writing in fear of being put down. I'm told this writing group is very nice, which is good. There is also a second writing group I've been told about that I might be able to join. This is great because I need more positive input from local people who are serious about writing like I am.


This time sitting has given me a lot of time to think about plots, as well as alot of time to do the paperwork type stuff for LKP. This paperwork stuff includes newsletters, menus, curriculam, forms, all sorts of stuff. So it has kept me a little busy that way. I spent most of today designing a newsletter. So far I have a little over three pages done, which includes the first in a three part series of articals on the importance of early childhood development, and an artical on positive coping with separation anxiety in preschoolers. All written by the very bored yours truely.


I'd work on the website but I can't do much from this laptop other then text stuff because I don't have any graphics software on here. I can, however, play mind numbing games.


Thank God for that.

Nothing new, still stuck on the couch, and I still can't walk. It'll be the end of next week before I'll be able to, as it looks right this minute.


My foot is a wonderful shade of yellows and greens. It's so attractive.


In the mean time, I have nothing to do, and I do believe I'm going bonkers. Well, more bonkers then I already am. I hate this couch...somebody bring me a game or something to do. Please? Or I'll be forced to throw wet papertowels at the ceiling for fun.

I am the worlds biggest klutz (After Pranie that is), I'm a cripple now. Yesterday while I was walking back to the computer to get back to work, I stepped down wrong and totally messed up my ankle. It's swollen to about the size of a lovely softball, and I can't move it, let alone walk on it. (I'm all propped up and iced on the couch with the laptop, incase you're wondering.) This all makes working, and going to the potty, very very difficult.

And it hurts.


It'll be another day or so before I'll even be able to attempt crutches because the swelling hasn't all gone down yet, so I'm offically couch ridden.


I'm so sick of sitting here.


In other news, start watching Haunted (9pm Tuesdays on UPN) or they'll cancel it. The show is about a private detective who dies and comes back from the dead, and now he's being 'haunted' by spirits who want his help. It's actually not cheesey at all, I enjoy it. (And I am the worst critic of anything that involves paranormal, because they do it cheesey or just plain wrong.) I promise you if you watch it you'll love it. You can always tape stupid Smallville, or watch it when they repeat it on Sundays, you know.


I missed last nights episode because of my damn ankle. Damnit.

Um...I can't access my template. It gives me an 'out of string space' error. Any ideas?

I feel like an overpuffed marshmellow. My face feels totally swollen and my eyes hurt and are all puffy! AH! Sort of like somebody stapled them open and made me watch hours and hours of 'Lonesome Dove' and 'Dukes of Hazard' until they stuck that way. Everything is overly bright too, like I'm looking at the world with florecent lighting attached to my forhead.


It's quite uncomfortable and it makes staring at this computer screen really horrible.


I seriously can not afford to get sick, especally not within the next two weeks. Especally not this week at all. My day planner looks like I let a band of angry teenagers paint graffiti all over it. I've got so much to do there is no way I can get it done while I'm fighting off some icky bug. I don't wanna get sick, I don't wanna get sick...

Last year I had a package of ravioli and no sauce, so I debated cooking the raviolies up and just eating them straight. Which didn't sound very good to me, so I went digging in my kitchen.


I came up with a can of chicken broth, and figured since I didn't have sauce (and it kills me to eat it anyway) I'd cook the ravi's in the broth and make a soup.


Thus, Jamie's version of Ravioli soup was born. Of course, I thought I'd found something new, but unfortunatly my ego was crushed to find other recipies of it online.


But, none of them were like mine at all!


So, I've remade my soup a few times, and everyone I've forced to eat it loves it. I figured, I'd share my soup with you. If you make it, tell me what you changed (if anything) and if you liked it.

My Ravioli Soup -



These measurements are from the top of my head. I made this up myself and I don't work from cups, I just use what I have or as much as I think I need. Feel free to wing it. This is my third version of this recipe, every time I make it I change it (for the better I hope) to accommodate what I've gotten or whatever whim I want to try.



This soup might not LOOK pretty, but it tastes good.




You need:


2 Qts Chicken Broth and two cups water


Or


As many cups of water you need & 1 chicken bullion cube (or tablespoon of powder) pur cup of water


Or


1 Qt chicken broth plus whatever extra water and bullion you need


Use MORE liquid then you think is needed, because the ravioli swell AND the liquid tends to run out after everyone's been eating the soup. So you're left with a half pot full of ravioli and stuff, which isn't bad, but isn't soup either.


1 lb - 2lbs (depending on how much you want) raw sausage of your choice (links! Not ground. You get less grease with links. I've used everything from kelbasa to Italian, it all works.)

2 lbs ravioli, I always use cheese and a second kind. Pick that suits your taste. I usually use whatever ravioli complements the meat I'm using and then cheese. IE: sausage ravioli..see, easy.


2 cups finely diced mushrooms


2 cups finely diced onion


2 cups finely diced celery


1 cup finely diced green pepper


1 cup finely diced baby corn (Opt.) (I like baby corn - you can also do olives (which sounds odd, but good at the same time), carrots and other veggies if you want. I have yet to try these in mine...but I will next time I make it.)


2 tablespoons finely diced garlic OR 2 tablespoons powdered garlic


1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon sage and 1 teaspoon thyme (or two teaspoons Italian seasoning mix! It's cheating but it works!)

1 tablespoons pesto (yes, pesto too! yum!) Alot of the seasonings above are already in pesto, but it adds an interesting taste to the broth.


Salt & Pepper to taste


1 cup fresh shredded (shredded, not powder, or I'll hurt you) parmesan cheese



-----------


Cut up everything you need to cut up to smallish size pieces, including the sausage. Think tad smaller then bite size, bigger then speck. You want everything to be cooked nicely by the time the ravioli is done.



In a good sized pot, dump in your liquid (Make sure you leave room for the ravioli and use a pot big enough to accommodate the ravioli swelling! I mean it, or you'll be sorry!) and turn your stove on low. Throw in all your seasonings including the pesto (it'll give it time to melt and mix with the broth). Let it get to about the simmering point, and give it some good stirs.



Throw in the diced veggies and the garlic, let that simmer for about five minutes. You don't have to pre-cook any of the veggies, so don't worry about it. They'll all cook fine in the pot.



Toss your ravioli in (well, place it in gently, you don't want disgruntled ravioli) and then about 1/2 cup of your cheese. Turn it up on med. high, stir in very well and then throw a lid on it. Let it cook until the ravioli is tender, make sure you stir it every few minutes or so.



Once the ravioli is cooked, turn off the heat (or turn it on low (low low low)) and dish up some bowls as soon as you can. Throw a little handful of the remaining cheese on top of each. (It makes a fun sticky gooey mess! I love it!)



The rest of the soup will sit in the pot, and the ravioli will get a little mushy. It's ok though, the soup will still taste good. If you don't want this to happen, make sure you force feed the soup to everyone as soon as the ravioli is done.



This keeps well for a couple days in the fridge, and tastes fine with microwave reheats. It also freezes something awesome, just incase you want to give it away. (I've made poor souls try it, and so far everyone likes it! They call it my 'ugly' soup.)



I serve it with french bread and spinach dip, because that's the kind of freak I am.

I got a phone call last week from my moms church asking if I'd come back and do their younger kid group thing for them on Sundays because they're starting to get more widdle widdle umpkins again.


I said sure, 'cause I'm nice like that.


No more free Sundays for me! So, I'm getting ready to flee out the door again. (The story of my life.) I don't mind doing this for them, it's not like I do anything else Sunday mornings. It also gives me a load more kid faces to practice my face painting on. Woo. I'm thinking of taking a camera so I can grab shots for a face book I need. (I've got to get it done before the Ag Fest in April, where I will be running a face painting booth.)


I do have a question though, why are services held so damn early? (Even thought technicly H.O.M.E's services aren't until 11) 8 is an ungodly hour to get up to get ready for anything on a Sunday, you'd think God would deem it blasphemy and put a stop to it.


You're slackin' God, I'm terribly disapointed.

I'm getting ready to flee out the door to take my Great Aunt away so she can putt around some tropical islands in a boat for the next two weeks.


Tough life hu?


When I get back tonight I have to start taking pictures of the Avon crap so I can sell it on Ebay. These pictures of the items have to include a picture of each one in and out of it's box. I have a good dozen cases of Avon stuff, which comes out to about 300 seperate items. Which is about 600 pictures. Which comes out to about 1/4th of the rest of my natural life taking pictures of Avon crap. Did I mention all of these are filled with nose wrinkling, eye watering horse urine? And I don't have a Hazmat mask?


I am so looking forward to it.

Oh, and for those of you who wanted to know why there are no pictures of me, it's because I manned the camera. However, since you whined so well...here you go.

I have started to take the borrowed digital camera everywhere I go. I find I enjoy very much taking pictures of unsuspecting people in strange situations. May I present to you the first of a long series of photblog entries that will either amuse you or bore you to tears, depending on my mood. These entries will continue until the owner of the camera realizes I'm abusing the privalge and takes it away from me while slapping me with the carry case upside my head. Do pray it be a long while off, becase I'm having quite alot fun. Oh, it's long too...I apologize.

Yesterday, after I had been pestered and pestered by our preschool kids, I gave in and set about 'Painting' them. During this ritual which involves alot of me repeating the same phrase (You've got to sit still) over and over, I had an idea. We had been talking about a field trip for the last couple of days, and since we only had a couple of kids (two, in fact), I figured why not do it today?


So, after I had finished painting them up I suggested my suggestion to the all powerful Boss-Lady. (She's only the Boss-Lady on odd days, so she of course played the part in full.)


So once we were all in agreement, and the kiddies were strapped into the car, Robin, Elaine and I drove our little bra..umpkins..to Martha's Pumpkin Patch.


Martha's is a localy owned farm that sells seasonal produce and what not throught the year. During Christmas time you can get trees, and during Halloween you can get pumpkins. Lots and Lots of pretty round orange pumpkies. I love pumpkins, at least for the first week or so, until they turn white and squishy and you have to scrape them up with a shovel and throw them away. But, before that, I love pumpkins.


So, we pulled into Martha's, got the excited kiddies out of the car, and thanks to a suggestion from Martha herself (Should I have asked for an autograph?) we piled the bouncing girls into a wagon and prepared to treck out into the pumpkin feilds. That's right, no pre-picked carton sitting pumpkins for us, we were going to capture ourselves pumpkins in their native habitat. Once we were settled with our caravan, we were on our way.



At first our party was cautious, as our trail leader Robin scouted ahead, Elaine faithfully followed. We were confident that we would not be attacked by savages in this wild land, although we allowed ourselves one look back to civilization.


As we continued into the vast wilderness of pumpkins, we came upon a few that we thought might be decent enough sorts to carry back home with us. As Robin made herself more familiar with the natives, she decided that they no longer wished to be left upon their sides and tops, so she took it upon herself to upright every pumpkin she came across so that they were sitting on their bottoms. The pumpkins she helped were most pleased, seeing as how they have no arms or feet to right themselves alone.


While Robin played nursemaid to the pumpkins, our travilers in the wagon ventured further into this uncharted land. At last the glad cry was sounded, a pumpkin decent enough for our travilers was found! The gladness of this event was lost quickly however, when we realized we were approching a dense and somewhat unsettling Pumpkin Patch Corn Forest. The outside of the forest was marked with strange signs, that we feared were strewn with warnings of this place. What were those other more colorful items? Perhaps some odd torture device? A Pumpkin Stock forged to hold the heads of tresspassers? Carefully we grew closer.


As we stopped just a few yards away from the strage stock-like device, one of our bravest travilers lept from her seat in the coach and sped toward the device, hedless to our cries of warning! Just then our caravan was attacked by a hoard of savage pumpkins, taking our youngest traviler Mackinzie hostage!


What could we do? I ran to find Robin were we had last seen her, but she was nowhere to be found, and when I returned I saw why. Somehow during her travels to help the pumpkins, she was captured as well. Now all my companions were caught, and had been locked into the strange torture device and guarded by pumpkin soilders. What was I to do?


Thinking quickly I grabbed the nearest pumpkin guard by suprise and threw him to the ground, each pumpkin guard I managed to thwart after a long and hard battle. I am ashamed to say many a pumpkins died that day, but it was for my friends life that I comitted pumpkinside, and as I freed them, they survayed my handywork.


After a long talk, we decided we couldn't risk going back the way we came, so we fled the only way that was left. Into the forest. The forest was dark and smelled faintly of mud, as we marched down the path we fought our way through the sharp and stinging branches of the tree-husks, and eventually found outselves in a clearing. We stood dumbfounded as we faced a most unusual person, there before us stood the Witch of the East in all the Witches glory! Tentivly we approched the witch for help, hoping this move was wise.


The Witch told us that to escape the forest, we must visit each witch and as their permission. Brushing us off with a disinterested hand, the witch bid us to carry on, for we were spoiling it's relaxing footbath. With that, we left the East Witch behind, and continued on our way. Soon, we came upon the South Witch, and while she dried her hair we asked her permission to leave the forest.


Sure, she said, no problem.


Well, so far so good. As we continued we eventually came across the West Witch. She was terrifying! She divebombed us on her broom while trying to kick us with her shoes and cackled all the while! We fled as fast as we could and ended up smack in the lair of the Witch of the North.


Despite our initial fear, we found Ms. North to be quite a lovely hostess. After offering us tea, she kindly showed us the way out of the forest, and told us that we had her permission to pick any pumpkin we wish on our journey back to Martha's. She even posed for a picture with our troupe.


We bid Ms. North farewell and continued on our journey. The day was growing quite late and we found that it was time to pick our final pumpkins and make our way home.


At last we had what we came for! With our travilers and our pumpkins safely stowed in our coach, we returned to Martha's.


Returned to the real world, paid for the pumpkins, stuck them in thecar, and headed home.


We also went to the store and carved the pumpkins, but I'll save that story for later.

I have this tree in front of my house. It's huge, and has probably been there for a good 40 years or more. It's covered in pretty ivy and some flowering plant that smells pretty nice. In the spring it's home to iddle bitty cute pudgy birds that eat the bugs that live in it's branches and fluffy chipmunks that scurry up and down it's trunk. It's leafy boughs shade my little house and keep it cool all summer long. In summer it is a blessing.


It's fall that's the problem.


You see, when fall in Oregon hits and all the leaves turn crispy and orange, an evil lurks in my pretty tree. An evil that litters my yard and driveway, that bangs all night long, that causes great black stains to appear on my porch and my living room rug. An evil that startles my cats when their napping and dents and dings parked and passing cars. It's an evil my friends, that will leave a knot the size of golf ball on your head or shoulders. This evil causes me to run from the corner of my street to my front porch on windy days in fear.


This evil, is The Walnuts.


Great nasty greenish grey husk-covered Walnuts. They fall from way up high in the tree and zoom down on their targets with a walnutty fury. They bang, splat, thump and bounce of every single surface within twenty yards of the tree. They're smelly, slimy and extremely annoying when six or seven fall off at once in the middle of the night.


And their leathal.


Today Elaine became the first victim of the season. Minding her own busniess while walking under the tree to deliver the mail to my Grandmother she was startled by a burst of wind that signaled the arrival of The Foe. While attempting to flee to safety she was struck viciously in the head by a Walnut. She survived the ordeal with a slight bump on the head and a few harsh words about The Walnuts.


"They're Evil" She said.


I agree. Unfortunatly there is nothing I can do to combat this foe. Perhaps I will walk my life with an oversized umbrella in hand, or raid a nearby construction site in the attempt to steal a hardhat. But, in the meantime, as I search to find one who is so brave as to risk going under my tree (Or one who would steal two hardhats, and give one to me) to rake the mess that is piling up in my yard and drivway, I realize that fall and winter will be long in my house, while The Walnuts dive until all that is left on the tree bare branches is the ivy and the few leaves which refuse to fall. And each day those who must wander under my tree take the risk of being horribly maimed or meet their death by one of those mischievous green flying orbs. It would be an interesting way to go.

Happy Birthday to James! Happy Birthday to James! Happy Birthday to Jaaaaaaaaames! Happy Birthday to James!


James! Have a good one, you deserve it.

Someone should have told me my layout looks like total crap.



Guess I'll spend today redoing it. You've got to remember I create my layouts for how they look on MY computer, which was very good, thank you. However, after looking at it on someone elses, it turned out to be like those people I wonder how they ever get designing jobs.



%$&#$.


So, more then likely you're NOT seeing it the way I intended it to be seen.


Yes, exactly what is on my nano page..I'm lazy. So there!

My Nano Page


Go give it a visit and please tell me what you think. Not everything is there by a long shot, but it should all be done by tomorrow evening. Yip! I can't wait to get going.

I love fall. Especally when all the apples are ready to make stuff like applesauce and pies. Everything smells like apples and cinnamon now, and tomorrow I'm going to work on the pies. Woo!

Wohoo! Well, I'm signed up for NaNoWriMo. (Where you write a 50k novel in 30 days, starting in November..but sign ups are open now) I'm going to try this thing again this year. Last year I didn't finish but I did try, so don't be too ashamed of me.


So far my partners in self-torture are Kelly and Fred. I've got a couple more people teetering on the edge, and Prana is one of them who hasn't succombed to the dark side, but I think she might..and our little group (The Cardboard Box Wrimos) is open for more friends in misery so if you sign up (and I think you should) let me know and I'll add you to our mailing list.


C'mon..what's it going to hurt?

I'm moving Kiddlets.com to a new server because it's turning back into a preschool site. (It was my design site..now my design site is moving to Brighterskyte.com, which is about time).



Anyhow...if some of the images and things are broken here for the next 24 to 48 hours it's because I'm moving stuff around. Just forgive me, and keep your fingers crossed. ;)

Well...hrm, someone found my site by searching for 'I want to poke your eyes out and make love'.



No, no you don't. Not really.

I have ravioli with good spagetti sauce today. I'm currently fighting a wonderful burning bout of heartburn. (It's almost like swimin' with the Devil maw!) But...it's worth it, because it's nummy. What makes good spagetti sauce according to me? (I know you don't care, but lord all mighty, you keep coming back and reading this, so you should know by now what you're going to get.)


Good spagetti sauce is when you can still identify 99.9% of all the components, but don't feel like you're crunching into a almost-done bug with every bite. Where you get big nice chunks of stuff like garlic and olives and green pepper and mushrooms and and and...


Good spagetti sauce hasn't been purreed into a sludge that looks like a mix of tomato boogers and rejected Red Cross blood.


Good spagetti sauce makes me say: "Wow." (Great big long pause) "This Spagetti Sauce Is Good."


I'm not Italian, (In fact, I'm Native American, German and Irish...nowhere near Italian) so I'm sure nobody's going to take my word for it, but you don't have to be Italian to bean someone over the head with a bat. (No offense to any Italian, except for those of you who know that comment was for you, then take as much offense as you wish.) So, I don't think you have to be Italian to know what good `getti sauce is either.


Thank you for joining me for this extremely nonsense post, I hope you enjoyed it almost as much as the point of posting it baffled you. Come again soon. That is all.

100 Things About Me #85: I've been shot at.


When I was younger and my mom was still married to The Psycho, we spent alot of time being shuffled around from one place to live to another. Mostly because it was one way that he (The Psycho, that's really mean..I should quit calling him that) could keep control, by telling us where we could or couldn't live.

One of the places we used to live was a little rinky-dink town in Eastern Oregon called Stanfield, in fact, if you were to visit that lovely peice of smoking donkey poo town today, you could drive past the house I used to live in next to the city park. According to my grapevine sources, the house is still owned by T.P., or possibly T.P's parents. (Sold to them on a whim to get them to pay his overdue child support, no doubt.)


Please note that I call him 'The Psycho' not because I harbor undelt with anger towards the man - oh no - I call him that because he is. And I have the manifestos to prove it.


Anyway, it was summer during one of our 'move backs' to Stanfield, and I was like 10 and out in the park nextdoor to our house (Right next door too, our property lines met.) playing baseball with a bunch of my friends. It was actually a really fun summer, a good summer because T.P. was gone somwhere. Mushroom picking? Fishing? I don't remember, but I remember for a good bout of almost six weeks he wasn't there, and I reveled in it. When he was gone, it ment I could be a real kid, and not just someones slave or someone trying to hide out in my room to avoid having to deal with him.


But that summer, yeah..I remember, there was a whole gang of us, anywhere from five to nine of us at any time. I usally ended up being the only girl though, which was frustrating most of the time, but I didn't mind hanging out with 'the guys'. (I always end up with more guy friends then girls..what is that?) We split our time up between bad monster movies, swimming in the river, and attempting to convince each other that we were each the best damn hitters that ever lived in this dumpy town. I, was not a hitter, in fact I'm ashamed to say I was one of those kids who flinched every time a pitch was thrown. I had good reason however, I was always getting smacked with the ball. So, in a vain attempt to thwart bruises, I learned to live my life as a fielder. A very very very far outfielder fielder, as far away from the ball as I could get. It didn't work, but it was good logic on my part. I guess.


It was a really sunny day, and there were about six or seven of us and we were standing in a group arguing over something. Who was out, who wasn't, I don't remember exactly. (I'm sure whatever it was it held the fate of our game in the balance. You know how kids are.) And the park was always full of other people, usally people playing basketball or picknicking under this huge oak next to the swings, so there was always cars going by and people yelling to each other and what not. I don't ever remember feeling unsafe or uncomfortable, I (and everyone else) had lived in that town off and on for so long that I don't think any of us were really worried about anything bad happening to us. Kids don't worry about that stuff most of the time anyway, what they're doing today is more important that what could happen.


So, anyway, with all the people and cars we didn't pay attention to the blue pick-up that was going around and around the park, in fact, we didn't notice it at all. It was someone else not even involved with us who had. Standing there listening to the guys argue back and forth about stupid bases, I was getting pretty bored, and I remember looking up just in time to hear a loud 'pop' and watch someone in this pick-up that was driving by pull something in his passinger side window and speed away.


Scared the shit out of us, let me tell you.


I remember my mom, and Stephen's (Who was pitching I think) mom who lived across the street running out and asking if that was backfire. It sounded too loud to be backfire.


Whoah, I'm thinking....he shot at us!


So, some of the others piped up...they had seen the guy pull a gun in his window too. The cops were called...I don't remember talking to them, but I might have. I remember someone saying they felt something go past their face, I don't remember who that was either.


Nobody was hurt, and I don't know if they ever found the guys who did it, or if they ever had any more problems like that in the park. I do remember that it was a while before my mom would let us go galavanting around town again that summer. I don't think it dramaticly changed my views on the world, or on childhood, or on summer. It didn't traumatize me to the point I couldn't function like a normal kid. I remember lots more of that summer, and it all included alot of laughing. It just turned into one more story I've got in my big bag of stories.


I do remember being oddly mystified in that one instant though. Hell, we were just playing baseball, what would anyone shoot at us for?

I have to talk to someone about something they're doing and I really hate it when I have to do this. Why can't people just behave rationally and then I wouldn't have to bring up stuff they think I don't notice and be the bad guy.


I don't make a good bad guy! I can't ride a horse and I think spitting is icky.

I signed up for the Ornament Exchange at Miz Jenna's. I wanted to do it last year but found out about it too late...so I'm doing it this year.



You should all go over and sign up too, it should be fun.

Today I was supposed to go to some PDR/Whatever they're calling it now class, (Classes that add to my 'professional development registry' that in some obscure way I can trade in for college credits later, if I believe them that is.) I didn't go because I wasn't sure if I'd make it through the day without dying or throwing up on someones shoe. This is the second class this week I've missed because I feel like crud. The last one I ended up going, but sleeping in the car because I was misrable and couldn't see straight to do anything, let alone sit through a class.



Lucky me!



That's 7 hours I've missed out on...7 hours I really did need that I could have gotten in those two classes, and now I'm going to have to make them up by doing 5 other classes. Dang me and my tummy anyway.



So insted, I'm sitting here working on Hot Lake which I've finally gotten to actually go to the place it's actually supposed to go to. It only took me rebuying the domain so I could access it so it would point to the host. At least now the old host it was with can't hold it hostage anymore. Now I just need to get hotlake.net to do the same thing...I hope I don't have to wait till that one is up again to get it.

Look! Incoherent Babblings and it isn't even me!


I'm not delusional enough to think I'm the only person using those two words, but it's weird to actually see it.

AND that site linked to TPC! Pretty nifty.

100 Things About Me #16: I'm a closet Jones Soda Junkie.


have been since way back when, before people thought they were good just because their bottles were seen on Teeny Bopper TV shows. Jones Soda is nummy.



Not only are they great because (obviously) they make wonderful sodas in interesting flavors,(Like 'Green Apple' which I've got in my hot little hand right now, 'Blue Bubble Gum' and 'Fun/Happy' and their Jones Naturals are sooo yummy.), but they're local (Woo hoo Northwest!), reasonably priced, and they promote good stuff, like recycling and education for girls in countries where girls are normally viewed as less then.



Plus, their packaging is just plain cool. (They also have a 'My Jones' program, which lets you personalize bottles for an occasion. Very fun. No, that ah..wasn't a hint...) So if you've never tried them, I suggest you do, then you can be a closet junkie like me!

I didn't fall asleep until 6 this morning because I wasn't feeling well, so I overslept. Guess who came while I was at home sleeping? Our friendly neighborhood state!


Why, you ask? Because a lady we fired for having head lice over and over (among other things) called and said that there was head lice at this Childcare.


Yeah, there was! You had it lady!


Ugh.


I'm just gritting my teeth and waiting....this Preschool better work out, or I'm just going to go start working for McDonalds, because anything is better then this.

Robert delivered the goods today.

They're all piled up nice and neat in big brown boxes just begging to be pawed through right now in my hallow-sounding guestroom. (Sans bed, since that was stolen from me earlier in the week by it's former owner who decided that, almost a year later, he wanted it back. I, was just nice enough to give it to him. Well, the matress anyway, he didn't take the frame. It's resting in my garage, where empty futon frames seem more at home then in half decorated guestrooms that are slowly losing furniture.) Just resting there like little treasure boxes, filled with all sorts of goodies for me to beam and cringe over. The magic of cardboard boxes! Big, small, tall, squashed, it dosen't matter what size, what's in them, (or if you already know what's in them because they belong to you), they always have some sort of deranged draw that makes your hands itch to open them up until, with a scary cry of glee, you give in. Boxes! Oh Boxes! How I love thee! I don't even care if you send me all the junk mail of every home in the Northwest, if it's in a box. There is just something about getting that taped-to-hell package with the little dirt smear and your name on it that makes everything peachy. It's a sickness, I think.


You know, I wouldn't last a day as a mail carrier.


So...the goods. 12 lovely boxes, big boxes, nice, big, square boxes, all sitting in my guestroom. And I don't even know what's in them! Well, I know what's in them, but I don't know whats in them. See, Robert brought me all his mothers old Avon stuff (12 boxes full) because he wants to take a stab at selling them on E-bay. So right now they're sitting all nice and cozy in my house to keep wayward hands (HA!) from digging/breaking/ect. them. (I don't plan on the braking or the ect part...and I'll dig carefully!) All of the Avon stuff is from the 60's and 70's and 99.9% of it is in it's packaging still. 98.9% of it is purfume bottles...and unfortunatly (fortunatly for collectors I guess...unfortunatly for me) they also still have all the purfume in them.


My guestroom (And, the back of Robert's truck!) smells like a dead French whore.


I, however, think that -and the wonderful stabbing headache I got from just being around the unopened boxes - is a small price to pay to be able to look at goodies. For now, anyway....ask me later, after I've gone through everything and I faint and have nightmares of dying a horrible slow death at the purfume counter of Pennies.

I spent the majority of the day in a ECD/PDR class (that was boring as a trip to the glue factory) to better myself for my job and guess what I come home to? An artical in the lovely Parents 'premote fear' magazine about how Preschool (childcare providers) teachers are unqualified and abusive. This is the third such artical I've seen in there this year saying that (In the overall theme of the articals) childcare providers and preschool teachers are abusive and deplorable, and promoting fear and distrust in parents.
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.

.

.

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You know, the crap, slander, and abuse we all take for this job dosen't make it worth it. If it wasn't for the fact that I honestly like working with children enough to try opening a straight preschool, I would have run for the hills a long time ago and never looked back.


I agree that some in this profession - like all professions everywhere - aren't good for the job. But when is the media going to stop pushing fear and distrust and start telling the whole story? They've never once published a good artical about childcare or preschool. Ever. All articals might have a tad good, but it's weight out by how abusive, terrible, and unqualified we are. I'm actually half thinking about writing and telling them how disapointed and tired I am of the media, the parents and the goverment putting me and my profession down.


But, since I'm just a childcare provider/preschool teacher I bet they won't listen to me. After all, a child abuser wouldn't tell the truth.

100 Things About Me: #33 I do face painting.

I've decided to throw these out randomly, that way, I have something to post for 100 days!


I picked up a box of face paints about two years ago, and have been doing it anywhere from every day to six times a month at the least since. I like it, and I'm actually kind of good at it. People seem to like it too (It's the little things I guess), it's even gotten to the point that my siblings friends come over and ask me to 'Paint them'. In fact, there is a plot going around to get me to paint faces on picture day...unfortunatly for them, I'm not going to. (I think parents would be angry. I think it would be kewl...but when you weigh the two against each other, screaming angry parents win out.)


Someday I'll get a decent digital camera and show off some of my face painting. I'm not great, and I'm still learning, but I love to practice on anybody who will sit still. (Or anyone who will let me hit them with my brushes to get them to sit still.)


If you've ever wanted to try it (I say do it, just get yourself some paints and start stalking victims!) I will happily share Jamie's Tips For Attempting Decent Face Painting with you. Ready? Good.


1. Don't Worry. Seriously. Don't worry that you won't be good enough, that you don't have any talent, that you just got paint in somebodies hair. (Well, try and avoid that one...even if it does wash out.) Just relax and have fun. Don't worry if you mess up either, it's just paint.


2. Esperament (That's 'experiment' in kiddie speak) If you get an idea, run with it. Don't be afraid to use body glitter, sticky rhinestones, stuff to make textures...anything goes. You don't have to do it on the face either, arms, hands, legs, feet, neck, back...um..other places that are rated appropriate for the crowd you're doing works good too. Oh yeah, we were speaking of other things to use before? That takes us to tip #3.


3. Thrifty isn't a bad thing Face Painting supplies can get expensive, especally for the little bits and peices you'll end up using alot. There are a great many face paint companies that will shoot me for this tip, but it's true. Alot of them offer rhinestones and loose glitter for face painters, but unfortunatly some of them charge over the limit amounts for something that's exactly the same as the other on the market. These rhinestones and glitter are the same rhinestones and glitter avalible in places like Clares and Wal-Mart that are for sold for body decorations and they are avalible at half the cost. So insted of buying through a face paint place, get your body glitter at Clares, or order your rhinestones in bulk from U.S. Toy company, who sells them in packages of 144 for 5 bucks. U.S. Toy Co also sells those neat body rhinestone tattoos in bulk. Great for adding an extra something to a design.


4. Use Decent Paint. You don't have to get the most expensive, but make sure you get FDA approved paint that is of some good quality. Bad paint is just plain bad. It cracks, chips, runs, and can irritate skin. Plus, your work will look better with a paint that isn't yucky.


5. Use Tons of Brushes & Sponges. Brushes are good, sponges are good too. Try and swing it so you have one brush for every pot of paint. I know it turns into a whole bunch of brushes, but the extra washing at the end of the day is MUCH better then painting with poo water...which brings us to 6.


6. DON'T USE POO WATER! Poo water, as it's so nicely named by someone I know, is when your water turns that lovely brown color from your brush and paints. Using a brush for each color (or color range) will stop this because you won't have to rinse your brush out, ever. Just dip your brush in a tiny bit to get water you need, and you'll stop the poo problem. Becides looking bad, (and making you look bad!) poo water will also change the colors of the paint on your brush and in the pot, causing you a lovely time of wiping off the top of your paints to get rid of that brownish stain from the water. Bad, don't do it!


7. Surf The Net. There are a huge amount of face painting websites out there. (who knew?) All of them usally offer photo albumbs of painting they've done. Trust me, if you surf these you'll get all sorts of great ideas (and hints, tips and walkthroughs) and you won't have to buy a book or video. Not, that books and videos are bad.


8. Practice on anybody you can get your hands on. Over, and over and over until they hate you, face painting and everything associated with it. You'll lose some friends, but will be a better painter for it. You can also print off (from some websites) drawn faces of kids to practice on...it's not the same, but it'll help you get certain strokes down.


9. If you charge, charge what you're worth. I don't charge because I don't do it at shows or anything (I've thought about it, but haven't) If you DO charge, set your OWN limit before hand and don't make anyone tell you different. Charge what you're worth, because it's your time and your talent and because you're worth it, damnit. Don't make me beat you.


10. Make a kit. Keep all your face painting stuff in a kit. You can use a good sized tackle box, they work well. It helps keep all your junk in one spot, and it makes it easier for you to work. Some stuff to keep in it? Wet naps, extra brushes and sponges (Again, bulk makeup brushes work just as good as any!), paint (of course), glitter, rhinestones, texture stuff (rice, beans, sand), a mirror, business cards (if you do that sort of face painting), and whatever else you feel the need to huff around with you.


11. Clip the kids. If you decide to make a face painting kit (I've got one...sorta!) then keep some good hairclips in there, so you can clip hair away from the faces of the bra..kids...you're working on. Nothing makes you more frustrated then a good face ruined by hair!


12. Be polite but firm if you charge, or even if you don't, make sure you're polite to people you're painting, but don't let them walk on you! Make sure they know they have to sit still (and if they don't, don't paint them), make them stand in line if you need (And make sure you let people know when you're going to be done, and don't waiver from it...when you're done, be done!), and make sure that both you and the person you're painting are clear with knowing what is wanted...and if they change their mind, just hit them a few times, they'll change it back.


12. Ask If you need help, ask...me, someone else who does it, someone on the net. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm pretty sure I don't bite.


There, those are my tips (so far) that I have to offer. So, if you're in a craft store and see a box of face paint, pick it up, cause it's kind of fun, and you never know...you might like it. (gasp..lol...I'm such a geek..)