So 2007 is quickly approaching the grave, and 2008 is getting ready to be thrust from the loins of time. I figured that this was a good opportunity to reflect on the year past, and look forward to the year ahead and all of that sentimental character building stuff.

2007 was a tough year for me. Probably the toughest one I've ever had. There were only three very high points in a vast, turbulent sea of really bad, rotten, no good things. I'm a pretty positive person, who always keeps trudging along and I always manage to make things work, but even this year got to me, and I've spent the last few months just really struggling with things.

Although the bad things outnumbered the good ones exponentially, the good ones were exceptionally good. I graduated with two degrees, I moved on to my next step in education with surprisingly little hitches, and situation that has been hard on everyone in my family for almost six years was happily resolved. I also end this year more financially secure then I've been in a long time, which is a huge positive to enter this next year with. Plus, I've got an amazing house that I love, and jaw-droppingly awesome landlords who I will be genuinely sad to part with when the time comes for me to move for Med School.

Many things were lost this year, or had major changes, but the truth is that I don't miss any of them. I think the never ending frustration of the year compiling on itself with no end that bothered me, rather then what was going on at the time.

I'm very glad to be free of so many entanglements and excited to move on to the next set of things that will be a challenge for me. I guess I'm a sucker for punishment.

Last year at this time I posted a list of the things I hoped to accomplish this year, I crossed off the ones I did

L.O.S.T I.T (List of stuff to do in two-thousand-and-seven)

• Learn to knit. I kind of did, but not really. I am crocheting a scarf, which isn't knitting so it doesn't count.
  
  
• Travel out of the state. I went to Navada
  
  
• Travel out of the country. I'm going to next year
  
  
• Five things off the 'Before I Die' list. I did stuff. That's a lame explanation, but it's what you're getting for now.
  
  
• Jeans. Hah! Take that!
  
  
• Sit on a jury. Not a single summons :(
  
  
• Write my will. I really need to do this.
  
  
• Graduate. I have two, let's see how many I can get before I die.
  
  
• Go Mini Golfing. AH!
  
  
• Finish a novel NOT connected to NaNo. I finished a NaNo novel though, that's something.
  
  
• Take a very long road trip. I want to this year.
  
  
• Make a quilt. It's tiny. I want to do a full sized one this year.
  
  
• Take Japanese lessons. I have to, since OSU has decided I need a language now after all.

I was right by the way, I didn't get a single jury summons at all. However, I did mark a good bit off, and I did a ton of things that I didn't put on my list that I really enjoyed.

Am I making a list this year? Yes and no, I have some things I want to do, but I feel more like a list is demanding I do it, and not leaving it open for me to add or remove things. Also, a list kind of leaves me popping myself at the end of the year for not finishing things like I told myself I would.

Instead, I have some general things that I'd like to accomplish this year. They include things like finishing a novel for submission, being more dedicated to WilWord and my blog, finishing up this leg of school, getting more volunteering hours in, managing my total health better (because I totally don't), get my passport, do something fun with my hair, and other stuff like that. I'd also like to get involved with some projects like 365 (on Flickr) and reopen my website.

Also, I'd like to go mini golfing. Yes, this is a hint.

I feel like it's more important this next year to really start working on making myself happy, rather then pulling myself in a million directions for other people. I can be a nice, kind, caring person without sacrificing my own sanity and well being.

I've already started on making 2008 a great year for myself. In honor of taking care of my total health, I've signed up for Tai Chi. My first lesson is in a little over a week. I'm really excited. I've been wanting to learn for a really long time, and it's nice to do something for myself for a change.

Am I nervous about next year? Yeah I'm really flippin' nervous. It's funny because it's not like I'm doing anything I haven't done before, but change always makes me nervous. If this year was any proof, however, next year is not going to be anything I can't handle.

HotD:

Ode to '07.
You were mean and tough and hard,
But thanks anyway.

I started this post about six million times since Christmas, but because Guido was having pluming problems thanks to an external hard drive that messed him up, I was more preoccupied with fixing that then I was with posting.

I did a system restore, and he seems to be working fine, but for a while there he wouldn't start in normal or safe mode without completely locking up in about a minute or two. I finally got him into safe mode to do the restore, and so far so good. I hope that whatever icky bits he gobbled up on Christmas got out of his system and he'll stay working fine from now on.

My Christmas was really great this year, which was what I needed after the year I've had. My brother and sis-in-law came up on Sunday and stayed through Thursday. Sav came on Christmas Eve and stayed until late Christmas afternoon, because her family doesn't celebrate and we decided she needed a Christmas.

I snagged some good stuff, including a huge box of dark chocolates and a bar of French dark chocolate (Thanks Mar!), a crocus growing set, a new pair of PJ's, some people and houses for my Winter village, a Christmas carousel, a couple of nice jar candles, a watch and bracelet set from John, Lost the board game, and one of those cool human bodies that's all lit up that comes all apart with removable organs. I'm the most excited about that one. I am pretty sure that armed with the knowledge it has given me, I don't even need to go to Med school. It even comes with a little metal scalpel, I'm totally set. Who's first?

I cooked dinner, a pretty traditional Christmas dinner, and it all came out really well. Well enough that there was really nothing in terms of left overs the next day, and I didn't poison anyone. That for me means that I must have done something right, or people were really really hungry.

The most exciting part of Christmas this year? It snowed. Woo! It didn't stick, but for most of the day there were large flurries of fluffy stuff spewing down from the sky. I'm a dork, it made me happy.

Stanley The Tree (yes, he got named. No, it wasn't by me for once) got pulled out yesterday and he was laid to rest in the recycling bin. I packed up all my Christmas decorations and put them back in storage. I usually leave everything up until after New Years, but because I go back to work on the 3rd, and then back to school on the 7th, I didn't want to run the risk of becoming lazy and not doing it until February, or until it caught on fire and burned my house down. Both of those options suck, so it was just easier to get it over with.

I hope all you Figments had a great anything you celebrate, and have a wonderful New Year, since that's just around the corner.

HotD:

December flew by,
Fluttering snowflakes and lights,
That was a quick one.

I've got about 3 hours before I have to put on my hostess mask (and by this I mean pants, of course) and pretend to be human. I have some relatives coming in today, and then more people coming tomorrow, which I guess marks the inevitable arrival of Christmas.

I'm happy to say that this year I've completed my shopping, rapped everything, and have even started my baking, all before Christmas Eve. I'm proud of myself Figs, you should be proud of me too.

I've got to get some last minute house cleaning done (No, not my kitchen! You don't know me!) and get the beds in the guest room made up so that people have places to sleep. Other then my floor, which I swear is not as comfortable as people claim.

I'm going to take pictures of the tree today, before packages start vanishing from under it, so I can prove to certain people who don't believe me that it really is 9-feet tall, and 9-feet tall is taller then me.

HoTD:

I have a sore throat.
There are so many jokes here,
But lack voice to speak.

OSU and I are currently in a battle of wills. I'm willing them to get their act together, and they're willing me to some deserted island somewhere that doesn't have internet or phone access so I can't bug them anymore.

I'm a little (and by little I mean a ton) nervous about this next term. I just really need the next year to go really well. For once, if it's not to much to ask. Thankyouverymuch.

I meet with my academic adviser on the 7th, which amusingly enough is also the first day of classes. This makes it extra special super duper fun, because I'm currently blocked from registering for classes until I meet with him. Yay for picking your class schedule on the first day of classes.

My FA is semi-sort of straightened out. I got an E-mail back from the office today saying no my FA wasn't canceled. Seriously, it was one sentence long. I'm assuming that it means what it says, and there wasn't an unspoken 'but' at the end of it. Like 'No your FA wasn't canceled, but we'll do that right away for you.' That would be hilarity.

The dispersement stuff is saying I should be getting the grant portion of it on time. The loan part won't show up until next Neverember. I haven't even gotten the bank paperwork for my new loans yet, ten bucks says they sent it to my old address like they did my award letter. The old address I never even gave them. How they pulled it out of their asses and sent my paperwork to it I have no idea.

As long as I get my grants and can pay for the term, books and maybe ten dollars of my rent, I'll be alright. For a day or so anyway.

I go back to work for That Book Place on the 2nd. They wanted me to come back the day after Christmas, but it just didn't work out. That's okay with me, because as much as I need the extra money, I really need a week or so at home to take care of some Collective stuff. I won't be able to work full time though, because this term I need to be on campus instead of online. I'm trying to not worry about it by pretending it's not an issue I have to deal with until next year. Stupid, but it's working so far.

This whole mess is made all better by the fact that I'm having mashed potatoes for dinner. Food of the Gods, Figs. Food of the Gods.

HoTD:

My AA just laughed,
I've taken too much Bio,
For Bio degree.

I have paper cuts from wrapping paper. How sad is this?

I've been wrapping non-stop for about four days, this is because as many of you long-time Figs know, I'm the designated wrapper for many people during this time of year. So, once again, my house is full of stuff to be wrapped for others. I don't mind doing this, until it's 2 AM and I'm covered in tape and weird lint from someones slippers and I can't find the scissors and I'm talking to myself surrounded by piles of stuff to still be wrapped.

I'm done, however, so I'm all better now.

HoTD:

Mysteriousness.
I have bruises everywhere,
They are all John's fault.

Friday was my birthday, and of course like every other birthday my entire life it went by unnoticed by everyone. It was, by far, the worst birthday ever.

It is being made up for a little by a couple of people once I got home. Robin came by over the weekend and brought me a 9' Christmas tree and took me to lunch. Today Sav is coming by for lunch and a movie.

Other then the two of them, and one other happy birthday from Tif, I got nothing. No cards, no happy birthdays (not even as Emails or comments), not a single thing. I'm pretty much to the point now that I've decided to never again do anything for anyone else, because I'm so tired of having it thrown in my face how utterly unimportant I am to people who claim otherwise.

My tree is gorgeous though. 9 feet, holy crap.

Congrats Terra and Cory.

I am very happy to be home.

I'm all packed and ready to get outta Dodge, I just need to go by the bank before we leave town so I have money in there.

Yay! I'm excited.

I'm absolutely not ready to leave. Tiff and I are driving up to Portland tonight to stay up there, since our flight leaves so early in the morning. I've done nothing at all to get ready, I haven't even packed anything.

I'm just so sleepy that I can't bring myself to do much of anything. I'll be ready by the time we've got to leave, but I'll probably be nice and whiny until then.

If you want a postcard, E-mail me your address and I'll send you one.

HotD:

Happy Birthday Dos!
I hope you have a great one,
We miss you very much.

I finally got my act in gear, and now I'm just wasting a few minutes before I'm off to the second day of the Salem Holiday Show, where I'm running a booth for Robin's stained glass company.

Yesterday I was there from about 7:30 until about 6:30. It was long, and because we're in a building at the fairgrounds, it was freezing. I was also exhausted because I went directly from the hotel room that hosted the bachelor/bachlorette party for Terra and Cory to the show. I didn't sleep at all the night before, and spent a lot of time herding drunk people. At the party, not the holiday show. Although it wouldn't surprise me if there was drunk people there.

I came home last night and just crashed. The show went well though, and I'm hoping today goes just as well.

I've got to come home tonight and get started on the huge list of stuff I have to get done before I leave for Portland tomorrow night.

HotD:

I hate the flying.
I dream the plane will explode,
And I'll get sucked out.

Alright, I am a cheater and I cheated. Only sort of though!

I used Mele again, but reformatted it for a kind of new look to the layout. I can't help it, the surfing snowman and I have been buddies for a long time, and I just really enjoy this one.

I promise, next year I'll have a brand new holiday layout, but for this year, the surfer is back in town.

HotD:

So very much to do.
I'm running like a chicken,
Missing it's cute head.

You know I'm only 12 posts away from 1500? Wow. That's sad.

I need to post more, but everything I have to say will either upset/offend/hurt people and I don't feel like doing that.

So instead, you get this:

Go post to Scrine.

Happy Hanukkah :)

Would you Figs mind horribly if I used Mele again for my holiday layout? I've started about ten different layouts and I'm not happy with any of them, I need some good inspiration.

Any suggestions? I'm just not making anything that makes me fall over and want to throw it up here for the next month or so. I'm probably still burnt out over the last month to focus on some web design, but I really want to change from the NaNo one that's here.

NaNo is over for another year. We finished our TGIO party yesterday, and the evening ended rather anti-climatically with Sav and I making a mad dash to the car in the freezing, pouring down rain. Sav left early because there was a threat of snow wafting around and she didn't want to get caught in it driving, so I spent the rest of the evening in a nice quiet house decompressing.

We didn't get snow, but we sure are getting pelted with some nice cold rain and high winds, which are still going on. My power has flickered a few times today, and my feet are completely frozen.

We ended this year's NaNo with 25 winners, and seeing as how we had 60 active Salem-homed writers, 25 out of 60 is damn good. Our best ever, I'm very proud.

Sav and I were presented at the TGIO party with totally adorable crowns made by one of our Wrimos, that then everyone who was there signed for us. They were very sweet and really solidify for me that the people are why I keep doing this each year.

We plan on doing a Post-NaNo survey to our Wrimos, a breakdown Post-NaNo meeting to do some general outlining and brainstorming for next year sometime this next week. After that, we're going to take a hiatus from ML duties and not touch NaNo until most likely mid-February. If you're a Wrimo, please take the survey we'll be sending out later this week, and send any ideas or suggestions you have that the survey does not cover to us at our NaNo address.

A new layout should appear sometime within the next few days, for Christmas. Woot! But for now I'm off to tackle some Finals stuff so I don't flunk out of school and have to go live in a box.

HotD:

Goodbye to NaNo.
Another year passes by,
See you in '08.

I'd like to say something witty or clever here, like now I'm off to go sleep for a week, but alas. Instead I am off to go write a 20 million page term paper and prep for the TGIO party tomorrow.

Good luck to those of you who haven't finished yet. I'm proof that you can, so keep writing.

I'm so glad I won.

HotD:

Too tired today.
This is your haiku figments,
Now write your novels.

I'm typing my little fingers to the nubs here. I've managed to hit 36k and my goal is to hit 40k tonight during the Virtual Write-In. I really would like to hit 42k so that I only have 8k left to write tomorrow and then I'm freaking done. On top of trying to rush a zillion more words in the next two days, it's looming on finals week and I have a pile and a half of homework left to do before Monday.

Will I have time? No. I've got packed jam full days for the rest of the week into Monday so most likely I won't be getting much sleep. Who needs sleep though right? I certainly don't. Sleep is for losers and old people. Both of which I am.

I've got 45 minutes to pound out at least 1.5k more words before I have to leave for some appointments. Stupid life. I swear, next November, I'm hiding from the world in some remote cabin somewhere. Then I won't have to be a person and do peopley things.

One and a half more days and then I can be free of NaNo until January, when we start planning for next year.

It's gonna be holiday layout time soon, I'm so excited.

HotD:

Failing connection.
Over and over it blips,
Pain in my backside.

Thanks to all my Wrimos who've sent me cheers, ass kickings, and encouraging words over the past few days.

You guys rock and I'm so proud to be one of your ML's.

Seriously, and I don't just say that because I plan on sneaking into your houses and stealing your word counts. I say it 'cause it's true.

Two more days guys, two more days.

HotD:

I might not finish,
But with Wrimos like you guys,
I am a winner.

I've managed to hit a little over 25,000 words. I need to hit 30 thousand tonight. Why? Well because I need 30,000 so I can get to 40,000, so I can get to 50,000, so I can win and be done with this nonsense. Also, the reason I like the best, I need to hit 30,000 because that leaves 20,000 words left, and 20,000 words split over the next three days is exactly 6666.66 words per day. Thus proving my novel is the work of the devil.

I'm going to go settle myself down with my notebook and try and write some words there, and then come back here and retype them. I know it's a lot more work, but it gives me a chance to expand and add on things I've already written. It's like editing - but not. Sneaky, huh?

I've got to get myself in gear tomorrow and take care of some stuff, my schedule is crazy busy and if I don't get a handle on it soon it'll just blow up in my face and then I'll be all melty-faced. I haven't even unpacked my bags from being out of town this last week. Stupid novel.

I feel like I spent most of today running around with my head cut off, even though I haven't even left the house. I did some web design work, did some homework (pleasegodjustgetmethroughonemoredeadweekandI'llbegoodIpromise) and spent a good portion of the day on the phone trying to get all sorts of fun piles of poo straightened out. I finally said I was done with it and took a shower, so now I'm all clean. Woo for clean!

However, now because my hair is down, I realize how much I really want to cut some of it off. It's getting far too long and nearly unmanageable when it's down. It would be fine if I had awesome hair that did whatever I told it, but I have spiteful evil hair that does everything it can to thwart me.

I'd like to do something cute with it before the wedding, I just don't know what cute would be.

Suggestions?

You know what would make me write more, Figs, and reach 50,000 words? Comments.

:(

HotD:

Stupid wordy words,
Huzzah for trash my Wrimos!
Embrace the trashness.

I'm not posting this because I have some amazing artistic talent, because I don't. In fact, it looks like some preschoolers first picture vomited up my picture. However, I am posting this because I know that there are a couple of you Figments out there with some real talent, and I think Sketchcast would be a fun way for you to blog. (hintmelissahint)

I really am going to write now, honest.

I had this whole post written. It was witty! It was insightful! Then Blogger wonked out and deleted it.

It's a shame, because it was really good. Not like that other junk I post here. Now you're going to be stuck with the same old nonsense.

We had the All State Write-In yesterday, and I think it went pretty well. We had about seven Salem Wrimos who braved the cold to go down to Eugene for the day. We had maybe 15 - 17 in attendance total. I didn't get much writing done. I could blame it on the Wrimos and how distracting they are, but it would be a lie. It's really because I'm a lazy schlub.

The best thing about the ASWI (Yeah, yeah, I know) was the fact that we had a few Regions in attendance. Which means that people are willing and interested in traveling for this event. This is great to know, so now we can really plan some good stuff for next year.

During the ASWI Tiff, Sav and I slipped out and saw Labyrinth at the Bijou Theater. I know it's old, and I've seen it before, and I paid less for it on DVD then I did to get into the theater, but how can you pass up seeing David Bowie in spandex on the big screen? You can't, that's what I thought.

I don't have any due work or class work today or tomorrow, so I'm putting off everything that is due later this week and next week during Finals to write 20,000 words. Will I do it? Probably not. But talking big about doing it is almost as good as doing it, right?

HotD:

My house is cold man,
My fingers are 'icles now,
And that ain't sexy.

Today marks the first time in NaNoWriMo history, that I know of, that any state has hosted an all-state write-in that wasn't either a: all completely one Region or b: San Fransisco who really doesn't count because they're HQ. No offense, SF.

Today is Oregon's first All State Write-In, where Regions from all over Oregon will (hopefully) be in attendance. This being our first year planning, things have been rocky, but I think that Eugene, who is hosting this year, has done a great job and today will be a really good NaNo event.

If you're interested in attending it will be from 11 - 1 PM today, at the Round Table Pizza in Springfield just off the freeway. You should come, Eugene has some awesome stuff planned I hear.

I've been put in charge of games and I have no idea what I'm bringing. The last few weeks have been crazy so I've put it aside, and never picked it back up. I know Dutch Blitz will be floating around, as well as some other games like that and decks of cards. I'm bringing Continual Story and the Plot Box of Doom, but other then that I'm at a loss.

My goal is to hit at least 7,000 - 10,000 words today, and with all the writing time we have, it shouldn't be too hard.

I guess I better go look for some ice breakers or something, before I'm fired and thrown to the fishes.

Happy Thanksgiving, Figs.

I need help from any of you Figs with long, thick hair. I'm on the hunt for a hair clip (of any kind) that will hold thick hair that WON'T break off the claws of the clip when you put it in your hair. I haven't found a brand yet, even including octopus claws that say they're for thick hair that don't break. I'm sick of them always breaking off in my hair, it's really annoying.

Thanks!

Further proof why my Wrimos are the best on the entire planet:

Locals participate in world's largest writing contest

I'm so freaking proud of them.

HoTD:

Big silent houses
I have it all to myself,
Relaxing Sunday.

Had our General Write-In today. It went well, I think. We're in a smaller room then we're used to, and with a group that's growing like we are, it was a little snug but I think it'll work out well.

I had about thirteen in attendance, which isn't bad for the first General Write-In of the year. I had a good mix of old and new Wrimos, which is always nice. I try hard to make everyone feel welcome, so I hope that the new Wrimos who came today had a good time.

I plunked out about 2000 words, which isn't great, but isn't bad considering I handwrite everything because I'm a sorry sad laptopless person.

After the meeting Terra and I ran to Woodburn and then got some sushi, which was wonderful. It was good to see her. I miss DBS a lot. Because they rock.

HoTD:

It's way too early
Christmas stuff invading now,
Skipping Thanksgiving

Eric, one of my Wrimos, is currently stationed in Iraq. This is his third NaNo, and I think he's totally awesome for doing it even though he's in a situation that makes it difficult.

He's also one of my Wrimos who's been asked by the Statesman Journal to do a four-piece series on doing NaNo doing November. I get an Email this morning that says someone from the Boston Globe wants to interview him too.

I have famous Wrimos, that makes me so freaking proud.

I haven't written yet today. I know, I'm a bad girl. I'm up to 3500 words though, which makes me a good girl. (And trust me, I'm a very good girl)

Savvy is coming by this afternoon to crash at my place for the night so we can prep for our General Write-In (2:00 - Salem Public Library) tomorrow. I'm thinking of suggesting we go by Coffee Cravings and write for a couple hours. They've got free Wi-Fi, good Chai and The Sister works there, so I get to write my novel and give her grief at the same time. It's like heaven.

If we do, I'll send a message out. If you'd like to join us, please do. Coffee Cravings has already said we can take over the whole joint, if we wanna.

HotD:

I got goodies, man
They came in yummy boxes,
And they are the win.

I managed to pop out about 1000 words before I crashed and burned like my internet access did during our Virtual Countdown. I've got 667 left to do today to meet my goal. I can't log into the NaNo site at all, and can't upload my word count, so I'm already getting flack from people who are convinced I'm still at zero.

I'm not. I've written, I swear it! I mean, words of my own even, not ones I've stolen from other people.

I'll post as soon as I feel like I've got enough to justify it.

HotD:

This is the first day,
The first is always hardest,
The rest is cake, man.

The countdown begins. Only a few hours left before NaNoWriMo starts. A few of my Wrimos and I are in a chat room counting down the hours before we can type in a mad frenzy and become novelists once again.

If you're interested pop by and join us here:

Salem NaNoWriMo Chat

While we're chatting I'm watching Silent Hill (hurray for Halloween) and giving out candy to hordes of sticky little children in adorable costumes. I haven't had this many trick or treaters in ages, this is my first Halloween here so I wasn't sure how many I'd have, but I've already had over 30.

Yay!

Look forward to the first installment of the awesomenessly awesome craptastic Bawdy Parts later this evening. My word goal tonight is to hit at least 2500 words before I crash in bed this evening.

HotD:

Halloween is great,
Little goblins and ghoulies,
Strung out on sugar.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, for those of you who live under a rock) is quickly approaching once again. I feel like I just got done with a November, and here it is sneaking up on me getting ready to bash me over the head with craptastic word goodness.

In taking a break from a clients website today, I decided to finally throw together a super quick layout that will grace IBOM until NaNo's demise in December. I'm much more on top of things this year then I was last year, so hopefully this year I'll reach my 50,000 word goal. Keep those piggies crossed, Figments.

My idea is pretty simplistic. Nothing too deep or involved for me this year.

We've already had our Kick-Off party. Our best yet, if you ask me. I had 60 (yipes) RSVP'ed but only really had about 23 show up. We had a nice mix of new Wrimos and old Wrimos, I think this year is going to go great.

Our next event is a Virtual Countdown to NaNo on Halloween night, and then a General Write-In on the 3rd. If you're around and interested, come by and join us. We'll be at the Salem Library in the Plaza Room.

HOTD:

Fall is rushing by,
Colored by leaves and first frost,
Holy freaking crap.

Well another Blogathon comes to an end. Thanks to all our sponsors and to everyone who came by today and kept this fun thing going until the wee hours.

Go get some sleep, you all deserve it.

OMG, all, we're still playing charades and we're going absolutely nuts here.

I'm getting so gosh darned sleepy we've got some of the most perverted and wrong things.

Now I'm watching Skyte try and act out "American Gladiators" oh my god, lol.

Okay, will post last post in 30 minutes, yay! We're almost done and I can SLEEP!

More charades, including 'sex kitten', 'christmas', 'pirate with one leg that is dying', and 'scrambled eggs'.

It's almost bed time!

Only an hour and a half. We're all getting pretty darn sleepy and silly, and only a few slips of paper left in the bowl for charades, then I do not know what we'll be doing for the rest of this thing.

Some slips have included things like 'Giving Birth',
'Lesbian Camping Slaughter Movie', 'Ebola', and 'Deviated Septum', needless to say we've been doing a ton of laughing.

I've had the most fun I've ever had during a 'Thon this time for sure. I will however, be super excited to go to bed when we're done.

Only three posts left! It's so exciting!

We are playing Cherades. At 4 am. It is very very funny.

We are now play charades. We are tired. I am tired. God is tired. Sleep is great. I am I sleeping right now. Of course not.......I wouldn't be typing if I was. No wait if I'm dreaming I could be typing in my dream. Oh well. Maybe I should take my medicine

the word is aft

The word is back stop:
Throat
Diaphram
Baracade
Foul
ricochet
baseball

We're playing Password. It is super fun.

Like a virgin, touched for the very first time. Like a virririirrirrgin with your heart beat next to mine. Oh oh ohhhhh oohhhhh oh oh oh oh. MMMMMMMMMMM hmmmm like a virgin when I reach inside.

Okay, its officially almost 12:30 now. We're starting to die. We still have 5 and a half hours left, I don't know if we'll be able to make it. I probably won't. Terra and Cory should be back shortly...Terra's bringing me back battttttteries! So I can take pictures with my digital camera of Jamie's frogs doin' it..err...nothing. ;) We'll just wait and see what I can come up with when I commandeer this blog again.

Currently, Jamie's hair is wet and it is making my shoulder wet. Also, I can see the little grey hairs that I am causing Jamie has gotten from age.

She's so old.

Pathfinder is still on the television. I'm getting so frustratingly annoyed at the amount of violence, gore and blood on this DVD.

Maybe there'll be some gratuitous sex or something.

Well, it is 12:30, maybe I can find some porn on Cinemax...the Frogs just aren't doing it for me.

Kthxbi.

Its time to post again...its 30 minutes after my last post, but I think I'l post again at 12:30 just to get back on the whole 12:30, 1:00, 1:30 times again. This 11:45 and 12:15 posts are kind of frustrating.

Anyway, no idea what I'm going to add to the story. Skyte's not feeling well at all, she's having bad stomach pain and we're all pretty tired. Tiff and Robert decided to go home and Terra and Cory are driving them. They should be back soon, I think.

Anyway.

.

.
I guess I'll be back in 15 minutes.

The Next Day the Ballsonyourchin Empire sent a proclamation that all members of the Ballsonyourchin Empire are required to sell their Chinpubes. Unfortunately, the Boy who Wants To Become a Man could not afford to sell his Chinpubes because he needed it in order to be a man.

Unfortunately, on his quest to find the Freedom Within, he was captured by General IamtellingyoumynaughtyplansbecauseIamanevil
badguyandIhavetoanecdoteeverything and was imprisoned because he would not sell his Chinpubes. General IamtellingyoumynaughtyplansbecauseIamanevil
badguyandIhavetoanecdoteeverything decided to explain, at great length, his Evilplan to the Boy who Wants To Become a Man.

And the Evilplan was so Evil it warranted a capital E in Evilplan! But the plan was so poorly constructed it only got a p instead of Capital P. Anyway.

"Okay, Boy who Wants To Become a Man, you are crucial to my plan of...."

...........Man a man with a mission. Long before this Boy was a born there was a Galatic Empire called the Ballsonyourchin Empire. This Empire ruled with world with an iron fist. They torture and killed people. Including the Boy who wanted to be a Mans father. The Boy who wanted to be a Man is on a mission now. A mission to kill everyone in the Ballsonyourchin Empire. With his trusty Seg-Way Bot Optimus Lazyass and his uncomfortably gay friend Pinktriangleman they prepare to go on this most challenging quest.

The next day.............................

It's time for a Story-A-Thon!

I'll begin:

Once upon a time in a Galaxy far far away, there lived a little boy who decided that he no longer wanted to be a little boy, but insted wanted to be a...

To be continued...

Seven of us are playing a game of 'Would You Rather' which is very silly and fun game when you're super tired. It is nice and cool outside, and was even drizzling earlier, it makes it really comfortable. Almost too comfortable, I'm awfully sleepy.

He makes his first appearance at this year's blogathon

A long time ago when the earth was filled with things that Jesus says didn't happen. Were people who liked to do things. These people like things that did things. These things were thing that they like. Some times these things they did not like. Sometimes these things that they liked or did not like had consequences sometimes those consequences were dire. Sometimes they were not-so dire. I climbed a mountain once. Sheep, rock, pudding face, alien farmer, dog with spot on nose, and of course.............................................FIN

The kids are back from their movie, and now the house is noisy again! Yay! Something more to keep me awake.

Also, we lit a bunch of candles on one of THREE cakes I have sitting around the house (long story) and made Robert blow them out for his birthday. Not that any of us need any more sugar, most of us are pretty wired as it is.

The cake is a chocolate oreo with some type of cream filling. It's...very sweet. I think I'm going into shock.

Dude, I'm so scared. You have to watch Episode 3 and 4 at YouTube.com as well.

Its...Bizarre.

Scare me.

Skyte wants a nap. I keep telling her "No." Because if *I* have to stay up, then she has to stay up...so yeah.

Okie, off to play DDR.

It's posty time!

Savvy left (which is sad, because she LIVES HERE) and the other kids aren't back from their movie. John is watching Naruto and Fred is laying on my bed surfing fellow 'Thonners sites for something good to read.

It's quiet enough now that I could probably start reading again. I wonder how many books I would have made it through by now. Maybe next year.

So I lost backgammon and then we quit a game of checkers halfway through. Fred is getting sleepy. Sav and John are watching Office Space, which is a great Blogathon movie.

Other kids are yet to return from their movie.

I've been up since about 4 am, so I'm starting to get a bit sleepy. I need something to wake me up! Any suggestions?

Savvy here again and I'm sad to say that the Cribbage game didn't last long. Evidently Fred got bored with it (something about his ADD flaring up again and he wants to go get board games from Wal-Mart...).

We're still watching BN and now Skyte and Fred are engaged in a game of Backgammon.

And those other kids are still at the Simpsons movie.

Savvy here and I just won our Uno tourney! Boo-yeah!

And now Johnny and I are watching "Burn Notice" while Skyte and Fred play it out in Cribbage or however you spell that game.

More later...

Savvy is not that impressed with Rent. Score one for my side of the team. There are some things, she says, that can't be expressed in song successfully, unless it's animated.

Terra, Cory, Robert and Tiffany have gone off to see the Simpsons Movie. The rest of us are just going to bum around here and figure out what we're going to post about for the next few hours.

Fred is writing in the dust on my bedroom lamp. Also, he kissed me, which he only does when he's drunk. I swear though, he didn't buy the wine...at least not that I saw.

I'm awaiting more poetry from the masses, so for now I have no new poetry to post.

Most everyone will be leaving soon to go see The Simpsons Movie for Robert's birthday, but they should be back later this evening, with more fun poetry and hijinks.

Another post from me!

Terra and Cory arrived and now I'm working on Tiff's laptop.

We've got more food! (Yay! We needed more food!) And now we've got entertainment! Whootness.

Got to go pick up Robert around 6:00pm, then we get to figure some more stuff out and THEN...yeah.

Kay, bye.

Terra and Cory are here! Hurray! Now the 'Thon is complete, with DBS.

Hi. Its 5:00PM. Its Fred again. Working on another post.

Now we're watching RENT: The Motion Picture. *I* happen to think its a very nice movie. Unfortuantely, other people in the household do not. :P

But Savvy's never seen it so, whootness!

Terra and Cory should be here shortly. Yay!

And we'll have some pictures in the next couple posts or so.

Whootness.

I have a ton of food, this is our 'Thon spread for the evening:

Veggie platters (carrots, celery, broccoli, coliflour, olives (green and black), green pepper, baby corn, mushrooms), green and red grapes, cookies, cake, pie, jelly fruit candies, chips, bean dip, soda, chocolate milk, iced tea, coffee, juice and whatever else I threw at these people to eat.

Yummy. Anyone want some?

Hey everyone! Fred here. They're all watching 10 things I hate about you and Skyte's in the kitchen doing...kitcheny things.

I'm commandeering this computer to post! No one knows, though, so shh, don't tell anyone.

I was going through the past archives on the site and realized there's quite a bit of funny stuff that Skyte and I have said! Hmm...

Anyway, here's a poem for everyone:

While the sky waits for the moon,
The sun is saddened by the clouds,
Because they keep her from her boon.

Another poem
----

I'm sure you're wondering EXACTLY WHO is posting these amazing morsels of poetic genius.

Jam hard at work

---

Savvy and Johnny watching Carpool. Classy!

---

Fred is probably not looking at porn...riiight.

---

Tiff and her froggy muse

More of Johnny's simple eloquence

People let me tell you 'bout my best friend: Bean Dip!!!

But donde esta senior Bean Dip?!

No se. He has not yet made an appearance at this year's blogathon?

Aww, que triste.

Will he or won't he?!

I will be hanging in the beany balance.

Yours,
Tiffin of the Shire

More fridge poetry from Seaweed Savvy

I hope you are enjoying the Magnetic Poetry, each of us is taking turns writing it, and some of them have been pretty funny.

As for the reading, I feel like it's super rudeness to read, so I haven't been at all. I may start again later when people start dropping to sleep, or taking naps.

We're only 5 bucks away from 100, so if you've got some extra cash and want to put it towards a good cause, please toss it our way. We'll love you forever!

Tiff's second Fridge poem

Johnny's very special refrigerator poem:

Another exciting installment of: Refrigerator Poetry (dun dun dunnnnn)

The third riveting installment of Refridgerator Poetry

The second installment of Refridgerator Poetry

Refrigerator Poetry

Savvy made it! Woot! Now we're only missing a few of our awesome 'Thonners. I think maybe two of them (and they know who they are) fell asleep. It's ok, I'll let them sleep a little while and then I'll wake them up.

Since it would be rude to read with people here, I need to find something else to do during the 'Thon. Some of the things we will be doing is guest posters and myself will be posting magnetic poetry from my fridge. Look forward to it.

Also, there may or may not be bad karaoke. We'll just have to wait and see.

Ran off really quick to pick up some food. I've got hash browns, yay!

So I haven't read anything since the last post, because I can't read in the car without yuking all over the place.

In happier news, Tiff arrived! We found her wandering aimlessly down the street so we lured her into the car with candy and promises of breakfast.

Book #: 1 - Current Book: The Chick And The Dead - Pages Read: 148 - Pages Remaining: 60

I've got 60 pages left. Fred is going to get me breakfast. Yay!

Book #: 1 - Current Book: The Chick And The Dead - Pages Read: 148 - Pages Remaining: 60

I took a break from reading to watch Katie, Melissa's neice in her very first cooking video ever (of a series of gluten free cooking videos shown for the 'Thon). Go over and watch it, and tell Katie what a great job she's doing!

So far, I've managed 115 pages. I'm hoping to have the book finished before 10:30 rolls around so I can start my next book. That leaves me with about 93 or so pages left, which shouldn't be a problem in an hour.

Book #: 1 - Current Book: The Chick And The Dead - Pages Read: 115 - Pages Remaining: 93

Fred installed a new hard drive on to my system, and set my old one as a slave, so now I've got a brand new drive, but nothing on it.

This is dangerous, because it's got so much free space...and there is so much...oh...erm...

My point, is that I had to reinstall Rhapsody which means I once again lost my playlist. Nearly 70 days worth of music. I'm broken hearted, and asking you for help.

Give me some suggestions on artists I need to listen to during the next 24 hours. I will love you forever.

Book #: 1 - Current Book: The Chick And The Dead - Pages Read: 80

Summertime to me always has been a time to read what I call 'Junk Food Fiction' not bad books, just books that are quick reads that maybe don't stay with you for a long time. Horror novels, mystery novels, but never ever romance novels, because those are 'trash fiction' and that's another post all together.

The book I'm currently reading is written with a humorous overtone, so it's a quick fun read and I'm enjoying it. I keep getting distracted however, so I've currently only moved 56 pages beyond where I started from. This makes me sad. It's still raining however, and this makes me happy. Rain is perfect reading weather.

I'm still only $5.00 away from $100...so if you've got an extra five bucks laying around, why not toss it towards the Epilepsy Foundation? I'm sure they'd appreciate it greatly.

Book #: 1 - Current Book: The Chick And The Dead - Pages Read: 56

Thanks to Melissa over at Share Your Angels for sponsoring me $25.00. This brings my total to $95.00. $5.00 away from $100! Not bad for an rebel 'Thonner.

Go visit Melissa who is also 'Thonning this year for RAINN. Sponsor her, she's doing a wonderful thing. Also, she's got some tasty pictures of food, and video of people with accents!

I've been tinkering with this horrid layout to add my own sidebars, so I haven't been doing much reading. I've only gone about 28 pages further along. We'll see where I'm at after 8:30.

Book #: 1 - Current Book: The Chick And The Dead - Pages Read: 28

So why I'm waiting for people to get their lazy non-morning people selves over here, I'm staring at the stack of library books I have that need to be returned, and I've been hit with the shtick stick.

I read unhumanly fast. It's my mutant power. Let's see how many books I can read in 24 hours. Now, this might not work well because I'm going to be faced with many distractions (people, movies, people, a birthday party, people) during this 24 hours, but it would be fun to see just how many total pages I could read in a 24 hour period.

It's 7:35 now, so I've already lost an hour and a half of reading time. So I need to get started.

My first book is one I've already started, but I won't count any pages before the page I'm on, which is 120.

Here goes:

Book Number: 1

Title: The Chick and the Dead

Author: Casey Daniels

Genre: Mysteryish

Total Pages: 323

Total Pages Read: 0

About The Book:
"Ever since the former rich girl-turned-Cleveland cemetery tour guide banged her head on a headstone, she sees dead people. Worse still, she hears them—and they won't shut up! Now it's Didi Bowman, a poodle-skirted relic from the Great Beyond, who's bending Pepper's ear, complaining that her famous author sister, Merilee, has done her wrong. Trouble is, if Pepper proves it, she'll break the hearts of millions of Merilee's fans. And if she doesn't, Didi's ghost may never go away.

Pepper needs peace and quiet (and rent money), so the cash-strapped ex-heiress agrees to take a job as Merilee's secretary and dig around the family tree. But when she unearths more than she bargained for—like an illegitimate daughter, a bunch of illicit love affairs, and a possible murder—suddenly a very poisoned pen is all set to write Pepper out of the story permanently."

Let's get to reading! I'll be back in 30 minutes!

It's raining outside. This is a nice development because last year at this time the weather was horrid. So, my fellow group bloggers who will be spending the day with me (which by the way, total 6 people) should be meandering their way over soon. We plan on spending the day being total dorks because our origional shtick idea fell through...oh yeah, and then I was deleted from the site.

As for Sponsors, thanks so far to the following lovelies who are supporting me and my charity:

Kelly Hall - Kelly sponsored me $20.00 because she rocks. She's doing the Blogathon this year, go support her and the good work she's doing.

Frederick Pettine - $25.00

Robin Galyen - $25.00

Total Sponsors: $75.00

Woohoo! You think I could get that up to $150 before the 24 hours is up?

So I'm not getting any responses to my E-mails, and I can't sign up to reregister myself. So insted, I'm Guerrilla 'Thonning.

I'll be GTing for Epilepsy Foundation. I need sponsors. Interested?

No Blogathon for me. My account was deleted...why? Who knows, I didn't even get the courtesy of an E-mail. As a long time 'Thonner this is the last straw in many dissapintments from the Blogathon, and I'm done for good.

Good luck to the rest of you.

Two of my roommates are gone, and have been for the last few weeks. Generally people are excited when their roommates high tail it away for long periods of time, I am not one of them. I miss mine, and not just because they give me endless hours of entertainment like a living activity book. It's because I love them or something, and it's just not home without them here.



HotD:

Bright shiny sunlight
A quiet summer breeze blows
It's time for a nap.

The older brother and his fiancée are coming into town tonight for the holiday tomorrow. They'll be staying at my house, which should be entertaining. There are a few different BBQ's and stuff going on around town involving some form or another of family, including a family reunion (that I won't be attending, hah!) at my Great Aunt's house.

As for myself, tomorrow is also my younger brother Bud's birthday, so I'll be wishing him a happy birthday, and then sitting around on my duff with a house full of people eating junk and watching bad movies. A great way to spend the 4th, if I say so myself.

Have a safe and happy 4th Figments. Don't go singeing your eyebrows off your heads, I like you just the way you are.

HotD:

Loud thumping music
Annoying neighbors are fun
Time to call the cops

Ran the YWCA booth at World Beat yesterday. We were located in the World Showcase, and even though we were under cover, I still managed to burn my face. It's like magic.

We were raising money for the Teen Program, which sponsors Snowball every year for the kids in the Salem-Keizer school district. We were doing pictures of people in hats from around the world. Mostly though, it was Terra and I sitting around in different hats all day drooling over the tasty smelling food and pawing through bridesmaids gown catalogs. I'm not a bridesmaid though I'm a groomsgirl, but a dress of black is still in order. I'm excited for them, she picked her dress on Saturday, she's going to look gorgeous.

HotD:

Cute French fencer guys
Obligatory joke now
Thrust and parry, heh.

Temporary premade Blogger template (boo hiss) until I can get a new one made at the first of the week. It is ugly, but it's easier on the eyes then broken graphics.

Not dead!

Things since April have been nutso crazy fantastical bonkersness. They've included moving into my very first house (that's mine and not an apartment or triplex), graduating from Le College (as of last Saturday!) and other stuff that has just kept me from being able to post.

Now however, with Summer here and things settling down, I think I can keep up.

So my question to you Figments is, who's doing the Blogathon this year?

I apologize for the mess IBOM has been in lately. It reflects the upheaval that currently is my life. It's not a bad thing by any means. Just lots and lots of change all at the speed of light. My seatbelt is broken, so I've just tied it around my waist. This adds a certain feeling of falling off the ride at any minute, but so far I'm still here.

I plan on switching graphics to a new domain for hosting this weekend, and perhaps making a new layout. If I'm going to change everything else, IBOM might as well get a pretty new dress with a bow for her hair while I'm at it. And perhaps...some postings of substance, just for kicks.

As always, figments, my thanks for sticking around. Although I'm not quite sure why you do.

A HOTD for those of you who've missed them:


Spring is upon me.
Trees rain down snowy blossoms,
Tulips in the yard.

Happy Birthday Fred. I love ya.

Boyo just went to go pick up his car. Then we're going to unload it and run out to Corvallis to pick up Savvy. Tonight is Miss Tiff's 22nd birthday party. At, where else, a roller skating rink. That's where all the big girls are having their parties, doncha know.

It should be super exciting. I haven't roller skated since like 7th grade. I expect to end the evening with a broken ankle. I'll take pictures so you all can have a good laugh, Figs.

Look forward to it!

I feel like I'm missing something. Like I've forgotten something important like a meeting or a project. It's such a weird feeling I can't shake. I know I don't have classes, homework or even normal work right now, but parts of my brain just can't seem to wrap itself around it so I wake up in the morning in a panic thinking I've forgotten to do something.

It's funny.

The Boyo is here, but not entirely moved in. His car should arrive Saturday with his junk in it, which will be good because he's like a crazy man without it. It's too funny. He paces like a cat in a cage. I don't giggle at him though, honest. That would be mean.

HotD:

What day is it now?
Time is all muddleduppish,
And I am confused.

I am pretty sure I crashed and burned that one in a fiery plume of awesomeness.

If I got anything over a C, I get a B in the class. Anything below a C and yours truly gets her first C ever. Lucky for me, they might be offering an accelerated 6 or 8 week course during the summer that I can replace the icky bad grade with.

It's not so much that I have to have A's, I won't replace the grade if it's a B. It's more that Chemistry is pretty important to my major, and if I'm pulling a C it means I'm not grasping the concepts, and I don't want to move on to another Chem class until I feel comfortable with the one I just left. Plus, the professor has a very unique teaching style that I think is just not clicking with me, I'm going to try someone else over the summer if I pull a low grade and see if it gels better in the lump of dust I've got for a brain.

Plus, if people are taking classes over the summer, I'm pretty sure I can con someone into taking it with me. Wooohoo! I'm graduating, but I can still take a class, have a grade replaced and then send my updated transcripts to OSU.

So now I've got a really dirty house to clean, and then I'm going to spend the rest of this week decomposing (or decompressing, but mostly just decomposing). All work and no slack makes Jamie a dull girl.

The Dreaded Final is in about 45 minutes, then I'm just picking up a letter from my academic advisor and I'm done with campus until the 2nd. Maybe. I haven't quite decided if I'm attending the final for the class for the job I quit or not. I really have no interest in attending it at all. I might not. I may just come home and clean my house or something exciting like that.

It's rainy and gloomy and windy outside. Perfect weather in which to start my Spring Break.

HotD:

Portland tomorrow.
We're going to get lost, yay!
And miss the plane land.

I quit my job Friday, and I have to tell you Figs, it was by far the best decision I could have ever made for myself. I feel a million pounds lighter and so much freer.

I already have a new job lined up. One that will be so much less stressful and less work for me. It's not that I don't mind doing work, it's just that the job that I was in was far too much garbage to deal with to get the work done, and it wasn't worth it.

I won't start the new job (and keep your fingers crossed it works out, because I have to shuffle myself from one department to another) until the 2nd of April, so I have myself a nice long break from the stress of a jobby-job which is good, because I need it.

It's finals week next week.

I'm not concerned about the Monday final, or the Tuesday night final, I'm worried about the Tuesday morning final. The Chemistry final. The stupid final (no offense Sean).

Other then Tif's picnic, and taking Michael's advice to take the evening away from Chemistry, all I've done is study these three chapters that the final is on. I'm thanking my lucky stars every minute that it's not a cumulative final for sure, Figs.

It's not that the subject is hard, it's just that the last few months have been extremely difficult and I've had a hard time just focusing on anything and retaining it. I didn't do so hot on the mid-term. I've still got an A in the class (I think), but I'm hanging on to that sucker only by a few half percentages, and if I bomb the final, I'll have to repeat the class over the summer after I've graduated. I know people think I'm being really crazy about this, but the program I want to get into for Med School is one that I feel like I need to apply to with a decent G.P.A., decent meaning I didn't fail my Chem class.

After Tuesday though I'm free. Free! I plan on doing lots of fun things, like sleeping and maybe sitting.

Sitting is good.

HotD:

Finals are stinky.
There is panic in the streets,
and shivving for notes.

It's the weekend before Finals and things are crazy weird in Skyteville right now. It's a really long story which includes quitting and gaining of jobs, new roommates, crazy family emergencies, and graduation looming ever closer on the horizon.

However, it is a story which must wait for another time. The Good Friend Tiffany (not to be confused with the Good Ship Lollipop) has suggested that I throw my Chemistry studying to the side for a while and join her on a picnic in the soccer field in honor of the gorgeous weather we're having. We'll have to enjoy it while it lasts, because it's supposed to rain tonight.

She's got the blanket and sandwiches, I've got the chips, soda and ice cream.

You should join us, it will be great.

HotD:

Open windows now.
Kids playing baseball floats in,
The sounds of springtime.

Al's plane leaves at 11:45 today. I'm really sad. :( I don't want her to leave. I'm so glad she came up to visit me, we've had so much fun.

I've known her so long that we share a brain. I'm going to miss her. Luckily she'll be back soon!

We've taken about 50000 pictures, some of them are really good. I'll post a few when I get back from Portland.

Love you, Kins. (I really like watching you sleep)

I collect sleeping people.

It seems like a few times a week I have people sleeping in my living room. Not that I'm complaining mind you, it makes staring at someone so much easier when they're asleep, I just think it's funny.

Fred is on the couch and Ally is on the floor. I have an air mattress but apparently my floor (and couch?) are comfortable. I really don't get it myself, I wouldn't sleep there...but what do I know?

I'm getting a few last minute things done before I have to run off to a couple classes. I haven't been around to check my mail in days. Fred, Ally and I went to the beach for the weekend. It was absolutely gorgeous and I'll have to throw some pictures up for you to see, Figs. It was so lovely.

When we first got there it was raining pretty hard and terribly foggy, but by the next day the fog let up and the sun actually came out. It was great stuff.

Fred brought his laptop but wouldn't let me use it on the grounds that I wasn't allowed to check my E-mail the entire weekend. Likely story. I know the real reason why, and it isn't pretty. Let's just say "Cheez Wiz" and leave it at that.

It was a good thing though (the no e-mail rule...not the Cheez Wiz) and I needed to get away from town for a few days and just vedge, without feeling like I was obligated to anything. We played total tourists...went to lighthouses, the beach, all the fun tourist traps. It was great.

Ally catches her flight back for Memphis tomorrow at 12, which sucks. I wish she could have stuck around longer, but she couldn't get the time off work. I am glad she could make it up, however. I luvr her.

Fred leaves Wed, and I can't wait...I mean, I will miss him. Honest.

Today I have classes, then we're going to grab lunch (I have been promised Thai!) and go be slackers until my SC meeting this afternoon, which they plan to attend out of sheer boredom. The SC meeting is the only appearance I'm making at work until next Monday. I've still got 7 days off, baby. How hot is that?

HotD:

Ally is talking.
I'm not quite sure what she said,
Sleepy time chatting.

Fred and Ally have gone out to pick up some Chinese food while I last minute cram for my Chem test I have at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

With everything that's been going on lately, I'm having a hard time focusing on school, and I'm not retaining a whole lot, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to bomb it, but that's okay. Everyone needs an "F" once in their lives right?

HotD:

My friends are silly.
I love them anyway though.
Because I have to.

Frankie and Jamie-Dos spent the night last night, as our Tuesday tradition continues.

Last night we got a wild hair (after Jamie-Dos made an awesome dinner, because that girl can cook. I don't love her for just her chef abilities though...honest I don't) and decided to go to an arcade and be total nits. It was practically empty, so we had a good time playing far too many Konami games and having all the machines pretty much to ourselves.

There is video around here somewhere of it. I'll find it and upload it somewhere for you soon Figs, because I know you want to watch us be idiots while shooting zombies and playing Dance Maniax.

We also watched some movies...but sometime during the second movie I went to bed, and can't really remember what was going on. I was really tired. Old age does that to a girl, I hear.

Fred's flight gets in about 12:45 today, he's picking up his rental car and should be in town about 2 or 2:30. Ally's flight gets in tomorrow at 12:30.

I'm super excited.

We plan on skipping town right after my Chemistry test on Friday, and I am so looking forward to a nice fun "vacation" (I say it in quotes because I can't skip classes or the SC meeting). I am however taking time off from the office until probably the 12th.

Huzzah.

I've got an art class until 11:30 and then I'm in the office until 2. Then I'm history, man.

HotD:

People sleeping now.
Floor is covered with dreaming,
And so many shoes.

It's not that I don't have anything to post about. It's more that I don't have the gumption to post it. Anyone know where I can buy some gumption? I'd even purchase some like new or slightly used gumption, if it was affordable and didn't smell like car cheese.

Hook me up, Figs.

HotD:

Three day weekends rock.
I wish it was longer now,
And Sunday again.

It's official Figs.

Tickets have been purchased, plans have been made, itineraries have been E-mailed.

I'm so freakin' excited. After months of threats of bodily harm Kins and Furhead are finally coming for a nice long visit, which is just wonderful. Wonderful! We're going to have so much fun. It'll be a nice quiet visit, one that won't end with someone (them) getting bailed out of jail by someone else (me).

We plan on hitting the beach, and maybe taking a road trip up to Seattle. It's going to be good. I love those kids like strawberry Kool-Aid. For the record, anything you hear about me buying large quantities of rope and duct tape is false. I have no plans for holding them here against their will, and I've dug no cellar beneath my apartment building in which to imprison them.

Honest.

HotD:

My tummy is dumb.
Haiku's have been scarce my friends,
I am so sorry.

Everyone mosey on over to KSND and click 'Listen Live' today between now and 10 and listen to my awesome friend Cory as he makes his radio debut as Cory the Intern. I'm serious you guys, go listen. Cory's dream is to be on the radio, and he's perfect for it.

I'm so proud of you, Corance! I'm going to be stalking you even more now.

:(

I know, I know, I haven't been posting every day like I said I would. But I have good reasons for it this time, honest.

I've been having issues with Guido. Issues with him not wanting to boot properly and having to run WinXP repair and fixbooting to get him to start. Last time I did this, it said it fixed it, rather then just detected the problem with chkdsk, and the last time I restarted, it did so normally. So keep your fingers crossed that there will be no more icky computer problems.

Also, tis the season for Mid-Terms, so I've been spending lots of time studying for tests. Well, the Chemistry test in particular. It was easier then I thought it would be, if any of you are wondering.

Tonight is the CompSci mid-term. Also due tonight is all homework assigned since the start of term, and a rough draft of a paper. I don't have the books for this class, so I've only been able to do four homework assignments. Why? Because I haven't had the extra 150 to plunk down on this inane class. However, I need an A in it, even if it is stupid, so I have to figure out where to scrape up the 60 some odd bucks that the book with the homework in it is going to cost me and just get it. I have no time to do anything else, as all the assignments are due by 6 tonight.

Also, I'll be prepping for and then in interviews for new Student Council members all day, so I'm not even sure where I'll find the time to do the homework.

Good times, Figs. Good times. I have senioritis something awful, and I seriously don't care anymore.

I have one and a half terms left. It is so time to move on from Chemeketa for sure.

Fred is a God. That is all.

I'm currently doing the online application for my next School of Choice, and I am nervous as all get out. Which is very silly. But still...

What if they don't want me? Where do I go then? I mean seriously, where? Because School of Choice only rejects about 13% of their applicants or something, so if I don't get in...well then, I really suck. And it's not that I suck that will be sad, because I already know that much, it's that I'll finally have to admit that Clown School is really the only place I can get into.

I've got to get it done though. Deadline for applications with consideration for scholarships is the 1st. Hehe. I'm cutting it way too close. I don't know if I'm going to bother with attempting to get scholarships though. If not, then I have until March to apply.

I need to do my FAFSA too, but I've misplaced my PIN. So I'm awaiting a new one.

My Application for Graduation has already been submitted. I love you Chemeketa, but woohoo! Five more months Figs, and I'm outta there.

Thank you Jebus. Can I get a hallelujah? Can I get an amen?


HotD:

So much going on.
My head spins around three times,
And I spit pea soup.

I battle bouts of insomnia. I have off and on for the last two years or so, and they've gotten worse and worse over the last maybe eight months.

As of right now, I haven't slept in about three and a half days.

Mondays are my long days, ending in a two hour ASC Student Council meeting which actually had a big crowd in the audience today of administration, students and presenters. I did a lot of correcting slurred and 'made up' words. I made up a lot of new words today. Websters will be so happy to hear from me.

So I'm off to go slum around my house until after Heroes and then it's straight to bed with me. I'm hoping I can get to sleep tonight. The biggest frustration is that I'm tired, and I sit in my living room, or here at the computer, or outside on the street corner and nearly nod off, but when I go lay down, I just stare at the ceiling and count the dots (as Frankie would say) until it's time to get up again.

It's driving me nuts. But, I'm going to be a bad girl and pop a couple Tylenol PM (I know I know...stomach lining so on, and so forth) and hopefully it'll knock me out like Paula Jones in a round of Celebrity Boxing.

I have no day classes tomorrow, and I don't work, so I can sleep in a little before I have to go run some errands and go to some appointments. So, keep your fingers crossed for me Figs, because if I can't sleep, I'm coming over to your house and you can entertain me.

HotD:

Another is gone.
Only a few more left now,
And gavel will pass.

So Melissa, in her never ending braveness to put herself out there in video blogs, has conned me (which was pretty darn easy, because I'm a total sheep) into picking up a camera of my own and trying my hand at video blogging.

I hope to pick one up early this next week, and give it a try. I'm not sure why. Nobody is going to want to watch them (I figure it's like my blog, I'll have to make up watchers like I've made up readers) and they'll be exceedingly boring, but they sound like a fun way to be creative, so I'm going to give them a shot.

Let me know if I should post links or whatever...and I will. Maybe. If I'm not too much of a chicken.

HotD:

Bock bock buh-bock bock.
Bock cluck cluck bock buh-bock cluck,
Bock bock bu-gawk bock!

If we're going to be bombarded with stories about Lindsay Lohan and her rehab every day all day long until the end of time, then why doesn't someone (at least one someone) ask the question I've been asking for years?

Why are people serving her alcohol in these clubs, when she's underage?

Not a single story that I have seen or read has mentioned she's not even legal to drink, and has been getting smashed and partying since she was about 17. Apparently that doesn't matter when you're in Hollywood.

It just bothers me a little. That's all.

Just another example of the twistedness that is our society and our obsession with people who really shouldn't matter so very much (read: not at all), and the multitude of crap having 'fame' and money will let you get away with. Yay for priorities!

HotD:

A need a haiku.
Lovely flowing words about stuff,
In a nice rhythm.

Thanks to all the suggestions about my monitor Figs. I really appreciate you guys and everything that you do for me. You rock my wet, smelly socks. Thank the rain and melting snow for that one.

Guido is no longer making that horrid high pitched rat-dying like sound anymore when in 1024x768 (Thanks Michael for your tip!) but now that I've got the little seed of panel screen in my head, I am more and more certain I'll probably end up buying one, just so I can have more room to pile stuff on my desk. Because, we all know I need more places to pile crap.

For your viewing pleasure, a fun 15 car collision in Portland thanks to the ice.

HotD:

It is Friday, yay!
It feels like Monday to me.
I'm discomposed, man.

So, I've had an interesting few days.

As most of you Figments know, Guido was out of commission for a while, so I didn't have any internet access, save for when Tiffany loaned me her laptop over the break.

This last weekend was a three-day weekend, thanks to MLK Jr. Day, and then on Tuesday it snowed like crazy, so classes were canceled, and they were canceled for the morning on Wednesday, so I've been home.

Last night I spent about 12 hours with the help of the lovely Fred and...bum bum bum...fixed Guido! Yay! He's finally working again! Thanks Fred, you rock.

We had to do a fix of Windows XP, and then reinstall all my drivers for everything, but we managed to clean up all the viruses and malware (134 of them to be exact) off my computer so it's working fine now.

The only problem I'm having with him, is when I set his resolution at anything above 800x600 his monitor makes a horrible high pitched sound. It's not loud, and other people can't seem to hear it, but it drives me nuts. He's never done this before, anyone have any suggestions on what might be causing it?

Maybe it's time for a pretty new bigger panel monitor, even though I really don't have the money to go get one. I guess I'll just leave it at 800x600 for now, but I'm so used to 1024x768 that it's going to drive me nuts. But man, a panel would totally clear up so much room on my desk...it's so tempting...

HotD:

Baby is here, now!

He is so darn cute and sweet,
He'd be good in pie.

It's going to be 19 degrees tomorrow morning when I have to walk to campus. I really can't do this anymore.

Woke up to snow all over the ground this morning, and it's still coming down really well. It looks so incredibly pretty! I wish I had a better digital camera so I could go snap some shots of everything covered in snow.

It's only supposed to continue through the morning and then all go away, and it's supposed to be partly cloudy and in the high 40's for the rest of the week until Saturday, when it's supposed to snow again.

Weird weather compliments of Global Warming.

So it was raining this morning when Sav dropped me off in front of the Science building in a mad rush, but halfway through my Chemistry class it was spewing big fluffy white flakes in a pretty good torrent. It was so exciting to sit in class and watch it snow instead of paying attention to the lecture. Unfortunately for me, the guy behind me thought I kept turning around to look at him because he was sitting under the windows. He probably thought I was some kind of creepy stalker. And I am, but I'm not stalking him.

I paid for the prettiness about an hour later. I was in the art building and some Mook had broken the door to the outside on the lower floor, so it was practically off it's hinges. The art building has one hallway that goes through it at a slight curve, so the entire bottom floor was completely freezing. It's hard to be creative when you're hands are frozen.

My art class is my last class on Wednesday, so I went to the office and worked like a good girl.

I had meeting until about twenty minutes ago, and now I'm looking forward to a nice long evening at home, and no classes or work tomorrow. Woohoo! This is a good thing because it's supposed to freeze over and snow some more tonight, and I don't want to go anywhere in that anyway.

Instead, I'm going to clean my house, and do Chemistry homework. I so live my life on the edge.

HotD:

Falling flakes abound.
World is hushed and so quiet,
With a white blanket.

I've got the Baby here with me. We're watching Spongebob and eating lunch. He's excited because after lunch we're going to paint. I'm not so excited about the whole paint thing, but who am I to tell a three year old cutie patootie no?

I've got a class tonight until 10, and it's supposed to snow. Whee!!


HotD:

I need to clean, yo.
It's only me living here,
I am so messy.

Today was the first day back to classes and work. It didn't start well, but it's okay because the rest of the day went peachy. Mondays are fun. My Chem class is at 8:30, which is no big deal. My conditioning class is at 7:30, for no other reason then getting up early in the morning builds character.

Fusing & Slumping is at 9:30 and goes until 12:30, then I have a few office hours before I have alternating ASC Class/ASC Student Council Meetings.

I managed to get a whole slue of work done in the office today. Fixed some dates for selection (not allowed to call it hiring! Don't let me!) got the apps sent to the copy center for print, so on, so forth. I even covered the front counter for a few hours. I feel good about it.

I had to rush out of the first Student Rep. I class though because I absolutely HAD to get my FA check into the bank before it closed, otherwise yours truly would have been facing a 670 dollar bounced check and would be forced to live in a box under a bridge. Bounced checks are bad. Bounced rent checks are even worse. My mail doesn't come until 3:30, so there was no way I could do it before then, so I stayed as long as I could and then booked it to the bank. I think I got there in time (the check was dated for today, so I'm pretty sure I'm fine) and I feel a whole lot better knowing the money is in there and that I didn't bounce anything. At least, I think I didn't.

I was treated to a tasty dinner of teriyaki chicken and sticky rice, which is sitting on the coffee table in front of me smelling oishii! I haven't eaten anything at all today, so I'm kind of hungry. I'm not a big eater (contrary to popular belief) and sometimes don't eat for days on end, but the lack of sleep combined with the stress of the first day back and not eating has me a mess. So I will eat all my dinner like a good girl!

No work tomorrow (can I get a hallelujah?) and no classes until 7 tomorrow night when I have my CompSci class until 10. Night classes suck, but it's worth not having to be on campus during the day, plus, Sav's in it with me, so we'll learn how to use a mouse and create Word documents together. It is, after all, what friends do for one another.

Now, I'm off to eat my dinner!

HotD:

I am so ashamed.
I Love New York is on soon,
And I'm gonna watch.

I've been thinking about chocolate all day. I'm not sure why, I don't even like the stuff all that much, but I was thinking all day how yummy it would be to have some really nice dark chocolate. As you all know, I am lazy extraordinaire, so of course I didn't go get any, I just thought about it. Unfortunately for me, I lack the Jedi mind powers to bring chocolate to me.

So, guess how surprised I was when about 30 minutes ago Savvy shows up and gives me...dum dum dum, a bar of 85% cocoa dark chocolate. She is a Goddess among peons, Figments, seriously, and I worship her. Honest, I have the restraining order to prove it.

She also gave me the first Dresden Files book, which is awesome because I want to read it before the series premiers on the 21st on SciFi. I am looking forward to reading it.

Now I have my tasty, tasty super dark chocolate, and a good book, and I'm a happy girl.

Sav's going to come back by tomorrow morning and we're going to go to school together with our matching David Bowie lunch boxes and scrunchies in our hair.

Thank you Sav, you are excellent.

Stephen King's The Stand is on in about an hour. The Stand is my favorite of King's books. The mini series wasn't half bad at all either, and it is by far my favorite mini series of any of his books as well. Mostly because Gary Sinise is awesome.

Today is the last day of my vacation. Please bow your heads for a moment of silence as we honor the passing of Vacation.

Thank you.

Now, as the last day of vacation I should be doing something productive. I should be putting the last day to great productivity by finding my backpack or tracking down my textbooks for class in the morning. Or even by doing something exciting, like...I don't know...whatever exciting people do on their last day of vacation. But, I'm not going to, instead I'm going to watch The Stand and order pizza.

Why? Because I'm neither productive nor exciting. You should know this by now.

Anyway, I'm off to order pizza. If anyone wants to come over, feel free!

HotD:

I am a spazoid.
I have searched high and low now.
Shoes are still missing.

In a post I did a few days ago, I mentioned the few people who took me seriously during the first Blogathon I ever did. I want to totally thank Rebecca at Serene Chaos because she took me seriously too and has been an awesome Figment to IBOM ever since, even when I lapsed in posting for ages, she still has stuck around. I didn't mean to forget you!

You forgive me right?

Somehow I've completely screwed up my sleeping schedule. Instead of sleeping my normal six or so hours at night, I'm sleeping about 45 minutes to an hour a night and then waking up and staying awake. I've had maybe 10 hours of sleep since last Saturday, which has really made me a complete mess.

I'm tired. If I sit down on my couch for too long I feel like I'm going to fall asleep, I feel all droopy and heavy and exhausted, it's just when I finally go to bed, it takes me ages to finally fall asleep, and then I don't stay asleep. I randomly wake up completely disoriented and then I can't go back to sleep.

It's made me irritable, oh and crazy. Crazier then I am already. I was sitting in the living room this morning and realized someone was singing, then I realized it was me. I wasn't even singing anything good, it was a nonsense song about nonsense. You don't win Grammies for singing nonsense sleep deprived songs. Just nonsense drug-induced ones.

Along with my fall into senility, I also am sporting a wicked headache and my eyes hurt. I also think I may or may not have killed someone in a sleep deprived rage last night, but I can't remember. That's another thing, I'm not remembering much of anything.

I need to straighten myself out though and get some sleep tonight and tomorrow night, because I've got to be up early for my first day back to classes and work.

The College Boys are moving out. They've only been my balconymates for about three months, and they currently hold the record for the quickest turn around in balconymates I've had since I moved in. I should go give them a certificate, or a gold star, or a fruit basket. Boys like fruit, right?

The College Boys moved in about the end of September, which means they've lived here a grand total of 98 days, clearly making them the winner. Trendy Couple moved in a week after I moved in, and moved out about six months later. Imaginary Couple (so named because I never saw them, ever, mearly heard about them from other neighbors) lived there for about seven months and With-Two-Kids lived across the way from me for about eight months.

The bowl across the way sat empty for the rest of the time, which I have to say, I enjoyed purely because it meant that nobody came upstairs on this end of the building but me.

The College Boys are the first balconymates I've had since I've lived here that I've actually seen move out, all the rest must have moved out in the dead of night or when I wasn't home, because one day they were just gone. I gotta tell you Figs, it creeped me out a little. I'm pretty observant, so when a whole bowlfull of people and stuff vanishes without me noticing, I start to think maybe I feel into a John Saul novel.

What's really funny about this whole moving thing, however, is just a couple days ago I had a conversation with The Fishmonger about The College Boys and if they still lived there, because I hadn't seen them in over a week (I should say here, that actually I hadn't heard them in over a week) and I was told they did, and I casually mentioned that I thought they were going to move out, and was told that they weren't. Very firmly, in fact.

Now they're moving out in a huge rush, including banging their furniture on my bowl door trying to wrestle it down the stairs, dropping stuff off the balcony, and yelling at each other. Why? Because rent is due today, and they're trying to move out so they don't have to pay January's rent. Naughty, naughty boys. I bet they didn't even give notice either.

G'bye College Boys! I will miss your drunken rages, your fights through the front door, and your clamoring up and down the stairs at all hours of the night like a herd of cattle. I wish you the best.