Christmas was fantastic. It was nice and mellow, even with all the people here. Oh, and there was way way too much food. I'm pretty sure that we made enough to feed two small countries.

I received my very first DVD as a present from my older brother. I also got a frog toothbrush holder, a pair of hugging stuffed frogs, a stuffed frog that doubles as a tiny fm radio with headphones, a squishy sticky frog, and christmas decorations. I always get decorations as presents because I'm a total decoration freak, and you can see, my frog obsession is alive and kickin'. What a bunch of enablers I have in my life.

Yesterday I spent most of the day driving to Tillamook and back, in between the driving I lost horribly at a game of Monopoly. This I think is further proof that I really just need a sugar daddy, rather then trying to make my own money. I'm just no good at it.

Today, it's back to work for me. I really still wish it was Sunday, but it's not, so I have to stop dinkering around and actually get something done so I can scribble it off my never-ending list. Classes start back up in exactly one week. Where did that month go? I feel like I hardly got anything done. Now I have to buckle down and really get things completed. In the end though, I think being able to squeak over something gleefully with a black maker and have it banished from my list is almost worth the misery of working.

Bowling is the planned celebration on New Years. You can come if you want, just give me a call. Just to forewarn you, I don't plan on losing this time. Even if I have to hire Guido to hide behide the ball racks with a bat.

HotD:


Oh, goodbye Christmas!
Take down all the lights now,
Before March gets here.

A very merry to you and yours, from me and all my figments.

I'm cursed. Every time I've gone to buy stamps I've forgotten, for some reason or another, and I haven't sent out my Christmas cards. So, for those of you whom I owe cards to, they're so totally going to be late.

Do they make belated Christmas cards?

The fact that Dead Like Me was canceled further proves to me that the current people in charge of running television stations have no clue what is good television. I now only watch one show, which is Lost. I also used to watch Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (The fact that Dominic Monaghan is in both of those series is a complete coincidence, honest) but Mystery! isn't showing it right now. So, it's just Lost. Not that I've got time for T.V. but damn, give a girl some options besides Big Man On Campus and The O.C.

I swear, someone should let me run a T.V. Station, preferably while I'm Queen of the World, everyone would watch it because I would run only good stuff. No more Rock Hard Adenoids infomercials at three in the afternoon on a Saturday, no sir. I'll show only good stuff. What would be your ideal programming on a T.V. station? We're all about customer feedback here in Jamieland.

Fletched from Mac at Pesky'Apostrophy:

1. Start your MP3 player.
2. Put your whole collection on random play.
3. List the first 10 songs.


1. Natalie Merchant - Jealousy

2. Bon Jovi - It's My Life

3. Sarah McLachlan - Push

4. London Symphony Orchestra - The Return to Oz Ragtime March)

5. Aretha Franklin - A Rose Is Still A Rose

6. Love Hina - Kimi Sae Ireba

7. Deep Forest - Media Luna

8. Dave Matthews Band - Where Are You Going

9. Baltimora - Tarzan Boy

10. Mediaeval Baebes - Dance of the Trolls


Proof that I listen to weird stuff. Yesterday had no HotD, because yesterday I misplaced my last marble. Today however, my marble has been found and returned to it's rightful place no worse for ware - albeit a tad dusty - and I'm all better. So...

HotD:


Giving away disks.
I always worry because,
Who knows what's on them.

So I'm on a Freecycle list, and I posted yesterday saying that I noticed that there were lots of families in need, and for families who still needed help to contact me and I'd see what I can do.

For those of you who don't know, I used to run a preschool so I had (at one time) fifty thousand dollars worth of toys and supplies. I kid you not. Now, over the years in all the giving away and selling, it's down to maybe nine thousand dollars worth. Most is books and learning supplies, but I have some toys left. So, I post thinking that maybe I can help someone out and get rid of some of this stuff. Most is new, some is used, all is in good condition.

I got up this morning to sixteen E-mails from local families saying they needed help because they weren't going to be able to get anything for their kids this year. Sixteen. How screwed up is our countries priorities if sixteen families on one mailing list that represent only a fraction of the area are going without? Sixteen families, who all together totaled 41 children. 41 children who were not going to get any presents from Santa this year.

I was really overwhelmed, in fact, I cried. I spent about an hour trying to figure out how I was going to make sure each kid got something. I had stuff, but I didn't have that much stuff, and I had mostly preschool stuff, and a large majority of the kids were older.

But, I gathered everything I had, and managed to give away a huge amount of toys. Everything from Little Tykes Kitchens with dishes and plastic food, to 90% of my Mr. Potato Head collection (I had like...sixty potato heads). I got rid of a ton of new coloring books and kids books, brand new boxes of crayons, gave away brand new games, and nine brand new never opened cartoon movies on DVD. Baby dolls, barbies, nasty Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you name it, I got rid of it. See, now, I wasn't playing with all that stuff, so why keep it?

The only thing I've got left of any of my collections is my Betty Spagetti's. I guess I'm just selfish like that. I even got rid of my entire Arthur book collection...I had them all.

Yes, I love me my preschool toys!

So I've managed to get bags all ready for everyone, and one person has already picked their stuff up. I even gave away a frozen turkey and a complete trimmings sack. It pisses me off, to tell you the truth. This should not happen, nobody should have to respond on a mailing list to someone to beg for help because they can't afford to get their kids anything. There is more then enough in this world, nobody should have to go without. This is the kind of stuff our government and society should be taking care of, not scuttling money from schools to buy more weapons or figuring out how to steal oil from other countries. Someone tell me when it's gonna change, because I'm pretty damn bummed about the whole thing.

It's almost time for cooking baking. This year I'm making Sugar Cookies, Gingerbread Men, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lemon bars, and Lime bars. I was going to mix the Lemon and Lime bars but I was told that if I did that, I'd be eating Christmas dinner outside with the cats this year. Nobody has any sense of adventure anymore.

I love baking, and I like baking sweets the best, even though I'm not a big sweet eater. In fact, I hate cake and really can't stand cookies. This last part is odd, because I obsess over cookies all the time, and collect cookie paraphernalia. Cutters, presses, jars, posters. I'm sure I've got some kind of sickness.

Shockingly, this post has a point. I'm looking for your favorite cookie recipes, especially for gingerbread. I've found that I don't like how most gingerbread recipes turn out. I'd like, if possible, a recipe for softer, more sensitive gingerbread man, instead of the hard brittle ones that won't let you spend their dough and want you to wear dresses around the house because that's what a good little woman does. Dresses, bah. So, hurry hurry and get me your favorite recipes `cause time, it is arunnin' out.

So I survived the party, I actually had quite a bit of fun. I got a Calla Lily growing kit as a present, which is perfect, because lilies are my favorite. I didn't get drunk, but hey, there is always next year.

I paid for it yesterday though, I had YCC in the morning, and by the time I got home I was pretty whiny. Nobody wanted to be around me, so I ended up spending the day moping around my bed watching bad Christmas movies and reading books that I'd been meaning to read for ages. It was kind of nice. I feel a bit better today, stiff and sore, but it doesn't hurt as bad to sit in my computer chair.

Since I can move, I guess I'm going to get the Christmas shopping I thought I had done, done. Really. This is the last trip. Honest.

Happy belated Birthday to Michael, who is a fantastic friend. :)

Hotd:


Oh, fingers and toes.
I am missing most of those.
It's fun changing words.

On Thursday I was stricken by Chinese food that - although tasting fantastic - made me completely sick. Hence the vomiting in public post. Nothing is worse then throwing up in the Post Office parking lot in front of lots of jolly holiday people shipping off presents to far-away lands. It's really not a tradition I'd like to keep.

Yesterday I pinched my sciatic nerve, probably from all projectile vomiting I did. I don't mean to overshare, but at one point I really think I broke a world record. Anyway, this thing, it's killing me. Nothing is worse then not being able to stand/sit/lie because of shooting and throbbing back pain. I have to go to a Christmas Party tonight and I'm thinking that maybe it's time to give up my lifelong abhorrence to alcohol and swipe me some festive holiday rum. I betcha I'm a hoot when I'm drunk. I'll let you know when I get back.

For those of you who weren't around last year at this time, let me fill you in about Santa. Santa is an honorary member of my cities fire department. Aren't you impressed? Every year he rides around town on a big shiny red firetruck and waves while he gives out candy canes to kids (and adults, if you ask for them...erm, not that I do or anything). He also yacks on a big blow horn, cajoling all the kids to be good these last few days before Christmas.

"Come on out!" He yells repeatedly in an extremely overexcited tone, which makes me kind of glad he only comes around once a year. "Come see Santa and get a candy cane! I hope you come out to meet me!" Then of course all the little kids rush out of their house to meet him, but then stop dead when they actually see him and hide behind their parents legs. He's taller in person, you know. It takes all sorts of bribery to get the kids to let go and actually take the candy cane. That Santa, he's an intimidating man. Also, Santa is seriously hot in a fireman suit, ok?

He's driving past my house right now, yelling "All the kids on Wolf St. come out and meet Santa!". I would take take Michael out to see him, but last year he made Michael cry, and I'm thinking taking a baby outside just to see him cry will definitely get me on the naughty list, and I really really want presents this year.

HotD:


Christmas party time.

Or if you're not Christmasy,

Then movies at home.

Vomiting in public is highly embarrassing. If you've ever wondered.

HotD:


Froggies are the best.
Passionately collect them,
Covet them till death.

Lane needs a song to choreograph a Colorguard routine to for her final. Wow, that sentence was ackward.

It needs to be more then two minutes but no longer then three, and poppy enough she can move to it, but not too fast or two slow. It needs to have some spikes or changes in score so that she can do tosses.

Any ideas? I've suggested a bunch, but she said the theme to Love Boat was "just wrong".

So in an attempt to make those of us who never win (or even get nominated) for anything feel worse, there is another new Blog Award thing out there. The BoB (Best of Blog) Awards. This one is a bit different, as it actually is aimed at giving awards to blogs who are lesser known, or not considered 'real blogs' by people who think they're real bloggers.

Categories include: Best Overall Blog (whom I nominated two people for, and will probably nominate more people for...hell, I might nominate my entire blogroll, save the people on it who were already nominated.), Best New Blog, Most humorous Blog, Biggest Blog Whore, Best Mommy Blog, Best Daddy Blog, Best Adoption/Fertility Blog, Best Book/Literary Blog, Best Sex Blog, Most inspirational Blog, Best LGTG Blog, Snarkiest Blog, Best Weight Loss/Fitness Blog, Best Education/Homeschooling Blog, Best Knitting/Craft Blog, Best Cooking/recipes Blog, Best Sports Blog, Best Music Blog, Best Photo/Poetry/Art Blog.

As you can see, they're really trying to find good blogs in categories that are often overlooked because they're not political, religious, or have a zillion readers (read: brainwashing. I'm tellin' you) Which, is nice. I hope good people win! I know who I'll be rooting for and no, I didn't nominate myself so no, it won't be me. Give me more credit then that.

HotD:


Michael is a boy.
But he shops like a big girl.
Baby complex time.

I just got the best birthday present ever. Ever, ever, ever. Even better then the DVD player I coveted until someone finally got the hint and bought it for me. I have no DVDs but that is really besides the point. I have a player now. It's tiny and silver and cute.

Anyway, the best present ever. Check it out:



32683 CG100 Preparing for College A

33570 CG101 Planning College Finances A

34381 CG225 4-Year College Transition A

30603 HPE295 Health and Fitness for Life A

34720 WR122 Eng Composition-Logic & Style/Argumentive Writing A

30646 ZOO101 General Zoology A


I'm stoked. Waiting for grades is killer. I was really worried Zoology would be a B, because I didn't know the grade of the Final or the last big project/presentation we did. I know to a lot of people it's no big deal, but it's a big deal to me. I'll probably have a complete mental breakdown the first time I get a B and they'll have to institutionalize me, but for now...YAY!

I'm having covers made for all Robin's furniture for Christmas. I'm off to pick out the fabric for it right now. I'm thinking something blue that will match the carpet in her living room. Or maybe bright orange, we'll see. While I'm at the fabric store, I'll be picking up a couple Christmas gifts for the artsy people.

I never know what to get them, so I'll just get them a gift certificate. Like for the knitter, what do I get her? I don't even know what type of yarn is good and what isn't or anything. Knowing my luck I'd get her something horrid, like "Knitting With Elvis" or something she already has. Then there would be that awkward silence and then the forced thank-you that you always get when it's a bad gift. I just don't think I can handle it, I'm pretty sure the knitting police would arrest me. Why do people have to be so hard to shop for?

I think I'm going to start a new rule: Submit your Christmas list by the 5th or forego any presents because you're all too damn hard to shop for which hurts my very small brain. Submitting your list late is an automatic flogging, and not the kind you like. I'm serious, man.

HotD:


Happy Birthday, yay.
I am so having Chinese.
The food, you pervert.

So I, in my never-ending quest for grace and poise, fell down some stairs yesterday. I was going down the back flight of stairs at the Center to head to the office to make copies of the Secret Santa instructions, and I wasn't paying attention. In fact, I was reading the sheet I was heading to copy. This in itself was sad, because I wrote it.

So I misstep and end up falling - well more sliding - down the stairs and twisting my foot in the process. I'm really way too hard on my feet and ankles, one of these days they're just going to disown me and go live with some girl who isn't breaking them or spraining them all the time. One good thing though, nobody saw me do it. I guess getting up early is good for something, no sane people are around to see you be a moron.

Now I'm just sore and my right ankle and foot are all bruised up. My pride isn't bruised at all, since I don't have any. Oh, wait, maybe that was shame.

HotD:


Painful on your feet.
My office is now a box,
For sharp little toys.

Happy Birthday to Ally, the best friend. For those of you who don't know, Ally is two days older then I am. Of course, she holds this over my head at every single opportunity, usually as an attempt to put me in my place. It doesn't work, but kudos to her for trying.

Aside from that, she's absolutely fantastic, and I wouldn't change her for anything. Honest I wouldn't. Since she's in Memphis, we don't get to see each other often, so we have to resort to letters and e-mails and phone calls. The only good thing about this is, she doesn't know what I got her for her birthday, because she wasn't here to go shopping with me. This, of course, could completely backfire on me when she finds out what it is that I got her.

Oh well.

Happy Birthday Kins! I love ya!

HotD:


Happy Birthday, yo.
Two days older means you are
Older then dirt first.

Classes are all happy scheduled. This is what I'm taking and when, if you'd like to stalk me. I wouldn't mind, just as long as you don't spit. If you do, then I'll just have to get out my castratin' tools.

Zoology 202 (M/W/F - 10:30 to 11:20)
Zoolab (T - 8:30 to 11:20)
Intro To Work Based Learning (W - 11:30 to 12:20)
Observing Preschool Experiences: Guiding behavior (TBA cause they like jerking my chain)
Prenatal, Infant & Toddler Development (TBA. Again, chain jerking)
Preschool Child Development (M/W - 8:30 to 9:50)

The Work Based Learning class is my overview class for the middle school child mentoring I'll be doing for the next two terms. The other classes are stupid ECE classes that I'm actually going to go see the head of the ECE department about challenging. Not because I think I'm better then their classes, but because I've been doing ECE stuff for so long (and own a business that writes classes just like the ones for the degree) that I really don't think I need to spend two years working on it. I know for sure that there are eight classes I can challenge and pass right now, and hopefully they'll let me challenge my Co-Op and Practicum stuff as well, since I've worked and own preschools and have the experience hours.

Zoology is my only Bio course, that and a Math, but the Math is a stow-away from this term, and doesn't count (I have ind. study and it overlapped, it's a long story as to why). I don't think I'll add a second Math since I'm already doing the tail end of another Math. I might change my mind though, I've been known to do that. Math's a nasty little bugger though, and I'd rather just ignore it all together.

I need to know when the TBA classes are to make sure they don't overlap other classes, if they do, it's back to the catalog for me. Maybe I'll take bowling.

Finally managed to get into Blogger to post. It's like trying to hussle my way into Fort Knox, or a bar. People always think I'm underage. Maybe it's because I sound like a six year old.

I finished up the majority of my Christmas shopping today. I have a list of the final few things I need that I'll go out and get next week. One includes a birthday present for my brother, I'd say what he's getting but he reads this sporadically, and what fun would that be? I don't want him to find out I bought him Pet Fat like that.

While we're on the subject of shopping. Why do people spit? I saw six people spit today while I was shopping. It's disgusting, spitting. I'll just be walking along and all of the sudden someone ahead of me just hocks it up and spits, right on the ground, right where people walk. It wigs me out worse then brushing your teeth in the kitchen does, or eating in the bathroom.

Of course, since it bothers me someone upstairs is making me see people spitting everywhere. Shopping, on campus outside, on campus inside, outside of resturants, out their car windows. It makes me dry heave, seriously. I see girls do it more then I see guys do it too. What's up with that? It's not ladylike! Didn't their parents teach them to do that into a toilet or a tissue? Stupid spitters, make them spit in a cup and drink it, that's what I'll do. It's just....blahlahahahahhew.

The HotD:


Shopping is lovely.
People who spit while they shop,
Are not so lovely.

Ladies and gentlemen, term is over.

Can I get a hallelujah? Can I get an amen?

I'm officially free for exactly 29 days, then it's time to get back to the grindstone and throw myself back to the grubby little parasites because next term is a half-and-half. Half classes for my Biology degree, and half classes for my Early Childhood Education degree. That's right, disgusting, dirty little children. Would someone remind me again why I did this?

Since I have nothing to do tomorrow, besides watch Robin's Christmas present be delivered and installed by cute delivery men (I bought her a new stove, because I'm cool like that) I'm going to finish up my Christmas shopping. I have everyone left to shop for, so it will take me the rest of December to complete. Personally, I think everyone deserves coal, but since they'll cry if I actually give it to them, (or chuck it at my head) I'll get them real presents instead. Nobody appreciates good quality coal these days.

The Haiku of the Day, yo:


It is such a shame!
Baby Jesus is weeping,
Santa stole his sweets.

Part of the reason I haven't been posting often, is because Blogger has become an enormous pain to log into. It takes roughly ten minutes just to get to the create post screen, and I have "high speed" internet. I think I may have to bite the pellets and move this thing to my domain...but I probably won't. And thus, my laziness will be the death of me.

It's also time for a Christmas layout! I'm quite partial to my surfing snowman one, mainly because (as before stated) I'm a terrible good-for-nothing lazy bumess and don't want to make a new one. Plus, I'm not really coming up with any ideas that crisp my cracker. Maybe I'll be smacked upside the head with something soon, until then, I'm pretty sure it's going to be the snowman one. Is it breaking holy thou shall not be tacky layout rules to use the same holiday themed layout three years in a row?

Edit: There you go, the Snowman layout. Yeah, I think I'll just use this one this year again. For now, anyway. This one works in Firefox too. Groovy.

Does anyone want a Christmas card from me this year? You don't even have to know me, or celebrate Christmas. Everybody loves mail. So if you want one (or want to exchange with me, even) pop me an E-mail at me(at)brighterskyte(dot)com and I shall add you to my list.

My cards this year are cute, even cuter then last years cards. Which, were for those of you who didn't get one, cartoony Christmas cards in cute little cut-out shapes for kids. Fantastic.

I want to start some kind of program where low-income families - especally single parents - can get a low cost to free Christmas tree and decorations. All too often low-income families can scape buy with a little food and one or two presents for their kids but just can't afford the tree, especally when they can start as high as $24.00, and this is freaking Oregon, a state that has trees up the wazoo. To a child (AND the parents) the tree is a really important part of the holiday and it's kind of sad that they don't have one. I've seen alot of requests on FreeCycle and other places for Christmas trees.

How would I go about doing this?

Oh, before I forget, because people are beyond my comprehension and actually asked for it back: The Haiku of the Day.


Christmas time again.
Santa won't bring me a thing.
Beard and fire don't mix.

I spent a couple hours yesterday decorating the blasphemous 4 1/2 foot fake Christmas tree that has been designated as the childrens yesterday. I set it up in the library, which also is located on a very long balcony type room on the second floor of the building.

Personally I think fake trees are an abomination before whatever divine entity was sub-contracted to come up with the design for trees, and they smell like plastic butt, there isn't a whole lot I can do about it. Unless I sneak in at 3 A.M. wearing my commando jammies and swap it for a new one, and that would really excert far too much energy, so I'll just let it go.

This year it was decorated with multi-colored lights and mini-stuffed animals. Next year I'm thinking of doing a snowman theme, that is of course if I don't get fired in between now and then. This is always a possibility. We're doing another Secret Santa, I decided to make paper ornaments they fill out and put on the tree, and then they can slyly take someone elses off the tree and nobody'll know. Of course, it won't work this way, because what will really happen is they'll pick someone off the tree and run directly to whoever (whomever?) they picked using that scary kid-dar and blather "Guess who I picked!" in a tone that tells the person and everyone else within 500 yards exactly who they picked.

I could swap it around so you never put your name on it, and so nobody knows who they have, maybe they'll just have a symbol. "%! The Child formally known as" and then the rest will be scribbled out. Or maybe assign everyone a number that only they'll know. Then I'll lose everyones numbers and the presents will get all mixed up and one of the boys will end up with lip gloss or a Ryan Cabrera CD. Yeah, maybe numbers are a bad idea.

Happy Birthday Robin!

I don't take my blogging seriously. I guess I should be ashamed of that fact, but I'm not. A lot of people accuse me of not taking anything seriously, so I guess this is just more of my endless mistakes for them to fling at me and whine because I make light. Is it really such a big deal that everything can be made into a joke? Just because I make it a joke, doesn't mean I'm not taking it serious or that I'm belittling it. It just means that, deep down, I really wish I was a comedian.

I've never written my blog with even a fraction of the finesse that others so skillfully manage. I don't - not because I can't - but because I don't want to. I don't post about politics, or write witty entries about my days events. I post garbage and nonsense, and I enjoy it.

So, after being humbled by the fantastic blog writing skills of two local NaNo authors who come to our meetings, I'm starting to think maybe though that I should start writing better posts. First, only three people read this - and while I don't post for other people, it's kind of disheartening sometimes, especially when two of those people live only in my head. Second, I really do have stuff to say, and sometimes it's actually pretty clever stuff. Rarely, but it does happen.

I know it's cliche, but they make me want to be a better blogger. No, forget better, I'd be happy with semi-competent.

So, starting tomorrow, I'm going to start changing my posting style here. Not completely, but more of the stuff that maybe will cause people to comment, or even come back. (By the way, to my three readers, have I mentioned how much I do love you? I heart!)

But for now, I'm off to take a Health quiz that's due by midnight. One, which, I thought was a test and read the entire chapter on STDs for. Come to find out, it doesn't even cover this chapter. I read all that stuff on puss and sores and looked at all those bad cartoon drawings of guys innards for nothing. Like porn my butt.

Should I bring back the Haiku of the day?

Happy Turkey Day, yo.

Hope you have a very good one, don't choke on any turkey bones or have any turkey carcasses thrown at you. Yes, thrown at you. It happened to Robin once, true story. She got hit upside the head with a dead turkey because she's a haughty heathen. It bounced off the side of her face and kind of rolled across the floor. Fantastic stuff. So, every year I threaten to throw one at her when she gets a little lippy and we laugh and laugh.

Here's wishing you good times this holiday!

It's Civil War game day, where the OSU Beavers vs. the U of O Ducks, and I'd just like to say:

Go Beavers!

You better win, or it's the last time I pick a college based on their colors.

Edit: Beavers won, 50 - 21. Huzzah.

Oh lord, save me from my heathenistic ways and make me a Republican. I long to
go around saying things like this, and spreading the Good Word, like the ambassador for Jesus I should be. Then he can speak through me, like he does you special Republicans. Preferably in tongues, because I've always wanted to do that.

Seriously, read it, it's scary. What really bothers me, is that more and more people are sliming their way out of the woodwork and thinking that their justified in blaring their zelotish opinions because Bush is in office. Because, yanno, God's on his side.

Oh well, I didn't want to go to Heaven anyway.

Shamelessly stolen from Clay's AIM profile

In the never ending search for the perfect procrastination tool, I came across something that combines my complete and utter devotion to zombies with my almost freak-like typing ability. (Seriously, someone called me a freak! "Normal people don't type that fast" their exact words. Then they had the nerve to ask me to type their paper for them, people these days)

I'm talking about Typing of the Dead, the game created by Sega that is a total clone of House of the Dead 2 (a railroad type first person shooter game, in which you travel through a town that is overrun with zombies and mosters) but instead of the regular light gun (or mouse, if you're so inclined) you use your keyboard and type the words or sentences that appear to shoot the zombies.

Freaking cool, or what?

The game contains a handful of levels that vary in difficulty along with a fantastically horrid plot and even worse voice acting. The phrases and words you type are silly little ones like 'Pee-Pee Pants', 'I need a new job', and 'I didn't know it was your sister when I kissed her'. Some levels also require you to type in answers to questions that appear on the screen. It doesn't just stick to long or short sentences or words either, it throws out everything from single keystrokes to a massive jumble of six or seven sentences containing four or five words all at once.

There are also different gameplay modes, including an online multiplayer mode, for mad phat group zombie shooting action.

If you're interested in picking it up to waste precious minutes of your life you'll never get back, you can get it for free at everyone's favorite site for underrated and abandonware games, The Underdogs.

So go! Save the stupid dinky town and it's bad voice acting people from certain blood-eating, flesh-rotting zombie doom, you know you wanna.

I'm writing a paper on Therapeutic Cloning, that is, for those of you not in the know, the cloning of embryonic stem cells from an unfertalized egg (key word here people: unfertalized) in order to grow organs and such for possible transplant. That is, growing the organs themselves, not a whole human and harvesting organs from them. You'd be surprised at how many people make that misconception.

So I'm interested, what are your views on the topic? Give me some feedback, maybe you'll make it into my paper and be immortalized forever. Or maybe I'll just give you a cookie.

I had pie in a bowl. I left and came back and my keyboard had pie on itself. I had to remove keys to clean it up. Greedy keyboard, stealing my pie. How did it get it in the first place? I certainly didn't give it pie.

So much to post, so little will to type. In almost order...

I got the NaNoWriMo official junk yesterday so I can finally add them to my Nanoians goodie bags and get them out. This is great, because I've been feeling guilty about not having them all together, even though goodie bags aren't required.

The meeting on Thursday was fun, had a turnout of about 10 authors. Yay! I hope to add some activities to the next one. I didn't want to interrupt peoples writing with ones on Thursday, some people were typing away like mad. I've got good ones planned though, so if you're in the area, we'll be at Borders at 4:30 on Thursday the 18th. Be there, yo.

I hit 10,000 words! It only took me 13 days, but I did it! Are you not so, so proud? I'm at a spot in my novel that not only do I know what happens for the next 15000 words, but I actually am excited to write it (not that I wasn't excited to write the rest, just, this is where the good stuff starts happening). After that 15000 words, I know vague things in spots, but I don't know what happens completely, so it'll be fun to see what does happen.

I was out at about 2 A.M. taking Shauna to the bathroom (you didn't really think I was out partying or anything did you?) and this cop car drives by extremely slow, shining that big spotlight they have in everyone's yard. So, he swings it past me about three times, and finally shines it right in my face. So now, besides being frozen because I have no shoes on, I'm blind as well.

He sits there for like twenty seconds, and I don't say anything because it's 2 A.M. and I'm partly frozen and I'm pretty sure that I'm starting to die from exposure. So, finally he says..."Hello"

I deserve more then hello, I think, maybe a "I'm sorry I've burnt off your retinas and you'll never be able to view the beauty of the world without giant white patches from scar tissue" would be more appropriate.

"Hello," I reply. Because, I'm too tired and too much of a wimp to actually say what I think out loud.

"Are you just outside?" He asks.

Nope, pretty sure I'm inside, quite possibly in bed. "Yep. Taking my dog potty." Yes, I did say potty, what of it?

"Ah. Ok." Why yes, yes it is. "There were two boys, I got one but one ran away, have you seen him?"

"No, I haven't, I'm sorry."

"Well, keep an eye out."

"Sure."

I'm thinking, I'll keep an eye out, but what am I supposed to do? Tackle every boy I see and ask him if his friend just got hauled off to juvvie? I don't even know what boy he's looking for. Hey, my brothers a boy, want him? Of course, I didn't say that, but oh, it was tempting.

So he drove away, and I went inside, and he drove back around two or three times and shined the light in my yard extra long. Maybe he thought I really was harboring a naughty little boy after all. He had a cute voice though, but I'm pretty sure there is something wrong with me for thinking so.

I had to kill my fruit flies yesterday. I'm very distraught over it. I even said a few words over their alcoholy grave. We killed 117 of them. There is a special hell for people like me.

I'm making a dozen or so types of cookies for the holidays as gifts, because I'm cheap, and they look tasty. Any suggestions?

I'm done now, I promise to never again post such a horrific and rambling post. At least not ever again today, anyway.

Oh, and happy birthday to my sister Elaine, who turns 15 today. 15 means she can legally have a permit to drive. Yes, I am terrified.

I've got a big post planned (not that anyone really reads this, besides like three people, and two of those people are in my head) but I don't have time to post it right now, so here's the quick version, with the long version coming either after I've made a fort around a computer in the library and claimed it as my own, or this afternoon:

- 2nd Meeting Yay! Had to leave early, boo. Hope everyone had fun.

- Wrote 2500 words! YAY! Wordcount 10,000! Can I get a Hallelujah? Can I get an Amen?

- Got questioned by cop with big spotlight at 2 AM. Cute voice, extremely cold, blinded eyes, sarcastic comments. No, that's not what I mean by 'big spotlight'.

- Have to kill flies. It's sad, I don't wanna.

- Cookies. But not made with dead flies.

Alright, puzzle that out for a while, and I'll be back.

Since I don't have classes today I thought that I would spend the morning writing. I didn't. I am thinking perhaps I'll spend the afternoon doing homework. I probably won't. But the thoughts were both good ideas, I should get A's for effort.

I have six pages of Genetics, which is fine, because I'm actually very much enjoying Genetics. Enough, that I'm going to see if the college of my choice as a Genetics option to go along with my Biology degree. It's fascinating stuff. I know they have a Genetics Graduate program, but I'm not a Grad student yet.

I also have two essays, one five page, one two. The two page one I have a topic for, the five page one, I have no freaking idea. It's an argumentive paper, I'm not an argumentive person. What am I going to argue about for five pages? I'm lazy, I don't have enough energy to argue a topic for one page let alone five. No, I've got a better one, I just don't care, I don't care about anything so I can't really argue it. Yeah, there we go...I wonder if that would work as a topic?

I'm two exams behind in math, but it won't take me long to catch up on that. Don't tell anyone, but I'm actually enjoying math. Yes, I know it's nearly blasphemy and I should be kicked in the shins, but I can't help it. It doesn't mean I'm going to be minoring in it anytime soon, but I can stomach it a bit more then I used to. Numbers are kinda fun, whoda thunk? Certainly not me.

Off to get a few more pages pounded out in my novel. Some people have already hit 50k and beyond, the cheaters.

Along the lines of Mac's post about being accountable for who you voted for, comes being accountable for your actions towards other people, and perhaps . Like these kids who videotaped the beating of a fellow student, set it to rap music and sold it as a DVD in their high school:

The footage shows one boy punching the Junction City High School student in the face. It continues with the other boy chasing him down and slamming his head into a car window.

All this as a crowd watched.

A soundtrack of rap music with lyrics about bloody knuckles and fighting accompanies the images.

Police believe the victim, who required medical treatment, was a random target. A school official heard rumors that the DVDs were being sold at school.

I'm willing to bet, like most young people these days, these kids don't give a damn about what they did, and don't have an ounce of care for other people, their personal space or personal belongings.

What I also want to know, is where are these kids' parents? Yes, I believe at 17 people are old enough to know right from wrong and take whatever repercussions from their actions that there may be, but what kind of parents raised these children that they would behave in such a way? Why were they allowed to take it from video tape to DVD and not have their parents know what they're doing? And should they be partly responsible for the behavor of their children?

It's stomach turning, and kind of scary. I've been to Junction City, and there isn't a whole lot of people there, so the fact that this kind of stuff goes on in a teeny tiny middle of nowhere town is damn sad.

While we're at it, what about the jerks who took donated toys from the Union Gospel Mission? That kind of stuff, it racks up some pretty wicked karma.

Free iPod. Is it a scam? According to people I know, nope, it's not. Actually, a ton of them have actually gotten them. So, how does it work? You sign up and complete one offer (I bought ink for my business, which I needed anyway.) and then reffer to five people who also must complete one offer, and then you get your iPod.

Well here's the thing, I need five people to complete an offer before I can get mine, so if you're interested in doing this (and need say, ink anyway, or want to sign up for Blockbusters online movie rental thing, or anything like that) please please PLEASE use me as the refferer so I can get my dumb ipod:

Just click here: http://www.freeiPods.com/?r=11511368

Thanks so much if you do this, I'd really appriciate it if you do!

With all the writing I've been doing everywhere else, I haven't been posting here, because I'm trying very hard not to become disgusted with words as a whole. I've been going in so many directions lately, I've taken to writing myself lists of everything I need to do, and then promptly losing them. It might be because I don't want to do anything, or it could just be that I want to write another list because I like doing them so darn much.

Since it's Friday, I am most deffinately going to come home, pound out a good couple thousand words, and then send all the words I've done over the last four days to the mailing list. Remember, if you want to read it, all you have to do is send me an E-mail.

Vote.

HotD:


If you do not vote,
Then you cannot gripe when a
Moron wins the race.

Nanonanonanonao! It's like Mork, but much cooler.

I've got a class in about an hour and a half, so I'm going to pound out some words. I've decided not to post it online, so if you want to receive my daily writings so you can read it, you have to send me an E-mail at Skyte(at)brighterskyte(dot)com to get it.

Hopefully people want to read it, having people reading it and giving me feedback (positive, because if you give me negative during November I'll just kick you) would help a lot with motivation to continue writing. I'll probably be posting it to TCB Wrimos but I am not going to guarantee that, so the best way to get it if you want it is to send me an E-mail. I don't even have to know you, anyone who wants to read it can.

Now, I'm off to make some tea, and get some writing done! Good luck to everyone who's doing it this year.

HotD:

Potatoes and ham.
Oh so tasty breakfast food,
If you like piggy.

Happy Halloween to you. I hope you all had a safe one. I had a long one, which I'll post more about once I finish this scholarship that has a deadline of exactly 5 1/2 hours.

Only 5 1/2 hours before NaNo starts (for those of us on the West Coast) so here's wishing everyone the best of luck and remember: when all else fails, a 'borrowed' plot can be a writers best friend.

HoTD:

No haiku for you.
The tiredness is calling,
And saying buzz off.

I think I might have to start stealing a computer to do posting in the Library, because I never seem to be anywhere but there lately.

Went to OSU on Tuesday and did a little campus tour. I'm completely convinced that's where I'll be transfering to. I really enjoyed the campus and the setting, even though wandering around while surrounded by college students who looked like they should still be in middle school was a little unnerving.

I have secured a laptop for NaNo, since I really want to buy one but probably won't because I'm saving for other things. These other things are totally exciting, but I'm not going to post about them yet because I don't want to jinx myself. I hate it when I get all psyched up about something and tell people, and then it falls through. I've found that keeping it to myself and then springing it on people at the last minute is so much more fun anyway.

Speaking of NaNo, only 8 days to go! That 50 some odd days went by seriously fast. I'm completely hyped about this year. Since I'm the ML for Salem, and it's my job to pimp NaNo, I want to mention that the Salem area Meet-and-Greet will be this Thursday (the 28th) at 6:30 at the Salem Public Library in a confrence room. If you want to join us, you're more then welcome. From the way stuff is starting to pick up, I'm expecting a good 15 or more people there. Also, if you're doing NaNo and aren't in my area, but are looking for a place to barracade yourself in and whine about how stupid you are, join TCB Wrimo's mailing list, they're fantastic:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TCBWrimos/

People will probably be submitting what they write as they write it, or talk about plot ideas, or anything like that, so it's a good resource as well as a friendly community of like minded psychopaths.

Anyway, I shall post more in a while, but for now I'm off to watch the most recent episode of Lost, since I was in a class when it was on.

HotD:


Only eight days left.
Prepare yourself for the worst,
and steal someones plot.

I got my voting ballot! YAY! I love Oregon's vote by mail system. It's so fantastic, it means I don't have to go out in the rain. We're so sophisticated here, even if we have to live by candlelight and still drive stagecoaches.

I find it amusing that some people have no people running against them in some elections. I also am very tempted to write myself in as President, but I won't, because nobody else is gonna, so there is no way I'd win.

Today is Michael's 1st Birthday. Although he's not my kid, I think his first Birthday is worthly of my 1000th post. Wow, that year went by seriously fast. It makes me feel both old, and unaccomplished. I wasted a perfectly good year. I could have taken over another small country by now, and set myself up as their cruel but loved Dictator. It worked so well with Vokslovaklia, they love me there.

Anyway, back to Michael. Here's a picture of him in his Halloween costume:



Is that too cute, or tooo cute? Happy Birthday Mikey!

HoTD:


Robin is a liar.
She tells me nothing and then,
Giggles about it.

I got a present yesterday. Exactly two days over two months from my birthday, I got an early birthday present, right before I had to go to writing. How fun is that? What's even funner (yes, funner is a word, work with me people), is what I got.



Tooooo cute! Isn't he toooo cute? Mine looks just like that one (I don't have a camera to take a picture of mine) the only difference is his stripes are a deep orange. I named him Kero, which means ribbit in Japanese. I bought him a nice new tank and some moss and dirt and gross crickets and plants, so he's got a pretty nice set up now. I'm thinking it's better then my living conditions, which is kind of sad. Yes, I'm gushing over a frog, but I love them, so I can't help it. Shuddap.

I'm going to get a froggy cam, and put it in there. I know you all want to watch my frog do nothing, I know I enjoy it, especally when I should be doing homework.

HotD:


So much stinky work.
I dream about leaving it,
and instead waitress.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 1

I'm sitting in the library and I really should be doing something but I'm pretty much pooped out for today. I'm going to sit here and chat while I read six million chapters in my health book and then go to my writing class. I expect to be home about ten. Whee.

I've left NaNoWriMo brochures all over campus, including just 'accidently' leaving them in study cubicals when I leave. I plan on leaving one on this computer desk too. I got the library to agree to let me leave a whole bunch in their brochure holder thingy. I'd like to print a bunch of flyers off and get them approved by Student Life so I can put them on boards around campus, but I'd have to do that monday since I come right back here at 8 tomorrow morning and won't be home until 8 that evening. Or maybe I can do it Friday. I'd also like to get the schools paper to do a blurb about it, I might even have an in, since a certain older brother landed in journalisim completely on a fluke.

I've got about 45 minutes before I have to get going and drive all the way across town. I'm going to stare blankly at my heath book until it's time to leave. Oh, the joys of school.

HotD:


Nap is in order.
Lots of fantastic sleep and
Yummy fun snoozing.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 2

I was late to a class for the first time today. 30 minutes late. I guess when I do something, even something bad, I have to go all out. It's the anal retentiveness in me.

Just so you know, I have guilt.


HotD:


Scholastic madness.
A thinking day planner is
what I really need.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 3

Happy Birthday to James! An awesome domain host, but an even better friend. I hope you have a great birthday, you deserve it. We love you :)

HotD:


Lane painted my nails.
Pink is a horrid color.
I am now frightened.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 4

Lane (that's my sister, who's a freshman) had a competition over the weekend it was for Band/Colorguard. Her team came in first in both the prelims and the main competition. This is their first win, the last comp they were in they placed at fifth. They won seven trophies yesterday. I am so proud, I guess all that stick throwing really paid off for them. They have another one next week, they're hoping to do well again.

However, Lane is convinced it wasn't talent that led them to victory. Her pants fell down during the routine twice, so she says it's because the judges saw butt that they won so many categories. I'm so proud of my little sister, the harlot.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 3

I'm surrounded by about 200 boxes of donuts and twinkie type treats. If I ate these things, I'd be thrilled, since I don't, I'm pretty much just disgusted. I haven't eaten a darn thing yet today, and those aren't helping my appetite any.

There has to be like a million calories floating around this room. I think I've gained a pound just by sitting here.

HotD:


Rain! How I love thee!
With your wet clingy droplets,
and moron drivers.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 5

Long and rambling post that has no point. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I got the job. Yes, bow to my filing greatness! I actually had to retake the filing test, that's why she called me back in there. I missed three in a series of like, 200. Guess I don't know the alphabet as well as I thought I did. For shame.

I got a message saying I can start tomorrow, but I can't start tomorrow so I won't start until Wednesday. Hopefully it goes well. It's only 114 hours over ten weeks, so if it turns out to be the Job From Hell, it's just enough time in hell to build character, not char the flesh off my bones.

I got my first Zoo lab back. I got 13 1/2 out of 14. I actually felt horrible about it, not because I didn't get a perfect score, but because I missed a perfect score by a half of a point. It's just plain sad. This weeks labs? An experiment to test the social preferences of potato bugs. Why yes, I am looking forward to it.

I learned how to play Canasta over the weekend. My brother and soon-to-be-sister-in-law kidnapped me and took me yardsale-ing but we didn't find any, so instead we went back to Molly's house and played. I lost horribly, but it was still fun to learn. It's very rummy-esc. I also spent seven dollars on frogs. I was both excited and guilty over this. Two were frogs I gallantly saved from the thrift store, and the third was a 'Create-A-Pet' kit, where you stuff the frog yourself and then decorate his clothes with paint. Fun and messy! My kind of toy.

I finally got to watch the pilot of Lost last night (Go'bless Suprnova.org). I liked it enough that I strong-armed other people into watching it as well. Good, good stuff. I hope they don't muck it up, it has great potential, not to mention cute actors. I have theories, but I won't go into them now.

I want to learn how to knit, suggestions on where to start?

HotD:


I have eight essays.
Oh! The agony of the
impending due date.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 5

I have no idea if I got the WS job. I went to the interview, did the little filing test, and she told me she'd call me back that afternoon and let me know one way or the other. She called, but asked me to come back into the FA office, but that she wouldn't be back in until Monday. This means I don't find out until Monday. Goodie for me, because nothing motivates a girl to enjoy the weekend like anticipation and dread!

I hope I got it, if not I have to go to the Job Placement office and cancel the referral and start all over, which will take like three days. Which means not being told Thursday that I didn't get a job (if I didn't get it) will set me back over a week. I really hope I got it, because I'm thinking about just letting the whole thing lapse at this point. Who needs extra money, right?

Speaking of extra money, word has managed to get around that I put on a good display of pretending to know my way around a computer. I spent three hours last night fixing someones windows so they could get online. This person is the fourth one this week that has had me come in to do tech work. I don't mind it at all, other then the fact that I'm faking it. Actually, I feel bad about charging anyone anything for this sort of stuff. I know how crappy it is when your computer starts working, I feel like it's just rubbing fishy smelling salt in the wound to charge them for the pleasure of my company to fix it too.

I have to go over to their store and pick up my payment sometime today. I'll probably put it off. I really hate taking money from people. The only consolation, I guess, is the fact that I'm gleefully undercutting every company in town who does this professionally by about 94%. It's the little things, yanno.

The HotD:


Stinky rude people.
Stand in the aisles with their carts,
and block my caffeine.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 6

Ally, one of the bestist friends this girl could ever have, finally started posting to her blog. Please do me a favor and go read and leave her some comments. She's an attention pig and it'll make her happy. A happy Ally means we're all happy, and won't be stabbed with pencils in the eyes while we sleep. She's awfully crazy eccentric, so it's important to give her what she wants...flee in terror...humor her give her the support she needs to be creative.

By the way, anyone know why my blog isn't updating in Firefox but does in IE? While we're at it, anyone know why it messes up in Firefox anyway? It's the only flaw I've found with the thing, but it's a doozy for me.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 7

I am now officially (according to the admissions office at least) a dual-major student. That's right, I being the overacheaver I am decided that one wasn't hard enough, I had to go for two. Biology and Early Childhood Education. Impressed, aintcha?

So this means by the time I finally leave CCC (sometime in the next thirty years) I will have three degrees. Cool, hu? I'll transfer to OSU on time to finish my bachelors, and just stay dual enrolled at CCC so I can finish the other degree (the third is just because I can, and only requires 12 extra credits, 95% of which I get for the first degree, so I figured why not). It'll take three years instead of two (roughly 12 terms instead of 8 depending on how I split up classes) but I need it for PST, and it's always fun to string extra letters behind your name and act all pretentious.

Luckily, credits for the second degree will work as electives for the first, so it won't take me any longer on the first. Huzzah.

A HotD for you:


Hail! Great King Loathing!
I adore your silliness,
and overpriced limes.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 8

I have an interview with a position in the Federal Aid office on Thursday. Wish me luck, yeah? Both luck that I'll get it, and that I'll survive it if I get it. The lines in there were nearly 100 people long yesterday. God grant me the patience...

HoTD:


Required homework.
Daily quiet just for me?!
I don't have the time!


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 9

Laura Bush will be visiting my college tomorrow for a Republican Rally. If I wasn't so busy, I might go listen to her spiel, not that I truly want to hear what she has to say. I suppose if I was more into politics I'd go. It is sort of fascinating, even if I don't agree with the majority of (more like 99.9% of) her (or her husbands) standpoints.

My college is more on the liberal end of the college spectrum, which is one reason why her visit surprised me. Plus, we're not a four year, and usually this kinda hullaballo is saved for snooty 'real colleges'. You know, the kind where the students go to live on campus and party while escaping the tyrannical thumb of The Parental Mafia. Us? We're just a place people go to play-act going to college.

Truth be told, I'm more annoyed then anything. They've got the entire building she'll be speaking in closed for the day. Her visit moved classes all around and everything. Damn politics, first they interrupt my shows for stupid blabber and annoying commercials, and now they make me walk all the way across campus to get where I need to go. I should vote for Mickey, he'd never make me walk anywhere.

HotD:

I have a blister.
It is on my little toe,
and it really hurts.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 10

Measure 36 has been getting quite a bit of exposure these days. For those of you who don't know, Measure 36 will:

"Mend Constitution: Only marriage between one man and woman is valid or legally recognized as a marriage."

There are signs here and there (but not really a whole lot, got to love Oregon and it's big ole tree hugging liberal populous!) and they are running a couple commercials. It's the one commercial that totally disgusts me.

They show this large ethnic family having a family reunion. The voice over guy tells you all about how every year they get together for their grandparents anniversary and celebrate their family and heritage. He tells you there are children, grandchildren, and now greatgrandchildren. It shows happy people eating cake and dancing, and then it flashes their 'One Man One Woman' slogan and says something along the lines of 'that's the way family is supposed to be' or some such nonsense.

Wow. Really?

So, you're telling me in that large group of actors, there isn't one of you that know of, or aren't a homosexual? I don't buy it. I'm willing to bet my left arm that one of those actors is related to a gay person. So, this means one of two things:

1) You're related to a homosexual and accept and love them. You want them to be happy and have all the rights you, as a heterosexual, have. Because that's what family is supposed to be, right? Supportive and loving. This means that you're are a hypocrite, and have disrespected your family and that relative by doing this commercial.

Or

2) You have shunned or pretended not to notice this relative, you've discriminated against them, and are denying them something that you have absolutely no right to have a say in. By doing so, you have completely dishonored the true meaning of 'family'. This also means you're a hypocrite by doing this commercial.

Gee. What choices. The commercial doesn't build a valid argument in my eyes. Why? Because they can't give me one good, real reason as to why two guys or two girls can't get married. I don't buy any of this 'it's against my beliefs' or 'it'll ruin marrage' crap. Because all it is, is that, crap.

In case you can't tell, I'll be voting no.

HotD:


Owwie, sinuses.
I think I'll go back to bed,
and whine a little.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 10

Halloween is fast approaching, so I've been doing planning for the YCC Halloween Party. I, being the rebel I am, named it Halloween instead of Harvest, because that really chapped my cute little hide.

This thing is going to be roughly three hours long. Two for the party and one for the YCC Store, which opens on Halloween. (Which reminds me, if you're in my area and are free from 10 - 1 on Halloween I need clerks to run the store. I can't pay you, but I can adore you forever!) The first hour is going to be for games and contests and other nonsense in which more dollars can be won. This'll give some of the kids who's Buckalopes (the envelopes they put their dollars in...is that clever or what? I can't take credit for it though, a three year old made it up. I have envy.) are really pathetic looking. I want to get it so everyone there has at least over $50 to spend.

I thought the second hour or so would be good for watching a movie and eating junk. So, I'm on the prowl for Halloweenesc movies. I want suggestions. Good suggestions please! None of this 'Barney's Spooky Halloween' or 'A Little House On The Prairie Halloween' stuff. I want good movies that are scary but aren't scary and would appeal to all the kids, which vary in age from 3 - 17.

I was thinking some older movies that the kids might not have ever seen would be good. Gremlins, Teenwolf, Ghostbusters, Little Shop of Horrors. I don't suppose I'd get away with the last one, even though it's a good movie. I've had 'Somewhere That's Green' stuck in my head all day. You also would think everyone has seen those, but you'd be shocked at what kids today haven't seen. It's a tragedy.

The Witches and Hocus Pocus were also suggested. Of course, we could always go with Purple People Eater, that's a horrible but fun movie.

Nix on Nightmare Before Christmas, since we watched that last Halloween. It's/Halloween Is Grinch Night is a good one, but I just don't think the kids would be all that interested in it. Which is a shame, because the Grinch totally rocks my sockies. The Lady in White was one of my favorites when I was a kid, and there is always the non-Halloween but super Return to Oz.

The Abbot and Costello movies are funny, but again, would the kids like them? Spirited Away isn't Halloween, but was amazing, and I'm pretty sure none of the kids in my class have seen it yet. I love it, if you haven't seen it you should.

Ok, so, give me your suggestions, and while you're at it, give me your suggestions for all your favorite horror movies. I'm thinking I might have myself an all night marathon, you can come over if you want.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 11

For one of my CG classes, I had to take the SDS Career Assessment Test. For those of you who don't know, SDS stands for Self-Directed Search and Career Assessment Test means 'you'll be a funeral director'. This stupid test is used to help you find the career that best suits you (and we all know that's either said funeral director, or a florist). Personally, I think this is bogus, and no test can help you find what's best for you, but I'm always fair game to be psychoanalyzed by little check boxes, so I took it. I actually never did the tests in high school, so what could it hurt?

The first page of the test has you list eight occupations you've always dreamed about doing. This section is titled 'Occupational Daydreams' which tells me right away that the person who created this test completely sneers at the chance of anyone who takes it actually getting any of the careers they list. This section has two parts, first you list what you want, then you use a booklet called The Occupations Finder to locate the career you listed, and write down it's corresponding three letter nonsense code in little boxes.

The ironic part of this test is, nearly 90% of the students in the class, including myself, didn't have the career of their dreams even listed in The Occupations Finder. This meant that you had to erase lines, and put in things that are as-close-as-possible in their place. As close as possible, meaning nowhere near the same.

So, off I set, erasing my dreams and filling them in with new and wondrous careers that sort of resembled what I really wanted to do, in odd ways.

1. Crime laboratory Analyst

It might sound like the same, but trust me, it's not.

2. Corner

I could live out my ghoulish tendencies. But, I'll only be one if I can be the CME. Which, by the way, was not listed as a career I could have.

3. Pathologist

Again, not the same. Similar though.

4. Teacher, Preschool

Because, when all else fails, do what you know how to do.

5. Pediatrician

Tempting...

6. Detective

Just call me Columba!

7. Psychologist, school

Will they let me medicate the kids?

The Occupations booklet was full of all sorts of weird jobs that you wouldn't think anyone would actually chose in the first place. 'Dressmaker', 'Dairy Farmer' and 'Juggler' were some of the favorites. Also listed were the jobs you know perfectly well you'd never get anyway, such as 'President' and 'Astronaut'. Yet, realistic jobs, like 'Doctor' were missing.

And so, this extremely moronic exercise finally brought me to the last career, number eight. A highly rewarding career that would make any young woman (such as yours truly) the pride of her family and community. A job that, as a young child, I spent hours dressing up and pretending go off in the grown up world, and work at. With glee (honest, I actually giggled) I wrote this down with a flourish:

8. Mime

Yesssss! Mime! It was listed right there on page seven! I mentally pumped my fist in the air and hooted. It's what I always wanted to be. It's, as the book called it, my occupational aspiration. I'd finally found my true calling, and now my life is complete. I never realized that the reason why I was so unhappy in my life is because I was missing daily public humiliation and scorn! I'm pretty sure I wept.

So, I finished the rest of the test (which involves a lot of answering dumb questions, like, 'How much do you like taking a math course?'. How much do you think I like taking a math course?) and figured it all out. Unfortunately 'Mime' did not come up as the career for me, but I say screw them! I'm going to be a mime anyway. I'll be a damn good mime too. So, `scuse me, I think I'll go grease my face up right now and walk my invisible dog.

HotD:


My face is broken.
Horrible pressure and pain,
Did I smack a wall?


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 12

NARAL sent me a voter registration form, which I thought was pretty cool of them, even if I'm already registered.

I've been pretty impressed (and amused) by where I'm seeing encouragement for people to vote. Everywhere from department store windows craftily disguised as advertisements, to the ending segment of Zoom, where they told their viewers to tell their parents to vote.

I think it's a very very good thing, voting is extremely important, not just in this race (but...moreso in a way) but in everything, even moronic local measures that you think are a waste of paper. (I promise to post more about that later) Plus, the more people hear that they need to vote from the back of their cereal boxes and their crazy purple haired Aunt Mabel, the more annoyed they'll be with it and do it just to get everyone off their back. Sounds good to me! So, don't forget to vote, or I'll send Guido and One-Eyed Ralph after you and those pretty little kneecaps of yours.

Still loving Firefox...even if it's completely messed up IBOM.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 13

So, I got Firefox, which I am seriously adoring. I went a little plug in and skin happy, but that's part of the fun. Foxytunes is fantastic! I recommend Firefox, if you haven't gotten it yet. It's love-a-lee, and it has awesome designer tools, which is an extra plus. Erm, I said awesome, I apologize.

But...why didn't someone tell me that my blog is all messed up in it? It would have been nice to know. It's really bad. I'll have to see if I can figure out how to fix it, but for now, just know that this page was created for viewing in IE and it messes up because of Firefox, not because I have crap design skills. Well, I do, but that's not the reason it messes up. Honest.

Guess it's really time for a new layout after all. This evening is my last class of the week, so I have bunches of pseudo freetime to do a new one. Homework? I don't need to do no stinkin' homework. Psha. Homework's for brown-nosers.

HotD:


Crunchy, tasty chips.
Sweet potato and tero,
Who woulda thunk it?


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 14

I am now going to display my incredible impressionistic talents. I will be mimicking the Toddler Immatures and the cry it uses to attract wanted attention and/or acquire possessions in its native habitat. Prepare to be astounded.

CAR! CARME! CARNOW! CARMINE! CARMEMINENOW!

Thank you. That is all.*

HotD:


Oh! Foul driving!
I despise you and your cars,
Yet cannot live without.



Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 15

*I really, really need a car. As much as I can stand them or driving, I am just not going to be able to do this anymore, I just have too much running around to rely on other people. It's inconvenient for everyone and as funny as I think mad people are, I don't want anyone mad at me because I need rides from them.

I just have to bite spark plug and go get one. I think my last straw was being stranded in the rain for nearly two hours all alone in some park with drooling park-crazies. I could have been accosted! I could have had my tender sensibilities offended! Oh, the horror. Won't someone think of the children, and buy me a car? I'd prefer one that I don't have to climb up a ladder to get in and isn't fuchsia if at all possible. Thanks, you're a peach.

I'm taking classes before actual term starts, and one of those classes was today. I don't know who's idea it really was to have you on campus by 7:45 for a College Finances class, but I really think they're pretty cruel and inhumane. I ran very late this morning. I didn't get out of bed until 6:45! Usually I try to be up about 4:30 so I can walk and get everything else done before I start working, but it's a struggle. I really, really like sleep. I felt sort of like I did way back in high school, where you're brushing your teeth while you wash your hair in the shower because you have to catch the bus even though it's still dark outside. I definitely don't miss that.

I'm not used to early morning rushing around really, because since I work for myself, I can actually eat breakfast in my P.J's while I sit in my office and answer calls if I want to. Heck, I could sit in here naked. I don't, of course, but I could. I absolutely don't schedule before 8 A.M. meetings because it's just not right. Even God isn't up before 9 in the morning, it's a proven fact.

I still haven't found my birth certificate. I'm holding off for as long as possible to find it before I go buy a new one, but if I don't find it today that's what I'll be doing tomorrow.

A haiku:


Bad credit problems?
Freeze your credit card in ice,
and don't touch the thing.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 15

I have a mandatory (or, I should say MANDATORY, since that's how it's been typed on everything I've gotten about it) orientation today from 10 to 3. It wouldn't be so bad, if it wasn't outside. Outside wouldn't be so bad, if it wasn't raining. I don't know if it will be raining by 10, but I'm willing to bet money and my left lung that it will be.

I don't mind that it's MANDATORY, or going. I just don't want to stand outside for six hours and come home wetter then...well nevermind, that was a bad joke anyway. I don't fancy ending up on my death bed with bronchitis and hacking up major organs, like a certain someone else I know. Really. It's unseemly.

A haiku:


Enjoy the quiet.
I am still looking forward,
To squish bat guano!*


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 16

*Totally swiped from Fred, who had it as his away message the other day in homage to KoL.

It's time for a new layout. Fall themed? Maybe one for Halloween? Is it too soon? A school themed one? Ideas people, I need ideas. I know you read this blog, and I know where you sleep, so leave me some tasty, tasty ideas. I'll make it worth your while.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 17

I still can't find my social security card or my birth certificate, still. I'm down to pulling boxes out of the attic to see if I put them in there by accident. Maybe someone stole my identity! Why anyone would want to be me is beyond, well, me, but you never know.

It's looking more and more like I'll have to drive all the way to Portland and pick one up. That's how I want to spend my day, driving to Portland to go in and take fifteen minutes to get a new Birth Certificate (because you can't get a new social security card without one. It'll be my third new social security card. Don't ask)This is seriously crappy. You know what's worse? I'll go get one and then find one or the other in some box somewhere. Yeah, that's how it goes.

But, I did find a couple work study jobs I'm going to interview for. One is in the library (yay library!) restocking shelves, the other is doing scheduling for the Testing Center. Both sounded like they wouldn't drive me completely crazy, or make me do anything scary, like weld. There was one for tutoring WR121 students, but I thought about it and then decided nobody wants me for a tutor, so it's better if I just shelve books.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 18

Behold! Bask in the greatness that is my mad phat Lite Brite skillz! I know you're seething with envy!



This just proves that years and years of life does not mean that your ability to make coherent pictures with little plastic (or digital, as it were) pegs will improve.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 19

I'm playing with this, and the whole time their jingle is running through my head.

...turn on the magic of colored lights!

Or...it was something like that. I'll post what I made later. I love these things.

Via Melissa

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 20

I'm working with SMART this year. SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) is a program that has volunteers who read one-on-one with two gradeschool children for a half hour each week during the school year. SMART also gives away books to children so that they can take them home and read them with their families. I was assigned to Weddle (That's pronounced 'Widell' not 'Weedle' but I say weedle because it sounds funnier, even though it makes people mad) which is the grade school right across the street from my younger brothers middle school.

The program starts the 11th of October, and I have a kick-off orientation thing the 5th. I'm very much looking forward to working with this program. I think they do really great things, it's fantastical.

Other news...I can't find my birth certificate or my social security card, and I need them to fill out the student employment paperwork, which is due very soon. Very soon as in last Wednesday. I really don't want to drive all the way to Portland to get a new birth certificate, but I don't want to order one and have to pay disgusting shipping (23 bucks!) to have it shipped overnight either.

I say they should just give me one, I'm already born, and have had a certificate proving so for years, so why charge me again? If I don't have one it's not like they can put me back or anything. Then again, if I can find them, then it means I don't really exist, and therefore don't have to pay any bills. Yeah, I like the sound of that. I take it back, I don't want a new one. From here on in, you never saw me `cause I was never born. Got it? Good.

A haiku:


Buurcratic crap.
Hey! We don't need no stinkin'
Birth Certificates!


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 21

I'm tired. I didn't fall asleep until ten minutes before my alarm went off this morning, so I'm pretty much a zombie. People have had to spend the morning talking slower then usual to me, and repeating everything they say until they finally get exasperated and leave me alone. Normally, I would think this is funny and be glad nobody is talking to me, but today I'm so out of it I don't even notice.

I don't have a clue as to why I'm not sleeping. Or why I'm so incredibly sore this morning. I haven't done anything to merit either one. Maybe I was abducted by aliens? Maybe I ran off and joined a Trapeze act and a blow to my head from a fall caused me to forget? Who knows.

This morning, around 2:30, while I was out taking Shauna potty, I watched as three neighborhood kids swerved their way down the street yelling about how drunk and stoned they were. They then proceeded to go home (two houses down from mine) and sit in their front yard and yell and hoot some more. Because, you know, getting plastered at 15 is such an accomplishment. It made me wonder where their parents were, but their parents probably didn't give a crap that their kids were stoned out of their minds and had one too many six packs. Yep, our country has so much to look forward to in it's future leaders, because nothing says Merit Scholar like a hangover on the first day of school.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 22

Once again we witness the final gasping gurgle of death from Summer. Today, and I write this with glee, is the first day of school for all the short cheese smelling little children here. This makes me very, very happy. Of course it means that I'm so much closer to my own classes starting, but I'm going to go with the theory that if I don't think about it, it won't ever get here.

In order to completely waste the last day of summer in style, I spent it doing absolutely nothing constructive with my younger sister. For a Freshman, she's pretty cool. She's completely nervous about starting her first year of High School, so I comforted her by announcing how many hours was left until she had to get up in the morning. I think it really helped.

I wrapped her hair for her. I used pink/white/variegated pink thread. So at the top of the wrap, the thread is a very pale pink, but as you go down it turns into this deep pink. I ended it with pink beads and a dangle heart charm. I don't get the whole pink thing myself, but she liked it. I'll snap a picture of it when she comes home. I don't mind doing it every once in a while, but I don't think I'd do them at like Saturday markets or anything, because it's tedious and would drive me bonkers. Although, you can charge disgusting amounts for it, which almost offsets the having to work with squirming sticky children part.

Then we mostly just sat around with glazed looks watching HSN and poking fun at the telesellerists that are on there. It amuses me to no end that everything they sell from throw rugs to watches are made out to be the one thing you can't live without.

"If you're having a bad day, you can look down at your floor at this velveteen Elvis throw rug, and your entire life makes sense again! You realize you do matter! It puts it all back into perspective! Amazing! Hurry, because there are only 10 for each state left."

A haiku:


Oh! Nice warm weather,
I curse you now but alas,
I will miss you soon.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 23

I'm developing a new courseline for PST. It doesn't have a name yet, but it'll probably be something hokey when I finally pick one. It's going to be a really bare bones curriculum guide series. It won't be curriculum in the sense that it plots out your entire months classroom activities, but it will give you a huge amount of resources and ideas on individual topics that will allow you to create your own curriculum that works with your program. And the masses rejoiced.

One big complaint from Providers we get is that they only have certain days, or sometimes even one day a week that they can do a real project or implement a program, and they find most pre-structured curriculums aren't accommodating enough, or are too expensive to only use once a week. This way, they can take all the ideas for projects, and whatnot, and implement them however they think will work best for them, but don't have to pay for any extras, like craft supplies, that won't be used.

I won't be able to start it until nearly November, because I'm backed up with courses written by other people that need to be edited. Actually, I'm looking for someone who's interested in editing courses for, oh say, my eternal gratitude? I'm about ten behind at this point. It's not because I don't do them, it's just because not only do I edit (which includes fixing any grammar errors like a normal editor, but also adding information that I think is relevant to the course) the course itself, but I also edit it for the web and it's PDF and mail order counterparts, and do all the header graphics for the course pages itself. It gets pretty time consuming, plus, there is only so long a sane person can read about head lice or green mucus.

See? Aren't I a good slave? I should be done with the bulk of my slacker backed up work before I go back to school. Then I can get started on these new courses.

The first one is going to be on oral care. No, not that kind of oral care. The kind you do with toothbrushes and dental floss. Pervert. I've already got some awesome resources tracked down for it, like free toothbrushes and coloring books called 'Milk Matters' with Buddy Toothbrush, a smiling happy toothbrush that drinks milk and gets 'bristled' when children drink soda. The thing scared the crap out of me, but the kids like it.

A haiku:


Evil groceries.
Stashed you in my cupboards yet,
nothing good is found.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 24

Anyone know why Blogger changed all the apostrophes into question marks in the last two posts?

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 25

For those of you, who are like me, and would be too lazy to click on the info link for Nightfall (the soon-to-be NaNo novel) here's the blurb.


Michael Cole just moved his family from their trendy suburb of Boston halfway across the globe to the sleepy little village of Haros Glen in Wales. The head of a new project running in the nearby city by Lupear Industries, Michael Cole couldn't be more ecstatic, Haros Glen is a dream. Safe, peaceful and welcoming, the town is the picture of a perfect place for a widower to raise two growing daughters. Lupear Industries even bought his family a house, a gorgeous estate once owned by a local Baron, called Woodsparrow. All the pieces have landed perfectly, and Michael Cole knows that life will be much better for them all.

Fifteen year old Sarah Cole isn't so sure.

Dragged away from the country she was born in and from her lifelong friends with her younger sister Ronnie in tow, Sarah tries her best to paste on a smile and be positive, but there is something weird about this place that she just can't shake.

There is something odd about the crumbling old house with its mazes of rooms and huge stone structures embedded in the cellar walls. There is something off about the too-quant village and its residents that seem too eager to please. There is something about the way it all looks, about the way it all smells, something about the way it all makes the skin of Sarah's arm prickle. Something isn't right, and that something is out to get her.


Yes, I thought the italics would take away from the crummyness of the thing.

Of course, the idea itself is much better then written here. It struck actually over a year ago and was going to be an IF game (and will be someday, because it will make a very, very good one) but I thought it would also do well as my NaNo novel. Especially since the only writing I've done on the story itself is plot notes, everything else was programming for the game, and that doesn't count since it's not writing on the story. I could be way wrong though, but if I am don't tell me, because I have no idea what else to write about. You wouldn't want to make me have to actually use my brain to think up something else, would you?

I'm going to try hard to put some things in it that would keep people like me (that is, people who read far too many of these books) engaged in the story. I also think I'm going to change the younger sisters name to something else, because every time I type it, I type it wrong.

Yay! Yay for silly horror plots! Yay for over dramatic info blurb thingies! Yay for writing 50,000 words of crap in a month! Yay for posting this post insted of working! YAY!

Alright, I'm done. I promise not to post anymore crap today. Now if you'll exscuse me, I've got rolls rising that need to be put in the oven soon.

Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 26

I just can't leave my sidebar well enough alone. I added a new section for whatever game I'm playing (but don't worry, I didn't sell out, it's not Amazon resellered or anything) and a table for NaNoWriMo, which includes a seriously sucking Synopsis of the novel I'm going to write. I'll do a better one later, when I'm not avoiding the work I'm really supposed to be doing and can devote more time to it.

Only 60 days to go!

Did anyone else see the story about the birth of the two pandas in China? Not only is this beyond cute, but it reminded me of how much I really, really, really want a panda, Mommy. Even more then I want a pony or the cowboy who owns it. It was disheartening to see the statistic at the end of the article though:

About 1,600 giant pandas survive in the wild, mostly in the mountains in southwestern China. Some 160 live in captivity.

I knew that their numbers were small, but I didn't realize how few there really are. I'm sad now, so I've invited them all to come live in my bathtub. I figure, it's the least I can do, to make up for my species killing them all off.

A panda haiku:


Pandas are so cute.
I want to squeeze and hug them!
And name them all George.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 27

The fact that a pair of small nail clippers for a dog ended up costing me nearly $13.00 really bothers me. It's a pair of nail clippers! It makes it even more sore because I already have a pair, I just can't find the dang things. I think someone stole them, just to watch me have a mild coronary in PetCo over the price of new ones.

I'm guessin the extra cost was for the super swanky non-slip handles, right? Yeah, they're important. I know I always clip my dogs nails right after I've eaten me a big bucket o'chicken, and nothings worse then cutting the nail back further then you meant to because you have greasy hands. Licking them during the process doesn't help either, just so you know.

I have to give the dog a bath tonight, and clip her nails. I'm sure this will thrill her to no end. She hates having her nails clipped worse then she does having a bath. If I go and don't come back, it's because she cleverly positioned herself in such a way that I'd trip over her and break my neck flying into the bathtub. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like a plot that overlooks water. Preferably not a sluice or a drainage ditch. If you put me near one of those, I will know, and I will have to come in all my spectral glory to visit you in the middle of the night. If you're lucky, rattling chains, but most likely, I'll just show up nude. That'll show you.

A haiku:


Dwindling summer.
Avert your eyes from the sales,
Speedos are evil.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 28

The BBQ went pretty well. There wasn't as many kids there as I was told would be, but it was fun...well, as much fun as you can have with hot dogs as the main course anyway.

Five minutes before class was done, one of the kids fell on top of her sister, and knocked her sisters baby tooth out with her butt. Stuff like that, it takes talent. The younger girl was fine, she was more upset over the blood then she was over actually getting a tooth popped out of her head (by her sisters backside, no less).

They finally started implementing other features of the Youth Program. I now officially (again) no longer have children ages 12 and up, because they go to a separate class. This makes me both sad, and glad. Sad because I created my program to cater to all ages, so everyone had a good time. All my kids (yes, I refer to them as mine) get along and are real friends, so it'll be sad to not have that interaction anymore. Plus, the older kids are a riot.

Glad shouldn't even need to be explained.

Next week I'm going to see if the teacher of the older kids class will get together with me once a month to talk about the youth programs. Also, I want to see if she'll implement the dollar program (I think having the same rewards program through all classes is a good idea) and wants to merge classes on days we have events and stuff (like our Halloween Harvest and Christmas Parties, and the opening of the YCC Store, which is Halloween as well).

Hopefully she's cool with this, otherwise the hundreds of dollars the kids have saved up over the last year are all going to go to waste. Plus, they'll be disappointed, they've really been looking forward to it and really like getting the dollars. It's the only reason they come really, Lord knows it's not because I'm any fun.

Haiku for You:


Summer can be cruel.
Oh, angry yellow jackets
Stinging my ankles.


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 29

My sites are down, so the layout is as well. Hopefully it'll be back up soon, if not, I'll bother James (who's my fantastic and amazing host) about them. He likes being bothered, deep down.

Ah, looks like his site is down as well. Well, that stinks. I hope it's not a serious problem. Maybe I broke it, I'm good at that.

Speaking of breaking things, people have moved into my old apartment (that's the one, for those of you who aren't up to date on this story, that I moved out after four years of living there because the sinks didn't drain, the roof was leaking, the waterheater had exploded all over the garage, the landlady was storing things in my house, the fridge had two inches of ice all over it, the heaters never turned off so I had to disconnect them (or pay a nearly 200 dollar power bill), my water was constantly being used to water other peoples yards AND they flooded my house twice, and there was a termite problem) and are now buying ice and using coolers to store food because the fridge finally died, and the landlady won't buy a new one. The sinks aren't draining as well.

Yes, I know gossiping is a sin, but I do find it really interesting that while I was living there everything was passive-aggressively blamed on me (although I'm not sure how her daughter not paying rent is my fault, or the yard guy not coming and doing the landscaping on time, but both were blamed on me at one point) yet I haven't lived there for almost a year now, and the same problems still exist.

I don't wish any ill on her, and I do hope that the problems right themselves. I would have been the first to say so if the problems there had been my fault, it's just nice in a vindictive and petty sort of way to get confirmation that they really weren't, even if I already knew it.



THotD:


Digital stupor.
I am not downloading Warez.
So what's the problem?


Posts until IBOM's 1000th post: 31