Sorry, Sorry, Nothing to See Here

Very busy, had company in town this week, and in my (scant) free time, have been off doing other pursuits. So I am updating quickly to confirm that I am still alive.

In other news, now that I have (semi) conquered PC gaming, Mike thought it would be fun to do the Star Wars RPG together. Me, I feel like I am crossing some geek threshold, because it is one thing to play KOTOR on the computer, but it is entirely something else to sit around your coffee table rolling dice. I am intrigued, though. I have never done this before. It involves a lot more math than I expected. But I don't know what the plot is yet. Because he won't let me look at it.

In the process of gearing up for this pinnacle of geekery, I discovered what might be the coolest site ever: Star Wars Artists' Guild. It's a bunch of people who have drawn pictures of their characters, all different species, only they are far better at it than I am. I'm so impressed and fascinated by the art there.

Traumatized, Never Leaving House Again

I thought it was bad when I arrived at the lot to discover that where I'd parked this morning was now a rather large pond.

Then my car floated on General DeGaulle. And I realized it could be much, much worse.

FLOATED.

When I reached my house (an hour later) the water on our street had receded. But I parked on the lawn anyhow. Oh no. I am not playing.

Never Mind Jindal

I have been checking election results all evening, and I really don't want to go there. So, something completely different, but also (bonus!) political. Via Daily Kos, some ideas for a new Constitutional Convention.

My personal favorite being:

Amendment 30: From now on, "pro-life" has to mean what any reasonable person thinks it means, or you don't get to call yourself that, upon penalty of being beaten senseless with seafood. If you spend your time blustering about how we're going to kick some Iraqi ass, or which cities or religious hubs need to be bombed into a "sheet of glass", or explaining how children don't really need healthcare, if their parents had the blinding audacity to get jobs someplace that refuses to offer it, you forfeit the term.

Similar punishments will be meted out for abuse of the terms "compassionate", "patriotic", and "news".

Haha.

But then, I live in a state that just elected a governor who supports the teaching of intelligent design in schools. So who am I to make fun of Republicans?

>:-O ANGRY FACE!

Book Meme!

I was tagged by Fantasy Writer Guy for this, and I completely forgot to do it! But I do love books, oh yes, so here goes.

Number of books owned:

According to LibraryThing, about 400. Except I haven't updated that in awhile, and that's not counting the three bookshelves still at my parents' house. So I'll say 600 and we'll call it an estimate.

Most recently read:

The Ghost Orchid, Carol Goodman. I randomly picked up one of her other books, The Lake of Dead Languages, a couple of years ago because she was on the local author shelf when I was home for Christmas and also, wow, good title. And now she is one of my favorite authors, if you're into reading about... writers, ghosts, gothic stuff. Which I am. Extra special bonus is that all her books are set where I grew up. There aren't enough Albany shout-outs in literature!

Most recently purchased:

It would be Red Seas Under Red Skies, by Scott Lynch, but it was free, so I'm not sure it counts. Anyway, it was most recently ordered, and I am still not through it because I've had a rather stressful last few weeks at work and haven't had enough time to read. Sigh.

Five most meaningful books read:

Oooh, tough question. These are in no particular order.

1. The Awakening, Kate Chopin.

My feminist sentiments can be traced back to right here.

2. A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin.

Totally blew my mind in that it was unlike any other fantasy I'd read. Mainly because of what happens at the end and the huge "I can't believe he did that! Did he just do that?" moment. I felt like nothing was sacred or safe anymore.

3. Jitterbug Perfume, Tom Robbins.

Similar to #1, my atheist sentiments can be traced back here.

4. Beloved, Toni Morrison.

This was the first time I read a book and hated it, then went back and read it again, only to have it knock me over with how good it was. I think it was also the first time I appreciated a book as art. Particularly the mix of poetry and prose. It was one of those "I bow before the master" moments. This book is that good.

5. The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien.

The first fantasy book I ever read. Read to me by my dad when I was eight or so. Read over and over as my absolute favorite comfort reading.

Go Awaaaaayyy

This is a list of exactly what fell through the slot for today's mail:

17 pieces of ElectionCrap.
1 menu from Italian Pie.

SEVENTEEN, people. In today's mail alone. I am still stuck on that, and it has been half an hour since I slipped on it walking through the front door. I hate this primary, and I hate the constant local ads, and I hate all the candidates for governor, none of whom are remotely liberal enough for me to vote for in good conscience. And I hate that I'm going to have to vote for one of them anyway, for the sole purpose of taking one vote away from Bobby Jindal and hoping he gets forced into a runoff.

This city's local politicking hits a level of ridiculousness not to be found anywhere else in the U.S. Seriously.

Remember When...

I put "d) was eaten by a pack of wild dogs" as an option for my Nathan Hale multiple choice exam question... aaaand two kids picked it?

Yeah. That was today.

That's it. I quit.

BWS: Blogging While Sweaty

Actually, I changed my mind. I just got back from the gym, and I'm gross. Instead of blogging while sweaty, I'm going to do the right thing and take a shower.

For once.

You can go about your business. Nothing to see here...

Good Article Today

The New York Times re: the black women's vote.

“They stand at the intersection of race, class and gender,” he said. “Black men say to them, ‘Sister, are you with us?’ and at the same time white women say, ‘Sister, are you with us?’”

I especially liked this bit:

Betty McClain, 51, a bus driver who was waiting to have her hair done at Miss Clara’s, said after Ms. Baia left that she liked what she heard about Mr. Obama. But she likes Mrs. Clinton, too. “She’s already been president before,” Ms. McClain said approvingly, dismissing Bill Clinton’s role in his own administration. “He was just there,” Ms. McClain said of Mr. Clinton. “He was just the husband, that’s all. She really ran the country.”

Heh.

Fall! Glorious Fall!

This is officially the nicest, coolest day we've had yet. An almost-crispy fall day of the type I wished we had more down here. I checked the weather, and it appears to be 70 degrees. Growing up in the Northeast, that doesn't even seem that cool. But considering it's been 95 for the last several months and we've been running the A/C constantly, it was so nice to wake up and feel cool because the house was cool and the low overnight was 60. For some reason, it has appeared to energize my cats. They seem to have come alive. I thought they were walking all over me, purring and bouncing, because they wanted food. But no, they had full food and water dishes. I think they're just pepped up because the window is open and they can hear the birds. Although I think Jolee following me around is going to get old fast, because I have already tripped on him twice.

And lo, I will even treat you to a Saturday morning picture of me and my coffee. I don't know why, because I look icky in the morning. I still have my dead-eyed glasses-on look. But I am strangely energized too, and excited about the fact that I am sitting in my house in jeans and a T-shirt instead of the same sweatshorts-and-tank-top combo I have been wearing for the last 4-5 months. I like the half of my wardrobe I never get to see in the summer. Like jeans! Jeans!

Seriously, Guys

I think we can all agree that when you put the following question on a multiple choice exam:

24. Nathan Hale said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country,” before he

a. was hanged by the British
b. starved to death in Valley Forge
c. jumped off a bridge
d. was eaten by a pack of wild dogs

... it is a sign that it's time to stop writing exams and go do... something else.

The Battlestar Galactica Drinking Game v. 1.0

So we decided to create our own B*G drinking game. (We're about halfway through Season 3 on our re-watch.) This is what we have so far.

When watching Battlestar Galactica at 2201, you must take a drink when:

* Adama takes off or puts on his glasses dramatically.
* Helo is being a douche. (Normally I hate this expression. No one douches anymore, rendering it a pretty obsolete insult. And most of the guys I know who say "douchebag" could not in fact tell you what a douchebag is. Yet "douche-y" is a strangely fitting description for Helo's behavior. So I am allowing it.)
* Tigh growls.
* Someone talks to a Head-Person.
* The AdamaStache is on screen (including flashbacks).
* Dr. Cottle chainsmokes in sick bay.
* The crew of Galactica starts a slow clap.
* The writers break out some civilian cultural issue that we have never heard of and will never hear of again, purely for the purposes of plot.
* Drink twice if the above episode features Helo or Lee.

It's a work in progress...

Oblivion: Just a Tribute

Today I finished the main quest in Oblivion, which I'd been putting off for quite some time. There are still things I haven't done in the game, and quests I haven't finished, but I feel like giving it a rest for now. I have a second character that I'm going to use to do Shivering Isles at some point.

To be filed under the category of "geekiest things I've ever done," I made a little highlight video of my character Thayet's trip through Oblivion. I've had a lot of fun with her... about 200 hours of fun, to be precise (yeesh). I thought she deserved a nice sendoff!

Damn You, MacBook, and your 2 Fingered Scroll

I was on my old laptop this morning, and I had to get off because not being able to do the two-fingered scroll on the trackpad was driving my fingers up the wall. And I supposedly do not even like my MacBook, which I only have because work gave it to me. But that two-fingered scroll... man, I got used to it fast. Even Mike, who is one of those Mac people, does not understand because his doesn't have the two-fingered scroll. It also doesn't have a magnet-y cord, or Photobooth, so I don't understand what's so great about it that makes it better than a PC. Because clearly those things are the coolest features.

I usually don't want to be on this computer on weekends because it reminds me of work. But that two-fingered scroll...

It's Raining, It's Pouring

And it's Friday, I had an okay day, plus I just had what I think is really good news at work. On the downside, it is SO NEW ORLEANS to schedule a funeral procession for a major public figure on a major business expressway at rush hour on a FRIDAY. What. The. Hell. We sat for 40 minutes at the Gen. DeGaulle onramp without moving.

Ha Ha Very Funny

A conversation over the weekend:

Sweetie: (after the smoke alarm went off while he was cooking eggs) I never thought of this before, but there are only two smoke alarms in the house. And one is in the hallway, and the other one is on the bedroom wall about two feet away.
Me: I guess it would suck if there was a fire in, you know, the rest of the apartment.
Sweetie: It doesn't make much sense.
Me: That is where most of the electrical cords are.
Sweetie: I could move it.
Me: Are we allowed to do that?
Sweetie: Why not? We could stick it in the middle of the coffee table, like a Cylon device.

I think this is so funny to me because it never occurred to me that he might actually do it. Yet there is now a smoke alarm in the center of the coffee table. Like a Cylon device.
Cylon device ----------------->

Pet Peeve of the Day

When people say, "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little."

No. You didn't. NOT FUNNY. Gross. And so 3 years ago.

Sorry, had to vent.

You Would Think

... the last words you want to hear at the end of the school day are, "I need you to take boys' PE during your off period today," but it was surprisingly hilarious. Apparently the PE teacher quit, and there was some sort of behavior issue yesterday for which all the junior high boys got yelled at today. Come to find out they rarely do anything in PE, because there's no gym and it was too hot outside last month.

"Um, can we just take them out to the football field?" we asked. And no one said we couldn't. Turns out we didn't have to do ANYTHING. They got a football and cones, organized themselves into teams, took off their shirts and shoes, and played without incident for 45 minutes. Odd. It was the best I've seen these kids be, like, ever. (We did lose 4 undershirts and several pairs of socks as casualties of the game. Hope no one's mad.)

Pretty funny. I would totally take boys' PE again tomorrow. I can tan.

Ooh, Food!

Since I'm hungry waiting for The Sweetie to come home from the office, I stole this to pass the time. Although on second thought, it might not be such a good idea... :-P

1. How do you like your eggs? I don't. Seriously. Eggs gross me out.

2. How do you take your coffee/tea? Black!

3. Favorite breakfast food: None. I hate all breakfast food. I hate eating in the morning. Sometimes I will have a Hot Pocket. But not one of the breakfast-y ones, just a chicken or turkey one, because of aforementioned hate of everything related to breakfast.

4. Peanut butter - smooth or crunchy? Crunchy.

5. What kind of dressing on your salad? What salad?

6. Coke or Pepsi? Coke. Sometimes Diet, depending on how much of it I'm planning on consuming.

7. You’re feeling lazy, what do you make? A can of soup.

8. You’re feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order? Something with calamata olives and feta from Reginelli's.

9. You feel like cooking. What do you make? I am the resident stir fry expert. I have many sauces and weird vegetables from the Asian aisle.

10. Do any foods bring back good memories? Tuna glop (this is what I call my dad's tuna casserole made with Campbell's mushroom soup and Kraft dinner) makes me think of my dad. Ramen noodles remind me of college. Tater tots remind me of summer camp.

11. Do any foods bring back bad memories? I used to get those little pudding cups all the time, but not since I got a stomach virus in 2005 and threw up after eating two of them.

12. Do any foods remind you of someone? Can't really think of anything right now.

13. Is there a food you refuse to eat? I don't like most white condiments. I know, it's weird. But I absolutely will not touch mayonnaise.

14. What was your favorite food as a child? Soup. Surprise, surprise.

15. Is there a food that you hated as a child but now like? Shrimp, but only because I moved to New Orleans and had to. Their crunchiness creeps me out. I like crawfish a lot better.

16. Is there a food that you liked as a child but now hate? Generally everything I really really wanted when I was a kid but couldn't have because my mom believed in health food, like white bread. I used to go to my friends' houses and pig out on junk and be embarrassed because my family was so weird... but now I only buy wheat bread and I never eat chips. Just does not appeal to me. Go figure. Also, one day in high school I randomly realized I was disgusted by red meat. It was St. Patrick's Day dinner and we were having corned beef. Now I pretty much avoid red meat except hamburgers.

17. Favorite fruit and vegetable: Strawberries. Artichokes.

18. Favorite junk food: Ritz crackers, Chips Ahoy cookies, Cheeze-its.

19. Favorite between meal snack: Sunflower seeds.

20. Do you have any weird food habits? When I eat Thin Mints Girl Scout cookies, I write my initials on the top first with my teeth. And that white condiment thing I said before.

21. You’re on a diet. What food(s) do you fill up on? What diet?

22. You’re off your diet. Now what would you like? Cheese, bacon, and chicken. The three staples of my diet.

23. How spicy do you order Indian/Thai? Moderately.

24. Can I get you a drink? Abita Amber.

25. Red wine or white? White. Red gives me a headache even before I'm done with the glass.

26. Favorite dessert? Cookies or ice cream.

27. The perfect nightcap? A Hot Pocket? Sigh. I'm weird. I'll say herbal tea.