Microsoft XP Service Pack 2 won't install. I get a 'Access Denied' error and then it gives me a very rude hand gesture. I've done what their help files said to do (editing registry permissions) but it still won't work. Personally, I think it's because Microsoft has a deal with computer companies to make their software erronius, thus blowing up the computer, so new computers have to be purchased.

I'm on to your ploy, Microsoft! I'm almost tempted to do what James says, and buy a Mac.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what may help get this installed? I mean, becides formatting my computer, which is just an entire level of hell all on it's own. While we're at it, my CD burner no longer reads burned CDs or burns CDs. Could this be an issue that's connected? Am I just out of luck? Should I just change into a black outfit and trash Guido now? I really like him though, he's been such a good computer to me.

HotD:


Computers stink.
They should have typewriter blogs,
So much easier.


James! I shall thwart thee! In game 31, move 3, I choose slot 3.

James over at Nine2000 I are currently locked in a heated battle of Blog Connect 4. You simply type in your blog address, and the blog address of the person you want to whoop play with, and off you go. You make moves by placing text in your blog to tell it where to move for you.

I am yellow, and have the first move. Not because I'm cheating, or because I'm selfish, but because I signed us up. Honest.

My move:

In game 31, move 1, I choose slot 4.

Ok James, do your worst! If you want to watch James lose horribly us play, you can by going here.

Just a quick little nonsense post. This little flash game called Rong was oddly addictive.

It's Pong, but in a circle, and at the last few levels, with three paddles. If you're looking for something to do while avoiding work (or, like me, avoiding packing) give it a go.

My top score was a sad 303, what was yours?

I pick up the apartment keys today. I need to do the walk through where you write down everything that's wrong with the place so they can't charge you for it after you move out. After that though, I'm totally clear to move in, so I need some volunteers to help me move furniture.

Hey! Don't close the browser! I'll give you a cookie if you come help me. Two cookies? Um...the whole bag of cookies? Fine. Be that way.

Before I can do anything though I've got a lab. Today in lab we are dissecting Termites to study the contents of their stomach. It's like an episode of inter-college Fear Factor or something. Lucky me.

HotD:


I don't like to move.
Unless there are cute, strong guys
To move stuff for me.

No new layout. I lied. However, I have fantastic news. Well, it's fantastic for me at least, perhaps not for unsuspecting innocents. I got the apartment! I can move in on Thursday. How's that for swanky? I'm so completely excited, I even made up a little apartment song. It's sung to the tune of "We Just Got a Letter/We Just Figured Out Blues Clues" or whatever the real name of the song is from Blues Clues and goes like this:

I just got an apartment. I just got an apartment.
I just got an apartment, and it's really great.

Ok, so it's not the most creative piece of lyrical prose on the face of the planet, and it may or may not have a really geeky and slightly embarrassing dance that goes along with it, but I really don't care. I got my apartment, and it's fantastic.

I'll post pictures as soon as I get my keys, if anyone would like to play voyeur and perhaps stalk me. I don't mind, just bring a housewarming gift because that's just good manners.

HotD:


Today is Monday.
I got a new apartment,
And a headache too.

My website host is moving all my domains to new servers over the weekend, so if you're visiting via Blogexposion (or otherwise) the broken graphics are intentional. It's a new layout, whadda think?

Seriously though, if anything is broken it's because I'm being bullied (no, not really) around to a new server. :) Hopefully by the time everything is all situated, the holiday layout will be back in moth balls and something fun and fresh will be here. I make no promises, however.

Robin and I just took a long walk in the rain. The reason for my being completely soaked to the bone is Laura. Laura just looked at a brand new apartment. Laura is my fantastic grandmother that lives in the tri-plex that I used to live in. She lives in the one on the far end, and I lived in the middle. For those of you who don't know, this tri-plex is the same one that's owned by the people who are currently stalking me by sending strange drunk men and slightly scary women that I don't know over to my house during the wee hours of the night. The reason for the stalking is as yet undetermined, but I think it's just because they're one cracker short of a Ritz pack.

So, as Robin and I were walking over, I mentioned to Robin that I was a little uncomfortable with going to Laura's, seeing as how the people stalking me live in the apartment nextdoor, and the owner lives across the street. Infiltrating the territory of people who bang on your door for minutes on end at ten o'clock at night and then lie about why they did is kind of unnerving.

"Tell them you're not Jamie." She said.

"I'm not Jamie. I'm Jamie's evil twin, now get out of my face before I poke you in the eye with my middle finger." I said. This lead to a bout of giggles from Robin that lasted until we reached the front porch.

As we were leaving Laura's with Laura in tow, Robin told me to get my middle finger ready. So, I took it out of my pocket and showed it to her, to prove that it still worked.

On a side note, I've noticed that my last few posts have been a little on the snarky side. I apologize. It's not like me. I will be nicer in the future. I promise.

Lane and I were sharing a piece of pie at my computer desk while Michael sat near us in his high chair coloring with a blue crayon.

"Michael" She says casually, "Don't eat the crayon. We can eat the pie, we can eat bleach, but we don't eat crayons."

"Elaine!" I admonished her, turning away from whatever work I was doing at the computer. "Don't tell him that!"

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because it's not true! You can't eat bleach, but we can eat the pie, we can eat the cat food and we can eat the pine-sol, and no, we can't eat the crayon."

"I see," She said, nodding a few times before going back to picking at the pie.

Nobody did ever take the crayon away from Michael.

I am not a politics blog. I rarely post about politics, or even current events for that matter. I figure there are so many people out there who already do it, who write things a million times better then my said sorry one brain cell ever could. I'm not a confrontational person anyway, so I'm no fun. However, this really irked me, and I don't even live in this state.

Report of fetal death by mother; penalty. Provides that when a fetal death occurs without medical attendance, it shall be the woman's responsibility to report the death to the proper law-enforcement agency within 12 hours of the delivery. Violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanors.

Yeah. You read it right. If representative John A. Cosgrove has his way, all women in Virgina who have a miscarries and do not report it to the police within 12 hours get a $2,500 fine and get to go to jail for 12 months. Hurray!

Don't believe me? Oh then by all means, read all about it.

I'm livid and completely disgusted. First of all - this issue is so far removed from being the government or authorities business that it is like letting your three year old pay your household bills. Something that should never happen in a million years. Nobody has the right to ask a woman to report something this personal and tragic to them, and then threaten them will jail and fines if they don't. Why don't you just kick her in the stomach and see if you can make her barren? The feeling either way is going to be the same.

Second, what is this blantant disregard for people and their rights? Why is it that people in office want to view people - not just here in America, but everywhere - as cattle and don't even put a thought into the fact that their humans, and deserve rights and respect?

Are these people so uneducated that they don't even realize what a miscarrage usually contains? Do they even know when they happen, how often they happen, or why? This bill is just horrid and offensive, you can't call it anything else.

Thanks to Dr. Laura's Worst Nightmare for this

The cat is gone. I'm not sure where she went, but I'm worried. Why would someone abandon a deaf and blind cat on someone else's front porch? I mean, you have to have some sort of warped cruelness in you to do that. I deem it 948.3 bad Karma points.

It's obvious that she's someones cat, she's got to be at least two years old, and is well taken care of. Why would someone just dump her? Aren't they terrified she would get hit by a car, or starve to death if she got lost or nobody took her in? It gives me that sicky feeling in my stomach, like I ate some kind of dairy product that had turned, and didn't notice it until it was too late.

The other scenario, and the one I'm clinging to because I like to think that it's not deluding myself, is that she got out of her lovely warm loving home and wandered off, and her owners found her and took her home. I'm going to be keeping an eye out though.

If she comes back, what should I do? Should I take her to a vet? I can't keep her, I move in a week and I'm not allowed to have pets. Plus, my roommate is allergic to cats, so I can't even sneak her in without some kind of problem. I don't want her put down though, would a vet do that right away? What about a shelter? Would someone at least try and find her a home? What if I posted on Freecycle that she needed a loving home and someone to spend lots of time and care on her, think someone would do that?

Damnit. People suck.

HotD:


I still have homework.
I don't want to do it though,
I'd rather just sleep.

Someone abandoned a deaf and blind cat on my front porch. Isn't there a commandment in the Bible? "Thou Shall Not Abandon Thy Challenged Cat On Thy Neighbors Front Porch". Or something?

Lane (that's the sister) is refusing her surgery on her hand. So her doctor wants to set the entire thing in a cast of some sort, so she can use it as a weapon in school can't move it.

Why won't she go through the surgery? Because she doesn't want to wake up with an I.V. in her arm. Now, I hate needles as much as the next person, and I've been known to feel a little faint when they pull out the harpoon, especially when they start collapsing my veins. But really, is not having the surgery because there will be an I.V. in your arm worth never being able to properly hold a pencil to write foul words on bathroom stalls again? I don't think so, but hey, it's not my body.

If her choice is to try having it set and keeping it immobile for months then I support her. I hope that this works for her, and doesn't make it so that when she plays Volleyball in the future (she wants to do it professionally, I don't get it, but then again, I'm not really a sporty girl) that it doesn't lead to more serious injury.

Update on the apartment (because I know you all were hanging on the edges of your seat) I should know by tomorrow night if I got it. Well, let me rephrase that: I got the apartment, I should know by tomorrow night if my credit is so non-existent that I need a co-signer. I'm really hoping not, because last time I checked, my credit was good enough for Sprint to give me my cellphone without demanding a wad of cash soaked in a bucket of goats blood. Just keep those piggies crossed a teensy bit longer for me, alright?

HotD:


Ravioli soup.
You are so very tasty,
And good for me too.

My younger sister - whom it seems has also inherited my families lack of grace - broke her thumb playing Volleyball earlier today. I spent most of the rest of this afternoon assisting with trying to track down a referral from her PCG so she can go in and have surgery done within the next two days.

She snapped the tendon that holds the thumb in place, broke the bone, and sprained it (the thumb) as well. They want to put a pin in there, but she acts like they want to lop off her parts with a rusty saw and reattach lobster claws or something. I told her it would be really cool, and come in handy for opening soda bottles and cracking nuts, but she wouldn't have any of it.

We still haven't heard back from her PCG or the specialist that wants to do the surgery. I really hope they get back ahold of us soon because it's killing her. They didn't even give her tylenol. They did, however, give her a sticker. Which as I'm sure you all can agree, makes agonizing pain from a broken appendage in your dominate hand just all better. Or it would have, if I hadn't stolen it.

Well it seems the Apartment God/s/ess/divine entities/demiurge/demon/fairy/chicken/whatever has smiled down upon me and refrained from giving me a swift maniacal kick in the tushy on this one. I am pretty sure I found an apartment...on my first go `round!

It's an extremely adorable two bedroom/two bath with a ton of appliances included (washer, dryer, dishwasher, fridge, stove, garbage disposal...which scare me, but that's an entire different post all together) and sewer, water and garbage paid. I'm completely stoked, to top it all off, it's only two blocks away from campus and is actually affordable. It's like a fairytale. All I need is a handsome prince and a tiara and I'm set.

I turn in paperwork tomorrow, and I should know by the end of the week. Cross those piggies for me, would you? I really want this one, and if I have to pay any more application fees I'm pretty sure I'll be moving into a watertower.

Because you love it: THotD


It is really cold.
Frosty windows and frozen
Tootsies galore, yo.

I'm apartment hunting. It's amazing how much people want to charge just to move into an apartment. I could make a downpayment on a car for the amount their wanting. A really, really good car. With, like, doors and everything. It's extortion, that's what it is. They might as well stab me in the eye with a stick, the result is the same. Neverending pain and agony. It's especially bad since they come with practically nothing. If you're going to charge me a million dollars and the fresh soul of my first-born child for the privilege of living in an apartment with vomit brown carpeting then at least pay my utilities, or give me a washer and dryer hook up. Hell, with the prices these people charge, they can afford to even throw in a Cabana Boy. Is that too much to ask?

My soon-to-be-roommate has to be out of his place by the first of the month, so I've been trying to locate something pretty quicky. Nobody wants to be homeless in January. Unless you enjoy freezing off your much needed appendages while sleeping on a hard bench. I, however, really enjoy being warm. Oh, and not being gnawed on by sneaky little woodland animals while I nap. That's good too.

I'm trying to find an apartment that is relatively quiet and peaceful, one that doesn't have frequent visits from people in snazzy uniforms. I'm not big on having neighbors that beat on one another for amusement, or play mad scientist in their bathroom with the "Do It Yourself Meth Kit"(tm) they bought off the internet. I'm picky. I figure I have the right to be, since whatever I rent will merit the selling of some organs that I've grown quite attached to.

HotD:

Being stalked sucks, ok?
I am sick of not going outside,
Because of crazies.

Classes are back in session now. Today went very well. I had HDF245 and Zoology 202, and I went to someone elses math class with them, because deep down I just love being tortured. It's not because I secretly like math, or anything, so get that nasty little thought right out of your head.

Oddly enough I find that getting up at before God even gets out of beddy-bye and driving through ice to make a early morning class is almost worth it, since it means I'm awake in Zoology. Almost. Of course, today was only the first day of the term, so there is lots of time for things to change.

As I was leaving the main campus there was a car accident. It was an accident in the parking lot, which in Accident Land is probably on the more stupid end of the accident scale. I've decided it happened for two reasons. One: because the college hasn't opened the other parking lots for overflow parking; and two: people are morons and don't know how to drive. The proof of number two was extremely apparent to me as I watched a police office pull up and assist the accident people, and while he was taking down their statements, a car leaving the parking lot sideswiped a different car not ten feet away.

See? Morons. If you're going to get in an accident, at least do it somewhere fresh and exciting. Don't do it in front of an already existing accident scene where a cop is standing right there watching you drive like you got your license out of a Cracker Jack box. This is why I don't drive. Those people, they scare me.

And without further adieu, THotD:


Yo-Ho-Ho! Nap Time.
I think maybe that I'll nap,
Until my bed time.

So the fantastic Wesboro Baptist Church released another press release today akin to that thanking their god for the death of 2,000 dead Swedes (you can read it here, if you want to be sick to your stomach). Today they released another one again thanking their god for the death of 3,000 Americans. Personally, I'm hoping my God (because mine sure as hell ain't theirs) gives them a good shaking in the middle of the night and knocks some sense in their tiny marble-sized bigoted brains.

The other night I was flipping through channels and it landed on TBN. For those of you who don't know, The Trinity Broadcasting Network is like the largest Christian TV broadcast thingie on the planet. Sometimes I leave it there because it's fascinating to see how people who have been brainwashed by tainted organized religion behave. I've got nothing against religion, organized or not, or God, but there are far too many lines that are being blurred and crossed and far too much hate and irrationality being spewed by people who claim to be "God Loving Christians".

Anyway, Paul Crouch, one of the founders of TBN was doing some sort of bible study on the Kings of Israel and he was talking about how it was a fascinating study because the Kings changed so much. First there would be a King who would force everyone to worship idols and would taint the land and then God would uprise a new King that would banish the idols and return the people to Jehovah. The guy sitting with him sat up excitedly and said "Oh! Like the United States!" You know, Bush being the chosen son of God and all. I got a bruise from falling off my bed. I guess I laughed too hard.

With more and more people thinking it's ok to behave like the scary Baptists. We're in a doozy of a pickle, boys and girls, and it's just going to get worse. Personally, I'm thinking Canada wouldn't be so bad after all. I can always get extra gloves.

What are your New Years resolutions? Are they to stop smoking? To stop stalking? Maybe to shower once in a while? You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine. I'll even go first.

1. To travel out of state, because I love to travel but can't afford to go out of the country. I don't care where I go. Preferably legally and not because I've been extradited. Maybe to visit Fred.

2. To get in better shape. You know, because everyone else is doing it. I'm even going to make a blog about it, one that is even more whiny then this one! Huzzah!

3. Eliminate 10 things off my Things to Do Before I Die list. I don't know what ten things, but at least ten of them.

Now, let's see if I can do it, shall we?

Tomorrow is the Secret Santa for the YCC. I scheduled it for this week because I figured that three weeks was more then enough time for the kids to forget they have to buy someone a present and then come looking guilty to the class, or not coming at all, so I have to rush around and find cover presents for everyone.

I got some coloring books, puzzles, crayons and colored pencils. This is what happens when you make the person-who-corrects-you-when-you-call-her-teacher buy the presents. Everyone ends up with school supplies. That'll teach them.

Hopefully nobody did forget, however. Nothing is worse then showing up to something with a shiny face full of joy because you're getting a present, and the person who picked you didn't buy you one because they suck forgot. That, my friends, is far more scarring then my jokes about selling children to gypsies for stew could ever be.

The bugs in the bug food creeped me out, and now I'm all itchy and crawly. I think I'll take another shower. Crickets I can do, because without them Kero croaks, and not in the good froggy way, but maggots and other wormy things just make me....ugh. This is why he doesn't eat meal worms, because I'm a wuss.

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you all had a very safe and fantastic New Years Eve. One not riddled with vomit and/or blood. My bowling fell through, so instead I played video games until 1 A.M. It made me feel like the slacker I never got to be in high school. I love games, but I rarely get to play them, and math is just not the same.

The last time I actually played a PS2 game was nearly a year ago. See? I am so abused. Of course, the fact that I don't own a PS2 could be a big part in it. I'm playing Kingdom Hearts because I've never played it before, and I have Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and I figured...I should play the first one before I play this one, right? Otherwise I won't know what is going on...Yeah. It sounded more convincing in my head.

Anyway, to celebrate the New Year today, I played a few more hours of Kingdom Hearts (I have the PS2 until Monday, when I promised on my firstborn child I'd return it. He hugged it before he gave it to me, so I'm pretty sure keeping it any longer then Monday is not an option. I think I would end up dead somewhere.) and then I went apartment shopping. Actually, I just wrote down numbers of complexes with apartments for rent near campus, since no rental offices are open today. I found a bunch that were totally cute, plus, I found the most adorable two bedroom house about a mile away from the college. A house. I'd love to live in a house, not just any house, but a house that is my house. More or less. I don't like apartments. It's a bit of a walk away, and I don't have a car, but walking a mile back and forth from campus is no big deal. I don't think I'll look any further then a mile in any direction though. Lancaster has major traffic and I don't want to end up road hash.

Speaking of renting and apartments, my ex-Landladies daughter came over this morning banging on the door saying she had something "extremely important to discuss with me". I was in the shower, so I didn't talk to her. So, what in the world could this uber important thing be? I don't have anything to do with her (the daughter), and anyway, the rental agreement was with her mother not her and I moved out over a year ago. I don't owe them any money - I even paid rent for months in which the apartment was (by law) inhabitable and I didn't have to pay, but did because I felt bad about it. So, who knows, but I don't really have anything to say to any of them.

Oh well. Hey, when I went to feed Kero's crickets, there were bugs in their food. How gross is that? Bugs in the bug food. I had to dump it all out. That crap is eight bucks a box too. Next time, remind me to keep it in the freezer.

HotD:


Geesh. Give me a break.
Valentine's Day is far off,
What's with the stuff already?

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