The Interview

My friend VegasGustan (I'm being lazy but his links are the ones over there on the right called "Home But Far From It" and "Song Repository") interviewed me, and here are my answers to his brilliant questions:
1. If you could rewrite the ending to one book how would you change it?
I would end Chuck Palahnuik's Invisible Monsters after the person who shot the model in the mouth confesses to the shooting. Because after that is just mindless backstory on why it was done, and who really cares? The reasoning takes away from the shock the reader would have felt. What I would have thought about the reasoning would have been far more complex and interesting than the "true reasons." Writers are so scared of leaving questions in the readers' minds, when a responsible reader would fill those answers in with his/her own answers rather than waiting for it to be spelled out for them. And I don't think that writers should leave things open that you can't make your own hypotheses without stretching too much, because that's not responsible either. A writer should lead you to the water and expect you to drink, not force you. Wow, and now we're all asses. :) And I'll step down from my soapbox. (For all the Palahnuik fans out there, I do really love his writing and his storylines. Invisible Monsters was the only one so far that I've read and been irritated by the ending.)
Oh, another one I'd change is anything by James Paterson. But then I'd change the end by burning a hole through it. But you already knew that, didn't you? :)
2. Do you hold any regrets so far that you would care to share with the class?
I really try not to regret things. I do things I should regret, but I've always been big on not regretting, because really what purpose does it serve? I think if there's something that does come to mind it's that I regret stealing from my mother when I was a teenager. I think it's something all teenagers did, but I've really tried to make up for it as an adult by helping her out with money whenever possible. She doesn't often take it, but I still try to force it on her. I didn't realize how little she really had back then.
3. If you could have taken anything to show-and-tell back in the day what would have it been?
I'd like to carry around the little boy I punched in kindergarten while the lights were out and we were getting ready to watch a movie. He was always teasing me and I could never get him back, so one day right before a movie I went up behind him and slugged him in the back. That way I could show-and-tell I really can stick up for myself!
4. You wake up in a future where you are now considered a complete savage and cavewoman-like, how do you try to fit in?
I go to work, because you're always required to be somewhat of a savage. If I'm completely a savage maybe I'll be even better. My problem with my job is that I think I have too much empathy. Maybe this kind of change would do me good.
5. (James Lipton Moment) What turns you off?
People who pretend they're more intellegent than they are, or feign intellect by enunciating every word so it sounds deliberate and therefore more stable and important than everyone else's speaking. And when people talk over you. And bad breath, that really turns me off.

The Rules

1. Leave me a comment saying 'interview me please'
2. I will respond by asking you five questions on your blog (not the same questions you see here)
3. Update your blog/site with the answers to the questions
4. Include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, ask them five questions

spendin' moolah.

I finally made my reservations on Orbitz for Punta Gorda in a week and a half, and so of course there's a tropical depression south of here. They say it's going toward the Bahamas, so maybe we'll be safe. I don't want to waste my money. And I want to have fun, of course! It's the Survivor geocacher's event for the anniversary of Hurricane Charley. Let's go crazy!
Okay, I'm tired and am slightly nuts.
And I forgot today was Tuesday.
I go now.

Doing Minimal Black for a bit.

I haven't been posting because I've been so mad at the template for doing that damn scrolly thing. I know I said it wouldn't bother me. So I lied. I've tweaked everything I know how to tweak, and I wrote an email to the template maker but she'he hadn't gotten back to me yet and I was still annoyed by it. I tried reloading the same template but I came up with the same problems. So I switched back to the most bearable of the blogger templates, and I'm now on the hunt for a bigger better template. Something with books, please.
It's been a whole half a month since my last post! I've been keeping up with most of your posts, even though I couldn't bear to post myself, so I find myself fairly caught up.
It's been raining since I went to bed last night. I woke up having a terrible dream and went back to finish it -- it makes me groggier to wake up to a half-finished bad dream than to finish it out. In the dream I was at some minor celebrity's house and some other people were there too and for some reason I passed out and when I came to I realized that someone had set fire under my bed, which I put out with my hand -- ouch! Then I realized the people that had been at the celeb's house were raiding her warehouse, so I was trying to find out who of my friends were involved with this, and I got caught at the warehouse by someone who didn't know me, but she just told me to leave and then I was hiding at this woman's house and a car (of the people from the warehouse) came by and hit her little baby. And the baby died while I was trying to catch the people who did it.
So really I'd say that so much has happened, but really not much has happened since I took a sabbatical. Christen, Other April and I went to Islands of Adventure on Saturday, which was a lot of fun. I hadn't been there in many years, Christen had never been there, and OA is always up for a theme park!
We also ate at Jungle Jim's so C and I could have the Peanutbutter Bet hamburger (1/2 lb hamburger, peanut butter, mayo (which of course I leave off) cheese, bacon, lettuce tomato and pickle).
It's the best burger anywhere, I do declare. We go there everytime we go to Orlando, which lately isn't much, but for a span of 7 months or so we went every other weekend.
OA and I slept all the way home, and I went to bed at 9:30 and woke up at 9:30, and went to a bridal show with ShellBell again. This one didn't tire me out as much as the last one, and we went shopping afterward since it was the last day of the tax-free thing. To tell you the truth, we just went shopping to go shopping. It just so happened that it was still during the tax-free thing.
I'm now falling asleep again. Suz and I have decided to start carpooling (a logical idea, although we've been working there for going on 6 months and haven't really given it a thought until I needed a ride for two days last week. Now we're going to try. Let's hope I don't fall asleep in the car today (no, I'm not driving).
So sorry this post hasn't been particularly interesting or witty -- it's hard for me to get back into the swing of things once I've been gone for so long. It'll get better, I promise people!

I think therefore ...

I think that Christen's Time O' Ze Month coincides with mine, because every month we bicker the whole time. And I swear it's not just me starting the fights. I'm generally content just to sit on the couch and moan all night, but he has to start arguments when he asks where the tops to the tupperware are and I instruct him to the cabinet I told him they would be in two weeks ago when we brought them from the apartment he starts getting all pissy. I was watching my tone so it didn't seem like I thought he was an idiot (he acuses me of talking that way sometimes) and still he goes, "Now see, I get upset when you say things like that." Like what, damn it? With the entire rest of the world it's how you say something and not really what you say. I try to be all friggin' sweet and tell him where they were and now it's what I say and now how I say things. But you know, if I would have said, all exacerbated, "There in here," he would have been equally mad. (For the record, my exact words were, all sweet and nice, "I told you when we brought them that I would put the tops over here." End of story.)

And then this morning I couldn't get up because I couldn't sleep last night and he got mad and started stomping around. Gee wiz, man. I tossed and turned for four hours, read some, and finally fell asleep only to keep waking up sweating and he's mad because I want to get up at 6:45 instead of 6:37? I'm freaking tired!

Anyhow, enough of the bitchfest. I'm having a party tomorrow (yay!) and hopefully no cops will be called. I told my neighbors about it and if we were too loud to come over and tell us to shut up.

Oh yeah, and ouch.

I wrote yesterday's post and forgot to mention the ouch, which hardly seems worth mentioning now. I seem to have cut my hand right where it meets my left wrist. I don't know how I did it, and it's just a little cut so it wouldn't really matter except that I don't type correctly and rest my wrists on the panel of the laptop under the keyboard when I type. I thought yesterday it would be a bigger problem, as I am forced to type as fast as possible as people talk to me on the phone, but it seems I rest my forearms there on the edge of the desk so it doesn't bother the cut. The reason I don't type correctly is when I took typing class in high school I thought it would amuse me to see what I could get away with in not typing the way the instructor taught us (Sorry, Ms. Nail). So whenever she wasn't looking I would sneak peeks at my keyboard and rest my wrists. And now I like to watch myself type even though I know where all the keys are and don't have to look, and I rest my forsaken wrists. Oh well, such is life.

I don't have a lot else to say and I'm on a bit of a time crunch because I've not yet started getting ready for work, but I will say this:

Yay for hockey being back this season!

That is all.

Ouch.

I'm sitting here trying to wake up before I go to work -- it was such a hassle to get up. And I was having a dream about someone I intensely dislike that for some reason I started working for again and he was hitting on me and I seemed to like it. Icky. So you'd think I would have wanted to wake up, but I never heard the alarm and Christen exausted all resources in waking me up. I think he was mad. Thankfully I don't seem to say anything about my dreams while I'm still in that half-state, or I might be in trouble sometimes. Not that I can control them or anything, but still. And that dream made me feel icky. However it was funny that I was going through bags of paperclips to make sure they all about the same amount because there was a sidewalk sale of sorts. Hehehe.

I took Christen's birthday off this week (Monday) and we had a nice relaxing day together. I got all of his shopping done over the weekend while dodging rainbands from the hurricane so we were able to focus on doing what shopping he had left, like buying the grill his parents gave him money for for his birthday. And I bought the Sims University pack, so now I've reduced myself to not doing anything constructive for the past couple evenings. That's okay though, because he bought Age of Mythology or something like that and is playing it on the other computer. We have 4 computers -- 2 desktops and 2 laptops, and 1 desktop doesn't work and 1 laptop has a broken spine (parapalegic?) so we're usually reduced to the other two computers. I know, hard luck, right?

Sunday I went with my best friend to a bridal show and to Christen's cousin's boutique so ShellBell could try on dresses. It was a lot of fun, and she and I haven't spent much time together in awhile. I'm her maid of honor, so I need to get one of those books to find out what that entails. I know I'm supposed to host a bridal shower and do the bachelorette party, but what else? I think I'm going to help her with a lot of the planning, which sounds fun to me! :)

I read two books last week -- The 6th Lamintation, which was really very good. A little hard to follow at times, but very well written. The second was Me Talk Pretty One Day, which was pretty good. I didn't find it as laugh-out-loud as some people seem to find Sedaris, but it was pretty good. Amusing at the very least.

Oh yeah, work? What's that? I guess I should go. Wish me luck on driving with a cloudy head!

Garnish my hurricane with an orange and a cherry.

Hurricane Dennis is looking interesting, but thankfully the brunt of it will miss us. I was driving earlier today to try to finish (oh who am I kidding, trying to start) my shopping for Christen's birthday. It wasn't bad until I headed back from Tampa and one of those bands hit the area and I couldn't see the interstate. I knew there was a giant red truck somewhere in front of me, but I couldn't for the life of me see it. A half hour later driving 20-30 MPH all the way home I picked up Other April and brought her over. We all went out for drinks last night and we ended up dropping her at home even though her car was at my place because she wouldn't have been safe driving home. Now I'm hanging out at home doing nothing and contemplating doing my grocery shopping while the weather is calm. Who's with me?

We live in a crazy world.

I'm sorry for London. It's bad no matter where it happens.

What'dya know?

I don't know anything. Except that I always wake up feeling like I haven't gotten enough sleep, but I'm not smart enough to go to bed earlier. I'm thinking about visiting Autumn today, whom I haven't seen since we went to see her in the hospital. I worry about her every day though. I was supposed to go with Brad but a friend of his is having problems of some sort so he doesn't know if he's gonna make it. I think I'll go on my own. I bought her a calla lilly candle, because that's her favorite flower and they die so quickly. I think this might last longer.

Maybe when I get home I'll go to bed.

Commemoration

So while I'm waiting for Christen's arrival home, I figure I can commemorate my birthday with an honest to god post instead of the mini blurbs I've been gracing you with. At least while my downloads finish :)

First things first, though: Jamie, my blog still isn't acting right but I've figured out that it's only with Firefox that I have difficulties; if I open in Explorer there's no problem. For the time being I've decided not to worry about it and just let people scroll if they use Firefox -- hell, I use Firefox and I scroll. But if someone wants to troubleshoot it that won't bother me either. Eventually I'll look into it. I don't think I'll put the old pics up just because I don't want to go through the trouble of looking them up again, but I'll continue putting new ones up now that I know that wasn't the cause.

My birthday has been pretty good so far; I think this is the first time I have worked on my birthday in I don't know how long, but it wasn't too bad. The girls took me out to lunch and gave me a chocolate cake and a big balloon and the waiter even gave me a pair of earrings for my birthday! He said that some woman had tipped him with the earrings and he really didn't know what to do with them since he wouldn't wear woman's earrings anyhow, so he gave them to me for a birthday present! They're kinda cute; I'm not sure they're earrings that I would normally wear but they might be cute on, I don't know.
Christen gave me my present yesterday; I knew what it was anyhow because I didn't really give him any inkling that I wanted anything else, but I'm happy that he got it for me:

I got a precious little green iPod mini. Last night I spent downloading music for it, so I now have a wonderful 133 songs on it and counting! Christen's parents gave me a couple gift cards and a pretty necklace and my dad stuck a card under my back door for me -- I love that I live close enough for him to do that! I'm going to my mom's house tomorrow or Thursday and out with his parents on Saturday. Tonight Christen is taking me out to dinner, though he won't tell me where.

My wonderful friend and ex-roomie Brad celebrates his 21st birthday today as well, so I called him this afternoon after lunch to wish him a happy birthday and to hear about his exploits with tequila last night. We're going out drinking on Friday, woohoo! And Saturday afternoon I'm treating him to a tour of the Yuengling factory in Tampa.

So it'll be a week of birthday shenanigans! Wish me luck; hope I survive the hoopla!

Go April,

It's your birthday ... :)

bless the genius of crazy people

I just heard how this angry claimant sent a Progressive claims adjuster a big bouquet of flowers, hung out outside the building and when the adjuster came out with the bouquet he shot her. So you know, if a random person sends you flowers don't take them home. If you pissed them off, they might be watching for you.

the thin red line.

I burnt my arm. I maintain that it's Christen's fault; I had to iron his shirt this morning. It's not that he's inept at such things, but he was whining more than normal on the state of the wrinkles -- I thought it might be easier to simply do it for him once he had tried and failed. I usually leave him to his own devices. Alas, my poor burned arm (although of course it's really not that bad, just an itchy red line).
They've taken away overtime at work now. I'm restricted to strict 8-5 hours. Looks like I'll be getting some sleep now! But I really enjoyed that extra umph on my paycheck twice a month, and it's so much easier to get work done when there's no one here. I've decided if they are taking it away then I'm going to start taking my breaks too, so now I'm going to start blogging on my breaks. So congrats! You'll hear from me more! I can't technically "blog" from work, but I can email myself what I want to say and post it at night, which works. It makes me happy. And we want April happy.
Last night I went to a karaoke bar for a girl from work's birthday. It was much fun, I'll tell you. I drug Christen too, (not to say I drugged him but I made him come with) and I think he had fun too although he didn't know very many people. It's okay; I didn't know many people either. There were many terrible singers and a few good ones (that includes the ones in our group) but we stayed late and it was entirely too difficult to get up this morning because of it. The "other April" sang Angel by Sarah McLaughlin, and she was great. I made her sing, and I think I'll be making her sing a lot more now. Hehehehe.
Countdown to my birthday -- 7 days!

in space

It seems so many are getting in car accidents. First it was Mason Dixon --

And now a very good friend from work. The thing is there were about 10 of us on the patio drinking when our friend got in the accident crossing the street from work to the bar. I guess it's a good thing he didn't get in the accident leaving the bar instead. He's alright, but let me tell you: Tiberon's do not hold up against Expeditions. I didn't take a picture but a friend did and I'll post it if I get ahold of it.

back to the land of the living ...

I'm not quite finished moving but I've decided I've had it. Everything left, well, I haven't missed it in the last week, now have I? Maybe I won't notice if I just trash it all. I do still need to put in my change of address because I'm not getting my bills, and though I don't mind this I'm sure Capital One does.

And I've missed all of you terribly so I've decided to come back to ze blawgin' communidy.

I lied though; I can't throw anything away so I'm sure I won't trash it all. I just have to get the mometum to go back and grab everything. For this weekend I'm taking it easy. We bought a new couch from Kanes to be picked up tomorrow, and my family is coming over tonight to see the new place and to hang out (and the little sister will be spending the night). I plan on a nice dinner at the diner around the corner and some local shopping and geocaching. Woohoo, sounds like fun! Christen has been taking care of his dad for the past few days so I've been home organizing all my books and dvds and kitchen stuff -- it's been lonely but great fun; we all know how much I love to organize. I hate to pack and I detest moving, but I revel in the reorganizing. I have a library now! Life is good.

I swear I'm alive ...

I'm just moving between monsoons ...

If I don't drown moving the couch I'll stop by soon!

gettin' down with the sickness ...

So being sick has allotted me the time that I otherwise would not have to watch movies. I'd read, but for two reasons: one, my head, it was a-poundin' the entire 5 days of illness; and two, I packed all of my books last week and dragged them over to the new house. It's a very dreary house indeed, one with no books. But there's always Blockbuster and HBO on Demand! So here's what I've watched Friday Sunday and Monday:

Spanglish
The Incredibles
In Good Company
The Counterfeit Contessa
Singles
The Prince and Me
Easy
Bowling for Columbine
Cinderella Story
Groundhog Day
3 episodes of Family Business

... and I'm sure a number of others. It's been fun! Some of those would have ended up on MooCow's "I watch bad movies so you don't have to" list, but I found most of them thoroughly enjoyable. If it helps, I would have watched a Mary Kate & Ashley movie if I would have caught it on television. And I DVR'd (the Brighthouse equiv. of TIVO) The Prince and Me because Christen refused to watch it with me. And tomorrow I shall return to the land of the living -- well, almost. New Jersey Insurance, here I come!

and the rain came tumblin' down.

I feel like Chicken Little with all this rain. It started on Tuesday with the rain when it took me two hours -- two hours to get to work. Then ... I got sick. It started out like a little sore throat -- nothin' I couldn't handle. Then my ears filled up -- everytime I swallow my throat hurts and my ears pop. Then my sinuses filled up.

By Friday this is what I felt like. I worked 6:30-10:30 am and had to get out of there -- I felt like shit. This weekend hasn't been any better. We tried to do some moving yesterday and got about 10 boxes across the Bay before it started pouring again. Today I've been reduced to lounging on the couch watching crapping On Demand movies. Anyone want to help me move?

courtesy of NPR Junkie

Have you ever:

(x) snuck out of the house – 9th grade and I was grounded for 7 months (1 month for sneaking out and 6 months for lying about it)
(x) gotten lost in your city – sometimes that's the best part
(x) seen a shooting star
( ) been to any other countries besides the united states
( ) had a serious surgery
(x) gone out in public in your pajamas - all the time, and i still do it
(x) kissed a stranger
(x) hugged a stranger
(x) been in a fist fight – with an ex-boyfriend's girlfriend, but not over him ... she was a bitch.
( ) been arrested – nope, can’t say as I’ve been caught….
(X) laughed and had milk/coke come out of your nose
(x) pushed all the buttons on an elevator
(x) swore at your parents
(x) been in love
(x) been close to love - i've felt like i should have been in love but wasn't
(x) been to a casino – Hard Rock casino is just down the street
( ) been skydiving - no, but i've done that windtunnel sky diving (fake skydiving)
(x) skinny-dipped
(x) skipped school – not enough to put a dent in my education
(x) seen a therapist – didn't help in the least ... y'all know i'm still nuts
(x) done the splits - is this gymnastics or splitting your pants? i've done both!
(x) played spin the bottle
( ) gotten stitches
( ) drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour – isn’t that something they do for fun out in the midwest?
(x) bitten someone – that's my only defense when people tickle me!
( ) been to Niagara Falls
(x) gotten the chicken pox – so bad I had boils in my throat ... it was icky
(x) kissed a member of the opposite sex – this should come as no surprise…
( ) crashed into a friend's car
( ) been to Japan - but i have a friend who's been there for 3 years
(x) ridden in a taxi
(x) been dumped - i didn't know how to break up with one guy so i just stopped talking to him until he broke up with me --- in a note! gotta love high school
(x) shoplifted - don't wanna talk about (never was caught though!)
(x) been fired - but not for a very good reason
( ) had a crush on someone of the same sex
(x) had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
(x) gone on a blind date
(x) lied to a friend – sometimes it’s better to NOT tell the truth
(x) had a crush on a teacher
( ) celebrated Mardi-Gras in new Orleans
( ) been to Europe-
(x) slept with a co-worker sort of, since i met my boyfriend at work, but we worked for different stores and very rarely had to work together
( ) been married
( ) gotten divorced
( ) had children- oh god no!
( ) seen someone die
(x) had a close friend die - my 16 year old neighbor committed suicide when i was in grade school and a high school friend died of leukemia right after graduation
( ) been to Africa
(x) driven over 400 miles in one day – tampa fl to asheville, nc in 12 hours!
( ) been to Canada
( ) been to Mexico –
(x) been on a plane - to Indianapolis for a band trip in high school
(x) seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show but not till after college
( ) thrown up in a bar –
( ) purposely set a part of myself on fire - WTF?!
(x) eaten sushi
( ) been skiing/snowboarding
(x) met someone in person from the internet- yep, L and a couple ex boyfriends ...
( ) lost a child
(x) gone to college-although sometimes it’s hard to believe.
(x) graduated college-again, sometimes hard to believe
(x) fired a gun – well, a bebe gun at one of those huge grasshoppers when i was about 8, and never again..
(x) purposely hurt yourself -- high school was a little trecherous sometimes
(x) taken painkillers-

just so you know ....

You are

What Rejected Crayon Are You?

Attention IDOL fans (look away Mrs. Mogul)

CARRIE WON! HURRAH!

Jacskonville -- city of cache.

So I've decided to go to GeoWoodstock III next weekend in Jacksonville. It's about a 4-hour drive and my sister has agreed to come too, probably in hopes of meeting cute 12-year-old boys ... but that's besides the point (yes, she's 12). But now I have to find a cheap hotel and I don't know where the okay spots are and where the not so good places are. Any help? Looking for something in the 50-60 dollar range, considering I just dropped a buttload of money on the intial rental of the house (first last and sizable deposit). Then we can bring Cheerios and pb&j sandwiches and make it the cheapest stay-over EVAR. Last time I went to Jacksonville was for a band trip and they paid for the room, so I really don't even know where we stayed. Anywho, off to pick up the coffee table we bought at the RTG clearance store. Fun fun!

and meet jacob the snacob too ...

Jacob isn't happy that I didn't feed him today, but he's seemingly happy reading my blog. Perhaps he's spell-checking for me!

let me introduce you to my new house

Isn't it beautiful? This is where I'll be living as of June 1st in the heart of downtown Safety Harbor. I'm so thrilled. I'll take more pictures when I move in. Who wants to do a dinner party? Thus endeth the bitch-blogging about looking for houses. Hallellujah. Now we shall have to name it. I think she's a girl -- she's just so cute and pretty. Any ideas?

it's really not that I've been lazy

but more that I just haven't had the time for you. I know, I'm so sorry. I've missed you all terribly. And just so you know, I'm still reading your posts even though I haven't been much for posting or even commenting. Last week was a week of overtime, mental breakdowns, losing houses, losing minds, crying hysterically and being pissed at the chick at the bowling alley.

You'll excuse me if I go sit on my butt for a little while. Dinner's in the oven and I've got books to read. L and I went book shopping at Wilson's in St. Pete on our lunch break and it occurs to me that I bought 3 books that I'd like to read, but I'm still in the middle of one that I've been reading for weeks and have one in-waiting for when I finish this one. So now I'm 4 behind. And one behind when it's as big as mine is quite enough, thank you!

a la Becky ...

Your Linguistic Profile:

70% General American English

20% Dixie

10% Yankee

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

quick choice: to read or blog?

I felt like blogging this weekend but it was the first time I've actually had the time to read so I've had to choose: to blog or read. Reading won out for a little bit, and after this post I'll pick up the house (yes I'm compulsive about cleaning) and go back to the book. I told my brother he could borrow the book when I'm done and he's getting rather impatient (You only read 35 pages? I could have done that in one period at school!!) so I've resolved to finish it and get it to him before he makes me spend the 20 bucks to get his own copy. Good book, Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell (I know I've mentioned it before as I've been carrying it around with me for two weeks or so). We'll see if I can consume it today.

I celebrated Mother's Day with my mom last night -- I made lasagna and brought it over in a Pyrex dish and played with snakes (she's got two boas and a corn snake) and tickle-tortured my little sister. Great fun, eh? Today was the day to visit Christen's grandmothers and we had lunch with his parents at Fridays. It's been a lazy day so now I'm sitting here with my eyes half closed while I type. Who's up for a Sunday nap?

On another note, I was up for a nap but someone just placed a travel bug about 5 miles from home that I've been waiting for so I guess I'm going geocaching. Wish me happy hunting!

a purse, a book and a bit of traffic.

So it's only 9:30 and I've been home for less than an hour but I'm already thinking of going to bed. I stayed late at work until nearly 7pm wrapping up some work and went to dinner with a coworker at the new Cracker Barrel down the street from work. It only opened Sunday and it was swamped! And there was a geocache there so I signed without knowing the coordinates. The Cracker Barrel caches are so easy usually. I've only not found one, in Fort Myers. It was harder to find the cache online than it was at the place. I'm thinking about writing an article about that series for the magazine. It's an interesting series.

Sunday was great fun. Sadly, I bowled better in the morning than I did in the evening. But such is life, right? My high score for the whole day was 137, but low score was 86. Not so great. Midday warranted a bookstore hike, and though my favorite used bookstore was closed we made due with the local B&N for amusement. I bought David Foster Wallace's A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again. I wanted Sarah Vowell's Radio On: A Listener's Diary, but alas they did not carry it. I suppose I'll have to submit to order it. Blegch. At DSW I found an adorable green tweed purse that begged me to take it home with me and stray from my old black and brown favorites. Which I not only did, but bought a red wallet to go inside instead of my usual Scooby Doo wallet that has seen too many years. Scooby Doo was usually more like Scooby Doo-I-Have-To? when I took him out of my purse. Perhaps time to retire, my dear. Plus it fixed the whole problem with hurting my wallet at the bookstore. This new one is mainly just for cards, so they're always longing to come out and play!

So let me tell you about this traffic jam I was in. Do you want to hear? So Friday night I'm driving home and I leave work at 5:02pm. I always have to drive over this huge bridge to get home and the traffic is usually murderous, but I never worry so much about traffic so whatever. But I'm pulling out of the parking lot and I see an ambulance fly by toward the bridge. It was the only one I saw though, so I'm still not worried. I'm not suppose to pick up my friend to go have drinks until 6pm. So I'm tooling down the highway over the bridge, get over the hump (yes, I said "hump" so giggle away) and traffic stops. Dead. There's no movement whatsoever. I put the car in neutral, pull the parking brake and start reading. 20 pages in there's still no movemet. The guy in the minivan behind me has gotten out of his car. People have tried to tool down the shoulder of the bridge and are now getting tickets. I put the book down and get out of my car to go talk to the dude from the minivan. We were there for 45 minutes. 45 MINUTES! I've never ever been in traffic that you can get out of your car for. That's for in the movies, you know? Thankfully by the time I got OFF the bridge rush hour traffic was out of downtown so it only took 20 minutes to get to Scott's house and I was only 10 minutes late. But holy by golly gee wiz, man. Have you ever seen such traffic?

who needs sleep?

I don't know what 's with me lately but on the weekends it's not possible for me to sleep past 8:30. I realize that my body is used to waking up at six every morning, but during the week I also go to bed at 10 and the past few nights at after one and still I'm up at 8:30. Body, let me sleep! Arg!

But the good thing about getting up that early is that the day goes on forever. Well, it's probably not a good thing if your days suck, but mine -- not so bad, really. :D Yesterday I got all the cleaning done except the bathroom mirror which I'll probably do before I take a shower so it steams all nice. Anyone who's been to my place knows that the phrase "My house is such a mess" is a subjective phrase. My house is rarely a mess. However I hate to deal with papers, so I do have a bit of clutter. My usual dealing with paperwork and receipts is to throw them in the nearest grocery, Target or NY & Co. bag and stack them next to my desk. If no bag is available they get stacked (neatly, mind you) on the inside corner of the kitchen bar. Or on the desk. Or the other desk. This is how I lose so many bills. So yesterday I got all the bags and stacks and threw them on the dining room table and cleaned the apt. Then I went back and dropped all the clutter in the middle of the living room floor and went through ALL of it. I'm now down to a small stack that has my receipt for my car (to go back into the glove box) this month's bills and my 401K stuff from my new job that I don't understand and therefore have yet to sign up. Woohoo! Tomorrow I'll probably pay all my bills and the stack will diminish. I'm so happy to see the floor next to my desk, can I tell you?

Last night I was on a rant about this box of pens I have. It's one of those five-ream paper boxes and it's full of pens. Well, it's gone. I can't find it anywhere, and it's really not like it can hide too much. There's one closet and under the bed that aren't organized to some degree. Yeah, it's not there; it's not anywhere. I have the distinct feeling that Christen made off with it. I don't know why he would have, but who else would have taken it? And I wouldn't have really cared but for two things: It was my box and I wasn't able to go through it for the ones I really wanted. But he says he had nothing to do with it and it'll surface when we move, but we'll see.

And I also went through all my old tapes. Cassette tapes, you remember those? Yeah, well I still have a ton of them so I went through looking for my single of Grateful Dead's Touch of Grey because I wanted to listen to My Brother Esau, which is the B-side. Wow, I have a lot of crap on those tapes. Would you like to listen to Gloria Estefan's greatist hits or the soundtrack to Wayne's World with me? hehe.

I'm going bowling with Ivan and L today, so I think that'll be loads of fun. L and I (hehe, that looks funny) are going book shopping later, so wish my wallet luck!

I'm a posting machine!

Yeah, I know I'm shirking the responsibility of cleaning the house, but read this! Evidently that's what I do, according to this:

Your Birthdate: July 5

With a birthday on the 5th of the month you are inclined to work well with people and enjoy them. You are talented and versatile, very good at presenting ideas. You may have a tendency to get itchy feet at times and need change and travel. You tend to be very progressive, imaginative and adaptable. Your mind is quick, clever and analytical. A restlessness in your nature may make you a bit impatient and easily bored with routine. You may have a tendency to shirk responsibility

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Suprise suprise

Your Life Path Number Is 3

3 Your Life Path is one that emphasizes expression, sociability, and creativity as the lesson to be learned in this life. You are among the entertainers of the world, bright, effervescent, sparkling people with very optimistic attitudes. You possess the most exceptional creative skills: normally in the verbal realm, writing, speaking, acting, or similar endeavors. The lesson to be learned with a 3 life path is that of achievement through expression. The bright side of this path stresses harmony, beauty and pleasures; of sharing your creative talents with the world. Capturing your capability in creative self-expression is the highest level of attainment for this life path. You are warm and friendly, a good conversationalist, social and open. A good conversationalist both from the standpoint of being a delight to listen to, but even more importantly, one who has the ability to listen to others. You are always a welcome addition to any social situation and know how to make others feel at home. Your reative imagination is present, if sometimes latent, as the you may not be moved to develop you talent. Your approach to life tends to be exceedingly positive, and your disposition is almost surely sunny and open-hearted. You effectively cope with all of the many setbacks that occur in life and readily bounce back for more. It is usually easy for you to deal with problems because you can freely admit the existence of problems without letting them get you down. You have good manners and seem to be very conscious of other people's feelings and emotions. Life is generally lived to the fullest, often without much worry about tomorrow. You are not very good at handling money because of a general lack of concern about it. You spend it when you have it and don't when you don't. On the negative side, a 3 may be so delighted with the joy of living that the life becomes frivolous and superficial. You may scatter your abilities and express little sense of purpose. You can be an enigma, for no apparent reason you may become moody and tend to retreat. Escapist tendencies are not uncommon with the 3 life path, and you find it very hard to settle into one place or one position. Guard against being critical of others, impatient, intolerant, or overly optimistic. Typically, the life path 3 gives an above-average ability in some art form. This can encompass painting, interior decorating, landscaping, crafts, writing, music, or the stage, or all of the above. You are apt to be a happy, inspired person, constantly seeking the stimuli of similar people. Your exuberant nature can take you far, especially if you are ever able to focus your energies and talents.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

a sigh of relief.

So I think I'm done with the magazine for this month. I've been up since 8:30 and working since 10:30 and I wrote my article and finished all I'm capable of doing. There are just some things that aren't possible. At least I know my limits, right? It's been a relaxing day with a break for a tuna sandwich. I could be cleaning, but I don't think so.

We found a house in Safety Harbor that we're pretty set on. We really wanted one in South Tampa but we couldn't find anything we liked within our budget. The one we found in SH is a 2/2 1920s house a block from downtown and across the brick road from a cafe that has a live band that plays James Taylor and other nifty music. And it's quiet and the common rooms are really roomy and I'll have plenty of room for my office. And dark hardwood floors. Now we need more furniture. The landlord seems pretty cool too, which is nice. He'll pretty much let us do anything we want as long as it doesn't hurt the house. So I can paint and stuff. Woohoo! Let's just cross our fingers that we get it.

Last night I got together with some of the old fiction crew -- not enough of them, mind you, but it'll have to do. Scott was in town so we all went to Bennigan's and then retired to Brad's. I drank too much. I had four Bass ales at Bennigan's and 3/4 a bottle of wine (2003 Schmitt Soehne Riesling Spaetlese) at Brad's. I was swimmy -- it was delightful. The wine was not bad -- sweet but not White Zin sweet and very smooth. Not something I'd drink all the time but doable. It was a late night -- I didn't get home until after 1 a.m. (yes, that's late for me). Thankfully Brad lives in my apartment complex so I was able to walk home.

Wednesday night I went to a wine tasting in downtown Dunedin and saw an old friend there that I hadn't seen in ages (since her graduation party two years ago). And one of the girls I was with saw friends of hers from high school that she hadn't seen in 10 years. How odd is that? I had a lovely glass of wine there -- a Pinot Frigio, which I had never had but is pretty much like a Grigio, perhaps a little smoother. I wish I remembered the brand though. It started with a P. Any takers? Suzanne and I went to Alley Cat Cafe for dinner afterward and I didn't get home until after 12 a.m. on a work night -- I was so sleepy the next morning. My bedtime is around 10 now. But my weekends are long because I wake up by 8:30 without the alarm.

Anywhos, I think I may get some cleaning done while I still have the motivation. But I'll actually be around and not zipping around to get things done!

I feel like a spinning top or a dreidel ...

So life has been a little strenuous as of late. Not really that I'm complaining, but ... I haven't read a single book since last Wednesday! That's saying something. I've been carrying around Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell and I've read 20 pages or so, but most of the time it's sitting on my desk at work or on the table at home waiting for me, patiently. It's such a good friend for that. Sarah knows I'm busy, but she's so accommodating. I love her.

The managing editor for the mag I work for quit last week so I've been doing the majority of the posting for next month's issue (which comes out on Sunday) and I still have to write an article on bookcrossing meets geocaching (going to try to do it tonight after the meeting) and copy edit four more things so the new managing editor can post those (bless her heart) and fix all the links on the articles I've already posted and figure out how to post the pictures to those articles ...

So I'm sitting down to post here first, lazing about with a glass of Cab Sauv and the rain falling outside, typing on our brand new laptop and watching the beginning of Law & Order: SVU. I'll get to all the other work, eventually. I just really need a few minutes to sit and do nothing. Ya got me?

50 lashes with a wet noodle.

I know, I know. It's been awhile. I tried to write a bunch of times but everytime I logged into Blogger and got to this page I didn't know what I wanted to say. Work is doing alright. We still don't have desks, which is really quite ridiculous but what can you do? I'm still getting paid, and I'm alright with that. My brother spent the weekend with me and we went on a book spree. I bought 11 books. Woohoo, 11 books! Plus two for him, and I let him borrow Sarah Vowell's Take the Cannoli because he was mad I didn't give him Assassination Vacation (hey, I just bought it!) but he gave it back today already finished. Mom's thinking of letting him get his GED next year when he turns 16 because he's not cutting it in school. She had a meeting with the teachers yesterday and they accused him of being like the Columbine kids. They don't know him at all. He doesn't have anymore anger than any other kids and he's really sweet. He just doesn't have social skills. It's not his fault they don't understand him at school. At least he gets the understanding at home that he deserves. Plus he thinks it's hilarious that they think he's going to kill them. Stupid teachers.

We've been looking for houses for the past couple of weeks in South Tampa. It's ... going. I've found one I like but it's still not everything we want, and another one we both really like from the outside but the I keep trying to get ahold of the guy he doesn't answer his cell phone and he called me one time and I couldn't get to the phone in time but I called him right back and he didn't answer then either, and hasn't answered yet. And I'm not leaving 6 million messages.

Anywho, don't have anything else to say; you know how when you haven't said anything in awhile everything bubbles up too quickly? Yeah, that's how I feel. Night!

hey!

You're Betty Grable!


What Classic Pin-Up Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Black Monday, blue Tuesday.

Monday was wretched. Yes, that's my favorite word for such a day. I found out that my dad's girlfriend has cancer. They've been together for nearly 20 years, so she's as much a part of my life as anyone he could have married (he's allergic to marriage; he found out when he married my mom) and she's a sweet wonderful person. The only reason I found out is that I went to get my car insurance fixed up (she's my agent) and she was wearing a wig like the one I wore when I was Velma for Halloween. So she told me (and said she wouldn't tell anyone but family) but that she's going to chemo 3 days every 10, and she came in on a chemo day to help me. I felt so bad. Dad says it's worse than she lets on, that the chemo is more to prolong life than to save it. I told him I wouldn't tell Mom, but when I left after dinner I called her crying and went over. That's what her brother died of about two months ago -- liver cancer. I was slightly hysterical when I went to my mom's, but she made me feel a little better. I didn't get home until after 12a.m. and was supposed to get up at 6 to go to work.

But, at 4 a.m. I was wracked with horrible pains and spent hours in the bathroom. I think I'm better now; I can't tell if it's a stomach flu or just stress of the situation -- my body reacts differently to stress I can't handle. I was breaking out in sweats and my legs were going numb as well as the sickness -- it was like a slightly lighter version of this day. I'm going to go in for the second half of work because I do feel better and I don't want to miss a full day in the last week of training before we take our test and get thrown out in the real world of adjusting. Hopefully I don't spend the time in the bathroom there.

so far from done.

I've finished cataloguing 368 books (and thanks to MS Excel they're already in alphabetical order) with only 188 left to go. I probably won't add these books into the list because they're cookbooks, crimes & punishment books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, stylebooks, graphic novels (I have the entire series of Bone), reference supplies (like Gardner's Art Through the Ages) and antique books. But I'm surprised I got it done as quickly as I did. I'm proud of myself. It only took the entirety of High Fidelity and Adaptation. to finish.

There will be no bowling tonight, as Kyle of the Kyle/Shea couple is sick and Christen has inventory. I sit alone with my books. So I'm not really alone. I cleaned the house top to bottom yesterday morning (woke up at 7:45 for no good reason) so I haven't that to do. Perhaps another look 'round Michele since I'm now obsessed. Of course, I could be studying my work stuff, but I'm sure I can come up with something better than that :D

What came first, the music or the misery?

I was planning a trip to the bookstore, but when I walk into my library/dining room I am overcome by the books that I own but haven't read yet, so I may stay home instead. Plus maybe I can save the money towards a new laptop. I've begun a list of the books I own in MS Excel so I can alphabetize them later, but I think I'm in for a rough afternoon since I've only listed the books on one of my endtables and I'm up to 37. If I finish the books I may write up my DVDs too because we were at Best Buy the other day and I could not remember if we owned High Fidelity (we did). The collections are starting to get a little out of hand. Not that I mind, mind you, just an observation.

When I do end up at the bookstore I'm getting the book Sideways and a better copy of Prince of Tides. While I go over my books I'm going to take a few out that I have no interest in owning anymore (like that crappy version of PoT) and enter them into Bookcrossing.com. Then I'm gonna make a geocache with all of them in it and let them go. You know that this will be like ripping chunks of skin from my nether regions, but that's besides the point.

Toodles!

what's with all the mexican lust?

I seem to get a lot of people finding me by googling 'Mexican Lust'. Let me tell you, boys (& girls), This is what you want. I have no Mexican Lust here. La lujuria mexicana se cierra aqui. (I had to look that up on free translation. I really don't know Spanish. No Habla Espanol. Comprende?)

Also, I get a lot of "I've got Lance in my pants." People, this is the Web site you want. Leave me alone. I, contrary to popular belief, do not have Lance in my pants. He sits two seats down from me in insurance training and I'm quite certain he wants nothing to do with my pants.

Other interesting searches for the week:

Zac and Sara lyrics
stories of unrequited lust
just checking on ya ostrich
tmbg extinct animals
"give me the child, through dangers"
red elvises met justin lost email address
the urbz stop dog from peeing
houdini penis
th (seriously, they just searched "th")

Happy weekending! I'll catch you later!

The drink for the night tonight was a Red Zinfandel. After expressing my distaste for such wines as White Zin, I'm suprised I even tried. But I was referred to it, and I don't often pass up a referral unless I know for sure that those tastes don't match mine. VegasGustan referred me to Riesling, which I love, and now Diane from my insurance training steered me toward Red Zin (actually called just Zin, but for fear of getting white I will not leave off the color) and Sheraz (or something like that) that I'll try next time I go out. I like trying new things out so I can buy a bottle if I like it. So far the only thing I've bought a bottle of and been thoroughly satisfied with was a Chateau St. Michelle riesling.

And then, in the spirit of wine I bought Sideways, which is a lovely movie. If you haven't seen it, bypass Blockbuster and buy the damn thing. (This is, of course, as long as you aren't Morman. Evidently Mormons hate the movie. To which I say, you knew what was in it, don't say the movie sucks, say you disagree with the subject matter. I don't tell you what a fraud Joseph Smith was do I? Read The Poet and the Murderer if you want to know about that.) ... Sorry about the tangent but I came across a blog that was going off on how much it sucked, and when it came down to it it was just that she disagreed with the movie morally. Why bother then? You've read the reviews (and please tell me you read more than Best Comedy of the Year and actually read what it's about ...)

And off my soapbox I plunge. The glass of wine was actually the fourth alcoholic beverage I partook in tonight. After work the Other April and I went to happy hour and I had two Midori Sours and an Amaretto and Coke (which she said was supposed to taste like rootbeer but I didn't think so. Maybe flat rootbeer, which is just like sweet coke ... yeah, that's the ticket!)
I sleepy now. I cuddle against Christen while he samples his GT4. Good stuff, good stuff.

My poor poor Pat Conroy

As Prince of Tides is one of my very favorite books (thanks to The Brad), I have wisely stayed away from the movie. However often on nights that Christen works and I have the evening off (which tends lately to be every Wednesday) I've been watching movies that I am unfortunately drawn to that he wouldn't watch. Last week it was New York Minute. Over the weekend I caught the recent version of Cheaper by the Dozen. So tonight I was flipping through the On Demand movies (I can't be troubled with a movie's true starting time) and I saw that Cinemax was showing Prince of Tides. So I tried.

Besides the fact that they left out most of my favorite parts, they left out my favorite quote. If they didn't quote from other parts of the book I wouldn't have felt so cheated. And I'll give you the quote the moment I find it again; I'm rereading it to find it word for word.

But the real tragedy is that they dumbed down such a complicated and beautiful complex story into 2 minor plot strings. Tom's sister attempts suicide and Tom's marriage is on the rocks. It's so much more than that. Don't judge the book by its "Now a Major Motion Picture" cover. As a matter of fact, just buy the trade. It's so much prettier.

Can you keep a secret?

I've fallen in love.

With a wedding dress. Don't tell Christen.

Do you enjoy the occasional quickie?

I updated my sidebar to include a few more blogs that I regularly read but hadn't gotten around to adding. And sadly I thought it best to finally delete Bottling Up The Crazy from my blogroll since I think that he really has left us for good. Such a sad sad thing from such a talented blogger. Hopefully he's moved on to bigger and better things. I tend to have a 1 month rule, so if you update less than once a month I may delete you. There are a few on there that just barely fit themselves in the timetable.

Other than that, I really don't have anything. I called a few of those houses and there's two in Hyde Park that I'm going to try to see tomorrow. Will let you know!

Thanks to Killy

Y...Yttrium You scored 39 Mass, 10 Electronegativity, 64 Metal, and 0 Radioactivity!

Yttrium? Yttrium??? You're messing with me, right? That's not a real element. Really? If you say so. Okay... how about: You are really a solitary creature, and you're somewhat set in your ways. You work, consciously or subconsciously, towards the betterment of society, but I guess you do this by befriending it's strangest elements. You're kind of a spaceman/woman, but in the end you're allright. You should try to be with the benign weirdos of the world because, by goodness, no one else will. Oh, it says here that you are abundant on the moon. Interpret as you will.

99 Red ... Eclipses go by

I don't mind traffic. I really don't. It generally takes me over an hour (today was an hour and 20 minutes) to get home after work, and it has taken me as much as two hours to get home. This doesn't bother me. Now, I'd prefer it took less time, but whatever, you know? But this is what pisses me off: inconsiderate drivers. What the heck is wrong with people that they have to cut me off, glide into my lane, pull out and around me while there's less than a car length in front of me and the entire rest of the traffic is also only going 3 1/2 miles an hour. What the heck, man? I just want to reach over and yank that blonde ponytail in the red Eclipse until she drops the cell phone and screams for mercy .... mercy, I tell you. And I have no mercy.

Today was the sit-with, where I sat with someone who already knew the ropes and got to try out the things I'm going to be doing by myself, like sending letters and taking recorded statements ... it was pretty fun. I took a statement today from a guy who rear-ended someone in Brooklyn when it was snowing so bad he couldn't tell whether their lights were on or not. Some days I'm truly glad to be in Florida. I know it sucks, but not like that. I just kinda giggle and remind them that it's 84 degrees here. But I had a good time, and I learned a lot and think I'll really enjoy the job. We'll see -- my adjuster's license test is a week from Friday, so hopefully I'll pass and still have a job. Fingers crossed, right?

BUT also, when I was walking back to the desk a guy stops in front of me. "April?" he says. It's this guy that I've known since middle school. We took an elective class for summer school between eighth and ninth grade together (yes, I'm aware I'm a dork -- but that was an awesome class) and in high school he worked at the Wendy's down the street and I used to visit him after band practice while he closed up the restaurant (yes I had a crush; shhh, don't tell him) and in college he was the roommate of a guy I went to high school with and suitemate of a guy I was good friends with and swing dance partners with. And now he's a coworker -- how weird is that? Craziness, I tell you, pure craziness.

And my laptop broke. It still works, kinda, but the joint between the screen and the keyboard broke so it keeps flopping down while I'm typing. I really need a new one. Hopefully after I get my first paycheck I can afford a new one, or at least 1/2 (I can go halfie with Christen) because I really don't know how long I can deal with this. Anyone know any good deals?

the true test.

I nearly wrote this post this morning on paper solely for the purpose of keeping myself awake. The spring time change always messes with me internally. Sunday we were happy we got out of bed and moving at a decent hour until we realized it was actually near noon. House hunting went surprisingly well, and we found about six houses that looked promising, especially a couple in Town & Country (an area of Tampa). I'll let you know how it goes. For dinner I did fajitas with all the fixings and chocolate peanut butter fondue for dessert. Yum! It was awfully tasty. We bought this wine, I don't know if you've tried it -- Jest Red. It was okay, tasted a bit like sangria without the fruit. I think I might mix the rest with orange slices to finish it off. I haven't found a whole lot of wines I like enough to buy a whole bottle of it more than once. I like mid-sweet whites and sweeter reds ... like reisling and pinot grigio. I like crisp aftertastes (I like Chateau St. Michelle? reisling) with a less bitter bite.

And last night was the first time I got to use my new bowling ball, and I tore it up!

178!

That's right, I bested my best score at 178 last night (previous best score 164), other scores 132, 119, 121, 142. My average was way better than usual. Hurrah! It was worth it to buy the ball! Christen got a new ball too, and he did pretty good; his was urathane so he took longer getting used to it, but I think he won a game. I only won that top game, but overall I won for the night, and the Kyle/April team won too. Yay!

So being so tired this morning I took a nap in my car during lunch instead of eating. I needed it more. I may go to bed early -- Christen actually fell asleep next to me and is snoring over the television (though I'm only watching VH1's The 40 Hottest Rock Star Girlfriends and Wives so it doesn't matter too much. Tomorrow at work is the true test: We have a "sit-with" other adjusters while we learn how to really do the job. I'm nervous. We'll see how it goes then!

you already knew that.

Bourbon Congratulations! You're 127 proof, with specific scores in beer (100) , wine (116), and liquor (78).

Screw all that namby-pamby chick stuff, you're going straight for the bottle and a shot glass! It'll take more than a few shots of Wild Turkey or 99 Bananas before you start seeing pink elephants. You know how to handle your alcohol, and yourself at parties.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 50% on proof You scored higher than 94% on beer index You scored higher than 98% on wine index You scored higher than 90% on liquor index

Link: The Alcohol Knowledge Test written by hoppersplit on Ok Cupid

Not that I'm looking for anyone ...

Your dating personality profile: Liberal - Politics matters to you, and you aren't afraid to share your left-leaning views. You would never be caught voting for a conservative candidate. Intellectual - You consider your mind amongst your assets. Learning is not a chore but a constant search after wisdom and knowledge. You value education and rationality. Sensual - You are not particularly shy when it comes to your sexuality. You know what you like and do not feel inhibited.

Your date match profile: Funny - You consider a good sense of humor a major necessity in a date. If his jokes make you laugh, he has won your heart. Intellectual - You seek out intelligence. Idle chit-chat is not what you are after. You prefer your date who can stimulate your mind. Practical - You are drawn to people who are sensible and smart. Flashy, materialistic people turn you off. You appreciate the simpler side of living.

Your Top Ten Traits 1. Liberal 2. Intellectual 3. Sensual 4. Wealthy/Ambitious 5. Adventurous 6. Practical 7. Romantic 8. Funny 9. Big-Hearted 10. Shy

Your Top Ten Match Traits 1. Funny 2. Intellectual 3. Practical 4. Romantic 5. Liberal 6. Adventurous 7. Shy 8. Sensual 9. Wealthy/Ambitious 10. Big-Hearted

Get your Online Dating Profile - take the quiz!

happy me day!

It's April Fools. So happy Me Day! Because, we know I'm an April, and I'm also a bit of a fool ... but what else could be more fun?!

the taste of bliss

Did I tell you about these?

I don't do peanuts in my food, but I'll let you know, the plain ones are fantabulistic! If only they came out with them for the crispy M&Ms too. This is the best thing to happen to M&Ms ever. And it's not like it's the first time George Lucas sold out, so I'm not concerned with that; I'm just glad I get dark chocolate M&Ms.

I've got Lance in my pants ...

No, the crackers ... I swear! Do you hate those radio commercials as much as I do? Sometimes I just wish I hadn't strayed from Sinatra and James Taylor, I'm tellin' you.

I know you're all dying to know how my first few days of work went, right? Well. The first day I sat next to a girl that seemed really nice ... and she was. And, her name was the same as mine, and we drive the same kind of car, own the same shirt (she was wearing one that I own and I accidentally wore the same shirt the next day) and lives about 15 minutes from me (in the complex next to the one I used to live in). It was all very wierd. The first two days were all about HR and customer service and benefits and all that. Today was the first day of what will prove to be a very boring two and a half weeks. This is what I learned about all you in New Jersey: You have to carry tons of insurance, and there are a lot of fraud cases because of it. That is all. Thank you very much.

So except for the ridiculous drive (usually an hour) everything seems to be doing fine. I really need to find a place in South Tampa. I can't do this whole drive any longer than July. Can't do it.

it's peepilicious!

My Easter weekend was beautiful fun. And it came with no occupational strings attached. That's right, folks. I am no longer an office supply guru -- I am now an insurance claims adjuster. For New Jersey. Yes, I live in Florida. The regional office is in Clearwater, and we take care of the entire East coast. Texas has the Western region. Headquarters in California. Yeah, cuz we're cool like that.

Anywho, about the weekend. I was pretty sure it was going to be fun. Friday night I had drinks with some of the girls from work. Let me tell you, four beers are still too many for me. It was happy hour and I had four, and came home sloshed and happy. Saturday my sister came over to use my sewing maching (even though I did most of the sewing) and spent the night. We went bowling (high score 148, other scores 121 and 119) and tried to get my bowling ball from the south Tampa sports store but they didn't have it done. When you promise something to get done in two days, don't you deliver? Well, they didn't. I bought a ball Thursday afternoon and the guy said it would be done Friday, so I said I'd pick it up Saturday. Yep, not done. They said they'd have it done on Monday for me, so we'll see. I had to use the alley ball again, but that's okay. I'm use to it. A quick trip to the mall and we were home in time to order a pizza and hang out. I love 12-year-old girls. (don't make that something it's not)

My air conditioning broke Saturday night, so sleeping wasn't in the cards, but Sunday we got up early to do the sunrise service thing. It's out in the park, and as usual I made fun of everyone on stage, but it was very cute. A visit with the grandmas and the grave caravan (where we put fake flowers on all the dead people that we know's graves) and then it was poker and ham at Nana's for 5 hours. Great fun, I tell you.

If it weren't for this dern head cold, I'd be great. I thought it was a sinus infection, but I'm doing better so I think it's a cold. It needs to go away. Now.

Thank God Almighty!

I'm free at last!

Today was the last day of work. Seriously. And I must say it feels good to be outta there. I called out the last two days because I was so sick (sore throat that was reaching into my ears and a wheezy cough that made my upper chest sore; Thursday I also woke up with a killer headache on top of my other symptoms) but I had to go in today. I live by the same creed my mother brought me up with -- if you don't go to school (or work) then you can't go out that night. And by golly, I'm going out. I've got a date with a bunch of friends from work for drinks down the street. Woohoo!

Anywho, I've not been much for talking, but maybe I'll have something to say later. Toodles!

had to post it.

Ivan sent me this quiz, and I had to take it. Had to. And then I had to post it, just because TMBG rocks like autistic kids rock (don't look at me like that, my brother is autistic and it's his favorite joke). I don't know how true it is, but it's a good album. But you don't know what songs I'd put on my all time album if I could, do you ... huh, do you?

You scored as John Henry. John Henry kicks off with a wicked accordion part in "Subliminal" and keeps up the groove, with tracks like "Snail Shell" and "Destination Moon". John Henry is a great all around album. John Henry 100% The Spine 80% Factory Showroom 80% Mink Car 80% Flood 70% Lincoln 60% Apollo 18 60% Sever Tire Damage: Live 60% Dial-A-Song 60% They Might Be Giants: Self Titled 40% What They Might Be Giants Album Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

what happens when good aligators go bad ...

I found these pictures on Panela Veia's Web site, and normally I would just direct you there but I never know what's going to be on that site (that's why I wrote "mature" next to it). Sometimes the pictures are harmless, sometimes they're interesting (like these) and sometimes they're definitely in the rated XXX catagory. Now you're never going with me to Bear Island campground, are you?

I am the vine and ye the branches -- bear fruit.

This was on a church sign of a Christian school for prom -- sorta the wrong message to send to those kids, eh? Watching the Trio channel again, and it's some sort of prom special.

Books I've read today:

Just Checking by Emily Colas. I respect the form of this memoir, which is more in the form of snippets of life, scenes from a hat than a true memoir. Colas has OCD -- she's afraid of blood, and germs and people grinding up hyperdermic needles and putting them in her food. It makes a mess her early adult life and ruins her marriage. But as much as I respect the form, it by nature doesn't allow for enough depth. I wanted more. That's all; I wanted more. But all in all, very witty and harrowing. Although I have my obsessive tendencies -- I actually twiddle my thumbs (sort of hooking my fingers together and rubbing my thumbs together making patterns in the skin), I have to have everything at 45-degree angles from the edge of the counter when I clean -- the lamps next to the speakers next to the candles; chopsticks, knives. When I'm in the car and I'm not driving my feet move in sequence to the openings in the edges of the road -- where roads cross and driveways and shop entrances. I know, I'm wierd. What are your idiosyncrasies?

The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell. I love Sarah Vowell. Love her. She witty and interesting and smart and appeals so much to my nerdiness. Patriot is no different. Organized into essays, it's filled with social commentary, wit, sarcasm and lots of nerdy history. Yum! From Amazon.com, " Looking for insight into why she prefers Little Bighorn and Gettysburg to Martha's Vineyard, Vowell (author of the witty Take the Cannoli) calls her friend Kate, who works as a counselor for survivors of torture, who says, "That's how we try to make sense of the worst horrors. We use humor to manage anxiety." If Kate's right, then Vowell is managing her anxiety very well. Her best short, personal essays (anywhere from about two to 12 pages) focus on her ambivalent relationship to American history and citizenship: no one in recent memory has been as insightful on the direct pleasures and perils of voting, the misuse of Rosa Parks as a metaphor, the appeal of Canadians (who "ha[ve] this weird knack for loving their country in public without resorting to swagger or hate") and the relative merits of presidential libraries. Further undone, perhaps, by her devotion to such topics, Vowell also offers an eloquent defense of being a nerd: "Going too far and caring too much about a subject is the best way to make friends that I know." To wit, her hilarious essay "The Nerd Voice," which chronicles her political e-mail group as "the all-time nerdiest thing I've ever been involved in, and I say that as a person who has been involved with public radio and marching band."

and yes, I was in the marching band.

Stupid miserable rain.

I started this post earlier today saying that it though it's been a wretched rainy week, it hadn't rained today.

Yeah, well it did. And not that "sheets of rain curl up with a good book" rain, or the "sweet shower on a sunny afternoon" rain, but the "harder than a drizzle so you don't want to go out but not hard enough to relish snuggling under the covers" rain. Wretched. Fortunately, I had already worked, gotten off work, gone to lunch with Christen (a cheeseburger at Alehouse), gone to DSW and bought two pairs of adorable shoes to go with my new crop pants...

... and two necklaces from Target, returned my library books (that place is never going under with the amount of fines I pay them), got some from my list (updated "muddlin' through") and came home. So I had a full day. I think it helped that I had to be at work at 5 a.m., so everything happened earlier than usual (and for that it helped that I took a couple 5-minute power naps in copy center).

Speaking of shoes, there's a pair that I really want (this is the real reason why I keep going back to DSW) but they haven't had them. Alli bought them last month, but at my DSW they have them in white, pink and brown but I need them in black -- I have to have them in black. To refres everyone's memory (and Alli's too), these are the shoes:

... and if anyone can get them for me, I'll send you money for them and shipping! please!!!!

High Score: 158

The rest of the scores: 146, 133, 133. Not too shabby, especially since I had a couple glasses of wine (last night it was pinot noir; I've worked through the whites and am onto the reds now) and was trying very hard not to stumble down the lane. I also won 3 of the 4 games. Why do I always wear those spike heels when I go out drinking? I just look like more of a moron. But it was much fun; we went to Carrabba's for din-din, and Shea drank most of a pitcher of Sangria (Kyle got about a glass of it) and Christen went for the requisite iced tea. I had a dream about Christen proposing, but it was all kinds of screwed up, so I hope that wouldn't be the way he did it.

I had a few posts up last night while I tried to fix my haloscan (I signed up a few weeks ago but didn't want to deal with that hassle of adding it to my template; it seems I was right to feel that way) and add a scroll to my sidebar without completely messing up the rest of my site. I think I've got it, and now I just need to figure out how to fix my type in the body, because it's too small. If I make it bigger it makes all the type bigger, and I don't want that; I just want the body to be bigger.

those interview questions.

Awhile ago, VegasGustan asked me a set of 5 questions as an "interview." I got really busy at the time and never got around to answering them. But now I've answered them (though I don't know how well). If you would like to submit to an "interview," let me know and I'll come up with 5 questions for you!

1. What style of writing do you most love and why?

Lately I've been completely immersed in memoirs. I've gone through many different phases -- mystery, horror, true crime, odd history books, straight biographies -- and I still read many of those genres now. But memoirs of non-famous people -- there's nothing like knowing the intricate details of someone's life that you would otherwise never feel the need to delve into. It's like saying, "Hey! Here's someone normal who's really not normal at all; just like me!"

2. How would you describe our world to aliens?

I think if there are aliens out there, they have the technology to know what our world is like without my telling of it. But if I had to say, I'd say, "We have the technology to live without war, but by nature we are a people of war. We have the ability to live without fear, but we are by nature a people of fear. We have the knowledge to live in harmony with the world around us but we are by nature a people of disharmony. Holes in the ozone will get bigger, animals and plants will become extinct, and one day so will we. But in the meantime we will continue to 'live life to the fullest' without worry about those other species. We're having fun, after all." But really, if I saw an alien I'd more likely say, "Holy shit, can I get your picture? No one's going to believe this!"

3. Are there any redeeming qualities to James Patterson's books?

My automatic response would be, "No. Good kindling."
But beyond that, I think that his best quality is twofold.
a) As with other "bad" authors, he gets people to read and that is magnificent. Masses of people see something in his writing, and whether they are attracted to his thin plots, stereotyped characters or unrealistic "plot twists" -- hey, who am I to judge?
Anything that gets people to somehow read is okay in my book. And maybe by starting off with crappy books they'll be really amazed when they get to the good stuff!
b) If he can publish that many books, maybe there's still hope for me!

4. (James Lipton Alert) what is your least favorite sound, why?

The sound of silence (cue Simon and Garfunkel). I've never been good at being alone. I'd rather be in a bookstore reading a book that I have at home than sitting home all day by myself reading. I don't sleep well if I’m the only one in the house, I don't read comfortably -- really all I do well on my own is clean. I'm a cleaning machine at home by myself.

5. Someone once said, "It is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all". How would you finish it, "It is better to have loved and lost, than…"?

I wonder if Alfred Lord Tennyson expected that two lines of his In Memoriam of his to live on so famously. There are so many great quotes of his, too. I think my favorite is "Knowledge fades but wisdom lingers." But you asked me about that love quote. I might end it "It is better to have loved and lost than only been able to watch a mockery of it on cable television." Better not mess with a classic though.

of food and w(h)ine

I was in the mood to cook last night. I adore cooking, but lately I've not been in the mood, relegating the deed instead to Christen, who makes wonderful mac & cheese (okay, so I taught him) and other useful things. But last night I had a hankering for cooking-- I just didn't know what I wanted to cook. Wandering around Publix, I decided -- Chicken cutlets (okay, they were on sale) stuffed with goat cheese and basil, witha butter wine sauce and my lovely sushi rice with the rest of the goat cheese (I never remember to use it twice before it goes bad so I just use it in everything for the meal to finish it up) and a little more basil. And guess what I found! In the veggie section under where I usually get my little bag of basil was this stuff from Gourmet Garden called Basil and Herb Blend -- and it's fantastic! What's left ofmy basil always withers and goes to mush before I finish with it. This stuff lasts up to 3 months, and it doesn't turn your food green or anything; it worksjust like regular basil. No preservatives ... I'm in heaven here. Now if only I hadn't run out of wine.

Work's been crazy lately; I'm up a little early so I can post before work (VegasGustan, I'm loading your interview questions on my thumbdrive so I can try to answer them at work; I swear I haven't forgotten!) but I haven't had the time or the drive to post after work. It's inventory time. I relish in the knowledge I will never have to work another inventory at this godforsaken place. We didn't get our bonuses like wewere supposed to. Oh, we bonused. Yep, but only the managers got bonuses. What kind of bullshit is that, right? Who got the store to bonus? Us, the peons; but that doesn't matter. Arg. I've less that two weeks. Hurrah!

So I was noticing on my site meter last night that I was getting a lot of hits from this site and when I went there -- Voila! There was another book lust! Not only that, but she was complaining that there was another book lust (yeah, that'd be me) and linked my site to prove it. It was an amusing rant (we both took the name from a book, so it's not as if either of us could copywrite it or anything) and I commented ... but really, what's in a name? I am indeed a luster of books, I'm driven to read more and different books.That's why I mention them on this site. I also am a player of bowling (I wouldn't exactly call myself a bowler, based on my scores), a geocacher, a camper (not an RV though, I'm not that wide) , a lover of movies, etc. No one thing defines me (I feel like that scary chick on Keeping the Faith). But bookluster defines me best.

I finished Neff's The Wrong Man, and as much as I enjoyed the first half of the book, toward the end I have to admit I started skimming. It just started getting bogged down with intricate parts that made no sense. But I'm glad Sheppard was aquitted. I remember reading about the trial before, probably in high school American Government (but I slept through that course, so what do I know?) but I didn't know any of the details, and this book was a good source of finding it all -- good and bad.I've also compiled a list of about 60 books that Iwant to read, most of which are taken from the This American Life bookstore (which means they covered the books on the radio show) plus some that I've lying around but haven't gotten to. Moving all these books again is going to be a bitch, I'll tell you that. But I'll post my list later. Gotta get to work now!

Toodles!

debugged.

Interesting searches that bring people to my site:

steps in disecting frogs
dream of malinche
sex bookworms
horrible boyfriends
mexican lust
"i hate tampa" +"2005" -hockey -football -sapp
and half a dozen "terry shivo"s again.

I have mosquito bites all over, and they itch like crazy. I didn't have enough time to stop for calamine lotion because I got off late and only had time to pick up chinese on my way home for my magazine meeting. But they're in my hair and on my waist and ankles ... ahhh! Anybody have any home remedies for stopping the itchies?

According to the Wu Tang Generator, I shall from this day forward be called "Midnight Demon" and my wonderful boyfriend will be named the "Happy Dominator." Now doesn't that make you happy? (props to Sharky for the link.)

Adventures in the Everglades

Christen and I took a three-day camping trip to the Everglades this weekend. Well, technically it was in the Big Cypress Preserve, but it was in the swamp and close to the Everglades, so we'll cut the technicalities. We camped in at Bear Island Campground, as mentioned in The Best of Tent Camping, which is a hunters' campground with a port-a-potty and no shower facilities, but is a very nice secluded campground. After the first day we forwent the potty in favor of the squat method because they quite obvoiusly hadn't been cleaned in quite awhile. (We thought of calling the number on it to tell them it was time but decided the dudes would come out and say "Nah, you can fit 6 more craps in that one."). We spent the whole time doing nothing. I read The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber (which was fabulous, by the way. I way recommend it) and took naps and took pictures of all the gators in the swamp. We did some geocaching on the way back up, hitting a few in Naples and Ft. Myers, but mostly we just spent time together relaxing. My main complaint? When did mosquitoes become immune to deet? We sprayed so much Cutter on us that you'd think we would have drowned them, but they kept a'comin'. Now I'm still all itchy, but I might pick up some Calimine (SP?) lotion to stop the itchies on my way home. It was really cold at night, and the first night we had forgotten the sleeping bag so we just had my thin quilt so we drove into town (an hour+ drive) to get a mess kit (because we also left the pots at home) and a sleeping bag. Goodness. I spent all Friday evening getting everything together and we forgot some of the most important things, you know?

Adventures in the Everglades - a camping trip

I got the job!

I had this whole post figured out: February blues, feeling blah(hhhhg.blogspot.com ... hehe), not feeling like writing lately ... so here's the deal. I keep opening blogger and just can't get my thoughts together to put anything down. But nevermind all that -- the insurance company I interviewed with last week and thought I didn't get the job with -- yeah, they called me back today. I got the job. I start March 28th. So I told them I'd take the job, and I put in my notice. Then if something promising comes up between now and then I'll decide which position I'd rather have. Because I know I'd rather have something in my field, but I know I'd at least like this in the meantime. It's something new and different, and that's what I'm looking for.

I've been bullied into joining TheFaceBook by a couple of people at work. If you're on it, let me know and I'll add you as a "friend." I'm amazed at how many people from high school are on that thing -- I've added tons of people (but only had to add me back in the last few minutes :D)

We went to the Diana exhibit on Sunday -- am I the only one who thinks her wedding dress was hideous and did nothing for her figure? She was beautiful, and wrapped up in all those yards of taffeta... And sequins? She could have had Swarovski crystals, diamonds ... but sequins? I won't even wear sequins. The best part of the exhibit (besides, you know, the actual exhibit, and the gems exhibit (mmmm, gems) and the Cuban Missile Crisis exhibit) was when Nana (Christen's grandmother) walks into the first room, which has the tiara in it, and everyone is hushed and reading or listening to their headphones and she the tiara, backhands Shea and exclaims, "Lookie at that! Girl, you need one of them!"

In the last week I've had some 10 searches finding me by the search "Terry Shivo," who I referenced once when they were deciding to remove the feeding tube (again) or not. But the funny thing is, I spelled her frigging name wrong! And still I get search upon search. People, her name is Schiavo. Terri Schiavo. And I don't know a thing about her, except that if I'm ever a vegetable, it better never come to a feeding tube 15 years down the road. This whole thing is ridiculous. Night all!