I don't have time for this $#!*

Yeah, I'm sick. What on Friday was just some annoying allergic reaction to air has now morphed into a cold. I got absolutely NO sleep last night, despite the Ny-Quil. But I can't take the day off because I've been procrastinating on putting my sub folder together. The ONE time I'm not prepared, and this is what happens.

So this is not good, because I'm REALLY wanting to start my portfolio on Thursday, but when I tried to do somet of the paperwork last night, it just made me sad and want to cry because I really suck at life and couldn't come up with good learning objectives. You have to keep your portfolio away from "activities" (which just got typed with a 'b' instead of a 'v', btw) and more on understanding outcomes. Sounds simple enough, but try to do it. Not so much.

If my health hasn't improved by this afternoon, I'm going to take tomorrow off. I'm not feeling dizzy or any of those things today, but those are probably forthcoming. On the way to work I have to pick up some more Day-Quil and Gatorade. Yay for the 24-hour-CVS. Tomorrow, also, is my mother's birthday. We're all going out to dinner with her, and I'd rather have slept all day then be so sick tomorrow that I couldn't go with.

I think I did this to myself, however, what with the party Friday night (this Lady had a lot to drink and made out with a 20 year old...not 21...20. Remind me to kick A's co-worker's ass about that) and then OUR party Saturday night (not a huge turnout, but a good time was had by all, I think.)

Have a Happy Halloween everybody!

Goliath You scored 60% Pride, 40% Envy, 35% Ambition, and 47% Deceitfulness!

You are Goliath, a proud warrior of your people. Though despite your personal glory, you remained a foot soldier instead of the king that you probably could have been. This is because you are content to let someone else dominate the world. You are rather lazy and unmotivated, so naturally, you tend to avoid positions of responsibility like the plague. You are a gentle hero to your countrymen (i.e. your friends, family, social groups), but a despised villain to people outside of these groups. This is probably due to your arrogance and open hostility. In fact, you are very well known for your directness and your “mean what you say, say what you mean” attitude. This attribute, combined with your pride, gives you an uncanny resemblance to the WWF wrestlers of today—you are viewed as either a hero or a villain depending on the allegiance of the fans.

Link: The Which Biblical Villain Are You Test written by MetalliScats on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Batman Congratulations! You scored a super 70%!

Cool, calm and powerful. Whilst your actual super abilities may not be anything too dazzling, you have earnt the respect of both friends and enemies in response to your amazing fighting skills, strategic combat and experience. Luckily you have access to the greens which can fund all your majorly cool gadgets, vehicles and weapons! Also, you're reluctant but still accepting to the idea of having a teammate/side-kick, which just makes everything a whole lotta fun, doesn't it now! On the down side, you've probably suffered some sort of trauma at a young age (that's why we don't talk to the old man near the swings, kids). Similar to the Wolverine, your past is a base for your current motivation, undertaking some kind of personal vow in search of justice. All in all though, you're one tough nut. There's not a lot of people who have the minerals to go up against you, and you're experienced enough not to get cocky and let the little things like never finding happiness get you down!

Link: The Which SUPER HERO are you Test written by crayzee69 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Dissolution--by C.J. Sansom

Okay, the short version is: Reform-era England, murder in a nearly-defunct-monastery, hunchback lawyer and a bunch of not-entirely-truthful monks.

Actually a pretty good book; I didn't know "who done it" until the end, but I'm slow and stupid about this sort of thing, so maybe someone else smarter than myself would've figured it out earlier.

Quotes to consider:

"Are the monasteries truly as corrupt as it is said?"
"You've seen the Black Boo, the extracts from the visitations, which is being hawked around."
"So has most of London."
"Yes, people love tales of naughty monks."--Mark Poer and Matthew Shardlake, p. 24

"St. Benedict wrote his rule for Italians, sir, not people who have to live through English winters."--Brother Guy, p. 75

"A statue of the Virgin leaned drunkenly against one wall, her nose broken off, giving the bitterly cold, windowless room a depressing air."--Matthew Shardlake, p. 129

"The authority of Scripture stands above that of any scholar."
"And the opinion of a tavern keeper's son stands above St. Augustine?"--Matthew Shardlake and Brother Jerome, p. 196

This Post Brought to You by the Number Seven

So, according to the scale at the gym, I've lost 7 pounds. I don't quite know how this is possible, as I've been eating like crap the last two weeks and didn't even see the inside of the gym last week, but...*shrugs* We will rejoice in the lying scale. :)

Tomorrow is Friday and after being at school last night until 8:30, I am REALLY glad I have half a day. 6:45am-8:30pm is WAY too many hours to spend at your place of employment. I got out for dinner...that was about it.

Okay, the commercial on TV right now is for a DVD-version of Candy Land. This almost pisses me off as much as DVDs that read to your kid. Look, the child is not going to learn to read by watching the televison. You learn to read by someone forcing you to sound things out; the narrator of your book-on-DVD doesn't know if you're doing your part. This is just another part of parents being RIDICULOUSLY lazy.

Sorry, angry about conferences. "Well, why is my child failing?" "Your kid doesn't do his homework."

The new Joaquin Phoenix movie, "Walk the Line," might be worth a look-see.

We have infiltrated society

1. Go to www.babynames.com
2. Change "This Name" to "This Meaning"
3. Type in "Warrior."

I think it'll be pretty evident why I'm amused.

Brain Shot...Parent Conferences...Here're Some Quizzes

ellipsis You scored 38% Sociability and 76% Sophistication!

Your life can be difficult because of your insecurities, but you should know that it isn't your fault. YOU didn't ask to be thrown in around thirty times per page in every bodice-ripper on the shelf! Those who overuse you can kiss your . . . you know. You need to learn to hold your head high and glory in your solitude. You really do have excellent, scholarly tastes. You must never forget that your friend, the period, will be there to support you at the end of every sentence where you truly belong, and, if what is left out is as important as what is said, why, then you are as vital as the alphabet!

Link: The Which Punctuation Mark Are You Test written by Gazda on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Your Musical Tastes Match: Jennifer Garner

See her whole playlist here (iTunes required)

What Celebrity Matches Your Taste in Music?

SAGE

You are the Sage, the mysterious
wise one or shaman. Sages dedicate their lives
to the pursuit of knowledge. They are very wise
and are good with philosophy and theology. They
make good teachers, counselors, and
advisors.

Color: Gold
Animal:
Raven
Gem: Topaz
Symbol:
Pen

Image:
http://www.deviantart.com/view/5258606/


Who would you be if you were a character in an epic fantasy? (beautiful pictures)
brought to you by Quizilla


You're Sailor Mercury!


Sailor Moon Personality Quiz
brought to you by Quizilla

How to make a kjkofsuske

Ingredients: 3 parts friendliness 1 part self-sufficiency 1 part empathy

Method: Stir together in a glass tumbler with a salted rim. Add a little cocktail umbrella and a dash of emotion

Username:

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

Various and sundry photos

Roommate and I (surprisingly) sober.

Brother and his Girlfriend at The East Side

Cleo six feet up.

Hob catching a little TV time with the ladies

This would be A & I before we tied the guy up.

What a weekend

Let's go back to Friday for a moment. Friday A and I weren't sure what we were going to do, so I called my brother to ask him what he was up to. Brother reminded me that we were supposed to be going out to dinner with he and his gf at the East Side, a German restaurant. So I call the restaurant and get reservations (phew!) We had a BLAST. The beer was good, the food was good, Chris had to wear a crazy chicken hat...there are pictures, most likely to be posted tomorrow evening.

Saturday I got up rather early, ate breakfast, then drove home to drop my car off with the mechanic. Then it was off to Clinton for shopping with my mother. I came away with four sweaters, four pairs of pants, a pair of shoes, some socks and a Mr. Misto. Came back to the apartment and the roommie and I watched Bride and Prejudice and Batman Begins.

B&J was VERY funny, reminiscent of the only other Bollywood movie I've seen: lots of singing and dancing and no kissing. I am ashamed to admit that I haven't read Jane Austen's work in a really long time, but I think I'm going to have to soon because 1. I remember liking the story and 2. the Keira Knightly version is coming out soon and I'll want to see that.

And now...Batman. As we all may or may not know, Batman has always been my favorite superhero, mostly because he had no special powers, save for his money. There was WAY too much talking in the beginning of this movie. I understand he's conflicted, blah blah blah, but Liam Neeson channeled Qui Gon one too many times. I still like the Michael Keaton "Batman" better, but this one was WAY superior to "Batman and Robin," which, you know, sucked.

Today was a little more low key, but noless busy. Got up, went to the gym, came home, went grocery shopping. Then off to Manchester to go shopping with A and her mother. But wait, FIRST we had to go to the airport because A's father's flight had been canceled, only to find he was renting a car and really we didn't need to come up to Bradley after all, but we were already there. We went to Target, lunch, Sam's and iParty to get stuff for the...well, for the party on Saturday. We have no menu to speak of, yet, but many ideas.

My boys won today! *does dance of joy*

I'm thinking about a "new" car. My Volvo is wonderful, but it's starting to make more noises than I'd like, the CD player isn't working and...well, it doesn't really go in the snow. I was considering a Toyota Highlander Hybrid, but I think it's out of my price range. Best guess right now is a Subaru Outback. My father and I might go car browsing on Tuesday, after we go out and buy my mother her birthday present...she's 50 this year...OMG!

Twenty minutes until "Charmed" and "The West Wing." I dinnae wanna go to work tomorrow!

This kind of explains my dating problem:

You Are 60% Boyish and 40% Girlish

You are pretty evenly split down the middle - a total eunuch. Okay, kidding about the eunuch part. But you do get along with both sexes. You reject traditional gender roles. However, you don't actively fight them. You're just you. You don't try to be what people expect you to be.

How Boyish or Girlish Are You?

I knew even answering the question I got it wrong. That should count for half-credit.

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 9/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

Is this a cold I feel inside me?

(Oh Billy, please forgive my butchering of Macbeth.)

I think I may have my first cold of the year. Sneezy, stuffy, wheezy, coughy...all that wonderful stuff that makes you want to curl up under a blanket with some tea and do nothing but read books and watch TV. But as it is the weekend, I will not succumb to the wicked ways of my illness. Instead, I'm going with the roommie to the dentist, then we're going to IHOP for breakfast and then, weather permitting (got rain?) we're going to the Apple Fest. Then it's back home tonight to see the parents' house to visit with the grandparents. Tomorrow I'm going out with my brother and some of his friends to a pig roast to benefit some guy's sick kid. $25 helps save a kids life and I get free beer. Woohoo.

Last night I cooked my infamous lasagne for my grandparents and they came to the apartment for dinner with MY parents. The kitchen hasn't looked this clean since we moved in. ;) I was afraid the lasagne would let me down, but it managed to pull through at the last minute, and for that we all rejoiced, as dinner was not ruined.

I'm wearing my new pink blazer today. Let us all rejoice.

CSI meets Edgar Alan Poe meets Moulin Rouge

I'm not even going to attempt to analyze this dream, but I really did want to share it with the group.

It took place in this normal looking house. I don't remember a lot of the details about why I was there, but suffice it to say, I found a 3-headed woman and the CSI crew came in to investigate--she'd been locked in a freezer. The woman who lived in the house (young, blond, beautiful) didn't know who/what it was. So the CSI crew leaves and then...the 3-headed woman comes back to life, or at least two of her heads, and starts running and screaming around the house. So I got her in some clothes, told her I'd be back, and then...left. (Like I said, fuzzy details.) Somewhere in all of this, these...circus performers showed up, including a particularly nasty ringmaster.

Anyway, Gil Grissom comes back to the house (I think I'm gone now as a character) and hears this awful screaming in the bathroom. The blond had left the creepy ringmaster into the bathroom to do what he wanted with the three-headed-woman, who was her sister. Gil wasn't trying to get into the bathroom, which I found particularly odd.

Then the scene switched, like in a movie, to this eerie looking castle stationed over some lava and a coffin (presumably with ringmaster and 3-headed lady in it) is shaking like their still alive as it goes over the edge of a cliff into the lava. There was actually a VOICE OVER in that part of the dream, but I don't remember what it said.

I give you my repressed brain. *takes a bow*

Didn't I blog this morning?

I really thought I blogged this morning. Apparently, I did not.

Sparcy is missing. Again. It's been five days now. We are not holding out much hope for the Sparcs. Mom wants to get a new cat, which is completely understandable. I nearly burst into tears when she told me on Sunday, but this was coupled with the crappiness I was feeling re: men.

"I think I just managed to drag my poll numbers below a pro-hockey score."
"Yeah, but at least you have all your teeth."

Sorry, West Wing moment.

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month; does everyone know that? Ladies, I've just found out that one of my student's mother's has breast cancer, and that another's mother died of it this summer. So yeah, check your boobs after you have your period, or have your boyfriend/significant other/cat do it for you. Just make sure there are no weird lumps. Find a Boob Buddy and remind her, too.

It's rather uncanny how much A. and my roommate from college Julia have in common. I never quite realized how similar all my friends are until I moved in with A. Not that it's bad...just really strange. Except that Julia was ridonkulously Catholic. And anyone that knows A...well, you can laugh now.

Thoughts?

POI: can i talk to u about somethin k... about my current situation and such...
Me: okay
POI: i want to let u know that due to my working and constant running around and shiz i dont think i would be interested in pursuing a relationship at this time.. i apologize and i dont want to come off as an asshole or anything
Me: okay, that's fine. I was just looking for someone to have an occassional good time with right now, but I understand that you're busy and don't have time for that.
Me: I just wish you'd been more up-front about it earlier...it led to me being very confused
POI: im sorry about that was not my intention
Me: Apology accepted...Captain Needa
POI: well im glad that line didnt happen exactly like it did in the movie
Me: nah, i'm not angry. i was more put-off than anything that you hadn't even called or text or IMed that you were otherwise occupied
POI: and u have a right to be angry if u are
Me: I don't know how to phrase this next question...I mean, is this a "don't call us, we'll call you," kind of situation? Do you still want to chat online, or would it be easier for you if I just faded into the proverbial woodwork?
POI: lol no i still want to be friends hang out do things
Me: okay

To quote the roommie, "Boys Suck"

Look, men of the world. If you don't like a girl, or did and don't anymore, for whatever reason, could ya just tell her? Because ignoring her, or breaking plans is both immature and just annoying. Better yet, don't MAKE the plans if you have every intention of breaking them.

Back to square one in the love life. This is just RIDICULOUSLY annoying. I am hurt and confused and all those other things that you feel when something doesn't turn out the way you thought it was going to, but more so because I don't know WHY. I want to be really bitter and angry and call him and say "Hey asshole, just say you don't want to see me anymore," but that would make ME look immature and annoying, and really, who wants to come off as that.

I wanna go home and see my mommy. ;)

A Google Survey

Here's how this work: You type into google "[Your name] needs" (with the quotes) and hit enter. Put up the results, and have people vote on it. (LJ users can make a poll).

So, I need:

1. a lobotomy fund
2. to determine the status of what we do and don't have
3. a new job
4. to learn the basics of spending and budgeting, along with basic saving habits
5. Beth in her life.
6. to full carbohydrate stores and be well hydrated
7. additional time for laundry and changing bed linen
8. to write the article for the conference and submit it to the Daily Bruin
9. to be asking about the history of some of those samples
10. folks who can appear
11. Trivia Night numbers
12. a man
13. the water temp before Saturday
14. a Jack.
15. Dr. Pelvic's knowledge

There you go, folks. What do you think I need the most? :) (I'd vote #12 myself, but don't let me influence your decision.)

Basic Rules of Driving

Just because you're in an Exit Only lane does not give you the right to drive 50 miles an hour on I-91 NORTH! WTF???? I wanted to smack a bitch about this. Everyone I got behind on the highway was driving slow. Not that I had anywhere to be, I'm just saying.

Drag the dummy around for some stress relief

A little retail therapy

Actually, it wasn't really much in the way of therapy; I was feeling pretty good about myself. But I needed a skirt to wear on Saturday night and a white bra, so off we went to the mall after a visit to the gym, a shower, and a free Subway dinner.

First of all, let me say that I love fall clothes. They're colorful without being neon, the unfortunate trap into which most summer clothes fall. Besides brown (which is totally my new blue), there's lots of muted purples, greens and, yay, blue. So I was in love. As you may or may not know, this is USUALLY the weekend my mother and I go on one of our twice-yearly shopping binges down at the outlets. Alas, Mother works this weekend, so that's not going to happen.

We visted Vicky to begin our shoppy excursion. Just out of curiosity, I asked to get re-measured, as my unmentionables had not been fitting correctly. I actually went DOWN a band size (YAY!) and UP a cup size (?????). This is the first measurable indication I've had that my toiling at the gym has been successful. That and all of my pants seem really baggy, but that's more from a lot of wear than anything else I believe.

Okay, so now that I had a bra, we had to find me a skirt. You would not think a short black skirt would be difficult to find. We went into all the usual teeny bopper stores, but all the skirts are billowy and peasanty...and long. I tried on a pair of black boots, only to meet with saddness as they, once again, would not zip up over my calves. Charlotte Russe let us down, NY & Company let us down, Weathervane let us down...even HOT TOPIC let us down.

And then we got to Express.

They are having GIGUNDO SALE! MUCH damage could have been done to ye olde credite carde, but I was in there for a very specific item. So I FINALLY found 2 little black skirts...and this really cute denim one. And an adorable Indian-style top. Into the dressing room we go. One of the black skirts made me look like a retarded ballerina...and I've done that enough in my lifetime, thankyouverymuch. The next one just made me look wide (too many ruffles. But it was a small!) But the denim number...she did not let me down. She was cute, she was short, she had little flowers embroidered all over. And the Indian top...yay for that too!

Then we went off to Target to get kitty litter. Out of desperation, I was off to their shoe department, looking for boots. A. found boots. I tried on the boots. The boots zipped up over my calves. Shock of all shocks. I'm not absolutely in love with the boots, as they are a little pointy-toed for my taste, but I'm learning to deal because...THEY FIT!

I also bought a shirt (A. too, it was too funny not to buy it) with a big heart in the middle. Around the heart it says "You break it, you buy it." Somehow, it fit my mood perfectly.

Yesterday totally felt like a Thursday, as today is the last day of the cycle for my freshmen-seniors, and all the freshies are taking a test. I plan to read the newspaper first period, then correct and plan the remaining periods of my day. I think I may make tortellini for dinner. Hmmm.

Hope everyone has a good day!

Dream a little dream

Cat: To see a cat in your dream, signifies much misfortune, treachery, and bad luck. However, for the cat lover, cats signifies an independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power.

Cooking: To dream that you are cooking, signifies your desire desire to influence others in such a way that they will like you or become dependent on you. Alternatively, it represents your nurturing side or wanting to be nurtured. You want to be loved.

Wedding: To see a wedding in your dream, symbolizes a new beginning or transition in your current life. Dreams involving weddings are generally negative and highlight some anxiety or fear. It often refers to feelings of bitterness, sorrow, or death. Alternatively, wedding dreams reflect your issues about commitment and independence.

Poison: To see poison in your dream, denotes that you need to get rid of something in your life that is causing you much sickness, distress, or negativity.

Potato: To see potatoes in your dream, symbolizes laziness and/or stupidity.

And now don't you wish I remembered the whole dream so I could tell you about it?

Anyway, had a long talk with the roommie at the gym yesterday about POI, after talking to POI on the phone on the way home. I am mostly VERY relaxed about the situation, I just go through periods of "WTF?" and they are followed by a good scolding of myself for being such a nimrod about it. (Can we bring back use of the word 'nimrod'? It's a good word.)

I think we're going shopping after gym-dinner-shower tonight. I need something appropriately skanky for our Saturday out, as I had to ditch my usual club skirt because SOMEONE *coughCleo*cough liked to use it as a scratching post. Yes. Quite.

Now that I have a faboo internet connection, I am re-discovering the illicit download. I really didn't want to buy the whole "Akon" CD...but "Bellydancer" is a really fun song. So now I have a new CD of various songs I've DLed...a few that I actually bought outright, and we shall see. My car CD player has been a little wonky lately with these CDs and I don't really know why. It's taken to just randomly ejecting them, or not playing them when I restart the car. I have to take the CD out and re-insert (giggle) it and scroll through to the song I want. It can be done, it's just annoying. And does not bode well for the whole "non-distracted driving" thing CT is pushing right now.

Off to get ready for work. It's Wednesday! We're half-way there. Yay!

My Give Up!

Through an attempt to be helpful, a male friend depressed me to no end last night, as he told me that POI probably just wasn't that into me and was being polite about the whole situation. I could be all feminist and modern and say "I don't need a man to validate me," but I sure would like the ones that seem like nice guys to:

1. Continue to be Nice guys and
2. Stick around

One's self-worth does not improve with this sort of situation. Of course, I haven't talked to POI in a while (probably a sure sign of imminent doom), so I can't confirm these suspicions. In true new-woman fashion, however, I did not eat or cry or shop to feel better--I went to sleep at 8:30 at night and didn't wake up until the alarm went off at 5:30. Actually feel quite awake, but still a bit depressed.

I can't go into too many details, but let me just say that I actually got reprimanded for doing my job yesterday. I snapped back with something about all the other people who SHOULD have done their jobs before me.

Cleo is sitting RIGHT next to the keyboard staring at me. I really have no idea what she wants. She's awfully cute though. And purring. So no matter what, my cat still loves me.

Guess I gotta ask the question to POI this week. Just so I know how to plan my long weekend. (Go Columbus, discovering a bunch of islands!)

Book Review (part whatever)

I just finished The Holmes-Dracula File by Fred Saberhagen. It's a weird book. Not bad, just weird. Half of it is told from Watson's point of view (like a Holmes' book should be) and the other is from the Count's. Some amusing quotes:

"Ah, Sal! If only, before Jem Matthews, there had come into your life some solid London workman, with love that could be blind to your marked face--but of course at seventeen she had had very little time for such a miracle."--Dracula, p. 156

"In stories, any number of imbeciles may be encountered, ready to deliberately insult strangers who are aiming deadly weapons at them. In real life, there are only a few folk so suicidally inclined."--Dracula, p. 217

"As a general rule, the vampire race (I still dislike the term, but there does not seem to be a better) gains members only by adoption, through initiation, rather like a hard-core political party or a religious order."--Dracula, p. 221

"Count Dracula, your life and mine are small things compared to what is now at stake."
"I looked at him closely. But no, he was still in too solemn a mood to perpetuate a pun consciously."--Holmes and Dracula, p. 225

Family Hijinks

Another Saturday night with my parents. Yes, my head does hurt, thank you so much for asking. I probably would've been okay, if my brother hadn't up and decided at 12:45 "Let's go to Ernie's and do Irish Car Bombs." Blink blink, blink blink blink. So off we went: brother, brother's girlfriend, cousin, myself...and my dad. That's right, folks, I went out drinking with my father. Does that make me a loser, or him really FREAKING COOL? You decide. The more I talk to the brother's gf, the more I like her. Our birthdays are only three days apart, which I just thought was neat.

Oh yeah, yesterday was the Ren Faire. OMG, LIEK SO MUCH PHUN! Uh, sorry. We had a total blast though. Unfortunate that POI couldn't go, but we managed to have a lovely time. I didn't buy anything, mostly because there was so MUCH of it, I couldn't decide what to purchase. I did get to tie up a very attractive man with my roommate's help, and the guys playing Arthur's knights....drool! I briefly grew a set of cojones so A. could have her picture taken with one that she found particularly lovely.

Sar and Kel, they played "wizard's chess!" Okay, so it was really just a live-action chessboard, but still...really cool. We met the forest god, Oisin, who was also quite hot, and listened as the players sang quasi lewd drinking songs. They were lewd if you were over, say, 13, but otherwise just catchy. Oh, and I got a ticket for "Annoyance of a Public Official, Excessive Jubilation (or other acts of Frivolity), Failure to stop at a stop sign, Lack of Fashion Sense, and Lunacy." I could have appealed it to the King (also hot), but we left before the closing ceremonies. We all got Seals of Valor from "St. George's Dragon Orphange," because we played with the baby dragons (aka anoli lizards). There were singing executioners...I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but suffice it to say, I would go back in a heartbeat...in costume!

Today will involve beating this hangover, doing some laundry, reading a book and watching football. I have to do some planning for my juniors, but other than that, it should be all good.

Pictures are forthcoming!