Why I Love My Techno-Geek Friends

Rob fixed my computer. It now happily whirrs in the living room, allowing me access to the internet and all of its vices. Also, Anathema and I now have a DVD player on which to watch movies. I can now actually write and, you know, start doing work for the school year. I know I shouldn't be thinking about the latter, but I do have a class that I have to create out of nothingness, so it might behoove me to get started. I think I've got the basic concepts of the class worked out; I just have to work out the finer details.

I wore my new white shoes for the first time today. I felt tall. And pretty. These are good things to feel.

Tomorrow we shop for curtain fabric. Yay.

Okay, off to install the new shower head!

Technology Hates Me (and other recent ephiphanies)

You know, it would be really great to be at home, using my own computer. But no, it won't start. The culprit is a dead PSU. Now I have to go find a place to buy myself a new one, and implore my much more tech-savy friends to put it in for me. If my computer is actually dead, I will weep.

The thunderstorm last night was really cool, right up until the time we lost power for almost 12 hours and I had to read by flashlight in a stuffy apartment because there was nothing else to do, before falling into a fitful sleep. Even the cat wasn't happy.

Thankfully, it has cooled down a bit and power has been restored to the apartment, although the computer, as mentioned above, is quite dead. I called Brett about it, as he is Dr. Frankenstien to the Monster in question, and he gave me the bad news.

I was a good girl and went for a walk this morning. The walks aren't very long, but they get me up and moving so hopefully they're doing something. I am eagerly awaiting being able to join a new gym in November when my old membership expires. I'm still angry they won't let me out of it. Grr, arg, etc.

Hope everyone has electricity.

Things to remember...

...because I actually have to drive home after eating dinner with my parents, I can't drink as much. Yeah. There's a question just now about whether or not I should have driven home.

...a $150 bottle of wine tastes a lot like a $20 bottle of wine, so don't waste your money.

...your cat actually does miss you when you are gone for the day. Cleo has been meowing at me for the past 1/2 hour.

I'm going to watch an episode of Voyager before I go to bed. I am now officially re-addicted.

Get your geek on

I just watched the first four episodes of Star Trek: Voyager and am now a very pleased geek. While I hadn't forgotten how much I loved the show, it was nice to review the beginning, and it reminded me of things I'd forgotten about the crew members. Also, 2 out of the first 4 episodes have to do with time travel/temporal rifts in some way. Weird, no? The only problem with the DVD is that you can't just "play all;" you have to click play for each individual episode. Not a HUGE problem, but a minor inconvenience.

So I'm reading this book called "Rhapsody" by Elizabeth Hayden at the moment, and though I'm 251 pages in, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. The characters just seem a little...too something. Also, the person who bought me the books I think borrowed heavily from them to create one of his characters, so that might be skewing my view of the situation. I have all three (as I said, gift), but I'm not sure if I'll keep reading after this first one. I have about...400 more pages to go, however, so I may change my mind between now and then.

The article of clothing I left in OR has still not made its way to my possession, and I'm starting to miss it. Sad panda.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

You Should Learn Swedish

Fantastisk! You're laid back about learning a language - and about life in general. Peaceful, beautiful Sweden is ideal for you... And you won't even have to speak perfect Swedish to get around!

What Language Should You Learn?

Your Daddy Is Bill o'Reilly

What You Call Him: Papito Why You Love Him: He's your sugar daddy

Who's Your Daddy?

We have...Internet!

I posted last night, but I guess it was premature, because we were having hella time trying to get the internet to get and stay connected. Luckily, the problem seems to be fixed.

So the new apartment is good; the cat is adapting well. MOST of the boxes are unpacked, but the kitchen still looks rather like a disaster area. As Anathema has been out of town all week, I've been relying on the toaster oven and microwave for meals, so I actually haven't cooked in there yet, but I am planning on it. Not this week, of course, because the aunt and uncle are in town from CA and I'll be spending a lot of time with them.

So, book reviews.

"I Am Spock"--by Leonard Nimoy

To begin, I was never a huge fan of the original Star Trek television series. I liked the movies, yes, but not the show so much. Still, we all like Vulcans, I think, and so when handed a copy of "I Am Spock" to read, I did so, because, why not?

A very interesting read. Nimoy chronicles his experiences through the Star Treky universe, with amusing anecdotes, truthfulness, and guest appearances by his alter ego. I learned, among other things, that besides directing ST III and ST IV, he also directed Three Men and a Baby, because the original French director bowed out at the last minute. (The movie itself started as almost a word-for-word translation of a French movie with a simliar title).

I think what I like most is that Nimoy isn't FIGHTING the whole "Spock" image. In fact, on a number of occassions, he gets a little testy with various writers/directors/producers because he feels they've got Spock wrong; Nimoy admits he's protective of the character. In a way, it reminds me of Mark Hamill who, after unsucessfully trying to shed Luke Skywalker for more serious pursuits, accepted the fact that people loved what he had done and wanted to thank him for it. This is what I don't understand about some actors *coughHarrisonFordcough*. Yes, the crazy obsessed fans are a little weird, but for most of them, their hearts are in the right places--a character YOU portrayed spoke to them, made them happy, and they want to acknowledge your contribution. And for the love of pete, do remember that those roles you loathe to acknowledge you ever played often were the ones that catapulted you into the money you're enjoying now. We're not saying that EVERY character you play has to be Han Solo/Spock, but if someone asks you to autograph their t-shirt, do it, because we pay your salary, and don't think it happens any other way.

So, yeah, if you're interested in a) biographies, b) Star Trek or c) a look into the world of Hollywood, you should read "I Am Spock."


"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Oh. My. Goodness.

I almost want to read the book over again, to see what I missed. Let me just say that the death in question TOTALLY took me by surprise, but that my reaction was the same as to Sirius' departure in OotP..."wait, what?" Although this death was painfully more real than Sirius', it still left the "can't be" feeling in my stomach. Loathe was I to admit what was true.

The 'shipper in me was, of course, over joyed for various and sundry reasons as the book progressed. Harry made a rather noble, but probably foolish, choice towards the end of the novel, and I'm not so sure the female in question is really going to allow him the...er, space, that he asked for.

Harry, by the way, was MUCH more likable in this book. The broody, angsty, angry 15-year-old we all wanted to smack about the head in OotP is gone, for the most part, replaced by a much more...well, maybe not level-headed, but at least likable sixteen-year-old. He seems to be managing the mantle of manhood quite well.

I've still got some questions of the short-term variety; meaning that if I simply re-read the book, I'll probably understand that which I missed in my exhuberance to find out "wha happen?"


"Star Wars: Cloak of Deception" by James Luceno

Now, my reading of this book was slightly tainted because 1) It was written by an NJO author and 2) He put NJO/post-ROTJ characters in it. I suppose if you hadn't read a lot of the post-ROTJ stuff, you wouldn't know who they were, so we'll ignore their parts in it for a moment.

It was an okay book, although not as good as "Rogue Planet." It seemed too rushed, like he just wanted to "get to the good stuff," only the good stuff never came. Also, the vocabulary in some parts was ridonkulous...I seriously had no idea what some of the words meant, and I consider myself to be pretty savy with the larger, SAT-type words. I wouldn't recommend this book; there are much better ones out there.

I'm going to a winery for dinner tonight. Yay!

Radio Silence Commencing Soon

Just so everyone knows...with the move rather imminent (I really should be putting stuff in my car kind of imminent), the computer WILL eventually have to be packed. And with the packing of the computer comes the unknown of when our internet service at the new place will be hooked up, and what sort it will be. OBVIOUSLY not dial up, 'cause...pshaw! Anyway, so I don't know when I'll be going offline (sometime today) or when I'll be getting back ONline (hopefully early next week).

I expect all of you to weep bitterly at my absence. There should be much gnashing of teeth, rending of garments, beating of breasts and wailing all around.

Oh! I finished the third book in the Artemis Fowl series, and have decided they aren't nearly as good as Harry Potter. I can see why kids like them but...*shrugs*. Not complicated enough, maybe? I don't know. It's not the kind of book I'd beat a parent for buy his/her child, but it wouldn't be my first recommendation, either.

Currently reading "I Am Spock," a loaner from my mom's friend who likes to leave me books whenever she comes over to the house. As one might imagine, it is written by Leonard Nimoy, and it is a "sequel" of sorts to his book "I Am Not Spock." Entertaining, quick read. Will probably put it aside when Half Blood Prince arrives at the parents' house tomorrow, but that's okay.

Hope everyone has a LOVELY weekend.

Various and Sundry

I should be packing right now, but I'm not. Soon, I will begin again. Mom & I ran around all day, replacing broken dishes, buying a microwave, getting stuff for the cat. All much fun.

Okay, the following bit is probably going to ruffle some feathers: my blog, my opinion, just deal:

As most of you are aware, the United Church of Christ (UCC, also known as the Congregationals) have "okayed" same-sex marriages. Some people are viewing this merely as a "publicity stunt" to get more members and boost church coffers. After all, the Bible calls homosexuality an "abomination." Now, I am not for literal interpretations of the Bible. Someone who wrote into The Hartford Courant today obviously agrees with me, as he pointed out that 1) people who have sight problems can't approach the altar, 2) selling your daughter into slavery is acceptable, 3) working on the Sabbath is punishable by death and 4) you can't wear garments made of two different types of thread. Remember, folks, we learned on The Simpsons that "technically, we're not supposed to eat." Does this all mean I'm too liberal for heaven and that Satan has a seat picked out for me in warmer climes? Quite possibly. But I would imagine that Jesus figures if you do your best to be a good person, and you believe in him, which gender of consenting adult you're sleeping with isn't much of his concern.

That about sums up my rant du jour. I am now off to pack.

Oh the skill it takes to be me

I just gave myself second degree burns on the underside of my chin as I attempted to taste-test a piece of cooking spinanch to see if the spaghetti sauce was done or not.

You may now applaud as I accept my Darwin Award.

*goes to nurse blistering skin*

Sign #37 It's Time to Move Out

So I went over to my dresser which is near my closet, and the top shelf of said closet promptly fell off the wall. Now a great deal of my clothes, once so neatly hung, are now in a pile on the floor. Interesting. Very interesting.

Book Reviews

Okay, so I finished Monstrous Regiment before I left for OR. It was absolutely hysterical, as you will find when I begin posting my plethora of amusing anecdotes. I'm still not sure how I feel about HOW "monstrous" the regiment was, however; it almost seemed to cheapen the experience by the end, but still did not upset me. I don't want to ruin the book for those of you who haven't read it, so those who have and are curious can surely ask me.

"The word 'fat' could honestly not be applied to him, not when the word 'gross' was lumbering forward to catch your attention."--p. 7

"Up to date? What do you mean, up to date? Holy writ gets...written."--p.15

"You never knew who was connected to who...not just to who, in fact, but to whom. 'Whoms' were likely to be far more trouble than you common, everyday 'who'."--p. 22

"Her mother had taught her to read, which was acceptable to Nuggan, and her father made sure that she learned how to write, which was not. A woman who could write was an Abomination Unto Nuggan, according to Father Jupe; anything she wrote would by definition be a lie."--p. 32

"The four lesser apocalyptical horsemen of Panic, Bewilderment, Ignorance and Shouting took control of the room..."--p. 36

"I am a reformed vampire, which is to say, I am a bundle of suppressed instincts held together with spit and coffee."--p. 96

"You don't understand! This is about...craving. You never stop craving, you just switch it to something that doesn't cause people to turn you into a short kebab! I need coffee!"--p. 174

"...while it may once have been neatly organized, the organization was now but a distant memory, a clear indication that this cart was the property of a man."--p. 183

"Polly ended up patrolling with Maladict and Wazzer, or, to put it antoher way, a vampire on the edge and a girl who was possibly so far over it that she'd found a new edge out beyond the horizon."--p. 230

"It was immoral earnings, now it's the proceeds of common theft."--p. 270

"Oh dear, I feel a humorous double-entendre coming on."--p. 274

"Sorry, I want to be clear, sir. You have a date with a guard?"
"Yes, and I'll suggest we go somewhere dark and then, when I've got what I want, I shall break his neck."
"Isn't that going a bit far on a first date?"--p. 281

"And someone with no sense of the narrative of adventure had removed from the room anything with an edge and, for some reason, anything that could be eaten."--p. 313

"Lieutenant Blouse tells me he is a man sir. Since he is an officer and a gentleman, I will take his word for it."--p. 336

"Now I know what you're thinking. You're thinking: vampires have a pretty good time of it whatever sex they are, right? But it's the same everywhere. Velvet dresses, underwired nightgowns, acting crazy all the time, and don't let's even go near the whole 'bathing in virgin's blood' thing."--p. 358

"And armies don't do much for agriculture except marginally raise the fertility of the battlefield."--p. 360

"But a mere twitch of a leg was enough, just to see the idiot collapse in the ridiculous, knock-kneed, protective crouch that is as instinctive to a man as saving half an onion is to a woman."--p. 371

Okay, the other book I just finished reading is Here be Dragons which is the first book in a trilogy about 13th century England and Wales. My mom's friend Linda found it at a thrift store, read it, and then passed it along to me. After the initial 100 pages or so of "um, hi, could we focus on JUST ONE THING," the story got better, although Joanna (Richard the Lion Hearted's illegitimate niece) reminded me most unpleasantly of Guenivere, thus making me want to beat her upside the head and shoulders. And, although it was written in the 80s, it's interesting to read about a nation that keeps spreading its soliders too thin across the known world. I'll just leave it at that. If you like historical fiction, it might be worth your while to pick up.

Don't Fly America West...

...ever. They're always running late, and their flight crews take themselves WAY too seriously.

I was an hour late leaving Portland because they couldn't find a mechanic to sign off that the plane was safe to fly. *headdesk*

But I'm home now. I'm in the middle of a LOT of laundry, some of which I hung up on the line because why not..it's beautiful outside. I mean, Oregon was lovely, but I love 94 degree days. GOOOOOOO SUMMER!

Ahem. So now it's back to packing. I have to bribe my brother, and possibly his friends who have trucks, with beer and food, to get them to help myself and Anathema move "the big stuff." I want to be able to point to an almost empty room and say "Yup, bookcase, bed and desk. Move it!" The rest of it can be moved in a plethora of waves from home to new home without too much difficulty.

I still have to buy stuff for Cleo. Not much, mind you, just a food dish and a litterbox, but until I get a measuring tape and figure out where the devil to put it, I can't really go out and purchase the Cadillac of Kitty Commodes. Well, she probably won't get THAT fancy a litterbox. Don't want to spoil her too much. :)

Oh. I came home to wedding invitations. My ovaries are withering was we speak. *sigh*

Bad News to Get on Vacation

Whenever you call home, and your mother says "Your boss called," this is not a good sign.

I called said boss, but have yet to hear back from her. The receptionist assured me it had nothing to do with me keeping my job, but you know me: Paranoius Maximus. (Sorry, Amanda, for that butchering of the Latin language.)

Sar and I have been watching a lot of movies after our jam-packed days of wandering. So far we have seen "White Noise," "Julius Caesar," the first season of "Manchild," "Emma," and this local indie film called "Westender." The first one was creepy but not good, the second was beautiful, but we're questioning some historical accuracies, the third was TO DIE FOR FUNNY, as only British televison can be, the fourth was lovely and the fifth...m'eh. That's how we both felt about it.

We went for a rather long hike yesterday up to the top of a waterfall; my calves hurt. We also had fun with scrapbooking, something I have never done before, but which I have slowly come around to as a good idea. Sar and I are going to try to put up some pictures of our adventures in the near future.

That's about it. We might be going to an art show tonight, might be going to see a movie, might be going shopping...who knows??

Hope all is well wherever you are.

Alive!

Hi all. Just wanted to pop in and let you know that I am in fact, alive, and though my trip to Oregon was filled with adventure, I arrived intact and with a bit of sanity left over. Yay.

I'm going to back-date some posts to share the joys and sorrows of traveling AmericaWest airlines, as well as my first day and a half in this lovely state. Now, however, we are off to the beach (which is too cold to swim in *pout*) and then...who knows?

Miroku (Sar's cat) says hello. Hope everyone had, and is having, a happy and healthy 4th of July weekend.

Wastin' Time

Well, everything that CAN be packed ahead of time is neatly stored in my suitcase or carry-on bag. I ate an entire small pizza this evening and drank a pint of beer, but I am not feeling overly guilty about this and am wondering why. Not like I've been very good about going to the gym in my time off. Guess it'll be something to work on when I get back.

My flight leaves REALLY early tomorrow morning. Actually, much too early for any sane person to be up on a Saturday. But up I shall be. I'm going to drive myself (w/a parent or two in the car) to the airport, and then have them drive my car back.

I spent $130 on three pairs of shoes today. I NEVER spend that much money on shoes. Two pairs were neccessary replacement items, and one was just "ooh, cute!" They're the kind that have strips of cloth that wrap up your legs like pointe shoe ribbons. I've been DYING for a pair of these and...well, I think I paid $30 for 'em so...

Pepto Bismol commercials are frightening, and I would like them to stop with the singing and the dancing that looks vaguely like the Macarena.

I'm bringing two books with me on the plane, the second Artemis Fowl book and a rather lengthy book titled Here Be Dragons. Because my laptop is annoying, I can only use it IN the airport where I can plug it in, and not on the plane. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to plug those bad boys in on the plane? *sigh* Also loaded up the MP3 player with many a tune, so I should be sufficiently stimulated.

Off to watch CSI and to finish "Monstrous Regiment." Who needs sleep?