I was in The Dollar Tree (I heart) the other day buying cheap and worthless items for the YCC Party the other day. Cheap and worthless because to a bunch of 2 to 12 year old kids the cost of the item doesn't matter, all that matters is that it tastes like refined white sugar and resembles severed parts. Oh, and if it makes noises that resemble human bodily functions, the more the better.

While I was there, I ran into (almost literally because she's nearly blind) my Great Aunt. I was holding the door open for all the people coming in and going out, like a polite girl should, when she walked by me. My Great Aunt is the type of person who reuses plastic wrap, feeds her guests ten year old frozen left overs, and goes to places like The Dollar Tree to buy off-brand German Chili for twenty cents a can. She also turns her hearing aid off whenever you talk to her.

Yeah, one of those relitives.

"Hi Darthee" I say, ever the nice tolerant neice, "How are you today?"

Yes, her name is Darthee. Spelt just like that. Don't ask me, I can't tell you.

She squinted at me for thirty seconds before saying, "And who is it I'm speaking to?" Which is exactly what I figured she'd say, after all, I'm the invisible one in the family.

"It's Jamie" I reply.

It's here where I am highly thinking of tracking down the services of a good clergy man and begging for forgiveness. Because, when she asked who I was, I, with horrible glee honestly debated the idea of telling her that I was Jesus, landing in the parking lot of the Keizer Dollar Tree on my sparkly white cloud, come to whisk her away from worldy sin, and take her home.

It was mean, and I apologize.

I will go down with this ship,
I won't put my hands up and surrender.
There will be no white flag upon my door,
I'm in love and always will be.

Congrats to Robin, who on October 18th gave birth to a 13 pound, 23.25 inch boy. Let us all now cringe in pain, for poor robin. Congrats also to Robert, the proud father.

Love you!

Stolen from Fred's journal, and then done because every now and then it's fun to revert back to Jr. High. `Corse, all people mentioned herein are people who read this journal, and since only my darling net met friends read it, only people mentioned are you! Aren't you special? Yep...you are. Now, you fill it out.

[My name is]: Jamie
[In the morning i am]: Quiet
[I dream about]: Novel ideas and a man who's face I can't see

-W I T H .T H E. O P P O S I T E. S E X-

[What do you notice first?]: A guys personality. You can tell right away if a guy is a good person or someone you just don't want to be around by the way he behaves. And hands...I like guys hands.

[Last person you slow danced with]: My ten year old brother.

-W H O-

[Do you have a crush on?]: You! Yep, that's right, I have a crush on you.

[Easiest to talk to]: Michael, Fred, Ally, Melissa, Robin, Kelly, James...um, everyone.

-H A V E .Y O U . E V E R-

[Fallen for your best friend]: Yeah. Every time I've ever fallen for a guy, he's been my best friend at the time. The whole friendship thing is important to me.

-W H O . W A S . T H E . L A S T . P E R S O N-

[You talked to on the phone]: Selene
[Hugged]: Lane
[You instant messaged]: Caleb
[You laughed with]: Fred

[Could you live without the computer?]: Yep, because I have everyone's phone numbers.
[What's your favorite food?]: Bocca burgers
[Whats your favorite fruit?]: Peaches
[What hurts the most? physical pain or emotional pain?]: Emotional. I have a seriously high physcial pain threshold, but I cry at dog food commercials.
[Trust others way too easily?]: Why shouldn't I?

-N U M B E R-

[Of times I have had my heart broken? ]: Oh a few
[Of hearts I have broken?] : I've made mistakes and hurt people, everyone does.
[Of boys I have kissed?] : Lots! Because I'm a total flooz!
[Of girls I have kissed?] : Define 'kissed'? Friendly? Greeting? Changing teams?
[Of drugs taken illegally?] : None. Wait, that's not true. I took someones Vicodin once because I was hospital bound and they take too long to get to you. Lock me up!
[Of tight friends?] : I adore all my friends, not only because they put up with me, but because they're themselves.
[Of cd's that i own?] : Slues, before the evil record companies got more evil, now I only buy independent bands CDs.
[Of scars on my body?] : Four. Left hand where I split my palm open with a butcher knife. Right knee where I sliced it open on construction cable. Right big toe where I sliced it open on brick. Forehead, from chicken pox.
[Of things in my past that i regret?]: Nothing. I handled situations to the best of my ability at the time, and that's good enough for me.

-O T H E R . T H I N G S-

[I know]: things. About you. Lots of dirty, dirty things.
[I want]: to really believe that 'I am fully equipped for the divine plan of my life' like the card says.
[I have]: everything I need.
[I wish]: I was comfortable financially. - You and me both brother!
[I hate]: nothing.
[I miss]: certain people. Sometimes.
[I fear]: that I'm not smart enough, or good enough.
[I hear]: the ever so sexy Perry Mason.
[I search]: for the perfect taco salad.
[I love]: where I am.
[I ache]: noplace.
[I care]: for everybody.
[I always]: want it better for you, because you deserve it.
[I dance]: like a chicken.
[I cry]: because it's good for me.
[I do not always]: believe in myself.
[I write]: because if I don't practice, I'll never dethrone Stephen.
[I confuse]: myself, more often then not.
[I can usually be found]: being me.
[I need]: scary, sin invoking material things. A car, better money, an ice cream cake for my birthday. Maybe someone who loves me, that would be nice.
[Have you ever played a game that required removal of clothing]: Ha!
[If so, when and with who]: Hmm..
[Favorite place to be kissed?]: Wrist. Why did I blush typing that?
[Have you ever been caught "doing something"]: Ha!

- A R E . Y O U . A . . . -

[Wuss]: When it comes down to the grit, no.
[Druggie]: No.
[Gang member]: No.
[Daydreamer]: It's a curse.
[Alcoholic]: No.
[Freak]: Yep.
[Brat]: In a good way.
[Sarcastic]: Yes, but it's tasteful!
[Goody-goody]: According to Fred 'Kind of...yeah.'
[Angel]: Yes! And you can't prove different!
[Devil]: Sometimes all you need is a little naughty.
[Friend]: Till the end, like a good Care Bear should.
[Shy]: More quiet then shy.
[Talkative]: Once someone pulls my test tab, I don't shut up.
[Adventurous]: I love adventure. I once got someone lost in downtown San Francisco purely for the adventure. She, however, did not find it as exciting as I did.
[Intelligent]: I try hard.

- C O N C E R N I N G . T H E . F R I E N D S . Y O U . C L A I M . T O . H A V E . -

[Impacted you the most spiritually]: Ally
[Wish you saw more often]: Ally
[Wish you could meet]: All of them!
[Most sarcastic]: Fred, but Caleb pulls a close second
[Wish you knew better]: Ben
[Knows you best]: Ally, Fred
[Best outlook on life]: Michael
[Most paranoid]: Fred
[Sweetest]: Kelly


- S E L F . A N A L Y S I S . Y O U . P R O B A B L Y . D O N ' T . W A NT . T O . D O -

[Your best feature [personality]: I try really hard to be understanding of everyone, no matter what is going on.
[Your biggest flaw [personality]: I don't do good enough.
[Most annoying thing you do]: Apologize. I'm sorry about that.
[Biggest mistake you've made this far]: Never mistakes, just learning experiences.
[Describe your personality in one word]: Dorky.
[The physical feature for which you are most often complimented]: My hair.
[Height]: 6'2"
[A smell that makes you smile]: Rain
[A city you'd like to visit]: Paris
[A drink you order most often]: Dr. Pepper
[A delicious dessert]: Peach pie
[A book you highly recommend]: Any book. Reading is good for you.
[The music you prefer while alone]: Opera
[Your favorite band]: I don't have a favorite band. I like lots of bands.
[A film you could watch over and over]: Alice in Wonderland. It's a film, it is!
[A TV show you watch regularly]: Dead Like Me
[You live in a]: Triplex. In the middle one. Two bedrooms, a garage, a whole backyard to myself because my neighbors don't use it. I like it.
[Your transportation]: Bumming rides because I'm car-less.
[Your cologne or perfume]: None, but I do use orange cream hand lotion because it smells like heaven. I'd eat it, but it doesn't taste as good as it smells.
[Under your bed or in your closet you hide]: Boxes of stuff I haven't unpacked after almost four years.
[Something important on your night table]: My paper journal

Had a fundraiser for my YCC yesterday. It was an ice cream social, we turned the classroom into an ice cream parlor complete with wait to be seated signs and waiters and waitresses. The kids did an amazing job with taking orders and delvering orders, they even handled all the billing (done at the patrons table, of course) it went really great.

We served about seven different ice cream dishes (including these monster ice cream cookie sandwiches which nobody could finish..lol), and with only two of us in the 'kitchen' (the back half of the room where it's screened off) it was totally hectic. I also only ate a banana split yesterday so I was completely sick. I should have known better but it was sooooo nummy.

Unfortunatly, after expenses (because I was too wimpy to set the prices any higher) we only made $34.00 which wasn't as good as I needed it to be at all. So I'm going to put out a donation container and plan another fundraiser for January. I do hope that the small amount of money I made combined with the money I get at the first of the month as payment (I always put it right back in the class) it will cover the next couple months worth of activities until I can do another funraiser.

Next weeks class? Pumkins. Pumkin pie, pumkin seeds, pumpkin punch, carving and painting pumpkins. In the Salem area and have kids? Drop them on by the H.O.M.E Center next Sunday starting at 11:00. We're upstairs in the EASL/YCC room. It's an hour long, it's fun, it's free, and we'd love to see them.

Also next week we will be voting on our spring YCC feild trip and sending off information about our fall feild trip and Harvest Party which is at the end of the month.

After months of waiting for each episode, and cheering for the characters and being really freaked about being left hanging by the Fansubbers (I heart!) Scrapped Princess finally ended.

It was perfect.

Today a tiny factoid dawned on me a great bit thwack upside my already addled little head while I was in the middle of a conversation that had nothing to do with it (this just goes to show how absolutely spaztic I really am).

I've lived in my place for four years.

I've HAD my place for five years this next June, I've only lived there for four. It's a long story that involves lots of laziness and unwilling foreign bathroom fixtures.

Anyway, as I sitting in sort of a shocked shockness I baffled over how fast time goes by, how really little time people have and how important it is to me to accomplish everything I want. I also realized something else that completely soured my mood and is almost as sad and pathetic as not living in my apartment but still paying rent for almost five months.

I still haven't unpacked all my crap.

I love fall. Not for the changing colors, or the crispness of the air. Not for the back to school sales where in you can buy darling shoes and a matching handbag for less then got for selling your sisters used retainer on E-bay. No, I love fall because it is the only time of year you can get large quanities of candy corn without having to pay two bucks per ounce.

Mm. Candy Corn, how I love thee.

Being bored, I decided to amuse myself by seeing what was brought up when using 'Brighterskyte' in a search. Among the things brought up (every single one in referance to me. I'd grow an ego, if I could just get up the energy.) was the Googlisim on 'Skyte'.

My favorite? "Skyte is in for a serious beating in the near future"

Promises, promises.

I admit that I am one of those people who isn't lazy in the sense that they don't do anything, but I'm lazy because I do far too much and my other projects sometimes get kicked into the dusty corner of shame for a period of time. I don't abandon them forever. I come back sooner or later, dust them off, give them a kiss and keep on truckin', but some things just get neglected and then I have to beg for forgiveness. This ritual is not pretty, and does nothing for my self-esteem.

I haven't done a layout (and thus, this post is not being read by anyone but me, and the stalker who's figured out my password so he could read my posts that aren't getting posted) and I feel badly about this. Not because nobody gets to read my asinine thoughts, but because I enjoy my blog and feel it deserves more then the Kick.

I haven't made a new layout because between working, and planning events, and all the other things going on, I just haven't been able to staple my eyelids open long enough to get past the guilt that is injected into my brain whenever I work on something that is purely mine. Stupid, but sadly true. Topping it all off? I have no idea what I want here.

I want something good, something unique, something that will make me feel like I've got some kind of semi-decent skills insted of feeling like I'm some mutated cartoon character pounding away at the keyboard with my four huge white sausage fingers.

Maybe something autumny.

Finally! After years of getting the run around and turned down I managed to swindle a Pell Grant out of the college, and I didn't even have to sleep with anyone. I managed to land a pretty decent hunk of money for Spring Term. This gives me a little under five months to find a car and figure out how I'm going to swing everything I do every day and going to school full time since I have to go full time to keep the grant.

This should be fun.

I'm going back to schoooool, I'm going back to schoooool. Everybody do the happy shuffle with me now! Shuffle...shuffle...shuffle...


shuffle.

To the sweet older gentleman who had the heart attack while waiting in the Doctors office and had to be taken away by the ambulance, and his wife who was very worried. I hope everything works out for the best for you, and that you feel better soon sir!

To the mechanic who sliced his finger to the bone working on a rental car and needed eight stitches. Please forgive me for not telling you they called you but you didn't hear them because you were in the other room and on the phone yelling at someone. I feel guilty. I was torn. I am extremely sorry, and I do hope that they fixed your finger.

Thank you, that is all.

Today is officially Summers final wheezing last stand for me. It is both sad, and wonderful.

Hurray for fall! Hurray for back to school! Hurray for rain! Hurray for longer hours of darkness in which sleeping in like a bag of lazy flesh is almost justified! All of this of course also means I'll have to do my morning mile in the dark, cold and wet.

Oh well, I guess no matter what the season, you just can't win them all.

"Hey, spare me some change." He said, a foot away from them, waving his sign in their faces. His body language spelling out how he deseved all the loose silver in their purses and he deserved it right now. Maybe the copper too.

It was a pretty typical afternoon walking across the strip mall parking lot. Upper 80's, sun was shining, and the obligitory homeless man was accosting customers on the sidewalk. Shabby clothes, cardboard sign, sporting brand new nikes on his supposedly weary feet.

And they ignored him.

"You've got your whole lives ahead of you, you fat cows!" The three girls just sidesteped him and walked on. He walked on as well, in the other direction. One of those huffy angry walks, where you walk far fast and the red dosen't always let you see where you are going. Turning and twisting all the while to shake your fist at the object that made you so very livid. He turned completely around just as we stepped on to the sidewalk.

"Someday you could be in my situation! Homeless!" He screamed, his face red and his arms making wild, innapropriate gestures in the general direction of receeding backs. "Someday you'll be homeless just like me and that will teach you. Fucking bitch cunts." Still screaming at people who were long gone about how he deserved it, and muttering to everyone, and maybe even God, just how egocentric the people who had it all truly are, he turned and stormed down the sidewalk.

Pushing the door to the sporting goods store open I couldn't help but comment. "Nothing invokes a sense of charity in a person like a mouth full of slander."

I conciter myself a decent person. I can empathize with people who are in bad situations and I have no second thoughts or tiny voices asking me what in the world I think doing when I help them out. I don't ask what I'll get from it, it's just instinct. I like to help people, I like doing things for people. I don't do this to validate anything deep seeded nurosis or as a pathetic plea for friendship and I get highly offended when that is eluded to me. I enjoy it, and it is who I am, and if someone dosen't like that, then they don't like me being myself, and that isn't my problem.

I've worked hard on developing myself into what I think is a good person, a strong, well rounded, decent person who enjoys who she is and what she does. I don't feel I have to apologize, make exscuses, or explain myself to anyone about anything I do. I've still got weird things I'm working through, like letting people make me feel like I'm not good enough, or feeling like I have to apologize for every time someone else takes something wrong. I don't, I don't think anyone elses thoughts, I don't threaten their lives or leech on to them with my amazing psychic powers to force them to react the way they do, and I'm not responsible for how they take things in situations. I know I handle every situation to the very best of my abilities, and that's all I can do. If someone dosen't like that, well, that's just too bad for them. Maybe they need to work on their ability to handle situations, insted of questioning mine.

I still worry too much about hurting peoples feelings by speaking up for myself, which leads to me taking alot of oozing worthless verbal vomit off people because I still believe on alot of levels that letting them rip me apart with steely words is akin to respecting their opinion. That because they're my friends, and I respect them as people, that what they have to say is important enough for me to ignore the fact that it's innapropriate, cruel, or in most cases, wrong. I just let them have their say and change the subject, I don't take it to heart, because nobody knows me better then I know myself, and I don't lie to myself about how I am and what problems I do and don't have. I also don't defend myself when I'm attacked, and that in itself is almost as bad as lying to myself would be. Thus, I have a deilema.

Do you defend your own honor at the risk of potentally hurting a friend, which is breaking a cardnal rule in itself, or do you forsake yourself for someone elses opinion, just because they're a friend?

Of course, if they were really friends in the first place, they wouldn't be doing these things. That's always a good point.

What's the proper Elizabethan torture to implement for a neighbor that points a sprinklers stream directly into your open bedroom window for roughly five hours thus soaking everything inside your room to the core, including electronics and your matress? While we're at it, what is also the correct form of agony to mortally wound a health insurance company that says you have 'till the 20th of the month to pay your premium and you pay it over a week before it's due and they cut you off anyway four days before your payment deadline?

Thumb screws? Boiled? Iron Maidens? Presses? Hot pokers to gouge out their eyes while giggling with horrific glee?

Just curious.

Rhea Rhyolin: I posted about my latest evil deed as a sister
SaetanSadiablo: Which was?
Rhea Rhyolin: Scaring the crap out of my brother by giving him a family heirloom ring to give to his girlfriend as an engagment ring. He keeps bringing up marrage to me on the sly, all casual like, no big deal right? But he hasn't given her a ring. He about had a heart attack when I told him I was giving it to him today on the phone...he was like "WHY??!?!?!" I could feel the male race cringing in horror. It was amusing. Then I told him because he needed to give her a ring (what kind of freaking boyfriend was he anyway?) and then he was all 'Yeah yeah, bring it over she'll be soooo shocked, and blah blah blah' so I packed it up in a velvet ring box and took it over. The man better give it to her in a nice way, or I'll shoot him.
Rhea Rhyolin: Hence, I am an evil sister! He never would have done it himself, I know my brother
SaetanSadiablo: lol.
SaetanSadiablo: That is evil.
Rhea Rhyolin: I know...I'm so happy!
Rhea Rhyolin: lol....I don't get to do evil often
SaetanSadiablo: I bet you are.

She's not really here, it just looks like she is. What you're seeing is actually just a cardboard cutout that's been crudely scribbled on with a Sharpie to imitate Skyte's likeness. If you look closely, you'll see the smelly marker hair and the squiggle mouth are actually more attractive then the real Skyte.

I'm actually Skye's Evil Twin, Mr. Kumquat. Normally you only see me hanging around the smelly TPC basement (and when I manage to escape my lock-clad clubhouse basement room, the Forums) but today I managed to wheedle permission out of that good for nothing waste of skin Prana that dosen't let me have any fun, and she begrudgingly let me have the computer to post for Skyte. Skyte managed to get a bunch of sleep yesterday and now she's back at work slaving like a good girl. Oh alas, poor pathetic Skyte. :( Let's feel sorry for her while we snicker behind her back, shall we?

I just wanted to let everyone know that you can STILL sponsor Skyte (although I, myself wouldn't know why you would want to) until 6 AM tomorrow morning. So if you've got a couple extra bucks laying around, go on over and pledge it to a good cause would ya? It's damn better then what you were going to spend it on anyway. Kids these days. Why not forgo her and give me your money? Better yet, tell those damn girls to let me out of the Basement more often.

Also, prize announcements will be posted here tomorrow at noon. Winners will also be notified by E-mail. I've seen the prizes, and I wouldn't bother, but hey, if you want crap...by all means.

IBOM will be on hiatus for a tiny bit longer then Skyte thought because of what she called 'new and fun changes that have needed to happen for quite a while around here'. Never fear however, I'm sure she will be back being her disgustingly annoying self in no time. Oh, how I just can't wait.

-- Mr. Kumquat, Skyte's Evil Twin (Posting for Skyte because she's such a lazy twerp)

Well boys and girls, dawn has decided to finally show itself and all good little spooks and spirits are in bed for the day, so that concludes our little trip into the Paranormal during this years Blogathon. I've been your host, Skyte, for this lovely trip and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Please make sure to keep hands and feet inside the ride until the tram has come to a complete stop. Trashbins are located near each exit, so please remember to recycle. Visit the gift shop on your way out, to purchase some fabulous merchandise.

Thanks much to the people who kept me company during this whole thing, James, Kelly, Fred (You poop), Michael and everyone else, like Pranie, Jackie and Kim who popped in and out to check on me. Thanks also to my lovely sponsors whom if hadn't sponsored me I wouldn't be here typing incoherent garbage at you now. Thank you sponsors! We love you sponsors, and the ghosties love you too. Also, thank you to those of you who sent in questions, photos, stories and other fun things. You absolutely made posting go tons faster.

Once again I apologize for not being able to do this from the graveyard, but I hope you enjoyed yourself regardless.

Big grats to all the other bloggers who made it, I'll deffinatly be circling the ring as soon as my hate of this computer chair goes away. It might sound bonkers, but it is always so sad when this is all done. I absolutely can't wait until next year. Corse...now that the `Thon is done we can all prep for NaNoWriMo! MUHAHAha...ha....er...sorry.

Winners of the prizes will be announced here in 48 hours as well as getting a notice in their E-mail.

That's it, we're done. Finished. Kaput. Fin. Outta here. I'm headed off to take a nap before I have to go teach a class. I'll be on a short hiatus for the next couple days, so until I come back you take care, ya hear?

One last ghost story to give you something to do as the Blogathon slowly draws to a close.

Don't forget! Sign up to win a prize, if you don't sign up before 6 AM PST (when the thon ends) then you can't win.

One more post after this one boys and girls, just one more post.

-----

From: nldd@msg.ti.com (LeAnne)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.ghost-stories
Subject: Our ghost - TRUE STORIES
Date: 11 Sep 1995 19:51:03 GMT


(c) 1995 Leanne Davis

My family moved last October into a Queen Anne victorian house that was built in 1894. The previous owners swore there were no violent deaths in the house (required by Texas law to divulge that info these days!) Actually, they claimed there were no ghosts that they were aware of either.

Two days after we put the Christmas tree up in the foyer, it was knocked over while my husband & I were at work & our son was at school. We lost all of our antique glass Christmas ornaments that were on the tree, many were family heirlooms. We were lucky the tree didn't fall when the space heater across the room was lit. I guess she didn't like where we put the tree & she didn't want her house to accidentally burn down. I just wish she'd made herself clear the day before I put all the ornaments on the tree. Yes, we think our ghost is female, and I'm still upset about my ornaments.

Very frequently last winter, I would smell apple pies baking, you know the strong smell of cloves & cinnamon - I haven't even had any cloves in the house yet & I haven't baked an apple pie in 4 or 5 years.

A couple of days later, we had an open house & the wife of one of the guys my husband works with swore we had more than one spirit in the house. There are photos of the people who built the house, hanging in the stairwell. Someone made the comment at the open house that she (the wife) was homely. So my husband spouted off also saying that she was ugly & that she had no right to knock our tree over & break the ornaments.

Not long after that, my husband was taking a bath in the upstairs bathroom (he's too tall for the claw foot tub downstairs). Anyway, he heard the door to the bathroom opening while he was soaking. His thought it was our son messing with him, so he hollered him. Our son was not upstairs, he was not even in the house. And, then my husband heard the bathroom door close and footsteps running down the hallway.

Then, one day they were watching TV and the dog (a cocker spaniel) went nuts barking. My husband followed her into our bedroom. The bedroom door (which normally tends to open & stay open - has to be pulled tight to latch as a rule) slammed shut and the dog lay down & hid her face with her paws & whimpered.

One of our pictures from Christmas morning shows a light blob where no light was present in the room in the pre-dawn (you know how kids get you up early to open presents.)

My husband apologized for calling the lady "ugly". And the "incidents" have stopped except for the apple pie smells (which we don't mind cause it smells good) and the dog barking at nothing we can see. We won't put the Christmas tree in the same spot this year - it will go in the cupola instead.

It's been interesting. We're hoping to do some more research on the house. I just found out recently it was empty for 25 years. The previous owners had it for 30. And the ones before that for about 6 years. We're the fourth family.