Thursday, September 30, 2004

Maps of Recent Earthquake Activity in California-Nevada

Well, am I the only one that thinks California is about to drop off into the ocean? Something big is about to happen to the Earth. I feel a Nostradamos prediction about to come true. First the war in Iraq. Will it go on for 27 years? Then, the hurricanes. Toutatis. And now the Maps of Recent Earthquake Activity in California-Nevada">earthquakes.

Money, It's a Sin

Well, my horoscope today in a local paper talked about how wealthy I was. I guess that was before I called the bank to make sure that my monthly deposit went thru. Good think I called, otherwise, we would not have made rent in three days! Yup, someway, somehow, in a matter of eight days, we lost $700.00. No idea how. I guess a bunch of checks came in, and we the $24.00 fee attached to each one that went over...yeah. The sad part is that when we put another deposit in last week, we were already over. I swear I don't know how we do this. It's been several months. I guess I got used to having money in the bank. Too many bills added to too much time spent eating out. I guess I'll feel better in the morning. We're planning on going on a hike Saturday on a friend's property. We're going to help clear it, but mostly it will just be my husband and I walking...even though it's bow season.

two-muses.com

Click! the title, please. I think that this is a beautiful idea. Take a picture, write something about it, post it. Of course, it helps to live in Amsterdam. ;)

Mountain Monograms

This is impressive. Click on the title above.

Captain Quack - What's Your DuckType - The Rubber Duck Quiz

Captain Quack Rubber Duck Quiz

My Food, Back Off!

Lately, whenever I stop and get fast food, or, like today, get water from the filter in the sink. I tend to have someone see what I am about to eat, and they say, "You're not going to eat that, are you?" Very reminiscent of the Whiners on SNL. I almost want to reply, "No. I was going to buy it and throw it away, 'cuz that's what I like to do with my money on my lunch hour." Sometimes they will go so far as to continue their little rant while i am eating! "Good Toxic Hell, huh?" "Enjoying your Krispy Kritters?" "Are you enjoying your meat?" "That water is disgusting, I don't know how you can drink it." Well, it would go down a lot easier if you would just stop talking. Do people realize how inconsiderate they are being? I think that the majority of people who do this are secretly envious, typically because the ones who are complaining are the ones on a diet, or have some political/health agenda to get you to stop eating the foods that you enjoy, and start eating the foods that they enjoy. Wow...how fascist can you get? I know that my friends care about me and want to see me eat healthier. But you know what? I'm not extremely overweight (still about 20-30 lbs. over), but I recently lost a few pants sizes in the last year (size 16 to a size 7/8). My husband has been cooking healthier for me, and it has been working. So, to all of those people out there, please, kindly, BACK OFF!!! Funny though, how none of them read this.

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Die Anstalt

This is a German, free online game. It's cute, sick, & twisted!!! But it's fun!!! It is based on the idea that sometimes your stuffed animals need a little bit of therapy in order to go back to work. You remember all of the horrible things that you used to do to your stuffed animals right? Like leave them out in the rain, let them get run over by a car, or ripped apart by a mean little brother. So, go and help out your fuzzy little friends!

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Blood Canticle (Vampire Chronicles (Paperback))

Go check out the reviews for BLOOD CANTICLE. It is the new and "final" book of the Vampire Chronicles. There are a ton of hate reviews on the site, but the author, Anne OBrien Rice, actually replied. Anne's reply is dated Sept. 6, 2004. I have been an avid reader of the Vampire Chronicles, and only stopped recently about a quarter of the way thru BLACKWOOD FARM. After reading only one author for about six years of my life (I am excluding those books I read for school), I wanted something different. I wanted a new voice, new plot line. I think that I am ready to pickup BLACKWOOD again and am eagerly looking forward to BLOOD CANTICLE. I loved the stories of the Mayfair witches just as much as the Vampires, probably even more. And the Taltos intrigues me to no end. I also adored MEMNOCH THE DEVIL. I felt that it was one of the best books ever written and even showed it to my Philosophy professor. I have to disagree with the majority of the reviewers on Amazon. I have not read BLOOD CANTICLE, but from what I have read, some people cannot let go of their ideals. Anne even said that they could not let go of their limitations for the characters that they have built up. I believe in the transformation of a character, and that is what I am hoping to see yet again in this final installment.

Monday, September 27, 2004

Losing a son, she found no compassion

This is sickening. How can people be so insensitive?

Friday, September 24, 2004

Angry Alien Productions, Sase and Topsie

The Jaws one is wonderful!!!

Free For All

Honestly, I want you to give me a topic to write about. I'm not much of a philosopher. I've always been more of a reader. I can never hold an idea for long. Kinda like Selma H.'s character, The Muse, from Dogma. She decided to quit and then work on her own, what happens? She can't come up with an idea to save her life, yet, she can influence others. So, what would you like to see discussed on this website? Please comment below. It's Friday afternoon. And no one is excited. Not too long ago, I was so hyped on sugar that a co-worker commented, "You must have spoken every language except for Cling-on."

Books For Soldiers - Care packages for the mind.

Hey guys, here's a way to send a little bit of home to our men & women over seas.

In Secret

I feel a little weird. I don't let any of my friends i.r.l. read my blog. They don't even know about it. In fact, I think that's why I stopped keeping some of my other online journals, because they could read them, and sometimes I need to get some steam off. Great story!!! A friend was just telling me about a Hobbit Party that some friends of hers throw every year. The guy shares a birthday with Sam & Bilbo Baggins, so they have all of their guests show up in costume. Isn't that a great idea?

Thursday, September 23, 2004

AlterNet: Election 2004: John Kerry's Tipping Point

New Goals

I set several new goals for myself recently. Some basic things, like pay off the debts, excercise, be more creative. I actually gave myself specific goals, which is what I need. I realized that I set myself these goals because I was inspired by playing the Sims. Just playing that game, learning how to improve your skills to get a better job. It just lit some kind of fire in me. I was thinking of my life as this big complicated mess. Too much junk to sort through. So, I had to start thinking in more simplistic and positive terms. Hopefully I will start to get slimmer, more creative, and lead a more healthy lifestyle. That, and I ran into a friend of mine last night who just lost two pants sizes. I like the idea of having competition. I don't think she realizes that she has inspired me. Sometimes, that is all one needs.

First Class Seats to Hell

I'm going to get hate comments for this story, but that is fine. A friend of mine told me about an experience she had in high school with this blind guy. Not only was he blind, but he also had that rare condition of fragility, where if he bumped into a wall, he would break his arm. Anyway, she HATED him. She hated him to a point that she started to pull pranks on him. Have you ever known someone that you hated with your entire being? Everything that they did just got on your nerves? Well, this was the situation. My friend, we'll call her Sheila, was a journalism major and was on her school paper. So was this guy. We'll call him Ralph. Anyway, Ralph's mother was an editor who's whole journalism philosophy was something out of an antiquated 1950's textbook. Ralph loved to go on long lectures about these philosophies during his writing class. This was when Sheila would take out her revenge. When Ralph would start talking she would just start reading, or go out to the Lobby and get something to drink. One day, she got most of the class to go with her. The teacher did not mind, nor did he try to stop Sheila. Ralph's rants got so bad that at one point Sheila picked up her retro-journalism textbook and hurled it at Ralph, where it thudded on the floor next to his desk. At best, it did stop Ralph momentarily before he continued with that day's lecture. Remember when I said that Ralph was on the paper with Sheila? Well, that was Sheila's best revenge. Every journalist must have a photo id. So, what do you think Sheila did when Ralph took his picture? She put her hands in front of his neck, making it look like she was choking him. The photographer went along with it. Sad thing was, poor Ralph never found out. He went around all year with that picture and was never told. Sheila was convinced that she was going to hell, but if she went, she claimed that she would go there laughing.

Inspired by Darkness

The mornings are cooler now. I never thought that I would come to appreciate the Ozarks as I do now. The hills in the distant, obscured by fog that burns off by noon to reveal that another beautiful day has come to our small town. Kids are everywhere, so are the older folks. I've never seen people truly enjoy their day before until I moved to Arkansas. Busy cities are filled with folks worried about getting things done, hurrying off to the next goal, only to worry that they may be behind in their business deals compared to the competition. The only competing I've seen down here is in frivolous things, like cars. I've come to appreciate the frivolous things, although that doesn't mean that I have any. Maybe one day, but until then I'll stay busy appreciating not having to hurry off to get it.

Queen of Wands T-shirts!

Browse Warehouse 23 - Queen of Wands I can't believe I haven't linked you guys to this store already. I love everything from the Queen of Wands comic. That, and it actually makes me want to play Munchkin. Which is funny 'cuz I'm more of an Apples to Apples girl myself. I'm hoping to get my personal set of Apples cards made for Christmas or a birthday.

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Name a Star Buy a Star - StarNamer

Name a Star Buy a Star - StarNamer How would it feel to look up in the sky and see a star named after you? It's not exactly like having a bridge or a ship or a song named after you. But who would use that name besides yourself, the person that purchased the star to name, and any astronomers that choose to use it's name, rather than the number. I'm sure that there are plenty of duplicate names out there. What if you purchased many stars? Could you use a group name? Make up your own random constellation?

Edward: Enter the Tomato

What is bullying? The twelve types of bullying, bullies tactics, how bullies select their victims, the difference between bullying and harassment

What is bullying? The twelve types of bullying, bullies tactics, how bullies select their victims, the difference between bullying and harassment I have worked in the same office for two years. For the first year and a half, I was depressed, and quite literally scared to come into work. I would call in sick a lot. Avoid. Why? Because a bully lurks in our office!!! We'll call her Sheila. Sheila takes great joy in belittling the newest employee. Marking her turf. She doesn't run the office officially, but everyone knows it, even the boss. At first, I thought that I had done something to deserve this. Yes, I was new and prone to making mistakes, but nothing life-threatening. It's an OFFICE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! I started to see a therapist. I took an anti-depressant for awhile. The one person in my life that really helped me through it all was my husband. He held me during my crying fits. Took my spastic episodes. And the depression. It was horrible. Then, some time around March, I realized that I truly was in the last phase of getting out of the depression. I was picked on less by Sheila, but the newest co-worker was starting to go through was I was just coming out of. It was horrible to watch. Lately, Sheila has been acting quite friendly to me. I sort of "trained" her how I like to be given certain information. I get her to laugh. She doesn't really yell at me when I make a mistake anymore. In fact, our entire office had a meeting with the real boss recently, without Sheila. I don't think much came of the meeting, other than our boss realizing, that yes, everyone does have a problem with Sheila. Even the workers whom were previously thought of as even-tempered and the quiet type. Why did I blog about this? Well, besides being at work with practically nothing to do, I was wondering if there was anyone else out there that has experience with office bullies? Have you done something about them?

Friday, September 17, 2004

The History of the Pirates of Penzance

The Pirates of Penzance Ooh...the history of the Pirates of Penzance

Pirates of Penzance Home Page

Pirates of Penzance Home Page I am celebrating early, only because I will be away from my computer most of Sunday. Sitting here in one of my Goonies shirts, listening to Kevin Kline sing his raptourous version of I AM THE PIRATE KING. ::sigh:: Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!!! I was initiated into a pirate gang once, the Pirates of Mayhem. But that was long ago, in fact, a fellow pirate recently contacted me. DUCK!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??? In the dry waters of Texas or to some other tropical place...like...Oklahoma? Teehee...I feel so girly listening to this. "Climbing over rocky mountains...." In the famous words of Kristy McNichol in the PIRATE MOVIE (which was a spoof on a spoof), "Can you believe that crap?" or something like that. I need to watch it again this week. Here is a link:

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Tables Have Turned

It's only fair if you have been reading about me.... Please copy, paste, and answer these questions in the comment section. I will answer this post in the form of my Dragon Crest Character 1. name: Mimic 2. age: silly! don't you know that Wandrakin are ageless!!! 3. where on earth do you live: Handelburg, Messena 4. what makes you happy: kicking the Empire's butt!!! 5. what have you been listening to lately: 6. do you enjoy reading my blog: =0P 7. if so, why: it's pretty 8. interesting fact about you: My ear was chewed on by a baby manticore, but I got it back after i resurrected. 9. are you in love at the moment: ewwww!!!! 10. favourite destination: Haven 11. favourite quote: I'm naked!!!! 12. will you post this in your blog: RECOMMEND 1. a movie: I prefer listening to O'Malley's stories. 2. a book: the Heart's monster manual is quite handy. heehee...handy.... 3. a band, song or album: the entertainer's guild has some pretty good singers, but i especially like Windsong.

Top 10 Things to Do in Chicago Before You Die on Citysearch Chicago

Top 10 Things to Do in Chicago Before You Die on Citysearch Chicago I have done three out of ten things on this list. Except...I got to sing the American National Anthem on the Field...while Harry Carey was still alive and leading the crowd in "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Please note: you can order Lou Malnati's Pizza online.

John Greenleaf Whittier: Snow-Bound

John Greenleaf Whittier: Snow-Bound http://www.darsie.net/library/index.html I remember reading this poem in my 11th grade honors class. And it...was...wonderful. Sadly, I lost my copy, as well as many other belongings in a moving van fire. (NEVER USE MAYFLOWER.) But, I always remembered one specific line from the poem, perhaps because of Mrs. Fischer's reading of it: "Boys, a path!" I put a link to the poem as well as to the Dead Poets Society for those of you wishing to find something lost. I tried asking several teachers about who the author might be, using the quote above. The closest I got was one teacher's suggestion of Robert Frost. I think that is the general answer. What upset me more was the poet. All of my life, I never liked Robert Frost. Not sure why, it could by a spiritual/mystical thing. Wrong sign of the zodiac? I don't know. But, everyone has to know who they like, but more importantly, who they do not like. It weeds out the weak ones. ;)

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

NRDC: The Bush Record

NRDC: The Bush Record How can anyone be indecisive after reading this?

Monday, September 13, 2004

--- F a t h e r s 4 J u s t i c e ---

--- F a t h e r s 4 J u s t i c e --- Their official website. Again, purple. Typically used for Domestic Violence Awareness. Here is a snippet from their website as to what they are fighting for: "All children, their parents and grandparents have inalienable rights to enjoy a meaningful, loving relationship with each other woven into our social fabric for over 6,000 years. Parliament's express intention in the 1989 Children's Act was exactly this yet the child's best interest principle has now effectively become the mothers best interest. A recent judgement by Lord Justice Thorpe severing contact between a child and her father gave the green light to recalcitrant mothers that they could veto contact between children and their fathers if this made them 'anxious or depressed.' " So far they have, peacefully, dressed up as Santas & Elvises. On Father's Day they stormed one of the courtrooms. Now, I think that these are acceptable means of protest. But scrambling up the Buckingham Palace? Yeah, it was humourous and it caught the camera's eye, but what if the police didn't recognise Batman as a non-terrorist? Some kid would not only never see his father, but lose one as well. How can that be an acceptable form of protest? As to their approach to fight for their rights: "Fathers 4 Justice advocates peaceful non-violent direct action based on the Greenpeace model with a dash of humour thrown in for good measure." Here is another related site w/ news archives: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/f4jswansea/

'Spiderman' climbs London Eye

'Spiderman' climbs London Eye Spiderman!!! The Fathers 4 Justice have done it again!!! Here one of the angry fathers has dressed up as Spiderman and climbed a ferris wheel, The London Eye. How dramatic!!! But, is it safe? :) Check out the end of the article!!! The company speaks about security breaches.

BostonHerald.com - International News: Protester dressed as Batman scales Buckingham Palace

BostonHerald.com - International News: Protester dressed as Batman scales Buckingham Palace Also be sure to check the BBC's full report. Here is the Gist: A member of the Fathers 4 Justice in England scaled Buckingham Palace dressed as Batman. Now, ask yourself this. You want your group to be recognized. You want more rights. You want more rights in order to have custody of your children. Would the best way to do this be to terrorize the country's leaders? NO!!! How does that get you more rights? If I were the ex-wife of one of these men, then I certainly would ask for a restraining order. But, what good would that do when these guys can break into a palace and then get so close to the prime minister so as to pour purple flour on him. Now, I am all about fighting domestic violence and getting more rights for those parents who should be with their children. But, pulling crazy acts like this? This is not the way to change the world. Peaceful protests, yes. Publicity, yes. Going thru your lawyers or starting up a Not For Profit organization, but not by braking the law!!!

Thursday, September 09, 2004

September At Last!!!

Well, it looks like i lost a previous post. Basically, I do not have allergies, just a sensitive nose. So far, over 1,000 soldiers have died in Iraq. I have a friend going there in December. Yeah, Merry Christmas. I think some of my friends and I are going to start to celebrate Christmas early. All of this cold weather has us mixed up. I know that I heard Christmas musical down one of the aisles at Walmart last night too. Oh, if you ever buy dishwasher fluid. Be sure that it stands in its upright position while in the cart, otherwise you'll wind up with a soapy mess all over your items, the cart, and the floor like I did last night. Happy September!

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

No Allergies, I'm just sensitive

I took my scratch test on Friday and it came back completely negative. Well, except for the contral which itched like crazy. The doctor told me that some people just have sensitive noses. Sure, they may come in with all of the allergy symptoms, but when it comes down to the test, everything is negative. So he gave me a nasal spray. I told him that I felt sorry for him because it was his job to discuss boogers all day. Anway, it has cooled off fabulously here today. I'm hoping to wear sweaters soon. Must dig them out of storage...like i've been planning for the last two weeks. We're having a fighter practise for DragonCrest tonight!!! Last time I went I actually brought some people into it! It was great! I'm also hoping to reunite with some of my brothers from APO. That would be nice. It was a hectic & fun time in my life. I think it's time to come back from a two year break. ;)

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

NaNoWriMO

National Novel Writing Month is fast approaching!!! Can you write 50,000 words in one month? If you can, then you get a free t-shirt. There are a lot of writers out there against NaNo. But, as a person with a B.A. in Writing who was always on the lookout of a good motivator (be it chocolate or an "A"), I think that it is a wonderful annual event and the only prize is your accomplishment. And a free t-shirt. If anything, you can give the t-shirt to your mother so that she can brag. =) The contest starts midnight, November 1st. Have a great Halloween, 'cuz November will be crazy.

My Favorite Thing

I have come to realize over the past few years that I might be lactose intolerant. Not only have my allergies developed and taken a turn for the worse, but now I may not be able to eat chocolate or drink milk to my heart's content. I always knew that my dad snored more & coughed more after he ate his milk & chocolate chip cookies, but I never thought anything of it. Then, it started happening to me. After a bowl of ice cream or glass of chocolate milk, I would notice my throat closing up some and I would need to guzzle down water or suffer from coughing fits. There were some other bodily symptoms as well, but you get the gist. Anyway, I am not looking forward to limiting my chocolate intake. Sometimes I feel like if I do not get enough sugar everyday, then I start to go crazy!