Thursday Thirteen: Random Morning Musings

Not awake for anything brilliant today. :) So I present the broken thought Thursday Thirteen.

- Over half of my mood icons on LJ aren't working right now. Weird. My webpage server must be having a hiccup.

- The lunar eclipse last night was very cool. Not the coolest one I've seen - that was in college when I saw a huge horizon eclipse loom over Boston from west campus (absolutely astounding, that one - one of those "Star Wars" moons), but cool regardless.

- WoW addiction has officially taken hold again. I'm not sure that's a good thing.

- On the other side, fanfiction addiction is slumping. I'm reading, of course. But not writing. *shrug* I'll get there.

- I miss cross-stitching. My pieces are screaming at me to get going again. That'll be one of the things I'll enjoy when Stitch, Bitch & Who dates kick back off again... whenever they actually wind up starting.

- My goal this weekend is to get all of the stupid little projects finished around the house. I have a lot of things that are half-done. That's my plan for Saturday.

- I learned the other day that my friends Frank & Teresa are expecting their first child. Very early on right now - only about 8 weeks. But they were hoping to become preganant, so it's very happy news. Only thing that makes me sad is they're moving to New York very soon as well (for the extended family support network), so I won't see them that often.

- I did the stupid thing of wearing a new white sweater on the day I'd planned to get Thai food for lunch. *sigh* That plan, needless to say, has been changed. I'd like to wear the sweater ONCE before getting it stained, at least.

- Why did I buy a white sweater, anyway? I should know better, with this boob-shelf.

- Covering reception all day tomorrow again, so I'll be having a fun day on LJ. I apologize in advance for posting spam. :)

- I think I'm developing a bit of a tolerance to my evening allergy meds. I've been waking up very sneezy lately. :( Although I am going to do a wash of the pillows this weekend in hopes that it helps a bit.

- Our cats are retarded. But this is not news.

- My coffee is broken. Need more.

Christmas Meme

Via friends on LiveJournal...


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or artificial? Real tree. I grew up with an artificial one, so now I'm a stickler for doing the whole tree lot tradition. :)

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the second weekend of December

4. When do you take the tree down? Anywhere between Epiphany and my birthday (a five day window)

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, the soy kind with nutmeg sprinkled on top.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? One year nearly everything I received for Christmas was on a Cabbage Patch theme - and I was in pure bliss because it was during the whole craze. I still have the dolls I received that year. :)

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Either of my parents - because they always tell me they don't want anything.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Erich, because he normally has a list that's easy to find.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't recall.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Sometime mid-December when I realize I'm now on a time crunch to get stuff mailed off.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? The huge Polish dinner spread at my grandparents' on Christmas Eve

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear (although I don't mind either... just no blinkies!)

17. Favorite Christmas song? Classical - Carol of the Bells
Modern - tossup between "Do They Know It's Christmas" and "The Closing of the Year"

18. Stay home or travel for Christmas? Stay home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We put a Santa on the top of ours. :)

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Pushy, pissy people who scream about the "War on Christmas."

Random questions meme

via Gentle Blessing, because I'm too sleepy to do too much else right now...

1. what's your name? Melissa

2. how old are you? 32, counting down to an eleventy.

3. where are you from? are you living there right now? Montana. No, I live on the other side of the country.

4. is it cold where you are? It's not quite freezing, but it's fairly damp and cold outside - it's one of those typical rainy November days in New England.

5. what's the time? 9:36 a.m.

6. what are you wearing? Red sweater, khakis, penny loafers

7. what was the last thing you listened to? "Hung Up" by Madonna on my iPod

8. what was the last thing you ate? Bagel Bites for dinner last night

9. what was the last thing you watched on tv? The Patriots-Eagles game last night

10. what's your favourite tv show and why? Doctor Who, because it has such an odd format on TV (and well, David Tennant...)

11. quick! find a book or something with text on it! flip to a random page and read some of it! go! The only book in front of me is the style guidelines for documents here at work... it's VERY unexciting. However, if I must... "Coverage colums - set at 80%, Limits Column, set at 20%"). See? Dull.

12. what was the last movie you saw? how was it? Gone Baby Gone. It was very good, and very thought-provoking. Ben Affleck should stay behind the camera, IMHO.

13. do you think you have an accent? talk about that. I know I do (we all do), but I don't have a distinct regional one. It's a blend of Montana western "flat" with the mix of eastern Pennsylvania from my parents mixed with the conversational rhythm of New England. I interchange slang phrases, and occasionally drop R's these days. It's very confusing - I tend to stumble over my own words quite a bit.

Thursday Thirteen #30: Personal Code

One of my friends on LiveJournal asked me for some rough religious differences between Paganism and Wicca yesterday, since she, like many people, don't really understand alternative religions. In the middle of that post, I included a nutshell list of my own religious and moral convictions.

As part of the new religious year, I feel it's appropriate as my Thursday Thirteen.

Thirteen Convictions of my Faith:

1) Belief in both Goddess and God, both as individual forms and as the universal life force that binds everything together.

2) Casual adherance to the Wiccan Rede ("An' it harm none, do what you will")

3) Strict adherance to the Law of Three (Anything you do, good or bad, will return three times as strong to you.)

4) The entire world is my ritual space. I create sacred space where and when I feel the need, rather than having a set space to worship.

5) A belief that the Divine and Nature are inseparable because the Divine gives energy to Nature. Under this belief is also the need for balance - cause and effect, positive and destructive, life and death. All are on an endless loop, constantly renewing themselves, then destroying themselves, and then renewal once more. The seasons of the year are the most visible example of this.

6) A requirement to rededicate myself every year, on the anniversary of my initial initation. (Lughnasadh, Aug. 2nd).

7) A belief that the soul rests after death, and then is reincarnated to learn the things missed in the last lifetime as well as exposure to new things

8) Marking the eight Sabbats through ritual (which I haven't been good at as of late). The names I use for them (there are several, depending on trad) and dates I celebrate them are: - Samhain (Oct. 31), Yule (Dec. 21), Imbolc (Feb. 2), Ostara (Mar. 21), Beltane (May 1), Midsummer (June 23), Lughnasadh (Aug. 2), Mabon (Sept. 23)

9) No importance placed on the 26 Esbats - while I admire the cycles of the moon for their beauty, I have never felt a pull to mark them religiously.

10) A belief that mundane means should always be used before magickal means to solve a problem. Spellwork is not part of my ritual, unless I really need to focus my energy on a problem. I use it only as a last resort.

11) A belief that humans can touch and join with the Divine, albeit temporarily, through different methods - meditation, Drawing Down the Moon, and consentual sex being among them

12) A rejection of the idea of sin, both original and ongoing. Sin is something that you will pay for after death unless you repent. I do not accept long-delayed consequences to actions and feel that "sin," as taught in Christianity, tends to be a "well, we really don't like that you do this... but we'll give you a loophole to feel better about yourself later through pennance" type action. Wrongdoing brings negative consequences (again, the Law of Three) here and now. We are all responsible for our actions toward others and toward the world.

13) Strong belief that faith is fiercely individual - my beliefs are only as valid as the respect I give to the right of others to have their own beliefs. This doesn't mean I have to agree with others' beliefs, or even respect what they believe in. But I do have to respect their rights to believe in something different than myself.



Comments are welcome on this Thursday Thirteen. You are welcome to disagree & discuss.

Happy Meme

I've been tagged by a few people, so yeah... jumping on the bandwagon...

Ten things which have made me happy recently...

1. Boston sports - it doesn't get any better than this. Red Sox? Patriots? Well, okay... Boston University could have a good year in hockey. But seriously, doesn't get much better. :)

2. Erich surprising me with absolute adoration yesterday for the marking of one month of marriage. He made coffee, had flowers sent to work, and made me dinner. All with the joke of "congrats - we've succeeded longer than 95% of celebrity marriages already!" Heh. :)

3. My mom finally went through with her hysterectomy surgery that's been overdue for 15+ years, and is recovering wonderfully. She's home, and only three days out, she was able to get up and down the stairs on her own, and isn't in much pain (just feels pressure from stitches). It's a relief to me, because she really needed to have this done when I was in high school.

4. Sisterhood - between silly, getting absolutely soaked in a downpour memories built while hosting a concert reception on Friday to seeing a potential new class of Tau Beta Sigma sisters come to the Tea on Sunday? Makes this old lady sister quite proud. :)

5. It's autumn, and the leaves are now officially in full color in our area of Rhode Island. They look amazing.

6. The completely unseasonable 80 degree, low-humidity, sunny weather we've had the last few days. Absolutely phenominal.

7. Getting a kick-ass first formal review at work. :) It's wonderful to be appreciated for doing my job.

8. Waking up yesterday morning curled around Noby. Usually Noby just tries to nibble my fingers in the morning because he wants to play, but when he's snuggly, Noby really is the coziest cat to doze with. He's a little love bug.

9. One week until Halloween! :)

10. I am about 75% done with one fanfic draft, and have a rough idea of the other fic that I'll be churning out this weekend. And then I'll be caught up!

Thursday Thirteen #29: Busy Day Off

Erich and I took today off to do various errands and appointments - and we got everything accomplished and still had some time to have fun. Since I honestly have nothing exciting to talk about, that's the topic for today's T13. :)



Thirteen Things I Got Accomplished on Wednesday



1. Met with our lawyer to draft our first married wills.

2. Bought copies of our marriage certificates at City Hall.

3. Legally changed my name at the Social Security office. I now have two middle names... whee!

4. Got the furnace inspected, oil filter changed, and all set to go for this winter.

5. Cleared 7 quests in World of Warcraft.

6. Did three loads of laundry.

7. Bought 3 pumpkins for Halloween Jack o'Lantern carving.

8. Found three farms with plants, veggies, and pies in South County.

9. Bought some of the aforementioned veggies and pies.

10. Explored Ocean Road in Narrangansett.

11. Ate dinner at a clam shack in Galilee, RI that's been in business since the 1930s. (mmmm... steamers)

12. Discovered where the Block Island Ferry leaves from (Galilee... next door to the clam shack).

13. Had a very nice, relaxing shower to finish my day.




Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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Thursday Thirteen #28: Invading Britain

Since I’m now officially a year away from the Great British Expedition of '08, I’m doing this week’s Thursday Thirteen on things I’d really like to do while I’m across the pond. I know we can’t do them all due to the distance between places. But that’s why there are additional trips in the future, right? :)

1) See Hamlet and Loves Labour Lost at the Royal Shakespeare Company. This is checked off the list. Tickets are bought and have arrived at our house, all shiny and glowing. :)

2) Go to Cardiff and take the obligatory geek shots in front of the water tower, the Millennium Centre overhang, the Torchwood door on the dock, and wherever else my geeky heart needs to do for Doctor Who and Torchwood-itis.

3) Ride the Tube. I have a weird fascination with subways and how I just sink into the crowd and into the population when I’m on a train. It’s stupid, I know – but it gives my heart a fun little flutter.

4) Do the Tower of London tour. I know… tourist-ey to hell, but SOME things just need to be done.

5) Go tour a castle outside of London. We’ll probably go to Warwick Castle, since we’ll be in Stratford-upon-Avon anyway.

6) Have a pint at a pub… and some proper British chips, too.

7) Take Erich up to Crouch End so he can do his fanboy enjoyment of Shaun of the Dead. (Shh... I promise not to be doing any Tennant scoping while we're here. Promise. Well... okay, a little).

8) Go up to Scotland – I’d love to do a tour of the hidden city in Edinburgh if it exists (the underground city that survived for decades). But honestly, I’ll just happily take going to Scotland, getting rained on… because it’s Scotland… and taking in some of the scenery.

9) Go around the Magical Roundabout.

10) Lose myself in something I would have never thought about before getting to Britain.

11) Meet one of the many Brits I’ve been in contact with via penpalling or the internet over the years. That may be for the obligatory pint in #6.

12) Meet the McNulty family that became so close to my grandfather during WWII when he was stationed there. My dad’s side of the family has essentially become extended family. This requires said trip to Scotland (and as such may be for another trip).

13) Take so many pictures and develop so many memories I’ll wear out both my camera and fill a journal of adventures!

Via Thursday Thirteen.


So... any Brits or those who have visited Great Britain - what would you recommend I do? Have any advice?

Answers to the Thursday Thirteen... :)

Still home sick today - my cough has escalated a bit, so I'm REALLY not moving much today.

Thankfully, SciFi is doing a Series One Doctor Who marathon until two. So that'll keep me occupied. Good thing - I can't go near my supermarket because right next door they're doing American Idol tryouts.

No. Really.

*sigh*

My little treat to myself (and my 'puter) came yesterday... I haven't hooked it up yet, but I seriously can't wait. And yes, it's complete, utterly dorky. But practical - my iPod won't be plugged into my 'puter via a cord near the floor anymore where the cats will think it's a dangle toy. It can safely sit on my desk.

I am a geek. A seriously sad geek.

But it lights up and makes sound and everything!!! :)



*ahem*

Anyway, here are the answers to the Thursday Thirteen. Laughing Muse? I'm very impressed. :)

1) Contact
2) Princess Bride
3) Young Frankenstein
4) Firefly/Serenity
5) Star Wars
6) Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade
7) Field of Dreams
8) Casanova
9) A Christmas Story
10) Pirates of the Carribean: Curse of the Black Pearl
11) The Goonies
12) Ghostbusters
13) Logan’s Run

:)
- Mel.

Thursday Thirteen #27: Movie Quotes

If I don't do these lists on Wednesday night, I always forget.

For this week's Thursday Thirteen, I'll be listing thirteen quotations from some of my favorite movies. No two quotes are from the same movie.

Can you guess them? :)


1) "Dad, do you think there's people on other planets?" "I don't know, Sparks. But I guess I'd say if it is just us... seems like an awful waste of space."

2) "What? Probably some local fisherman, out for a pleasure cruise, at night... in... eel-infested waters... "

3) "Put... ze candle... *back*! "

4) "I'll be in my bunk."

5) "Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?"

6) "The hell you will. He's got a two day head start on you, which is more than he needs. Brody's got friends in every town and village from here to the Sudan, he speaks a dozen languages, knows every local custom, he'll blend in, disappear, you'll never see him again. With any luck, he's got the grail already."

7) "You know we just don't recognize the most significant moments of our lives while they're happening. Back then I thought, well, there'll be other days. I didn't realize that that was the only day. "

8) "You don't have to go into detail. I'd appreciate it if you kept it clean." "That leaves about three pages."

9) "I have since heard of people under extreme duress speaking in strange tongues. I became conscious that a steady torrent of obscenities and swearing of all kinds was pouring out of me as I screamed."

10) "But why is the rum gone?"

11) "Everything. OK! I'll talk! In third grade, I cheated on my history exam. In fourth grade, I stole my uncle Max's toupee and I glued it on my face when I was Moses in my Hebrew School play. In fifth grade, I knocked my sister Edie down the stairs and I blamed it on the dog... When my mom sent me to the summer camp for fat kids and then they served lunch I got nuts and I pigged out and they kicked me out... But the worst thing I ever done - I mixed a pot of fake puke at home and then I went to this movie theater, hid the puke in my jacket, climbed up to the balcony and then, t-t-then, I made a noise like this: hua-hua-hua-huaaaaaaa - and then I dumped it over the side, all over the people in the audience. And then, this was horrible, all the people started getting sick and throwing up all over each other. I never felt so bad in my entire life."

12) "Ray. If someone asks if you are a god, you say, "yes!" "

13) "There... is... no... sanctuary. "

Thursday Thirteen #26: Non-related musings

My brain has officially gone into wedding mush autopilot, so I don't really have anything witty for this week's Thursday Thirteen. But I can come up with 13 random thoughts for the week.

Measi's Brain-Fried Thursday Thirteen

1. My wedding invites are all addressed, save the four that my mom finally just emailed me fifteen minutes ago. That means I can get them addressed and out the door this weekend. Big, big check mark off the wedding "to do" list.

2. If you live in the U.S., love science fiction, and aren't watching the new series of Doctor Who that started last week - turn on the television on Friday night. Seriously. Having seen the entire series, it's fantastic. It's not the goofy sets of the 70s on PBS you may remember, as good as Tom Baker was. The last six episodes of this series are not to be missed, in my opinion. Blink, in particular, scheduled to air on September 7th, is not to be missed TV for any lover of really good, creepy TV shows, sci-fi or not.

3. Next shows on my Brit TV list - I've just started watchng Life on Mars. Brilliant writing, great acting. I garnished stares on the commuter train this morning as I broke out laughing at episode 2. I'm also starting Our Friends in the North, as a continuation of shows starring actors from Doctor Who. I've heard it's an amazing series.

4. I've now lost a total of 20 pounds due to wedding stress. Which I'm really not happy about, because I tend to double-gain back once I'm out of stress.

5. There is a distinct weather line ringing Boston at Route 128/I-95 this week. Outside of 128, it's hot and humid. But inside the ring, it's been in the low 70's, and foggy until today. It's throwing me off on my commute - hot when I leave in the morning, cold when I arrive at work.

6. I'm tired of hearing people chew loudly at their desks at work. The sound of people chewing (presumably with their mouths open) makes my stomach turn.

7. My World of Warcraft guild, the Burrito Bandits, has a new tabard - looking like a lobster bib. (a photo is over on my Flickr page). Our guild leader is insane... in a good way.

8. Speaking of burritos... I think a buffalo chicken one from Boloco is calling my name for lunch today.

9. I bought my first Moleskine notebook over the weekend for doodling and scribbling random thoughts. Because I need more notebooks.

10. I'm tired of my work wardrobe. It's bleh and boring and getting sloppy. But I hate the plus-sized clothes for summer, and can't justify a spending spree. Until after the wedding, I'm just going to endure it.

11. New official count on Hoodsie's toes - 7 on each front paw, 6 on one back paw, 7 on the other back paw. Boy's got a lotta extra claws. And my legs have paid the price as he play-pounces.

12. Holy shit I'm getting married in 9 weeks.

13. I really, truly need about a month-long vacation.

AFI's Top 100 Movies

So... out of AFI's top 100 movies of all time, the ones in bold are the ones I've seen...

1. "Citizen Kane," 1941.
2. "The Godfather," 1972.
3. "Casablanca," 1942.
4. "Raging Bull," 1980.
5. "Singin' in the Rain," 1952.
6. "Gone With the Wind," 1939.
7. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962.
8. "Schindler's List," 1993.
9. "Vertigo," 1958.
10. "The Wizard of Oz," 1939.
11. "City Lights," 1931.
12. "The Searchers," 1956.
13. "Star Wars," 1977.
14. "Psycho," 1960.
15. "2001: A Space Odyssey," 1968.
16. "Sunset Blvd.", 1950.
17. "The Graduate," 1967.
18. "The General," 1927.
19. "On the Waterfront," 1954.
20. "It's a Wonderful Life," 1946.
21. "Chinatown," 1974.
22. "Some Like It Hot," 1959.
23. "The Grapes of Wrath," 1940.
24. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982.
25. "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962.
26. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," 1939.
27. "High Noon," 1952.
28. "All About Eve," 1950.
29. "Double Indemnity," 1944.
30. "Apocalypse Now," 1979.
31. "The Maltese Falcon," 1941.
32. "The Godfather Part II," 1974.
33. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," 1975.
34. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937.
35. "Annie Hall," 1977.
36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957.
37. "The Best Years of Our Lives," 1946.
38. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," 1948.
39. "Dr. Strangelove," 1964.
40. "The Sound of Music," 1965.
41. "King Kong," 1933.
42. "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967.
43. "Midnight Cowboy," 1969.
44. "The Philadelphia Story," 1940.
45. "Shane," 1953.
46. "It Happened One Night," 1934.
47. "A Streetcar Named Desire," 1951.
48. "Rear Window," 1954.
49. "Intolerance," 1916.
50. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001.
51. "West Side Story," 1961.
52. "Taxi Driver," 1976.
53. "The Deer Hunter," 1978.
54. "M-A-S-H," 1970.
55. "North by Northwest," 1959.
56. "Jaws," 1975.
57. "Rocky," 1976.
58. "The Gold Rush," 1925.
59. "Nashville," 1975.
60. "Duck Soup," 1933.
61. "Sullivan's Travels," 1941.
62. "American Graffiti," 1973.
63. "Cabaret," 1972.
64. "Network," 1976.
65. "The African Queen," 1951.
66. "Raiders of the Lost Ark," 1981.
67. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", 1966.
68. "Unforgiven," 1992.
69. "Tootsie," 1982.
70. "A Clockwork Orange," 1971.
71. "Saving Private Ryan," 1998.
72. "The Shawshank Redemption," 1994.
73. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1969.
74. "The Silence of the Lambs," 1991.
75. "In the Heat of the Night," 1967.
76. "Forrest Gump," 1994.
77. "All the President's Men," 1976.
78. "Modern Times," 1936.
79. "The Wild Bunch," 1969.
80. "The Apartment, 1960.
81. "Spartacus," 1960.
82. "Sunrise," 1927.
83. "Titanic," 1997.
84. "Easy Rider," 1969.
85. "A Night at the Opera," 1935.
86. "Platoon," 1986.
87. "12 Angry Men," 1957.
88. "Bringing Up Baby," 1938.
89. "The Sixth Sense," 1999.
90. "Swing Time," 1936.
91. "Sophie's Choice," 1982.
92. "Goodfellas," 1990.
93. "The French Connection," 1971.
94. "Pulp Fiction," 1994.
95. "The Last Picture Show," 1971.
96. "Do the Right Thing," 1989.
97. "Blade Runner," 1982.
98. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," 1942.
99. "Toy Story," 1995.
100. "Ben-Hur," 1959.

Thursday Thirteen #25 - Being Productive

It's been a very busy week. I'm so ready for the weekend so I can catch up on some sleep.

For this week's Thursday Thirteen, my list of accomplishments for the week (both good and bad). Most of them are wedding-related.

1) I found a wedding photographer! We've chatted briefly through email, and will hopefully talk over the phone within the next couple days... both of us are just having those "gah, can't talk now" weeks. But yes... photographer is now getting setled.

2) All of my bridesmaids have been contacted and have info to go dress shopping and such.

3) Erich and I picked out our invitations. We still need to decide on the wording - but they'll be ordered this week.

4) I had a LONG talk with my mom about the emotional b.s. that erupted two weeks ago. I still don't feel that she gets my point of view at all, but supposedly she's put out the fires down there. To a point. We'll see. BUT, at least two things were settled, in my opinion-

4a) Erich and I are handling the Unrehearsal Dinner, so she can stop obsessing over it (we're having a BBQ at our house... housewarming for the relatives & relaxed afternoon in one).
4b) My relatives are accepting, in their own levels of acceptance, that we are not catering to their whims with our wedding vows. They can accept a Justice of the Peace ceremony, or they won't. The alternative is for us to NOT compromise out of respect for their religion, and go back to a handfasting. But that's what it is. Full stop.

5) I made my first dress fitting appointment.

6) I contacted vendors for my hair/spa day, flowers, and cakes. All still unresolved but in the works.

And for the non-wedding ones...

7) I wrote 1,500 words on my fanfic for a challenge due July 1st. The minimum wordcount is 1,000 words. That was never a problem. I'm probably about 1/2 done with the first draft. I hope to have it done within the next three days, give it a once-over myself for editing/reworking, and then send it to my beta editors.

8) I figured out what the weird triffyd plant is in our yard that has grown about 15 feet in two years (no. Really. - 2005 - 2006) It's called a Northern Catalpa. I finally was able to figure out what it was once it started flowering this week. Between the flowers and the leaves as big as a human head, I was able to narrow it down pretty quickly yesterday.

9) I've somehow managed to lose 10 pounds, entirely through stress and non-eating over the wedding. It's just enough to make my pants feel like they're going to fall down.

10) I covered an entire day at front reception at work without needing a single cup of coffee.

11) I stupidly got in the middle of a cats-figuring-out-the-pecking-order fight last night between Colley and Hoodsie, and managed to land a pretty nasty set of scratch/bruise marks when Hoodsie latched onto my leg in defensiveness. It looks nasty, but doesn't hurt.

12) I bought a new battery for my iBook, so I can start writing during my commutes.

13) I levelled my character in World of Warcraft.

Productive week. Very productive week.

- Mel.

My visual DNA

My workmate sent me a meme that I thought was kinda fun... thought I'd share. :)

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Thursday Thirteen #24 - Yard Stuff

This year, Erich and I have been focusing a bit on the condition of our property. The former owners, due to age and other priorities, didn't do a lot with the yard. Bushes are overgrown, trees need to be hacked back a bit, the grass needs some TLC.

For this Thursday Thirteen, here are plants that I hope to eventually have in our yard, to make things all pretty:

1) Two Japanese Maples - one red leaf, one green leaf, preferably with different textured leaves. They're so delicate and add such a lovely texture to yards, and I love looking up through the leaves of Japanese Maples toward the sky.

2) Magnolia/Tulip Tree - I've heard these called by either name. I'm not sure which is technically correct. But they are absolutely gorgeous when they bloom - almost unreal. Here's a fantastic example: here. I was first introduced to these when I moved to Boston - they line Commonwealth Avenue, and are my favorite part of spring.

3) Wisteria - we have a couple of spots where we could put a lattice arch, and I'd love to train wisteria to coil up and around it. It's such a lovely old-style plant, and when it blooms the scent is fantastic. Dream example link: here.

4) Bleeding Hearts - I grew up with a couple of these beauties in our back yard. One was pure white, the other pink and white. I'd prefer the latter. But I have a great front bed that needs some medium sized, low-maintenance plants. Example: here

5) Oakleaf Hydrangea - I already have two Nikko Blue hydrangeas in my yard (which bloom a lilac color due to my soil acidity). But depending on what we do about the ugly maples along the side of our property that need to be removed... we'll either replace with some trees, or I'd like to plant some of these. They get huge, would provide some great privacy, and look striking even after the flowers fade. I don't think these come in anything but white. Or at least, I've never seen anything but white: Example: here.

6) Flowering Cherry Tree - Another tree I was introduced to when I moved to New England. I particularly like the "Kwanza" style, which has huge mops of flowers hanging below the tree branch. When they're in full bloom, the tree just looks like it's overloaded with flowers. Example: here

7) Azaleas - I lean toward the pink, since it seems most people in my area have the purple ones. But I think an azalea bush would be a nice addition to the front bed that needs planting, too. It would look great against the white clapboards.

8) Daylilies - that aren't the wild tiger-striped ones I currently have taking over my yard. And I'd like some that actually... flower... from time to time. I know there are tons of styles. I'd pick colors and such depending on what else I have flowering over the summer.

9) Traditional spring early bulbs - crocus, daffodils, tulips... I don't have any in my yard. Something to signify the beginning of spring may need to go into the yard. I may even naturalize them into the lawn itself. I've seen a lot of people do that, and it looks great. By the time the lawn needs to be mowed, those flowers (well... maybe not the tulips) are basically done flowering. So you just mow the leftovers, and they come back the next year.

10) Ferns - Again, this depends on what we do with the trees that need to be removed. But if we plant new trees, I'll add ferns under them for groundcover (and to help keep the soil even more damp). We have a small hill by the treeline that the grass doesn't grow on. Ferns will cover up the weird tree root paths and just soften it.

11) Impatiens (yearly) - Lots of little shady nooks in our yard. Impatiens would just look fantastic making the shadows pop with color

12) Raspberries - Erich and I both grew up with raspberry bushes in our backyards. There's nothing quite like just roaming into the yard, plucking berries off of sun-warmed vines, and popping them. And yes, I know you need to watch raspberry bushes like a hawk because they spread like crazy. But I know the perfect spot for them. :)

13) Blueberries - I'd argue that this is probably Erich's favorite food, aside from Swedish meatballs. They never seem to last when you buy them at the store. Having them available for raspberry-like popping would be a great alternative for me. :)

Now of course, this isn't everything that I'd love to have in my yard. Two of my favorites, lilacs and forsythia, aren't included because I already have strong plants in my yard that bloom wonderfully (and are already large and well-established).

Thursday Thirteen #23 - Movies

Tomorrow night, the Mendon Drive-In opens for the season. We won't be going this week (as it's too friggin cold), but both Erich and I are excited about the new season. There are lots of good movies to see under the stars this season. :)

So this week's T13 will be the movies I want to see this year.

I also have a favor to ask the T13'ers out there-- next week, I'd like to do a T13 of random questions... so pose one to me! Can I get 13 questions to make next week's meme a bit more interesting? Anything at all... ask me. :)

Thirteen Movies I want to see in 2007 1. 28 Weeks Later - I'm sure I'll spend half of the movie hiding my head as I did with the original, but I do like getting scared. And I know it's a movie Erich really wants to see, too. 2. Spider-Man 3 - I didn't enjoy Spidy 2 as much as the first one... but I'm a sucker for sequels. 3. Shrek the Third - ditto on comments for Spidey. But really... it's all about Puss 'n Boots. :) 4. Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End - Saw the first trailer for this on Tuesday night with Grindhouse, and I'm a bit worried about it honestly. I think that it was smart to open this earlier in the season, particularly with the behemoth in July. 5. Ratatouille - it's a Pixar film. And so far, I've enjoyed everything they've done. So yeah... bring on the beautiful animated work. :) 6. Transformers - I confess... I didn't like them as a kid. Why? Because I was a girl. Oh, and my brother liked them. Which means I couldn't. But now I can because it's part of my childhood (and my brother's over 2,000 miles away) 7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - if we want to see this at the drive-in, I imagine we're going on a Tuesday night. Otherwise, we won't be able to get a car spot until late August (if Pirates last year was any indication...) 8. 1408 I love John Cusack. I admit I probably won't be able to stomach this one... but it looks so creepy... 9. Hairspray I really don't know why. I honestly don't. It's probably the idea of John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer (where the HELL has she been?!?) and Christopher Walken in a musical together... 10. The Borune Ultimatum Matt Damon. Yum. 11. Resident Evil: Extinction Won't be seeing this for a couple of weeks post-release... but we'll see it. 12. The Dark is Rising I loved reading this as a child. It's listed for a 2007 release... but I'm not sure that's actually going to happen. It would be a very fast turn-around, considering it's filming right now. 13. eh... I can't think of a 13th... *blush* Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen #22 - Books

Erich and I are both huge bookworms-- our house is stacked with them. Here's a list of 13 I have on my must-read list (sometime hopefully in the near future), in no particular order...

Thirteen Books on My List to Read 1. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War - by Max Brooks 2. Suite Française - Irene Nemirovsky 3. Labryinth - Kate Mosse 4. Harry Potter 7 :) 5. The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards 6. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho 7. Smilla's Sense of Snow - Peter Høeg 8. The entire Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (series) - Douglas Adams 9. The Story of O – Pauline Réage 10. Animal Farm – George Orwell 11. A Passage to India – E.M. Forster 12. The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver 13. The Satanic Verses – Salman Rushdie Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen: TV Show Addictions

The new series of Doctor Who is starting this weekend over in the U.K., and I've been jealously drooling over all of the little snippets of promotion that I can find between fandom sites.

The full trailer posted today on YouTube just made my little geek!girl heart go aflutter.

Damn being in the U.S. *sigh*

In any case, in celebration of my geekitude, here's my list of must-not-miss TV shows (both new and old), both geek-related and not.

Thirteen Much Loved TV Shows 1. X-Files: I started watching the X-Files during its 2nd season (but quickly caught up on all of the back episodes through the alt.tv.x-files group and lots of VHS tape trading). My father introduced me to the show while I was home on Christmas break. If I recall, the first episodes I saw were Scully's abduction episodes (which equalled instant addition... seriously... so good). I watched the series religiously all the way to the end of the run. Friends knew that they were not to call me during that hour. For the series finale, I even disconnected my phone to keep from being interrupted. :) I was so heavily into the show that I actually overloaded myself-- but lately I've been wanting to start watching some of my favorite episodes again. I have to wonder how my VHS tapes (all... god, 100+ of them? 2 eps per tape, 24 or 25 eps per season, 9 seasons)have survived. 2. Star Trek: The Next Generation: My first real geek fandom. This came onto the TV the year my parents separated, and it honestly was my weekly escape from all of the family drama that was unfolding. I never really connected with the original series. I enjoyed DS9, but it wound up conflicting with my class schedule in college (so I fell out of watching it). I never was interested in Voyager or Enterprise, either. I'm a TNG Trekker. And still watch it occasionally on G4 now that they've cleaned up some of the episodes. But oh, how poorly they've aged... :) 3. Doctor Who: One of the two current addictions, and definitely the more "she's crazy" addiction. Erich has watched the new series since it first aired in the States last summer. I casually watched it with him on occasion, but didn't get hooked until I saw the last episode (Doomsday) of the second season shortly before this past Christmas. And, both to my glee and annoyance, it was a full onset of geekdom addiction that I hadn't experienced since the X-Files went off the air (I guess I was in need of something to preoccupy my time). It's not that I didn't know about Who before the new series, either-- it's been around since 1963. Even during its hiatus during the 1990s, I remember seeing Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann in all of the sci-fi fandom mags that I'd pick up (for TNG and XF info). And during my childhood, I recall seeing a few of the original series episodes on PBS. I'll partially blame the addiction on David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston, though. *swoon* But now I'm trying to find and catch up on any of the original series episodes that I can for backstory... I'm currently working through the batch of 1970's Who on my iPod. And I'm really excited for the next season - which starts Saturday in the U.K., but won't be on here until the summer. Arrrrgh! 4. Heroes: The other current addiction. I'm amazed at how well this show is written and produced. I love how all of the character storylines intersect and are interwoven. There are a few storylines that bore me a bit, but that happens with any show. Having Christopher Eccleston show up here was wonderful (and brought the quality up another notch, I think). It's arguably the best show on network TV right now- and allows the masses to enjoy geekdom comfortably. 5. Firefly: This is mostly Erich's addiction, but I've enjoyed the ride along with him. Great writing, interesting characters -- but sadly it was broadcast on FOX, which means it (like so many shows that don't have "when ____ attack" in the title) was doomed to be axed before its time. It didn't help that it was broadcast completely out of order, either, nor that it was a pretty specific tuned-to-geekdom show. FOX screwed up. Somehow a movie (Serenity) was made through outcry of the fans, and it spurred a mini cult phenomenon. 6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: I was among the many who gaped when they saw that a TV show of that god-awful movie from the early 90s was being made. I mean, seriously-- WHY?!? But then one of my friends commented that it was surprisingly really good. And then another one did. And I, being the X-Phile extraordinare, laughed at them. And then they sat me down and forced me to watch it. And yeah... okay. It was very good. Completely cheesy at times. But very, very good. And I'm enjoying the 8th season, being "broadcast" through comics. :) 7. Red Dwarf: I watched this starting in junior high with my boyfriend at the time. It was on PBS pretty late at night, if I recall, as part of a British TV block (which also featured the Young Ones and Doctor Who). It was very silly, but between the geekiness, the jokes, and it being British (which was so underground in Montana), it became a little cult following. And Erich's a Red Dwarf fan as well... so I've now caught up on any episode I missed through his collection. :) 8. The Cosby Show: Did anyone who grew up in the 80s not watch this? It was one of the few shows my family watched together. We laughed with the Huxtables. We talked about some of the topics that came up that actually were good topics to think about. And I found a little thrill in watching the TV kids who grew up with a dad who was an OB/GYN... because I could relate very closely to that. On the occasions since my childhood thatI've heard Ray Charles' "Night Time Is the Right Time," it immediately makes me think of the family lip-sync serenade. :) 9. Moonlighting: This was our mother-daughter bonding show. My mom and I watched it together every week. Would David and Maddie finally get together? How many fights can one couple have- that made anyone watching them just laugh. Alas, when they did finally get together, that spark that made the show so much fun to watch seemed to wane off. *sigh* 10. Law & Order: While probably not a die-hard addiction (and I actually don't watch the current run), I love watching the reruns of this show. And I have absolutely no idea why-- it must just be the thrill of a crime mystery. I can't get into Criminal Intent, but I also enjoy Special Victims Unit reruns. 11. Project Runway: I'm not into fashion. I definitely don't have a body type that fashion designers embrace in any way, shape or form. Yet somehow, I'm just addicted to this show every year. I think it's simply watching how creativity works in other people- dealing with time constraints, coming up with ideas, and watching people dive into the profession they love. And Tim Gunn is love, of course. This is, by the way, the only competitive Reality TV show I watch. 12. The Mole: Celebrity Edition: Erich and I watched this religiously while it was on. I think it was mostly to watch Corbin Bensen and Stephen Baldwin act like idiots. But it was very funny. And oddly engrossing. Erich was far better than me at figuring out who was the Mole, though. 13. MXC: Another Erich & Mel TV show time. It's waned a bit lately, but we used to watch the what... four hours of it on Thursday nights on Spike? Japanese competitive TV is insane. Who comes up with this stuff? It's painful to watch and utterly stupid-- but it just keeps. pulling. you. in. Next stop: Ninja Warrior (which is insane, too). Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen: Kicking Procrastination

It's spring, which means I'm in the mood to get some stuff done around the house to make myself - at least temporarily - feel like I'm more in control of my life than I actually am.

So over the next month, I have thirteen things that I want to get done-- and can accomplish easily (as long as I don't procrastinate too long).

They make up this week's Thursday Thirteen... a day late.

Thirteen Things on my Spring To-Do List 1. Finish all straggling laundry and put it all away where it's supposed to go. 2. Complete three chapters of my fanfic story (all outlined & drafted... just needs a bit of fleshing out and edits). 3. Complete my Floral RR piece (this weekend). 4. Complete my UFO RR piece (by April 9th). 5. Book DJ for wedding. 6. Contact all people we want to be in our wedding party. 7. File taxes 8. Reclaim kitchen cabinets from their disaster look and get everything put away. 9. Get Colley groomed. 10. Make appointment for bra fitting for wedding dress. 11. Organize office. 12. Go through clothes - donate & toss out what needs to leave 13. Back-up webpages & computer files. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Stitching Blog Questions - Catchup

Why yes... I *am* still stitching these days. 100% of it has been on round robin pieces. My own projects haven't been touched since October or so. I'm really not happy about that, but I made committments to these RRs, and until they're finished in the next couple of months... I'll just have to deal.

Anyway, I haven't answered SBQ's since early December, so it's time to catch up. :)

12/14/06 - Do you have any good internet links to tutorials for your favorite finishing techniques that you would like to share?

I rely on asking folks on the various stitching message boards about their experiences and recommendations. Those "in the know" tend to be better at expanding on explanations on how to do things, including those little tricky points that you're better off knowing before you start (that tutorials sometimes forget to mention).

1/10/07 - Do you dream of running your own LNS/ONS? If so, tell us about your dream. If not, tell us about your cross stitch dream… maybe you dream of designing, dyeing your own floss or fabric, etc.

Note for non-stitchers... LNS = Local Needlework Shop. ONS = Online Needlework Shop

I've had the fleeting dream of owning my own stitching shop. But I'd make a horrible store owner/manager, so reality squashes that idea very quickly in my mind.

I do have some ideas for creating patterns... and I think I could be very good at that, actually. It's simply a time issue. I don't have it, and if I were to create a pattern, I'd like it to be good.

1/17/07 - Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that talks about it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?

As of this past Sunday... yes! For the Floral RR, I completed my flower. It's a portion of a lovely cat-with-flower pattern, and was fun to stitch. I've taken a picture of it... should have it up this weekend.

I can't make an estimate for a finish in my own pieces yet, sadly. Everything's contingent on wedding planning.

1/24/07 - What company produces your favorite hand-dyed fabric? Are there any companies whose hand-dyed fabric you do not like? If so, why?

Silkweaver so far is my favorite. I was on their fabric of the month list for a while... and will join up again after the wedding. I love the variety.

I've also received fabrics from a company called Dyed-4-U that had a montly fabric pull for a while. I think they've gone on-hold or out of business, though. I liked their fabrics, but they didn't have quite the range that Silkweaver did for colors.

I've yet to buy from Sugar Maple Fabrics. Again-- will do once I get past the wedding and can justify expenses. :)

I haven't found a company I don't like, though.

2/7/07 - Have you ever been to a stitching retreat?

No, but I really want to! The Hershey retreat is the closest to me that I know of, and is probably the most likely candidate for me to attend.

2/14/07 - Do you like to buy "chartpacks" that include charms, buttons, and/or beads or do you prefer to gather all materials yourself?

If it's a pattern that comes with weirdly shaped buttons or charms, I do prefer chart packs. One of my local LNS's, Hoops and Needles does great little chart packs with the pattern and buttons. Things that only need basic beads (Mill Hill, for example), I really could care less either way. I'd buy it for the convenience, I suppose. When it comes to charts vs. kits with fabric & threads, though, I'd prefer to buy on my own so I can make sure I get the better quality fabric & thread.

2/21/07 - What is the smallest count fabric you have ever used? Did you stitch over one? Conversely, what is the largest count fabric you have ever used?

The smallest count fabric is one of my current projects-- I'm stitching on 32 count. It does have some over-one (which is why I asked for, and received, an Ott Crafting light w/magnifier for Christmas). I have a couple pieces of 36 count fabric in my stash, but I don't have projects lined up for them yet.

The largest count I can recall using is 14 count. I don't think I've ever done anything on anything bigger. I learned on 14 count Aida when I was 10, so *shrug*.

for my non-stitching readers... fabric count = stitching squares per inch. 32 count fabric = 32 squares per inch. "Larger" counts are actually smaller numbers because each individual square is larger. Also-- a stitch on 14 count fabric is nearly identical to a stitch on 28 count fabric. On 14 count, you stitch within one square. On 28, you stitch over two.

Thursday Thirteen: Making the Most of a Long Weekend

I'm psyched about having a three-day weekend. Unlike a lot of folks, I didn't have MLK day off, so it's the first long one of the year... and I definitely want to make the most of it, both with fun and catching up on things.

So here's my plan for the weekend. Whether or not I get to it all remains to be seen, of course.

Thirteen Things I Want To Do President's Day Weekend 1. Going out for Michelle's birthday on Saturday night-- Indian food followed by drinking. Rock. 2. Go out for Valentine's Day, as weather and schedules destroyed last night. 3. Catch up on all laundry. 4. Write two chapters in my ongoing fanfic. 5. Update my mailing list for wedding invites. Start addressing envelopes if the invites show up. 6. Complete my stitching for the flower RR piece and get it mailed. 7. Work on the UFO RR stitching piece to make sure it's out on time by the 26th. 8. Finish watching the 1st season of Torchwood. 9. Update my wedding webpage. 10. Clean up our bedroom 11. Catch up on sleep 12. Catch up on petting cats 13. Give myself a good dose of Reiki, as I'm feeling rather drained this week. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Song answers

I drafted this on Sunday, but forgot to post... whoops.

Answers to this week's Thursday Thirteen...

1) Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs
Soundtrack: Wedding Singer (isn't just about everything from the '80s in this movie soundtrack, though? *grin*)

2) Ask the Lonely - Journey
Soundtrack: Two of a Kind (guilty pleasure movie with Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta.. complete and utter flop and a stupid movie, but a decent soundtrack).

3) Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac
(I don't think this is in a movie... but it could be... somewhere)

4) Turning Japanese - The Vapors

5) In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
Soundtrack: Say Anything (a movie I have never seen, oddly)

6) When the Going Gets Tough... - Billy Ocean
Soundtrack: Romancing the Stone or its sequel, I can't remember. I have no idea why I even have this song on my iPod because I don't really like it all that much...

7) Final Countdown - Europe

8) The Promise - When in Rome
Soundtrack: Apparently in Napoleon Dynamite, which I really have no desire to see...

9) Jack & Diane - John (then Cougar) Mellancamp

10) Fireworks -Siouxsie and the Banshees

11) I Feel For You - Chaka Khan

12) When Doves Cry - Prince
Soundtrack: The same as all of the other Prince songs that are in a soundtrack. ;P Will he play it this Sunday on stage?

13) Makign Love out of Nothing at All - Air Supply
I'm such a Russell Hitchcock sap. I really am. Have been since I was 11.

Thursday Thirteen: iPodding, redux

It's time to play iPod shuffle again. :) All of these songs are from the 1980s. Extra points to those who know both song and artist. (you'll get a virtual cookie). And even more points if you know a movie that the song was in (not all are from movies, however).

Answers will be posted Sunday.

Thirteen Songs from my iPod 1. They'd dearly make us pay / For laughing in their faces / And making it our way 2. You've got some fascination / With you high expectations / This love is your obsession / Your heart, your past possession 3. Something's happening / Happening to me / My friends say I'm acting peculiarly 4. I've got your picture, I've got your picture / I'd like a million of them all round my cell / I want the doctor to take a picture / So I can look at you from inside as well 5. I get so tired of working so hard for our survival / I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive 6. I'm gonna get myself 'cross the river / That's the price I'm willing to pay / I'm gonna make you stand and deliver / And give me love in the old-fashion way 7. With so many light years to go and things to be found / I'm sure that well all miss her so. 8. When your day is through / and so is your temper / You know what to do / I'm gonna always be there. 9. Gonna let it rock / Let it roll / Let the Bible belt come down / And save my soul 10. The body is wrapped is shadow / The face is built of cinders / And painc tears through your silhouette / As you're squeezed by burning fingers 11. I wouldn't lie to you, baby / It's mainly a physical thing / This feeling that I got for you, baby / Makes me wanna sing 12. Dream if you can a courtyard / An ocean of violets in bloom 13. And I know the night is fading / And I know that times gonna fly / And I'm never gonna tell you everything I've got to tell you / But I know I've got to give it a try. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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The birthday bandwagon

Found via Mary...

Your Birthdate: January 11

Spiritual and thoughtful, you tend to take a step back from the world. You're very sensitive to what's going on around you, yet you remain calm. Although you are brilliant, it may take you a while to find your niche. Your creativity is supreme, but it sometimes makes it hard for you to get things done. Your strength: Your inner peace Your weakness: You get stuck in the clouds Your power color: Emerald Your power symbol: Leaf Your power month: November

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

When the hell did this happen?

I do? But... but... I know where my r's go...

It's still a pop machine. (okay... I'm now getting a soda out of a pop machine, but that doesn't count).

They're not jimmies. They're sprinkles.

It's not a frappe. It's a milkshake.

But.... but...

*thud*


OH GOD... I'VE BECOME A LOCAL..... *hides*

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Boston   You definitely have a Boston accent, even if you think you don't. Of course, that doesn't mean you are from the Boston area, you may also be from New Hampshire or Maine.
The Northeast
The Midland
Philadelphia
The West
The Inland North
North Central
The South
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Thursday Thirteen: Writing

So today I'm doing my first full-day shift at the front reception desk at work. It's freaking me out a little bit-- I'm NOT a phone person. I now work at a company that actually has someone answer phones (*gasp* live reception? What an odd concept, eh?).

Hopefully since there's a mega-meeting today, though... it'll be relatively quiet.

In any case, during downtime, I'm hoping to do some writing. Today's T13 focuses on some thoughts about my writing experiences...

Thirteen Things about my love of writing 1) I wrote my first poem at age 8. It was a short, sad little poem about our dog, Katie, when she died. My mom still has it. I've been told over and over that it's surprisingly good for an 8-year-old, but then again... it is my mother (who's strongly biased). 2) My imagination tends to run very wild and erratic. I've been creating stories in my head since kindergarten or so. They usually fly into my head as I lie down to sleep... which means I'm awake for an hour as they run through my brain. During my parents' separation and divorce, my brain wanted to force me to escape from reality a lot-- and I wound up keeping a fictional hand-written diary of the ideas so I could release ideas in order to focus from day to day. 3) I co-authored my first fanfiction in junior high with my friend Andi. I don't remember a lot about it, other than that it was Star Trek: Next Generation, and... being the age that we were... it was schmoopy, cheesy romance stuff between Troi and Riker. I don't think we ever completed it, though. It's still in a notebook... somewhere. 4) My first published piece of writing was for the Billings Gazette when I was 15. I've also co-authored and written pieces for the Boston University Daily Free Press, Wild Web.com (former game reviewing site), and Access Magazine. 5) I was on my high school newspaper for two years. The first year I was a writer. The second year I was the news page editor. 6) I won a Journalism Education Association creative writing award as a senior in high school. A few of my classmates and I attended the annual high school newspaper conference in Los Angeles, and they had off-the-cuff writing competitions. I don't recall anything about what I wrote, but I *do* recall the teacher who served as our school newspaper advisor being shocked (her word) at my win. I was NOT one of her teacher's pets (the exec editors), and therefore was never invited to write a column in the paper. 7) My college degree is in print news journalism with a minor in psychology. I'd planned to be a criminal reporter. Even today, I find criminal documentaries/true crime/etc. fascinating. I want to know what "makes people tick." 8) Along the same vein... when I do fictional writing, I almost always focus on it from a character development angle. I love revealing characters through prose, allowing them to discover themselves as I do. 9) I've particpated in NaNoWriMo four times. I reached 50,000 words two times. Both stories are still unfinished. 10) Since 1995, I've written seven fanfiction pieces. Six are X-Files related, and are archived at the infamous Gossamer archives. The seventh is one that is still in the works, and is Doctor Who related. Three chapters are published on my livejournal and at fanfiction.net. (under my usual screenname... measi) 11) Writing is something I feel I need to do. A sure sign that something's wrong is that I'm not at least scribbling down unfinished thoughts a few times per week. Usually I'm mulling over an approach to dialogue or descriptions in my head a few times per day. (ah, multitasking). 12) I would love to publish a book someday. I have some ideas, but no solid plot for a first novel, however. Chances are it would fall in the realm of Pagan-oriented mystery... much like my first NaNoWriMo attempts were. 13) I prefer writing drafts longhand, then editing them as I type them into Word on my computer. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen: The Birthday Edition

Ah yes... that time of year again... ;)

Thirteen Things about January 11th 1) 1523-German reformer Martin Luther wrote in a letter: 'It is unchristian, even unnatural, to derive benefit and protection from the community and not also to share in the common burden and expense; to let other people work but to harvest the fruit of their labors.' 2) 1569-1st recorded lottery in England is drawn at St Paul's Cathedral 3) 1813-1st pineapples planted in Hawaii 4) 1919-Romania annexes Transylvania 5) 1922-Insulin 1st used to treat diabetes (Leonard Thompson, 14, of Canada) 6) 1949-Snowfall 1st recorded in Los Angeles 7) 1973-American League adopts designated hitter rule 8) 1976-Dorothy Hamill wins her 3rd consecutive national figure skating championship 9) 1988-USSR announces it will participate in the Seoul Summer Olympics 10) 1994-Irish government announces end of a 20-year broadcasting ban on IRA 11) Deaths: Pope John VI, Francis Scott Key (among others) 12) Births: Alexander Hamilton, Naomi Judd, Mary J Blige (among others) 13) It's my 32nd birthday, complete with my first grey hair. (eep) Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen #15: Holiday Movies

Blessed Yule, all! :)

My original plan for this week's T13 was to share thirteen of my favorite ornaments on our tree, but I tend to misplace things-- and my digital camera has gone on walkabout for the week. I figure it disappeared on vacation before the craziness of the holidays.

So instead, I'm using yesterday's Holidailies prompt about required seasonal movies... Here are thirteen that I think are requied viewing sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.



Thirteen Required Holiday Movies



1. A Christmas Story- Not to difficult to find the past few years, is it? But seriously, it was an instant classic, even if it did take the world several years to discover this sleeper hit. Fah-rah-rah-rah-rah...

2. A Charlie Brown Christmas- How many things about Christmas, both good and bad, are summed up here? And the music? It's not Christmas until I hear that soft jazz of the Charlie Brown special float from my TV speakers.

3. Home Alone- This was overplayed for a few years and I got sick of it. But I found myself watching it a couple weeks ago and enjoying it once again. But the mystery still remains- what boy would ever clean up that mess? And how would he really get it all cleaned up so quickly? (but forget to fix the shelves in his brother's room...)

4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer- Remember how tragic it was if you missed the airing of Rudolph in any year? It was only shown ONCE per season, and as a child, it often wound up being on the night I had dance class. Thank goodness for the Betamax and later the VCR.

5. Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas- I haven't seen this in years and I don't think it's well-known anymore, but it was one of my favorites as a child. It was a sweet story about a little otter who wanted to make Christmas special for his mother. He and friends want to compete in a talent contest as a jug band. But in order to enter, he'd have to ruin the washtub that his mother uses to make all of the money their family has. At the same time, Ma Otter has a similar idea to make Christmas special for her son by entering the same contest.

6. The Nutcracker- There are a dozen versions of the Nutcracker out there, but the one I always watched as a child- and still prefer today-is the 1977 version with Mikhail Baryshnikov, broadcast every year on PBS among their year-end fundraising drives... By the end, I was usually twirling along with the Flowers. :)

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas- The original Dr. Seuss version. Still blows Jim Carrey out of the water, in much less than half the time. :)

8. It's a Wonderful Life- It's funny, but I always prefer to watch this after Christmas, but before New Year's. It's so heartwarming at the end-- the perfect way to ring in a new year.

9. Moonstruck- Not usually thought of as a holiday movie... but the references are quietly in the background everywhere. The decorations, the first snowflakes of winter, the connection and celebration of family... it's a story of falling in love over the holidays, and love her or hate her, Cher is absolutely stunning when she meets with Nicolas Cage in front of the Met. Each time I watch it, I'm just a bit older... and I "get" more of the jokes.

10. Mickey's Christmas Carol- My favorite version of the classic... :)

11. A Mom for Christmas- It's actually a very corny movie. But it came out the year after my parents were divorced, and it was just the sappiness that my teenager heart needed. And I was (and still am) a big ONJ fan.

12. Miracle on 34th Street- Again-original version. It's never, ever Christmas without watching this. :)

13. Rudolph's Shiny New Year- This one's always been a bit more obscure, but it always signified the LAST holiday special of the season. I always got a kick out of Happy and his big ears... and loved how they visualized the progression of Time...







Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen #13: Redux Entry

It's my 13th edition of the Thursday Thirteen. I really wanted to find something witty, but my brain has fried. :( So instead, I bring you to thirteen years ago, December 7, 1993.

Thirteen Things about Measi, Thirteen years ago 1. I was 18 years old. 2. I was a freshman at Boston University, planning on majoring in journalism but not allowed to declare it for three more semesters. 3. Classes for the semester had ended, and I was prepping for my first round of collegiate final exams (complete with the infamous blue books). 4. I was a new pledge to Tau Beta Sigma, having joined the organization through Concert Band. I knew absolutely nobody in the organization, but liked the idea of a sorority of bandswomen. Miracle of miracles, they accepted me. It was after I became a pledge that I began participating in Pep and Marching Band at B.U. 5. I wore size 14 clothes. (I'm now in a 24/26 *sob*) 6. I'd gotten a perm over Thanksgiving at my grandparents' house -- I recall it specifically because I had perfect little loose ringlets all winter. It was the last perm I ever had (to the present day). 7. My mom still lived in California at that time, so I spent Thanksgiving with my grandparents in Pennsylvania. They were my closest relatives to where I was attending school. (My mom moved to PA to be closer to my grandparents about a year and a half later). 8. I had just returned from my first ever trip to New York City. I went with a dorm floor mate who grew up in the Boston metro area and his mom. We took a bus to NYC, saw the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (the live nativity actually brought me to tears), went skating at Rockefeller Center, and got our pictures taken with Santa at Saks Fifth Avenue. 9. I lived in Warren Towers, which is a monster of a building on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston-- 1,500+ students in one dorm. My room was a standard double on the northwest corner of C tower, 13th floor. I never saw my roommate, Kathy, again after freshman year. 10. That December was the start of one of the snowiest winters in Boston-- over 100 inches fell in the city that winter. Coming from the eastern side of the Rockies (where the storms fizzled out before reforming over the Plains), I'd never seen so much snow at once. 11. I didn't yet know any of the people I now consider my college buddies. I didn't meet Ivanna until the next year (even though she's older than me), and everyone else was at least a year behind me in school. 12. I had a twice monthly excursion to all of the following places: Salem, Mass. (Pagan browsing), Tower Records (@ the corner of Mass Ave. and Newbury Street), India Quality restaurant (at its original location in Kenmore Square), Pandemonium Books & Games (at *its original location in Harvard Square over the German restaurant), the Harvard Coop (for no reason...except it was near Pandy), Arsenic & Old Lace (Pagan store formerly at Mass Ave between Harvard and Porter Squares), and Gypsy Moon (funky fantasy clothing store across the street from Arsenic). 13. I had never played any Dungeons & Dragons or any other role-playing game at that point. :)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Friday Feast #4

I haven't answered the questions in the Friday Feast for a while...

Appetizer
Have you ever flown in a helicopter?

No. I'm honestly curious to do so, but I wonder if my fear of heights would come into play. It doesn't in a plane, but that's a tad bigger than a copter...

Soup
What color is your warmest coat or jacket?

It's a leather jacket with a very plush faux leopard interior. Supposedly the coat is reversable, but I can't imagine wearing the faux fur on the outside... it would be a bit... loud. But the jacket feels like literally wrapping a comfy blanket around you, even on the coldest days. But it's also so thick that it makes me walk a bit like Ralphie's little brother in A Christmas Story.

Salad
What is your favorite rainy day activity?

Playing World of Warcraft on the computer or stitching. I usually do a bit of both.

Main Course
Describe your hands.

I have small hands. I still wear kid sized mittens. My palms are fairly broad, and my fingers aren't that long. I'm a chronic nail-biter, so my nails are severely short. I have a few scars on them from cat scratches, and I'm starting to get the slightest age lines on them. They go through a lot of abuse. :)

Dessert
If you could eat only one nut for the rest of your life, what nut
would you pick?

Honey coated cashews. I swear they're laced with heroin.

Thursday Thirteen #12: Holidailies Topics

On Friday, I begin my entries for the annual Holidailies project, where I'll make a point of posting once per day between December 1st and January 1st. If you look through my records lately... that's going to be a very tough job to tackle for me. But I'm up to the challenge.

Here are thirteen topics I'm planning to write about next month (got any more that I should add? Throw them in the comments!)

Thirteen Topics for Holidailies 1) The first snowfall, whenever that happens 2) My current stitching projects 3) Reflections on my job, once I become a bit more situated there 4) Yule recap 5) Christmas recap 6) New Year's Eve recap 7) Thursday Thirteen entries 8) A photolog of a "day in the life" for me 9) Holiday foods 10) Christmas carols-- particularly the ones I either don't like, or don't make sense 11) Holiday TV specials of my youth (and why it's still necessary to watch them) 12) My annual Closing Down the Year entry 13) Hopes and dreams for 2007 Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen #11: Turkey Trimmings

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I brine my turkey for Thanksgiving, and it tastes fabulous. When I'm preparing the brine, the entire kitchen smells of a wonderful blend of spices. So here is everything that's in the recipe.

Thirteen Ingredients for my Thanksgiving Turkey 1) Kosher salt 2) Light brown sugar 3) Vegetable stock 3) Black peppercorns 4) Allspice berries 5) Candied ginger 6) Water 7) Apple 8) Onion 9) Cinnamon stick 10) rosemary 11) Sage 12) Canola oil 13) One 20 lb turkey. :) Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Cheryl - Laughing Muse - MommyBa - Michelle - Wendy - Jen - Sanni - Moogie - Brony

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen #10: Things to do before New Year's Eve.

Thirteen Things I want to do by the end of the year 1) Reclaim my office. I really haven’t been up there much since May, originally due to the summer heat… and now just because it’s a disaster area. 2) Redo all of my character sheets for all of the various Dungeons & Dragons style games we play. We had a roof leak in the sunroom last month, and my binder of character sheets was directly under the water flow. 3) Wash, iron, and fold (or hang up) all of the laundry that’s piling up. 4) Get caught up on my credit card bills. 5) Write out and mail all of my Christmas cards. 6) Order my Save the Date cards for the wedding (that won’t be mailed until January, but I want to make sure they’re ordered and enroute). 7) Go through my closet and do some serious clothes weeding. 8) Purchase new clothes appropriate to the new job scene. 9) Rake up all of the leaves and prepare my flower pots for winter. 10) Cook a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. 11) Cook a fabulous Christmas dinner. 12) Take all of the cats to the vet for their annual checkups. 13) Visit Newport and take the holiday mansion tour. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thursday Thirteen #9: Pets

Apologies for those who tried to read this when I first attempted to post it at midnight... apparently Blogger or my provider was malfunctioning...

I'm a big animal lover, as my regular readers know. Slightly... cat crazy. Most of my pets have been cats, but I've had dogs, fish, and even a frog. #1-5 are the current felines, in order of family appearance. :)

Thirteen Pets I've had in my lifetime 1) Colley - My eldest (age 7). The only purebred (Norwegian Forest Cat) in the bunch. I'm definitely HIS human, and Erich had better not forget it. 2) Fizzy - She's our little aloof cat. She's now five, very dainty, and not fond of the other cats, aside from Colley. It's now winter for her, so she's perpetually under her lamp on top of the desk for warmth. 3) Gus - When we found him at four weeks, he weighed just over a pound and literally could fit in one hand. Three years later he's 15+ pounds of corded, black panther muscle. He's very active, although he's starting to have those lazy marshmallow cat tendencies... 4) Noby - the dreamsicle colored kitten of the twinset, Noby's our little clown cat. He's extremely loving, not all that bright, but awfully cute. He currently has a serious case of teenager kitten-itis and resists cuddling if he can help it. 5) Elly - the oreo colored kitten of the twinset, she's never weaned properly (even now over a year old), and so she needs to suckle on Erich's shoulder every night. She almost always falls asleep while doing so. It's so pathetically cute. It really is. 6) Katie - Katie was our Lassie lookalike Collie dog when I was very young. She came into the family three years before me and was the sweetest dog you could ever have. She lived to a very old age (in 1980's standards) of 13. 7) Callie - Callie wasn't with us very long. She was a calico shelter cat that my parents got for my brother and me when I was five or six. When the next two cats came along, her territorial issues forced my parents to find a new home for her-- she lived out her days as a barn cat getting fat on mice. 8) Kelim - Kelim was my guardian cat growing up. He was a seal-point Himalayin and very large for his breed (at his top weight, almost 15 pounds). My parents got him when I was in 2nd grade, and he lived until my junior year of college. I still miss him terribly. 9) Kashan - Kashan was my brother's guardian cat. He was a shell cameo Persian (white with coffee-colored stains on his back). He came just a few weeks before Kelim, and the two of them were lifelong brothers. He follwed Scott everywhere. He also lived a fairly long life, dying a couple years before Kelim. 10) Bilbo - The first cat I remember was Bilbo. He was a very talkative Siamese (I realize that's redundant), and loved me. But he hated my brother, who was only two or three when my parents were forced to find a new home for him-- he would attack Scott frequently. :( 11) The fishtank - during high school, I had about 12-15 fish & a frog in a tank in my bedroom. The goldfish somehow lived the longest and was HUGE by the time he died. 12) Bijar - My mom's seal-point himalayin was born the day after the 1989 earthquake in California. She's a bit of a bitch, but it's endearing because she never has weighed more than six pounds. She's still alive and doing well- at the ripe old age of 17. :) 13) Kula - Kuli's Biji's littermate, and is a blue point Himi. She's always been a space cadet and tended to be Mom's cat (and no one else's). Kuli's also alive, but has been suffering from a slowly developing kidney failure. :( Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Halloween prep

For those coming to visit my Thursday Thirteen-- welcome! Just scroll one entry down. (but I hope you'll read more!)

It's been a crazy, frustrating week here. I'm muddling through okay and hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel to arrive shortly... but yeah. *sigh* It's involved some 'ritas and yummy food at the Texas Roadhouse and some serious half-talking, half-crying to Erich so I can get my thought settled. (please note: The issues are NOT about our relationship at all- we're doing fantastic).

On brighter, happier things... we did a ton of Halloween decoration shopping last night. After last year's crazy turnout for trick-or-treaters (and confirming it with the neighbors), it seems that ours is THE neighborhood with candy. I've dreamed for years of being able to really have fun with the whole neighborhood Halloween thing. I grew up in a great neighborhood for it too, and despite the changing times... I'll hang onto the illusion that kids still go out for candy on October 31st.

Samhain or not, this Pagan enjoys the campier side of the holiday. :)

The thing I discovered last year is that our front door is crappy for Halloween. Our front steps go straight to the door with no landing. So in order to open the door, then open the storm/screen door, I had to have kids back up. And of course, I was also trying to keep cats *in* the house at the same time. It wasn't good. Frustrating, in fact.

So this year, we'll start using the mudroom, which is a secondary front entrance. It started as an outdoor porch- we know this because both the outer door to the mudroom porch AND the inner door into our pantry has a brass mail slot in it. We figure that when Anna (the previous owner) had the house resided with vinyl, they took the leftover amount and just closed in the porch completely to use it as an old-fashioned lean-to shed. There's no heat out there. It's used for mail collection and keepng things really cold in the winter. We have a few random boxes out there of stuff not yet sorted plus the spare styrofoam coolers for when they're needed for travel. We can prop the door permanently open for the evening for treaters while keeping the rest of the house shut. It's the perfect space.

So the plan is to put black tarping paper on all of the walls inside our mudroom porch, add some cobwebs in there, and then put a blacklight in the overhead socket so it looks a bit eerie (but not completely scary). We'll cobweb our box elder bushes. It'll be fun and easy-- and over the next few years, it'll probably go a bit over the top. But hey... it's Halloween. Why not? :)

Erich's taking the day off for a mental health day, so he'll start with the first rounds of treaters while I make my way home. Based on the traffic I saw last year, he might take the brunt of them. Traffic was hellish last year. Even with my train arriving at quarter to seven, I doubt I'll be home much before seven thirty.

But it'll be fun. I'll take photos as we put this together this weekend.

Oh... and because I forgot to post them on Sunday as promised, here are the answers to last week's Thursday Thirteen songs. I'm not surprised at the ones that were recognized (especially #3 and #8). I would have been shocked to see someone get #10 or #12- considering #10 was from an obscure album, and #12 is an even more obscure ELO song from Xanadu. I was surprised that no one got #5, but maybe it's just me from my generation who grew up watching American Bandstand on Saturday mornings... :)

1)A Kind of Magic – Queen
2) Make Love to You – Etta James
3) Cult of Personality – In Living Colour
4) Send Her My Love – Journey
5) Bandstand Boogie – Barry Manilow
6) Bad – U2
7) A Question of Time – Depeche Mode
8) Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
9) Runaway Train – Soul Asylum
10) The Earth Is – Air Supply
11) Mea Culpa – Enigma
12) The Fall - Electric Light Orchestra
13) Closer to Fine – Indigo Girls

Thursday Thirteen #8: Halloween Purchases

Thirteen Things we bought for Halloween Decorating 1. Fog machine 2. Juice for said fog machine 3. 100 feet of black tarp paper (to cover the walls of our mudroom) 4. two large packages of the stretchy spiderwebbing for the front bushes 5. glow in the dark "trick or treat" headstone 6. Black plastic cauldron to use as the candy bowl 7. Three large bags of candy- about 8-9 pounds in all (which we'll most likely use up) 8. Two blacklight bulbs 9. Three purple glow sticks 10. Three blue glow sticks 11. Three mini rubber duckies - a witch, a mummy, and frankenducky (I just had to... they were 75 cents each) 12. A fake jack-o-lantern carved with the outline of an arching cat 13. (this weekend) real pumpkins for carving/decorating Needless to say, I firmly believe in being the Cool House for trick-or-treating. :) Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen #7: Random iPodding

Using another meme (the "list the first X songs that come up on your iPod..."), I bring you lyrics from random songs on my playlist. No two songs are by the same artist. :)

So... who can name them? :)

Thirteen Random Songs from Measi's iPod 1. “There can be only one/ This rage that lasts a thousand years / Will soon be done” 2. “all I want to do is bake your bread / just to make sure you’re well fed / I don’t want you sad and blue” 3. “Neon lights, a nobel prize /?The mirror speaks, the reflection lies” 4. “The same hotel, the same old room / I'm on the road again / She needed so much more / Than I could give” 5. “Hey I'm makin' my mark / Gee, this joint is jumpin' / They made such a fuss just to see us arrive” 6. “True colors fly in blue and black / Bruised silken sky and burning flag /Colors crash, collide in blood shot eyes” 7. “Well now you’re only fifteen / And you look good/ I’ll take you under my wing / Somebody should / They’ve persuasive ways” 8. “Like a heartbeat.. drives you mad / In the stillness of remembering what you had / And what you lost... / And what you had... / And what you lost” 9. “Call you up in the middle of the night / Like a firefly without a light” 10. “There’s a man with the smallest of worlds in his hand / And a tear fills his eyes as he tries to hang on / Holding his world together” 11. “I want to go to the end of my fantasies / I know it is forbidden / I am crazy. I am letting myself go” 12. “I see the early glow, I hear you say hello / I watch the shadows fall, I don't see you at all” 13. “There’s more than one answer to these questions / Pointing me in a crooked line” Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Momish - Alyson Noel - Sadie - Christina - Brony - Andrea - Colleen - Lisa - Tug - Heather

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Thursday Thirteen #6: Thank-Yous

Thursday kinda flew by... so I'm a little late on this. (moo.. moo moo). I'll be doing a couple editions of this T13 because I actually have a LOT of these to say. Some are directed to a very specific person. Some apply to more than one person. If you know me and don't know if it does apply to you (now, or in the past), presume it does. :)

Thirteen Thank Yous from Me to Friends 1. You are so passionate about my life, my continuing growth, and my experiences. You may think I'm a bit out there at times, but you are always supportive of me. For this, I thank you. 2. You listen to me as I verbalize and worth through my mental confusions. You do not judge. You give suggestions when asked, or when necessary to do so. For this, I thank you. 3. You make me laugh every time we're together. I miss this laughter when you're not around me, and celebrate it when you're here. For this, I thank you. 4. You accept and love me for who I am, and do not demand me to become some image of who I "should be." For this, I thank you. 5. You taught me that a family is not bound only by blood or marriage. It is also bonded through friendship and shared experiences. For this, I thank you. 6. You showed me how to step outside the box that confined me when I came to college and explore who I really was under the layers of high school-induced gunk. You encouraged me to stop worrying how others thought about me, and to learn to be true to myself. For this, I thank you. 7. You give tremendously warm, encompassing hugs. Sometimes they are the most important thing to brighten my day. For this, I thank you. 8. You take me on crazy little adventures that create the most amusing memories. For this, I thank you. 9. You enjoy that I'm a geek, and that we can be geeky together. For this, I thank you. 10. You nurture my love of creativity and allow me to explore new hobbies without any discouragement. For this, I thank you. 11. You have such an incredibly out-going, friendly personality that it immediately makes me feel happier, even if I've had a horrible day. You are always inclusive. For this, I thank you. 12. You trust me enough to talk about things incredibly intimate and important to you that could not be trusted with any random friend. It surprised me when I first learned that I was on that short list of trust, but I am incredibly flattered. For this, I thank you. 13. You complete my life - an expression I always found hokey until I met you. Words honestly can't express it, and I hope that I communicate the small snippets that I do find along the way. For this, I thank you. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Tiggerprr - Jenny

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Friday Feast #3

It's that time of the year again... but shocker of shockers, I'm not participating actively in NaNoWriMo this year. The bottom line is just free time. I don't have a lot of it, and I just don't feel energized to write this year. I literally have ONE free weekend in November, and I expect that will be taken up by raking leaves. I may sweep myself into the moment and throw some words on the screen next month from time to time, but I just... don't feel like it. My interests have moved in another direction for the time being. I'm enjoying my cross stitch. I enjoy knitting, although I don't do that much of it due to the cross stitch. And I enjoy playing World of Warcraft, which is a huge timesink.

Maybe I'll do NaNoStitchMo. But I'd have to adjust the total- the idea of 50,000 stitches in a month makes my brain hurt. 100 stitches a day, perhaps? It's a good goal.

In any case, the weekend is looming. Along with the TBS event tomorrow night, I just plan on stitching. Lots and lots of stitching. I really need to get to work on the UFO Round Robin piece I received in mid-September.

But to go into the weekend, here is this week's Friday Feast:

Appetizer
Name a song you know by heart.
I know several, actually- I have a knack for remembering song lyrics. So... I'll just pick a couple of the longest ones- American Pie and Bohemian Rhapsody (complete with obligatory head banging)

Soup
What will you absolutely not do in front of another person?
Oddly, the first thing that came to mind to me was... pray. Of all the things that could be said here, how did this come to mind first? But it's the truth. I always, ALWAYS pray only when I'm alone.

Salad
How often do you use mouthwash and what kind do you like?
I don't use it that often- it tends to be a bit too strong to me. When I do use it, I prefer old-fashioned mint Scope.

Main Course
Finish this sentence: I am embarrassed when...
I jumble my words. (and I do this a lot when I speak)

Dessert
What was the last food you craved?
I have a perpetual low-craving for Indian food. Give me a nice medium-heat curry, some naan bread and some mint chutney, and I'm a very happy woman.


Happy Friday,
Mel.

Thursday Thirteen #6: Band Geekness

This Saturday at the Boston University hockey game, Tau Beta Sigma will be honored for its contribution of a little piece of BU hockey atmosphere- the Goalie/Sieve sign. Until this weekend, I don't think many people outside of the band know where it came from and who "owned" it. However, it's always been a big hit. Even I didn't realize how much until I started doing quick surfing this morning on Google for "Walter Brown goalie sieve sign." I was trying to find a good photo of it from "the good old days." I did, however, find an amusing comment on Inside College Hockey where they mention it should go into a not-yet-created College Hockey Hall of Fame.

THAT made me crack up laughing... having dealt with the sheet personally for a couple years.

The sign is very simple- a white bedsheet, folded in half, with "GOALIE" written in large felt cutout letters that were glued (and later... tacked... more on that in my thirteen) - and arrows pointing down. The other half had "SIEVE" with the same arrows. The sign was hung over the railing near the ticket entrance to the arena, placed just so in order to be over the net.

During the break between the hockey periods, two Sisters would quietly go over, and flip the sign around to appropriately identify who was occupying that net for the following period. When BU was at that end, naturally, the sign read "Goalie." When the visiting team was down there, it appropriately read "Sieve."

Since moving to the new arena, I guess the original sign wasn't able to be used- but new developments apparently are underfoot because it simply ISN'T a BU hockey game without that sign present.

And so, this week's Thursday Thirteen, relating to my experiences in Tau Beta Sigma.

Thirteen memories I've created through membership in Tau Beta Sigma 1. The sheer amusement I get from people giving me two looks when I say I'm in a sorority (because apparently it is just a cookie cutter world for sorority girls)... and even more when I say it's a sorority for band members. And (now as an alum) that it's now co-ed. That gives them a bit to wrestle over. :) 2. Season tickets to hockey, junior year. My class schedule was such that I couldn't commit my schedule to pep band that year, particularly with playing a majority of the basketball games. So I got together with Ivy and two other Sisters who had graduated at that point, and bought hockey season tickets. We wound up with amazing seats- first row behind the home team bench. We learned a lot about conversations on the bench that year-- the people who sounded like they had Tourette's. And I will be honest-- those are very, very stinky seats by the end of the second period. But we had a BLAST. 3. Ritual. There's something very special about going back as an alumna to a sorority ritual. The faces in attendance change year after year, but the words and the traditions don't. I didn't understand the concept as much when I was an undergrad, but now I realize how ritual really is the tradition above all else that bind a sorority together. 4. Sisterhood Nights - the night before the final initiation ritual, the Sisters get together for a goofy last night of celebrating the pledge period. Games, stories, lots of food. Can't go wrong. :) 5. Picnics on Memorial Drive. Every year we had a spring picnic to celebrate the outgoing seniors & have a last fling with area alumni. Everyone brought something. We snacked. We watched rugby players from BU and Harvard battle it out on the lawn. Along with sisterhood nights, those were the events where I really got to know other sisters outside of the band. 6. My pledge class rode down the several stories-high escalator at the Porter Square T stop, sitting down with our arms raised, screaming as if it were a really long (and really slow) rollercoaster drop. :) Just 'cause. If you've ever gone down that escalator, admit it-- you've been tempted to do the same. 7. Band trip to Maine, sophomore year - we stayed overnight in Portland, where the brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi from UNH came to hang out with us. Alcohol was, of course, officially banned from these trips. Unofficially, Brothers and Sisters of age found a way to bring supplies for the hotel. Good times were had by all. 8. Memories of the band community. No matter what college you go to, the members of a college band have a very strange little community going on. And it often translates to other colleges. It's comfy, it's cozy. It has its own drama. I miss that sense of belonging sometimes. 9. Painting The Rock. At the corner of Comm. Ave and the BU bridge, there's a rock about 2x3 feet that every fraternity and sorority spray paints with their letters. It used to sit for a few days with the same paint on it- now it seems that it gets painted at least once a day. I never painted it as an undergrad, but I finally got my chance on Sisterhood Night two years ago, when the chapter was celebrating its 20th anniversary. I've suggested (only half-jokingly) that the actual rock under the layers of spray paint is about the size of a baseball. It would be fun to be able to peel the layers back to see what's on there. 10. Missing the Damn Boat for the 20th Anniversary Cruise. In the end, it worked out for the better. :) 11. Having alphabet problems - on my final quiz before being initiated, I was asked to write down the entire greek alphabet. I wrote down every letter- except the letter that indicates my pledge class (Xi). It was the ONLY thing I missed on the quiz. 12. Transitioning from being known as "Klutz" to "Aunty Klutz." I no longer have active line of little sisters in the chapter, but by the branches of the family tree, I'm an aunt to everyone now going through the chapter. What was a quick little silly comment about me being an aunt has now transitioned my nickname. :) 13. Ah yes-- the Goalie/Sieve sign. This one is a story, which I know I've shared with a couple people... but we'll now get it in writing... As a senior, I was the one responsible for the handling and care of the sign. I kept it in my apartment, and brought it to every game. Over Christmas break that year, I decided to take a crack at washing the sign - a suggestion that had been made many times, but never actually attempted. By this point, the sign was at least a decade old. It was not quite white anymore. It had some traces of grime of unknown origin. Due to the felt, I decided that it really should be gently washed by hand, rather than thrown in a machine. To my surprise, ALL of the letters immediately began peeling off the sign as soon as it was dunked in my bathtub - the letters had been glued to the sheet with water soluable glue, but never otherwise attached. With a HUGE amount of swearing, I quickly ended my attempts at washing the sign, pulled everything out of the water and hung it to dry. As it dried, most of the letters completely fell off. I'd managed to kill the Goalie-Sieve sign. Thankfully, though, the felt letters had been outlined on the sheet with red markers. Once it was dry, it was fairly easy to place the letters once again. I first reglued, then TACKED the felt to the sheet. Close call. Hopefully no one ever tried that again! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Chaotic Mom

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

SBQ's

I have a couple Stitcher Blogging Questions to catch up... and then I'll start working on a general life entry... :)

8/24/06: What do you keep your WIPs and other stitching supplies in when traveling?

On a day to day basis, I keep all threads for my WIPS in those bobbin caddies at home or on the road. All papers are put in a poly envelope that has a drawstring enclosure. If it's small enough, the piece goes in the envelope as well. For traveling to and from work, I generally just put my hoop, bobbin box, and envelope in my backpack. Nothing fancy.

If I'm doing serious traveling (airplane, etcc.) then I usually put everything for the project inside a plastic bag just to keep it more together.


8/30/06: How do you share your finished pieces with others? Do you frame them, scan and/or photograph them, or do you have another method that you would like to share?

I keep digital photographs going on my blog, and there are albums on measi.net and flickr.com (links are on this page). For people I know in person, I generally bounce excitedly and smile as I hold the finish out to them.


9/21/06: How many pieces have you stitched? Out of these, how many have been for you? How many have had specialty stitches or other techniques besides cross stitch?

Only one piece has had specialty stitches so far... I did that back in high school. I've finished about a dozen pieces so far in my life, mostly because cross-stitching was a hobby that wasn't in the forefront. So far, all but one piece has been for myself. The piece that wasn't was a bookmark I stitched for my mom for Mother's Day in elementary school. She still has it, attached to her desk wall at home. :)

Friday's Feast #2

Appetizer
Measured in minutes or hours, how much exercise have you had in the last week?
About an hour-- adding up my brisks walks to work.

Soup
If you had to change your blog title to something else, what would it be?
At this point, I'm honestly not sure what the specific title would be... my blog has definitely been in a transition period lately, so I need to see how it evolves over the next few months to answer this. :)

Salad
Name one television show you watched when you were 9-12 years old.
The Cosby Show. religiously.

Main Course
If someone gave you $50 to spend with the one condition that it had to be educational, what would you purchase?
I'd use it to purchase entry tickets to the MFA-Boston and the Isabella Stewart Gardner museums (for both Erich and me).

Dessert
Do you tend to prefer dark colors, neutral shades, or lighter/pastel hues?I prefer dark colors, with some neutral shades for balance. Except in summer-- and then it's all about light shades. :)

Want to play? The meme can be found at fridaysfeast.blogspot.com.

Thursday Thirteen #4: Feline Photos

My brain is a bit fried this morning, so I'm doing a photographic Thursday Thirteen. :)

So which are your favorites?

Thirteen Photos of ze Cats #1: Fizzy (with the bug eyes) and Gus #2: The Lovebirds: Gus and Elly #3: The Siblings: Noby and Elly #4: Colley #5: Cat Attack! L-R: Noby, Gus, Elly, and Colley #6: Cat Circle: Gus, Noby, and Elly #7: Fizzy (against Erich's hand) #8: Colley, watching the birds #9: Kitten-Fu! Noby and Elly at 8 weeks #10: Fizzy #11: Gus, trying to lure Erich #12: The Big Brothers: Gus and Colley #13: Colley, trying to lure me Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Ginger - Sadie - Merlin - My 2 Cents - Brony - PaxilPrincess - Momish - Terrilynn

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Friday's Feast

Mary had the Friday's Feast meme on her journal this morning... and I feel like playing, too!

Appetizer
What was the very last song you listened to?
"Do Your Thing" by Basement Jaxx, via iPod on my walk from the train station this morning.

Soup
What is one company/store/corporation you would recommend that people stay away from?
The Knot - for wedding planning. Unless you're having an uber-traditional wedding, it's not helpful. And the majority of the women in the forums are the epitome of bridezilla. *shudder*

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy having your picture made?
6. I usually hate how I look in photos. But at the same time, I like the visual memory of events.

Main Course
Besides a bookmark, what is something you've used to keep your place in a book?
Receipts. I'm usually reading during my lunch hour at work, so I tend to take my food receipt as a placeholder. :)

Dessert
Name a food that you like that most people don't.
Sauerkraut. It's definitely a love-hate food. But in my circle of friends, it seems to be on the feared side. It's comfort food to me.

Thursday Thirteen #3: Why I Love New England

A lot this week deal with autumn... because it is what made me fall in love with New England. But I couldn't drag 13 out of only autumn, so I had to change my title midway through. *grin* And Erich's not on this list-- because, while that is of course the #1 love of my life, I fell in love with New England before meeting him. These are the things ASIDE from him. :)

Thirteen Reasons I love New England 1. The COLOR. Growing up in Montana, I never could figure out why there were red leaves in autumn decorations. Autumn was short, turned very cold, usually had snow, and was nothing more than a bunch of yellow and brown leaves (and cottonwood gunk) on the roads. My first autumn in New England excited me so much that I actually mailed leaves to my parents because I couldn't believe the fiery red existed. Of course, both of my parents thought I was weird (since, being from PA, they both were used to red leaves). Well, they still think I'm weird, but hey (shrug). 2. The smell. New England has a distinct autumn smell to it- a special mixture of morning dew and fog mixed with cold, damp earth mixed with the blend of drying leaves. Even in the heart of Boston in areas where it's nearly all concrete jungle, you can smell it. It's soothing and cozy to me. 3. Halloween. This ties in with the color and smell aspects-- but there' s nothing quite like Halloween in New England. In many areas, the houses are older and just have that appearance of spookiness. Add to that the fact that it's pitch dark by 5 by Halloween. And, it's very forested here. Lots and lots of woods. By that time of year, fog is a fairly common occurrance. It gets very spooky here. There are TONS of haunted houses, haunted hayrides, and other specific Halloween attractions. Most are open throughout October. And of course, there is Disney-Halloween, also known as Salem, Mass. on Oct. 31. Been there, done that. Not worth the insanity. 4. Countryside drives. Oddly this is the only time of year Erich and I do this. We have an annual tradition, mid-Octoberish, where we drive up to Concord, Massachusetts. We go to The Cheese Shop (yes... it's actually called that) in downtown Concord and drop a lot of money on good, imported cheeses, mustards, european chocolates, and perhaps a bottle of chianti. Then we head over to Sleepy Hollow cemetery, which is only perhaps a mile from downtown. We walk around for a while, visiting the graves of Hawthorne, Alcott, etc. And then we start driving back toward Boston down Route 2A... where you find all of the local farmstands. Pie, more pie, and some veggies. And probably a carmel or candy apple. The scenery is beautiful, and it's one of those romantic little relationship traditions that sprung completely by accident, but I look forward to every year. 5. King Richard's Faire. Ren Faire: tigers, ligers and other big cats, jousting, sword play, period garb (Erich prefers me in the corset, heh.), turkey stew, and mead. :) Oh and the two guys that attend every year looking like some cross between Klingons, Mad Max villains and Uruk-hai. 6. Morning chill. It came early this year-- that really honest to god cold air that makes you burrow deeper under the covers, or makes your teeth chatter when you first go outside. I find it quite energizing in the morning. As soon as the chill hits, I know that the heat and humidity of summer is gone. And that makes me extremely happy. 7. Maine. Erich's mom lives there, specifically in the region north of Portland, but south of Bar Harbor. Maine has somehow clung to what I imagine Cape Cod was like fifty years ago-- small seaside towns, many with active sea-related industries (fishing, lobstering, etc.). The town where Erich's mom lives has the appearance of something out of Norman Rockwell. There's the general store (with the 1930s era glass-door display fridges), a post office that closes for two hours for lunch (but everyone knows the postmaster), windy back roads. One school. And lots of stories about the life-long residents and their extended family histories. Stephen King does capture his beloved home well when he creates settings. He generally focuses on the more depressing aspects. And they're definitely there (although not quite always to the extreme of 'Salems Lot, for example). But there is something about those small, seaside towns that are both romantic and terrifying, and my writer's mind goes both directions whenever we go up there. 8. Boston. Generic, perhaps. But I came to New England to go to school in Boston. I love the mix of new and old in the city. I love the blend of cultures. I love the variety of color. The traffic is crazy. The subways have deteriorated in quality considerably since I moved here. But it's a fantastic city to visit, and despite the high cost of living, it's a great place to go to school and live. 9. Sports. Yes, Red Sox fans can be obnoxious. They raise it to an artform, in fact. From my experience, so are the Yankees fans (although I get amused that everyone I know from NY will deny this... I call bullshit to that from a neutral upbringing. Both groups of fans are equally as obnoxious to each other). But the sports passion for the Red Sox - and for the Patriots, although on a different level - is a backbone of the culture here. As a non-native, I can't even grasp how deep this runs, but I see the evidence of it all the time. The eulogy for Erich's grandfather last weekend sums up part of it. His daughter wrote how in the last six years since she moved in to live with him (after Erich's grandmother passed away), she recalled him crying only twice. I don't recall what the first reason was, but the second was when the Red Sox won the World Series. 10. Religion. Contrary to how many of the conservative, predominantly verbally religious states may think of New England... it's not a bastion of godlessness here. New England is as fiercely religious as any other area of the nation. But, like New York and many of the other East Coast cities, there is a tremendous diversity of religion here, with all of the subsets of major religions included. And somehow, despite the occasional mudslinging of bigotry, people have learned to live side by side and go about their lives for the most part. People here are devout, but devotion is considered personal and private. In the towns and circles I've been in, the "my church is greater than your church" crap that I saw growing up doesn't exist. (and I think it's for the better, quite frankly.) 11. The accents. Notice the plural on that... not everyone speaks like Norm on This Old House. There are a number of different accents in New England, and all of them both fascinate and amuse me. I have found that my own accent has changed since living here. I am starting to lose a few "r"s here and there. 12. The size. New England is accessible. Lots of roads and lots of ways to get places - and lots of things to do. Erich and I can go to Maine (which for us is now technically three states away) for a long weekend. Our normal weekend Dungeons & Dragons group has players now from four different states. Growing up, going somewhere in state for a long weekend was usually a pain in the ass, let alone going to the next state over (Wyoming). 13. Forward-thinking intelligence. Being smart and educated is valued here. Being liberal - in the proper sense of trying to seek out ways to improve human life - is celebrated here. Not everything works, and sometimes these states are ahead of their time... but it is an experimenting ground for growth as a nation and culture. Whether it's same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, or the very recent system created in Vermont to allow handicapped voters to vote via telephone (thereby providing an accessible - but physically private - way to vote for the disabled) - experiments and attempts at improvements are always at work here. :) Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Raggedy - Stacie - Sally - Momish - Brony

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Erich's 102 in 1002

Erich's had a list of items to do that he's carried around on the weekends. It was typed in excel, and he has crossed off a few things from the list over the last couple weeks. After seeing my list that I posted last night, he revised his and sent me an email today titled "102 in 1002." Being a Leo, he does, of course, try to outshine. :) #1 is, however, a symbolic reminder that was on his original list.

With his permission, here is his 102 in 1002...

The Mission: Complete 102(!) preset tasks in a period of 1002 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Start Date: Sept. 12, 2006
End Date: June 10, 2009
Last Status Update: N/A
Days Remaining: 1001
As of Summer 2009 we will probably need to replace our roof

Key:
(normal text)- not yet addressed
italic - in progress
bold- completed (with date)

1. Visit Norm (This will always remain at (1) to remind myself of what happens when I procrastinate - Erich)

Home Maintenence
2. Trim side bushes
3. Trim front bushes
4. Mow and edge lawn regularly
5. Laundry regularly
6. Dishes regularly
7. Spray poison ivy patches in spring & additional as needed
8. Trim cat claws weekly
9. Vacuum weekly
10. Clean up cat spots regularly (ewwww....)
11. Clean out bedroom
12. Oil changes for both cars
13. Clean Noby's ears
14. Get a routine down for brushing Colley's teeth
15. Hang up all clothes
16. Create & stick to a walking routine

Home Repair & Improvement
17. Call Cox - switch to HD cable (one box only)
18. Get DVR Box
19. Porch barrel - empty yard waste
20. Clean leaves out from around foundation
21. Find leaks in garage roof
22. Fix leaks in garage roof
23. Buy gigabit switch
24. 1st floor network: switch in basement
25. Rewire high speed connection to enter in basement
26. Replace any damaged windows
27. Measure headboard vs. bedroom dimensions to see if headboard is useable
28. Reorganize bedroom (assuming headboard is useable)
29. Buy a drill and bits
30. Finish shaving office door
31. Buy new litter boxes for cats
32. Repair windows to point that they can be opened
33. Have basement foundation leak repaired
34. Plant hydrangea & little yellow plant
35. Repair tile on bathroom floor
36. Find termite inspection history
37. Schedule new termite inspection
38. Buy & install new showerhead
39. Scrub out microwave
40. Reseed lawn
41. Maintain lawn watering schedule to foster seed growth
42. Buy snowblower
43. Buy new hatch
44. Recover old bricks from under sunroom
45. Create front flower bed
46. Weed side flower bed
47. Plant something under trees in side yard
48. Cut down junk trees & bushes
49. Rent woodchipper
50. Grind yard waste to mulch
51. Contact tree people to trim limbs near lines & rid of disease/dead high stuff
52. Defeat the Triffid
53. Cut out the Triffid stump
54. Bedroom: Take down wallpaper and repaint
55. Bathroom: Take down wallpaper and repaint
56. Kitchen: Take down wallpaper and repaint
57. Sunroom: Restring windows to make them functional.

Self-Improvement
58. Pay off credit cards
59. Find a new job
60. Watch a meteor shower
61. Try a new ethnic cuisine
62. Get to doctor
63. Get to dentist
64. Get eyes checked & new prescription/glasses
65. Research (& schedule) laser surgery for eyes
66. Get weight & waist size to where I want them to be
67. Buy a "new" car

Family Responsibilities
68. Take Ren Faire and other clothes to dry cleaners
69. Attend King Richards Faire 2006
70. Visit Mom
71. Thank you notes for Christmas gifts sent within one week
72. Attend Arisia
73. Visit Vermont
74. Attend King Richards Faire 2007
75. Go to the Big E fair in Mass
76. Visit Roger Williams Park Zoo
77. Spend an afternoon at the Gardner Museum in Boston
78. Attend Waterfire
79. Create an address book with birthdays and important other dates
80. Go on a romantic weekend getaway (Mel note... hopefully with me, *wink*)
81. Create Living Will
82. Take all cats to the vet for annual checkup 2007
83. Get records from the old vet transferred for Fizzy and Gus
84. Get Fizzy and Gus to the vet for annual checkup 2006
85. Pick a wedding date
86. Compile guest list with addresses
87. Send out save the date cards
88. Send out invitations
89. Get married
90. Thank-you notes sent out for wedding within five weeks

The Great Clean Out
91. Sort through and donate clothes
92. Purchase garage storage system- once garage is waterproofed
93. Reorganize garage
94. Purchase basement storage system- once basement is waterproofed
95. Reorganize basement
96. Clean out front porch
97. Clean out front hall (done for 2006- redo after winter use)
98. Help clean out Mel's office
99. Reorganize Mel's office
100. Clean out Mel's hall closet- remove old boxes
101. Prep for yard sale- organize and box up useless shit
102. Have yard sale

- Mel's 101 in 1001 is here.

101 things in 1001 days

A lot of bloggers have comprised these lists. It took me a couple months to comprise a list, but here we go...

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities

Start Date: Sept. 12, 2006
End Date: June 9, 2009
Last Status Update: December 5, 2006
Days Remaining: 917

Key:
(normal text)- not yet addressed
italic - in progress
bold- completed (with date)

I'll organize these by category later. Most are in order, but I'm just striving to get the list for now.

1. Doctor- get my physical done
2. Doctor- go to OB/GYN
3. Eyes- new prescription & contacts
4. Lose 2 dress sizes
5. Create Living Will
6. Pay off credit cards
7. Put $2,000 into my IRA
8. Find a new job - 11/27/2006
9. Create a personal cookbook
10. Learn to cook 3 fabulous meals
11. Cook every night for two weeks straight
12. Sit ritual for Samhain
13. Reimburse Erich on loan
14. Reimburse dad on loan
15. Get a pedicure
16. Find a new hairstyle that I love
17. Get each cat to the vet for an annual checkup. 11/24/2006
18. Pick a date 9/30/06
19. Reserve ceremony & reception site 9/30/06
20. Reserve caterer Dec. 06
21. Compile guest list with addresses Mar 07
22. Send out save the date cards Mar 07
23. Buy dress & accessories 9/29/06
24. Arrange photographer 6/15/07
25. Arrange florist
26. Send out invitations
27. Get married
28. Take down wallpaper and repaint bedroom
29. Take down wallpaper and repaint bathroom
30. Take down wallpaper and repaint kitchen
31. Restring windows in sunroom to make them functional
32. Buy a snowblower
33. Finish sorting through boxes
34. Organize basement
35. Create a functional space in my office
36. Go through all clothes and make serious (and realistic) decisions
37. Have a yard sale
38. Create flower bed in the empty space in front of the house
39. Reclaim side flower bed from the weeds
40. Plant something under trees along slope in side yard
41. Send photos of the house to grandma
42. Create a good address book (with birthdays and other important dates)
43. Attend all three sorority degrees during the year
44. Hold an autumn 2006 Stitch 'n Bitch 11/10/06
45. Hold a spring 2007 Stitch 'n Bitch (multiple 07
46. Reconnect with Andi
47. Reconnect with DT
48. Clear out penpalling stuff
49. Send out all thank-you notes for wedding within five weeks
50. Send out thank-you notes for Christmas within one week
51. Shed old email groups
52. Clean out clutter email
53. Complete already set stitching goals for 2006 Dec. 06
54. Create new stitching goals for 2007 Jan. 07
55. Complete stitching goals for 2007
56. Complete Egyptian Sampler
57. Complete Apache Wedding Blessing
58. Complete my wedding sampler
59. Start an active stitching group/guild with semi-regular meetings - Stitch Bitch & Who - 5/07
60. Knit a shawl
61. Learn how to do cable knits
62. Write a fanfic story
63. Buy a floor stand for stitching
64. Buy a natural light lamp
65. Get The Castle professionally framed
66. Buff up my Russian
67. Read a Jules Verne novel in French
68. Read any book by Jane Austen
69. Attend the human body exhibit at the science museum missed it. :(
70. Audit a college class
71. Create a "must read" list
72. Read at least five books from said list
73. Buff up my French
74. Visit Vermont
75. Attend Arisia
76. Attend King Richard's Faire 2006 10/2006
77. Attend King Richard's Faire 2007
78. Go to the Big E fair in Mass
79. Attend one of the CATS (not feline-related) exhibitions
80. Visit the Roger Williams Park zoo
81. Spend an afternon at the Gardner Museum in Boston
82. Attend Waterfire
83. Visit Erich's Mom :( R.I.P. 3/12/07.
84. Go on a romantic weekend getaway with Erich (that's NOT part of the honeymoon)
85. Donate platelets in fall 2006
86. Donate platelets in spring 2007
87. Donate platelets in fall 2007
88. Watch a meteor shower
89. Attempt a looser-schedule novel project
90. Level another character in world of warcraft to 60
91. Purchase new battery for my laptop 6/10/07
92. Try a new ethnic cuisine Mar 07 - Brazilian
93. Re-memorize how to do sun and moon salutes for morning stretches
94. Find my clarinet at Mom's
95. Start retraining my breath and fingers so I can play again
96. Research (and attend) a meeting for a casual/alumni band
97. Attend a Drum Corps show
98. Knit an afghan
99. Balance my checkbook every month
100. Update this list every month
101. Create a new list to start in 1001 days.

Helpful stuff: Duration calculator.

Thursday Thirteen #2: Things I like about myself

Thirteen Things I like about myself

1. I’m extremely patient, both with people and with myself. I’m well aware that good things take time… sometimes lots and lots of time.

2. Since early childhood, I’ve always been passionate about learning. I don’t care what subject—I love to learn and love to explore through thought and discovery.

3. I can keep calm during the worst of times – or at least keep an image up that I’m under control. My mind may be racing, but I instinctively try to create calm around me. Unless it’s just around Erich, and then I don’t worry about it.

4. I love that I have a wide range of hobbies to enrich my life.

5. I love being a cat mom.

6. I generally can find a way to enjoy myself, even if on first glance a situation looks like it will be a complete bore.

7. My friends confide in me, and value my comments and suggestions. I’m straight forward with them because as I believe being a friend requires me to be honest with them, but always try to find a way to be both gentle and supportive (even if I think they’re being stupid).

8. For absolutely no reason at all, I’ve always quietly loved that I have grey eyes, blonde hair, and freckles. I don’t feel like me if my hair’s a different color—and I feel more like me in the summer when my freckles come back out from the sun.

9. I’m very proud to not be a girly-girl. It took me a while to get to this, but I’m still a tomboy, and know I’ll remain that way my entire life.

10. I’m generally able to express myself so clearly with writing, which is a damn good thing since I tend to get tied up if I try to verbalize my deeper thoughts.

11. I’m thankful for being adopted because it has opened my eyes to the reality that family is a connection of love as much as (and honestly in my opinion, more than) it is biology. You can, in fact, pick many members of your family, despite how the saying goes.

12. I like that I wasn’t too scared to go on a first – and blind- date five and change years ago to meet Erich.

13. I can – and do - laugh every day.





Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Cass - Shash - Caylynn Southern Girl - JM Snyder - Pass the Torch - Buttercup - Tonya - Cindy


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thursday Thirteen #1: Things I'm thinking about

Trying a new meme today... :)

Thirteen Things I'm thinking about these days... 1. I'm very happy to have finally figured out what type of wedding I want, where I want it, etc. Now I'm just hoping that everything goes well when my mother comes up to book the place next month. 2. Part of me is honestly regretting going to the Bahamas. I've completely screwed myself up financially and keep overdrafting my bank account. Dammit. 3. Is it Friday afternoon yet? 4. Miracle of miracles, my computer seems to be working correctly. Just in time for a weekend LAN party. 5. I sadly know I'm not committing myself to NaNoWriMo this year. I don't have the heart for it this year. 6. Lane Bryant has some shockingly cool clothes right now. Last Friday I was hanging out in the Cambridgeside Galleria for the afternoon, waiting for Erich to get off work. For the past two years, I've been very frustrated with clothes shopping because the cuts were so unappealing. I was questioning whether I'd crossed that age line with their clothing. But Friday, I swear that if I had the money, I could have walked out of there with half the store. Loved the colors. Loved the cuts. Loved that so much was taking a more sophisticated edge. And of course, this is when I don't have money. Figures. 7. Glad we had a LAN party scheduled for this weekend. It now looks to be a washout as the remaining bands of Ernesto move forward. 8. Also glad I no longer live in Boston-- we've entered the annual two day period of Moving Hell. Glad I now own and don't have to move unless I want to. Which preferably will be many, many years off. 8a. And speaking of annual Moving Hell-- how the hell is it already the eve of September? I was in San Diego at Melinda's wedding only a couple weeks ago, I swear. 9. I'm very worried for Erich's mom due to her health problems this year. And I want to figure out a way for us to visit her as soon as possible, because it's important we get up there. (it's nothing fatal... but the poor woman has been the hospital/rehab hospice for the better part of the year). 10. I've been seeing bright red leaves on trees all over the place already-- autumn is hitting hard and early this year. I'm willing to bet winter will be, too. 11. So far, the color I'm seeing suggests an absolutely eye-dropping season of color. I'm planning on being very picture-happy over the next several weeks. 12. Having watched Project Runway religiously for two seasons now, I'm getting annoyed at how the show is sinking into "just another reality show" production. I'm not a fashionista, but I find the creative process of clothing design fascinating. It's why I started watching. I don't want to watch personal sniping. Show me the clothes, dammit. I can watch the cattiness known as The Real World if I want that kind of mind-numbing bitching that I'm seeing between Jeffrey and the rest of the cast. 13. I have a serious craving for Indian food, which I simply can't afford right now... mmm... vindaloo... Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Buttercup - Guppyman - PaxilPrincess - Gail - Frances - Denise - Deanna - Anne - Jersey Girl - Wolfbernz

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

In Other Words: Faults

The greatest of faults, I should say, is to be conscious of none. -Thomas Carlyle

From In Other Words Meme...

The above quote, I can say with certainty, does not apply to me. Erich frequently interrupts me because if anything, I find faults with myself that he claims I don’t have. I am a horrible self-criticizer. The Queen of Faults, as it were.

I’m not quite sure why I’m as bad about myself as I am. Well, no… that’s not true. I know some of the reasons. There is the clichéd directed fault toward my parents, who did genuinely push me to improve. Most good parents do that, don’t they? The problem, though, was that I never felt good enough. I watched them reward my brother for his work in school when he’d get B’s, but if I got B’s… well, I needed to try harder. And the A’s were expected, but not rewarded.

Do I blame my parents? Yeah, part of me does. Or at least, I resent the memories of it. I recognizing how I’ve internalized comments, whether correctly or incorrectly, and now I’m trying to unlearn and rework. I internalized the pushing from my parents as “you’re not good enough. You need to do better.” It obliterated my self-esteem in high school and college, where “you’re not good enough” developed into “you’re a stupid, stupid person who sucks.” Self-loathing caught on. I used the faults that I did have to search for more, whether or not they actually existed.

Actually, I still do that. I shouldn’t kid myself.

I’m not much better now, but I am slowly improving. Just reading through my entries from five years ago and reading the subtle comments between the lines- things that probably only I can see- I know I’m improving. I still think I’m an ugly, fat cow of a woman. I consider myself obnoxiously lazy, and try to overcompensate by trying to do too much (and then never getting stuff done). I am embarrassed by my inability to be proactive. I’m not even passive-aggressive. I’m just passive. I will blatantly go out of my way to avoid conflict. Whenever possible, I always put others’ needs before my own. To a point, it’s a good thing. But I do take it too far. I know this. I simply don’t know where the line of excess is located so I can sit on its fence-like beauty and keep things in balance.

My biggest problem, though, is that I’ve come to see pride in myself as being self-absorbed and (for lack of another term) completely selfish. I only see this as an issue for me, by the way. I admire people who are comfortable in their own skin and self-assured. But for some reason, I “know” that it’s wrong to feel that way about myself. It’s stupid. Absolutely stupid. But I can’t seem to get over that final hurdle. I don’t want to be seen as self-absorbed, selfish, or having an inflated ego. The idea of being seen with those traits terrifies me.

I think the problem is that I see selfishness in myself and panic. Panic results in polarizing myself into a position where thinking about my own needs isn’t on the radar, let alone being a secondary consideration. And then, since I manage to polarize myself so strongly, I feel completely lost and out of touch… intensifying the “I’m complete and utter shit” feelings. I stay silent so I don’t appear to need help. (because again—admitting that I need help translates into “I’m not good enough.”)

It’s a vicious cycle. And the irony of all of this is that I actually DO see that it’s stupid and wrong, and that I need to change. I just haven’t figured out how I do this yet.

If I’ve managed to give my readers the illusion that I am a calm, collected, self-confident person… I’m shocked and pleased. But yes, it is a façade. It’s a façade that I’m working on building into a foundation. For the moment, though, I seem to have misplaced my trowel. Maybe it’s up in the Pit of Despair (aka my office).

Tuesday Memeage: Reminiscing our childhood

This past weekend was very busy and both fun and frustration filled... but I'm a bit too sleepy at the moment. I'm also dealing with Elly thinking that I'm her dry nurse at the moment (she's attached to my shoulder... and making a rather big wet spot where she's trying to suckle).

Anyway... instead, I bring you... Tuesday's Tales:

Reminiscing Our Childhood


1. What is the earliest memory you have as a child? Think far back.

My earliest is a very quick lightbulb flash moment. I was two (and change). My parents and I were in Disneyland, and we were in the Haunted Mansion. For whatever reason, my parents were allowing me to stand (rather than hold me). I remember a huge sea of legs. And then there was a gap in the people, and I saw the mantle above the fireplace. The picture of a pretty woman turned to a skeleton.

And then it stops.

For years, I didn't believe it was real although my parents vouched that it most likely was. And then I went to Disneyland again at age 16. I stood in the front hall of the Haunted Mansion, and looked at the painting above the fireplace.

And watched that painting from memory turn into a skeleton. Damn.

2. What is a special memory you have about someone? It could be a grandparent, family friend - not including your parents - that you knew as a child.

One night when I was visiting my grandparents, I wanted to sleep up in the attic with my grandma. The attic was my mom's old bedroom, and since no one I knew at home had an attic, it was a big adventure for me. I couldn't have been older than seven, since that's the year that my grandparents moved away from their house on North 10th Street.

There was a big storm that night in Easton, and lightning hit a stop sign or something just up the street-- it was a tremendous sound. It scared both my grandma and I, and we both bolted downstairs. My grandpa came home a bit later to find the two of us huddling on the couch.

We laughed about it often... right up to her death.

What do you recall about them that makes the memory special?

It's one of the few times I honestly recall seeing my grandma afraid. But at the same time, she laughed about it. I remember she always tried to make the best of situations.

3. What was a favorite game you played as a child?

Cat's Cradle on the playground at school. It's a blend of four-square and dodgeball.

4. What was a memorable trip that you can recall being a little kid and what did you do that makes you think about it even now?

I had so many! I really did have a lucky childhood. Every year I went somewhere. Most of my big vacations were in Hilton Head, SC. They've now all blended together now because we went there literally every year from '85 to '93. We did everything on those trips: the beach, crabbing, fishing, beach horseback riding, tennis, etc. I think my favorite two things of all of those trips were going to see Charleston (my uncle lived there at the time) and Savannah (oh, how I loved Savannah!).

3x Thursday

So here's the deal... I'm making a conscious effort to write every day. I used to, a few years ago. Now I've gotten lazy. So if it takes memes to get me back on track, dammit... I will get back on track.

I have the Stitcher's Blogging Question on Wednesdays, so Thursdays shall be 3xThursdays:

1. What are the top 3 things in your life that are most important to you? Not necessarily things..

1) Erich
2) My lifestyle
3) Having money to support myself

2. Do you take steps to facilitate the importance of those things? How so/how not so?

Most definitely-- Erich is most important. I make sure to say "I love you" at least once-- and normally several times a day. I cherish my relationship with him, always seeking to improve it, deepen it, and sustain it.

Money sadly makes the world go round. But I also can appreciate, having grown up very comfortably with money, that it isn't everything. As long as I can sustain the lifestyle I want, I'm happy. Having the freedom to live life the way I want, with the people I want, is happiness.

3. Would you ever think about changing the way you do things (priorities) so that you can pay more attention to the things that matter the most?

Absolutely. In fact, work-related changes are being discussed these days, for both Erich and me.

Bonus Question for Comments: What do you think of people who put their wants and needs at the back of the line? Do you think it's wise to do such a thing?

I think it depends on the situatio- what the balance of needs and wants are. Sometimes the list of needs for survival are so pressing that the wants absolutely have to fall by the wayside. It's also important to over-indulge on the wants from time to time to keep life balanced.

~ Mel.

21 Firsts Meme

Yes, I have entries to write... but my brain isn't functioning. Sometime this weekend. :)

21 firsts...

1.Who was your first prom date? Darren (for prom). Formal dance? Cody

2. Who was your first roommate? Kathy K.

3. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk the first time? vodka

4. What was your first job? dipping truffles in melted chocolate for my mom's bakery

5. What was your first car? (driven) 1981 Mazda RX-7, (owned) 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee (current)

6. When did you go to your first funeral? 2003 (age 28) to my grandmother's funeral.

7. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown? 18-- for college.

8. Who was your first grade teacher? Mrs. Pekovitch

9. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane? From Butte, Montana to Oakland, CA (3 days old)-- being adopted.

10. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with? I honestly never did.

11. Who was your first Best Friend and are you still friends? Andrea Simmons. Yes.

12. Where was your first sleepover? Probably Andi's house or mine (but it definitely was the two of us)-- kindergarten or first grade.

13. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day? Erich

14. Who's wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsmen? My aunt Vicky

15. What is the first thing you do in the morning? hit the snooze button

16. What was the first concert you ever went to? Barry Manilow

17. First tattoo or piercing? ears on the eve of my 7th birthday

18. First celebrity crush? Michael J. Fox in Family Ties

19. Age of first real kiss with tongue? 13-ish

20. First crush? kid named John in my 1st grade class.

21. First REAL love? Darren

National De-Lurking Week

There are more entries under this one for the week of Jan. 9th through 15th, but this will be tagged at the top until the 16th passes by.

As remembered by TranceJen, it's National De-lurking week. So if you read, please just drop a "hi." Like other bloggers, I love hearing from people. Even if I don't always respond to comments-- it can feel like talking to a wall when writing onto an internet site.

So please...




To make this a bit fun, and since it's on-topic for this week ... if you care to share, please drop in something about a birthday of yours that you remember (fondly or not). :)

2005 fill in the blanks

In 2005, I gained a fiance, a house, and two cats... and some weight..
I lost that post-collegiate feeling of not having responsibility for anything yet. (aka... twenty-something's over!)
I stopped dealing with tenants next door and downstairs.
I started realizing how much time maintaining a house takes.
I was hugely satisfied by accomplishing two moves (work and home) in the span of a month.
And frustrated by the miscommunication between my boss and me.
I am so embarrassed that I still suck in managing my money.
Once again, I attempted to find something positive every day, and remember to tell Erich I loved him every day.
Once again, I did not exercise as I should.
The biggest physical difference between me last December and this December is I've sadly gained some weight.
The biggest psychological difference between me last December and this December is a lot more stress and frustration, due to my work environment.
I loved spending time with Erich, the cats, and working on my stitching.
Why did I spend even two minutes dealing with J. bullshit.
I should have spent more time contacting my long-distance friends.
I regret buying expensive lunches that I really didn't need, both cost and calorie-wise.
I will never regret buying hired time with a moving company even though with that money I could have bought all of the supplies to strip and paint at least two rooms of the house.
I fret way too much.
I didn't stay in touch enough.
Work drove me crazy.
Was everything crazier than ever last year? Or was it me?
The most relaxing place I went was Maine.
I feel so reflective when I write that down.
Why did I go to that movie that I knew I'd hate just from watching the previews?
The best thing I did for someone else was give a listening ear and a hug when needed.
The best thing I did for myself was realize the problems in my life, and start to work through them to make things better.
The best thing someone did for me was (two things) propose to me; help fund the down payment on the house.
The one thing I'd like to do again, but do it better, is find a better job.

( Fill in the blanks.. courtesy of Chicago Tribune's Mary Schmich )

Friday Five: World Events

1. How did you learn about yesterday's bombings in London? I found out when reading my friends page in my LJ. I wondered what Qelen was talking about... and then switched over to CNN.

2. Do you have any personal connections to the area? Some online bloggers, penpals, and a few work mates.

3. Do you use public transportation? Every workday, yes.

4. Have you ever let threats of terrorism change the way that you live each day? "Let" isn't a fair word to use, IMHO. My day to day life hasn't changed due to terrorism threats. But governmental laws and added security have altered things slightly-- not by my choice.

5. If you could say something directly to the person or group responsible for this tragedy, what would you say? I wouldn't, honestly. I imagine talking to them would be like my attempt to talk to someone who is an Evangical Christian on the far Republican Right-- if you don't agree with them, you're not really going to have any meaningful conversation. It would be a waste of my time.

Courtesy of Friday Fiver.

Foto Friday

So I have this digital camera and all... I might as well put it to some use, eh? :)

Onward!

A couple yard photos

When we first looked at the house back in March, there was a fairly small, bare tree in the backyard that I assumed was probably a crabapple or a cherry by the way the branches looked (and its size). To both of our surprise, it has turned into a VERY full, very tall maple tree...



Yes... it's in bad need of pruning! For height reference, the white building behind the tree is our garage. The tree's probably a good 18-20 feet tall.

As a tangent to the "you never know until you see it in summer..." concept, we have a naturally developing archway forming off of the driveway into the side part of the yard:



(and you get an idea of what our yard looked like last weekend, and how it mostly looks now. It's a tad overgrown. We plan on fixing that).

I'd like to eventually put an actual lattice archway here, and maybe put wisteria or some sort of other climbing flower to hang over it. A developed opening to the side yard would be pretty, I think. :)


And Feline Friday Photos

(because Minarae isn't the only one with cute kitties...

Colley spends a lovey moment with Erich...



Because that's what the CollBall does on a regular basis with EVERYONE. He's a big puffalump. Really.


Fizz and Gus do a Black Cat Standoff. (you have NO idea how many photos I have of them doing these mirror things. It's fucking creepy.) Fizz is the one facing the camera.




Gus, being the loving Big Gay Cat that he is, seeks some attention from Colley, and does an Offensive Flop to get his way...



And he's none too happy with my invasion of his cat moment, either, trying to wetnose the camera lens to get me to back off...




And just for something random

Picture it in a whirling blizzard at night, snow piling up on the stairs and any ledges of the building...

Erich proposed to me right here, at the bottom of the steps between the two black lampposts in this photo. (The picture is of the old John Hancock building in Boston... with the weather tower, for those who don't recognize it)



And that's it for me today. :)


~ Mel.

Friday Fiver: Last Dance

1. What's the last concert you attended? Prince, at the FleetCenter, last August.

2. Who is the best live performer you've ever seen? Hands down, U2 in '97. The Popmart tour was absolutely wild.

3. You can invite 2 artists to your house, but they must sing together. Who are they and what one song will they sing? Well, it's not possible now... but I'd choose Billy Joel and Ray Charles. "My Baby Grand" is just one of those curl up and listen to in the evening songs. (and hell, I'd love to hear it live in my new living room).

4. Pick one to see: ABBA, Jimmy Buffet or Kenny Chesney? ABBA. Good tunes, dancing all night-- can't beat it. Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney are okay, but the wacky weedus is a bit too prevalent at the first (been there, done that), and I grew up with the country music crowd. Not my thing.

5. Friday Freebie: Tell us anything you want about music! It's not a big focus right now with everything going on in my life, but music has always been a part of my life. From learning six instruments, to joining Tau Beta Sigma, to dance classes for thirteen years.

Courtesy of


Now running to complete insanity for the day... I'll write an entry either late tonight or sometime tomorrow.

Friday Fiver: Fifteen Minutes of Fame

1. If you could be famous for 15 minutes, what would the headline read?

"Woman does death-defying triple flip while twisting ankle."

No. Really. It would. I can't fathom getting a headline for anything other than an amazingly stupid crash out on my bum ankle.

2. Do you think fame would change you?

It probably would in the short term-- I'm sure it would go to my head for a while. But hopefully after a while, my sense of reason would kick back in and kick the shit out of me.

3. Has your name ever appeared in the newspaper? ..what for?

Yes-- a couple plays in high school, honor rolls, and two "slice of life" photos in my childhood (a kindergarten play-- I was dashing as Smokey the Bear, I must say... and a piano recital in one of the local shopping centers)

4. Would you like to be famous for *more* than 15 minutes?

I think two or three days would be fun, bewildering, and a fascinating experience. After that, my anxiety would make it pure hell... and want it to end.

5. If you could perform one act of Good while you were famous, what would it be?

If I only get one act of good, I'd want it to be a simple one-- I'd want to donate the platelets that I donate every month, and give the recipient(s) a HUGE hug.


Courtesy of

Timelines

(jumping on this bandwagon, which has been circling amongst the journals lately...)


Timelines


**25 years ago**
1980: I was five and enjoying my last couple months of pre-school. I was to start kindergarten in the fall. I'd returned in January with my parents from a rather dangerous vacation to Hawaii where we landed in Honolulu just prior to a hurricane hitting the island. We spent the first night in Hawaii on cots in the baggage claim area of the airport because the roads were too unsafe to drive. All I envision from that trip was the sight of the sliding doors to the baggage claim being blown open more than once.


**20 years ago**
1985: The year of nearly ALL of the movies of my childhood. The year where my parents finally decided that I could go to the movies with a friend on my own. I must have seen Back to the Future four or five times in the theater. A Chorus Line introduced me to Broadway (beyond Annie). Cocoon's theme song got stuck (and to this day, still gets stuck) in my head. My recitation of "one plus two plus two plus one" began that year while watching Clue. Goonies WERE Good Enough. The Journey of Natty Gann introduced me to a softer side of the Depression, as well as a young drool-worthy actor named John Cusack. Witness fascinated me, since my grandmother lived next door to an Amish family. And by the end of that year, I was attempting to imitate Gregory Hines' solo tap routine in White Nights... and had it down as best as a ten year old could.


**15 years ago**
1990: I get my driver's license, and my father rejoices not having to shuttle me around to dance class and piano lessons. To this day, i don't know what the HELL my father was thinking allowing me, the 15-year-old, to drive the SPORTS CAR to school. But hey, it was cool. I transitioned from freshman to sophomore year. I was well into my first long-term relationship with Darren, the Good Mormon (when it suited him to play that role), and the tight circle of Mormon-only friends around me was fairly set by the end of that year-- a development that in hindsight played much more of a role in my religious development than I would care to admit... and in a way that they would definitely not have liked, if they were still in contact with me.

By this time, my parents had been divorced for a year. Mom was living in Danville, California, and was transitioning to having no kids in the house when my brother had decided to move back to Montana. As an adult, I can see how painful that was to her. At the time, though, I was such a clueless teenager absorbed in my own world that the only thing I saw was the annoyance of Scott's return to the house.


**10 years ago**
1995: Now living in Boston, I'm a sophomore in college, well-settled into my quiet little corner of Warren Tower's 11C. I meet Jason, and most of the rest of the Boston crew that I'm still in contact with. I've been a member of TBS now for about a year, and the struggle to survive is on. Ivanna and I begin our close friendship.

And I've become completely, utterly addicted to the X-Files.

No. Really. Let's discuss disturbing addictions (and poorly written, sappy, teenagery fanfic). Heh.


**5 years ago**
2000: I started out the year with a vicious case of pneumonia and a high fever that made me think it was a great idea to go wandering around Boston after midnight in my PJ's and Birkenstocks in the last hours of First Night. It was below zero, and steadily dropping to the coldest windchills I've yet experienced in the city (neg fifty by mid-January).

2000 was a dark, dark year, and I honestly don't remember all that much of it past that illness at the end of 1999 into 2000. I was ill for a good portion of the year, due to that bout of pneumonia. I think I had a dry cough well into May. That was nothing compared to what was going on in my head.

I'm 25... three years out of college, and my life was a complete wreck. I spent a lot of it crying and swearing at myself for being a fuck up. I was still trying to get past the grieving and anger from three years prior. I shut everything out, and everyone down. It probably wasn't the best choice, but at the time it seemed like the only one I could manage to do.

I was horribly lonely, living in my Blackwood Street studio apartment (aka The Beast), and feeling like life was completely worthless. I'm convinced that the reason why Colley is so laid back and pliable as a cuddle cat was because I forced him to be a living stuffed animal that year-- he got cuddled. A lot.

I change jobs halfway through the year, and it's a turning point that starts putting things back on track.

It's strange how things turned around in a year. It really, truly is, looking back. I'm not sure how the hell it happened.


**3 years ago**
2002: I'm one year into my relationship with Erich, and both excited and scared to death about being in a good relationship. We move in together in August of that year into our current (but soon to be former) apartment. I'm coming to terms with myself and finally feeling like I'm getting a sense of who I am and who I want to be.

I'm introduced to NaNoWriMo, and rediscover my love of writing-- as poor as it can be at times. I manage to get to the 50,000 word goal. I know there's more to tell to the story, but I'm mentally exhausted by it as the holidays approach.

Christmas leads to a huge falling out with my father, which creates a very stressful 2003 in my relations with nearly all members of my family, immediate and extended. I don't talk to my dad at all until 2004. Extreme? Yes. But it needed to be done. For my sake.


**Last year**
Superbowl.
Happy 30th, Erich.
World Series.
Goddess, no. Four more?
Hmm... go Pats?

end of line.


**This year**
Mmmm... defintely Go Pats!

I turn 30.
We get engaged.
We put an offer and get said offer accepted on our first house

(all within a 65 day stretch)

No hurry or anything. ;)

We move in mid-June, and I no longer will be a Massachusetts Resident. Strange to think that.

What else can happen this year? Let's just say that we're being VERY careful with the protection stuff, eh? ;)


**Yesterday**
Worked all day, followed by a dinner of Scoops chips and garnished Velveeta cheese. And I was amazingly techy and figured out how to install a Php discussion board on my website. Erich says that I've outgeeked him.

I'm so proud!


**Today**
Spent the morning at home dealing with bank stuff. Working a half day. Will go home and finish up all of my owed organized swaps while Erich blows people up in the weekly Clan Night on Halo 2. Probably some brief cleaning, too, since my mom's coming for the weekend.


**Tomorrow**
Another day at work, followed by drinky things, catching up with an old college friend who I haven't seen in years, followed by a sneak preview showing of the still-in-post-production Serenity movie at the downtown Boston Loews theater.

And a very, very happy 30th birthday to Minarae, who has the odd celebration date of 05/05/05.

Ongoing Memes

I set up this handy page to collect my posts for repeating or ongoing memes. Due to Blogger's lack of tags, this just seemed like the easy shortcut!

Enjoy!

- Mel.

Last updated: November 16, 2006


101 Things in 1001 Days
Mine - posted 9/11/06
Erich's - posted 9/12/06



#1: Things I'm Thinking About - posted 8/31/06
#2: Things I Like About Myself - posted 9/7/06
#3: Why I Love New England - posted 9/14/06
#4: Feline Photos - posted 9/21/06
#5: Band Geekiness - posted 10/5/06
#6: Thank Yous - posted 10/13/06
#7: Random i-Podding - posted 10/19/06
#8: Halloween Purchases - posted 10/26/06
#9: Pets - posted 11/9/06
#10: Things to do before New Year's Eve - posted 11/16/06




September 27, 2006
August 16, 2006
August 3, 2006
July 13, 2006
June 7, 2006
May 31, 2006
May 25, 2006
May 3, 2006 - the massive 2006 to date catchup. :)
January 5, 2006
December 23, 2005
December 14, 2005
October 20, 2005
September 22, 2005
September 14, 2005
July 13, 2005


Tuesday's Tales
Reminiscing Our Childhood - posted 8/8/06


3x Thursday
June 15, 2006

Friday Feast
#1: September 15, 2006
#2: September 22, 2006
#3: October 6, 2006