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Tuesday nibs and bits

Published Tuesday, January 30, 2007 in daily and misc. 6 Comments

I haven’t forgotten about donations for Nanner. I’m getting the impression that she is a bit uncomfortable about the whole thing. Which is just too bad, because her friends are going to help her out ANYWAY! so THERE!

****

did you know that when you get something from JT’s stockroom, you get a tootsie roll pop with your order? How many licks indeed!

****

To the 14 year old girl who apparently has me linked from her myspace blog:

if you are indeed a 14 year old girl, I’m pretty sure you’re not really allowed to have a myspace blog. Isn’t there an age limit? It says right there in your profile that you are 14. Seems like the dorks over at myspace would be able to filter you right off.

In spite of that, your username, “ohbabyletsbang,” is hugely HUGELY way inappropriate. You are 14. The only thing you should be banging is your head against the wall when your parents won’t let you get your nose pierced. There should be NO “oh babys” that you are banging.

Now, there is the distinct possibility that you are NOT a 14 year old girl. You could be, in fact, a fat sweaty 47 year old man still living in his parents basement, luring young boys to your faux nasty site for unthinkable nastiness and Dateline Tuesday’s next Emmy nominating pedi-smackdown.

In either case, get offs my internets, and removes the linkages. You are nasty and gross and DON’T MAKE ME GROUND YOU, YOUNG LADY!!!

a sunday in pictures

Published Monday, January 22, 2007 in daily, craftiness and photos. 7 Comments

Sundays are for hot socks

Remember those socks I bought from sockdreams.com a while back? I bought a different kind then, too.

knee socks

I wore them with my brown courderoy miniskirt. At least what I used to think of as a miniskirt, though it would not fit today’s definition of a miniskirt because my vagina was not hanging out. This skirt ends just above my knees, and I seriously hope that it is still somewhat fashionable and that I’m still allowed to wear skirts that show off a slight bit of thigh.

Oh, and I LOVE those shoes. They look kind of conservative, but they also somehow look sexy. And the bottom is a very hard material, which makes a very satisfying *click-click* noise when I walk on hard surfaces. I call them my “naughty schoolteacher” shoes.

Roses are pink

pink roses

Don’t get all excited - I bought these for myself. But with Kev’s credit card, so he says it “counts.” Ha ha

They were $6.50 at Kroger, I couldn’t help myself! I’ve been in a funk lately, and I required flowers.
Obligatory knitting update

shawl progress

I did most of this while watching “V for Vendetta ” saturday night. Good movie.

more than just cocaine

Published Saturday, January 20, 2007 in daily and food. 6 Comments

Last night Kev and I went out for Colombian food. This was totally new for us - and a bit of a drive away. But…wait for it…

we had a coupon.

anyway, we were a little nervous at first because the neighborhood seemed a little…sketchy. We peeked inside the restaurant and it seemed bright and cheery. Kev was all for going somewhere else, but I was optimistic. What’s the worst that could happen?*

*food poisoning, drive by shooting, terrorist attack, cockroaches, etc

Fortunately, none of that happened. The place seemed VERY authentic. Not that I am any judge of colombian food, but then menu was full of things I had never had before. and the prices were VERY reasonable, even without the coupon. Kev ended up with a HUGE plate, full of steak, beans, rice, plantains, and a pork rind. I order the breaded fried pork loin, which was also very very BIG! it had been flattened, so it was thin. But the whole thing was about…1 1/2 foot by 8 inches. Holy crap. Plus rice, plantains, and a tomato and avocado salad - generous on the avocado. Then the waitress brought over a complimentary bowl of “It ees…ehhh…ess…a salsa?” It was green, but not salsa verde. It was green onions, cilantro (but not too much!) and other spices in a thin vinagrette type liquid. It was HEAVENLY on the meat - both Kev’s steak and my pork. I think it was a kind of chimichurri sauce, only the Colombian version.

Plenty of leftovers, and a great night out. Sweet!

Today is for relaxing. It’s been a looong week.

Dear ESC,

Published Sunday, January 14, 2007 in daily. 11 Comments

You are no longer in college, and therefore, can no longer drink as if you are. You are paying for it now, aren’t you?

Yes. Yes you are.

Now you must think of a VERY good excuse to give your choir director for missing church this morning, because “I was WAY too hungover” probably isn’t going to cut it.

Now go take a nap.

-ESC

it’s like rain

Published Thursday, January 11, 2007 in rants, daily and science!. 13 Comments

OK, time to fess up. I have been hiding things from blogland. Not really HIDING, just choosing not to share because really, I don’t feel like going all “in” to it.

Here is the crux of it: remember how I said a while back that I would be following my lab to NC once I graduated? And that I would work for my adviser for another year and then find a job up there?

Yeah. That’s not happening anymore. For a variety of reasons. Some of which I will not discuss here, because I know at least one person still in the lab reads this, and while I don’t think she’d “rat me out,” I really don’t want to air that stuff here. But basically, it came down to two things: there is no way I am going to be able to write my thesis, get the condo fixed up, and sell it in time to move to NC. In addition, there is not much more for me to do if I were to go up there. Just a few more experiments which would only take a few months. Something someone else in the lab - a newcomer, probably - would be able to do easily.

This comes as a huge relief, because I was NOT looking forward to figuring out when we’d have the time to get the condo in shape. And then to have Kev try to find a new job up there, now that he’s settled into his new job (with a raise!).

It also comes as a major panic attack, because OH MY GOD I HAVE TO FIND A JOB IN ATLANTA BY MARCH!!!

Again, this is an issue that has many parts. Technically, I shouldn’t have to panic TOO much, because I can do a post doc with someone, most likely at the same school I’m at now, or even across the street at the CDC. Post docs are plentiful - basically, you work in someone else’s lab, more independently than a grad student, and you try to get your own funding, which is why PI’s (like my advisor) like post-docs because usually you don’t have to fund them fully.

Here is the rub: I WANT OUT! OF! RESEARCH!

I’m done. Seriously. Done. I don’t want to do more research in another lab. I don’t want to take that research with me and get an academic position at another university and set up my own lab. I want OUT.

I want to do something else - science related, of course, but just NOT research.

Rub #2: jobs like this are incredibly hard to find. The irony is, you spend your grad school years thinking that you are being trained for your future. your parents and the rest of your family have no real concept of what you do, but because you are in “grad school,” they assume that hey, once you get OUT, now THEN is when you make the big bucks, right? People will be falling ALL OVER themselves to hire you! Why not? YOU’LL BE A DOCTOR!!!!

Your family has no clue.

The truth is I am over-qualified for most science related non-research positions out there, and under-qualified for the rest. Most positions seem to want people with a BS, not a doctorate. Or if they want a doctorate, they want you to have several years of experience in the field of…writing or training or whatever. I know this is a problem a lot of people had to deal with once they got out of college - everyone wants you to already have experience, no one wants to be the one to GIVE you that experience.

Similar to the asshole I “dated” that first year in atlanta.

The other problem is…I don’t actually know what I want to do. I don’t think I could teach. I don’t have the drive to go into sales. I would like to become a science/medical writer, except that aside from the paper and thesis, I don’t actually have that much experience writing. Except for this blog. And no way am I putting this on my resume’. I am KICKING myself for not starting a more serious science blog when I had the idea to. At least I’d have examples of my writing out there.

If I had to do it all over again, I’d have skipped the PhD program and just done a master’s in genetic counseling. I discussed this with the other woman “left behind” in the lab, who is also looking for a job, coming out of her post doc. She pointed out that I had all the genetic background I needed, I just needed to do an internship and maybe take a class or two. Cool! let me look into that…

no wait. There is NO genetic counseling program IN THE ENTIRE STATE. Therefore, there are no internships available that I can find. So all the jobs posted for genetic counselors here have to find people who were trained out of state.

Awesome.

I have spent the last mfmmffff years of my life training for I don’t even remember what anymore. I am overqualifed for everything and not qualified for anything. I am so frustrated I could just SCREAM. I should be “networking,” but I don’t have the time, and I don’t even know where to begin. I’m starting to really panic, and it’s distracting me from what I REALLY need to be doing, which is finishing my thesis!

*sigh*

maybe I should just quit all together and open up a yarn store somewhere. That sounds like such a nice business to be in. And make and sell crafts on the side. I have a design in my head for a new laptop bag (mine BROKE…AGAIN). I could do that. I’ve had to ignore the bulk of my creative side for a long time…

Of course, then I wouldn’t be the evilsciencechick anymore. I’d be…evilcraftychick, which SO doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Things will work out, I know they will. I’ve got lots of people here pulling for me - it’s a good support system. I can always suck it up and get a post doc - maybe something that will be a stepping stone into a non-research industry.

I just HATE this not knowing time. At what point in my life can I just say “ok, everything right now is exactly how it should be.”? When I have a good paycheck and no longer living in a shitty condo and a “savings account” where I have “extra money” to “save” for “things.” When does that happen? Because I am 30 and that seems way too old to be living paycheck to paycheck with second and third-hand furniture and a wardrobe full of target clearance rack clothes.

This turned out to be a very depressing post. I didn’t mean it to be that way. I promise something funny and dirty coming soon. I just really needed to get all this OUT of me.

Thanks

lazing in bed conversation

Published Monday, January 8, 2007 in daily and conversations. 8 Comments

Kev: I want bacon and eggs…will you make me bacon and eggggggs?

ESC: zzzmmmmm….hmmmmm….

Kev: pleeeeeeaaaasssse?

ESC: I want cuddling first.

Kev: No. I want them noooooow!

ESC: Uh uh. I want primo grade A cuddling. Cuddle me like you’ve never cuddled before!

Kev: Pft. if I put THAT much effort into it, I’m gonna fuck you.

ESC: blogging that.

*******

that was sunday. And Kev opted for a PB&J sandwich instead of cuddling. Bastard.

In more recent news, I am back at work!

yaaaayyyyyy….

Feeling even better than I felt over the weekend, so that’s good news. You know how sometimes you’re so sick, that when you are no longer sick, just feeling good is almost orgasmic? No? Just me?

Not only do I feel better, my hair looks REALLY good today. In fact, it even looks too good to waste on work. This kind of sucks. I should go somewhere after work to show off my fabulous looking hair. Like Target. I’m sure the employees will all appreciate how fantastic my hair looks.

shut up, you’re excited

Published Sunday, January 7, 2007 in daily and conversations. 5 Comments

I BEAT MARIO! I BEAT MARIO! I BEAT MARIO!

AND…

I did it before Kev. which makes it even sweeter. True, he hasn’t played it as much the past couple of days because he’s been working on his own super evil computer (bigger, superer and so much more evil than his last computer, which he gave to his sister and family to play games and download viruses on Similar to my parent’s computer).

ahem.

anyway, in plague news, I haven’t coughed much all day. And I’m feeling SO much better. In that I can remain conscious for more than 10 minutes at a time. A MAJOR improvement for the last week, where the mere effort of getting out of bed required a 2 hour nap afterwards. I am better! So much so, that I made Kev take me out to dinner last night for REAL FOOD. Spicy thai food. Let the heat kill off what little buggers are left. Plus I think spicy foods are good for your immune system. Right?

Since I felt so much better today, I decided it was time to do the few store returns that had been building up - a extra bread knife from the registry (which was SUCH pain to return, because it was an online order, and the Macy’s guy had not a clue what to do), a belt that was a gift to Kev from my mom, and a sheet set from Kev’s mom that was the EXACT color of sheets from our registry…which we had already gotten.

Kev left me to the knife and sheet returns (and he was SO THRILLED in general to be at the mall. exstatic, even). If you’ll recall, our new bedroom “color scheme” is rich browns with pink accents. The two sets of sheets we already had are dark brown and a soft beige. So…hmmmm….what color to get…what color to get…what are my options here at JC Pennys…tan with darker tan polka dots? …or…..

pink.

polka dots or pink…polka dots or pink….

PINK!

Bwaaaaaaahahahahaaaa!!!

later:

Kev: what color sheets did you get?

ESC: what? oh..uhhh…nothing special…*hides bag behind back*

Kev: UH HUH…you got PINK didn’t you?

ESC: …maybe

Kev: dammit. no more unsupervised returns for you!

ESC: you know, sleeping on pink sheets won’t turn you GAY you know!

Kev: you don’t know! it might! is that a chance you’re willing to take???

he’s such a drama queen.

oops. maybe the sheets DID turn him gay!

wheeeeeeze

Published Friday, January 5, 2007 in daily and conversations. 4 Comments

dry, hacking cough - check!

weak voice - check!

wheezing - check!

it’s gotta be bronchitis. Or something. Or african sleeping sickness, because OH MY GOD I can’t wake up. It’s been pretty warm in Georgia lately, maybe the tsetse fly* has migrated and taken over.

*has to be the best name for a deadly disease carrying insect ever. fun to say! say it with me: tse tse! w00t!

So I have no actual “real live and current” stories to entertain you with (”hey, my tree is still up. and very dead. and lots of boxes everywhere. this place is a mess. zzzzzzzzzzzz”)

Instead I will leave you with a short conversation that took place a couple of weeks ago, while Kev and I were both in the bathroom (it’s not DIRTY…well, OK the bathroom is dirty, but the story isn’t). I was brushing my teeth, and he was getting ready to take a shower.

Kev: hey, move over so I can get by

ESC: awwwww….my booty is too big…it takes up soooo much room…poor meee….

Kev: your booty is NOT too big!

ESC: are you saying I don’t got good booty? awwww….my booty is small and flat….

Kev: there is just no winning with you, is there?

ESC: no, there isn’t. really, I don’t know why you keep trying.

what’s that funny smell?

Published Wednesday, January 3, 2007 in daily and misc. 15 Comments

Took a sick day today. Headachey and body achey and some coughing and a general what the fuck is going on with me? feeling.

But you don’t want to hear all about that, and I’m sure you’re sick of hearing about my super mario brothers woes, so I was at a bit of a loss as to what to post about.

So how about I tell you about my creepy neighbor?

OK, I won’t lie, many of my neighbors are creepy. But this guy is SUPER creepy. He lives on the other side of the building, facing the parking lot. And he was hard to miss when I first moved into my condo.

He’s very skinny and very pale. Mostly bald, I would say in his late 40’s, and always sporting a very sour look. I noticed him because he had this weird habit of spreading out a blanket at a sunny spot behind the building (where I am) and just sitting in the sun. Not *enjoying* the sun. just sitting in it, in shorts and t-shirt. As if he was trying to supplement his vitamin D production, but wasn’t happy about it. Because of his looks, and this weird habit of his, I started (mentally) referring to him as “chemo man,” because he just had this sickly look about him. Even though he spent time in the sun, he was always pale and sour looking.

After that first summer, he stopped his habit of sitting in the sun. I started seeing him less and less. And when I did, he never acknowledged my presence. He had a car, and would occasionally drive…somewhere. But his appearances were rarer as the years passed. One day, there was a guy installing a new front door on chemo man’s place. Along with that door, there was some kind of motion detector alarm that went off any time someone walked by his door. Unfortunately, since anyone who lived in our section HAD to walk by his door to get to the parking lot…the beeping got to be quite annoying. Ah, so he’s not only creepy chemo man, he’s creepy PARANOID chemo man.

After a few weeks, the beeping must have gotten on his nerves, because the alarm got deactivated. But it became apparent that his voyages outside the condo because fewer and fewer. Flyers would build up for a week or three, and then just when I’d think maybe it was time to see if I noticed any peculiar oders coming from his direction, they’d all disappear and his car would be gone for an afternoon.

His blinds are always closed, and behind them is always dark.

Current status: It’s been weeks, possibly months. There are all kinds of fliers and menus stuck in his door, as well as a bag of phone books that arrived some time in november.

Is he…dead? Uber-hermiting? Should I knock? Call the police? I don’t notice any obvious smells, but I haven’t gone right up to his door and taken a good whiff. Plus I’m not sure if I could tell the difference between “decomposing body” and “creepy unwashed old man” smell. Kev says to leave it alone, it’s none of our business.

BUT IT’S SUCH A MYSTERY! Who is this guy? How does he support himself financially? Is he sick? Is he dead? Why doesn’t he lay in the sun anymore? Why did he in the first place? Is he a fugitive from police? A serial killer with a fridge full of body part “souvenirs?”
The suspense is killing me. All that stuff is still piled up in front of his door as of this morning.

I will probably never know, though. Next wacky neighbor installment: the incredibly butch woman.

Happy New Years!

Published Monday, January 1, 2007 in daily and photos. 6 Comments

Nothing but high class for us:

champage and lays

potato chips and champagne, served in the Vera Wang glasses we used at our wedding. Classiness.
Someone outside is setting off fireworks, and Sadie thinks that it’s someone knocking every time:

guard dog

you can’t see it very well, but she’s got a ridge of hair standing up running down her back. Right now she’s laying under feet by the couch, soft and (i’m sure) menacingly “woofing” at every pop and bang.
Today we slept IN, they stayed in bed, cuddling and watching This Old House on pbs (shut up, you like it). Then we got up and made banana pancakes (again) and bacon (again). Then we were so exhausted from those efforts, we both took naps. Lazy lazy day.

We went out for thai food, then drove around trying to find the Amy Sedaris book for me. w00t!

We toasted and kissed in the New Year. Here’s to a new year full of adventure, excitement, and the thrill of the unknown!

And for those of you on the EDGE OF YOUR SEAT…

pink camo case!

pink camo case! Doesn’t keep Kev from playing it ALL THE TIME! And how funny is this? I just found out that my dad bought my mom one for christmas, too. Who knew my parents were so hip?
Oh, and hey! I won a blog award! (number 26) Why is it that no matter what else I blog about, I generally gain notoriety only when I talk about sex?

Oh well.

No buttsecks yet, either. SO THERE!

everything but the countdown

Published Sunday, December 31, 2006 in daily and friends. 6 Comments

This post is for Julie, so she’ll stop bitching.

So last night was our big night out for new year’s weekend. We went out with our good friends, Elizabeth and Micheal, and then another couple they knew (we knew the girl, but this was my first time meeting her fiance’) We met at a Japanese steakhouse and had yummy fried rice and appletinis (ok, that was just me) and various meats and veggies and got the usual show involving flames and fancy knifework.

Then back to E and M’s house for more drinking and games. We played Cranium TURBO edition, which is just like regular cranium, except instead of a boring old hourglass timer and dice, there’s a cool “simon says”-esque gadget that does all the work for you. Also, new fun tasks added. like team spelling a word backwards. which is very hard. And a ‘puppet’ game, where one team member has to move another team member in a puppet like fashion to make them guess the clue. Most difficult one: sauna. Seriously, how do you make someone mime a sauna? You just sit and…steam. We actually won that one, though. Kev and I ended up winning the whole game, which is amazing considering he’s a lousy guesser, and I was quite tipsy. We had picked up a bottle of my new favorite drink: Amarula. mmmmmm….I had three glasses of it.

Much laughter and hilarity ensued. It was good to see our friends again - we hadn’t seen them since the wedding. They have two kids, so scheduling get-togethers is difficult. And I miss hanging out with friends - everyone has moved away or gone and spawned some youngin’s. So we don’t get to go out with friends much. And I miss that.
As for tonight, we’re keeping it low key. We’ll probably go out somewhere casual for dinner (last night’s bill for the two of us: a little over $50. whoops!) and then come back and toast the new year with some champagne.

And Amarula. Mmmmm….

last weekend of gluttony

Published Friday, December 29, 2006 in daily, misc and photos. 6 Comments

What are you doinggggg new years….newwwww YEEEEARS daaaaaay?

In all probability, I will be spending the weekend playing super mario brothers on my ds lite. Oh yeah…got it yesterday. Now THIS…THIS is a video game. It is Old Skool. This is a game I can play. Suck it, King Koopa.

But really, Princess Peach? Can you NOT go anywhere without being abducted?

What a flake. That’s the problem with Old Skool video games - no good strong female role models. Except that chick from Street Fighter (was that the name?). She kicked ass.

Anyway, tomorrow we’re going out with friends for new years eve eve - japanese food and then back to their house for games and drinks. We were going to do it Sunday, but Saturday was the only time her parents could watch their kids. It’s weird when friends breed. Scheduling is a real issue.

Sunday….who knows. Maybe a movie and a trip to circuit city to buy one those cool ds lite cases - though I still haven’t decided which one I want. Maybe it will help if I can touch them both. I’m leaning towards the skulls one, though it’s more expensive.

Monday will mostly likely be filled with alternating sleeping, ds lite, and knitting. And then a traditional dinner of pork roast, mashed taters, sauerkraut, and kielbasa. Oh, and I bought Kev a can of black eyed peas to make him happy. Weirdo southern traditions. I’m not making collards, though. bleack!

*****transition!*****

Today I bought stamps. I can’t remember the last time I bought stamps - who mails things anymore? But I had a stack of happy new years cards to get out, and I needed stamps. I asked if they had any “festive new year” stamps, and was handed a catalog. Ehhh…flags…flowers…”crops of america?”…breast cancer - too depressing…favorite children’s book characters? SCORE!

My name is ESC and I am 4 years old. My new years cards have curious george and olivia the pig and the monster from “where the wild things are” on them.

Ok, I don’t think I can make it any more obvious that I have NOTHING to say today

nothing to say? Jeebus, girl, you have a whole post here, and then say you have nothing to say? You talk alot for someone with nothing to say.

Shut up, asshole.

Anyway, I’m dry, so here’s a picture of Kev holding some of his christmas loot.

kev and his stocking loot

And I just realized that the red stocking he’s holding on his lab kind of makes it looks like he’s wearing a giant man thong. And he’s going to kill me for saying that. But I thought I would before everyone just ASSUMES that Kev got a man thong for christmas. Because he didn’t.

My grandmother did buy him boxer shorts though. CREEPY!

new year, new banner

Published Thursday, December 28, 2006 in daily and blogging. 12 Comments

OK, I know it’s not new year’s yet. but isn’t my new banner cool?

yes. yes it is.

My ds lite came in today - yay! Now I’m having fun swearing at the first “big boss” because he keeps killing Sonic when I have him down to one hit left.

It’s the only game I have so far, but I’m sure soon I’ll have many more games to swear at.

sweet.

Now I have to get a carrying case. Which do you think? This one, or this one?

(and if you’re wondering, no. at least not yet. Kev worked REALLY late tonight and is pretty much passed out. poor guy)

an evil family christmas

Published Tuesday, December 26, 2006 in daily, dog and photos. 5 Comments

Deepest apologies to those on dial up. This is very picture heavy. Actually, I DON’T apologize, ya cheap bastard. Shell out another $5 a month and get DSL light, at the very least! Anyway…

Kev and I left friday night, and arrived at MiL’s place at 1am (2am our time). Yikes. We were tired. and Kev made me drive the WHOLE TIME! (hehehehehe)

Saturday was much running around, doing some last minute shopping in Muscle Shoals. Also a panic run to hobby lobby to buy food coloring gel. Later that night, we headed to SiL’s house, and my niece, Cheryl, and I made COOKIES!

Last thursday, I made a batch of gingerbread and a batch of sugar cookie doughs. We carted the dough, a rolling pin, two sheet pans and silpats, newly purchased cookie cutters, and some colored sugar. SiL held up her end by making sure she had eggs, flour, and various candies for decorating.

Egg yolks, some water, and the recently purchased food coloring made a very cool cookie paint, that turned glossy and colorful once the cookies baked, and was SO much less messy than icing. Big shout out to my friend Irma for that tip. The cookies turned out beautifully.

over 60 cookies total!

cookie plate

my girls

MiL’s mutant cookie hybrid

MiL's mutant-hybrid cookie

madonna

we called this one

sugared tree

Sunday we had our big turkey dinner, as Kev and I were leaving Christmas day. Much napping and eating was accomplished. We stayed up late playing Apples to Apples, my new favorite game that I picked up the week before. Between the cookies and the game, I was the hero of christmas.

Christmas morning…ugh…we had stayed up WAY too late christmas eve, so when the call came from S and BiL’s at 8ish that Tyler (the youngest) was UP and READY to open presents…it was rough. Coffee helped.

The tree was beautiful, though:

santa's busy work

Tyler got a drumset:

a drum set - god help us

We gave the whole family a new computer:

taaa-daaaah!

a good time was had by all. Even Sadie. She got into a fight with one of their dogs on Sunday, and came away with a bloody nose (stupid dog), but seemed to do much better on Monday. Much less whining of “let me IN! PLEASE!”

We left around 4pm and got in around 8:30 - would have been sooner if we hadn’t been stopping at every exit trying to find an uncrowded waffle house. Kev and I pretty much crashed. Even Sadie was comatose.

This morning, she barely moved. Not even whining to go out to pee.

“leave me alone!”
sadie is still recovering

She had a very happy christmas with many treats, including a HUGE OSTRICH BONE!

now that's a big bone

Of course, I had to take a video. Sadie is VERY protective of her new bone. So lest you all think Sadie is all sweetness and light, may I present: the darker side of Sadie.

sleepy christmas

Published Tuesday, December 26, 2006 in daily. 8 Comments

home, finally. and exhausted.

some fun highlights:

I have eaten WAY too much burger king in order to procure a creepy king xbox game for a 10 year old

Said 10 year old also received a drum set, because his parents must hate life.

It was a loud morning

I decorated christmas cookies with one of my nieces. That was the most fun I had all weekend - pictures coming soon.

I received a picture of a nintendo DSL from Kev. supposedly, it will be here by wednesday (backordered). I shall then determine whether or not it is buttsex worthy

Did you know that waffle houses are pretty much the only restaurant open on christmas day?

You MUST know, because every damn waffle house at every exit between alabama and atlanta had a LINE waiting for tables.

We waited until we got back to atlanta and got chinese take out. It’s like we’re Jewish for christmas!

Most disturbing conversation of the day:

with my grandmother, who had gotten me a long pink satin nightshirt

grandma: did it fit?

ESC: I didn’t really get a chance to try it on

grandma: I just wanted to find you something beautiful, I just loved the satin. I figured Kevin would think that was HOT STUFF!

ESC: errrrgohhh? *brain…cells…dying*

grandma: be sure to tell him that I was thinking about him when I got that for you.

ESC: *now mostly brain dead* I will.

pictures and fun coming when I recover!

delayed thoughtfulness

Published Tuesday, December 19, 2006 in daily, photos and wedding. 5 Comments

Today I finally mailed off my Christmas gifts, with a prayer that they get there on time. 2 boxes and 1 big envelope PLUS an international big envelope shipment.

$36

Also, as I panicked yesterday about the fact that we would NOT be sending out christmas cards, someone at work mentioned that she will occasionally receive Happy New Year cards, and how cool it was because they came after the christmas cards stopped coming.

OH SWEET!

We’re not LATE getting cards out! We’re just choosing to send out new years’s cards instead! Thoughtful!

I ordered them today - picked one of our wedding pics for it. And I only ordered a certain amount, so I can’t do that “hey if you want a card, send me your address” thing. Chances are, if I already have your address, you’re on the list for a card.

And here’s something else to keep you animals happy.

rings on bouquet

I think my bouquet was my absolute favorite part of that whole day. Besides the whole “marrying my best friend and soul mate” thing. My bouquet, though….wow. It just rocked my world.

and his berthen is light

Published Sunday, December 10, 2006 in daily, relationship/sex and photos. 12 Comments

Messiah was a success. Whew! Glad that’s over.

Our director hired musicians to accompany us - couple of violins, viola, cello, bass. Good group. One of the violin players, though…

OK, he LOOKED normal - kind of puffy looking 40ish, mustache, glasses, lame…BUT

He greased up his hair and spiked it into kind of a faux mohawk, and dyed it PURPLE.

what’s weirder - apparently, he didn’t show up to the church like that. His hair was NORMAL when he came in the morning. He spiked it RIGHT BEFORE THE SERVICE.

Freak.

Tonight was our choir christmas party - w00t! Lots of food and booze. And I dressed EXTRA christmasy:

new red socks

Remember those socks I was debating? I ordered them. Two pair. The other pair is pale pink.
Kev really likes them. I mean REALLY REALLY likes them. Like, I put them on, and then somehow, 5 minutes later I found my self nekkid in bed. Feeling very very VERY good.

Best 10 bucks I ever spent

Funny until it happens to you

Published Tuesday, December 5, 2006 in daily. 28 Comments

“Sure my lord. My mother cried. But then there was a star danced. And under that was I born. ”

Happy Birthday to me!

I’m 30. I should be more weirded out by that, but I’m not. My 20’s were full of uncertainty and mostly bad decisions. I’m looking forward to my 30s with wiser eyes.

funny to us

Published Thursday, November 30, 2006 in daily and photos. 11 Comments

a while back, I bought Kev a giant jar of cashews from Costco. Actually this was the smaller container. STILL HUGE! He’s been eating from it for over a month.
cashews!

they are whole! and fancy!

and they come with the best warning label in the ingredients:

dumbest....warning label...ever

OH MY GOD! IT HAS CASHEWS IN IT? I HAD NO IDEA!

well, it was funny for us.

saturday quickie

Published Saturday, November 18, 2006 in daily. 12 Comments

1. I am feeling much better. like getting out of a bad relationship, I feel cleansed, yet drained. and a little sore in my lower abdomen. also hungry.

2. this morning, I got to chat online with Brenda Dayne (along with other people). For those of you who don’t know who I’m talking about, this will mean nothing. But for those of you who DO know…hehehehe…sweet. Go ahead and be jealous. I’ll wait.

done? She is just as charming and funny in a chat room as she is in her podcast. And since she declared it a “no fawning zone,” I behaved myself completely. Though I was a little tingly. Just a little. Because there is just the OFF chance that she might visit this site. And that…would just be awesome. She probably won’t, but STILL…the possibility is there!

3. on tap for the weekend: thanksgiving planning. this will be my first dinner on my own - and event though it’s just Kev and me, I’d like to not screw it up. What are you favorite thanksgiving recipes?

gene simmons!

like a mosaic of horror

Published Friday, November 17, 2006 in daily. 8 Comments

Oh god…make it stop.

You know that magical stomach bug that teases you by making you hungry, yet WHATEVER you eat just kicks right back up on you?

That’s what I have.

Kev is concerned it’s the flu. I doubt it. I have some body aches and chills, but no fever. Plus I am still somewhat functional, in that I can make it from bed to my couch without dying in the process.

As soon as I am feeling better, though: flu shot.

Many thanks to Aimee and Cinn, who talked up mashed potatoes (comfort food) and garlic bread (garlic is good for you when you’re sick). I made up a batch of both last night. Delicious.

They looked lovely the second time around this morning - as if my body had spent the whole night resisting their absorption. Good advice there…yeah.
Today, I am sticking to all liquids. Tea. Water. Broth.

I hate this. At least if I can’t go to work, I would love to be able to clean up the mess that is my home. But no. I am going to go back to bed. Right. Now. With tea.

later, yo.

spoiled mallrat rant

Published Sunday, November 12, 2006 in rants, daily and wedding. 9 Comments

Today it took me 4 hours to shop in two stores.

The “I hate lenox mall” song!

I hate lenox mall on a weekday!

Oh I hate lenox mall weekends too!

where are all these rich spoiled kids coming from?

Why are they always in my WAY?

Alllll the salespeople are idiots

How long will I be here today?

EVERYBODY NOW! Oh I hate lenox on a weekday!”

I hate lenox mall weekends too!!!

yeah. I did a “finish out the registry” day today. Got much loot at Crate&Barrel and Macy’s.

ESC - I need a “completion of registry” form so I can get 10% off my purchases today?

Macy’s lady - no problem. You know, today we’re having a special on completions of registries. If you spend over $200, you get 15% off, and if you spend over $300, you get 20% off.

ESC - are…are you challenging me???

Now we have a complete set of oh so fluffy Hotel brand towels. Ooohhhh..so…sooffft…

in…are you ready for this? PINK AND BROWN!

I have stuff on ORDER from Macy’s, now,too. Because it would be too much for them to have commonly used All Clad pieces actually in stock. Or even in stock at their warehouse.

If I can find that non-stick frying pan for as good a deal as I got at Macy’s, I’m cancelling that order. Otherwise, I have to wait until Dec 27. No eggs for you! I want that chef’s pan TOO…but that should be in in a week or two.

There was a couple there doing the same thing with their registry. The must have had almost $2000 worth of All Clad among their purchases. *weep* So…much…beauty in the world…

OH! and a pasta maker attachment for my KitchenAid! Who wants fresh fettucini???

I also wandered around Crate&Barrel and picked up the stuff there that everyone seemed to avoid LIKE THE PLAGUE on the registry. Beer mugs, little glass bowls (square! everything we registered for was square! Square is the new round! Did you know?), one of those fancy push-up measuring cups, and miscellaneous other bits and gadgets that make my heart melt at $3.95 each.

Splurged yesterday, too. the Bed Bath&Beyond gift cards were burning a hole in my wallet. Wusthof boning knive…CHECK! Good Grips liquid measuring cup set….CHECK! washcloths and dishtowels…CHECK!

My theory is that we had to shop for our stuff SOON, because it’s holiday shopping season, and the crowds are only going to GET WORSE.

I hate holiday crowds.

And the only reason I had to go to friggin’ Buckhead and Lenox mall today was that the Macy’s at the big nice mall waaay outside the perimeter where the crowds were a little managable, were “too small” to carry the individual pieces I was looking for. they also didn’t have the rest of the Hotel collection towels in the right color. I got that at B,B&B, too, when I asked if they carried individual All Clad items. “this is one of our smaller stores.”

where the fuck am I, minimall??? And I had to fucking order the pans ANYWAY, so where did this all get me???

OK, enough shopping orgy rant. I got nice things. I should not complain. Now we’re going out for noodles. because now that I have all this nice stuff to cook with, I don’t want to mess them up by actually USING THEM!

the boot

Published Friday, November 10, 2006 in daily. 2 Comments

OK, I feel obligated (really? by who? the cool blog kids? so they’ll like me and not snap my bra strap anymore?) to comment on this weeks elections.

in a word: WAAAHOOOOOOOO!

ahem.

Of course, my current state of residence was red and just got redder. Sonny’s strategy of whoring out his wife to do his commercials for him was very effective, so we have another 4 years of red state ahead of us.

BUT, my BIGGEST celebration was reserved for Mr Rick “God’s right hand man” Santorum. In fact, at choir practice on wednesday, I invented a little song and dance for just the occasion.

Rick Santorums gone! *snap!*

Rick Santorum’s gone! *snap!*

Oh yes he is gone,

and his children are cryin’!

the dancing involved much twirling and gyrating. picture it in your mind. it was a thing of beauty.

hssssss!!!

Published Thursday, November 9, 2006 in daily. 5 Comments

tattoo status: peely.

yes, much like the short lived yet beloved sci-fi show “V,” I fully expect to be able to peel away the skin over my tattoo, revealing my true lizard skin beneath.

lizards are also terrible at housekeeping, apparently. would anyone like to come clean our place? because it is a MESS. I need one of those people from TV - those organization shows, where they come and ORGANIZE everything for you. I need that.

For now, I’m just making little paths through each room so we can get around.

if I vote, will you shut up?

Published Wednesday, November 1, 2006 in rants and daily. 12 Comments

Oh my GOD I can’t wait until election day. Not because I am anxiously waiting to stuff it to the republicans, but mostly because I am SICK OF THE HARASSMENT!

every day, phone messages from politcal automated voice recorders, asking me if I think family values are important. (yes, I do. my family includes my dog. why can’t I bring her to into a restaurant’s outdoor eating area? chew on THAT for a while, family values parrot)

I get 4 or 5 of these calls every day. I don’t answer the phone if I don’t recognize the number, or if there is no caller ID, but they still leave voice mail messages, oblivious to the fact that the automated voice is asking questions to MY automated voice.

gah!

Then the commercials. OH MY GOD, THE COMMERCIALS! MAKE THEM STOP!

Sonny buys land on the cheap and then appoints the guy who sold it to him on the land management committee. He buys land slated for preservation and sells it to developers.

But then his wife comes on and tells us what a nice, caring person he is, and aw shucks, they would just LOVE to serve us for another 4 years.

Pathetically, most of Georgia will fall for his wife’s line.

My personal favorite are the people running for…wait. I have no idea what they’re running for. But the one guy I think is named Wiggins. Wait! Georgia Supreme Court, that’s it. Anyway, Wiggins is running all these commercials about how tough on crime he is - actors portraying criminals talking about how they hope Wiggins doesn’t get elected because then their fun would be OVER! And then the VERY NEXT commercial is from his opponent (uhhh…some chick) saying that Wiggeis has never tried a case, never argued a case in court, he sued his own mother, and had made threats to kill his 8months pregnant sister and has a court order to stay away from her.

HA!

OK, that’s kind of awesome. but some of the other commercials are just irritating. I didn’t even know we HAD elected officials for some of these positions. Insurance commissioner? His commercial has people reading all these letters they’ve “written” thanking him for the great job he’s doing.

Uhhh…selling insurance? What does he even do?

Agricultural commissioner? OK, I suppose that’s important, being that most of Georgia is so rural. But is that really a hotly contested position right now? do you really need to spend money on TV advertising when you’re already the incumbent? Because honestly? I think most people vote for the incumbent unless they have a really big beef with them. Like…uhh…last year I wanted to grow GM corn and that asshole wouldn’t let me. Or something like that.

I would like to put a commercial on TV to campaign for an office that doesn’t exist, against an opponent I made up.

“My opponent SAYS he’s tough on bugs, but last year he let caught a cockroach in his house and LET IT GO in his front yard. Do you want my opponent letting cockroaches loose in YOUR yard? Where they can KILL YOUR CHILDREN??? Don’t let my opponent continue his tradition of pest leniencey. Please, think of the children.

My name is ESC and I approved of this message”
“paid for by the ‘ESC for pest control commissioner’ campaign”

you’d vote for me, right?

HalloWEEEEENY pictures!

Published Tuesday, October 31, 2006 in daily and photos. 7 Comments

posting pictures is such a cheap way to get a blog post, isn’t it? Especially since I post them on my flickr site and anyone can go there to see them instead of coming here. OH WELL!

Fall is peaking in Atlanta. Lest any of you think the south has no season except summer, I present two views from my front door:

fall colors fall colors 2

there are prettier ones I see while driving around, but I don’t think stopping in the middle of Ponce to take a picture will make me very popular with the other drivers.

guardian of the front door

pumpkin in stitches! I have to carve a pumpkin every year, even though I’ve only gotten trick or treaters ONCE in the 7 years I’ve lived in atlanta (but those kids made out like BANDITS because of all the candy I had. take note atlanta/decatur kids: I have candy. Lots of candy).

I’ll update when it gets dark and I can put a candle in his head.

AND NOW IN SPOOOOOKY VISION!

all stitched up at night

getting biblical

Published Friday, October 27, 2006 in daily, food and geeking out. 1 Comment

This afternoon, I leave for the annual CHOIR RETREAT! I know, it sounds dull. But I actually look forward to this every year. It’s alot of fun! Which is the ONLY reason I decided to go, since it’s the weekend between the honeymoon and the ‘burgh reception, and the only time I have to get things done around the house.

But housework will have to wait. I made a flourless chocolate torte (one of our members can’t have gluten) bought some olive bar goodies, AND a good bottle of wine. there will be much drinking and eating.

and geeky music jeopardy. because that’s how we roll in our choir. Ooooohhh yeah.

florida bound

Published Saturday, October 14, 2006 in daily and relationship/sex. 4 Comments

by the time this gets posted, we should be well on our way. we packed most of our stuff last night - you would not believe how much stuff we can cram into the trunk of a camry. And in the back seat. It’s just as well Sadie isn’t coming with us - we would have had to strap her to the roof!

the weather forecast is looking warm…but…possibly stormy. *sigh* doesn’t matter. I’m getting my beach on if I have to sit through a HURRICANE to do it!

so all this week, while you’re at work, or washing dishes, or waiting in a long line at Target…

think of Kev and me….

here.

mall terror

Published Wednesday, October 4, 2006 in daily and wedding. 11 Comments

I had a large to-do list to go through today, involving many stores. I think I got it all - I haven’t had the energy to check my list.

the haul

1. target. bought earrings that somewhat match the necklace nanner made me, bought MORE LIPSTICK - this is #4, and if it doesn’t look right I may just have a nervous breakdown, and a shirt for Kev that is probably too small and will have to be taken back. and lightbulbs.

2. smoothie at smoothie king. not really on my list, I just needed the energy.

OK, I have an addiction, HAPPY NOW? SMOOTHIE KING! RELEASE ME FROM YOUR FRUITY DELICIOUS GRIP!!!

3. Party City - plates, napkins, cups, little wooden toothpick forky things, serving tongs, all for the cookie and nibbles reception at the church.

4. Michaels - they do not have no drip candles. no one does. I am screwed.

5. the mall, where I bought:
a. crop and print 3 8×10 engagement shots at wolf camera. one for the signable frame for the reception, and one for each of the moms.
b. two pair of nice pants, and two nice shirts for Kev - one of which he can wear to the rehearsal dinner. apparently, I have an addiction to microfiber. so soft…and drapey! and ON SALE!
c. bath and body works - coconut lime body butter (I will smell like a very weak pina colada on my wedding day)

d. shoes to match my rehearsal outfit - I was having FITS. black? bronze? heels? with a long straight skirt, my first instinct is boots. but it’s friggin’ 80 degrees here. so…wedge? but not too high, and must be comfortable, and hey, what’s that on the rack at that store over there? black wedges…with bronze accents on the wedge part…couldn’t be my…oh my god, they’re my size…but they’re probably…oh wow, they fit great and are comfortable…but how mu…holy shit 5 DOLLARS!!!!

the perfect shoes

oh yeah. little bitty orgasm there. I totally rock. and because I saved so much money on the shoes…

e. clearance summer clothes from old navy - for the HONEYMOON!!!

then it’s on to:

6. Outback steakhouse to buy gift card as gift for Kev’s family. Am told they only have $10 denomenations. Leave with 10, $10 gift cards. This should be funny.

7. run car through car wash, vacuum out dog hair and old french fries.

8. home, relax, blog

9. clean kitchen and vacuum spare bedroom.

10. go to airport and pick up brother and his girlfriend

I haven’t gotten to 9 yet. my parents just called - they have just gotten into the city, (getting on the 285 ramp, or “hell” as my dad calls it) and will go to the hotel first. They want to know what we’re doing tonight. I don’t know!!! Must pick out restaurant for all of us to eat late tonight. I have no idea what the schedule will be tomorrow. Or friday. OR SATURDAY, FOR THAT MATTER!!!

I AM NOT READY FOR ALL OF THIS!!!!

and my feet hurt.

waaaaaaah!

************UPDATE****************

family is in. all is good.

and earlier, I can’t believe I forgot to share my favorite purchase!

old navy sadie! font view

Sadie is so fashionable.

you look so calm!

Published Monday, October 2, 2006 in daily, misc, science! and wedding. 10 Comments

Nothing stresses me out more than people telling me how not stressed I look. “are you nervous? You look so calm! I’d be so freaked out right now! HAHAHAHA!!”

Hahahahahafuckyou.

I’m on very good drugs, OK? And for once I think I have things ALMOST under control. Except that the ditz limo guy still hasn’t faxed my mom the payment form, and I still have to pay the cake guy - I’m probably going to have to drop it off in person…SWELL…and there is much confusion at the church office about wedding protocol, as my pastor told me they would use the deposit that they weren’t supposed to cash that they DID cash anyway towards the fees for janitorial services, the organist, etc, but apparently no one told the office manager this and OH MY GOD I hope they get that straightened out, otherwise we are going to owe a lot more money…even though we’d get some of it back..

AND ARE YOU CONFUSED YET, BECAUSE I SURE AM!!!

**************

depressing stereotypes

I sat behind a girl who happened to be african-american on the shuttle today, and noticed her studying a notebook of her handwritten asian writing of some kind. I asked her what language she was studying.

“Japanese”

“wow. I’m really impressed!”

“hehehe thanks! It’s really hard.”

“I’m sure it is!”

I had so much respect for her, trying to learn such a difficult language. I suck at languages - I can’t imagine learning one that’s not even romantic/germanic based.

1 minute later I lost my respect for her as she answered her cell phone.

“hey! where you at?”

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

*************************

geek nostalgia

The contents of the lab are officially moving off to Duke next week, and the lone post-doc and I are scrambling to get things ready. We need to hoard away the stuff we’re keeping, and get everything else cleaned up and ready to move that’s going.

I’m going through the shelves above my bench, pulling out half-empty bottles of media, old no-longer-sterile water, and no-longer-used buffers…when I find…

Buffers I and III. Old school miniprep buffers.

They were also the very first buffers I made in the lab. Probably on the first day - the date on the bottles is right around then. We don’t use them anymore - we have the miracle of pre-made kits. But still…it was a little hard to dump those down the drain.

*******************

*twitch*

For some tradition which origins are unknown to me, and probably are non-existant, Kev and I are…”refraining” for this week leading up to the wedding. Some people do a month, some do two weeks…we think we might make it a week. This is some kind of stupid idea thought up by people like us who have been living IN SIN and think that by abstaining for a few days before the wedding, our virginities will magically reappear and our wedding night can be super duper special.

Which is not only bullshit, but also some kind of cosmic joke, because just when you’re at your MOST stressed and need some kind of outlet…NO SEX FOR YOU!

We kind of cheated last night, but not really. We just…uhhh…made ourselves happy in the vicinity of each other. Bwaha! how’s THAT FOR WORDING!

Anyway…this is going to be a rough week all around.

oy.

mission accomplished

Published Thursday, September 28, 2006 in daily and wedding. 7 Comments

One robotic dog for the future nephew.

One 2GB iPod Nano for my father.

An 8×10 frame, a mother-of-pearl butterfly ring*, and a sopranos DVD* for the future MiL

An 8×10 frame, a small Coach purse wristlet, and a “coin pearl” necklace with matching earrings for my mother.

*previously purchased

Bridesmaids are already taken care of. We have small stuff for the groomsmen, Kev needs to decide what else. But now…I’M DONE.

my dogs are BARKING, and I’m hungry. I’m going to go boil some tortellini.

wedding updates and such

Published Tuesday, September 26, 2006 in daily, photos and wedding. 24 Comments

One of the nightmares I’ve been having lately is that it’s our wedding day, and we’ve forgotten EVERYTHING. The candles aren’t lit. My dress is wrinkled. No one knows where they’re supposed to be. And WORST of all, we forgot to get a marriage license!!! NO WEDDING WITHOUT THE LICENSE!!!

This morning, I dragged Kev to the courthouse. Obligatory picture for anyone who lives in Dekalb county and is getting married:

a good combination

Oh yeah, you know you’re in Georgia now, buddy!

There are many scary rules in the Marriage and Pistol License probate court office. First off, they point you to a pile of clipboards with forms to fill out. The top sheet on the clipboard says “DO NOT APPROACH THE CLERK WITHOUT FILLING OUT PAPERWORK!”

“Do not approach the clerk?” Sounds like a good band name.

Under that order/thinly veiled threat (or what? what happens? I approached the clerk first…am I on a list now? WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME????) is a sheet of instructions on how to fill out the booklet. Those instructions stop at line 15 of the booklet, with two more pages yet to fill out. OH MY GOD, I NEED TO APPROACH THE CLERK! Yes, we have to fill those out. I pull out the whole booklet and finish filling it out (my handwriting is neater, therefore, I get to fill out all paperwork in this relationship. And Kev kills bugs. We should formalize these duties in our vows).

Paperwork done, we approach the clerk. Then, another panicky moment…at the top of the clipboard, a sticker: “DO NOT REMOVE ANY PAPERS FROM THIS CLIPBOARD”

Holy shit! We’re screwed!

I frantically stuffed the booklet into it’s spot in the clipboard before the clerk got to us. Whew! that was close!

Those people are STRICT!

We had to swear an oath (right hands raised and everythihng) that all the info we had given was factual and complete, blah blah blah. Paid an OUTRAGEOUS fee, and that was it. We were handed the certificate and an envelope of more papers. Hmmmm…

marriage license...

“Congratulations on getting married. Let us tell you about AIDS!”
That was weird. I guess this is lieu of a bloodtest now?

To celebrate our halfway legalness, we ate breakfast at Chik fil A. Because nothing says We Are Ready To Make A Lifetime Committment To Each Other like chicken biscuits and sweet tea.

Last week on the phone, my mom asked me if I was still going to do the reception centerpieces.

Whoops.

So today, I took the afternoon off and went to Michaels, Office Depot, Target, and CVS. I bought small baskets, votive candles with glass holders, floral foam, and assorted silk flowers and leaves. I was disappointed with the fake goard assortment, so I’ll have to see if grocery stores start carrying real tiny decorative goards soon. Very soon.

I bought paper for the wedding programs. I bought waterproof mascera, individual fake eyelashes, and long lasting lipstick, as per my stylist’s instructions.

I bought a gift for my brother, and a small gift for my future mother in law. Kev already bought her the latest Sopranos DVD as a gift, but I thought that might not scream “thanks for all the money for our wedding.” So I bought her a mother of pearl ring with a butterfly on it.

I still don’t know what I should get my parents. Maybe…TiVo? Any suggestions?

OK, way too much wedding stuff. Here is a fun picture of Sadie for those of you who made it all the way through!

get out of there!

sunday sunday SUNDAY!

Published Sunday, September 24, 2006 in daily and conversations. 11 Comments

two words I have never heard put together until today:

“ukulele virtuoso”

****************

the kindness of strangers

at home depot:

ESC: excuse me, what amp err…level is this wiring?

HomeDepotGuy: 15

ESC: KEV! 15!

Kev: see if they have 20

ESC: do you have 20?

HomeDepotGuy: probably…give me a minute

Kev: I THINK I HAVE IT IN STORAGE, LET’S JUST GO THERE

ESC: I am NOT digging through storage for wiring! we only need a few feet!! how much could it be?

RandomGuy: how much do you need?

ESC: KEV! HOW MUCH DO WE NEED?

Kev: UHH…5 FOOT?

RandomGuy: Hell, I think I have that much in scrap in my truck, if you want to wait a few minutes..

ESC: really???

RandomGuy: yeah, sure. I’m an electrician. I have scraps of that stuff all the time.

ESC: you are awesome.

at Lane Bryant

ESC: excuse me, do you have any skirts here that are brown? I’m looking for something that would match this top.

Saleslady: Hmmm…no….wait. We JUST got something in…it’s a leather skirt.

ESC: OK, this is for my rehearsal and rehearsal dinner…

Saleslady: oh, no, it’s gorgeous! it’s long and very classy looking. we just got it out of the boxes today, it’s in the back, let me show you.

waiting…

Saleslady: see? isn’t it beautiful?

ESC: is IS beautiful…it won’t match the top…but I bet that I can find something to match the skirt…wait…how much is it?

Saleslady: uhh…$149

ESC: crap. I’m trying to keep the whole outfit less than that.

Saleslady: do you have the 40% off coupon?

ESC: OH SHIT! yes! no! I think I threw it away! oh no! I am an idiot!

Saleslady: I have one I can give you, not a problem

Long slimming, bronze leather skirt + simple black cami+ soft black wrap* to wear over it all = $131 with coupon.

awesome.

*OK, yes, in a PERFECT WORLD, I could have knit this. But DO YOU THINK I HAVE TIME FOR THAT? DO YOU??? For $40 (less 40%), I’LL TAKE IT THANK YOU!

Mean, clean, dancing queen

Published Thursday, September 21, 2006 in daily, misc and friends. 12 Comments

Mental note: the people in the hallway cannot hear the ABBA on my iPod, and therefore will greet my groovin’ and boppin’ to “Take a chance on me” with raised eyebrows and strange looks.

**************

Yesterday, I got GOODIES in the mail! SOAP! From our own Scented Serra! Four bars of Peachy Green Tea goodness for me, and two bars of manly Sweetgrass Cedarwood Sage for Kev. They all smell yummy. I’m happy to report that I used my peachy green tea soap last night, and NOT ONLY was the result a very squeaky clean ESC, but a very sweet smelling and soft-skinned ESC as well.

I recommend…no…no…what’s the word…demand! I DEMAND you all go to her site and request lots of soap. Her prices are reasonable, and she discounts if you buy 3 at a time.

So a big SHOUT OUT THANK YOU to Serra for the soap - it was a long time coming but the wait was totally worth it!

**************

OHMYGODI’MGETTINGMARRIEDINTWOWEEKSHOLYSHITI’MNOTREADY

ANDMYCONDOISAMESSANDMYPARENTSAREGOINGTOYELLATMEEEE!!

no mention of cabinets! wait…dammit!

Published Tuesday, September 19, 2006 in daily, craftiness and photos. 13 Comments

In honor of “talk like a pirate day”

****now updated with picture goodness..err…ARRRR!****
arrrrrs and ahoys

arrrrr…the Steelers lost, cursed be the land of the swamp gators

arrrr…I broke one of me fancy nails on a can opener last night. hurt like fuck

arrrrr…me cells weren’t ready to spin down this morning, I could have slept in

arrrr…the sandwich shop was out of pickles, SCURVY KNAVES!

arrrrr…I am now afeared of diet coke

****

ahoy! me cabinets (oops! sorry!) are almost done!

ahoy! me hair color be looking FABULOUS!

ahoy! I spent the morning doing wedding tasks and such

ahoy! we now have limo service for the wedding…uhh…arrrr!!!

ahoy! I drank sweet tea instead, the sweetness tis makin’ me drunk

ahoy! I’m going to make a pirate hat for halloween, help me decide which colors

AHOY! I got my nails filled in, and a little length cut off - now I can type somewhat normally! Here is a pic. With gratuitous gemstone view. It’s hard to see, but the nail tips are silvery.

pretty nails

While I was there, I decided to go for the eyebrow wax. I didn’t have furry man-brows, or anything, but I wanted to clean up the edges, and I’ve never had them waxed before.

YEEOUCH! The little vietnamese woman kept laughing at me. Sadistic bitch.

Arrrr…me eyebrows are on FIRE!

freshly waxed

Don’t mind me, I’m just STARING DIRECTLY INTO YOUR SOUL!!!

cabinet sanchez

Published Monday, September 18, 2006 in daily, photos and weekend warriors. 11 Comments

So after 3 hours at IKEEEEA where we had to wait for them to get our order together, then tell us that a set of doors we bought were out of stock, and THEN giving us the wrong size countertop (which thankfully was obvious when Kev loaded into his truck)…

Progress on the cabinets.

First, why we need cabinets in the dining room:

what we're replacing

yeah, really. what the hell? There is no storage in my tiny crap kitchen.

here are the cabinet frames assembled:

all lined up

see how the chair rail peeks above the cabinets? that’s going to interfere with the countertop. we have two options. Remove the chair rail where it overlaps with the cabinets. Or…

shelves added

now with shelf goodness. The legs under the cabinets are adjustable. So we raised them up until the cabinets were ABOVE the chair rail. Kev does’t like this method, though, because:

is that chair rail an issue?
It leaves gaps around the edges.

He wants to remove the chair rail, patch, and paint. But all I can say is DO EET QUICKLY then, because I want my cabinets! Plus the countertop is taking up alot of room.

the countertop awaits

I also have to put the doors on. We’re missing the doors to the middle cabinet, and the far left cabinet will eventually have a drawer. Both were out of stock, but should come in in a couple of weeks.

And then…I will be able to PUT THINGS AWAY! BLISS!!!

After we’re done with the cabinets, I also want to put a shelf above them for even more storage. Then redo the kitchen counters to match the countertop in the dining room.

OH! additional funny Ikea story. We’re checking out, and we have the sheets with all the cabinet info and prices we got from the cabinet design guy, and then some stuff for Sadie. I set the papers and the two plastic doggy bowls (for traveling!) on the checkout counter, and proceed to chat with Kev while the nice lady rings up our purchases ($350 in cabinets, $1.50 in dog bowls) and we’re about to leave to go pick up our cabinets…when..what’s this thing I’ve been carrying under my arm?

A stuffed dog toy. Oops.

I apologize to the checkout lady (who I don’t think even noticed), had her ring it up quickly and just payed for it in cash. But OH MY GOD, just my luck to be kicked out of Ikea for shoplifting a $2 STUFFED DOG TOY after spending $350 ON CABINETS!!!

dammit, my brain is fried lately.

ohfridaythankgod

Published Friday, September 15, 2006 in rants, daily and science!. 3 Comments

Wednesday I gathered my strength, make some last minute tweaks, took a deep breath, and sent the 2nd draft of my paper off to my advisor.

Then I exhaled. I figured I now had a few days to get some WORK DONE! Thursday I got results from two experiments (one interesting, one failed…AGAIN). I decided that I would spend friday mostly at home, setting up my references in Endnote, reading some relavent papers that come out recently, and most importantly get some WEDDING THINGS DONE! But first get a new battery for my cell phone, because it is dead as a doornail and I am a lost puppy without my cellphone.

Then I got an email at the end of the day thursday. From the advisor. She had read the draft and made her comments IN ONE DAY, was fedexing it to me so I would get it friday morning, take a few hours to look things over, and then call her on the phone at 3 to discuss what changes need to be made.

Fuck.

So there went my friday. I am still without cell phone. And without a limo for the wedding. Both of which I will remedy Satuday, I hope.

At least the conversation with advisor went relatively well. She feels the paper is coming together well and that it should be ready to go very soon. Of course, there are plenty of adjustments to make, collaborator data to include, REFERENCES TO ADD.

I had PLANNED ON DOING THAT TODAY!!!

grrrr.

Mexican food for dinner, though. Mmmmm…

infectoriffic!

Published Saturday, September 9, 2006 in rants, daily and TMI. 5 Comments

Why oh why do I feel compelled to pick scabs off? Millions of years of evolutionary refinement to provide me with a sterile protective covering for the knee scrape from last weekend’s canoeing…canoing…canoe-ing? adventure. To protect me from infection and allow quick and efficient healing.

But BAH! I say. Off with the scab! Bring on the staph infection! and the flesh eating bacteria!

Or, more likely, the bright red scar that will still be there by the wedding.

crap

head above water

Published Friday, September 8, 2006 in daily, science! and mental health. 7 Comments

Sorry for the silence. Things at work are…not so good.

Ironically, the LAB WORK and WRITING are going well…it’s just a sea of other bullshit that I’m wading through. Wait…not wading…what’s the word…?

Drowning.

I’m drowning in grad school. And there is a stingray headed right for me. Hopefully this will all blow over soon. All I can say is THANK GOD for my meds, because otherwise? Otherwise I’d be typing this from a small padded room with no sharp edges and calming music.

Normal posting shall resume when and if I ever make it back to shore.

he’s a little bit country

Published Tuesday, September 5, 2006 in daily and wedding. 13 Comments

I’m a little bit gheettoooo…

I will post about our fun weekend in alabama later. Right now I MUST POST about my shiney new things! My nails!

I had a meeting with the florist today at 3, but he was stuck at their other new location in buckhead and would be delayed. I could hang around the florist for a half hour…OR I could use my 10% off coupon for the new nail salon two blocks away and get some acrylic nails!

hmmm…

I want pretty nails for the wedding, and my nails are uuuugly. Short and peely and gross. But I also wanted some time to adjust to the nails. I didn’t want long funky nails for my wedding day and just end up poking myself or Kev in the eye.

the place was a “traditional vietnamese salon,” and the woman working it was very friendly. She kept calling me Honey. Have a seat, Honey. Pick your color, honey! She also might have had a mild case of short term memory loss, as she asked me if I lived close by around 3 times. However, she was very helpful for the indecisive like me.

What KIND of fakey nails do I want?

Oh, get GEL nail. They very shiney and pretty. You will like better. Yes, gel nails for you.

Of course they are a little more expensive, but my bride brain only heard “shiney” and “pretty.”

I picked a silvery irridescent color for the tips, which I started hedging on once the sanding down of my real nails had begun.

Oh no, this REAL pretty color! It will look good! Very unusual! I make decision for you, OK? OK. This good color.

Hehehehe…that was funny. And my nails are indeed pretty. The silvery color is awesome. And they’re a wee bit longer than I’m used to. I keep tapping them on hard surfaces just for the sensation. Ooo…weird!

And I know I’m total ghetto fab now, because as I was waiting to cross at a light on my way back to the florist (I just walked), a couple of rednecks in a beat up truck beeped at me. OH YEAH!!!

Things that are better with my new nails:

Scritching Sadie. She’s loving my nails.

Scraping goo out of the corner of my eye. With the added thrill of danger!

Ummm…pointing at things?

Things that will be difficult with my new nails:

pulling my credit card out of my wallet. took 4 tries.

tpying on by llaoptop

popping zits. you’d THINK it would be easier. but no. and now maybe I need a tetnus shot.

masterbation. hmmm…should have asked her to leave the right middle short…

my 2cents in

Published Tuesday, September 5, 2006 in rants, daily and on the teeveeee. 18 Comments

everyone is posting about Steve Irwin. I guess I will, too.
Yes, his death is a tragedy. An expected one, true, but still sad. However, a bit anger for the family he left behind…

it is all well and good to be a reckless male in your youth. Running around jumping on wild animals, or doing death-defying stunts on motorcycles, or what have you.

But when you get married, and ESPECIALLY when you breed and produce offspring (hehehe), your priority is now your family. If there is a way for you to earn money that does not involve taunting death every moment of the day, then it is your responsibility to do that instead.

Yes yes, I’m sure the Irwin estate will not collapse. I’m sure there is enough money in the bank for the wife and kid to live a comfortable if not luxurious existance for the rest of their lives.

But she goes to bed alone tonight.
His daughter’s memory of him will slowly fade, until she only remember bits and pieces. A word, a fun moment, a wiped away tear.

And was that worth it? You may say he was a great conservationalist, but so are many people. You don’t see Jane Goodall wrestling with chimps, do you? Steve could have left the croc wrangling to someone else.

Of course, it wasn’t a croc. It was a sting ray. Really? I pet a few of those at the GA aquarium. I didn’t know they could back up and run you through.

I suppose you could say “he died doing what he loved to do,” but is that better? Would you rather die young doing your favorite thing (I don’t know…a freak knitting needle accident?) or die old and frail, in your bed, surrounded by your family, who you’ve had many happy years with? Is there more honor in one than in the other?

Steve Irwin tempted fate every day. Statistically, his untimely death was almost a certainty. It does not make it less sad, but it does make it depressingly senseless.

And for what it’s worth, I had “bitten in the jugular by an angry koala” in the pool.

labor intensive

Published Friday, September 1, 2006 in daily, conversations and wedding. 7 Comments

Tonight we leave for Alabama. Kev realized we haven’t spent a whole weekend with his family since…

february? can that be right?

So a nice weekend away…our last weekend of relaxation before the huge rush before the wedding…except that I’ll be writing my second draft of my paper at the same time. CAN IT BE DONE???

Probably not. Which is going to piss off my advisor. I should be trying to get most of it done right now…but after the week I’ve had, I can do little more than lay half-comatose on the couch.

At least my talk went very well yesterday. Whew!

Oh, also yesterday I learned that getting your hair done for your weekend is fucking expensive. The salon I get my hair cut at charges $150 - $200 for the practice plus the wedding day..for what is described as an “up-do.”

I tried to reason with their scheduler.

“my hair is now REALLY short. there is no “do” to “up!”

“well, is there just a little bit that they can put up?”

“listen, in the back? my hair is maybe an inch and a half long - it is not going up! I just need my headband and veil put in, and everything sprayed solid by a professional.”

she set me up with a “pre-consultation” so I could meet with the bridal stylist BEFORE we do my practice run. So that she can see how my hair is not doing up, and maybe charge me less.

Also, I’m getting my make up done there. I told her I’ll need industrial strength waterproof spackle, because I will cry.

“oh, I KNOW! I always cry at weddings.”

“I’m not even going to make it down the aisle. As soon as I see my father, I’m going to start crying. My daddy is going to be giving me away! Oh my god…I’m tearing up now!!!”

*she laughs at me*

Ok, so we’ll see how this all works out.

I don’t like the sound of this…

Published Thursday, August 24, 2006 in daily. 3 Comments

Directions for my new prescription:

1. pour contents of one packet into a glass or cup

2. add 2 ounces of your favorite beverage (orange juice is a popular choice) and stir vigorously

3. at at least 2 - 4 more ounces of beverage to suit individual taste and stir vigorously again

4. the slightly-textured mixture is now ready to drink

“slightly-textured?”

oh dear.

***edit***

yep. gritty orange juice. yum.

oh well, if it WORKS it will be so worth it!

I’ve been saying that alot lately…

oh my god…MORE HEALTH NEWS FROM ME!

Published Thursday, August 24, 2006 in daily, blogging and TMI. 6 Comments

Quick little note: you’ll notice I nixed the little slider archives thingy at the top, there. I think that might have been behind all the problems I’ve been having with my host lately - I’d go to post or edit a post, and I’d get a SUSPENDED page, telling me I’ve gone over my cpu usage. I’d have to wait a few minutes and try again.

So if you’ve come to the site and seen that page instead, now you know why. I don’t know why the rolling archives would do that, and I’d still like to keep it, but instead have it on my archives page. But I don’t know how to do that, and so far no help from the K2 community forums.

Dammit. Anyway, since I seem to have a “health” theme going on, I might as well blog about my doctor’s appointment this morning. But if you don’t care, don’t click!

Continue reading ‘oh my god…MORE HEALTH NEWS FROM ME!’

public transfrustration

Published Wednesday, August 23, 2006 in rants, daily and craftiness. 5 Comments

The school added a new shuttle route that stops very close to where I live. Basically, you can park at the ghetto mall, and catch the shuttle right from the parking lot. Sweet. We’ve been getting emails about it all damn summer.

The shuttle will run from 7:30am to 7pm, every 20 minutes. It will make several stops: law school, hospital, C hall, and W circle. OK, I can get off at C hall and walk a couple of minutes to work, and if the weather is terrible, I can get off at the hospital and take the B shuttle right to my building.

Also, I should add that my decision to do this was not based on some desire to help the environment (although that is a nice side bonus) but because parking fees went up another $100, and I don’t plan on being here a full year anyway. Free shuttle? Thank you, yes.

I decide to try it out today, even though I can still drive for another two weeks on my current parking pass. We JUST GOT an email yesterday with shuttle updates, relisting the times and stops for all the shuttles. So I’m golden.

For a variety of reasons (power went out, couldn’t sleep in stuffy, no A/C room, took antihistimines to knock me out) I slept in later than I really wanted to. But hey, no problem. Every 20 minutes, right?

I get to the mall around 10am. There are people already waiting, and the one guy says he’s been there 15 minutes already, so a shuttle should be coming shortly. So we wait.

And wait.

And I sit on the curb and finish knitting the second sock for my mom.

And wait some more.

Now it’s 10:45, and I’m thinking SCREW THIS, I am going to drive. That’s when a shuttle shows up, with OUT OF SERVICE on the messageboard. Crapola. He picks us up anyway.

Then we find out the scoop, from the driver, and from the well dressed man on the cellphone on the shuttle, who apparently works for the shuttle service.

Oh, so by the way? Shuttle service is going to stop at 9:30am, and then start up again at 3.

Oh, and also? It’s only making two campus stops: law school and W circle.

So let me get this straight…classes are about to start for fall semester, and they are CUTTING BACK TIMES AND STOPS FOR THIS SHUTTLE???

Holy fuck. And wouldn’t have been nice to have this information ahead of time, like MAYBE IN THAT LAST EMAIL WE GOT YESTERDAY?

“well…they said it should be on the website…”

OH NO, MOTHERFUCKER! I checked that website LAST NIGHT. 7:30am to 7pm, every damned 20 minutes.

Fortunately, W circle isn’t so much further from C Hall, so I don’t have that far a walk. But I’m definately going to have to make sure I drag my ass out of bed in time to catch the shuttle (ohhh…poor me!) except that remember, I plan on doing much writing, and originally intended to write in the mornings at home, eat lunch, then head in to do lab work. This seriously craps out that plan.
Dammit.

First day of double medication? yeah. not going so smoothly.

(but the socks are done! and before I thought to wait to take a picture…they’re off in the US mail, on their way to my mother. Oh, and by the way, if you plan on finishing a knitting project on your way to work in order to mail it somewhere, and you get to work and realize you forgot to bring a needle to help you weave in your loose ends, a straightened out paperclip with a bent loop on one end works beautifully)

Happy Birthday, My Love

Published Thursday, August 17, 2006 in daily, relationship/sex and photos. 9 Comments

Today is my sweetie’s birthday. Send him some love, won’t you? I know I will be

Dear charity organization,

Published Friday, August 11, 2006 in rants and daily. 10 Comments

I believe your name is “clothing for a cure” or something like that. A cure for what? I don’t remember. But I doubt it’s a cure for sucking ass.

For the past month….MONTH! There has been a number on my caller ID. CURE CLOTHI it read, with a local area code. This number would call 2 or 3 times a day…EVERY DAY. Cure clothing? Someone trying to get me to dress all black and emo?

I was confused.

Then you started calling early in the morning. But the phone is two rooms over from the bedroom, so by the time my sleepy brain registered that the phone was ringing, got my feet off the side of the bed so I could stumble over the shoes I left in the middle of the room last night and make a lurching sprint to catch the phone…hangup. The caller id…CURE CLOTHI!!!

Sometimes just for fun, you’d leave a voicemail: 3 seconds of silence and a click. I was beginning to get nervous. Was I being stalked? I even tried calling the number, but all I got were clicks and beeps. The calls kept coming, though. Waking me up, or sitting on my caller ID. Four calls a day. EVERY DAY! EVERY GODDAMNED DAY!!!

Was there a bill I hadn’t paid? What could cause someone to pursue me so vigilantly? OH MY GOD, PLEASE STOP CALLING! WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE????

Until finally…FINALLY one evening I was home, sitting next to the phone when it rang. Caller ID: CURE CLOTHI. HA! CAUGHT YA, BASTARD! I answered the phone, and very bored sounding woman informed me that Clothing for the Cure (the cure for what???) would be around on friday to collect donated clothing, would I please leave a bag in front of my door with a note on it that says “CfC” on it?

What?

Before I could mumble something, she tells me thank you for my donation, and that they’ll give me a reminder call on thursday. Thank you and have a nice evening.

What?

Oh yeah, I got a reminder call. Three reminder calls. At 4:56pm, 6:27pm, and 7:43pm. When I wasn’t at home…no voicemail left. Bastards.
Clothing for the cure, you are the WORST charity ever. You think that just because you are immune to the “no call list,” you can abuse the system. Holy fucking christ, people, if you’d just left me a voicemail to begin with, we all could have moved on with our lives.

But you kept CALLING and CALLING!

When you come to my door today, and find NO bag of clothing waiting for you? I hope you cry.

And don’t EVER call me again. E-V-E-R!!!

shrinky dink

Published Tuesday, August 8, 2006 in daily, conversations and TMI. 18 Comments

Today was my very first appointment EVER with a psychiatrist.

diagnosis: bat shit crazy

HA! just kidding, of course. I am more bird shit crazy.

I knew this day was coming. For years now, I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t pay attention as well as I used to. I couldn’t focus. I would procrastinate so much that things would get very very bad for me. And the anxiety. And the worrying. And the deadlines. And with the next few months being what that will be…

I’m worried about falling apart.

So to the shrink I went. Nervous. ANXIETY!

But she was pleasant. Friendly. Young and understanding. We talked about several treatment options. We tried to decide if my lack of focus is caused by anxiety, or if my anxiety is caused by my lack of focus. I would get different meds depending on which.

I believe the second scenario is more likely. If I can get my head screwed on correctly, the stressful situations I cause for myself that are the root of my anxiety will go away, along with the anxiety. Plus with that treatmet, the side effects are less.

“My sex life is the only part of my life that’s GOOD right now. How would killing that make me feel better?”

“Exactly. If that’s a solid part of your life, let’s try not to mess it up.”

So wellbutrin it is. With a side of clonazapam which should start working immediately to curb the anxiety and let me fall asleep at night without playing hundreds of disaster scenarios over and over and over again in my head.

Both meds at low low, what she called “baby doses.” I am a psych med virgin, and we have NO idea how they’ll effect me.

However, if the anxiety is the root of my problems, then the wellbutrin could make it worse. I may have to be switched to something like Lexapro, a prozac cousin.

That scares me more. Which is why I wanted to try the wellbutrin. wellbutrin seems like a friendlier drug. Less scary.

I hope it works. If it makes things worse, I have a followup in two weeks. She can switch me.

yarrr….

It’s funny - when I have a physical problem - an infection, a sprain, a headache - I have NO problem taking drugs to treat it. I will take the full course of antibiotics, or pop OTC painkillers without giving a second thought. but BRAIN drugs…wow. My brain. That’s where I live! Taking medicines to tweak around with my brain…what if they change who I am? What if I’m LESS me, instead of a better me. And worse…what if I don’t realize it? What if the old me slips away and I don’t notice?

I know, I know…paranoia. I need the meds. Eventually, either they or some other combination of their relatives will help me. And I will still be me, just a better me
meanwhile, I will make myself feel better by reading the list of side effects on the clonazepam.

drowsiness (ok, not so bad. like drinking a cider)
dizziness (ummm..Ok, two ciders)
tiredness (still two ciders. OK, one. shut up)
reduced desire for sex (oh, like being married!)
menstrual cramps (not due for my period for…3 months. we’re good. thank you, birth control)
increased saliva production (whoa, seriously?)
common cold symptoms (swell. pass the tissues)

wow. I am going to be ONE SEXY BITCH for the next month.

*****special bonus conversation*****

Kev: what’s that?

ESC: my first entry into the world of brain drugs.

Kev: oh my.

ESC: it’s supposed to dissolve on my tongue.

*places pill on tongue*

Kev: how does it taste?

ESC: hmmm…ummm…kind of…fruity. like a slightly off candy.

Kev: *suggestively* sooo…how are you…FEELing???

ESC: suddenly, I have reduced sexual desire.

Kev: goddammit.

ya had a bad day…

Published Monday, July 31, 2006 in rants, daily and TMI. 9 Comments

I spent much of this morning in the bathroom, wondering what the hell I ate this weekend that is so torturing my lower innards.

I got to the library on campus. I noticed 3 things:

1. it was colder than ann coulter’s snatch

2. some bitch had taken my usual spot

3. the wireless internet wasn’t working

I set up my laptop at another desk…uhhh…close to the ladies room, just in case, and tried to work. I got two sentences typed before my brain just gave out. My stomach hurt, I couldn’t access my folder on the server or pubmed, and I was freezing my ass off.

I know it’s hot as fuck out, people, but many of us dress appropriately for the weather, we don’t need the AC set at “sub-arctic.” Later, it occurred to me that this happens alot in the south, and this is why I see many natives, especially college girls, wearing their expensive “I don’t care and still look fabulous” velouresque workout (HA!) pants all summer. And sweatshirts. When it’s 95 degrees out. It all makes sense to me now.
I left the library and headed the lab, to do the minimal of lab work that needed to be done. Then left. Before noon. Ugh. Playing hooky, but feeling too ill to enjoy any of it. I passed out on the couch for most of the afternoon, and managed a can of chicken soup without feeling the urge to sprint to the bathroom.
This must be my punishment for the skipping of church and pre-marital sex, huh Vince?

What else can I bitch about? Oh…my boogers are still white with the dust from sanding the joint compound in the entranceway yesterday. Aren’t you glad you know that?
Anyway, the GOOD news is that Kev played hooky from work this morning to take two of his computer-type something or other network certification tests. He aced BOTH of them. Yay Kev!

A morning of ups and downs.

Published Sunday, July 30, 2006 in daily, relationship/sex and weekend warriors. 9 Comments

MOSTLY ups.
In order to increase the chances of my going to hell, I decided to play hooky from church and the choir* this morning so I could sleep in and have lazy weekend morning sex with Kev.

*shit like this always backfires on me. later I will find out that there were NO altos there, so the choir really struggled, but then somehow the sermon was totally awesome, best ever given, half the congregation in tears, and then afterwards there were cookies.

Just as we were about to enjoy an appropriate post-lazy weekend morning sex breakfast of fried eggs, toast and bacon, I heard “OH SHIT!” and saw Kev sprint to the laundry room faster than I have EVER seen that boy move before. The load of laundry he had started only minutes before had somehow OVERFLOWED the washer, and water was pouring out everywhere…beginning to flood our laundry room, and coming DANGEROUSLY close to soaking our NEW FUCKING FLOOR in the hallway.

crap.

we got it cleaned up, but we are now out of clean towels. Oh, and no washing machine.

It’s probably OK, just a freak accident, but we are mistrustful. Fortunately, we do have a washer/dryer set of Kev’s in storage, that we were planning on keeping with us after the move…BUT…

It’s a nice set, but cheap. We can move them in here, sell them with the condo, and then buy a NEW set when we move. With wedding money. That I wanted to use to buy a new couch.

Oh well.

Oh, did I mention Sadie tried to eat Kev’s abandoned eggs? Because for her, food left on plate and on the floor, is fair game. I managed to snatch it away before she fully dug in…and it is a testament to how far Kev has come that he decided to eat them anyway. there are worse things.

And we’ve been on boil water restrictions all weekend because of a water line break north of here. THE FUN NEVER ENDS!!!!

ANWAY…with that wonderful start to the day…I decided to make some good things happen.

WE HAVE A HONEYMOON!!!!

A week after the wedding (just worked out better for us timing wise, though I will probably regret not sprinting out of the reception straight to the beach), we will be laying on a white sandy beach riiiight…here.

We rented a house just 100 steps away from the beach. (Those right ON the beach were a little out of our price range, unless anyone out there has a few thousand dollars they’d like to lend us. No? Ok then).

We can do our own thing: swim, fish, rent a boat, rent bikes, grill, and fuck each others brains out without worry that someone on the other side of the wall will get all bitchy about it.

It’s going to be WONDERFUL!!! Ahhhh…I can’t FUCKING WAIT!!!!

OK. back to scrape drywall. Don’t ask.

I’m a survivor

Published Wednesday, July 19, 2006 in daily and science!. 7 Comments

I survived my committee meeting. It was rough. It went both better and worse than I expected.

No one seemed to care about my bonehead mistake. They were satisfied with my plan to fix it. Or they were lulled by my homemade brownies, cheese popcorn, and bottles of coke zero. Always helps to bribe..err…make them COMFORTABLE.
However, my lack of writing is worriesome for them. They want me to get back to writing. Now. And also finish my lab work. I need better time management. Write a couple hours in the morning, then lab work the rest of the day. Long hours. Limit extracurricular activities. Write write write until the paper is done. They will keep tabs on me and give me deadlines, as advisor will be distracted with the move over the next few weeks. My first draft will be due Aug 15.

It is humiliating that they will be “babysitting” me. However…

I do need it. My procrastination with my writing has gotten out of hand. Advisor has been distracted by all this Duke business, and hasn’t really pushed me except for the occasional “you should probably be writing” in one breath, and then “aren’t you done with that strain construction YET??” with the next. I do much better with set deadlines and some supervision. And it’s so easy to get caught up in what I’m doing in the lab. It’s difficult to tear myself away. I SAY I will take some time in the afternoon…but then it never works out that way.
I do have to finish some labwork, though. So the next few weeks will be…ugh. A giant PUSH to get done what I need to get done.

Let’s just say that while I might still be posting, my overall presence in blogland will be minimal.

Pft! ESC, you haven’t commented on my blog in WEEKS! your presence is already minimal. I hate you, and I’m never coming back here again.

Bitch! I don’t want to read your skank-ass blog anyway!

Anyway, after the meeting (lasting over 2 hours) and then spend the rest of the day plotting out my schedule for the rest of the week, designing a new plan for ANOTHER 2d gel, and confirming a cloning strategy, I got home late, and NOT feeling like spending any time in my messy kitchen.

So Kev took me out. What a nice boy. I decided I didn’t want fancy. I didn’t want exotic. Or weird. Or different. I wanted a big, juicey, pink burger. And fries. I wanted fattening comfort food. And that’s what I got. A bacon bleu cheese burger. Cooked medium. (shut UP, I FEAR NO E. COLI!) Sooooo…very…..gooooood….

and exactly what I needed. What a nice boy I have.

mint and lime and RUM!

Published Sunday, July 16, 2006 in daily and food. 6 Comments

So have I spent my weekend feaverishly preparing for my committee meeting?

no.

Have I spent hours and hours in the lab trying desperately to get last minute data to present to them?

ummm…no.

OK, then. Have I spent the weekend painting the baseboards and quarter round so I can get the condo back in order?

hells no.

Have I done ANYTHING productive AT ALL?

Well, we did some laundry. And worked our way through some massive piles of clothing in the bedroom. (is this clean? dirty? sniff it! yes, we live like ANIMALS!)

Also, I made some fish tacos this evening for dinner - blackened mahi mahi tacos, with guacamole. Mmmm…one of Kev’s absolute favorite meals. He was so excited he was bouncing up and down “fish tacos! fish tacos!” yes, I am engaged to a 12 year old. And yes, the double entendres were flying.
Last night one of our old post-docs who’s a faculty member now threw us a going away party. It still doesn’t seem real, as I’M not going away just yet - not until october, maybe november. However, advisor is leaving in a little over a week, along with lab goddess. It just doesn’t seem REAL yet that we’re leaving. It’s just going to be so weird with the lab broken up for the next few months.

The party was fun. Mojjjjjjjjiiiitttos!!!! Mojitos are a very good thing.

But MOSTLY what I did this weekend was jack and squat. I haven’t had a weekend like that in a long time. It felt GOOOOOOD.

shit. now I have to get ready for my meeting!!!!

OH, and also. Kev and I are still trying to plan the honeymoon. We want to rent a house or cottage on a beach. Originally I was thinking somewhere in the Keys, but that is an awfully long drive. Now we’re thinking gulf/panhandle area. There are a lot of places to choose from.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a specific area there? I want beach/fishing/water activities stuff, but also would like something like a town nearby for shopping, eating, and maybe a movie theater in case we get a rainy day. Anyone have any suggestions? I’ve never actually been to the panhandle - the pictures of the beaches look beautiful and isolated…I’m just worried they’ll be a litle TOO isolated. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!

NA NA WHY DON’T YOU GET A JOB?

Published Monday, July 10, 2006 in daily and food. 17 Comments

So he did!

Kev got a JOB! A REAL job. That pays DECENT money (but no overtime, bleah!)! And…oh my god…HEALTH INSURANCE (after a month)! And it’s only 5 MILES AWAY!

He was interviewed today, offered the job, and starts TOMORROW! He’s…I don’t know, building computers and LCD screens, or something. Whatever. It’s WORK!

w00t! It will be nice to be a two income household again. Not that things have been overly tight, but we haven’t been living the high life, or anything. Not that we will now. Much money will be saved for HONEYMOON! double woot!

This called for celebration. We didn’t go out, as we ate out all weekend (we layed quarter round, I didn’t feel like COOKING after that). I stopped at the grocery store and picked up 2 inch thick ribeye steaks, 2 very large baking potatoes (CARBS! luxury!!!), salad fixins’, half a watermelon, and a WHOLE key lime pie. Oh, and some spicey tuna roll for appetizer.

Oh yeah. Totally in middle of food coma right now. Celebration accomplished. My baby is a WORKIN’ man again!

PS: dude. I’m watching PeeWee’s playhouse on cartoon network right now. How sweet is life?

happy 5th of July!

Published Wednesday, July 5, 2006 in daily, photos and conversations. 3 Comments

mmmmm...watermelon

anything better than chunking into a sweet watermelon on a hot day??? I DON’T THINK SO!

In other picture news, I put up some pictures from my bridal shower in pittsburgh. Go check them out, won’t you?

and yet more conversations

after waking from a nap
ESC: I’M HUNGRYYYYY! ARE YOU GOING TO THE STORE???

Kev: I didn’t want to WAKE you earlier. I’m going.

ESC: I’ll go with you.

Kev: then why don’t YOU just go.

ESC: no, I want to go WITH you.

Kev: *grumble*

at the checkout lane

ESC: *looking at magazines* look, celebrities have cellulite like normal people

Kev: who’s the chick in the blue bikini?

ESC: doesn’t say…wait…THIS magazine has pictures of celebrities that are too thin!

Kev: hehe

ESC: too fat! too thin! mixed messages in a single magazine rack! I CAN’T HANDLE IT!!!!

Kev: I’m not taking you anywhere right after you nap again.

god this is boring

Published Tuesday, July 4, 2006 in daily and science!. 10 Comments

Everyone is out having 4th of July fun except ME. Until 10 minutes ago, I was the only one in the lab. One other person has just waltzed in at 3:30, I’m sure after have super Independence day fun.

I am stuck here for several more hours.

Because I know everyone is super interested in my food intake - right on cue at around 3:30, my stomach started to get rumbly. So I have my snack of yogurt and 100-calorie cinnamon grahms. Seriously, stomach? What. the. fuck?

*********************************

This one is for any sciencey people out there. Have you ever started preparing to make a solution of some kind for the very first time, and everyone tells you “oooo…that solution SUCKS to make” or you read up on it and it looks like it’s going to take HOURS with constant pH’ing and OH CHRIST WHAT A FUCKING PAIN…and then you do it, and it all comes together super easy. And then you start DOUBTING yourself and the solution, because it was so easy? Surely, you MUST have done something wrong, because it came together too quickly and too easily.

I am having doubts. Ficoll is supposed to take HOURS AND HOURS to go into solution. In fact, one protocol says to let it go overnight.

My ficoll took about 2 hours.

It LOOKS OK. It’s just stupid loading dye…but still…

doubt!

The lab is quiet. Blogland is quiet. I am deprived of my usual email comrades. No one is around to read here and leave me nice comments.

I am soooooo bored.

sad sadie

I’m here

Published Thursday, June 29, 2006 in daily. 4 Comments

I know, I haven’t written. I am as busy as a [insert offensive nationality joke also involving a donkey here].

I will be back. Later. I promise.

2nd worst flight of my life

Published Friday, June 23, 2006 in rants, daily and family. 12 Comments

The WORST flight experience of my life was when I was 16 and was visiting my aunt in New York. My flight back home was immediately cancelled out of laguardia, so they bussed us to Newark (slogan: “Come enjoy the ass of america!”), and then proceeded to delay delay delay the flight out of there, finally cancelling it around 9 o’clock, then cheerfully informing us that there were NO hotels in the area for us (Newark: “We suck hairy donkey balls!”). I put on my sad and ready-for-emotional-breakdown face, and the rep managed to pull some strings and get the airline to pay for a cab to take me on the 3 hour drive back to my aunt’s house, using directions she read to me over the phone. Which I relayed to the english-is-not-my-first-language driver (”Pond reedge?” “no, POUND ridge. POUND! POUND!” “Pond???” “gah!!!”)

That was my most miserable flight experience ever. yesterday was a close second.

By the time I got to the gate, my flight was already delayed by over an hour. The helpful airline rep told me that the plane was delayed getting there, but if it got in earlier than that, we’d leave earlier! Isn’t that good news? Called my parents, got something for dinner, as now I would be getting into pittsburgh around 9.

At around quarter to 7, I noticed that no one around me was getting restless, and that there hadn’t been any announcements, even though the flight time hadn’t changed. The gate board still had my flight number…but I was suspicious. I check the computer screens. Gate change. Thanks for telling me, bitch. I find the right gate and make myself comfortable.

My entertainment for the next hour was provided about around 7 girls - i’d say around 18, 19, and I’m guessing were part of some kind of team or club, maybe volleyball? Dressed in casual sweats with their hair pulled back in an “i just don’t CARE look,” yet still managing to look sexy - you know the type, right? Remember when you could dress like you didn’t care and still look great? Yeah, me neither. Anyway, they sprawled out on the floor, listening to their ipods, and stretching their legs, lazily scratched their tight tummies. Withing minutes, every man in the gate area had casually made their way nearby to get a better look. Looking without trying to be obvious. At one point, one of the girls must have had a crick in her back, because she rolled over on her stomach and another girl jumped on top of her and started massaging and pounding on her back. I thought some of the guys were going to pass out. It was very entertaining.

The flight reps have changed the boarding time from 7:13 to 8…something. Just an 8. This wasn’t good. a little while after THAT, they announced a gate change. Group groan, and we all trudged down the hallway, leaving the co-eds to their business. By 8:30, we were boarding. I called my dad, who wanted to make sure we were actually on our way before leaving for the airport. ha. ha. “on our way.” that’s funny.

Because not long after boarding, the pilot informed us that air tran’s computers had “gone down,” and he wasn’t able to get “the paperwork” he needed before taking off. Paperwork? We’re going to Pittsburgh. get up in the air and FLY NORTH.

It’s 10:00. I call my dad. “have you left for the airport yet?” “I’m AT the airpor.” “make yourself comfortable.” “oh no, you’re kidding.”

The pilot was apologetic and irritated at the situtation. He said we could get off the plane to stretch our legs if we wanted, but to not go far. No WAY am I getting off this plane. I am rewarded with free water and goldfish crackers. The people who got off the plane are totally jealous.

Around 11, everyone gets back on the plane. Good sign. The computers are up, we are ready to go…wait in line to take off.

The flight is smooth, in spite of the fact that there is a constant fireworks diplay of lightening out the window.

The most entertaining part of the whole night: as soon as we landed, a guy sitting two rows behind me called his wife/girlfriend. “I tried to call you to tell you but your phone was off. Will you LISTEN to me? Will you LISTEN to me? I’VE BEEN ON A PLANE!” Silence. rign rign “HellOOO? I’m on a plane! It was delayed! Delayed!” Silence. ring ring “HellOO? Will you LISTEN TO ME??? I can’t HELP it the plane was delayed…no I am NOT cheating on you! Lisa, will you LISTEN…” silence. ring ring “HellOO?”

this went on as we made our way to the gate. After about 8 or 10 times, we were all so tired and delirious that we couldn’t help listening and snickering. I called out “her concern for you is touching!” and everyone around just burst out laughing. The guy looked so sad and tired. at one point, he said “OK, can everyone tell her we’re on a plane?” “WE’RE ON A FRIGGIN’ PLANE!!!!” “see? I’m on a…will you just LISTEN to me???”

After I got off the plane and made a beeline for the closest bathroom, I saw him again in the hall, still on the phone. “Lisa, I held up the phone so you’d realize I was ON A PLANE! It’s NOT my fault, will you LISTEN TO ME????”

Poor guy. I wanted to call Kev and tell him how much I love our relatively drama-free relationship.

My very exhausted looking father picked me up. We got home around 1:30am. I left work for the airport at 3, so total time spent attempting to get to Pittsburgh: 10 and a half hours. Total time it takes to DRIVE to pittsburgh, a little less than 12.

I am tired. But home. And today I get to see the reception place, pick out a cake design for my reception here, and then go shopping with mom. This will be a good break.

torture tv

Published Wednesday, June 21, 2006 in daily and on the teeveeee. 3 Comments

I’m watching a special on public television about kids with cancer, and it’s killing me. there is a kid named Justin who is just reminding me so much…

why am I watching this? seriously. I should be watching food network.

I should be packing.

cleaning.

I hope Justin makes it. and little alex.
oh shit. there’s a part 2. I may never know.

shit.

more lame updates

Published Wednesday, June 21, 2006 in daily, family and food. 8 Comments

My kitchen is somewhat back together, and tonight I made a real meal for the first time in god-knows-when.

Grilled then roasted pork loin
Baked sweet potatos
Veggie salad

it was gooooooooooooood.

***********

flooring still not done, but still so close.

***********

I finally talked to my brother, and if he can find the drawings he did of the tattoo design, getting my tattoo should not be problem. He’s pretty sure it’s in the shop, and he’s pretty sure that the owner will let him in tomorrow*. Also, I found out he has a myspace site. On it, he has a meme in which he states, among other things, that the last time he had sex was yesterday.

Let’s file that under “things I never need to know about my brother.”

*have I covered this here? Brief synopsis: my brother worked for Eric (aka: total fucking asshole loser), who, one day, decided that paying rent on the tattoo shop was no longer priority numero uno. Landlord is pissed, refuses to renew the lease, locks them all out, and seizes all the stuff inside. My brother is in the process of negotiating a lease with the landlord to open up his own shop in the same location, with a different name. There’s all sorts of bullshit he has to go through first, and Eric is contesting the whole “seizing of property” thing in court, but I can’t see where he has a leg to stand on - he owes the landlord something like $8000. So while my brother doesn’t actually have the lease in hand, it should soon become a done deal.

My brother will be a small business owner. Frightening.
other funny part of the conversation

ESC: so how is eric taking this?

bro: Oh, he’s thrilled, actually. couldn’t be happier for me.

ESC: really?

bro: NO, he’s fucking PISSED!

an update here and there

Published Tuesday, June 20, 2006 in daily, wedding and weekend warriors. 4 Comments

Wow. Lots of people had something to say about where I should get my tattoo. Of course, I’m going to ignore most of it and get it where I want to. but still, wow. Thanks! After all this, though, I hope I actually get one. I tried to call him - cell number temporarily disconnected. Hmmmm…

Many things going on this week, with very little time to do them. I need to get as much done in the lab as possible before friday, because 1. I am SO VERY VERY CLOSE to finishing lab work so I can start writing full time. Oh so very painfully close. and 2, because I am flying to pittsburgh on thursday, and even though it’s been on our lab calendar for a couple of months, I will still have to remind boss lady, and she will give me the “I can’t believe you’re leaving when you are so close to finishing and oh you REALLY need to get started writing full time because you REALLY need to graduate soon” look, and I need to be able to say “I did this this this and this this week, and while I’m gone, these plates will be in the incubator, and this sequencing will be out, and I’ll have this data to look over while I’m gone” and she will roll her eyes and say “I hope you’re not planning any MORE little trips this summer.”

My life is fun.

******************

Flooring 0, us 1

OK, it’s more like flooring 5, us 3…but we’re gaining! flooring is ALMOST DONE! So very close to being done! And oh my GOD shoot me if I ever attempt anything like this again! I will PAY someone to do this for me from now on.
THIS is why we need illegal immigrants!

(KIDDING! SHEESH! take a joke, people)

When you have carpeting, you don’t realize that you’re walking on the most uneven floor in the world. Or maybe it’s just easier to ignore. 100lbs of floor leveler later…we’re golden. Of course, all my furniture is still piled up in the middle of the living room and dining room. BUT the end is in sight. Or it better be, or I’m going to fucking kill something.

It might actually be a good thing that everything is in disarray here. Tuesday morning a mover from Duke is coming to check out the lab and then go to everone’s home to see what he’s dealing with. Our moving expenses are going to be COVERED, which is sweet. So while the condo is a complete and total disaster, when he gets here, we can just say “see that pile? that’s pretty much it” Everything else is in storage.

My official “will become a Duke employee” date is now Nov 1. Damn, I need to get writing.

************************

a positive note

Did I mention we got our rings on friday? Yeah. I called friday, and bitch said “I PROMISE they’ll be in tonight or tomorrow morning.” She called a few hours later at 6pm - it’s IN. So I GOT MY ENGAGEMENT RING BACK! Oh, also, the wedding bands are pretty spiffy, too. Kev’s ring looks like this (top right), and my ring looks like my engagement ring, only without the stones. But the IMPORTANT thing is, I have MY RING back. In time for at least ONE of my showers. Hooray! (and NOT the golden kind, OK ed? What do they call them in UK anyway?)

jumpin’ jitters

Published Thursday, June 15, 2006 in daily, food, geeking out and friends. 12 Comments

The previously mentioned N was present at my shower last weekend, and gifted us (errr…me, as I’m the only one who will get use out of it) with a french coffee press and a pound of Starbucks coffee - Brazil Ipanema Bourbon. This is “a rare Brazilian coffee” that is described on the bag as being “nutty & soft.”

*snort* I laugh every time I read that.

So this week has been my introduction to french press coffee.

to quote…

UH

MUH

GUH!

Now, it could just be that the coffee itself is a wonder of wonders, that I am particular fond of all things nutty & soft *snort *. But coffee made this way is DELICIOUS. And WHOA I think that french press extracts EVERY LAST BIT of caffeine from the beans, because after I drink my two cups, I’m pretty much like this for the next two hours:

heyohmygodyouguysIwaspullingoutofmystreetthismorningandtherewasthisI
sweartogodHUGEtractortrailer18wheelerOVERTURNEDblockinghalftheroadand
OHMYGODitwassocoolbutIdontknowifhegothurtthatwouldn’tbecoolbutyeahit
wascoolandIcalledKevinandwaslikeOHMYGODyouhavetocomeoutandseethisCOOL
TRUCKoverturnandtherearepoliceandfiretrucksandblockingtrafficanditwas
coolandheydoesanyoneknowifwehaveanymoreminiprepcolumnsleftandIreally
hopeIgottransformantstopicktodayandheythisisreallygoodcoffeedoesanyone
wantsomecoffeethisisreallygoodcoffeedidImentionaboutthetruckthismornin g?

Damn.

Speaking of coffee, if anyone from Boca Java is reading this I SWEAR I am also drinking your coffees which are EXCELLENT so far. It’s just that my kitchen is still not completely my own (the flooring! it never ends!) and my coffee maker is not so easily accessible in the mornings. I think what I’ll do is rough grind some of the beans in the morning and bring them into work to use in my FRENCH PRESS!

ohmygoditmakesthebestcoffeeitisSOGOODOVERTURNED18WHEELERISAWESOME!

I am not cool

Published Sunday, June 11, 2006 in daily. 5 Comments

turn the radio UP, roll the window DOWN, get my GROOVE on, top of my lungs…

Ooo boy you lookin’ like you LIKE what you see

Won’t you come over and CHECK up on it

I’ma let you WORK up on it

Ladies let him check up on it

Watch it while he check up on it

Uhhh…bippy boppy doopy something

Check on me toNIGHT!

showered!

Published Saturday, June 10, 2006 in daily, food, wedding and friends. 10 Comments

Warning: a very much unlike me, non-evil, non-science, uncool, extreme girly post. Proceed with caution

What a lovely shower! My bridesmaids did such a great job - everything was perfect. Yummy food - more than I thought there would be…I kind of regret that mcD’s double cheese burger I snagged on the way, thinking there would just be snacks. But there were croissant sammiches, SO many mini quiches, a delicious broccoli salad (E, I need that recipe!), and other great munchies. And a super sweet cake. And WINE! Yes! Pour me some wine!

The whole thing felt very surreal to me. I described it as a planned surprise party. Because while I was aware of the shower, I could do nothing to help. I’m not used to that - I just had to sit and eat and look pretty (and oh I did! lots of compliments on my outfit. Target, baby!) and open PRESENTS!

I have generous, wonderful friends. Many things from the registries, of course, but some very pleasant surprises! One was a recipe for a “wedding cake martini” tucked into a card, and then the gift was a set of martini glasses, and ALL the ingredients for the drink! Good booze, too. Not the cheap shit I usually buy.

Booze! for my bridal shower!

It’s….it’s….just….*sniff* beautiful.

I just got off the phone with my mother, and we had a debate as to whether or not we are allowed to start using any of the stuff we’ve gotten. All my friends who have been recently married started using their gifts before the wedding. While there are things I don’t really need to use now (bedding, dishes), there are things that can definately come in useful (utensils, silicone bakeware….booze!). I spun spun SPUN it for my mom with this: my current kitchen utensils are mismatched and beat up, yet hang visible off little rods and hooks next to the kitchen (ikea!), completely visible. When the condo goes on the market, and people come to look at it, wouldn’t it be nice to have MATCHING, fabulous kitchen aid untensils hanging on display?

Yep. That’s what I thought.

*happy dance!*

My mom sent me a little gift to open at the shower, since she couldn’t be there herself. She got me a GORGEOUS bulova watch, with little crystals around the face and on the band - it looks like an antique watch - that will match the crystals on my wedding dress! So I can wear a watch on my wedding day and not feel naked. She also got me a beaded wristlet bag to match my dress - she got burgandy ones for me to give the bridesmaids, too.

After the shower, Kev’s family took us out to dinner at a nearby seafood restaurant (mmmm…tuna steak, rare…mmmm…) and then were on their way home. A lot of driving for one day. But the IMPORTANT thing is…they still don’t know we live together. Whew! Kev had ridden up with me, and then had the job of entertaining his nephew and brother in law during the shower. They went to a gun shop, and then a ATV/motorcycle/scooter dealership. Men and their toys!

When we got home, after a quick stop off at…hehehe…Target, and unloading the car and showing Kev all the great gifts, I PASSED OUT on the couch. Good lord, being perky and conversational is exhausting.

OK, girly post over. Men, go fix a car or kill something now.

somewhat better now…

Published Friday, June 9, 2006 in daily, food and wedding. 4 Comments

I finished the link page. Including getting the bubble tooltips to finally work (mouse over a link there, you’ll see what I mean). That’s a week’s worth of work satisfactorily finished.

Kev returned the flooring we bought from Ikea (since we found the flooring we used cheaper and nicer somewhere else) and came home with frozen swedish meatballs, gravy mix, and loganberries! An easy dinner to fix - and delicious!

All the bedding that was a gift from Kev’s family has arrived! mmmm…luxurious! Rich and wonderful! The blanket is sooo sooffft…mmmm…jacquard woven cotton! And no, we’re not going to use it until after we’re married and moved. And yes, we’ve been reimbursed already - she must have put the check in the mail a few minutes after Kev gave her the total!

Now he’s trying to work out the logistics of his family coming to the shower tomorrow. I can’t help, because it’s supposed to be a “surprise.” So it’s ALL him, baby. I’m going to go take a bath and then give myself a pedicure!

what is your emergency, and would you like fries with that?

Published Thursday, June 8, 2006 in daily and food. 7 Comments

Last night, after not being able to leave the lab until after 9, I stopped at Wendy’s to pick up some very late dinner for Kev and me. While I was there, someone called the Wendy’s and told the manager that she was being abducted and was trapped in the trunk of her car. The phone cut off before the manager could get her phone number or any other information.

so…that was either the dumbest prank call ever, or the dumbest abductee ever, because how do you try to call 911 (I would have to assume that was her goal, unless she was craving a frosty during her abduction) and accidentally dial the 10 digit number for wendy’s?

No kidnapping reports in atlanta last night, though theoretically she could have been calling from anywhere in the country. The manager didn’t know what to do…so I ordered, got my food, and went home. What could be done???

ehmm…something something “evil,” annddd…bwahahahah and such

Published Tuesday, June 6, 2006 in daily and misc. 8 Comments

Yeah, maybe I should do a whole post about me being “evil” and today is 666 and it’s the number of the beast, except that it’s not, it was on the 1st, so I hope you were prepared and bought your evil day gifts in time.

I was going to do a longer post, but my hair salon squeezed me in for a 4:00. It’s not my usual stylist, so I’ll be CHEATING ON HIM! In FULL VIEW of him, too. Serves him right for not catering to my last minute whims.

Catch ya later.

a day off…

Published Friday, June 2, 2006 in daily, dog and relationship/sex. 5 Comments

from flooring. the nightmare goes on, and we still only have half a floor. Instead of dealing with it tonight, something that probably would have ended with us flinging wood laminate at the walls, screaming obsenities and cursing the god of lumber, we decided a night OUT was appropriate.

First…an oh-so-neccessary, stress relieving quickie

Then, a dinner out, with real food, not fast food. The storm knocked the power out at our favorite noodle place, but our second favorite place was unaffected.

A trip to target (a new purse - clearance! - a cute and appropriate bridal shower outfit for me - $37! a computer game for Kev - $10! - we are super frugal AND fun!).

And finally, we split some ice cream from Brusters, and since it was raining, we got two scoops of strawberry cheesecake in a waffle bowl for the price of one scoop. An excellent way to end a friday evening.

Tomorrow…back to the flooring.

***

we need to finish the flooring soon. For sadie’s sake. She is, I swear to god, depressed. She just lays in her bed all day. Her crate is still in pieces, and she just doesn’t know what to do with herself. She just lays around and stares up at me so sadly. I keep telling her what a good girl she is - it’s not her fault the floor is a mess and we’re all stressed out.
Kev gave her an empty peanut butter jar to lick clean - maybe that will cheer her up.

two steps forward… now with picture-heavy goodness

Published Monday, May 29, 2006 in daily, family, photos, movin' on UP! and weekend warriors. 12 Comments

…one step back.

Well, we were all set to finish off the living room and dining room, and then put a big dent in the sunroom.

We got most of the way across the living room/dining room yesterday, and noticed there was a spot where the floor dipped down, and the laminate sunk when you stepped on it.

Yesterday, we tried to fix it by putting another layer of the underlayment on it. Didn’t work. Today we tried to figure out just how big the uneveness was. Pretty big. We ended up removing most of the boards we’d put down yesterday.

Trip to home depot #1: buy paint for bedroom and floorboards, and some sand? maybe we can put sand in the uneveness?

Sand is a no go. Kevin decides it’s too risky.

Trip to home depot #2: pick up quick drying quickrete

quick drying quickrete dries a little too quickly for comfort. first off, the direction seem to be way off on the amount of water to add - barely enough to even stir it. By the time Kev decides to add MORE water, it’s already setting. it won’t spread on the floor. I am frustrated. Kev is downright pissed. Note to quickrete people: expect a call.

Put in a call to Ace. Oh yes, they have something that will work. That is fast drying, but not SO fast drying, and it’s only $10.99 for 25lbs. Oh good, how late are you open today, sir? Umm…we’re closing…now.

It’s 5:00, we’re getting desperate. We call another Ace. They’re open until 6:30. We get there and find something specifically for uneven floors. We buy two boxes. It mixes up smoothly and evenly, and Kev gets it on the floor with minimum trouble. The downside? You have to let it sit overnight before you lay flooring on it.

So instead of laying laminate today, we went to the pool.

And then I picked up some Mrs Winners chicken.

They forgot to give me the biscuits.

I was not taking that crap. Not today.

Back to Mrs. Winners. For the biscuits. I am triumphant. I am full of chicken and biscuits and sweet tea.

tomorrow, I will go into the lab for half a day, then come back and FINISH THIS FLOOR.

And if ANYONE thinks I will be doing this for them any time soon? THINK AGAIN.

But there is some good news today. My darling brother, who never officially graduated because of a class he failed his sophomore year and never made up, and SHOULD have graduated 4 years ago…FINALLY took the art history class and got an A!

He is now officially the best educated tattoo artist in western pa. Boo-ya!

victory dance

Ok, so I found my camera’s USB cord in the pile of furniture in the sunroom. There are more over at the flickr site. Click below for PICTURE GOODNESS!

Continue reading ‘two steps forward… *now with picture-heavy goodness*’

uurrrrrggggghhhhh

Published Sunday, May 28, 2006 in daily, movin' on UP! and weekend warriors. 2 Comments

got much done

not done yet

will finish(?) tomorrow

pictures coming soon

hurt….so….much….right…now….

urrrggghhh….

schedule? WHAT schedule?

Published Saturday, May 27, 2006 in daily, movin' on UP! and weekend warriors. 4 Comments

It’s Day 1 of our floor installation weekend. Acutally, we’re halfway through day 1. Ask me how much we’ve done. GO AHEAD, ASK ME!!!

We don’t even have the stuff taken to storage yet. The carpet it still in place. The condo is a mess.

Now ask me why we are so far behind.

WE BOUGHT MORE FLOORING!

*insert cackling maniacal laughter*

Yes, in our spare bedroom is stacked the 600 square feet of the 69 cent/sq foot flooring we bought earlier in the week. But last night, we’re watching TV, and a commercial came on for a flooring warehouse. I am half out of it, but Kev is somewhat paying attention.
“Did they just say wood laminate flooring for 49 cents a squre foot?”

“huh, wha?”

We check out their website, and yes indeed, laminate flooring for 49 cents. But are they way outside the perimeter? Up in the burbs? Well, yes, but then there’s also one REALLY close. Right off the I85 access road - about a 10 minute drive. So yeah, it’s worth it. Overall it would save us over $120. It’s at least worth a check out, to see if it’s comparable to the Ikea flooring.

And…it is! In fact, it’s NICER than the Ikea flooring. It’s a better interlock system, and it’s contructed a little nicer. And it’s a cherry wood finish - much more realistic looking than the Ikea stuff.

We bought it. In fact, we bought MORE so we can go ahead and do the entryway and kitchen.

It’s now stacked in our bedroom, and now we’re completely wiped out from lugging it around. And we still have to haul stuff to storage. And goodwill. And move furniture around so that we can pull up the carpeting. And PRAY that what we find underneath the carpeting isn’t horrifying.

good way to end a too-long day…

Published Thursday, May 25, 2006 in daily and food. 3 Comments

chicken enchiladas - sort of homemade (god bless supermarket rotisserie chicken)
mexican rice - from a box
and most importantly…

margaritas. on the rocks.

ahhhhhhhhh….OK. I’m better now.

keeping my legs crossed

Published Tuesday, May 23, 2006 in daily and TMI. 9 Comments

today I actually found myself doing the “pee dance.” Good lord, how old am I? Doing the PEE DANCE???

It’s my own fault. I have this weird aversion to peeing for some reason. Like it’s SUCH a pain. I don’t have TIME to pee, I have THINGS TO DO! I’ve actually caught myself thinking about how convenient it would be to have a catheter, then I’d NEVER have to stop to pee…yeah…carrying around a bag of my own pee…that would be SWEET!

What is WRONG with me???

I start to make it a game. As in, I kind of have to pee, but let’s see how much I can get done BEFORE I have to pee. Weirdly, I am at my most productive when my bladder is full.

Today I was trying to get my media in the autoclave, and as I was setting the program, I was bobbing back and forth on each leg, thinking “OK, I have to rinse out this beaker and graduated cylinder, and then I can check on my cells, check my email, and THEN I’ll pee.” *bobble left….bobble right….bobble left...*

Seriously, what IS wrong with me? Am I playing some kind of sick pee game?

ESC, you’ve completed 5 tasks since your bladder started to tingle, and you haven’t peed your pants! Bob, tell her what she’s won!

Ed, she’s won…a fabulous UTI!!!

*sigh*

better bulk up on the cranberry juice, just in case. THEN I’ll pee.

did I say productive?

Published Monday, May 22, 2006 in daily, misc and on the teeveeee. 7 Comments

Did I say that we were actually going to do more work on sunday? Because what I SHOULD have said was “on sunday, we’re going to lay around the house, moaning about back and leg pain.” because that’s exactly what we did. The only productive thing I did was make a cake for someone’s birthday in the lab for today. Mmmmm…cake!

We did watch a few entertaining hours of Ted Nugent’s reality show, where he takes a bunch of city sissies and makes them shoot guns and kill animals. I particularly like the numerous breakdowns the annoying vegan animal rights activists kept having, where she tearfully asked the cameras how she could possibly deal with everyone around her killing and eating precious precious animals, and how she’s the only one who cares about animals, and it’s like SLAVERY because no one cares but her.

1. It’s Ted Nugent. What did you think you’d be doing, weaving baskets? Of course you’re going to be killing things.

2. there is a difference between caring about animals, and respecting them. just because you kill and eat an animal, doesn’t mean you don’t have respect for them. If your places were reversed, that chicken would have eaten you in a heartbeat.

Whiney people on shows are so entertaining. SUCK IT, BITCH!

And then the gay guy won (this is what I like about this show - instant gratification. not some long, tedious, 8 week elimination process. nope - quick eliminations, you know who wins by the end of the two hours. THANK YOU!), and showed his appreciation by giving Ted a big bear hug. I was rooting for a sloppy wet kiss, as Nug had previously expressed his lack of support for that kind of “lifestyle.” But he kept it clean. damn.
it’s amazing where people reach their “line.” even die hard libertarian “keep your rules off my land, tell the government to suck it, fucking USA home of the FREE, MOTHERFUCKERS!” have their limits. “Freedom for everything…uhhh…except for gays. that shit ain’t normal.” yeah, uh huh. whatever, Nug. go kill a wild boar, or something.

Tonight instead of doing more work at home, we’ll probably go BACK to Ikea to pick up the flooring - hooray! And it will cost much money. booooo. everyone wants money from me lately. Julie and Aimee want me to come to NY in July. Fun! But…flights are $214. Can I afford that??? I DON’T KNOW! PROBABLY NOT! But it may be the closest I get to having a bachellorette party, with my bridesmaids out of state or in a state of extreme mommyhood. Really, I just want to go there to drink and buy knock off designer purses.

Somehow, I must come up with money. Maybe I can start working the streets. Hey baby…wanna date? Wait, are you a cop?

each not enough for a full post on their own

Published Tuesday, May 16, 2006 in rants, daily, photos and friends. 11 Comments

Doesn’t anyone watch CSI: Miami? Anyone? I reeally want to sit and talk about last night. But no one here watches it. Stupid Grey’s Anatomy. But OMG! They killed off Horatio’s wife! Just when I thought he’d never be moody and brooding again! Fuckers!
********************************

I read this and laughed my ass off.

HEY STUPID MIDDLE AMERICA! YEAH, YOU. THE ONES WHO THINK WIRETAPPING IS OK AS LONG AS IT STOPS THE “TERRSTS” AND “FOR-NERS.” NOW THEY’LL HAVE YOUR ASS ON RECORD. HOW LONG BEFORE THEY DECIDE YOU SHOULDN’T OWN GUNS AT ALL? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF THEY MAKE GUNS ILLEGAL, THE “TERRSTS” WILL TURN THEIRS IN.

SUCK IT, ASSHOLES. you’re reaping what you sowed. die in a fire.

********************************

and in happier news, my Maid of Honor, Jenni, just got engaged!

which one is the penguin?

We’ve been friends since 5th grade. Her and her fiance, Dave, have been together for NINE YEARS! HOLY SHIT! And scarier, we all went to high school together. Scarier STILL…we all played trombone. Our trombone section ROCKED. So not only have they dated 9 years, they’ve known each other since…uhhh…I guess freshman year, so…1991? That’s a long time.

Anyway CONGRATULATIONS, you guys!

thanks!!!

Published Monday, May 15, 2006 in daily, family and links. 7 Comments

Oh my god, I didn’t even think it would work (well, except for Vince, who if, after pressuring me into it, he had decided NOT to donate, I would have totally kicked his ass). But big smoochie thank yous to Vince, Se7en, and E-Lo! You will be well rewarded…uhh…with my gratitude. For right now. I will think of something, though.

If you’d still like to donate to the “buy ESC a new laptop bag” fund, you still can — > over on the sidebar.

In NON-whore news…

Saturday I introduced Kevin to Ikea. Kev, this is Ikea. Ikea, this is Kevin. For all the grumbling he did before we got there, he sure fell in love with that place! It’s DANGEROUS in there, I tell you!

So it looks like we’ll definately be putting in a new floor, and also possibly new kitchen countertops (in the “stone effect blue grey”). All to make my place look spiffy and sellable. And not dingy and ghetto-like, which is what it is now.

Sunday we drove allll the waaaay to Birmingham, where we met his mom and sister & family (halfway point for all of us) and had a yummy mother’s day lunch at Bahama Breeze. Then we went to Vulcan park, which has a ginormous statue dedicated to the steel mill history of Birmingham. It’s the Pittsburgh of the south!

Fun yet exhausting. And now I’m at work, where it finally hit me that the reason I’ve been having problem with my strain construction the past couple of weeks is that the region I’m trying to delete overlaps with an unknown yet essential gene.

Crappers.

Tomorrow I will start with a clean slate!

damn you, woman!

Published Wednesday, May 10, 2006 in daily and links. 13 Comments

One of the women I work with is in the market for a new laptop bag. Something lightweight, because she has nerve problems with her arms, and the backpack she’s been using is aggrevating her condition.

I am a helpful person. I am also bored today. I WILL HELP! So I’m searching. And serching. And everything is ugly or expensive. Or both.

DOESN’T ANYONE MAKE CUSTOM LAPTOP BAGS???

Yes.

They make custom bags. To fit your laptop. And she is thrilled. Perfect for her.

The problem is…

I WANT ONE TOO!

Oh my god, they are so cute! And look! Pink and brown! You know I am obsessed with pink and brown right now! And retro-flowers!!! And they’re only $99!

But…I can’t afford $99 right now. I just made the decision to drop around $600 on new flooring (IKEEEEA!) to improve my chances of selling my condo (this attractively priced, 2br/2bath condo comes with recently purchased kitchen appliances, washer and dryer, and this fabulous matted, dog-stained, disintigrating carpet! So would you like to make an offer? Hello? Hello???)

I CAN’T AFFORD A LAPTOP BAG RIGHT NOW! Even though my old cute one from Target is falling apart. You would THINK you’d get decent QUALITY from a $20 bag made by a 6 year old malasian girl. GEEZ it’s hard to find good child labor these days.

But…*whine* I REALLY REALLY WANT ONEEEE!!! Sooo preeeettttyyy!!!!

dammit.

I’m going to have to be a good girl on this. Damn my helpfulness. Why did I have to find Ms. Avery and her fanatastic designs???? This has totally ruined my day.

What? they also make CUSTOM BRIDAL BAGS???

I hate my life.

dogs will keep you humble

Published Monday, May 8, 2006 in daily and dog. 8 Comments

Kev and I spent most of the weekend (not spent shopping) CLEANING. This is phase 1 of “get the condo ready for sale.” Phase 2 is “clean out rental storage unit,” to be followed quickly by Phase 3: “Put everything non-essential in storage.” Phase 4 will be “fix drywal corners and make a decision on what to do about this carpet because seriously, it is disgusting.”

And just to add the point Phase 4, as I was admiring my clean living and dining room, smelling the sweet smell of febreeze and carpet deoderizer….Sadie threw up on the carpet in the sunroom.

Thanks for that, Sadie.

It was green and leafy. I checked all the herbs on the balcony (where Sadie was banished during the cleaning, as she has a tendency to sit IN THE EXACT PLACE you need to be cleaning, and every time you tell her to MOVE IT, she slinks off pathetically, tail between her legs, because “what is going ON? Why everyone off the couch yet no one PLAYING WITH ME???”) and they’re all intact. Obviously, Sadie has been raiding lettuce from the fridge.

And now that I segued nicely to the plants on my balcony (what? yes I did!), I will be adding MORE to my collection…FREE! There is a greenhouse on top of the parking garage, which has been filthy and empty for years, is now clean and full of beautiful green plants, thanks to a new professor and his undergrad class. As it’s the end of the semester, he has a whole greenhouse full of plants to get rid of. Mostly veggie plants. w00t! So he had a little “party” this morning, to show everyone how nice the greenhouse is now, and to get rid of all the plants. He even had free coffee and bagels as incentive. Sha! Like we all need incentive! Free plants!!!!

He had EVERYTHING. Squash and watermelon and peanuts and corn and cotton and pole beans and tomatoes and peppers and potatoes and EVERYTHING.

I got zucchini, cucumber, and green onion. If I had extra arms, I would have grabbed more. I already have cherry tomatoes, lettuce and jalepeno peppers at home. I’m going to have a KICK ASS salad in a month or so!

happy seis de mayo!

Published Saturday, May 6, 2006 in daily, food and wedding. 9 Comments

OK, so we couldn’t get out for Mexican food last night. We tried, I swear. But Kev had his mysterious “surprise” for me, and we had to be there by around 7:30 “to get a seat.” All the mexican restaurants had lines out the door, so they were out.

We ended up at a new place I’d been wanting to try out - a little bar and grill type place. Low prices, good food, and an EXCELLENT pear cider called Ace that I definately need to find somewhere.

The surprise was surprising! Kev had bought tickets for a classical choral performance. Because it was cindo de mayo, there was a twist. They were singing mozart, but also one of the “lost” baroque Mexican composers. “the virgin of guadalupe” by Francisco Delgado. The piece was newly reconstructed by a grad student in California, who flew in to hear it performed for what is likely the very first time. It was beautiful.

Did I mention that the performance was at a church? Kevin didn’t mention that. So I was wearing a red lacey top (caliente!) with quite the plunging necklines. I was self concious, but Kev said I got quite a few appreciative glances at the reception following the concert.

Then we stopped at a package store and I picked up a nice bottle of tequila - when we got home we celebrated properly with very STRONG margaritas.

This morning, after a phone call from my mother trying to nail down when I can come to pittsburgh for a bridal shower, we headed out for some proper mexican cuisine for a very late breakfast/early lunch. I love Coyote Grill. If you are in the Decatur area, go to the coyote grill. It’s small and unassuming. But the food is excellent. I always get the burrito de carnitas, which is a burrito stuffed with slow cooked pork and salsa, topped with a cheese sauce and a tomatilla sauce, and served with black beans. An excellent way to start the day.

Then, to LIFT my mood from the crappy week, we went shopping! But first we stopped at the men’s wearhouse and made some tuxedo decisions. And when I say “we, ” I mean “I.” Though Kev did get to pick out the cufflinks and shoes

Back to Kay jewelers to discuss wedding bands. Kev has his all picked out already, but I was disappointed in the women’s selection. The deal is, we have 5 “spend $100, get $100″ given to Kev when he bought my ring. We have to use these by early June. There is only one ring in the store that I sort of like. BUT…they also work with a company that designs jewelry. Kev got my ring from this company through Kay’s. They basically travel around to different Kay stores, hitting each store about 4 times a year. They could make a band that would match the pattern on my engagement ring. Which would be nice! They’re coming back through in June…two weeks after our coupons expire. The first time we asked about it, the woman was all “oh, they don’t have a website, and they only work through us, and blah blah blah,” so it looked bleak. Today there was some kind of elderly manager man there, and he had all kinds of ideas. So now the woman at Kay is going to call this company for us to see if they can do a matching band, and how much it would cost, and then get back to us monday. Yay!

I’m also getting my ring resized - it’s just a TAD too big. Down a half size and cleaned, please! So I am ringless for a week. trauma!

Then we came home and napped. After I spent a good deal of money at bath and body works, old navy, and target.

Much better saturday!!!

it gets BETTER!

Published Friday, May 5, 2006 in daily and ask blogland. 6 Comments

Now I have CRAMPS! Oh you ALL want to be me now, don’t you?

OK, desperate times call for desperate measures. I want jokes and entertaining stories, websites, whatever. Leave them in the comments for all to enjoy. The best story gets a picture of my boobs. Or a picture of Sadie. Or a picture of Sadie’s boobs. Whichever I feel like at the time.

Now make with the funny. Comply.

I’m back, bitches!

Published Tuesday, May 2, 2006 in daily. 10 Comments

It was a crammed full trip to NC - we met and hung out with what I’ll call our “brother” lab when we get there (we’ll be using part of their space until ours is finished), we saw what WILL be our space, and what changes will definately need to be made to it before we can use it (walls knocked down, windows added, disgusting grime cleaned up), and what it WILL look like when it’s done. We saw the campus, the chapel, the gardens…the student union where we all bought t-shirts (dorks!).

We had two mini re-unions as we met up with two former lab members of ours who ended up in post-docs or grad school there. toured around the area, saw areas where we can look to find apartments, found places that we should NOT look for apartments.

It was wonderful. It was small, but it was big all at the same time. It was unhurried. It was not rush hour all damn day traffic. Everyone was nice, and friendly, and there was no road rage. It was open spaces. And trees. And hiking paths. And little coffee shops, and everything is CLOSE and AFFORDABLE and just lovely.

Six and a half months and we’re THERE.

ROOOOOAAAAD TRIIIIPPPP!!!

Published Saturday, April 29, 2006 in daily. 13 Comments

I’m leaving for a few days, and will have questionable internet access.

Am I going on a romatic vacation with Kev? I WISH! Kev will be left behind, all alone. Maybe I can convince HIM to blog.

Probably not.

Anyway, I’m going with two other girls from the lab to check out…our future home. Yes…we’re moving. It’s official now. The papers are signed. The deal is made. Most of us are going up there with our boss, to help her set up the lab. The lab will leave in August, but I will stay in Atlanta until after the wedding in October, then we’ll follow them up there. I’ll probably stay on a year after I graduate, finishing up stuff, etc…then find a job in the area. It’s a place we wanted to end up anyway, so this is a good way to get us up there, with at least a guarenteed job for me.

So…where?

North Carolina.

Where in NC? Well, let’s just say I won’t be hanging out with any lacrosse players.

We’re leaving sunday and we’ll be back Tuesday. Seeeeya!

lil’ bits

Published Wednesday, April 26, 2006 in daily, misc and TMI. 16 Comments

I may be in the scooter/moped market in the near future. For reasons that are an entire blog posts worth on their own, and I’m not going there quite yet. Anyway…

anyone have one? do ya like it?

***************************
Is it wrong to use those expensive “e2″ lithium batteries in an electric toothbrush? My mom puts these batteries in my christmas stocking every year. I never use them. Everything I own that’s electronic is rechargabe. Except my cheapo Crest electric toothbrush. Which seems a waste of the battieries superior “e2″ power. However, my teeth are now really REALLY squeaky clean. Powerfully clean.
**************************

awkward moment at curves. actually, two awkward moments, both involving the same woman. I’ve seen her there before. But I noticed her today because oh my god, her highbeams were on. Good lord woman, I can SEE that you’re wearing a sports bra. Those things are supposed to squash everything DOWN. and it’s NOT cold in here. Do you have those inserts in there? Seriously. Turn those things down.

As I was finishing up my workout, I overheard her talking to one of the employees about the 6-week program, which is that diet I was on earlier. She’s interested. So I stopped to chat, letting her know what it was about…carefully keeping my gaze at her face (jeebus, woman, you are working out! those things must be made of diamond!) One of the things I told her was that I had difficulty fitting in all the little meals you’re supposed to eat, because I got home from work so late, that by the time I ate dinner, it was too late to squeeze in another snack. that’s when she came out with this gem:

“Yeah, by the time I get home from work, and then shower…well, I don’t ALWAYS shower. Because by the time I get home, you know, I’m not really sweaty anymore…so anyway, by the time I get home…”

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA…why on EARTH did she feel the need to share THAT disgusting bit of information??? Now I’m the first to admit, I don’t shower every day - not good for my skin. But I ALWAYS shower after working out. Because you’re not washing off the sweat, lady. You’re washing off the funk that the sweat leaves behind! Ew ew EW! However I see that she is not wearing a ring, so I’m guessing the only offense is to her…I’m guessing…three cats at home. She seems the type.
And another thing, WHY do people feel the need to share these little tidbits of their disgusting lives with me? I am forever sharing uncomfortable elevator rides with people who have blurted out things like “boy, I’m glad it’s the end of the day, my corns are KILLING me! Hahaha!”

What do you SAY to that? “sorry about your nasty ass feet?” STOP SHARING THESE THINGS WITH ME, ANONYMOUS STRANGERS!

This probably goes along with my dislike of going into the bathroom, and then using the same stall I just saw someone I’m familiar with come out of. 9 times out of 10, it’s OK. But on that 10th time, I really don’t want to have to pass you in the hallway every day and think “hey, there goes pees-on-the-seat-and-doesn’t-clean-it-up girl.” Or “leaves-a-floater” woman.

I have issues.

still here…

Published Monday, April 24, 2006 in daily, family and photos. 7 Comments

I’m still here, hanging on. Thank you for all the hugs and comments.

My prescription for grieving has always been KEEP BUSY. So I kept busy this weekend.

Buying shoes at target:

black and sassy sweet yet sophisticated

Eating.

Going to church and work.

Uhhh…eating. Sunday Kev and I went to a new BBQ place. Mmmmm…tasty BBQ. Kev’s chicken was amazing. The beef brisket was a little dry, but the pulled pork was good. And fried okra…droooool…

I made sure nothing I ate had any nutritional value. It was a rousing success. Then we went home and I fell into a food-induced coma on the couch for two hours.

Spoke with my parents, and then my brother. Who agreed to be Kev’s best man…somewhat grudgingly.

Bro: you AMBUSHED me!!

ESC: did NOT. Mom said she told you a while ago that you might be in the wedding.

Bro: but I didn’t think BEST MAN. I didn’t want to have to DO anything for this.

ESC: you don’t have to do anything. Just don’t lose the rings.

Bro: but I’ll have to give a toast. What do I say? I don’t have anything to say.

ESC: you haven’t been at a loss for words for 10 years, E, I’m sure you’ll come up with SOMETHING.

Because OH BOY, does my brother like to talk. Seriously. Sometimes you just have to tell him “E, shut UP.” It doesn’t help, but it might make you feel better. He actually spent most of the conversation talking about some rat-like pets that he and his girlfriend have and they bought a new cage because the one had babies and then she died and they didn’t really know why it died but then they looked it up and it turns out the food they were eating had molasses and raisins and apparently these things get diabetes real easy and oh I think the wheel on this cage is shitty, and that sucks because the cage was like $90 but I got 20% off and maybe I’ll just stick a pen in it to make it stop rattling and…

OH MY GOD SHUT UP!

see what I mean? And this is my hardcore tattoo artist brother. Talking about little rat like things and how cute they are when they’re babies.

whoa. living with his girlfriend CHANGED him!

Anyway…the engagement pictures are ready. We’re kind of “meh” about them. But neither of us enjoy getting out pictures taken, so that’s to be expected. Do not bug me to see the pictures. If you have access to the wedding site, the link is there. If not, you’ll just have to wait until we pick out the ones we like and get the files. Suck it.

everyone else is doing it

Published Thursday, April 20, 2006 in daily and TMI. 18 Comments

everyone is talking about boobs today. OK, not everyone. But it’s a little disconcerting to start composing a blog entry about boobs and bra fittings, and then go out and read blogland and find out that two people have already touched on the very subjects I was going to talk about.

Which doesn’t mean that I can’t also blog about it, because there are plenty of boobs to go around (especially in my case). It just means that I’m unintentionally jumping on a boob bandwagon that I didn’t know had gone off.

uhh…anyway…

So yesterday I did indeedy purchase my wedding dress. The boutique I bought it from also specializes in lingerie for the puffy set, so I decided what the heck, while I’m there and half nekkid for the measuring process, I might as well have them fit me for a bra, too. I have major bra issues. I can never find one that fits WELL…on both sides.

I am uneven. The twins, they are fraternal. The left side is a bit bigger than the right, and in most of my bras, if things get jostled about, the left one tends to poof out on the top. Giving me the oh-so-sexy triple boob effect. Generally, I am so paranoid about bra shopping, that the minute I find one that MIGHT fit, I just grab it in three different colors and get the hell out of there. The result of which, is that several times a day, I quickly look around to see if anyone is looking, reach down, and stuff my left boob back into the bra. BAD BOOB! VERY BAD BOOB!
Anyway, I get fitted, and is usually the case for most women during these sessions, I find out that I’m wearing the wrong size. Blah blah blah, one size up, blah blah blah, triple D or maybe F.

F???

Like I FAILED boobs!

Actually, I try some on (including a “G,” which was way too big. really, what was nice saleslady thinking?), we determine that a triple D holds both girls in nicely, including the rogue left boob. I left with two bras, one of which I’m wearing RIGHT NOW. And boy, does it hold the girls up nicely. Seriously. I’m full ahead. All systems go. Everyone look THAT way. Straight on ’till morning.
What’s that, left boob? You got anything to say? Feel like…POPPING OUT, or anything?

No?

That’s what I THOUGHT! You got SERVED! served by a NICE LACEY BRA!

I’m back!

Published Monday, April 17, 2006 in daily, family and wedding. 4 Comments

It was a fun trip. Relaxing and countrified. It’s nice to spend some time in the middle of nowhere. Makes you appreciate the little things in life. Like cell phone reception.

Saturday we waited until Kev’s nieces got back from their 18 hour bus trip from New York City (school club trip) to then drag them bridesmaid dress shopping. They were amazingly coherent for the process. We first tried the mall, but didn’t find anything that fit the criteria: long, simple (no beads or sparklies) and in the brown family.

sample conversation with C, the younger niece (15) and also the middle child.

C: how about this one? (holds up blue sequins dress)

ESC: uhhhhh…no.

C: what about THIS one? (holds up short green dress)

ESC: no. what about this process aren’t you getting?

So we ended up at David’s Bridal and finding their dresses there. They will be similar to the dresses the other bridesmaids will be wearing, but in a light brown.

whew! glad that’s over with

< / wedding talk >

Easter sunday was kind of a non-event. Apparently, not a big deal in the independent-baptist community. Whatever. I brought the kids candy and toys anyway. If they wouldn’t make a big deal for Easter, I WOULD!

Instead of going out for brunch and stuffing ourselves silly to celebrate the resurection of Our Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins, forever and ever, amen…I washed my car and played with dogs. Then we all went out for DINNER and stuffed ourselves silly. We split two desserts between 8 people, and everything was fine until that LAST bite of cheesecake, which must have rubbed up against something that had nuts in it. Yikes. A quick trip to Kmart and a massive dose of benedryl headed off any problems. Thank god, I didn’t want to spend Easter in the hospital. Or, you know, dead. Because I’m pretty sure that resurrection thing doesn’t work for everyone that day.

Benedryl makes me loopy. Very loopy. A little while later, we ended up at Wal-Mart, and Kev’s mom (who is widowed and in her 60s, please keep this in mind) was looking for vitamin A, which her doctor recommended for her brittle fingernails and hair. She was worried she’d get too much if she took a large dose along with her multivitamin. And asked me (because I’m getting a PhD in genetics and also vitiminology) if it was safe.

I read the warning labels. Basically, it said don’t take this dose if you are pregnant or want to get pregnant. I handed the bottle back to her. “Go ahead and take it, just practice safe sex.”

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!

I don’t know who turned more red, her or Kevin. Oh yeah. benedryl.

So we’re back. There are pictures of mostly the dogs at the flickr site. The pic of the girls in their bridesmaid dresses will be up at the wedding site.

I am going to eat leftover chocolate eggs now.

Sweet home….yeah…you know

Published Friday, April 14, 2006 in daily. 7 Comments

So we’re packing up the car and the dog and heading on out to sweet home alabamy to visit my future in-laws for Easter.

I’ll have very limited internet access (dial up on an old computer), so don’t panic if I’m not “around” or “leaving comments” or “posting stuff.” I will be enjoying the country life. And trying to find jr bridesmaid dresses for Kev’s nieces. Should be fun.

Happy Easter! Take it easy on the peeps and ham!

the clinic

Published Wednesday, April 5, 2006 in daily and food. 7 Comments

I headed down to the little-but-increasingly-growing snack stand/sub shop in the building next door this morning for some over-priced coffee. I could have gotten a 50 cent one from the machine, but this morning called for a big cup of their darkest roast.

They have big insulated pots of it - dark roast, lite roast, vanilla, hazelnut…and may god have mercy on their souls…decaf.

And THAT was what was left this morning when I got there. Decaf. bastards. there were other people there, desperately pressing on the dispense buttons of the various pots, getting the last few sprays of caffeine infused heaven. I, with some others, opted to wait for the girl to come collect the pots and brew more.

So there we stood, with our emty cups clutched close to our chests. Bleary eyed and partially comotose - like junkies waiting for the methadone clinic to open. I noticed that the snack stand had expanded to include shelves full of candy bars, energy bars, pop tarts, travel packs of excedrin, and…tampons? a bottom shelf of tampons, pads, and secret deoderant. Seriously, who is going to buy tampons here? This is where we buy roast beef sandwiches and pre-packaged sushi!

When the first of the coffee pots were full, I was first in line to get my fix. A fresh steaming cup of dark roast. With plenty of sugar and *gasp* the luxury of half and half.

Ahhhh….

I am powerless in the face of my addiction. Admitting this is the first step to recovery.

didn’t really get any more interesting

Published Monday, April 3, 2006 in daily. 7 Comments

Sorry.

I DID go shopping - CLOTHES shopping! - for something nice to wear for Easter and to wear for our engagement pictures, which hopefully will be happening soon (assuming I didn’t scare away my photographer in that last email asking if he’d be able to include Sadie in some of the shots. what? SHUT UP! I LOVE MY DOG!).

I did buy something I swore I would NEVER buy.

Gouchos.

NOT the really short just-hitting-the-knees gouchos. Those I REFUSE to wear, because they are DANGEROUSLY close to coullots. And I have OH SO MANY traumatic childhood fashion memories of coullots. Carefully documented in so many family pictures. What the HELL was I thinking?

Anyway…they are of the long variety. really, just very swishy capris. Brown. With a green tank and short sleeved green crochet cardigan to go over it.

Annnd…MATCHING fancy flip flops. With beads. And sparklies.
Annnnd…another, more risque’ top to wear with the non-really-gouchos that shows off a bit more skin. Also crochet. In a bright..salmony color? More towards the orange end.
Annnnd…a bra to wear with aforementioned risque’ top, as it is convertable into strapless (which I can’t do…ever), clear straps, clear BACK, criss cross back, and halter. There are 6 configurations to this bra, and trying to get it on is like working your way IN to an already secured straightjacket. But I am determined.
I bought $177 worth of clothes, for just over $100 with my “10% off for cardholders” coupon, and my “get $50 off your purchase of $150 or more” coupon.

Lane Bryant occasionally rules.

then I went home and napped. and cleaned. and cooked. and got nookie.

So…how was YOUR weekend?

Today…

Published Saturday, April 1, 2006 in daily, food and wedding. 4 Comments

Nothing too exciting.

Actually, yesterday was fun, as it was an eat out extravaganza for me. Went out to lunch with my lab to a place called “saigon cafe.” Yummy pho, and BUBBLE TEA!!!!

Then Kev took me out for kabobs for dinner. mmmm…kabobs…

Then I treated him to ice cream - the place formerly known as Jakes, but now I can’t remember their new name. Anyway…homemade ice cream…in a waffle cone…

it was a calorie extravaganza, and my diet is ruined. But it was WORTH it.
come to think of it, we ate out today, too. For lunch. Mexican. Hmmm…people are going to think we have money. We SO do not!

Today I met with a florist. Hopefully, everything I picked out will fit in the budget. He’ll get back to me with a quote this week. I am NOT good at making decisions, and picking out flowers involves A LOT of little decisions.

There are more details at the wedding site (for those in the know), so I won’t type them again here.

Annnnnd….time for a very late dinner. I need more exciting weekends.

that contradicted my expectations!

Published Friday, March 31, 2006 in daily. 9 Comments

I pulled into my parking space morning, right next to another woman who had just pulled in. As I get my shit together, I look over. She is still in her car. It’s an older black lady, with beautiful steel grey dreds neatly pulled back. Beautiful (hand made?) african-type garment on. And she is GROOOVIN’ to whatever music she is listening to. She is swaying her head side to side, she’s got the arm motions going, a BIG smile on her face. Whatever she is listening to must be AWESOME.

Do you have a menal “ear” of what kind of music she might be listening to?

Good. So did I.

I get out of my car - she’s got her stereo BLAZING…but…wait…umm…who is that singing? It’s mellow and smooth…NOT at all what I was expecting.
I walk over to her when she sees me staring. “i want to listen to what YOU’RE listening to, you seem like you’re in a GREAT mood!”

Her smile gets even bigger, as she continues to get her groove on. “It’s JAMES TAYLOR! I LOVE me some James Taylor!”

whoa.

awesome.

a little sadness

Published Tuesday, March 28, 2006 in daily and photos. 7 Comments

It’s been sad this week, a bit. And a little stressful. I had to give a presentation today, and, as Julie recommended, had to use the useful presentation Jedi mindtrick.

This is NOT the data I presented last time. This is all NEW data.

I think they bought it.

My weekend started out sad. Last week, a friend in mine in the lab’s daughter was diagnosed with a possible tumor in her leg. Her daughter is 7, and the tumor is right on her growth plate. Today, after dealing with a stupid and mostly ignorant surgeon, they finally got confirmation that it IS a tumor, and that there is a small fracture in the bone. It will probably mean surgery, but waiting on it could cause the bone to break. If it breaks at the growth plate, it will mean many painful surgeries as long as she is still growing.

Right now, it means no activities - no dancing (she’s a dancer), no trampoline, no PE.

Poor girl. I hope they can fix her quickly and easily.

The other sad thing that happened was on friday. I got home from the lab, and outside the condo building there was something in the bushes. I thought it was a cat, so I went to shoo it away before I brought Sadie out.

It wasn’t a cat - it was a small hawk. And something was really wrong with it. It was randomly flapping it’s wings, it was jerking back it’s neck, and it couldn’t get it’s legs coordinated enough to stand on them.

I called Kev out, and after some discussion, we decided to put it in a box, take it inside, and put it out on the porch, where none of the numerous stray cats in the area could get it. Kev got it in the box with minimal pain (it did have a death grip on his finger for a bit) and we took it inside. I eventually found the number for emergency animal control. They were on there way.

We lifted him out of the box. He seemed better - his head wasn’t in a weird position anymore, and he seemed more alert. But he kept having what looked like seizures. There were no obvious injuries. I think he (or she) must have somehow flown into the side of the building. His neck wasn’t broken, but there must have been some brain damage. I don’t even think he knew where he was, or that we were even around.
I snapped a few pictures -

injured hawk

injured hawk 2

injured hawk 3

I tried to get a video, but unfortunately, he died a few minutes after these pictures were taken. Animal control doesn’t come for dead animals - we were told to put him in a bag and leave him for sanitation.

It’s funny, if it were an injured robin or sparrow, I’m not sure I would have done much.

But a hawk, yeah. No question. Honor among predators? I couldn’t just leave him there, to get further terrorized by a cat. Hopefully, we made his last moments peaceful.

And for those that want to know, we think he was an immature Coopers Hawk. If anyone thinks differently, please let me know!

free advertising

Published Monday, March 27, 2006 in daily and misc. 6 Comments

I want to give shout outs (for free) to two internet based business that recently saved me a shit load of money.

the first is Petshed. It’s a pet supply business based out of australia. You know how all those people are going to canada to get their prescriptions filled, and the government is all pissy about it, even though the drugs here are outrageously expensive for no good goddamned reason? Well, australia is like canada. For pets.

A while back, I bought a generic version of Heartguard, which can cost me $60 at other places, but only cost me $25 (including shipping!) at PetShed. This is the illegal bit, because Heartguard is a prescription (for some insane reason - it’s less dangerous than frontline, for god’s sake - I know this because once sadie got into the heartguard and ate 4 of them at once, the little bitch, and suffered NO ILL EFFECTS) and you’re not allowed to get your prescriptions from other countries, and you’re not supposed to be able to get them without a prescription (I didn’t send them one). And it was NO PROBLEM at PetShed!
Last week I bought some Frontline, which would cost me over $80 normally, but I got for $50 (including shipping) for a 6 month supply (which will last me a year) at PetShed.

I *heart* PetShed.

The second shout out goes to Kokopelli music. My ipod mini’s battery was definately going shitty (after a whole year….right after the warrentee ran out. bastards). It would only store enough charge for a few hours, and then the battery indicator stopped being accurate, so it would tell me that I had half a charge, when really I had next to nothing.

For $17 (plus shipping), I got a battery replacement kit and instructions. it was scary and a little challenging, but I did it. And my mini is back to being supah wonderful. So if you’re iPod battery is acting up, and you don’t have $300 for a new fancy one, install a new battery yourself!

Or, you can send them your iPod and they’ll install a new battery for you. I think this service is $35. Still cheaper than a new one.

So there ya go. ESC sells out for no money. Patronize and enjoy!

things I’ve learned so far this weekend

Published Saturday, March 18, 2006 in daily, misc and food. 0 Comments

1. never buy the pre-made roasted veggie and hummus wraps in the cafeteria EVER AGAIN. EVER.

2. Neither Kev nor I enjoy corned beef, really. We never have to make it again.

3. my 3 favorite words right now: Mmmmmint Mmmmmmocha FRAPACCINO!

4. my 3 LEAST favorite words right now: Limited Time Only

5. Target shoes are cute and cheap, and I LOVE THEM!!!

6. ~~Posting a picture of my nekkid legs on my blog must freak some people out. Next time, maybe my arms?~~ ok, that’s just me being paranoid.

7. cooking light is the best food magazine EVER and you should all go out and buy the issue with the mac and cheese on the cover and then make the greek bulgar salad and also the red lentil soup. fucking fantastic.

8. my dog has a red eye with a swollen, slightly enflamed corner of her eye. I am keeping it clean with saline solution and giving her benedryl in the hopes that it’s allergies. not really something I’ve LEARNED, but I wanted to get that in here at some point, and this list format seemed to be a good way to do it. also, she’s mad at me because I gave her a bath and clipped her toenails, and now all her bedding is in the wash so she doesn’t know where to sit, so she just keeps wandering around the living room giving me longing sad looks with her red eye. I don’t feel guilty, though, because she’s so cute and fluffy after her bath. OK, I’m rambling.

9. knitting cotton washcloths is quick and satisfying. and useful!

baaaaaaaad (fat) girl!

Published Tuesday, March 14, 2006 in rants, daily and food. 0 Comments

So I’ve failed to keep everyone up to date on how the diet is going.

miserable.

After that first initial burst of weight loss…the scale just sat there. Sometimes going up (eek!) then edging back down, but never going further down than that. After two weeks of no further loss, our instructor decided to move me to “phase 3.” This is where you go to normal eating (2000 calories per day) for a few days, until you gain something like 3 pounds. This becomes your “upper limit,” and you go back to phase 1 (1200 calories per day) for a few days, until you lose that 3 pounds again. Then BACK to 2000 calories until you gain them back, then back to phase 1 until you lose them. It should take longer and longer to gain back those pounds, until you can maintain the low weight on 2000 calories per day. Then, if you want, you can start the WHOLE process over again to lose more weight.

You start phase 3 when you plateau or reach your target weight lose. Needless to say, I didn’t quite reach my target. Not even CLOSE. I was so miserable when I found out that I had to move to phase 3. I felt like a failure. Even though everyone in my class assured me that it wasn’t, it was just how my body was, and how brave I was for trying this diet during such a stressful time in my life, yada yada yada…

Didn’t matter. I was a failure.

So I decided to REALLY let loose. 2000 calories, here I come! All the food I had been denying myself for the past month, all my cravings…finally quenched! Now I should say that it’s supposed to still be a HEALTHY 2000 calories, but I wanted to gain back that 3 pounds quickly, so I can hop back on phase 1, and work my way to equilibrium as quickly as possible. So healthy for most of the day…and then a fattening splurge for one meal.

Saturday’s endulgence: fried fish and french fries.
Sunday: mexican (mmmm…cheese….and chips!)
Monday (the worst of the lot): gnocchi, with gorgonzola cream sauce.
Tuesday: pizza for lunch

the decadence! the calories! the fat!

I went into curves and hopped on the scale.

I….

LOST WEIGHT!

holy shit, another 2 pounds.

what the HELL?

I have NO idea what the fuck my body is doing. I eat healthy: I gain weight. Cram my maw with fat: lose weight.

I guess I shouldn’t complain, but I KNOW it won’t last. And I want to start the diet over so I can reach my goal by my wedding!!! Dammit!

pass the buttah.

Overheard at Michael’s

Published Monday, March 13, 2006 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

(the craft store, not the blogger)

a teenage girl, one aisle over;

TG: Like, we get a day off for, like, Martin Luther KING day, but, like, Jesus Christ raises from the DEAD and we, like, don’t get a day off for it????

does she know easter is on a sunday this year…and EVERY YEAR???

ESC, don’t eat it!

Published Tuesday, February 28, 2006 in daily and food. 0 Comments

BLATENTLY ripped off from The Sneeze.

Though I will NOT be eating pupae.

I was at my favorite indoor international farmer’s market yesterday, and in the hippie, all natural section (HA! this is a joke - MOST of that place is hippie all natural) and stumbled across a package called “Nature’s Burger.”

A burger! In a box! Somehow, the makers fail to realize that cows are indeed a part of nature. But we will overlook this slight, and hope that the local Bovine Union doesn’t get wind of this.

Anyway, since I’m all about the eating “healthy” lately, AND because I don’t have a big hungry guy craving meat at home at the moment, I thought I’d pick it up. C’mon, wouldn’t you? See how tasty it looks?

Nature's Burger!

See the brand? “Fantastic.” It HAS to be good! The first couple of ingredients are: brown rice, dehydrated vegetables, barley, organic bulgar wheat…and pretty much on from there. Again, note the lack of meat of any kind.If you think that SOUNDS tasty, see what it looks like out of the box!

single serving

Looks a bit like cream of wheat. Or sand. But…and this is important…what it DOESN’T look like…AT ALL…is a burger.The directions say add boiling water and let sit until it thickens and cools. That looks something like….this:

just add water

The cream of wheat illusion is even MORE convincing now. It smelled…OK. Kind of like…garlic cereal. Mmmmm…garlic cereal….I pushed on, putting a small pan to flame with some olive oil and a few onion slices. I had already determined that the key to consuming “nature’s burger” would be “masking the taste.” So plenty of onions were in order! I shaped the mixture into a patty shape and started with the cookin’.

cook with some onions...

Now it looks SORT of like a burger. A burger made from a VERY anemic cow. This cow had issues. If it was a cow. But it’s not. It’s brown rice! And bulgar wheat!Again, my strategy is “masking.” Some cheese (gotta keep the bovine union happy), mustard, and onions, all on some whole wheat bread, and the burger illusion is complete.

done!

Carefully…I took my first bite.And…

and…

it is NOT BAD! Oh my god…it kinda ALMOST tastes like meat! I mean, I know I’m not eating a hamburger..but it COULD be one of those frozen chicken patties. The texture is soft, and the taste is…hearty. But not ricey or wheaty. Of course, there’s the cheese, mustard, and onions to help the flavor along.

But all in all, I give this a big “thumbs up.” Definately, some of the best hippie food I have ever eaten. I will eat this again, and what’s more…I will make KEVIN eat it. and THAT will be the true test.

PS: I ate lunch at the little cafe they have there, and discovered something called “quinoa and black bean salad,” which was SO FUCKING DELICIOUS, that afterwards, I promptly marched over to the deli counter and bought a pound of it to take home. I have NO IDEA what quinoa is (I’m thinking it’s a grain - little, sprouted grains), but it is DELICIOUS. Might as well send me my burkenstocks now - I am SUCH a hippie.

Sunday night picture show

Published Sunday, February 26, 2006 in daily, misc and photos. 0 Comments

suddenly, VH1 takes over this blog

You know who is REALLY having the Best Week Ever? Best TWO weeks ever, really. Andrea Bocelli. Seriously, I’ve seen more of this man in the past two weeks than I have for the past 6 years.

And what the hell…Avril Lavigne in the closing ceremonies? Seriously, Italy…you can do better.

****************************
the pampering continues

Today I got my hair cut! Now for gratuitous self-portraits!

front view
the front, all grunged out and hanging over my eye. I have one with it tucked behind my ear (a must for any new haircut - MUST GET HAIR OUT OF FACE!) but my eyes were all psycho looking and scary, and OK if you REALLY want to see it, go here. back view
the back, all super short and layered

My hairstylist said my hair was “fun to cut.” Apparently, nobody likes fun hair cuts anymore - all one length bobs and shit. Not me! If I’m going to shell out $30, make me look FUN!Note that I’m still doing the reddish color. I should take a poll: keep it this color, or go back to blonde for the summer?***********************
kaufen Sie Ihre Schokolade anderwohin!

I did a couple of favors for our Lab Goddess, driving her and her husband and son to and from the airport this week while they visted family in Germany. My thank you was some german chocolate. Mmmmm…tasty!

german chocolate

The bag on the right are rum truffles. And OH MY GOD, ARE THEY STRONG. Of course, that hasn’t stopped me from eating a couple. The chocolate car is apparently a popular car in Germany. the box says “Heilemann Confiserie.” Anyway, I’ll bet it’s pretty tasty.Lab Goddess said she REALLY wanted to buy the chocolate for me from some really gourmet bakery and chocolate store, but was in danger of being thrown OUT for even DARING to ask if they had any chocolates that didn’t contain nuts. (If you will remember, I have a severe nut allergy. A french chocolate put me in the emergency room once. STUPID FRENCH!). They were really rude about it, and informed her that she would have to wait until MONDAY when the person who made the chocolates came in. So screw that. She got me chocolates with readily available ingredient information somewhere else.What I have learned, then, is:

1. Nut allerigies are very rare in Europe

2. Germans take their chocolate VERY SERIOUSLY. I would make a soup nazi/chocolate nazi comparison joke here, except that I also know that Germany takes Nazi jokes VERY UNFAVORABLY. See, cause they HAD them over there, and it didn’t work out so well.

But the chocolates are nut free, and tasty. I will save the car for when Kev gets back (thursday), but those rum truffles are FAIR GAME!

LSC

Published Saturday, February 25, 2006 in daily, misc, photos and conversations. 0 Comments

More conversations…

ESC: did you see my post about the oral hygeine order?

Kev: yeah.

ESC: Most people seem to floss AFTER brushing. then some weirdos brush again, but HA! I am RIGHT!

Kev: I’m still going to do it my way. Plus, maybe all those people who commented are wrong.

ESC: no. no…just you.

********************
watching the news about Cheryl Crow

ESC: ohh, that’s sad. She’s had a rough couple of months

Kev: how come?

ESC: She just broke up with Lance Armstrong.

Kev: oh yeah.

ESC: oh! maybe this will get them back together! He has one ball, and she’ll have one boob! It’ll be perfect!

Kev: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! You are so fucking MORBID!

******************************
very very quiet

I have become the “Lonely Science Chick” as Kev has gone to visit his family for a few days. We were supposed to go together for the weekend, but the memorial service for our choir director’s partner was this morning, and I had a dematology clinic appointment that I had forgotten about (they only do them twice a month at the student clinic, so if you have to reschedule, expect a two to three month wait).

Kev decided to go anyway - it’s his mom’s birthday - and then stay a few extra days. She needs a new car, so he’s going to find one for her - hopefully a gently used Highlander with *LEATHER SEATS.* He’s found PLENTY of gently used highlanders she could have had by now, but she’s insisting on the leather seat. I find this hysterical, since what she’s driving around NOW is some ancient toyota that’s falling apart with fabric seats and a lovely gray peeling exterior.

out of guilt for not going, I knitted her a quickie funky wrap, which she will either LOVE or absolutely hate, but never tell me.

anyway…I am on my own. and instead of using my first day of psuedo-singleness to go out on the town, have a girls night, or even clean up around the condo…

I spent most of the afternoon napping. In my PJ’s. Now I’m watching the olympics*, still on the couch, and munching on a low fat, no sugar added Klondike bar.

ahhhhh…

********************
Half Nekkid…too late for thursday

I did have my spoiled moment Friday, as for the VERY FIRST TIME, I got a manicure and pedicure. This was my valentine’s gift from Kev. I was a total dork at first, staring blankly at them when I was asked “did you pick your colors yet?” umm…was I supposed to do that?

My nails were done by a very young, very effeminate, asian guy, with a very distracting zit on his chin. Seemed to be a family business - his mom and two sisters were also working there. I think the certificate on his bench said that his last name was “Van Cham,” so they were probably all from the lesser known Dutch section of Vietnam (or where ever).

Everyone was very nice and tolerant of my tard-ness. And of course, the experience was WONDERFUL and how long before I can do it AGAIN??? ahhhh….leg and foot massage….

The most impressive part was that he was able to find and paint my tiny, mutant toenails.

pedicure

I opted for a light light natural looking pink on my fingernails - maybe I’ll go funky some other time, but I didn’t want to have hot pink nails at the memorial service today.

manicure

Maybe for my wedding, I’ll get acrylic tips put on, and then I’ll SCRATCH YOUR EYES OUT!

*Goddammit Bode, you are the biggest tard of all. SUCK IT!

Fun Friday Fact:

Published Friday, February 24, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

I just realized that my panties are on INSIDE OUT!

Oh yeah…there’s a party in my pants right now.

I’m screwed

Published Tuesday, February 21, 2006 in daily and food. 0 Comments

I shop a lot at the Kroger by the Curves I go to. They’ve been doing some rennovation inside. I figured they were just spiffing up the bakery and deli areas.

Nope.

I saw the sign up today. Still covered by plastic.

“starbucks coffee”

bye bye, bank account.

Also, they’ve put in a Dellalo’s antipasti bar - with different olives, roasted red peppers, little marinated mozerella balls.

Mmmmmm…

bye bye, diet.

I managed to avoid the temptation and just get the few things I went in there for. Which I realized, as I was checking myself out at the self-scanners, made me look like quite the crunchy dirty hippie.

gallon of skim milk
yogurt*
tilapia
OJ
turky bacon
two boxes of hippie cereal - you know, the kind you find in that special “all organic” section of the grocery store that cost about a dollar more per box than regular cereal, but only have half the amount in them. I got cinnamon oat sqares, and a flax & fiber cereal. Mmmmm…full of crunchy hippie goodness!

* I started buying that Activia yogurt, with extra bacterial culture goodness, as it’s advertised to help regulate your digestive system. My digestive system has never been all that normal (I would call it “angry”), but ever since I started the diet, it’s downright PISSED OFF at me.

3 CUPS OF SPINACH??? RAW???? ARE YOU NUTS WOMAN??? WHAT THE FUCK???? TO GET YOU BACK, I WILL COLOR YOUR POOP GREEN FOR 3 DAYS!!!!

ummm…TMI?

anyway…I’m hoping the yogurt will help.

the weather outside is crappy

Published Sunday, February 19, 2006 in daily and food. 0 Comments

It IS crappy. Cold, with that misty rain…

Nothing like slurping down a big steaming bowl of Italian wedding soup* while watching the Olympics. Maybe we’ll put a log in the fireplace here in a bit.

Ahhhhhh….

*diet friendly! Turkey meatballs! Chunks of chicken breast! Plenty of spinach! Only a tiny bit of pastini (my one cheat)! Swirls of parmesean cheese and no-fat egg substitute! and STILL wonderful. Mmmmm…

but I do miss the big hunk of warm, buttery crusty bread to go with it

you mean, like, Prilosec?

Published Sunday, February 19, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

There is nothing that gets the adrenaline pumping than a very loud, authoritative knock on the door at 1am from the police.

yikes!!!

And there’s an immediate feeling of fear and guilt. Oh my god…that library fine! they called the cops on me for not paying it!!! I think if a cop knocked on a NUN’S door unexpectedly, she would automatically look around to make sure contraband is put away.

“Those illegal downloaded mp3’s of the pope’s CD! they found out!!!!”

Anyway…I send Kev out (at this point, I don’t know it’s a cop) because Sadie is barking her fool head off and I have to get her in her crate.

I hear voices, and I peak out the door. Oh shit! It’s the cops! What did we do????

“Uhh..babe? you wanna come out here?”

oh shit oh shit oh shit

The guy is short, and won’t look at Kev. He looks directly at ME. “Ma’am, someone called a crises hotline and said they were taking a bunch of pills, and the number came back to this address.”

Oh my god!

I assure the officer that everything here is fine. He’s still glancing suspiciously at Kev - when Kev went out, he probably thought he was dealing with a domestic dispute. Kev had about 2 feet on him, and it probably made him nervous.

“no! really! I’m just knitting and watching TV. ” then I thought for a sec…”Oh my god, maybe it’s one of my neighbors?”

There’s the party girl upstairs, the sisters downstairs, the extremely butch woman across from us….

None of them struck me as ever being suicidal, but you can tell from my intimate knowledge of them (hi, I don’t even know their NAMES), I really have no idea.

Police guy is finally convinced that I am not suicidal, and leaves, saying that this kind of thing happens all the time. He also seems not all that worried that SOMEwhere out there, a woman may or may not have taken a shitload of pills in an effort to make her problems go away forever.

Scary.

I hope the protective angels are with her tonight.

saturday morning laziness

Published Saturday, February 18, 2006 in daily, food and conversations. 0 Comments

Conversations at our house

Kev and ESC smooch

Kev: your breath smells like…basil?

ESC: should be mint.

Kev: more like basil.

ESC: it’s that mouthwash. it should be minty.

Kev: well, then it’s mint with something else.

ESC: ummmm…bacon?

Kev: that’s probably it.

And before you yell at me for going off the diet…

FAKE BACON!
turkey bacon!

Please ignore dirty stovetop background. They didn’t even TRY to make this look like real bacon. SCALLOPED EDGES?Surprisingly good, though. Very good real bacon flavor.

DIETERS DON’T KNOW IT’S NOT REAL BACON!!!

Last night I DID go off diet slightly, though. I was VERY good all day. I resisted pizza temptation. I resisted the 3rd friday departmental beer and snack fest. I was strong!

then I started craving mexican food. mmmm…mexican.

But I was good - I only had a few nachos at the table, and then my combo meal was all chicken and beans. Some carbs with the flour tortilla and the taco shell, but I didn’t order rice. So go me! And I didn’t leave all overstuffed silly like I normally do after mexican food. So DOUBLE go me!

****************
cool clicky of the day:

get seeds that have messages already etched on leaves when they grow! I WANT ONE!!!

*****************
NSFW clicky of the day:

The Ketchup Effect - warning, don’t be drinking or eating anything, because you’ll ruin your computer screen when you spray all over it. it’s THAT FUNNY!

thursday fit as a fiddle!

Published Thursday, February 16, 2006 in daily, craftiness, food and photos. 0 Comments

I’m most of the way through the “phase I” week of my diet, and I’m happy to report I’m down 3 pounds!

Yeah yeah, I KNOW! MOST OF THAT IS WATER WEIGHT!

Shut up and let me enjoy it, OK? Plus I got to have steak and shrimp for dinner, and I’m just enjoying the fact that I can eat STEAK and SHRIMP on a 12oo calories a day diet.

Speaking of steak….

There is a mall across the street from me. It is a ghetto mall - where punk ass kids in baggy clothes and expensive cell phones hang out and bother people. I don’t go there.

Anyway, in the corner of the parking lot, near the road, there is a white tent set up. On the side of this tent is a big banner, with BIG red and black lettering proclaiming “20 RIBEYE $20,” and underneath is what I presume to be pictures of said ribeye, along with a smaller “seafood!” proclamation.

I see people going in and out of this tent. Buying meat. MEAT! CHEAP MEAT! FROM A TENT! IN A GHETTO MALL PARKING LOT!!!

Am I the only one disturbed by this? Parking lot meat!

*shudder*

annnd one last thing. Julie made me socks! Remember on her blog, all the complaining about teeny tiny needles? Trying to induce guilt in me. HA! It was ALL WORTH IT!

Check out the AWESOME SOCKS!!!

jaywalker socks 2

Yeah, you are jealous.But I’m SURE if you asked nicely, Julie would make you a pair! She loved making these SO MUCH, she can’t WAIT to make them again. Especially if you have big feet, like me.

heehee!

new camera

Published Thursday, February 16, 2006 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

Thanks for your prayers, folks.

Now for an abrupt change of subject…

my new camera came today!

It is INFINATELY better - better zoom and pixelage, boots up faster…AND, my BIGGEST pet peeve with my old camera (also a cybershot), VERY QUICK recovery time after taking a picture, so you can take quick pics in succession. Also has a “steady cam” feature.

So are the pictures any better? Well, I JUST got it, so I haven’t had much of an opportunity to take many pictures.

But here is a picture taken with the OLD camera:

old camera

and here’s one taken with the NEW camera:

new camera

SEE HOW MUCH BETTER THAT IS????The flash is a little better, and the camera angle is wider - these were both taken from the same distance away.So I look forward to exploring the world with my new SPIFFY camera!

And…my first ever submission to HNT! Taken yesterday (with my old camera), a very small peek at my special Valentine’s outfit…

HNT

…with my robe on. Damn, it was cold last night.Enjoy!

request update

Published Wednesday, February 15, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

Our choir director’s partner has just been put in hospice care. The lung cancer came back full force just before christmas, and while they’ve been trying to fight it again with chemo, he’s been too weak to get most of his treatments.

Unless he makes a miraculous turnaround, he might not make it for very much longer.

His name is Richard.

They’ve been together for over 45 years. (a big FUCK YOU to all you “gay marriage would ruin the santity of marriage” people. 45 fucking years…let’s see YOUR relationship last that long.)

Please keep them both in your thoughts and/or prayers.

Thank you.

***************UPDATE*******************

Richard just died.

Please keep J in your prayers.

Thank you.

gnaw

Published Monday, February 13, 2006 in daily and food. 0 Comments

I am hungry.

So very, very hungry.

I’m considering licking the sides of that bottle of hot sauce over there.

Why am I so hungry?

I am on a diet. The first real diet I have been on in I can’t tell you HOW long. This diet is designed by Curves. I signed up for a six-week class that meets on Thursday evenings. We get a book that outlines the diet, provides recipes, shopping lists, and a day by day meal plan.

I can eat 5 times a day. 6 if you count the optional Curves protein shake. This sounds like a lot. It is not.

Not the first week, anyway. The first week is a 1200 calorie a day, 45% protein, 30% carb, 25% fat diet. 3 meals plus snacks. After the first week, the caloric intake is bumped to 1600 a day, and you stay on that until you reach your goal, or your weight “plateaus,” in which case you move to stage 3, which isn’t really dictated on a meal by meal basis, but just an “eat health and maintain” in order to get your metabolism back up to speed. Then you can start the process all over again.

Today was day 1 for me. I was going to start last week, but with my mom being here, and some already planned meals out with out of town friends, I decided it wasn’t ideal to start a strict diet with all those temptations.

Then yesterday Kev made a delicious venison stew, served over brown rice. Healthy, but I wasn’t sure how to fit that into my little diet spreadsheet. So I officially started today.

I’ve eaten 4 of my 5 meals.

I am hungry.

Is it time for my snack yet?

now?

ugh. all WEEK with this. and tomorrow is valentine’s day! bleah!

*******************update*************************

last snack of the day: a couple slices of deli turky and a string cheese.

result: STILL HUNGRY!

may need my chocolate protein/vitamin shake thingy before bed. stuff is not bad, really.

hand waving

Published Tuesday, February 7, 2006 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

Soon I will bring you the answers to your questions (still time to ask anything, though), horrifying tales of engulfing, suffocating satin and lace monsters at bridal stores, and other people’s mothers that make me glad my mother is my mom…

but I am stupid tired right now.

So instead, click the pic below and enjoy the pictures from our visit to the Georgia aquarium on sunday.

oceanvoyage tunnel

w00t!

Published Sunday, February 5, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

ONE FOR THE THUMB, BABY!

you’ve been WAITING FOR IT!

Published Monday, January 30, 2006 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

This is going to be a busy week for me. Lots of stuff in the lab to do, plus EvilScienceMom is coming to visit. OK…technically she’s EvilLibrarianMom. But that means much cleaning is to be done before wednesday. and then the delicate balance of working in the lab and then sneaking out early to do stuff with mom.

and what stuff will we be doing?

I will be looking for a WEDDING DRESS!

NOT this one:

Yikes! How does she get through doorways?

Also we will be experimenting with wedding invite designs. To save money, AND because I’m NOT having one of those 500 guest wedding extravaganzas, we’re making the invitations. And probably putting together a guest list. hoo-ray. The obscure cousins and great uncles come out of the woodwork.

Oh well, as long as they send presents…

I’m such a bitch!

So on to the point….as I will be bery bery busy this week, and probably neglecting my blog somewhat, I think now is a good time for another installment of ASK THE EVILS!

You can ask any question you want of me or Kev. You can ask for advice! Further details on juicy stories! Opinions on world political events! Anything! Ask away! You have all week. Probably longer - ESM doesn’t leave until next tuesday. So have fun, folks!

and GET OFF MY LAWN!

Published Thursday, January 26, 2006 in rants and daily. 0 Comments

I have become an old, cranky party pooper.

HOOORAY!

I got home last night a little after 9pm. Kev was nowhere to be found, and Sadie was REALLY happy to see me. Clingy, even.

The reason for the clingyness soon became clear. Our upstairs neighbor was having a party.

The upstairs unit had been empty for a while, and then one day we started hearing thumps and bumps, and occasionally saw a late-middle aged couple in the thru-ways. Hooray! Units are selling, and with someone upstairs we’ll save on our heating bill a bit!

Then late middle aged couple disappeared,
and young college girl showed up. At first I thought maybe she was just visiting from school…but no. I think she lives there. By herself. Mommy and daddy bought her a condo to live in.

This is typical for undergrads at this school (I know she goes here - I saw her wearing a sweatshirt with the name on it). Lotsa richie kids. Spoiled, an over-inflated sense of entitlement, and an “i’m going to be a fucking DOCTOR one day, whaddaya MEAN I got a fucking A MINUS????”

anyway…spoiled college girl threw a part last night. Not a cocktail hour…a college party.

So this is what I was greeted to when I got home:

WWWWWAAAAAMMMMMMMMME
MMMMMMEMMMMMMMMBBBBB
BBBBRRRMMMMMMM….MMMMM
MWWWWAARRRRRRRRRRRRMMM
MMMMMMMRRRMMMRMMMRRRR

*group of voices*

HOORAY!

*drunk guy*

WOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!

*cue awful music with loud base again*

WWWWWAAAAAMMMMMMMMM
EMMMMMMEMMMMMMMMBBB
BBBBBBRRRMMMMMMM…..*ahhhhhh*
………MMMMMM*dammit!*WWWWA
ARRRRRRRRRRRRMMMMMMMM
MMRRRMMMRMMMRRRR

Rinse…repeat….and repeat….and repeat….

Sadie was now velcroed to my leg. The music had a lot of base, and it was kind of vibrating around. It wasn’t even GOOD music. Typical punk ass kids.

Now I like a good party, and good lord knows, in my college days, I loved THAT kind of party. But I don’t live in a dorm anymore, and I bought a condo and moved out of my apartment to get AWAU from all the college kids for whom “sleep” and “work” are foreign concepts.

Kev came home, and we discussed what to do. technically, according to the condo covenants, you can be somewhat noisy until 11pm. I had a feeling I could still legitimately complain….but I didn’t want to be TOO much of a buzzkill.

I gritted my teeth, and held on until 11. Bitching under my breath the whole time. IT’S WEDNESDAY NIGHT, PEOPLE! WHO HAS A PARTY WEDNESDAY NIGHT???? GODDAMMIT!!!!

Finally, it was 11:20, and drunk college kids showed no sign of slowing down.

We contemplated calling the police, but I decided to give them a fair chance.

I made Kev go up and knock on the door.

THIS IS WHY WE LET BOYS LIVE WITH US! TO KILLS SPIDERS, FIX THE SINK, AND KNOCK ON NEIGHBOR’S DOOR TO COMPLAIN!

Plus Kev is an intimidating looking kind of guy. even a drunk punk ass kid would have second thoughts about ignoring his request.

While he was up there, he got a good peek in the window. Lots of kids, all drinking…some sleeping…most being loud.

But it broke up after he asked that they keep it down. the music went off, and we could here THUMP THUMP THUMP….WHAM! *giggle* THUMP…*trip* THUMPTHUMPTHUMP down the steps and out to the parking lot…

then we heard…

WEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOWEEEEOOOWEEEEEEE
OOOOOOEEEEEEOOOOEEEEEOOO

a car alarm! Not mine. I peeked outside…drunk kids, laughing…getting into cars.

Oh geez…I told myself SURELY one of them is a designated. Right?

but then….quiet.

ahhhhh…..

I am SUCH a bitch.

again!!!

Published Wednesday, January 25, 2006 in daily, science! and food. 1 Comment

It happened again. I was in the bathroom, in one of the two stalls. The other stall was already occupied.

The occupant flushed the toilet, opened up the stall…and then…

…walked out the door of the bathroom.

without.

washing.

her.

HANDS!

ew.

ew. ew. ew!

we work in a LABORATORY BUILDING PEOPLE! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER!

that is more stupid than doctors who smoke, and a LOT GROSSER!

**********************************
some kind of torture

we’re all hungry right now. I’m hungry.

There is a jar of salsa in the lab right now, unopened. Some genius at USBiologicals started including a bottle of USBiologicals salsa with every order. It’s kind of geek funny - the list of ingredients is given as a chemicals list. There is also a recipe for “Dave’s chili.” Thank you Dave.

However this SAME marketing genius opted to not include a bag of chips.

So here we sit. Hungry.

All kinds of salsa with no one to chip.

one for the thumb

Published Monday, January 23, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

STEEEEELERS!!!

digging for information and a poll

Published Sunday, January 22, 2006 in daily and relationship/sex. 0 Comments

So one of the (few) tasks given to Kevin during the whole “weddin’ plannin’ thing” is the honeymoon.

Anyone who’s met Kev knows that the man likes a bargain. No…strike that…IS WHOLELY OBSESSED with finding a bargain. He wants to get a good deal on this honeymoon.

I want to have fun and relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax. Preferably on a beach. With maybe some deep sea fishin’ thrown in for fun (on a boat serving wine, of course).

We’ve looked a little into the Sandals resorts. We both likey the “all inclusiveness” of it - drinky drinks, food, and some activities included in the total price. But we do have some concerns. Will we be bored out of our skulls after one day? And Sandals does seem kind of cliche for a honeymoon…maybe we should try someplace unexpected and weird! Like Thailand!

So I decided to throw it out to blogland friends and complete strangers. Because that’s what the internets is for! That…and porn!

mmmm…delicious porn.

So! My questions for my dear readers (and that includes YOU LURKERS, TOO!) are…

1. if you ever been to a Sandals resort, how was it? Can you spend a week there without getting totally bored and attempting escape?

2. what are some places bloglanders have been on their honeymoons/romantic getaways, and would you recommend these locations?

3. OK, you’ve never been to Sandals, had a honeymoon, or been anywhere romatic (I am sooo sorry)…if you had your fantasy, where would YOU go?

Englighten me, blogland! Remember, the better the honeymoon, the BETTER the pictures will be when I post them. I’m only thinking of YOU, THE READER! So if you wanna see pictures of a drunk ESC, half nekkid and lying out on the beach with 3 midgets and a zebra…TELL ME WHERE WE CAN DO THAT!

2 things

Published Friday, January 20, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

Today I learned the ultimate in multitasking. I can sit on the toilet and spray Scrub Free mildew and Scrub Free soap scum onto the tiles in the shower AT THE SAME TIME!

I am talented.

And since I had nice, clean, and mildew free shower tiles and bathtub, I decided to take a bath. Ahhhh….something about taking a hot bath after a long, dirty day….

I feel so CLEAN!

And…smoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth

uhh…it’s for a friend…

Published Tuesday, January 17, 2006 in daily and food. 0 Comments

Nothing like heading down to the school’s lunch stand, ordering a 12 inch roast beef sammich with mayo and cheese, “combo” it with some doritos and a drink…and then turn around and realize that your doctor is in line right behind you.

this is the conversation you have in your head:

Yeah…that diet is going GREAT doc. Oh…this? It’s not mine. It’s for a friend.

OK, it’s mine…I’m only eating half today! The rest is for tomorrow! and look! I’m getting a diet coke! DIET!!! WHY AREN’T YOU LOOKING AT ME????

I am in love!

Published Saturday, January 14, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

It was love at first site, really. As soon as my eyes caught that glint…it was all over for me. Handsome….black….tough…compact body…

I WANT….I NEEEEEED….the LOOOONGING is TOO MUCH!!!!

will my love be requited? WILL MY PASSIONS GO UNFULLFILLED????

I guess I’ll know when I get my tax return.

Isn’t he dreamy?

click the pic for details.

Anyone want to contribute to the “Buy ESC a cool camera” fund?

No?

Guess I’m waiting for that tax return, then.

Don’t you hate it when…

Published Friday, January 6, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

…you walk into an empty stairwell, and think “whew! alone at last! now I can dig out that thong wedgie that’s been bugging me!” only to remember a few seconds too late that the entire back wall of the stairwell is made of glass, and anyone looking out their window in the next building over just got a nice view of you picking at your ass?

anyone?

just me then.

overheard on american chopper:

Published Tuesday, January 3, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

Why don’t you go get yourself a cup of GO FUCK YOURSELF!

BWAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!

I am SO using that in conversation this week!

$16.66 worth of fun per day

Published Monday, January 2, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

Cost of Call of Duty 2, a christmas present for Kev: $50

Days it took for him to finish the WHOLE GAME: 3

*sigh*

at least he hasn’t been able to use his red dot scope yet.

It’s thundering.

Published Monday, January 2, 2006 in daily. 0 Comments

AGAIN.

in january.

nice.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Published Sunday, January 1, 2006 in daily, food and photos. 0 Comments

We’re back!

I haven’t posted because…well…we’ve spent a lot of time in bed since we got back. Occasionally, we even slept. BWAHA! Also spent a good portion of today food shopping, as the pantry was BARE! Also, the fridge.

The drive back was long and uneventful. The most entertaining bit being the evangelical wendy’s where we had lunch:

evangelical wendy's
what do you want, a medal?

It wasn’t our first choice to eat, but every place we tried before this was CRAMMED FULL OF PUNK ASS ANNOYING WVU STUDENTS. BUSLOADS OF THEM!!!Dammit. They caused traffic jams, too. I swear to god, we were stuck for a half hour in creeping traffic just outside of atlanta. The cause? An accident? Road construction? Bridge collapse?

no.

As near as we can figure, everyone was slowing down to stare at the rush hour traffic building up in the northbound direction. yes, staring at traffic was causing traffic. as soon as we passed that little section where you could clearly see the build up on the other side…our side opened up.

morons.

“well GOOLLLLLY, JETHRO! CHECK OUT DAT DER TRAAFFFFICKY JAM OVER DERE!”

so GO HOME PUNK ASS WVU STUDENTS!!!

(for those not aware, WVU is playing Georgia in the sugar bowl, which is being held in atlanta this year)

*ahem*

So yeah, it was a little stressful.

Today we went food shopping. And then out for a FABULOUS fancy dinner at Zuma. We’d never been there before, and it was a BITCH finding it. But SO WORTH IT! So much sushi! The best sushi we’d ever had. And we chatted a bit with the couple next to us, who’s food ordering put ours to shame. We ordered a variety of specialty maki rolls and some fried japanese dumplings. The couple next to us was much more exotic - fried octopus balls (yeah, say THAT without giggling. it was a source of amusement for the 4 of us), some kind of hawaiian tuna paste, and so many other good things. MUST go back and try them again. Also, they didn’t charge us for the glass of wine I had! It might have been a mistake…but it might have just been a nice new year’s eve gesture! Who cares!

Then of course, back home, to watch a slurry Dick Clark ring in the new year. And toast to a happy year together.

happy new year!

Later I’ll post more about christmas. For now, I’ll leave you with a kiss for new year’s eve:

new year's kiss!

***UPDATE***ESC’s “screw you, martha” homemaking tips:

leftover champagne, properly stored and carbonation intact via a “wine pump” thingy, makes excellent mimosas the next morning.

it’s a FABULOUS thing.

BAAAWWWWGGGGGG PEOPLE, BAAAWWWWGGGGGG PEOPLE!

Published Wednesday, December 28, 2005 in daily, family and food. 0 Comments

Still enjoying a nice, relaxing christmas. Today Kev and I went with my parents to the Carnegie Museum to see the Bog people exhibit.

yep. Bog people. People and things thrown into bogs in Europe and preserved for a few thousand years. To be honest, the exhibit was a little heavy on the “things” and too light on the “people” found in bogs, but…there ya go. It was still a neat exhibit, and at the end of it, they had an interactive thing called “BSI - Bog Scene Investigations,” where you picked a color clipboard, and then went to different stations consisting of replicas of bones, artifacts, etc, and tried to determine things like the sex, age, occupation, manner of death, of your particular “victim.” Kev and I did pretty good - got all but 2 questions right.

Mom had to work at 4:30, so dad, kev, and I hung out at home…and watched “XXX” - the second one, with…Ice Cube? Ice somebody.

When mom got home, we left dad - who wasn’t feeling all that well - and went to Quaker Steak and Lube for a late dinner. Unfortunately, so did every other college age boy in the south hills, as Tuesdays are “all you can eat wings” nights. Yeah, lots of punk ass kids there. But we got seated pretty quickly. BUT…THEY WERE OUT OF ONION RINGS!!! Dammit.

I got the PA garlic wings - very tasty! Kev had “suicidal,” which he says were hot, but not THAT hot. He asked the waiter if he could try just one wing of the “atomic.” The atomic wings have 150,000 scoville units of heat, and when you order them you have to sign a waiver. Nice! Kev got to try just one, though. I took a tiny dab of the sauce on my finger and touched my tongue.

Hmmm…smokey….kind of sweet….some heat….more heat….ummm…burn…BURN!!! BURN!!! ACK!

Kev says it’s the hottest thing he’s ever eaten. Sweat was beading all over his face and foreheat. And that was just one wing! He’s debating whether or not to go back and buy the sauce - it comes in a prescription bottle.

tomorrow we’re on our own until my mom gets home from work mid afternoon. Then we’re meeting some family for dinner - MORE FOOD! God, my diet is SO shot. We also have to get to the mall at some point to make a few exchanges. My grandmother bought me a black turtle neck. ANOTHER black turtleneck. And Kev’s fleece vest is about 2 sizes too huge.

sooo…that’s the trip so far. We’ll probably be heading back to GA on friday.

make that CHEESEY crab dip!

Published Monday, December 26, 2005 in daily, family and food. 0 Comments

Christmas eve:

sleep in
crab dip
seafood dinner
Narnia*
crab dip
church
crab dip

*wherein we learn that all British people, even small children are born with innate skills in handling achaic weaponry and talents in leading armies into battle and winning said battle. Well done, British people!

Christmas

wake up my brother
wake him up again
is my brother up yet?
open presents
very late breakfast
crab dip
open stockings
visit grandpa
pick up grandma
presents
crab dip
dinner (ham!)
dessert (cannolis!)
Polar Express
take grandma home
crab dip

Hope you all had a merry christmas and all the crab dip you could eat!

another post consisting of mostly pictures….

Published Monday, December 19, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

…in leiu of actual “content.”

So I did not spend the entire weekend staring at my ring, mesmirized. I wanted to, though.

oooooo…prettttyyyyy…riiiiiing……

I did much running around and getting things done that were not so important, considering Christmas is HOLY SHIT…IN 6 DAYS!

I am so not ready.

So here are some pics of things I did.

make macaroons!

coconut macaroons

Macaroons use a lot of egg whites, so I needed something to do with the massive amount of egg yolks left over. So I made an egg yolk sponge cake, which I do not have a picture of, but it IS delicious, and is currently being enjoyed by the members of my lab, because I am nice like that.

Opening gifts!

Any gift that comes to me before christmas is fair game. I LIKE PRESENTS! First, my aunt sent a gift certificate for Amazon.com, AND a cute little gift for Sadie:

the look of pure hatred

You remember that scene from “A Christmas Story” where Ralphie has to go try on the bunny pj’s his Aunt Clara made for him? And he walks down the steps looking like an Easter nightmare, with the most miserable, depressed look on his face? A face that said “this is SO HUMILIATING! PLEASE OH PLEASE LET ME TAKE THIS OFF!”Yeah, that’s how Sadie looked the whole time she had it on. Poor Sadie. Thank God pets can’t come back years from now and accuse us of ruining their lives by inflicting psychological damage, causing them to wear all black, write bad poetry, and vote Green party well past the age when it’s cool to do all that.bwaha!

We also got presents from…JAMIE!

a HUGE binder wedding planner! for Kev...

Hey, how did she know Kev was clueless?

The planner looks like it will come in VERY handy. Though it is scaring the crap out of me. SO MUCH TO DO! SO MANY CHECKLISTS!!!

My favorite is the checklist to give the photographer, which has requests for specific photographs in it. Like “bride and father getting into limo.” But the BEST pic request it lists is “Groom and best man, with groom looking at watch.”

what?

So yeah, that was my weekend. Throw in a few hours in the lab both days, a quick run to Walgreens, some light knitting (not enough! ack!) and…naps. And the depressing feeling that I might be coming down with a cold. CRAP!

christmas party RULES!

Published Saturday, December 17, 2005 in daily, relationship/sex and food. 0 Comments

Yeah it was fun!

Way too much food. And some “holiday cheer” in a bottle…brought by me. I made some cranberry vodka, most of which I’m taking home for celebrating with my family, but I brought a sample big enough for everyone to share.

mmm…dangerously good…

the gifts were HYSTERICAL! and of COURSE I have pictures.

it's a major award!
this is one of the gifts we brought. CLASSY!!! pig bank!
I ended up with this plastic green piggy bank. AWESOME! I’m going to keep it at work and put quarters for my coffee in it.

Kev ended up with a horrible monstrosity of a tree ornament (we think). As best anyone could figure, it’s SUPPOSED to be an eggplant/baby hybrid. But it is unbelievably awful and scary looking.Amazingly, I don’t have a picture. maybe later.

And…that’s about it! Everyone had fun, especially the kids. There were no tears, even when the “stealing” part of the white elephant exchange took place. The veggie dish I brought was a huge hit - might be because it had a generous amount of melty bleu cheese smothering the once healthy veggies.

Fun!

OH! yeah…and one more thing…
clicky!

and because Serra demanded…

cranberry vodka

1 lb fresh cranberries
1 c sugar

cook together in pot until cranberries pop and a lot of liquid forms. remove from heat and add

2tsp vanilla, or 1 split vanilla bean, if you have that kind of money to throw around.

pour into large glass jar, or two mason jars, or whatever - just make sure it has a tight lid, and then add

1 bottle decent vodka - not the cheapo crap you bought for $10 a gallon and mixed with a garbage can of grape kool-aid in college.

cover with lid and let sit on your kitchen counter for a week. admire the pretty color.

then serve with tonic and a twist of lime….mmmmmm….good!

sleeeeepy

Published Friday, December 16, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

the only reason I am at work right now is that our lab’s christmas party is tonight, and it will be kick-ass. I am SO FRIGGIN’ TIRED!

And I left work EARLY yesterday! Not to goof around, though.

For the party, we always do a white elephant gift exchange. If you are not familiar with the concept, what we do it buy the funniest, tackiest, most horrifying gift we can find for $5 or less, wrap it up pretty, and put it under Boss lady’s christmas tree. Then we all draw numbers from a hat, and starting with #1, pick presents. Then #2 can pick a wrapped present, or steal #1’s gift, making THEM pick a new present.

It is hysterical. Especially with people’s kids there. The kids LOVE this. I had to pick up two gifts, since Kev and I will both be participating. I think I might have outdone myself this year, and I should probably go apologize to boss lady in advance. You see, she has a daughter who, for some reason, always ends up with at least one of the gifts that we bring. Usually both, because one of her brothers will get the other one and just give it to her because SHE WANTS IT SOOO BADLY! It’s like we are polar opposites on the horrifyingly tacky spectrum.

This year I got:

a stuffed monkey that wraps around your neck via velcro, and when you squeeze his paw, he wiggles and vibrates and makes monkey chatterning noises, all for just a bit longer than neccessary.

a…how do I describe this? You know one of those dressmakers’s fitting dummies? OK, picture a tiny one…covered in black satiny fabric with pink polka dots and trimmed with fluffy pink feathers…oh, and it’s a LAMP.

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

Love it.

So after finding THOSE gems and a quick stop at chick fil a (mmmm…chickin’), I went to my hair appointment. Remember, this was a new place for me, so NEVERWRACKING! It did seem like one of those places I wasn’t quite cool enough to be in, but everyone was really nice. The guy that cut my hair was WONDERFUL, and very funny. He did a great job, too! Maybe I’ll post pics later - I need to redo my dye job, too. and you know how sometimes in a nice salon, someone will come around and offer you some water, green tea, etc? Well, in the middle of my appointment, a woman came around and offered me…a COSMIPOLITAN.

awesome. I was tipsy for the next hour. Nothing like a drunken haircut!

Then down the road to my Local Yarn Store (or LYS, for those in the “know”) for the monthly Stitch and Bitch. Fun! Got a lot accomplished, including starting and ALMOST finishing a gift for little Lyric, aka “fuzzbeast.”

Then to Kroger to pick up some fresh herbs and then HOME, just before 10pm, so I can make the veggie dish (with fresh herbs) that I’m bringing to the party tonight.

So…I got to be last night around 2am.

zzzzzz….huh? wha?

Fortunately, I don’t have much to do today. Boss lady is at home, preparing her house for the party, so I can goof around a bit…(hehehe.. A BIT, like I don’t do that on days when she IS here).

know what I hate worse than ants??

Published Monday, December 12, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

mondays. bleah.

*************
sweet Jane St. Clair

We have a grad student doing a rotation in our lab who’s very sweet, and her name is Jane. Now I can’t get that damned song out of my head every time I say her name.

Jaaaaaaaaaaaaane, divided, but I can’t decide what side I’m on
Jaaaaaaaaaaaaane decided only cowards stay, while traitors run

************
hypochondriac alert

I have a painful small bump on the back left side of my neck. I can’t see it in a mirror, and I’m not desperate enough to have someone in the lab check it out for me. It’s most likely a zit, but because it’s monday and I hate it here right now, I’m going to tell myself it’s malignant cancer which has already spread all over my body, with no cure.

Or it’s polio. mmmm…sweet polio.

Hey ESC, that’s not funny, my MOM has polio.

Your mom IS polio. Shut up.

*****************
lab bitch

I hate to be the lab bitch, but seriously…

Last week, someone noticed that our broken glass disposal box was gone. Everyone was amazed…who would steal it? It was almost full, anyway!

The thing is, these are just disposable cardboard boxes. when they are full of broken glass, you seal them up and take them down to the facility that disposes of broken glass. We have a STACK of extra boxes that you just fold together to make a NEW broken glass disposal box.

But for a WEEK, while everyone discussed the fact that it got stolen, NO ONE GOT OUT AND PUT TOGETHER A NEW DAMN BOX!

Guess who had to do it?

yeah, that’s right. Jane found some broken tubes and needed a place to put them. Since she is a newbie, it fell to ME TO DO IT!

dammit. Those things are a pain to wrestle with.

Sweet Sunday

Published Sunday, December 11, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

Woke up early this morning to get to church before the choir all had to be there, so I could warm up on my trombone. Amazingly, I had some extra time to have some breakfast before I left, so I decided to pour myself a bowl of…

ANTS!!!!!

Fuck. Spent my extra time throwing away TWO newly opened boxes of cereal, removing everything off the top of the fridge, cleaning, and then spraying with a good dose of roach and ant spray.

“NEAR FOOD, ESC??? are you trying to KILL someone????”

I weigh my options. Food with ants all in it? Or the bottoms of boxes of cereal and…instant potatoes (shut UP, they’re good) maybe touching some poison residue.

I risk it. I fucking HATE ants. I haven’t died yet!

Anyway…no breakfast for me. I do get to church in time to warm up a bit, though.
God, my chops are so out of shape! The music service went VERY well, though, in spite of a panicked moment when, during the processional, the men waited TWO measures to start their verse instead of one…ACK! SING DAMMIT!

And my trombone part went well, too! It’s interesting to play while people are singing. The choir has a tendencey to drag the beat, which is frustrating sometimes.

Afterwards to the lab for a couple of hours, and THEN, while I had HOPED to get home to make cookies…noooooo…I had to go out and buy more cereal AND buy some of those plastic cereal containers to keep the ants out. I decided to try my luck with Target.

While I found some things to aid in my cookie making (cooling racks - stackable! and a cookie dough scoop - how have I lived without this???), I couldn’t find any of those containers. I walked through the whole store three times, mentally crying “DON’T MAKE ME GO TO HELL-MART!!!”

I had to go to hell mart.

But I found what I needed quickly, and got OUT of there, avoiding screaming kids and herds of women standing in the middle and blocking the aisle, having arguments in another language about…dish soap, apparently.

GET OUT OF MY WAY, PEOPLES!

By the time I got home, I was exhausted. Kev went to church with me to hear me sing (isn’t he sweet?) and then went to a gun show (shut UP!). we got home around the same time, and fell asleep on either end of the couch together, our legs tangled up and keeping each other warm.

awwwww….

Then I woke up and made some cookies! Only one kind today - ricotta cookies.

ricotta cheese cookies

close up of cookies

chocolate saturday

Published Saturday, December 10, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

Busy busy busy busy day.

10am - dress rehearsal for our choir service of music. still putting my trombone skills to good use - I haven’t embarassed myself, at least.

12:15pm - on a tip from a woman at curves, I find a store called Amtrec. It’s a warehouse - you know all those catalogs that little kids get at school to sell christmas stuff and raise money? Well, whatever doesn’t sell goes to this warehouse, and they sell it for dirt cheap. Most of the stuff is crap, but I bought a bunch of really nice wrapping paper (12 rolls!), ribbons, bows, and tissue paper, as well as some wooden christmas trays I can fill up with cookies and give as gifts. all for $25!

1:20pm - Farmer’s Market! My biggest Atlanta weakness! I need ingredients to make this for the lab christmas party on friday. and also found a way to spend ALOT more money on…goodies. Challah bread, large red juicey grapefruits, terra chips, wine, fresh spinach tortellini, SO much other stuff, and a very large fillet of cod.

2:30pm - stop in at publix to buy baking supplies for candy and cookies. I have a BIG list this year - I give it all away to friends as gifts, and then take a big tray home to my family.

3:00pm - liquor store to buy a small bottle of chambord for my truffles, and a bottle of vodka for….me, I guess.

3:30pm - get home, unload groceries, unload and stack dishwasher. there is not enough room for all the dishes…oops! decide to relax for a bit and let the dishes wash, then I can unload them, put in more dishes, and clean up in preparation for chocolate making.

3:45pm - I’ll just relax on the couch a bit, maybe watch some tv.

3:48pm - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

4:00pm - zzzzzzzzzzzzzz mmfmffff mmm? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

4:30pm - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz snk zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

4:45pm - zzzzzzzzzzz…huh?

5:00pm - start heating cream and melting chocolate for chocolate pretzel rods and truffles

chocolate pretzel rods, with chocolate jimmies and coconut. still awaiting a drizzle of white chocolate.

chocolate pretzel rods

future truffles

on the way to being truffles

6:30pm - make dinner! cut up, batter, and fry cod, roast some red potatoes, and make salad.7:15pm - eat my fucking awesome dinner. holy crap, we’re both stuffed. definately putting fried cod on my “hey, I can do this and I’ll do it again!” list.

god I’m tired. even with my nap. Tomorrow I will start on the cookies. My cookie To Do list is:

1. those neiman marcus urban legend chocolate chip cookies
2. oatmeal cookies
3. white chocolate cherry cookies (or bars…I haven’t decided yet)
4. ricotta cheese cookies

I wish I could make pizzelles, but my pizzelle maker is in storage.

tomorrow is church, work, and then COOKIE MAKING!

titillating quickie

Published Friday, December 9, 2005 in daily and blogging. 0 Comments

I am at the tail end (literally) of my underwear laundry cycle. Kev did a load of my delicates for me last night (isn’t he a sweetie) but they weren’t dry by this morning.

result: I am wearing a purple satin g-string under my jeans.

hope everyone is having THAT good a friday!

******************************
UPDATE: oh my fucking god…my day HAS been made.

I am linked on this blog.

under “industry blogs”

industry???

mmmm…wiiiiiiine….

Published Monday, December 5, 2005 in daily, relationship/sex and photos. 0 Comments

I worked later today that I wanted. My brother called me - he remembered my birthday! So that kind of threw me off schedule. I berated him for not checking his email - I sent him ideas for my tattoo MONTHS ago. I re-sent them, and he said he’d work on it.

Oh, and my lab gave me a birthday cake! DECADENT! It was a chocolate brownie cake topped with white chocolate mousse and crisscrossed with chocolate and caramel sauces. *drooool*

Got home, changed into my new fancy sparkly outfit. Kev gave me two choices for dinner. A french restaurant, and a restaurant called Oakhurst Grill, which was more american eclectic kind of food. I’d eaten at the french place before - it’s where I finally made the connection that I was allergic to bivalves, when, two hours after sharing a basket of mussels with my lab, I threw up everything I’d eaten the past week.

I picked the Oakhurst Grill. Also, they had a special on Monday’s called “the bottomless glass of wine.” I am intrigued.

The restaurant was lovely - a little warehousey on the decor, but the food was yummy. They were out of the tuna - BOOOO, but the braised lamb shank I had instead was very good. Our appetizer was a fried green tomato napoleon - fried green tomatoes layered with goat cheese and topped with a sweet and hot chili glaze and bean sprouts. MMMMMM…I’m hungry again just thinking about it. And oh yeah, I had the bottomless glass of wine. I chose the merlot/shiraz blend. When the waiter poured my second glass, he just finished off the bottle, filling the glass almost to the top. Eep! Needless to say, I was D-R-U-N-K by the end of the meal.

I was treated to a birthday dessert of a piece of their homemade yule log cake - yellow cake rolled around chocolate mousse and frosted with a buttery chocolate frosting that was rich but not sickly sweet. They make them there, and you can buy a whole one for $45. We’re considering getting one and taking it to pittsburgh - if we can figure out a way for it survive the 12 hour drive.

Then…OH MY GOD…more shopping.

A quick stop off at Borders so Kev could buy more computery books to study for his certifications, then to Best Buy - I upgraded the iPod speakers to the next level up, which is supposed to have better bass sound AND, most importantly, a remote control. Best Buy price matched the sale price at Staples.

and….the Carpenter’s Christmas album.

SHUT UP! It’s good.

we stop at a few more places. I’m tipsy tipsy tipsy…tipsy….tired…tired…….tiiiiiired…..

Whoa, red wine really knocks me out when the drunk wears off.

We got home around 11. I changed into my comfy PJs….and here I am, blogging!

a very nice birthday all around

Well, there is ONE more thing…

clicky!

we’re gonna party like it’s your…

Published Monday, December 5, 2005 in daily and relationship/sex. 0 Comments

oh yeah, it IS my birthday. and don’t call me Shortie.

Sooo…this is the first day of that last year of my 20s. Not that my 20s were anything to get all woohoo about - I’ve spent most..I mean ALL of them in school. Thank you, grad school, for sucking away the best party years of my life.

Yesterday after shopping palooza, I finally got my ass in gear and cleaned. I hate cleaning, but I feel SOOO GOOD when it’s done. Plus I get to chase Sadie around with the vacuum cleaner. HERE DOGGY DOGGY DOGGY! BWAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!

And then after a dinner of chicken and steak quesadillas (made from the meat formerly known as mystery) I put up christmas decorations. As I put up the tree, Sadie sat by the couch and stared at me with a mixture of curiosity, awe, and a little “what the FUCK is she doing now?” Kev helped by taking ornaments out of the box. Oh, and trying to grab my ass as I wrapped lights around the tree.

Got most of the decorations up. I have one box left, but I think it’s mostly full of christmas card boxes. Yet ANOTHER christmas task I need to tackle! Oh yeah, I want addresses. If you got a card last year and HAVEN’T moved, then I have your address. But if you didn’t get a card and want one, OR you’ve moved, email me your address.

So…yeah. Got the decorations up. And then by that time it was TECHNICALLY my birthday, so Kev and I had a little celebration of our own.

Good christ, I love that glass dildo. It’s ability to give me orgasm after orgasm has never been riveled. Eventually I had to BEG Kev to stop because I couldn’t handle it anymore. He relented, and I lay there gasping for a few seconds, before breaking down into convulsing sobs.

Oh yeah, it was good. Happy birthday TO ME!

Stop me!

Published Sunday, December 4, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

Stop me before I shop again!

So yesterday in the mail I got the lane bryant discount card. Great - I just SPENT almost $100 there last week on my christmas ensemble. So…it was BACK to the mall today. Return and REbuy, dammit!

Ended up being a sweet deal, because it turns out the sweater was 30% off, so I actually had to grab a pair of stockings, just to get to $75 so I could save $25. All together: I started out with a camisole and sweater for $95, and it ended up costing me $55. Sweet!

So…I had to buy shoes!

new shoes

Check out the bling on them! I hope they don’t end up on Sloth’s fug list. It was FATE, I tell ya. They were on the clearance rack for 30% off - the 10s were a leeetle too tight. But there were no 11s (I hate buying 11s though, because while they fit better width wise, they’re usually too long on my feet), when I went back to the 10 section…and spotted….a 10.5! oh my god! it’s like the holy grail of shoes!They’re 9 west, and only cost me $52. Sweet. The only bad part? Holy shit, WHY do they make women’s dress shoes that have been DIAMOND POLISHED on the bottom? Seriously, I could NOT WALK over to the mirrors. I had to GLIDE over. I’m going to take some sandpaper to them before I kill myself.

So…you wanna see the whole outfit?

the complete outfit

yeah, it’s a shitty picture. I couldn’t get far enough away so that it was in focus better. and I couldn’t use the flash, so I had to use my piss-poor photoshop skills to try to brighten it up.anyone want to contribute to the “buy ESC a Nikon D50″ fund?

I’ll send ya nekkid pics!

RIGHT!

anyway…so that’s my “going out for my birthday” and “christmas eve church” outfit. I bought the skirt a few months ago for my high school graduation. I have PLENTY of black skirts, I didn’t need to buy any more! The little sweater has sparkles in it, which you can’t really see from the picture.

And of course, my ugly ass legs will be covered with some stockings.

So hopefully, my selfish shopping is DONE for a little while.

oh yeah, I bought gloves to match my new coat, too.

and…that’s it.

everything will be alright…

Published Saturday, December 3, 2005 in daily, craftiness and photos. 0 Comments

…when we go shopping!

(bonus points for whoever knows the reference)

But before I get to the shopping orgy and knitting pics…A FUNNY STORY!

yesterday Kev helped out some friends of mine who are renting out their condo until they can sell it. The faucet in the condo was leaking, and Kev is MUCH cheaper than a plumber. So he went to fix it (an easy fix, he said) and while he was there, struck up a friendly conversation with the guy cleaning the carpets in the building’s hallways. the conversation turned towards Home Depots, and some funny…weirdo things that they’ve heard happened in Home Depot bathrooms (ummm…what? oookaayy). And apparently, the guy got an entirely wrong vibe off Kev… and…

offered to give him a blowjob.

HAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAAAAAA!!!!

OK, so maybe you have to have met Kev, but OH MY FUCKING GOD THAT IS HYSTERICAL!

Kev handled it well, politely declining and getting the hell out of there. And the carpet guy got off lucky - how many men can proposition a good ole’ southern boy and get away without a black eye?? Fortunately, Kev is very secure in his manly straightness, and enjoys proving it often

update: So Kev wanted me to add some more to the story. how it all started was that Kev asked carpet cleaner guy where the ace hardware was.

The guy said “oh, yeah, where all the dykes work.”

OK…so then Kev said yeah, he didn’t want to have to drive all the way back to home depot. The guy said “that’s where all the gays work.” and then called it “homo depot.” and then “they all go to the bathroom and ‘toe-tap’ each other.” (as far as we can figure out “toe-tapping” means blowjobs?)

THEN the guy said “I wouldn’t go work there and do that, I’d rather give a PLUMBER a blow job.” then he gave kev a VERY meaningful look.

OK…funny story over. on with the pics! First some knitting stuff and then to the shopping. As usual, the clicking makes them bigger and nicer. Oh yes, yessssss…click them HARD! CLICK THEM HARD! HAARRRDDDEERRRRRRR!!!!

*ahem*

recent yarn acquisitions

iceland yarn - fire
very soft wool, which will be a little surprise for Fuzzball, aka Lyric. bamboo yarn!

yarn made from bamboo! which will be a scarf for my sensitive-skinned father.

sari yarn - my birthday splurge! can’t decide whether to make a purse or shrug with it. I only bought one hank because it was $20 for only 80yds!

finished projects

scarf for my brother...

silk/alpaca black moss stitch scarf for my brother, lovingly modelled by Kev. I kept it sort of short to make it more of a manly scarf. On size 5s, so it took a REALLY LONG TIME! I have exra yarn fragments if anyone wants to make a black fringe. I kept the sizes equal by wrapping the yarn around my Katamari Damacy game box and cutting one end. clever, no? novelty fur scarf

Scarf for my brother’s girlfriend. I’ve met her once, but I know she likes purple. However…I didn’t want to go overboard on a gift for her. Does that make me a bad person? Watch her be a knitter and figure out that I used cheap novelty yarn on this. I used a faux-furry-feather yarn that I twisted with a yarn that is like a ladder - with little bits of shiny ribbon as the “rungs”. Done on size 15s, so it took me two days.

shopping shopping shopping!!!!I got $$$ for my birthday to buy a new winter coat and and whatever other little goodies caught my eye. I did find a nice winter coat…paid a little more than my mom sent me for it, but…

new winter coat and chullo hat

How cute is my coat? and that’s my finished chullo hat. Don’t they go nicely together? I have yarn to make a matching scarf…whenever I have the time! The coat is suede…so I have to spray it every once in a while. But it’s lined with warm fuzzy faux-fur…which has shed all over my black turtle neck. WHOOPS! I would have preferred a darker brown…maybe I’ll look online and see if I find something I like better. I do really like this coat, though. So waaarm.

So I also wanted to buy a purse…but my dilemma was…do I buy something matching my coat??? Or contrasting?? I don’t know…I worry about stupid things.I went with matching.

new purse
what do you think, too much?

I also picked up some things at a new kitchen gadget/wine store than opened in Decatur. DANGEROUS FOR MEEE! I love those kinds of stores. It’s called Cook’s Wearhouse. I went with an all silicone purchase. No, nothing for the boobs. I got another sil-pat, so now I have two, and can have two alternating pans of christmas cookies going all the time when I start baking. Also got one of those silicone oven mits. Rubbery! Extravagent…but it’s birthday money! I had to pull myself away from buying some silicone bakewear. Maybe I can register for it…someday….Kev bought some christmas presents for my parents of the wine variety. Some madeira wine for my dad (when we were in pittsburgh and niagara in July, my dad looked for it everywhere but couldn’t find it. Hopefully he hasn’t yet) and a nice sweet riesling for my mom. Merry Christmas indeed!

So now I’m sprawled out on the couch. We ate too much at Ruby Tuesdays (bison burgers…mmmm…). What I SHOULD be doing is straightening up in preparation for putting up christmas decorations.

Or I can just lie here…ahhhhh….

UPDATE:
No cleaning or decorating got done tonight. I started knitting my father’s scarf. Sad to report that after a few rows, it became painfully obvious that while bamboo yarn is very pretty, it does NOT make a good scarf. The yarn is smooth, but not so soft that you’d want it wrapped around your face. It would make an excellent tank top, so maybe I’ll use it for that someday. I do have…500 YARDS of it!

This of course left me scrambling for something for my father. I decided to take a gamble and use some of the REALLY SOFT yet animal derived yarn I had laying around: some turquoise super merino, the left over alpaca/silk from my brother’s scarf, and some muted red alpaca/merino/silk blend I bought for a project that I changed my mind on. So it will be a turquoise scarf with stripes of black and red on the ends. I only have one ball of the turquoise…I hope I don’t run out!!!!

new scarf for dad

so this is excitement for ya, huh?

Published Thursday, December 1, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

an announcement:

If you take a doozy of a shit in the restroom, please, as a courtesy, after flushing: do a quick turd-check. some of us don’t like to see the MONSTER TURD stuck halfway because you were in too much of a hurry.

and HOLY JESUS, HOW BIG IS YOUR COLON? I’m going to have NIGHTMARES!

************************
in non-shit news

My birthday package from my mom arrived today. There was some debate in the lab as whether or not I should be able to open it, as my birthday is not until Monday.

I decided to end the debate by calling my mom and getting her opinion.

Mom: “how old are you now that you have to ask this????”

She didn’t care either way, but said it would be beneficial to the lab if I opened the package now - there were goodies to share inside. Upon hearing the prospect of goodies, the anti-opening group quickly changed over to the the pro side. Food changes everything!

I got a portable speaker system for my mini and a check for a new winter coat. YAY! also, to share, a whooooole package of Eat n Park smiley face cookies! Pittsburgh nostalgia for everyone!

Of course, those were the two big gifts I asked for this year: speakers and a coat. So what am I getting for Christmas? WHO KNOWS! kind of scary.

Still no more hints on what Julie has taken to calling “engagement watch 2005.” Geez, people, I guess now that E-Lo’s had the baby, there’s not much else exciting going on in blogville. I keep teasing Kev “sooo…got those ‘errands’ done yet?” yeah…not so funny after a while. I’m starting to think he might put it off just to shut me up.

Rest assured, blogville will be…well…not FIRST, but on the short list should anything exciting happen. I’m guessing…not for a little while yet.

rolling rolling rolling

Published Wednesday, November 30, 2005 in rants, daily and food. 0 Comments

I didn’t knit at all today. Instead I made turkey soup* and some crab dip for dinner and then played Katamari until my thumbs got sore.

Is that a bad thing? I might be addicted. I think the King of the Universe is a bit of a tool, though.

*Holy crap, you saved your turkey bones, right? You didn’t just throw them out, DID YOU? That shit is LIQUID GOLD! I boiled mine all last night with carrots, celery, onions, garlic, peppercorns, bayleaf, rosemary, and some thyme. This morning I had a lovely golden stock waiting for me. And my condo smelled WONDERFUL! please oh PLEASE someone come up with a turkey stock scented candle!

*************************
I hope Karma is a bitch and she shows up SOON!

Someone stole the second half of my roast beef sub last night. It was gone when I went for it at lunch.

BAAASTARDS!

I suspect the cleaning crew. Lots of people have stuff stolen, but the wrappers are never in the garbage. Lots of people are here late, and would notice a few undergrads sniffing around, but the cleaning crew is in REALY late.

I have half a mind to spike some leftovers with ex-lax.

a bunch of our post-doc’s frozen dinners have been stolen, too. This shit is getting expensive. My advisor has had enough - she’s requesting a lock. A REAL LOCK. Not one held on by sticky tape. BOLT THAT SHIT IN THERE!

Nog

Published Monday, November 28, 2005 in daily, relationship/sex and photos. 0 Comments

ahhh….nog.

mmmmmm….with vanilla.

and

rummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

oh yeah.

nog.

**************************************
I am a fucking badass

bad to the bone

Did I mention that Kev taught me how to shoot over the weekend? We did some target practice behind his sister’s place.

Did I mention that I TOTALLY KICKED ASS even though it’s the first time I held anything more deadly than a bb gun?

clicky to find out which ones are mine

paper target

There were fun metal targets to knock over, too. I liked shooting them down in a line
*ping!*
*ping!*
*ping!*
*pft!* grrrr…
*pft!* dammit!
*PING!*
THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!the rest of my thanksgiving adventure can be found here.fun fact: in the pic above of me and the gun, I’m wearing a mickey mouse fleece pullover. If I had my other hand on the bible and a soundtrack playing “america the beautiful” in the background, a thousand republicans would have creamed their pants just now.

*************************************
embarassing story from thanksgiving #8

about an hour into the drive to Alabama last wednesday, I had 3 horrifying revelations in a row:

1. I forgot to pack pajamas

2. I forgot to pack socks

3. I forgot to pack UNDERWEAR!

seriously, what the fuck is wrong with me? That’s never happened to me before! I think I was trying to do too much stuff at once the night before.

So the first of the 5 trips to wal-mart happened on the drive over, where I purchased most everything I needed. I will wear cheap underwear, but I REFUSE to wear cheap bras. So yeah, I wore the same bra all weekend. EWWW!

So I know I shopped at an evil capitalist regime…but…

LOOK HOW CUTE THE FLANNEL PJ BOTTOMS ARE! PINKY STRIPEY SPARKLY!

pink stripey pjs!

note unpacked stuff in background

**************************
side benefitsWe didn’t get a chance to sneak away by ourselves, so things have been very *ahem* hot since we got back. Lots of kissing and “i love you!” and all that mushy stuff.Nothing like looking but not touching (mostly) for four days to make the heart grow hornier! And I’m sure my neighbors were VERY aware that we had returned on Sunday.

nice.

Kev’s being very affectionate lately. And dropping interesting little hints here and there. Hmmm…my birthday is next week…

interesting, no?

back

Published Sunday, November 27, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

we’re back, exhausted, stuffed, fat, and generally happy. it was a fun trip.

can anyone here beat our black friday wake up time? 2:45 FUCKING AM. yeah. that was KEV’S idea, by the way. also, in 4 days I’ve been to 5 different wal-marts. ugh. But a good deal of christmas shopping for Kev is DONE. Only one more special gift to get him - but that’s a surprise, isn’t it?

Also picked up some goodies for me, a new dvd player (as my old one tends to just…stop…every once in a while, and target had them for $30! w00t!), new jeans, a pretty cami (not the blue, the bordeaux) and sweater (no link, but black. and sparkly) to wear for chrismas and possibly to go out for my birthday, blue pants with a few little sparklys on them (festive! that is me!) and Katamari damacy to play on Kev’s neglected PS2. I’m told it’s addictive. If I drop off the face of the earth for a few days, you’ll know why.

and lastly, I threw together a little holiday background cheer…hope it’s obvious what I was going for. if not…screw you, ebenezer scrooger.

First thing’s first

Published Wednesday, November 23, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

I have to say CONGRATULATIONS to E-Lo and Ryan, who gave birth to a little baby girl named Lyric on Tuesday. It was a long time coming, but I’m SURE it was worth it! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAAAAYYY!!! Everyone go over there RIGHT NOW and offer congrats! COMPLY!

But now of course I’m going to be without convenient internet access for the next few days, and I’ll miss any pic they post. WAH!

AND I just put in a very special order to yarnmarket…which may or may not have anything to do with Lyric’s arrival.

Next order of business

as I mentioned, I will be without convenient internet access over the Thanksgiving holiday. Kev’s sister and BIL have…dial up. I KNOW! Plus the kids are on it constantly, and it’s hard to kick them off. So everyone have a great turkey day. Unless you aren’t American and don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, in which case happy freaking late november and piss off!

Remember to please send in your favorite yummy holiday recipes to evilsciencechick (at) gmail (dot) com. I just posted my yummy cranberry, sausage, and apple stuffing recipe. mmmmm…SO GOOD! now I want YOUR RECIPES! HAM! GREEN BEANS! ARTICHOKE SOMETHING-OR-OTHERS! and most importantly, any recipe you have for…EGG NOG! Mmmmmmm….

I have an egg nog recipe:

1. buy carton of egg nog at store
2. pour in glass
3. add rum
4. more rum
5. drink
6. repeat

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Time to smile on tuesday

Published Tuesday, November 22, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Some things keeping me entertained today:

from BoingBoing:

Super Mario on the Marimba

Pat Robertson, Satanist

The Fatal Consequences of Masturbation

FSM Dildo Cozy

From Serra:

Yoda T-shirt

FOR MEEEE! (just came in today)

Beaker T-shirt

Special request

OK, this is a little late for thanksgiving stuff, but it is the holiday season. And I want you favorite holiday recipes! Side dishes, main dishes, appetizers, DRINKS and WHATEVER it is that you throw together for your favorite holiday tradition. Post it on my recipe site (if you are a member) or email it to me at evilsciencechick (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll post it. My favs will be posted at my much neglected “recipe of the day” on my sidebar.

getting the run-around

Published Sunday, November 20, 2005 in daily and relationship/sex. 0 Comments

baby alpaca/silk blend from knit picks, slowly being made into a moss stitch scarf for my brother.

This morning I got up and worked out. Ugh. Because I was lazy and also because of a Stitch and Bitch I (finally!) attended on thursday, I worked out Friday, too. I hate working out two days in a row. My legs hurt.Came home, ate, showered, and headed north of the city with Kev for a day out. What did we do?
- put air in Kev’s tires (literally. that’s not a weirdo euphamism for sex, or anything)

- look at engagement rings at Shane company

- stopped quickly at CostCo, but didn’t buy anything. dammit, doesn’t anyone sell good quality chocolate in bulk? I have christmas candy to make!

- walked around discover mills - an outlet mall. again, no shopping, because we didn’t have a lot of time before…

- Harry Potter. Good. Abridged, but good. I always say the same thing about the Harry Potter movies: they are better when you’ve read the book. Then the gaps and leaps they make in the film are already filled in by your brain. And to all the people that bitch about the changes, the 4th book contained over two movies worth of stuff. So quit yer bitchin’, they did good. I actually teared up when Cedric died. Shut up! I did! I’m not ashamed!

- ate Thai food at a new place for us. mmmm…guess what I got? NOODLES! Thick rice noodles with chicken, broccoli, and thai basil in a spicy sauce, served on bed of lettuce and tomatoes. Sooooo good. and Coconut soup. Orgasm in a bowl.

- ran to wal-mart. I KNOW, I KNOW! I am too damn poor to indulge my self-righteous indignation. and we needed cereal and kitchen spray. I also picked up some funky furry yarn, because my mother asked me if I could make a scarf for my brother’s girlfriend. Whom I’ve met once. Something purple. Oooookay. I’ll make it on big needles and it should go quickly.

so that’s it. not so exciting.

what?

what? go back a bit? ummm…the Harry Potter movie? I said I liked it, I don’t know what else I can say…

earlier than that, huh? Hmmmm…the bit about bulk chocolate? I make truffles…oh. no?

earlier…working out? after that. huh.

ohhhhhh…the RING shopping? well why didn’t you say so???

Yeah, that was fun. I found one I liked.

Welllll….I’m not going into TOO much detail, because WHO KNOWS if that’s the one I’ll actually end up with.

3 stone - two blue saffires and a diamond. oval cut. not big, not tiny. just right.

white gold.

very pretty.

we’ll see.

*fingers crossed*

Cleeeeean

Published Monday, November 14, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

So besides spending 4 hours overhauling my template, what else did I do this weekend?

Well, saturday, Kev and I went shopping and I got a needle nose plier and wire cutter set to aid me in my beady stitch marker endeavors.* I also finally used a $50 best buy card I got as a gift a while back to purchase some better headphones for my mini. The internal earbud ones I have been using don’t hurt my ears as much as the standard iPod ones, but I’m sick of them falling out of my ears every time I move my head. My new ones are the “noise reducing” kind, and while they are bulkier than the bud variety, should help maintain my sanity. Of course, I forgot to bring them in today, so I’m stuck with the buds for another day.

Sunday…are you ready for this? I…CLEANED OUT MY REFRIGERATOR. Can you stand the excitement. It was getting seriously overcrowded in there…and I couldn’t really remember the last time I did it. And Friday morning when I went in to get my OJ, I’m pretty sure something in there gave me the finger. Not a good sign. Click the pics to make bigger and to find out what ESC keeps in her fridge. No before pics, sorry. I was afraid small children might see this blog and what they would see would rot their tiny innocent brains.

And while I was at it, I tackled that cabinet that is the “miscellaneous food item” cabinet that I just throw stuff in. At some point, some honey had leaked over things…and…it was just a sticky disorganized mess. Again, clicky to make biggie, and to read the notes.

I hope you enjoyed that fascinating journey into my messy kitchen.

* I bought more beads and larger rings, so if anyone needs stitch markers that fit the larger sized needles, let me know!

it’s that time again…

Published Wednesday, November 9, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

your favorite segment here at …but mostly rants,

it’s Ask the Evils!

Ask advice on relationships, sex, life, etc.

Ask anything about Kev or I that you’ve been dying to know.

Ask about how last night, Kev wrapped a blanket around my waist, bent me over the side of the bed, and…well…yeah. You can ask about that.

Ask anonymously, if you prefer.

Ask via email (evilsciencechick (at) gmail (dot) com, if you’re too shy for the comment section.

In the meantime, I’m going to be using my baby alpaca yarn to make one of these.

ASK AWAY, FOLKS! NOTHING IS SACRED!

dog park and voices of the devil inside my head

Published Monday, November 7, 2005 in daily, photos and conversations. 0 Comments

Sunday I got to hang out with Jamie and Pup!

We hung out at the dog park with Pup’s roommate’s pooch, a pretty golden retriever who is very, very lazy.See?

Sadie wants to play, but noooooo…it’s lazy time! Also, Pup talked on the phone much of the time. What a popular stuffed bear he is!A good time was had by all.

**************************
I don’t think that question was on the form…

So just to give some background, years and years ago, my brothers took part in a depression study. The whole family was eventually sucked into it, and over the years, I’ve participated in phone interviews, personal interviews, blood tests, and brain scans. All in the name of science. Anyway, they called again a while ago, and set up another phone interview for tonight, just a follow up for their study. They always ask the same questions, wanting to know if I’ve been depressed, why I might be, and then the bizzarro questions about any voices in my head, or the tv having special messages for me. YAY! All in the name of science, of course. Also, I get $45. Anyway, the very nice woman asked me a few questions about Kev, since he’s the only real big change in my life in the 4 years since my last interview.

Very nice woman: And what level education does Kevin have?

Me: He has a bachelor’s degree.

Kev (whispering loudly across the room): AND A VERY LARGE PENIS

Me: *giggle* (whisper) stop it!!!

Very nice woman: what was that?

Me: Oh! Nothing! Sorry! my boyfriend was….uh…distracting me.

Men!

***************
Shameless plug

I just sent out two orders for my stitch markers! Hooray! If you would like to see my stitch markers or are are interested in purchasing some, just click here.

ESC molests a goat

Published Sunday, November 6, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

I shudder at the Google implications of my title.

So YES! Kev and I took a cheese making class on Saturday. We dragged ourselves out of bed at the crack of…er…8am or so…and drove a little ways south to the home of a woman named Mary who raised goats and made cheese for the fun of it. She can’t sell it…yet.

Anyway, Mary was SUPER cool. She showed us how just by heating up the milk to different temperatures and varying when you add the renet produces different kinds of cheese.

She did everything in her kitchen, which is a HUGE “hey I can do this” factor. We all brought food to share (I brought sausage, onions and peppers), and Mary had a huge spread of all the different cheeses she made, and some her friends made.

And yes…there were goats. She took us to the barn where we were first greeted by this guy:

He was kept penned up because apparently he gets a little jealous when people start hanging around his “wimmen.” DOWN BOY!Then we got the milking demonstration, and YES! I PARTICIPATED!

I thought I did pretty well…until this girl who had a goat of her own sat down. She got a full gallon of milk in about 3 minutes.

Show off.

Then we took a walk around the property she had a few acres of beautiful land that included a very pretty stream. The goats were like dogs, they followed us on our hike and kept us company.

There was also an elderly horse that I made friends with. When you stopped petting her, and turn away, maybe to pet a goat, she would get VERY offended and nudge your back. Then when you turned away from the goat to pet the horse, the goat would nose your butt. FUN!

All in all, it was a beautiful day, and we had a GREAT time. The class was supposed to be over by 2:30, but it was almost 5 by the time we left. Between the long day, the walking, and the copious amounts of cheese (mmmm…cheese…), when we got home, we PASSED OUT! No nookie…no NOTHING….just zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….for hours.

all the pictures from our cheese making experience can be found here.

request

Published Thursday, November 3, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Could some please maybe take a drill and drill a hole into my forehead? Just a little left of center…yeah…right there.

Please?

mini-bites

Published Wednesday, November 2, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Must less ranty today. Blogger is still being so-so…but I can handle that.

I’m wearing my felty mule shoes today. Sloth will probaby crap herself because of their hideousness, but I LOVE THEM! LIKE WEARING SLIPPERS TO WORK! Ahhhhhh….

Today I learned that kecap manis is sweet soy sauce. I bought a very cool book called “delicious noodles” for $3 at Borders last week. It is full of yummy asian noodle dishes (HA!) and very strange ingredients. God bless google. A lot of this stuff I’m pretty sure I will have to go to an actual asian market for - not even my beloved farmer’s market carries some of this stuff.

I finished the fingerless mittens, too. Just in time for the weather to get warm again. OF COURSE! But as SOON as that thermometer dips, baby…my palms and wrists are going to be COZY WARM!

Free lunch with a speaker today…ahhh…the joys of free lunch for a grad student. I don’t even care what kind of food…FREE, BABY!

HALLOWEEEEEN….2!!!

Published Monday, October 31, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

Our spoooooky jack o lantern! It won second prize at the party yesterday.I went low key with my costume to work today. Just some devil horns and purple streaks.

No trick or treaters….pbbth! Guess we’ll just have to finish off this candy all ourselves.Kev and I went out to Raging Burrito for dinner. I was hoping for a kind of halloween party going on, but it was pretty dead there. HAHA! GET IT? DEAD! ON HALLOWEEN!

Now I just plan on relaxing, watching the Steeler game, and knitting. Kev’s been acting pretty weird, though. Twitchy. Nervous. Angry. It’s freaking me out a bit.

Oh well, I’m sure he’ll be fine.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

my spidey power is all tingly and shit

Published Friday, October 28, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Today we had to go hear a speaker at GA tech today - fun! The speaker just happened to be a man who has been a small bane in my existance lately, as we requested some strains from him from a paper he published and HE DIDN’T HAVE THE STRAINS! HE DOESN’T KEEP THEM!

bastard.

anyway…afterwards we all went out to the Varsity. If you’ve come to atlanta, and you haven’t eaten at the Varsity…you suck.

I am full of greasy food and orange cream slush.

Then on the drive home we saw a guy dressed up like a gay spiderman in drag, with a baton. apparently, it’s Baton Bob, who every day dresses in an outrageous costume and runs around midtown with a baton.

TAKE THAT NEW YORK! WE HAVE FREAKS HERE, TOO!

There’s another guy who I see EVERYWHERE, usually at bus stops. He’s got to be in his 60’s or 70’s, and he has a cane he leans on. He wears BIKE SHORTS all year, and his JUNK IS ALWAYS LUMPED UP IN A BALL HALFWAY DOWN HIS THIGH, LIKE A CANCEROUS BIKE SHORT TUMOR!

gross. didn’t see him today, though. gay spiderman was enough.

yeah, what do YOU do on friday nights?

Published Saturday, October 22, 2005 in daily, craftiness and photos. 0 Comments

I got BIZZ-ZAY! no…not THAT kind. that was earlier today. In the shower. But Friday I got industriously biz-zay.

Remember that chair from my grandparents house that I brought back with me a while back? I FINALLY got around to the reupholstering. I think you’ll agree that the blue looks MUCH better than those nasty orange velour stripes.

All I can say is…thank GOD for my staple gun! Awesome! Everyone needs one! Made the job go so fast! Just…don’t tell my father. He wanted me to do it the way HE learned…using furniture tacks. Ugh. I’d still be hammering those suckers in.The tricky part was sewing the cover for the back pad. I tried using the old fabric as a pattern…but it ended up being too small. wtf??? So I used the pad itself as a guide, traced it onto newspaper, pinned THAT directly to the fabric, and sewed it up (yes Aimee, I successfully used my sewing machine WITHOUT calling you in a panic!). That time it worked! I can use the too small one for…a pillow? I have extra cotton batting left.It’s so comfy now, definately my new knitting nook. And to make it COMPLETE…

Today at the Scandinavian festival (oh yeah we went!) I bought this handmade woven basket. It’s going to hold all my current projects. YOU. ARE. JEALOUS! The woman who sold it to me told me her whole family makes them. She was African American, so I asked her which Scandinavian country she was from. Yeah..I was apparently the 3rd person to make that joke. At least she laughed!More pics from the festival at my flickr site. Click on Kev lusting after viking weaponry to see them all!

I told him…absolutely not!!!

frrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiday!

Published Friday, October 21, 2005 in daily, misc and science!. 0 Comments

random sadie pic

dude, I'm trying to sleep, here!

fun with data!

The two isolates that were behaving themselves last week are now acting totally screwy. The isolates that are acting not so screwy, give me the exact opposite results that I got last week.

Nothing I do is ever straightforward. Why the hell did I go into science???

*******************************
fun underwear friday!

red lacey boy-cut. what are YOU wearing?

******************************
ABBA and Vikings and Trolls! OH MY!

Tomorrow, Kev and I are DEFINATELY going to this. How wonderfully campy! and I’m a sucker for fun festival food. Swedish meatballs! Sweet!

And there will be pictures. Oh my yes…there will be pictures.

*********************************
Blogger bitching

Is anyone else having trouble saving posts as drafts? Thank god “recover post” is working.

*********************************
upgrade my flower, biotech!

So at my curves, there is a wall of laminated paper “flowers.” everyone has a flower with their name on it. What kind of flower you get depends on how far along you are. Previously, I was in the 10-25 points group, which is a pink tulip. The step above that is an orange…daisy-esque flower (the kind of flower an 8 year old girl draws). So imagine my disappointment when I walk in and see my name and “17.5″ on the same crappy pink tulip it was on last week! FUCKERS! 36.5, BEEEEEOOOTCH!

So yeah, I made them change it. At least they were apologetic about it.

The positive flower re-enforcements will be sparce from now on, though. The next step up is at 50 points - a reddish-purple rose. And then at 100, you get a white lilly. There’s only a few purple roses, and even fewer lillies.

But dammit…I WANTED MY FLOWER! SO ALL MAY SEE AND BE AMAZED!

My life is so small…

reassurances

Published Thursday, October 20, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

tattoo Kev labeled me - I’m his property now. Guess where? heehee!

I would like to assure my male readers that my breasts are MORE than capable of losing a few inches and still being quite boobaliscious. I could stand to lose a few more in that region. Maybe then I could buy normal bras in normal stores. And not the industrial stregth, underwired boob-slings I currently wear.Speaking of…I somehow miss the fact that I passed 40,000 recently. Whoops! You’ll have to wait for 50,000 to get the nekkid pics. Sorry! I don’t make the rules!

Oh…wait…YES I DO! BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!

Where was I?

I am attempting to write. I am entering the fiiiinal stretch of my grad carreer. THANK FUCKING GOD! So my presence in blogville will be sketchy. I’ll still post, and I’ll still be around…but my commenting will be (and truthfully already has been) limited.This is a good thing, believe me.

Ummmm…what else. Rented Garden State. It was…weird! But I like Zach Braf. When is Scrubs coming back, dammit?ps: blogger spell check wanted to replace “boobaliscious” with “publicist.” hmmmmmm….

Accountability

Published Tuesday, October 18, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

I had my weigh in today. So since I started in June:

bust: -3 inches
waist: -1 inch
abdomen: -6 inches
hips: -3.5 inches
thighs: -13 inches (that’s total for both thighs)
arms: -4 inches (ditto that)
total weight lost: 6lbs (4.2 lbs of that this past month)
My total “score,” inches + lbs: 36.5

I think I’m finally at the point where I start losing more than just inches. pounds are coming off. They’ve told me the first few months you’re building muscle, so even though you’re not losing weight, you’re losing fat and gaining muscle. A lot of people get discouraged at this, apparently.

w00t!

also, pics of the rearranged, somewhat reorganized, and definitely clean sun room are up at flickr. Clicky on the pic below!

Sadie's new view

Pimp my sedan

Published Tuesday, October 18, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

As I waited at a red light on my commute home yesterday, I noticed a white Mitsubishi sedan next to me that had those spinning hubcaps (or “dubs,” as I believe the kids call them these days). Seemed like a silly thing to have on a boring Mitsubishi, and I figured it was some kid who’s parents bought him a sensible car.

Nope. Middle aged asian woman, with equally middle aged caucasian friend passenger.

Awesome. When I hit 40, I’m getting spinners. For the minivan I’ll probably be driving.

Mostly Sadie weekend pics

Published Monday, October 17, 2005 in daily, dog and photos. 0 Comments

Somehow, I managed to keep my weekend both low key AND productive. Why I couldn’t spend the whole weekend in my PJ’s watching “what not to wear” (oh, the irony!) is beyond me.

I did managed to keep most of saturday easy going. But then I started to feel bad about how Sadie is cooped up inside with me in the really nice weather…and I just HAD to take her out. It’s been ages since we went to the dog park.

not thirsty!

There was one other dog there, a big friendly sheep dog named Noah. Sadie and Noah were getting along well, seemingly, wrestling around, playing, and having a doggy good time. But while Noah’s owner was nice and chatted with me, he seemed nervous about them playing.”Noah doesn’t like it when you touch his back. I mean, you can PET him there, but you can’t sneak up on him, or anything.”

ummm…OK. Most dogs are like that.

But I think the playing was making him uncomfortable, so he put Noah on a leash and made him sit still. Sadie was having none of it, and kept trying to get him to play with her. Not while he was on leash, though! I kept having to chase her away, so as not to upset Noah’s freak of a dad. They left soon after, and Sadie was left to her own devices.

Sniffing around

and then plopped down to keep guard from…I dunno, monsters and puppies, I guess.

Keeping guard

Then on to the farmer’s market where I bought way too much stuff.Sunday was church and then to…bleah. the lab. I just had to set up cultures, though, so while monotonous, not so terrible. It only took a little over an hour.

I’ve been on this soup kick lately. I keep craving different kinds of soup! So sunday I picked up some oxtails and made beef stock. I LOOOOVE the smell of stock working on the stove all day. Kev and I cleaned…CLEANED out the sun room. Cleaned that sucker good! My old gateway desktop was sitting unused and collecting dog hair, and the room had become a catchall for crap. Plus Sadie’s crate, toys, and food were all crammed in there. It was awkward to manuever around, and I hated being in there.

But I had Kev take down the computer - he can cannabilize parts from it for his computer puttering, allowing me to move Sadie’s crate AWAY from the windows and against the other wall. This opens up the WHOLE SPACE, and with some intense scrubbing, the windows are bright and clean and now that there’s not a crate blocking half of them, really brighten up the place! I don’t know how much I buy into feng shui…fung shai? Ummm…whatever, but with just cleaning and rearranging that room, my whole condo feels brighter and…just better.Sadie was a little wigged out by the moving of her crate. Dogs don’t like change. She fretted around nervously until we let her back in to her crate, she sat in there for 5 minutes, and then came back out and sat near me by the couch, wanting none of it. Giving her the scraps from the beef stock seemed to cheer her up, though.

yummy!

Oh yeah, I made beef barley soup with the stock. And potato pancakes. Mmmmmm!Pics coming soon of new and improved sunroom…before we tear it all up again to tile it, AND halloween decorations!

ps: going to Curves has given me really strong, toned legs. I’ve mentioned this before, and I’ll mention it again…having strong legs ROCKS. There are many interesting positional possibilities that we are exploring and very much enjoying. Not that they were impossible before, but better balance and more leg strength makes a world of difference

brain pudding

Published Friday, October 14, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Today my brain was mostly pudding. Chalk that up to a week of anxiety finally ending yesterday…aaand the fact that I slept in this morning and missed the monthly yeast meeting.

*pause for Julie to stop giggling*

are you done? good.

I am enjoying the knowledge that I do NOT HAVE TO GO IN TO THE LAB TOMORROW! I do have to go in Sunday, but saturday? SUCK IT! I’M STAYING RIGHT HERE!

actually, I’ll be going to curves, then maybe drag Kev to the farmer’s market with me. And I have to put up all these halloween decorations. So I won’t be able to be that lazy.

Tonight Kev is making leg of lamb on our rotisserie. I need to get started on the taters and asparagus.

Mmmm…god, I love the start of weekends!

DONE!

Published Thursday, October 13, 2005 in daily and science!. 0 Comments

It’s over.

It went well.

I got many compliments.

My committee told me to START WRITING PAPERS NOW, DAMMIT!

I no longer feel the urge to poop.

ahhhhhh….I feel good.

TMI of the day

Published Thursday, October 13, 2005 in daily and TMI. 0 Comments

Whenever I am nervous, I feel the nerves in my stomach. Actually…lower. My bowel.

I haven’t been able to time my talk properly because I KEEP RUNNING TO THE BATHROOM!

that is all.

t-minus 2 hours and 44 minutes until my seminar.

TAR’ed and feathered.

Published Wednesday, October 12, 2005 in daily and science!. 0 Comments

The title only makes sense to me, and anyone in my lab (or formally in the lab) who might read this.

HI BRENDA!

Just gave a practice run through for my seminar talk tomorrow. I have to make LOTS of changes, which isn’t anything new, but is still disheartening. At least I’ve managed to curb the nervous habit of slapping my leg while I talk.

Wish me luck!

boo’s and yay’s

Published Monday, October 10, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

boo: I got jury duty

yay: I get a year deferment since I’m a graduate student.

boo: There’s a wood screw in my front tire,. which explains why it’s kept losing air for the past few weeks.

yay: Kev let me take his car while he takes mine to Sam’s club to be repaired (it’s free for me there)

boo: it’s columbus day, and Sam’s club is packed. Kev gets frustrated at the wait and leaves.

boo: the data I got from last weeks experiment is confusing. If I had done 2 isolates instead of 4, it wouldn’t have been. this is what I get for being thorough.

boo: I have to give a seminar on thursday, and really need to figure out this data before then!

boo: I can’t figure out a good way to edit my talk down to 25 minutes worth of stuff, without leaving out a whole bunch of background, which without, will end up confusing people

yay: people are usually confused at my talks anyway, due to the nature of my research, so I won’t get too many questions.

yay: last night…hehehe…ummm…last night was…yeah. last night was VERY good…

boo: icky weather today

yay: I think my nails might be a little stronger….

UPDATE yay: Kev found another Sam’s club that didn’t have a 3 hour wait, so now my tires are patched, fully inflated, and rotated. sweet!

hair experimentation

Published Friday, September 30, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

Mosaic of hair experimentation
Originally uploaded by evilsciencechick.

Ask the Evils is in full swing, see post below, or click here if you’re lazy.

I dyed my hair tonight! I used the same brand I used last time - the kind that comes with both color AND highlights - but used a different color: brioche. My hair is now a VERY rich brown, with lighter redding highlights. That’s right, I am NO LONGER BLONDE! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE!

I’m freaking out a bit about this.

However, I do feel smarter…somehow…hmmmm…

It will take a few days to get used to, I think.

Meanwhile, Kev is enjoying this “new woman” thing - drastic hair cut, new color, it’s like I’m a different person. But he still gets to touch my boobies.

now on to more pleasant things…

Published Wednesday, September 28, 2005 in daily, food and photos. 0 Comments

again, if you’ve stumbed across this site, and actually know me, please read here first. Or check out my cool new “disclaimer” on my side bar.

BUT…on to bigger and better things! Things that have nothing to do with disturbing Yahoo searches! or Rachel Ray! or ex-girlfriends!

Let’s talk about…MY NEW HAIR CUT!

new hair cut

hair from the back

oooooo….LOOK HOW SHORT IT IS!and…how dark…it is…

yeah, most of the old highlights have been cut off. I’ve got a box of L’Oreal all ready. So this weekend, it’s DYE TIME, BABY!

What else have I been doing, you ask?

Why….making FLAUTAS!

from this yummy recipe.

flautas are fried…booo….but in healthy veggie oil, so yay!

pan fry
also, I realized later that when he said “goat cheese” he actually meant “feta.” I used actual creamy log-shaped goat cheese…which was YUMMY, but meant that occasionally, while frying a small blob of cheese would fall out into the hot oil…AND EXPLODE INTO A SPRAY OF SEARING HOT OIL ON MY FACE! I’m OK though.Big pile o’ flautas.
pile o' flautas
we dipped them in guacamole and scarfed good portion of them down. mmmmmmmm….

GOSH!

Published Sunday, September 25, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

You are Napoleon Dyanamite and a buttload of gangs
are trying to recruit you.Which Napoleon Dynamite character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Bow before my awesomeness.Today was a LOOONG ass day. Church this morning was a bit morbidly funny. The family from NO that will be moving in came to the service for the first time (right now all 13 of them are living at a Super 8 - ugh! we hope to finish getting the space fixed up very soon!). This was fine, except for two things:

The sermon was on the old testament text about God telling Moses to thwack a rock with his staff to get water so the Israelites will stop bitching (paraphrasing, of course).

Our anthem was a funky gospel arrangement called “wade in the water.”

All of which would have been perfectly cool…IF SOME OF THE PEOPLE AT THE SERVICE HADN’T JUST FLED HORRIBLE FLOODING AND HAD EVERYTHING THEY OWNED SWEPT AWAY BY…FUCKING WATER!

Oh well…it’s not like we PLANNED it that way….

Then a quick lunch at Surin of Thailand, the same people who own the noodle bowl place I’m so fond of. But instead of noodles I got this yummy appetizer of chunks of beef (chunks! but not fish) and lots of red onions in a spicy thick sauce that came with cabbage leaves to use to make wraps. Mmmmmmm…so good.

Then over to the Baptist church for a rehearsal with other choirs from the other churces in the area for next week’s World Communion service.

Then back to my church for a quick tour of the space for the evacuees.

Then to work.

Then to Walgreens.

and now…HOME!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

and deoderant 3-paks

Published Saturday, September 24, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

For a variety of reasons (ok…ONE reason: cheap car insurance) Kev and I joined Costco today. It’s not like there’s one close, we have to haul up to Gwinnet to get to one (Gwinnett is great! The water tower told me so!). So the danger of repeating today isn’t all that great.

What happened today?

I’m not sure, but it cost over $200, if you include the cost of membership.

Also, we’re all set with toilet paper and wheat thins for awhile. A very long while.

And I’ve got 1 out of 6 possible brownie mixes baking in the oven.

And I’ll have plenty of foil to wrap those brownies up in.

*sigh*

taking a dive

Published Wednesday, September 21, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

I was going to blog more about my frustrations with my supposedly “quick” and “easy” project and paper that is turning out to be more and more NOT “quick” and “easy.”

Or I could blog about how my knitpicks yarn came in today! And that I just started the smaller Knitty Satchel. Hooray!

Or I could blog about how I had another Curves weigh in today, and while I’m not losing any weight, my thighs continue to drop inches at an alarming rate, a rate way higher than any other part of my body. All together, I’ve lost 13 inches from my thighs - 6.5 inches from each. Pretty soon I will be a big ball of fat supported by pencil legs.

But what I WILL blog about is how 10 minutes ago, I finished taking Sadie for her last walk and poop of the day, with Kev keeping guard to make sure I’m not harrassed by perverts. I came back to where he was standing, at the top of the few steps leading up to the condos, and started up the steps, when I caught the toe of my flip flops on the ground, broke the toe strap, forcing my foot all the way forward, causing me to completely lose my balence, and falling face first on to the concrete steps.

My hands and elbow saved my face. My right elbow is sore, but otherwise OK. No damage to palms of hands.

But…

I have a huge scrape on my thigh, above my knee.

And…completely tore of the main callus on the bottom of my right foot.

It actually only slightly stings right now…but BOTH of these injuries are going to hurt like a SONUVABITCH tomorrow. I’m not sure how I’m going to walk - the callus was on the ball of my foot, where all my weight is put at the end of each step action.

Not good.

errrgh. my foot is REALLY starting to hurt. I cleaned it out and was liberal with the betadine. One of our undergrads in the lab got a cut on his foot over the summer that turned into a staph infection. YIKES!

Would bathing in betadine be wrong???

Ouch. Please excuse me, Kev is offering me some drugs.

ps: stupid blogger not letting me publish! “try again in 10 minutes” FUCK YOU! I’M HURT! AND IT’S LATE! AND THE DRUGS ARE KICKING IN! Will try again in the morning. Hey…maybe with pictures! and…purple elephants dancing on my coffee table with the happy bunny and green…

damn. these are good drugs.

Karaoke brought us together…

Published Saturday, September 17, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

The concert friday was AWESOME! Click title for more song action (again, probably iTunes only. sorry!)

After dinner at raging burrito, we walked over to Eddie’s attic. It wasn’t crowded, which was good, because I didn’t buy our tickets online ahead of time like Elizabeth and Michael did. In fact, we were able to get a table, which was VERY cool, since table reservations were $42, and we only paid the $8 price.

The opening act was a guy named Brad Passons. He was very good, and very funny! I think he improvised a lot the words on the spot - he asked the audience for the name of a pretty girl, and Michael told him “Elizabeth!” Elizabeth was MORTIFIED and said “nooo!” Then Brad kept mentioning in the rest of his songs how “Elizabeth hates me.” It was damn funny. We chatted with him after his set. He had 2 cd’s, but we could only afford to buy one each, so he gave us permission to buy and copy it for the other. How cool was he?

It got a little more crowded before Danielle Howle came on. A group of 4 girls sat at the table in front and to the left of us. They ordered drinks and shots right away, and were loud and giggly. I knew this wasn’t going to be good.

It wasn’t. It was OBVIOUS they had no idea who Danielle was. They treated the night like they were at a bar that had live entertainment, rather than a concert venue that had a bar. They talked and laughed the whole time. They kept acting like “ooo..look at us everybody! we’re LESBIANS! we’re sloppy drunk and obnoxious! watch us KISS!”

Ugh.

But Danielle managed to ignore them and put on a GREAT set. It’s hard to explain her style…southern folk funk rock? She sings with her whole body. And she’s shy and hyper all at the same time, interacting with the audience and telling stories, but sometimes making not a lot of sense as she nervously talked too fast and not realizing we don’t live in her mind. But it was in a cute, not annoying, way.

At one point, she sang one of my favorite songs of the CD I have, Karaoke. I softly sang along, and she could see that I knew all the words and kept grinning at me. She messed up one of the verses, saw my confusion, apologized to me quickly, then went back and repeated the section with the right words. How cute was she??? We laughed about it when I talked to her afterwards. “you knew all the words! and then I messed up, so I had to go back and fix it.”

I bought her new live cd as well. My mini floweth over! I had to borrow $20 off Kev to buy both Brad and Danielle’s cds, and he told me that I am going to REALLY have to work it off to pay him back (ooohhh noooo!).

She played late, and then a quick encore. We didn’t get home until after 1, after a quick run through the mcdonald’s drive through for a vanilla shake. Mmmm…shake.

Today I ran some errands, worked in the lab, cleaned, and….oh yeah, met Julie. But more about that later…with pics!

happy working girl

Published Friday, September 16, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

It is a beautiful thing to enjoy work again.

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friday rant

Attention musicians. I sort of understand the concept of the “hidden” track on your cd’s. It’s a nice little bonus for your fans, and you get to throw in your funky experimental stuff that maybe your label thinks might be a little avant-guard for the main cd. this is fine.

But PLEASE don’t put 10 FUCKING MINUTES OF BLANK AIR in between the last song and your dirty little secret. It’s REALLY FUCKING ANNOYING….especially on my mini, where I’m left wondering if my battery’s dead, or if I just had a stroke.

Keep it a minute or less.

Thank you.

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busy busy busy

Tonight…if I get out of work on time, we’re meeting some friends at the Raaaaaging Burrito (woohoo!) and then going to see a concert at a small venue in Decatur that I’ve never been to before but I’ve heard it’s pretty cool.

***UPDATE***
alright, check the comments for her name (I’m avoiding google searches) Here is one of my fav songs.

Tomorrow I need to WORK OUT (I haven’t gotten to Curves all week! I can FEEL my muscles atrophying!), get to the lab for a bit, then hopefully I’ll get a call from a hung over Julie, and make plans. It will involve drinking. And knitting. And it will ROCK!

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speaking of knitting

I “re”felted my tote bag. I’ll post pics when it’s dry. It definately shrunk some more, but the felting it a lot more even. Yay!

post of frothy rage and some random bits

Published Wednesday, September 14, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Today really REALLY sucked. Let’s not talk about today.

Bag lady
My bag was a big hit….BUT…I’m a little concerned. The felting isn’t as even as I had hoped it would be. The top and bottom are spot on, but the middle section is still not there. Can I re-felt? Does anyone know? KNITTER POWERS, ACTIVATE!

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Whatever I WANT to do! GOSH!
How lame and behind the times am I? Kev and I finally saw Napoleon Dynamite tonight. IDIOT! GOSH!

A friend of mine told me that we wouldn’t really laugh while watching it, but as soon as it was over, we’d start cracking up. This was true.

“You know, there’s like a butt-load of gangs at this school. This one gang kept wanting me to join because I’m pretty good with a bo staff.”

BWAAHAHAHAHA!

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Why don’t you go fuck yourself?
Anyone else annoyed by those “have a happy period” commercials? The only time I’ve ever been happy about my period is when I was a little bit worried that I wasn’t going to GET one. You think a PAD is going to make me happy??? NOT UNLESS IT COMES WITH PERCOCET, BITCH!

A lot of commercials are irritating me these days. There’s some kind of painkiller war going on. I hate the one with the EXTREME closeup of the woman’s face, spreading paranoia that ibuprofen could be EATING YOU FROM THE INSIDE OUT! YOU WOULDN’T KNOW! YOU’D DROP DEAD ONE DAY! OH MY GOD! FUCKING IBUPROFEN!!!! So even though it worked perfectly well, she switched to tylanol, which couldn’t pain kill it’s way out of a tissue. Leave me and my stomach dissolving ibuprofen and aleeve alone.

The commercial I love above all others is the AARP ad with Ping. The guy who clones himself. YES! I WOULD LIKE A PING OF MY VERY OWN! How cute is Ping? All commercials should have Ping in them!

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random computer bugs
this is weird…my cut and paste don’t work…UNLESS I open up the clipboard. Just by having it open, I can ctrl-C and ctrl-V. But next time I reboot, it won’t work again, and I’ll have to open up the clipboard.

Anyone know anything about this? WHY DOES MY LAPTOP GET WEIRDO BUGS???

(cause it’s CHEAP, ESC! YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!)

shut up. GOSH!

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serenity now
There was a lot of rage in this post.

So let’s all just relaaaaxxx…with a Sadie pic! This is what Sadie does while I’m sitting on the couch on my laptop.

OK…are you done yet??? It’s “me” time now!

reeetreeeeeeat!

Published Saturday, September 10, 2005 in daily, misc and food. 1 Comment

The retreat was fun! Got there around 5:30 with my bottle of wine and chocolate cake. Sat and drank and munched while everyone trickled in.

Can I just say OH MY FUCKING GOD THAT CAKE IS THE BEST GODDAMNED CAKE I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!!!!! It was instant orgasm for everyone there. Beth, who was the reason I made the cake in the first place because of her gluten allergy, DEMANDED that I email her the recipe. I got lots of requests for it, actually. Later that night, a guy from another group staying at the calvin center tried a small piece and asked me to write out the recipe for him. I hope I got it right from memory, after a few glasses of wine! He has my email, so if I wrote something like “…then take the goat down to jiffy lube…” he can get in touch with me.

I posted the recipe here, and it’s featured in my “recipe of the day” in the sidebar. I strongly suggest you all go out and make it RIGHT NOW! It looks more complicated than it is. You don’t even need a fancy double boiler. Just do what I did - a pot of simmering water and a couple really big bowls. I am soooooo greatful to Sunni for the recipe, and will have to think of some very nice way of thanking her

Anyway, we played a couple of rounds of music and biblical jeapordy, which my team sucked at, but we still won quality prizes of rubber monster finger puppets and gold-esque adjustable rings. YOU ARE JEALOUS!

We stayed up WAY too late drinking and laughing and eating….lots of eating. Our new associate pastor was there with us, and I found out, disturbingly enough, that he’s YOUNGER THAN ME!!! I AM SOOO OOOOOLD!

Today was spent in rehearsals - we’ve started advent music! ack! holidays! I am clinging to summer with all my strength, but it doesn’t seem to be working.

I made friends with some geese on the lake. Literally. The started honking when Jess and I approached so we honked back. This either made them happy or seriously pissed them off (how can you tell with geese, really?) because they followed us around the lake. The gander got pretty close - close enough to bite at my hand. Stupid geese. It was funny, though, the more we honked back at them, the more interested in us they were.

ESC: the goose whisperer.

There was an evacuee family staying at the center. They had gotten out before the hurricane hit, but they had lost everything. It was a huge family. They were musicians, too, and had lost their instruments. What a perfect choir mission! We’re going to see what we can do for them. They were just the nicest people, and even though I didn’t get a chance to talk to them as much as some other people in the choir, I still got a big hug from the mother - I wanted to cry. I WANT TO DO MORE! Our church is also going to set up an area for a family. I signed up to help provide toiletries, bedding, clothing, etc. I have a ton of acrylic yarn laying around, I should start on an afghan!

insert non-awkward transition between two completely unrelated topics here

We signed up for broadband tonight - Best buy is running a sweet deal through comcast - with rebates, modem and install kit are free, plus you get a $50 best buy card (in the mail…poop!) and the service is only $20 a month for 6 months. Then goes up to basically what we’re paying for DSL now. Sooo…we’ll save some money and get faster internet. sweet. Kev will install it tomorrow. Surely there will be no difficulties….

I am lacking in sweaty hot monkey love. Tonight I will demand satisfaction. He must comply. COMPLY!

behemoth

Published Wednesday, August 31, 2005 in daily and craftiness. 0 Comments

progress report
clicky = biggie

seriously, it’s HUGE! and UNGAINLY! and NOT FINISHED!

my evening schedule has become:

1. get home from work
2. make and eat dinner
3. knit and watch tv
4. nookie of some sort (yay nookie! and toys!)
5. knit until my eyes water and my brain turns to mush
6. crawl into bed way too late

tuesday tiddies

Published Tuesday, August 30, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Knit Owl

I thought, foolishly so, that by remaining “invisible” on yahoo IM that I would not be chatting with other time zones into all hours of the night, and therefore get to bed earlier.

Foolish mortal.

Now I KNIT! I KNIT INTO THE NIGHT!

Last night I was obsessed with getting to the third color on my tote bag. That means I’m 2/3 of the way done. What time did I get to the first row of green? 1:30am.

Seriously, I need help

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oddity

We have an autoclave that is shared by the 3 labs that occupy the “open lab design” here. Usually, the autoclaves smells like badly burnt sugar and dead things.

Today, it smells like vanilla.

Why? Who knows? But it smells like freshly baked cookies back there.

Later, I will ruin it by autoclaving my bag full of used yeasty plates.

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sad

another reason I was late this morning is because I was glued to the TV, watching the devastating aftermath of Katrina.

I had been hoping to visit New Orleans soon. It’s always been on my list of places that I really wanted to go. Kev and I had talked about it a while back…

But now…is it changed forever? Will New Orleans ever be the same?

And for all those affected, I know I can offer no consolation, but my prayers are with them all.

A few “fingers” made it through atlanta. Last night it brough thunder and rain. Today the wind whips through the trees, and large puffy clouds zip through the sky. I can’t believe that the origins of this cooling wind caused so much devastation

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Spaghetti inside

Buy a shirt from BoingBoing and support the National Center for Science Education (NCSE). (clicky the pic above)

What the hell is the Flying Spaghetti Monster? DO YOU LIVE IN A CAVE???

Origins here.

Couch snake

Published Wednesday, August 24, 2005 in daily and craftiness. 0 Comments

Last night I dreamt I was sitting on a large white couch - like mine, but huuuuge - with lots of other people that I didn’t know. Somehow, a nest small poisonous snakes got loose in the couch. Little nasty baby snakes were hiding all through the cushions. There was a woman who seemed to be “in charge” who said that all the snakes had been taken care of, but I kept seeing more. And you couldn’t kill them by chopping them up, because the little pieces of snake would still come slithering at you.

Finally, someone handed me a can of snake killing spray. As I sat on the couch, several long snakes appeared from behind the cushions. I sprayed one, and it reared up at me, hissing, with it’s fangs expose. I sprayed and sprayed and sprayed, until finally the snake fell over dead. I kept telling people that there were MORE SNAKES and that it was NOT OK!

It never seemed to occur to any of us to get off the damn couch.

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knitter bug

I finished my poncho last night. I tried to take pics of myself wearing it this morning in the mirror, but they didn’t turn out so well. Maybe tonight I’ll get Kev to take some.

Now I just have to wait patiently for my supplies from knitpicks to come in so I can start on the tote bag.

*patiently waiting*

*drums fingers on desk*

*glances at watch*

*patiently waiting*

SCREW IT! I WANT MY YARN NOW BITCHES!!!!

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health update

feeling much better today. I got home last night and just crashed on the (snakeless) couch. I was supposed to go to Curves, but I just felt too crappy. My right side ached - phantom gall bladder pains!

But this morning I felt MUCH better. And I’m happily noshing on a Thai Kitchen soup bowl (pretty good, actually, first time I’ve tried it) and…Doritos. (certain people will laugh when they read that.)

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UPDATE

MY YARN CAME IN!!!

shit, now I have to learn how to knit in the round, knit on double pointed, pick up stitches…and…felt. ack! what made me think I could do this? too many new skills in one project!!!!

So long, suckers!

Published Friday, August 19, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

well, we’re ALMOST off! I’m about to leave work, head home, throw everything in my car, pray I don’t forget anything, and then pick up Kev at work.

AND THEN…

peace.

and there will be no blogging (or blobbing, which as a term, I like MUCH better than blogging). No computer. No games. No madville or fark.

*twitch*

*twitch* *twitch*

I’m sure we’ll be fine. Kev will spend some time fishing. I spent EVEN MORE money on yarn and knitting needles last night for my quick weekend project, and in prep for my tote bag kit that should arrive next week.

OK…menu for the weekend:

Friday Dinner: cheeseburgers on the grill. Grilled Squash and Zuccini with Italian seasoning. Saffron Rice.

Saturday breakfast: cereal (shut up. not ever meal is gourmet)

Saturday Lunch: cheese and potato soup with biscuits

Satuday Dinner: THICK JUICY NEW YORK STRIP STEAK on the grill. Baked Potatos. Spinach Salad.

Dessert: Puddin’

Sunday Breakfast: cereal..again.

Kev will get his grilling fix, that’s for sure. He’s been deprived since moving in with me - we’re not allowed to have grills on balconys in georgia. So his grill sits alone and neglected in storage. But this cabin COMES with a grill.

And did I mention the hot tub? HOT TUB! And did I mention we’re NOT bringing bathing suits? heeheehee…

And I’ll take plenty of pics. Of the cabin and pretty woodland surroundings and the lake. I’ll take OTHER pics as well, but none of you will see those.

Everyone else have a great weekend! Doing…what, cleaning? laundry?

*snicker*

suckers

daily annoyances

Published Monday, August 15, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

#1. this morning I was sitting with traffic at a light, when it turned green. I was in the left lane, with a large truck way up in front, and it was taking it’s good sweet time to get moving. I survey the lane to the right of me, there was a large gap between the car that just passed me, and the pick up truck behind him - several car lengths worth, plus that lane wasn’t even close to full speed yet.

So I flicked on my turn signal and went for it.

mr truck did NOT like that, and angrily beeped at me. I ignored him - dude, get over it. I didn’t cut you off, there was plenty of room in front of you, and you didn’t even have to tap your brakes because you weren’t moving very fast at all, as the light had JUST turned green.

but mr truck did not let it go. I got into the rightmost lane and sped along, happily drinking my morning coffee. Mr truck sped up, passed some people, and flew by me, laying on the horn.

at this point, the finger was in order. get a life, sir.

#2. I was perusing etsy, as I have been doing more and more lately (but I haven’t bought anything…yet), and found some beautiful yarn I would like to purchase (no, I’m not telling you which because you’ll STEAL it from me). But I need to know if I can combine shipping from one seller. But before I can contact the seller, I have to register. Fine. I got through the process, and the site tells me I have to wait for an email and click on the link provided to confirm the registration. Pretty standard.

Exept that it was 5 hours ago and I STILL HAVEN’T GOTTEN THE EMAIL! I even reregestered with a different username and email account. Nothing. Nada. Apparently, Etsy has been BoingBoing‘ed, and everything is running painfully slow. pbbth.

BUT I WANT THE YAAAA-AAAARN!

#3. There are remains of a hard boiled egg - shards of shell and fragments of yolk and white - on the floor in one of the stalls of the ladies room.

My mind shudders away from the implications.

I mean, I know if you’re in there for a long time, you might get hungry…but…

ew.

Length alert - with the dirty bit close to the beginning

Published Sunday, August 14, 2005 in daily, craftiness and photos. 0 Comments

I got SO MANY RECIPES sent in! Even some…FROM LURKERS! AND NEW PEOPLE WHO JUST STUMBLED BY!

You guys rock.

Now I have to go about getting the up on the recipe site. HOW COOL IS THAT?

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

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Spoons on Sunday

Today I went to church for the first time since June. The choir had July off…soo…I just decided I needed a break. I had rotated off the session, so my responsibilites have dropped considerably. And I had been dangerously approaching burnout.

But I set the alarm to wake up this morning - annnnd…I nearly didn’t make it.

Something about me waking up for church makes Kev so horny. I don’t think it’s the church aspect that’s doing it, I believe it’s the fact that I don’t need to wake at the crack of dawn to go to church, but it’s early enough that we’re not sore and exhausted from doing our sleep-in-waaaaay to late Saturday-type routine (why does sleeping until 11 make you tired ALL DAY???). So my alarm goes off this morning, and on cue, Kev rolls over and snuggles up to me, pulling me tight against him.

Mmmmmm…

Have I mentioned before how much the spooning position relaxes me? It’s the pressure on my back…especially the lower back..that does it for me. And just feeling his body along the whole length of my body…*chills*

Well, it wasn’t long until I felt him hardening against me. Another amazing feeling, and I automatically pushed back slightly to really feel his cock pressing up against my butt and thighs.

Spooning led to rubbing which led to kissing and nibbling…

and all that, of couse led to…ahem…well, you know….

all in all, it’s amazing I got to church on time.

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Weekend Warriors

After church I stopped at an Ace hardware to see if they had any nice mailboxes. I’m getting my mom a new mailbox for her birthday. The one they have now is a painted aluminum that’s pretty beat up and peeling. I’ve seen some nice ones online - copper! for $88! but still it never hurts to check out actual stores. off-line shopping, if you will.

Sooo…they have some nice ones, but nothing I’m looking for. So I wander around because I love hardware stores - so many projects! So much fun! A project that’s waiting to be done is cleaning up and re-upholstering my grandparents rocking chair.

rocking chair

It’s got a horrible orange striped velour like material on it. ugh. My father upholtered it years and years ago for my grandparents. When I decided to take the chair, he recommending a good cleaning, minwax, and reupholstering.

So while I was at Ace’s, I picked up some minwax. Hooray! Project!

And since I was out and thinking about the chair, I decided to head over to a fabric store to pick up the fabric I would use to reupholster. I found some GORGEOUS blue velvety stripes with mulicolored background - bad description…here!

fabric for chair

pretty, no? I bought enough for the chair, and maybe a pillow or two…for only $18!

Anyway, when i got home, I remembered I had ANOTHER project waiting for me…the hardware I had gotten from Ikea (IKEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!) for my kitchen cabinets.

I surveyed the landscape. Hmmmmm….ew. Cabinets are greasy. Very greasy. I hate having an oven vent that doesn’t actually vent to the outside. Grease everywhere. I should clean off the cabinets before putting on the hardware.

Ta-da! I have Greased Lightening! So I wipe down the cabinets, pulling off a DISGUSTING AMOUNT OF GRIME OH MY GOD MY KITCHEN IS FILTHY. But I’ve probably taken off a bit of the finish with the greased lightening…

MINWAX!

USEFUL FOR ALL THINGS! WHY DON’T YOU HAVE MINWAX? IT WILL SOLVE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS!

bankrupcy? MINWAX!

divorce? MINWAX!

constipation? MINWAX!

So I minwax my cabinets and WOW PRESTO! Hey, I have nice cabinets!

Now it’s time for the hardware. Now Kev gets involved, because if you measure wrong the project becomes a complete disaster. UNEVEN HARDWARE! NOT EVEN MINWAX CAN FIX!

Kev takes over the project at this point. I am allowed to drill a few holes, that’s it. So while he’s busy measuring and cutting out cardboard templates, I start on the chair.

I know I need to save the fabric because that will become my template for the new upholstry.

The first part - removing the back pad - is easy. It’s just held on with a few finishing nails. Easy. NEXT!

Now I flip the chair over. Hmmm…the bottom fabric is held on one side with tacks, and then sewed on the other three. I steal Kev’s leatherman tool, and start prying out tacks. And more tacks.
grrrr! chair monster!

and once i get THAT off, there’s more tacks holding on the main fabric. LOTS OF TACKS! MY DAD WENT TACK CRAZY!!!

can't say it's not secure!

My hands are sore from prying out so many tacks.

that's alot of tacks

The springs are in good shape, but the padding is shot - it disintigrates into cottony confettie when I pull the fabric off. So I call Dad - for advice on my next move, and to yell at him for all the tacks.

He tells me that the tacks are neccessary - all of them.

No, I can’t use a staple gun isntead. damn.

Fun fact from my dad: professional upholsterers use “sterile tacks” which they hold in their mouth and use a magnetized hammer to pull on out at a time and nail it in without having to hold it with their hands. Ew. (”you will not be doing this” “yeah, no kidding”)

He tells me to find an upholstery supply store to get the materials I need - or a fabric store if I can’t find one. I need more padding. I need a new “barrier” thing to keep the springs from sticking up through the padding. I need tacks….DAMN!

He says I can call him if I need more help. I level with him.

“dad, I am your true daughter. this chair will stay naked like this for 3 or 4 more months before I get around to working on it again.”

So the chair is stripped, but still dirty and un-minwaxed. Maybe I’ll get to it this week.

In the meantime, Kev finished the cabinets. They look GREAT! I was sick of my hardware-less cabinets. I was always breaking nails - which is painful.

Anyway, wanna see? Click to make them bigger so you can appreciate how clean and shiny they are…MINWAX!

cleaned cabinets and hardware

new hardware

drawer handles

Didn’t he do a nice job? So as a reward, I made grilled sockeye salmon filets with wasabe mashed potatoes and a fresh veggie salad with sesame dressing. Mmmmm! Yeah yeah, mashed potatoes. But we deserved it for working so hard!

Curves Update

Published Saturday, August 13, 2005 in daily and food. 0 Comments

ooooh noo! the dreaded weigh in!

how did I do?

Well, let’s see…

the past month I’ve lost 1.8 lbs. hmmm…not so impressive…BUT…since joining…

I’ve lost 1.5% of my total body fat %- that’s 4.3 fat lbs that became muscle (well, not BECAME, but you know what I mean)

1 inch off the boobies

2 inches off waist

3.5 inches off each thigh

and a little off here and there…

so my “score” to date with curves, which is inches + lbs…is 17.5! hooray!

I would actually like to lose weight…NOT just inches. Which probably means…more drastic diet change. Actually, I know my problem is portion control…ANOTHER BOWL OF PASTA PLEASE! NO! bad ESC…bad!

So that’s going to an issue with self control.

BUT if anyone has any yummy healthy recipes they’d like to share, let me know! Email me the recipe at evilsciencechick (at) gmail (dot) com, and I put it up on the recipe site AND feature it on my RECIPE OF THE DAY feature down on my side bar here. Which currently features…cheesy potatoes. And I’m thinking the person who gave me that recipe was just being a leeeetle bit sarcastic when she said they were COMPLETELY FAT FREE. They are most certainly not…BUT…they are yummy. So they can be an “every once in a while” indulgence food.

chapped

Published Friday, August 12, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

I forgot my chapstick today. This is not good. This will be hell. I NEED MY CHAPSTICK!!!

Not to mention my pounding headache. I need to start getting more sleep. But then I would miss out on the BEST IM conversations:

with se7en: on how I can waste MORE hours of my life rearranging my recipe blog

with DrDave: on embarassing WV relatives names and vanilla vodka

with Tinyhands: on the benefits of smelling good for women

with Rachel: on the risky side effects of great sex, such as difficulties walking, bloody scratches, embarassing bite marks.

see? how could I MISS that???

ohhh…my head….

A ray of good news: my program seminar has been pushed back a few weeks, giving me more time to try to get my strains and actually have data to present. hooray!

**************************
band name!

Brenda is gone, and has left me in charge of “the OFFICIAL list of potential band names.”

names on this list:

1. antagonistically pleiotrophic

2. cool potential

3. pressboard hallway

4. inappropriate use of the comma

5. the face of monkey terror

6. the slope of death

7. palpable testosterone

8. license to shoot plants

9. dangling candy

10. grumpy puppet

11. dorf and the dubious adhesions

12. licking historical items

13. transitional pope

Not so long a list, but we come up with a lot more that are funny, but not list-worthy. and yeah yeah, most of these are sciencey related - because they are taken from actual journal articles. but who knew journal articles were so entertaining? It’s like the time I found an article in Nature about a species of duck with a very long penis…26cm, going to 33cm erect. 33CM!!!! And the reason that Brenda and I laughed about this for DAYS, was NOT because hey, look, a duck with a big wang….BUT..because it was some POOR GRADUATE STUDENTS JOB TO MEASURE DUCK PENI!!!! AND not only to measure regular duck peni….ERECT DUCK PENI!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!

“so what do you do in grad school?”

“I arouse ducks and measure their pensises.”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!! no, really.”

“ummm…”

Sooooo…next time you think maybe scientists don’t have a sense of humor, just remember…ERECT DUCK PENI!!!

I’m adding that to the list.

More Ikea fun, kids!

Published Tuesday, August 9, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Let’s play a fun game! Below is a list of things I bought. Match the silly swedish Ikea name to the product.

1. Vickning————————-a. lazy susan

2. Granat—————————b. cabinet hardware

3. Kosing—————————c. pillow

4. Skubb—————————-d. mortar and pestle

5. Snudda—————————e. shoe organizer

******************
Fun fact: did you know that Ikea shops at Target? All thoughout the showrooms, there are accessories that help you to visualize what Ikea’s furniture would look like at YOUR house an apartment. There are clothes hanging in the wardrobe, shoes in the shoe rack, etc. ALL THESE THINGS ARE FROM TARGET. They are Mossimo brand. Isn’t that funny?

******************
I think I’ve got Kev convinced oabout the new counters. I’m going to drag him with me next time I go, so he can look at them. But I’m definately getting the faucet.

Hooray!

shöping

Published Monday, August 8, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

***update***
I just found out that none of the Ikea links here work. I’m not sure why. Ikea must not like people linking to their site. but if you’re really interested, just go to ikea.com and find them yourself - it’s not hard.
********

This morning we celebrated N’s birthday with strawberry ice cream shortcakes! hooray for liquid nitrogen! this time we went fancier. I used a recipe I found for strawberry ice cream, and made the custard mix for it Sunday.

Today was also our lab trip to Ikea (very productive day, huh?). The one thing I REALLY REALLY WANTED…was a rail with S-hooks to hang my kitchen utensils on. But guess what they were fresh out of? Poop!

They also had a great kitchen faucet for $29, which was too good a deal to pass up. BUT just when I went back to get it…their computers went down. Apparently, they have to “order” it from the warehouse. Stupid! And I couldn’t just go to the warehouse and get it myself. I had people waiting for me, and a cartload of stuff I’d already planned on buying, so I admitted defeat and left.

BUT…what does that all mean? ANOTHER TRIP TO IKEA SOON! HOORAY!

what DID I get?

two pillows for my couch, in blue
a table top lazy susan
a mortar and pestle
a set of 3 cork trivets
hardward knobs and handles for my kitchen and bathroom cabinets
a hanging shoe organizer

all for $39.

I rock.

and I’m DROOOLING over some flooring and countertops. Maybe…a few months…

***********
fåt

I have completely ruined…RUINED all my efforts at Curves for the past MONTH by scarfing down not one, but TWO swedish cinnamon rolls (what makes them swedish, anyway? I didn’t taste any lingonberries…).

mmmmmm…sugar rush…….

On Target…

Published Sunday, August 7, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Saturday I slept in WAY too late. I had to scramble to get to Curves in time to workout - they close at noon on saturdays! I had a busy day planned, though. I was going to work out, then run into the lab for an hour, then go home, shower, make the taco dip for the party at my advisor’s house, then go to Target, then get home, grab Kev and the dip, and be at boss lady’s by 6.

Right.

The first and last part went OK. But after I showered and made the dip, I crashed. For some reason, my cramps returned with a VENGENCE. So I just layed on the couch.

Ladies, don’t you love it when you take some pain medication for cramps, and then you lay down and are in that half sleep half wake stage, and the pain pills kick in? And your cramps just sort of…drift away…and the relief is sooooo….wonderful…and you just want to lie there for hours, feeling the waves of pain relief just wash over you…

Maybe it’s just me.

We did get to the cookout on time, which was A BLAST! It was bittersweet, since it was a goodbye for Brenda (who’s last day is this thursday). But SO MUCH FUN! Boss lady’s husband has a Big Green Egg, and he smoked a pork loin….mmmmmm…..and all the rest of the food that people brought was very yummy. I was soooo stuffed! Beans seemed very popular…bake beans, mixed bake beans, and bean salad. So…ummm….you might want to stand upwind there…sorry.

I saved Target for today. Why oh WHY do all my expensive personal care items run out at the same time??? Face lotion, body lotion, hair gel….WHAT ELSE CAN I RUN OUT OF????

Venus razor cartridges.

GAH! EVEN WORSE!!!

so….it was a $90 trip. and it would have been MORE, but I forced myself to put back a nice teal purse. I need a fall/winter purse (shut UP, yes I DO!!!), and I REALLY liked the one I found - big, teal shoulder bag with two inner compartments, for $23! *sigh* maybe can find one on sale later…

Now I am trapped at work. It’s pouring down rain again, thundering and lightening. I need to make a quick stop at the grocery store before heading home…but I’m not going out in THAT. Kev is at his friends house, working on his car. Well, SUPPOSED to be. But with the rain, they’re probably playing computer games and drinking beer. I won’t see him until tonight, I’m sure.

*******************
best cute story of the weekend:

at the party on saturday, people in the lab brought their kids. a little 5 year old, T, was there, but very shy. he hid on his father’s lap for most of the evening. I asked him how his birthday party earlier in the day was, but he just burried his head in his dad’s chest.

his dad tried to draw him out:

“T, ESC asked you a question. what do you say?”

T, still muffled in his father’s shirt:

“tank you”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!

later, the kids discovered Dance Dance Revolution in the basement. There were two pads, and kids enjoyed playing each other. Then little T wanted to race his older sister. But his legs weren’t big enough to stretch over the mat, as hard as he tried! So he jumped on the right arrow, while Brenda helped him out on the left arrow. And they won! He was so happy!

AWWWWWW!!!!

warning: bitchiness follows

Published Thursday, August 4, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

want some cheese with that?

Ugh. Got the period today. I have NO CALL to complain, because I’m on the “every 9 weeks” birth control pill plan…so I only get it a few times a year. Still…I shall whine….oooooooowwwwwwwwww! My cramps huuuuUUUUUUUUURRrrrrrt!!! Still…loving the Insteads.

My eyes have gone from hurty to itchy. What up, eyes? wtf?

***********************
geeking out for dummies

This is a cool little animation from NOVA that explains something called RNAi. But it also has a nice little recipe/chef analogy for how DNA -> RNA -> proteins. Just click on the “show metaphor” link.

**********************
wow it’s hot

Do you just want to smack all news and weather people who insist on telling you how hot it is? WE KNOW IT’S HOT PEOPLE! THAT’S WHY I’M DRENCHED AS SOON AS I WALK OUTSIDE! I’M NOT STUPID - I KNOW IT’S NOT RAINING!

I also want to smack people who try to make small talk about the weather. “hoo boy, hot enough for ya?” *smack* Yep, and now you’re hot AND in pain. suck it.

I think maybe the heat is making me a little cranky. Think?

*********************
daily food droolings

last night I made udon noodle/stir fry soup, and sesame chicken skewers. If you ask me nicely, I may post the recipe.

and if you don’t ask, I might do it anyway. SUCK IT!

don’t MESS WITH ME I’M FUCKING HOT AND CRAMPY!!!!

sorry.

sorry about that.

I love you guys.

seriously.

*ouch*

*sweat*

hump day randoms

Published Wednesday, August 3, 2005 in daily, misc and conversations. 0 Comments

together too long

we’re squished up on the couch together, Kev resting his head on my chest. we’re watching Rachel Ray enjoy Sante Fe on $40 a day (which rhymes). She’s watching some kids play kickball.

Rachel Ray: I’ve kicked a mean ball in my past.

Kev and I…SIMULTANEOUSLY: I’ll bet you HAVE!

(laughter and tickling)

Kev: you’re going to blog this, aren’t you?

***********************
From the whiney complaint department

My eyeballs hurt and I don’t know why. And I’m out of Excedrin at work. OOOWWWEEEEEE!!!!

*********************
Random racisim

I answered the phone at work today, and it was our departmental manager - the woman who knows who to call when something breaks, goes out, or floods. She was calling about an email request from someone else in the lab for some extra office furniture…it was all very confusing. She ended up yelling..ok, talking VERY LOUDLY at me about how LAB GODDESS SAID YOU DIDN’T NEED A FILE CABINET WHY DID POST-DOC SEND AN EMAIL?? ASK THE CHINESE GIRL!!! WHO IS THAT CHINESE GIRL??? ASK THE CHINESE GIRL!!!

and my brain just stopped, because I knew she was talking about N, who is Korean and very sensitive about racial issues. And I couldn’t even come up with a response, because as she was yelling my brain kept screaming STOP SAYING CHINESE!!! STOP….SAYING….CHINESE!!!!!

Not that I would expect her to know N is from Korea, but christ, PLEASE don’t assume all people of asian descent are CHINESE!!! AT LEAST SAY “ASIAN!!!”

or even better….LEARN HER NAME, she’s BEEN HERE FOR 2 YEARS!!!!

I handed the phone to our lab goddess, because I couldn’t deal WITH THE YELLING!!!

CHINESE!!!

CHINEEEEEESE!!!!!

******************************
Because you can’t leave here not hungry

Last night I made beef and bean tacos for dinner. Today I met a friend for lunch at Top Spice and we both had panang curries.

Tonight I’m going to try out some stir fry over Japanese udon noodles.

My stomach is a multi cultural melting pot. I think tomorrow we’ll have to eat hot dogs or fried chicken, so we’re not labelled anti-american and rumsfeld knocks down the front door in a homeland security raid.

in the meantime, she can read the classifieds

Published Tuesday, August 2, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

No stinky surprises this morning, and she kept down the rice and canned food mix I fed her for breakfast.

Hopefully, there will be nothing gross waiting for me when I get home. There are newspapers covering her crate and the whole floor area of the sun room - so I hope if there is a surprise, it will be a contained one.

******************************
güd-bye

Is it next week yet? I’d really like for it to be next week, because on monday, we’re taking a LAB TRIP TO IKEA! So far, this is not advisor sanctioned. We debated whether or not to tell her, but figured if she walked in on monday afternoon and her entire lab was GONE, she might get suspicious. So we’ll probably tell her, but blame it on Brenda.

Brenda is leaving us - she got a post-doc position at MIT.

WAAAHHHHH!!!!

I am REALLY going to miss her. Even though our projects have been very different, we still help each other out a lot. Also, she’s been a good friend to me - calming me down when I break down in tears. And I’ve calmed HER down the few times SHE’S broken down. She’s probably the person in the lab I get along with the best. There’s still another grad student, A, who’s a couple years younger. It’s not that A and I don’t get along…it’s just that I think we’re very different people. Brenda and I have always gotten along swimmingly. I think we have the same sense of humor. And we have the BEST late in the day, only people left in the lab, non-scientific discussions. Including a HYSTERICAL conversation in which I tried to describe and then DRAW OUT what an uncircumcised penis looks like. BWAAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!! That was great. We also share the same non-shame in discussing the most intimate and delicate things, such as periods and cramps, detailed surgical procedures, and boobs.

WHO WILL I HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH NOW????

I’m going to miss her like crazy.

Next wednesday will be her last day. Saturday, our advisor is throwing a pot luck BBQ for her. It will be a bittersweet farewell: good, because it proves that there IS life after grad school, and bad, because I think I will be lonely in the lab without her.

ANYWAY, we’re using that as an excuse to play hooky for an afternoon and check out the new IKEA, maybe splurge on some swedish meatballs. Mmmmmmm!

*******************
shameless plugs for the recipe site:

I posted the BEST BEAN SOUP RECIPE EVER.

Riz posted a DELCIOUS sounding enchilada recipe.

in need of some technical assistance

Published Saturday, July 30, 2005 in daily and relationship/sex. 0 Comments

I have an annoying computer problem and I can’t seem to find a solution on my own via google, so I’m throwing this out to blogland to see if anyone has any ideas.

Last week I was browsing and clicked on a link. The link opened as a weirdo pop-up - it shrunk my browser down to pop-up size. I resized and went about my business.

But now, anything I open that is a pop-up - like haloscan comments, opens in a shrunken version. It’s too narrow, and I have to resize to read comments - ANYONE’S comments.

I have cleared my history, cashe, and cookies.

I have done number spyware and virus scans.

I have gone into MY haloscan setting and played around with the pop up sizes.

Nothing works. I am ANNOYED AS HELL.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE does anyone have a solution for me???

********************
örgäsm

My IKEA catalogue came in the mail. I annoyed Kev by rubbing it all over my body and moaning in extasy. IKEEEEEEEEA!!! OH!! OH!!! IKEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAA!!!!!

hehehehe…

It’s extra dangerous this year, because ATLANTA NOW HAS AN IKEA!!! I haven’t been yet, because apparently the novelty hasn’t completely worn off and I want to avoid the riots.

Ding Dong, the wasp is…dead?

Published Friday, July 29, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

The sun rose slowly over the early morning dew….the wasp sat on the railing. And waited.

I was still asleep.

4 hours later…

I wasn’t sure if the wasp was still around after not seeing in yesterday evening. But when I let Sadie out for her morning pee, there it was. It buzzed around angrily at Sadie’s intrusion, but didn’t attact.

I went back inside, collected my purse, lunch, breakfast banana…and killer wasp spray. In the breeze way, I gave it a test shot. Nice tight spray, good reach. I would only have one good shot at this. I could only hope my years of amusement park gaming - the one where you use a squirt gun to shoot water at the clown’s mouth, and the first person’s baloon to pop wins - have prepared me for this day.

I emerged from the breezeway. Where WAS he?

There, sitting smugly on the top step. Bastard.

Aim….Aim….

FIRE!

Got him! He rose up unsteadily, flying side to side, looking for the source of it’s agony. I fired again, hitting him in the air. He swooped to the left. Not wearing any kind of protective gear, I retreated to the safety of the breezeway. And waited.

The wasp did not appear on the steps. I emerged cautiously. No sign of him. No sign of any of his breatheren, seeking revenge.

I briefly searched the grass, hoping to find the body. But he was gone. Had to be dead - I hit him twice with that stuff.

We’ll see if his replacement shows up tonight. Still nothing but ants on the steps. Maybe he was their bodyguard? A hired thug? Doesn’t matter. Tonight I’ll take the spray and douse all the cracks in the steps. That should take care of the matter.

I will exact…vigilante justice.

attack of the killer…something update

Published Thursday, July 28, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

I am living under seige.

There is an evil looking waspy thing that is guarding the steps leading up to my condo. I’ve noticed it buzzing around for the past couple of weeks. It’s pretty big, and stripey. And it seems to have an extra set of wings or two. Generally, I just ignore it as I walk by.

Yesterday, it entered attack mode.

As I climbed the few steps after returning home for Curves, carrying my purse and backpack, a sudden angry buzzing started in my ear - it was going for my neck! I ducked my head down to protect my neck and ran. It stayed on course for a few feet, until I got into the breezeway, and then it flew back to it’s position on the railing.

Evil.

I do not like buzzing stinging things. But I am too afraid to try to kill it. Maybe I’ll pick up some wasp killer and just try to spray it. But what if it’s not a wasp? What if it’s some kind of mutant evil hybrid bug that is immune to Raid?

I might actually have to call the management company. But how do I explain this?

“Umm, yes, hello. There is a killer wasp guarding my building. No, there’s not a nest that I can see. No, there’s only one. I think it’s out to get me. Hello? Hello?”

Anyone have any evil waspy bug killing advice? Or should I just live in fear and avoid the steps until the first frost kills it? Keeping in mind that our first frost won’t be until…november.

***************
UPDATE

This morning he was still there…waiting for me. I deftly avoided him by walking on the grass to the parking lot. Just you wait..bastard.

After Curves, I went to walgreens and bought some wasp and hornet killer. with long range spray.

I pulled into the parking lot, gathered my things, and gripped the can of waspy doom tightly in my hand. Slowly I advanced to the steps, his hideout.

The bastard was no where to be seen. Someone must have tipped him off. I took the opportunity to scope out the area, looking for potential nest sites. there are plenty of cracks in the concrete steps, but every crevace is crammed full of ant mound - probably fire ants. I’m surprised I haven’t been bitten.

Maybe the fire ants are protecting him? Putting him in the waspy protection program. Figures they’d be in cahoots together.

I’m not taking any chances. I’m not leaving home again without that can in my hands, ready to bring on some vigilante justice.

breath of dooooom

Published Wednesday, July 27, 2005 in daily and food. 0 Comments

I just ate a roast beef sandwich with provalone and onions, followed by some salt and vinegar potato chips.

Don’t come near me, or I will BREATHE ON YOU!!!

noodlin’ around

Published Monday, July 25, 2005 in daily, relationship/sex and food. 0 Comments

Sunday glorious sunday….we did JACK SQUAT!

I lazed around in my pj’s for most of the day. Something which proved a little too much for Kev to handle, as I don’t wear panties under my short nightshirt. So as much as he had protested earlier that morning because he wanted to get resume’s and research done…he ended up ravaging me anyway. Which sapped his strength and will to work for a few hours.

For which he blamed ME. Hey, I was watching TV, minding MY OWN BUSINESS! I can’t help if if the site of my nekkid bottom still turns him on

Anyway…much lounging and munching of snacks. For dinner I tried a new noodle recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, who usually annoys the fuck out of me with her upperclass Hamptons (or wherever her beach house is)lifestyle. But the sczechuan noodles looked too yummy. I just substituted soy nut butter for the peanut butter.

Work today has been sloooooow but boooorrring. My advisor is at a conference…the one I was supposed to go to, but decided I couldn’t afford to lose the time in the lab. WAAAHHH!!! It’s my favorite conference! In Snowmass Colorado! So pretty! Dammit!

But the good news is that I can slack off a little bit since she’s not around. So I slept in this morning…ahhh…nice!

**************
evil groveling

Once again, the recipe sitehas become neglected. If anyone would like to be a submitter, PLEASE let me know. OR if you have an occasional recipe you’d like to share, you’re always welcomed to email me. I know I’ve got some lurkers in blogville and in “real life” (YOU, YES…YOU! I KNOW YOU’RE READING THIS! AND I KNOW YOU HAVE RECIPES!!!) who might have expressed an interest in submitting some.

Don’t make me beg, people.

perfect day

Published Saturday, July 23, 2005 in daily and food. 0 Comments

10:30am - wake up, throw on work out clothes, grab an orange juice and a granola bar, and head out the door

11:00am - get to Curves for good workout - decent music this time, yay!

11:47am - get home, shower, feel cleansed and energized

12:00pm - eat bagel with cream cheese and fresh tomatoes

12:30pm - leave with Kev to ghetto mall to see Batman. realize we will not be seeing willy wonka in an *ahem* two-for-one deal because it’s showing on the other side of the theater. crap.

2:30pm - realize both of you are bugged by the fact that the microwave weapon doesn’t seem to have any vaporizing affect on humans, who are in fact, mostly water.

3:15pm - leave theater, famished. peruse new coupon book. select “the roman lily cafe” on Highland. a new place for us.

3:45pm - arrive at restaurant, the only patrons for a very early dinner. select the grilled halibut with spinach and dill havarti macaroni, while kev orders the polenta and scallops.

4:00 - enjoy the quirky decor and funky art work. enjoy the yummy grilled halibut. enjoy the open small kitchen, where one of the chefs is making mashed potatoes, and adding about 3lbs of butter and copious amounts of heavy cream. regret not ordering the mashed potatoes.

4:45 - head to Brusters for ice cream. me: fudgie cheesecake, him: vanilla turtle. realize I have completely negated the effects of working out at curves, and ordering fish instead of the lamb tenderloin. oh well…

5:00 - arrive home, call Jamie and wish her a happy birthday. laugh my ass of when she tells me what her mom got her. reprimand her AGAIN for opening my gift early. Promise severe punishment next time i see her. she is not fazed. must work on intimidation skills.

5:30 - do bad things to Kev.

5:50 - Kev does bad things to me

6:30 - nap

7:00 - 9:00 - putter around, read blogs, eat Dutch creamy bleu cheese spread on crackers, Kev plays video game.

9:30 - pop some frozen burritos in the microwave. invent tropical fruity drink:

passionate bananas
1 cup passionfruit nectar
1 very soft banana
spiced rum
triple sec
ice

blend and enjoy

9:45 - blog about what a perfect wonderful day I had!

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mad props

Big smooches and many thanks to Se7en, who tweakified my template for me so that it looks good at any resolution. so if you have lame-ass 800×600 resolution, you no longer have to scroll sideways! aren’t you thrilled? BOW DOWN AND KISS THE FEET OF HE-WHO-IS-CALLED-SE7EN!

(seriously, se7en…money? first born? brownies?)

attention alien beings:

Published Wednesday, July 20, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

yesterday after work, I went to Curves. the music is better now. the “theme” this week (at this new place, every week there are “themes,” and there are contests and fun facts about those “themes”) is money management. according to the calendar, next week’s theme is panic disorder. A workout AND an education!

then I went to the international farmer’s market, where among other things, I bought lots of garlic, both peach AND passionfruit nectars, good olive oil, and a really soft creamy bleu cheese from denmark.

Instead of cooking anything gourmet with my purchases, I made meatball sandwiches - with frozen meatballs. In a jarred sauce (which, in all fairness, I did add sauteed onion, garlic, and green peppers to). The provalone I melted on top was from the farmer’s market, though.
And I made a salad. Hey, not EVERY day is 5 star food! And those frozen meatballs are DAMNED GOOD!

Then I watched nothing on tv with Kev, until he got bored and left to play his game.

No sex, but I’m hopeful for tonight.

Chatted with some friends. stayed up too late. Fell asleep fretting about stupid supreme court nominee, and what I would do if my reproductive rights were taken away, and I accidentally got pregnant. We would be screwed. Bastards.

I really REALLY need to clean my place. But there is still a shopsmith across from my kitchen, and a rocking chair in the middle of my living room. This makes cleaning difficult.

So ultimately my life has been boring this week. NOT WORTHY OF AN ALIEN ABDUCTION, IN CASE ANYONE OUT…”THERE” IS LISTENING!!!

I’ll try to be funny or something later. In the meantime, check out google moon. keep zooming in until you get all the way. This has entertained me today, which is good because I have to play with radioactivity today, and I HATE it.

I have been feeling blah lately - this has been going around blogville it seems. So today, my dear loyal readers, I beg of you to entertain me. Jokes, limericks, short stories, naughty tales…ANYTHING. Either in comments or email. Lurkers welcome. PLEASE! I NEED SOMETHING TO GET ME OUT OF THIS FUNK!

I am Harry Potter’s bitch

Published Monday, July 18, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

I started Harry Potter around 2pm. I read for a few hours, took a short break, read some more..

called Aimee to say hello around 5.

read some more…

talked to my mom.

read some more.

at 7:00 I stopped to make dinner.

(I made blackened mahi mahi tacos…YEAH YOU’RE JEALOUS!)

At 8:30 I went to the lab for a little while.

Picked up reading just after 9.

Finished at 11:50pm.

I am sad.

But I am not surprised.

When’s the next book coming?

if you want to destroy my sweater….

Published Sunday, July 17, 2005 in daily and blogging. 0 Comments

OK, big hugs and mucho thank go out to my friend…wait…he likes to be anonymous. OK, this is a “real life” friend who reads my blog (in spite of the hot monkey sex).

Anyway, this WONDERFUL friend made me…AN ANIMATED HEADER! HOORAY! Think I got it working OK.

So to my “anonymous” friend - big smooches!

This blog redesign has been fun! sort of. it’s the first time I attempted to really change the layout, and not just colors and fonts. Quite the edu-ma-cation.

I know not everyone’s a fan of the new font, and the immobile background, but I like it. And really, I can’t please everyone all the time. So I might as well just please myself.

Frequently.

BWAHAHAHAHA!

********************
pull this thread as I walk away

Last night, Weezer played at a free concert downtown. I enjoy the weezer, but not enough to pay for a show, so this sounded perfect. A bunch of us from the lab were going to meet up at Underground to attend the concert.

First Kev and I went out to my favorite noodle bowl place…but ended up with sushi instead. I figured eating a HUGE BOWL OF NOODLES AND MEAT would probably make me too full for an evening of concert entertainment. So I had a huge rainbow roll and a smaller california roll. Mmmm…I likes me some sushi!

We rode MARTA (it’s smarta!) to Underground, to avoid traffic headaches.

Now…I know that Weezer is an excellent band, and that they are still making really great music. But they have been around for a little while. I expected the crowd to be like….us. late 20’s, early 30’s…reliving their grungey cardigan sweater college days.

NOT what we found at the concert (which was outdoors)

A HUGE MOB OF CRAPPY DRUNK HIGH ROWDY PUNK ASS TEENAGERS.

shit.

We all felt like the biggest fuddy duddies there. HEY YOU KIDS! SETTLE DOWN!

It was like a huge frat party. Fights kept breaking out. At one point, there were two guys, presumably friends, doing some kind of fighting/wrestling behind me and almost knocked me over. I HAD HAD ENOUGH!

“dude…DO THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE!”

They looked at me like I was someone’s mom. I think one of them called me…christina ricci? That was weird. But they stopped doing what they were doing, so I didn’t care WHAT they called me.

It was hot and muggy…and at some points, rainy. We were all pretty miserable…and wheezer hadnt even come out to play yet!

Some highlights of the evening:

We were standing next to a group of guys who were passing around an obviously fake ceramic painted cigarette, stuffed with their favorite herbal blend (obvious because they kept dropping it, making a “clink!” when it hit the pavement). They were stoned, but funny. And the sweeter smell of their smoke somewhat overpowered the stench of a thousand other smokers. HEY KIDS! DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW YOU’RE SMOKING HERE? AND PULL UP YOUR PANTS, HIPPIE! anyway, these guys provided much entertainment for the evening.

At one point, a kid decided to get a better view of the show by climbing a light pole and sitting on it. The crowd cheered when he made it…then cheered again when they realized what he had created: an easy target! everyone whip empty beer cans at the light pole guy! hooray! he looked pissed, but what did he think? a bunch of drunk kids were going to worship him as a god! THROW IT HARDER!

I was getting bumped around pretty badly, and was stepping on plastic beer bottles and trash. Ugh! There was a sidewalk next to me, half of our group was standing on it - not that it was any less crowded. Brenda held out her hands to me, offering help getting me up on the sidewalk. I declined…and I didn’t think anything of it…until N said “WHAT was that?” with a shocked and amused look. Because Brenda was up a little higher than I, when she held out her hands, they were a little higher than neccessary…about boob level. Anyone who had been looking might have thought Brenda was about to fondle my boobies. Ahhh..good fun all around!

Eventually, Weezer came on, and played a bunch of favorites, from their new cd, and older stuff. After they played Buddy Holly, I was ready to leave. We had already lost half our group earlier to heat exhaustion and claustraphobia. There was only Kev and I and another couple there. And Kev, I could tell, was real close to snapping. We’d been getting pushed and shoved all night. Also, as soon as you let someone pass you, you opened up a thruway for entire crowds of people to push in front or behind you. GET ME OUT OF HERE BEFORE I HIT SOMEONE!

We fled and got on the next train home.

For SOME odd reason, we were feeling the munchies, so we picked up some little Krystal burgers and fries on the way home. Mmmm…

Not an experience I want to repeat ever (I am WAY TO OLD FOR THAT SHIT), but I got to see Weezer. From a distance.

********************
best boyfriend ever

Kev and I majorly slept in this morning (no choir in July - so I’m taking the month off!) Plus he hadn’t really had a weekend to himself in a month. So sleeeeeep was good. (also, some hot monkey sex…duh!)

Eventually, we got up. Kev got dressed to go to the grocery store to pick up a paper and a few food items. He requested eggs and bacon - perfect!

After a while, kev called “can you come out and help me unload?” geez, how much did he get?

I walked out, still in my pjs. He was standing by his car with a big grin on his face.

“I got you a surprise!”

“reeeeaaaalllly? what is it?”

“I’ll give you three guesses.”

“hmm…is it something for dessert?”

“nope.”

He had such an evil grin on his face…

“oh no…a computer case?”

this is an inside joke

“no!”

“a…..DIAMOND????”

“NOOOO!!!!”

He reached in the car and pulled out…THE NEW HARRY POTTER!!!!

hooray! I had planned to pick it up sometime this week, after the rush.

so what am I doing blogging? I’ve got reading to do!!!!

an exercise in no self control…and fun with suppositories!

Published Wednesday, July 13, 2005 in daily, conversations and TMI. 0 Comments

Went in to Target for:

dental floss

aveeno shower oil

check out some shorts for Kev

Came out of Target with:

dental floss

aveeno shower oil

3 pak Herbal Mint toothpaste (buy 2 get 1 free)

Cover Girl Compact - “Clean” buff beige (on sale, $3)

2 4paks Target brand flavored water

2 4paks Target brand splenda sweetened fruity drinks

bag of Target brand garden veggie snack stix (tasty!)

refill bottle Method shower spray

1 kitkat - eaten in car (hey, I needed sugar! I was starving! dammit…I’m weak)

2 pair jerzees shorts for Kev, 1 navy, 1 dark grey ($5 each)

I am dangerous in Target.

It was too late to make dinner….I picked up chinese food. Mmmm….mongolian BEEEEF!

****************
Injury list

Kev’s knee started bothering him. Poor guy. and poor ME! No sweaty monkey lovin’ with a bum knee. Unless…ugh…I’m too full of chinese food to be on top!

A friend of mine, who is not a blogger, but wishes to remain nameless (she gave me permission to blog this, as long as she is anonymous), has had some problems recently with…ready for this? Excellent band name coming up…

An anal skin tag.

EWWWWW!

Well, anyway, she’s become inflamed and other grossness, ANGERING the skin tag…and the doctors don’t know why. She’s going in for a procedure I can’t remember the name of soon…umm..like a colonoscopy, except they don’t put you under, and they don’t go as far in.

ANYWAY, the point of this is that they gave her a prescription for glycerin suppositories that will help “soothe” the area. While attempting to fill this prescription, she had what she describes as a “stereotypical first time buying condoms” experience.

She hands the script to the pharmacist, who examines it, and then LOUDLY calls over to the other pharmacist something like “HEY, THESE GLYCERIN SUPPOSITORIES AREN’T PRESCRIPTION, ARE THEY? WE’VE GOT THOSE IN THE AISLE, RIGHT?”

uggggh

I’ve already told her my suppository experience. When I was getting sick because of gall stones, right before my surgery, I was given anti-nausea medication in the form of a suppository. Fortunately, I didn’t have to use them THAT often…but when I did…the following mental conversation would take place:

OK…deep breath….I have already pooped…everything is cleared out…I’m ready….IN.

deep breath.

OK…not sooo bad…

I have to poop

no…no you don’t…it’s just the suppository

I have to poop

NO YOU DON’T! You just pooped. everything is fine

I really have to poop.

Now you just SETTLE DOWN, DOWN THERE, OK? No pooping! you have to let it dissolve!

…

alright then.

I have to poop.

ARRRRGGGGH!!!!

**************************
Bonus: fun with living together - naked financial advice

Kev is explaining to me that he wants to open a Roth IRA for me this year. I am hanging up some laundry…naked, because in the middle of getting ready for bed, I realized I had clothes in the washer that were done (I do this all the time…stop in the middle of one task to complete another). Kev is naked too, because he’s always naked as soon as he gets back from work. the man hates clothes.

Kev: i want to get this done this tax year…it’s just such a good deal right now

Me: huh. I don’t know anything about them

I’m standing right next to him…and without even thinking about it, I run my hands over my breasts, happy to be free of my bra.

Kev: well, you don’t get a tax break but you don’t pay taxes on the int…ummm….uhhhh…..dammit!

Me: what???

Kev: I can’t explain this…you’re giving me a hard on!

Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! Oooooh…baby! look at me! look at me!!!

Kev: NOOO! hides in laundry room

Me: HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

Kev: from behind door: and you can take out I think up to $10,000 without penalty for downpayment on a home. Are you going to blog this?

Me: DAMN STRAIGHT!

…and they’re rolling rolling rolling…

Published Wednesday, July 13, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Boy, everybody sure likes trucks! Maybe when I get a real job someday…

But what I REALLY want is this. *droooool*

as for now, I’ll have to be happy with my ZX2. It’s funny, when I was driving around with a big ass dent and a scratched up bumper, I was all “eh…who cares. I’ll park as close as I want, drive as fast as I want…my car is GHETTO NOW!”

but now that my car is pretty again…HEY YOU! STAY AWAY FROM MY CAR! DON’T DRIVE SO CLOSE!

my car is pretty!

*************
weighing in

I had my first weigh-in at curves yesterday. You do this every month, and it’s been a month since I joined.

I didn’t plan this well AT ALL! I haven’t been able to get to curves for 2 weeks (the week before vacation I went once..and then was too busy trying to make arrangements for my car and the rental truck and packing…ack!). AND I just had a very calorie intensive week. It was my VACATION, DAMMIT! MORE CHEESECAKE!

So what were the results:

well…I gained a pound. EEP! But ONLY a pound. After the food fest of the past week, I’m actually shocked. Plus, the Curves lady assured me that if I had weighed myself that morning, that pound wouldn’t be there - I had already eaten two meals that day. Whew! So we’re going to call total poundage even.

The GOOD news is that I lost a pound of total body fat - which means I gained a pound of muscle. yay!

The WEIRD news is that in total measurement, I lost 12 inches. That off chest, belly, hips, right arm, right thigh. I’m not sure I believe it. I think she measured my hips wrong - I HAVE no hips, therefore they are difficult to measure, and I think she was down too low. And since I didn’t lose any weight, where did those inches go? My ankles?

But I’ll take it.

AND I can now transfer to a closer Curves, so I don’t have to fight perimeter traffic driving my ass to Norcross 3 times a week!

******************
just so you know

I’m going to Target today to buy floss. Just floss.

(yeah….RIGHT!)

Crying in my beer, ’cause she ran off with my truck…

Published Tuesday, July 12, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Yesterday I had to return the rental truck and pick up my repaired car.

It was a very difficult thing to do.

You see, at first I wasn’t very enthused about driving a pickup truck for the round trip to Pittsburgh. Kev has a very old Dodge (which he claims would have made the trip, if neccessary. NO WAY JOSE’!) and it’s not at all comfortable.

But then, the enterprise lady took me out to the parking lot, and showed me….the truck.

A silver Dodge Ram quad cab. A thing of beauty.

It was huge. But inside very comfy. There were ADJUSTABLE cup holders! That means you could order a large drink at McD’s…and it would FIT IN THE CUPHOLDER without the dangerous cramming and tipping usually associated with large fountain drinks. A CD player! (whch I totally brain farted on, and instead of grabbing my CD collection, grabbed my mini iPod and tape deck converter…crap. we relied on radio stations on the drive up. then in pittsburgh, I bought an iPod FM converted that will play your iPod on the radio. Hooray for new toys!)

It was big, but easy to drive.

“But ESC….you drive a FORD ESCORT! How could you POSSIBLY drive that monster?”

Well, cheeeldren, way back when ESC was a simple and naive 16 year old, she learned how to drive on the two family cars. A little Renault hatchback…and a 10 passenger GMC van - not minivan…VAN. It was massive, but I soon learned to handle it like a pro. (ooo…THAT sounded dirty!)

aside: that van rocked. everyone recognized that van - they called it the (esc’s real last name)-mobile. When my brothers learned how to drive, my parents bought a minivan, and gave them the van (and note the complete lack of bitterness in my voice about how my brothers got a vehicle in high school and I did not). They drove that van ragged, and it was held together by prayers and duct tape (”west virginia pipe clamps”). I’m told when they took it for state inpection, all the men working at the garage gathered around to see if it would pass. It did, and there was much laughter and applause. and probably some bets lost. Eventually, the van met the fate of so many of our family vehicles: it died in the driveway and was given as a donation to the kidney foundation, who happily towed it away. I have pictures of that momentous occasion: the end of an era.

So while driving the truck was a little awkward at first, the skills came back quickly.

It was a nice ride - much more comfy than my car, for the 12 hours. There was a back seat, so Sadie rode in comfort…until it started to rain, and we had to move our luggage to the back seat as well. then she was a little cramped.

I felt very powerful driving it. I would like to change lanes…GET OUT OF MY WAY, MORTALS!!! BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! BOW BEFORE ESC AND HER HUGE TRUCK OF DOOOOOM!!!!

Downsides:

- horrible turning radius. It took me at least 3 manuevers to get into a parking space.

- filling the gas tank. Ohhh…the horror….THE HORROR!!! MINIMUM $50 for a fill up. We tried to fill up as much as we could in the south, where the gas was a little cheaper. But when you’re used to filling up an 11 gallon tank…a 26 gallon tank was a little frightening. also, there was a digital display inside that gave you useful information, like the temp outside, the direction you were headed…and the average mpg you were getting. Ugh…18mpg…highway.

BUT…it was a cool ride while it lasted.

And my car is back…and dent free. They even fixed the all the scratches underneath the front end, where I must have…ummm…maybe scraped by a curb too closely…or something…

I told them not to bother with the little barely there dents on the hood and one on the door. So I only had to go about $60 into my deductable. Hooray!

My car is beautiful again!

But still…that truck…it was amazing….

click your heels three times…

Published Monday, July 11, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Home.

Around 11pm.

Torrential downpour starting in South Carolina.

Downpour continuing throught the complete unloading of the truck, including a rocking chair, a very heavy shopsmith and its accessories. A suitcase, a very heavy duffle bag, a dog and her stuff, a small watermelon, an untouched knitting project, and a half eating bag of pretzel nibs. Kev and I were soaking soaking wet…and NOT in a good way. But then we took a hot shower together and THAT was in a good way.

I am pissed because:

due to circumstances beyond our control, E-Lo and I didn’t get to meet. Poop.

I left my usb camera cord at my parents house, AND I forgot to burn all the pics I uploaded onto their computer onto a disc. So I have to wait until my mother learns how to burn CDs before I get either of those items. Which means I can’t post any pics of my reunion, and I can’t upload the pics in my camera of my friend’s GORGEOUS FAIRY TALE WEDDING.

I am happy because:

I have a beautiful oak rocking chair! It needs some TLC: coat of varnish, and reupholstering (the orange and white strip velour isn’t doing anything for me), but YAY! I’ve always wanted a rocking chair.

Kev and I are HOME and can now have Sweaty Hot Monkey Sex whenever we want. funny story: the other night, after my parents went to bed, kev and I were too horny to wait, and had SHMS 1 and a half times in the living room: once doggy-style on the couch, and then later an attempt on the floor, truncated by the sound of one of my parents awake and walking to the bathroom. I have NEVER seen Kev move so fast: in 3 seconds we were innocently sitting on the couch, covered by a blanket, panties appropriately hidden, skirt down…faces suspiciously flushed and sweaty. Whoever it was, they didn’t come down, and the hall attic fan covered up any noises we made. It killed the mood…but it was pretty damned funny!

ahhhh…it’s good to be home.

Niagara synopsis

Published Saturday, July 9, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Sunday:

Majoryly sleep in, as still exhausted from drive and long night at reunion.

a little before six, I drove Sadie to the place we were boarding her during our trip to niagara. she had stayed there last year when we went to cedar point. the woman who owned the place (great dane breeder and dog boarding) was out front with a german shepherd. She was using a strange looking brush, and there was literally a 3 foot radius of hair on the grass around them. wow.

“is that something you can do for my dog?”

“yeah, but it costs $20.”

“SOLD!!!!”

So I left a very sad looking sadie with the rest of the barking dog multitude and headed home, where mom was about to grill some chicken on a very sad looking grill.

saddest grill ever

Monday:

We woke up early to get an early start to the trip. Kev and I followed my parents in our rental truck, which we were dropping off at my grandparent’s house on the way up.

We got to niagara between 3 and 4, and checked into the hotel. My parents had to upgrade their room, because somehow the reservations had gotten mixed up, and they were registered for a smoking room. I DON’T THINK SO! So they got the two double beds and a jacuzzi bath.

When we got to the hotel, my mom turned to me, very serious. “I got you and Kevin a room together. Is…that OK?”

YEAH it was! Hooray! We all retired to our rooms to “get situated” and “freshen up,” which Kev and I took to mean fast and furious monkey sex, before our bags even hit the ground.

Ah, hotel sex. Any time we had some free time together in the room, we were all over each other like teenagers. And again every night. A girl could get used to that. But with all the walking around we did over the three days, combined with hot monkey’ lovin’, made us EXHAUSTED!

We joined my parents in their room after a little while. There was a lady at the service desk in the lobby who was pushing tours and restaurant reservations. Mom said she’d send kev and I on a tour the next day. My dad didnt’ think he could handle the maid of the mist with his cast and crutches, and they had already done that in previous trips. (I had too, but I was 7 at the time). So they would wander about on their own, while we would take the 5 hour grey line tour. I went to make the reservation.

“I think we’re both going to take the 5 hour tour”

“OK, then…there’s one leaving tonight, and there’s one leaving at 8:30 am, and one at 11:30am”

“I think we’ll take the 11:30 one”

“OK, well, then the one tonight features the…blah blah blah blah blah”

“that’s nice. we’ll take THE ONE AT 11:30 TOMORROW!!!”

she was annoying as fuck. and kept pushing reservations to this one italian restaurant on us - that was her only restaurant recommendations. wtf? there were a THOUSAND italian restaurants in niagara. it’s like freakin’ little italy up there.

After, we drove to the falls and walked around clifton hill until the fireworks started.

Fireworks were cool…but short. Very disappointing. This coming from a bonifide pittsburgh girl. We WORSHIP the fireworks in pittsburgh. If you’re having an event somewhere in pittsburhg, you’d BETTER have fireworks or no one will come. Pittsburghers take their fireworks very seriously. So a 10 minute show was somewhat disappointing.

Then we hit the CASINO, BABY! Casino Niagara. Just point me to the nickle slots. After exploring, I found a VERY cool nickle slot with a leprachan theme. Turned my few bucks into $12…then eventually back down to $4. Still, it kept me entertained for 45 minutes, AND I walked out of there with nickles.

The next night, when we went to the newer, fallwater casino, the machines ate my money in 10 minutes. very unsatisfying.

what WAS satisfying, was that I got stopped and occasionally carded every time we entered the casino area. My parents and kev would walk straight in, but I got a hand up, and a “how old are you, miss?”

I’M TWENTY-EIGHT!!!

what’s REALLY funny is that the legal age for drinking (and gambling?) in canada is 19!! Do I LOOK like an 18 year old?

Bwaha! it was very flattering.

Tuesday:

sing it with me: a fiiiive hour tour! a fiiiive hour tour!

those pics and stories are up at the flickr site.

Wednesday:

we decided to do some of the kitchy touristy things on clifton hill. we did the ripley’s believe it or not 4D film experience. Kind of cool - a 3D movie with seats that move with the action. And then the Louis Toussaud’s wax museum. Louis was the grandson of Madame Toussauds, and we all agreed that the talent did not flow pure in his veins. A lot of the figures were pretty weak in their authenticity. It was fun, though. and satifactorally kitchy.

And no trip to canada is complete without a trip to the duty free shop. I got a bottle of limoncello, Kev got some capt morgan’s and some whiskey. mom got perfume and a bottle of chambord. We also got our canadian tax refund. Thanks, Canada! I got some money back from my two major purchases: a cranberry glass bell from the Rossi glass studio, and a beautiful, ragged bottom long denim skirt from a shop at the fallswater casino.

We got back on the road later than expected, so it was almost 8:30 by the time we got to my grandparent’s house.

When we were there a few days earlier, the basement had puddles from what looked like a leaky hot water heater release valve. an easy fix, so my dad just shut of the water to the tank. When we got back there, the basement was flooded worse. The water heater had rusted out entirely, so we had to drain it, and clean up the mess.

My brother had met us there, and he and Kev loaded up the shopsmith (for us) and a bandsaw (for dad). My brother successfully fought for the washer/dryer. Oh well. That’s OK. I got a rocking chair that I loved.

rocking chair

It was weird seeing my grandparents house so empty. It’s probaby the last time I will ever see it.

sewing room

I was a little sad about leaving.

We’re back…sort of

Published Thursday, July 7, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

soaking wet

We’re back from niagara, still at my parents’ house.

Exhausted.

Apologies go out to:

Aimee: sorry I didn’t return your calls while we were there. you always managed to call while we were in the car with my parents, and about to do something loud and touristy. When we weren’t doing that, we were sleeping in the hotel. This was a very busy trip.

Jennifer - sorry I never got ahold of you. it would have been so cool to meet, but we really had NO free time. check that…we had an hour after Kev and I took the 5 hour grey line tour on tuesday, before my parents got back. we collapsed and slept. there just wasn’t any time!

I may post more tonight. Until then, to keep you vultures occupied, pics are up. That link will take you to the slideshow, which has been ordered somewhat. To get descriptions of what you’re looking at, and to leave comments (mmm…delicious comments…), go here.

Made it!

Published Sunday, July 3, 2005 in daily and family. 0 Comments

I picked Kev up from work in the HUGE Silver Dodge Ram Quadcab we rented, at around 4:30. Trying to get out of atlanta at THAT time on the start of a holiday weekend was not a good idea, but we had no choice. It took us an hour just to get to mostly clear highway and good driving.

The truck had cruise control, which my car does not, so ahhhh…just cruisin’ along. I drove the first shift, almost to west virginia, while kev tried to sleep.

Gaffney peach butt

When we pulled over for gas, we switched, around 11pm. Kev took over and I tried to get some sleep. I had been hopped up on MUCH caffeine, and Kev was very entertained with how wired I was. But once we got on I-79, I drifted off. It wasn’t restful, and I was worried how rested Kev was. I didn’t want HIM drifting off!

Around 3am he pulled us over at a rest stop and we took a 3 hour nap - I laid my seat back, and rested my head on the center section, whle Kev laid his head on my lap. We were dead to the world until it started to get light, around 6am. And the fog had rolled in.

fog

We left at 6am and drove a few more miles before finding an exit with a McDonalds. Mmmm….bacon egg n cheeeese bagel…AND COFFEE! I also chugged back one of those canned starbucks espresso double shots. Weeeee…caffeine!!!

Kev drove while I napped (amazingly, after all that caffeine) and woke me when we got to PA. I needed to navagate him the last few miles. We pulled into my parents’ drive way around 9am. My mom came out to greet us, and I looked up at the house to see if my father was coming down.

He was standing in the doorway waving…ON CRUTCHES!

“why is dad on crutches????”

“Oh, he fell down the last few basement steps last thursday.”

My mother DOESN’T TELL ME ANYTHING!!!

Drives me nuts.

Anyway, we sat and chatted with my parents for awhile, watched Venus win Wimbleton, and dozed on the couch.

1:45 I got my hair cut. came home, took a bath, got dressed, and was off to my reunion.

I took lots of pics of the reunion, but my parents don’t have any photo editing softwear I can play with. I need to add black boxes over faces, to protect the inno…well, protect people. So I probably won’t blog about the reunion until we get back to the ATL. For now I will just say that it was interesting, and I had fun…but I’m not sure I ever need to go to another one.

But there’s plenty of pics from the drive up over at my flickr site!

take your marks….

Published Friday, July 1, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Alright, folks. I’ve got confirmed reservations to pick up a Dodge Ram quad cab. I’m going to get my car to Maaco, get my car, pick up my stuff and my dog, pick up Kevin…and…we’re off!!!

if you live near: I-85N, I-79N, or I-70E, wave as we drive by! late a night! falling….asleeep….at mmmrrr….mdhgmmmslzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

wha?

Yeah, it’ll be a late night.

I’ll have internet access at my parents, but we’ll be in Niagra from monday to wednesday. If I can remember how to audioblog, I’ll give updates.

have fun WORKING and shit!

checklist

Published Friday, July 1, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

clothing - check

shoes - check

birth certificates - two…check

letter from condo association telling me I owe them money - one (shit…I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS!!!!)

kitchen - cleaned

toiletries - tomorrow

sadie’s stuff - check

sadie’s bath - tomorrow

anxiety attacks - one (so far)

cell phone and ipod - charging

camera - check

pills - tomorrow

plants - watered

confirmed rental extended cab truck - they’ll “see what they can do.” they’ll “get us in something”….WHAT??? NO!!! A TRUCK!!! WE NEED A TRUCK!!!!

*deep breaths*

I feel another anxiety attack coming on…

wanna quickie?

Published Thursday, June 30, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

No time for a real post right now. I’ve had to do a million things today. But…

1. my financial aid form is signed and turned in.

2. my DNA from the CsCl gradient is drying on my bench.

3. we made liquid nitrogen ice cream. awesome. pics tonight (maybe)

4. I ALMOST have a truck rented for trip home. I’m waiting for car rental lady to call me about her conversation with the first dumbass guy I talked to, to confirm the reservation. If all goes well, I’m dropping my dented car off at Maaco, and the nice car rental people will pick me up and give me a truck. We pay for rental from Friday through Monday. Insurance picks up the bill from Tuesday to Friday. We would technically pay from Saturday to Monday, but Maaco thinks they might need to keep my car until then…which means car rental would reimburse us.

This is the plan. CALL ME BACK, LADY!!!!

Also: I heart tanning gel. I look like I’ve been at the beach for a few days. Sans the sand in my crotch.

Tightrope

Published Tuesday, June 28, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Today is not a good day.

We’re leaving for pittsburgh on friday, and I have a million and a half things to do before then. I have to get my car in for repairs. I have to rent a pickup truck for the trip (we’re coming back with my grandfather’s shopsmith, and likely, my grandparent’s washer and dryer). I have to pack. I have to remember to bring our birth certificates. I have to give Sadie a bath. I have to turn in my form to get my student loan.

I have so much to do in the lab.

I’m living in fear of my advisor right now. I’m avoiding her so she won’t ask me how much I’ve gotten done. If I’ve done my CsCl and started on another 2D gel (no). I’m afraid she’s going to ask me about the meeting I had planned on attending in Colorado at the end of July. I’m not going. I can’t lose a whole month. I need to keep working. And then she will give me shit about taking a week off to go home to pittsburgh.

And if she does that, I will flip out at her. Because if I don’t get out of here, I will go crazy. Total and complete mental breakdown.

I am on the edge right now. I’m hovering on a razor sharp line, and the slightest nudge will push me over.

I’m holding my breath.

“Unrealistic Thermodynamic Expectations”

Published Monday, June 27, 2005 in daily and TMI. 0 Comments

….would be an excellent name for a band.

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warning: more boobs

I am wearing one of the new bras today. Not a scary one…this one is sort of half way between a normal and a scary. And it’s blue! Hooray! But oh…the difference! I guess I just keep wearing the same stretched out pokey wired bras for so long, that when I finally get a bra that fits well…it’s like heaven.

I actually look thinner.

And I feel like my boobs are no longer in control. They are fully contained and supported. Not spilling over, or weighing down on my back. Hahaha…boobs…now I AM IN CONTROL! YOU WILL OBEY MEEEEE!!!

Now…look perky and jiggle just a bit when I walk.

Exxxcellent.

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enough with the boob talk, on to racial profiling

Today I had to leave work for a bit to drive our Lab Goddess home. Her son had been sent home on the early bus from summer school, and no one had bothered to tell the parents. Fortunately, a neighbor found him and called LG.

LG was furious. They have been having problems with bus transportation since the start of summer school. The bus drops him off too early, too late, not at all…and now this.

LG is german, so a lot of things she says kind of come out angry in her accent, even if she isn’t. But THIS time, I have NEVER seen her so angry! And an angry german spitting out nasty things about something that’s pissed them off…whoa. I would not want to be on the recieving end of that anger.

(OK, maybe not all germans sound angry, but LG definately does. I have had many new people come to our lab and then secret tell me after a few months “I think LG hates me, she’s always yelling at me.” and I have to say “oh, no! she doesn’t hate you! and she’s not yelling! she’s just german.”)

two popes walk into a bar…

Published Sunday, June 26, 2005 in daily, photos and TMI. 0 Comments

warning: probably a boring post for the guys to read, though there is mention of boobs and lingerie at the end.

today…I went shopping. My high school reunion is in less than a week, I need something PRETTY. Something that says “hey, maybe I should have dated her in high school…boy was I stupid.” Something that will make up for the fact that I am probably going to have this conversation with someone at some point in the evening:

So, what do you do?

I’m still in school.

Oh. Do you have any kids?

No.

Married?

No. I’m in a serious relationship, though.

Oh, that’s great! For how long.

A little over two years.

Wow. So you’re engaged?

….umm…no.

Oh. well…where is he?

Umm…I didn’t bring him, because I thought he’d be bored. So I left him with my parents…

Do you have a picture?

No.

riiiiiiiight…ok. hey, there’s Tom! TOM! HEY, TOM!!

Right. So I need an outfit that will ease the pain of that conversation. So head off to the slightly less ghetto mall near me, where there was a Lane Bryant. Ahh, Lane Bryant: fashion salvation for fat girls.

I wander in, and already, it doesn’t look good. Half the store looks empty. No “going out of business” signs, so I’m assuming I have hit the void that is summer shopping: to late for summer wear, too early for fall.

Crap. So I pick out a few things to try on. And I find a BEAUTIFUL red skirt. It’s bright red, with shimmery flecks running through it, and a golden floral design. and a ruffle that runs down the front and around the bottom.

Excuse me, are there any tops that go with this skirt?

You know, we never got anything in for it! People keep asking, but nothing ever came.

Dammit. So now I’m wandering around the store looking for red. I also have a black silk dress that I already know won’t fit me in the boobs, and a brown skirt with a gauzey beige blouse.

then I see it…a beautiful red lace sleeveless top…gorgeous…but it’s on one of those torso manniquin hanging on the wall. I can’t find any tops like it in the racks. The saleslady says it was a return, and it’s the only in the store. MINE! MINE!!! She brings down the scary headless torso manniquin and removes the top. I try it on…and it fits perfectly. But…it doesn’t really match the skirt. It’s a different red. But now I’m thinking SCREW the skirt…I WANT THIS TOP! Now I’m scouring the store for another skirt, or maybe some really dressy pants. The sales lady is trying to convince me that the brown skirt I had on (for the other set I tried) looked great with it. I dunno…red and brown. It was a cute skirt, though…slim to the knee…with that little kicky flair out at the bottom.

If you had it in black..maybe…

Oh yes, we do!

She pulls out the black skirt and hands it to me…so BACK into the dressing room. But I can’t zip down the zipper. It’s totally stuck. I struggle with it for awhile, and give up. I can step into it and slip it up, though. Hooray! I check myself out in the 3-way mirror. Very sexy. Oh yes…this outfit…she will be mine.

I’ll just pick up another one of the black skirts in my size…

But there is not another one in my size. God…dammit. Fine FINE…I’ll take it. There’s one at another mall that has my size. If I have time I’ll exchange it. If not, I can still wear it with the fucked up zipper.

NOW comes the part I’m dreading…bra shopping.

Some of my bras are faling apart. Over stretched. Underwire poking out. Leeetle bit too tight. I need new bras.

I hate bra shopping. Whatever size I think I am…I’m not. So I pick out 5 or 6 bras in the size I bought last time…the size of the bra I WORE INTO THE STORE…and head to the dressing room…AGAIN! (by this point, my hair is messy…i’m sweaty, and my deoderant has worn off, because I’ve taken off and put back on my clothes 8 times in 30 minutes. this must be what it’s like to be a prostitute) I stretch the bra around me, hook all the hooks. Seriously, how many hooks do I need? Pretty soon, bras will be full body suits with hooks all the way from your feet up to your nose.

And as soon as I hook the first bra, I realize that this isn’t going to work. I look like a tube of toothpaste with a rubber band wrapped around the middle.

Clothes BACK on, back OUT to the sales rack…pick out some more bras the next size up.

(dammit….dammit dammit dammit. Maybe I should try to sneak into Curves a 4th time during the week…)

I don’t get very complicated bras. I go for the underwire, of course. If I didn’t have an underwire bra on, I would scare small children. But aside from a variety of pretty colors, plain underwire.

Now…I start eyeing the fancy bras. The scary ones. The big padded “push up and squeeze” bras. With the solid cups. That don’t look like they’d even fit into my bra drawer. But…I DO need to look fabulous…

How boobagely gifted women try on a bra:

Take off own bra.

wrap new bra around you, and hook in the front.

ouch. try the next hook.

twist the bra around the right way.

try not to cry as the many tags stapled to the bra slice into your skin as you twist.

now put your arms through the arm straps.

now your boobs are at eye level, because the store always has the straps at the shortest setting

adjust straps.

inspect yourself. check for frontal quadraboobage, as well as backfat boobage. both of these are bad - if found, reject bra

bounce up and down a little…does anything fall out? if yes, reject bra.

wiggle around…anything poking you? if yes, reject bra.

bra passes test. ok…that’s ONE. now do it all over again…with EACH BRA YOU PICKED OUT!

ps: this is why I sometimes HATE small chested women. “oh, I don’t even HAVE to wear a bra most of the time!”

*THWACK!*

bitch.

I bought four bras. Two of them are the cleavage enhancing scary bras - one black, one white.

Excellent.

bra

Sweaty and dirty

Published Saturday, June 25, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

whoops…

I went to take a heartburn pill…and instead took my thyroid pill. I already took my thyroid pill this morning, so that’s two in one day.

I hope I don’t die.

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Sweatin’ for Jeeeesus

Went to Curves this morning. I’ve pretty much kept to my Monday, Thursday, Saturday schedule.

So they always have music playing. It’s always a techno dance-mix kind of thing. Alot of ABBA, some show tunes, some oldies…but always to the same driving beat. It really keeps you moving. I don’t usually pay a whole lot of attention to the words of the music (which is not normal for me…i LOVE singing to music, but it’s hard to sing and excercise at the same time). But today they had on a music mix that I hadn’t heard before. A few of the words jumped out at me…”praise,” “worship,” “forever.”

Hmmm…maybe a fluke.

Nope…the next song was the same. It was Christian techno rock. I kept looking around to see if anyone else was noticing this. No one was. Of course…I was in north atlanta suburb hell. They probably saw nothing wrong with a theorectically secular workout facility playing Christian techno music. We’re ALL good CHRISTIANS….right? Well, OK, I’M a Christian. But that doesn’t mean everyone is. And ugh…christian techno beats? Gag.

I can’t wait to transfer to one closer to my home. Just a couple more weeks. Of course, I live in what I like to call “little india,” so maybe they’ll play Hindi techno mixes. that would be cool.

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Everything’s furry…

Today I vacuumed. It was time. Everything that has touched the floor quickly became coated with dog hair. Everything. Papers, shoes, purses, slow moving old people…

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…and green!

I did what I HOPE will be the last of my balcony planting - my italian parsely was pathetic and spindly, so I bought a new one, along with a new house plant.

And I finally got around to straightening up my balcony. It was covered with dirt, debris, the plastic pots you buy plants in, plant name tags…and of course DOG HAIR. So now it’s a nice place to sit and be…but it’s too damn hot to be out there sitting and being.

A fact which I realized quickly after only a few minutes of working on the balcony. I had JUST showered after getting back from curves, and I was getting all hot, sweaty, and dirty again.

Which probably turns on the perves. “ooooo…I’m soooo hoooooot….think I’ll…take off my bra…”

HA! Perves.

where was I…oh yeah…

Go to my flickr pages to see the fruits of my labor. Or click here for poppy slideshow goodness.

ya HUMP!

Published Wednesday, June 22, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Adventures in getting to work

This morning I was pretty distracted…and late…getting to work. Therefore I wasn’t really concentrating all that hard while driving.

So I didn’t see the obvious, not-even-trying-to-hide cop with the big radar gun until it was I was almost passing him. I was going 50. In a 35.

Shit.

The look on my face must have been pretty comical, though, because all the cop did was laugh, shake a finger at me disapprovingly, and point to the radar detector. He wasn’t even trying to hide, so it must have been pretty funny to him that I was speeding past him.

I laughed with him, pointed to my head and made a helpless gesture…more out of the utter absurdity of the situation than relief. I hit my brakes to slow down, and continued on my way.

Whew!

Then I was behind a woman with a vanity plate. MORFR8.

what?

more freight? morf rate? more fright?

very confusing.

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Equality and good movie lines

I was reading Bacon Strips the other day, and one of the guys did a post on his Top 20 Movie Quotes. They were all good, mostly expected, but disturbingly…all by male characters.

I made the comment that there were no women characters represented, and he replied that he couldn’t think of any good lines by women characters.

hmmm…

Well, there are certainly FAMOUS lines uttered by female characters - “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore,” “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr DeMille,” etc, etc.

but were there any like those he had posted? That were cleverly funny, or expressed anger and rage, summed up in just a single sentence?

Hmmmmm….

No doubt my friends out there can come up with some, but last night it struck me. One of my favorite lines, spoken in my absolute favorite movie. I’m cheating somewhat, in that orginally it was a play, not a movie. But back then, there WERE no movies, plays were movies. So I maintain that it counts.

I included several lines, to give the context, but I’ve bolded the best one - and yes, technically two sentences are bolded…but it’s all part of the same “phrase”

Is he not approved in the height a villain, that
hath slandered, scorned, dishonoured my kinswoman? O
that I were a man! What, bear her in hand until they
come to take hands; and then, with public
accusation, uncovered slander, unmitigated rancour,–
O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart
in the market-place.

awesome. Rage, anger, dispair…all there. So that’s my vote for best movie quote by a female character. Anyone have any additions?

God I love that movie. And I will always hear those words in my head as spoken by Emma Thompson.

I think I need to watch it again. It’s been awhile. I’ll do it while Kev’s playing his Unreal, since it’s such a chick flick, and I have a tendencey to mouth all the lines to myself.

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HAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!!

Flying Spaghetti Monster theory of creationism

via BoingBoing

sidebar updates

Published Saturday, June 18, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

It was time for some sidebar cleaning. Some updates, some deletions. I deleted some people off my blogroll. If you have been deleted, allow me to ’splain…

my link list is for ME…these are the blogs I read. yes, it’s nice to be linked, but I only link people if I like their stuff. You are on my sidebar if:
a. you post regularly
b. you post things that are “interesting” or “entertaining”
c. you leave lots of comments on my site about how much you love my blog (ESC has an ego)

All of the above criteria must be met. The exception to these rules is:
d. your site is above and beyond cool. a site I aspire to be one day. a mecca of blogdom. these are placed in the coveted “wish I were as cool as” section.

If you do not meet any of these criteria, your ass is out of there. Sorry! no linky love for YOU!

but if you DO meet these criteria, and I have thoughtlessly deleted you or worse, never added you, please let me know!

Ahem…where was I?

Oh, and going with the “ego” theme, I included a “best of” section. For the benifit of new readers, who may be interested in knowing why some people will refer to me here as “bondage chicken“.

I tried to include my personal favorites, and posts that seemed to get a lot of attention. But if I missed any of your favorites, let me know. (EGO! OH MY GOD, DID YOU SEE THAT HUGE EGO??? It was fucking HUGE!)

Hope everyone’s having a fun weekend like me! I did Curves today…and now I’m at work! yay! wait…that’s not fun. Well, Curves was fun…but work sucks. But I’m going home now! Yay! Probably to clean the bathroom. Not fun. But later I might dye my hair! Yay! To a darker color, which I’ve never done before…and I might hate it. Not fun.

OK, a better weekend then me, then!

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY!!!!

Published Friday, June 17, 2005 in daily, relationship/sex and TMI. 0 Comments

I am tired and sore.

So much for my productivity streak.

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And to this I say…

AMEN! I think he hit the nail on the head with respect to the vast majority of Christians out there. But why are we letting the ultra conservative speak for us? We need a louder voice!!!

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It’s Fun Underwear Friday!

Do you have your fun underwear on? I do! It’s boy-cut style, blue with light blue edging. On the front is a cartoony fish (hehe…hehehe…) and on the butt in big letters is says “GREAT CATCH!” Oh, how I love Fun Underwear Friday!

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Getting closer…

Today my DNA has not disappeared…yet. I think I was losing it after my first cleaning, for which I just used ethanol precipitation. Someone in my lab suggested I use a kit. duh! I was just trying to save the money, since I didn’t really need the DNA all that clean…but it was costing MORE money to do the damn thing over and over. So yay! My DNA is still there. NOW I just have to set up my ligation…

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This is a section where maybe my “real life” friends should perhaps stop reading, lest they are rendered unable to ever make eye contact with me or Kev ever again.

So Kev and I tend to be loud in bed. Well, really just me. I’m loud, I admit it. Fortuantely, Kev likes me loud. and what he REALLY likes…what REALLY gets him going is…a struggle. Yep…weirdo men. And yeah…I kind of like it, too. I like to try to wiggle out of his grasp, to make him pin me down and then take me. WANNA MAKE SOMETHING OF IT???

Anyway, as part of the “struggle”, I tend to yell “NO!” alot, in a faux angry yet sexy voice. Which of course REALLY means “YES YES PLEASE OH GOD YES!”

So what’s the problem? Well, on cooler nights, we like to turn off the AC and open all the windows, including the big sliding glass door that leads to the balcony from the bedroom.

Have I mentioned that we finally got downstairs neighbors? One of whom enjoys smoking on her porch in the evenings?

I am just WAITING for the night that the police show up at our door. “Ma’am, we got a report of a domestic disturbance? Something about someone screaming ‘NO NO’ over and over? Is everything OK, ma’am?”

Nothing has happened yet. I haven’t met the smoking sister yet, either. But she HAS to have heard us on at least one occasion. Maybe she’s avoiding us.

Or maybe she likes it….

Productive ESC

Published Thursday, June 16, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Today I went into work early, discovered that my cultures were indeed contaminated, and STILL managed to get a full day of work in…THEN went to work out at Curves. THEN went to the farmer’s market, came home, and made Thai food.

THEN Kev installed a new digital thermostat, and I replaced the hissing popping flickering lightswitch/dimmer in the bathroom.

THEN I changed the template on my recipe site and added the thai recipes. Go there now and shower me with praise.

Comply.

Dude, I should be WAY more tired then I am. Maybe someone slipped me some crack?

Small sense of accomplishment now with more squirrel!

Published Wednesday, June 15, 2005 in daily, dog and misc. 0 Comments

Yesterday, I cleaned.

I’m just so sick of doing the same things over and over in the lab and them not work. I feel like I’m going insane. Like it’s all pointless. Nothing I do works.

And I got home, and I stared at the mess of papers on the floor, shopping bags on chairs, old mail in piles on endtables…and I said THIS I CAN DO!

So I cleaned. I sorted. I moved. I scrubbed. I did everything but vacuum, because then Kev got home with the Chinese take out. Maybe I will vacuum tonight after choir practice.

I even cleaned up the desktop on my laptop.

I am organized.

THAT I can do.

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Julie’s recent squirrel issues made me think of a funny story.

Way back during my first year in atlanta, I lived in an apartment..a rather ghetto apartment. I had sadie only for few months, and still kept her locked in her crate at night. One saturday morning, she started getting restless and whiney at around 7am. OH NO YOU DI-INT! So I went out and yelled at her (yeah, I’m mean like that). She quieted down for a little while, then started up again.

I contemplated getting up again, when I heard *clink*. Clink? wtf? Nothing in her crate should be going *clink*!

*clink* There it was again!!!

I walked into the living room/dining room, and didn’t see anything to weird. Sadie was REALLY anxious. I walked over to the table where I kept all her food and treats. The lid was off the glass container that held her peanut butter biscuits, which had been full the night before, and now was completely empty. OH SHIT!

I let Sadie out of her crate, and she bolted into the kitchen and started sniffing around the fridge. I was thinking…rat? Oh shit, I hope it’s not a rat. Would a rat be able to climb up the table and lift the heavy glass lid off the jar? Not sure…wait…what else could it be….

SQUIRRRRRRRRREL!

I pushed Sadie out of the way, but didn’t put her back into her cage. She was my only protection against a violent squirrel attack. Cautiously, I pulled back the fridge and peered behind.

There was…a HUGE FUCKING HOLE IN MY WALL!!!! At least 2 x 2 feet. At some point in the past, some asshat maintenance person decided that the best way to fix the hole was to nail (not screw in) a piece of plywood over the hole. Eventually, the nails worked themselves loose (or, more sinister, the squirrels hammered them out from the inside using acorns and small rocks…hmmmm….) and the piece of crap plywood fell, exposing the hole, and providing a nice squirrel access passageway into my kitchen. IN MY APARTMENT! MY DOMAIN! I’VE BEEN INVADED! I think I was hyperventilating a little.

So I shoved the fridge back into place and (this is the genius bit) propped up some baking sheet pans to cover the spaces next to the fridge. Take THAT, stupid squirrels! You can pull a heavy glass lid off a jar, but COWER BEFORE MY ALUMINUM BAKING SHEETS!!!!

I called the front office “THERE’S UMM…WELL THERE MIGHT BE, OR THERE WAS A SQUIRREL…OR A RAT…I DON’T KNOW…IT’S GONE I THINK BUT THERE’S A HOLE IN MY WALL! BEHIND THE FRIDGE! SQUIRREL! BISCUITS!”

“OK, ma’am, we’ll try to get someone over there sometime today”

WHAT??? FUCKING RIGHT NOW BITCH!!!!! But it was Saturday. Nothing gets done on Saturday.

So I waited…and waited. Sadie kept guard next to the baking sheets. Then I decided…this is silly. I am a Strong, Independent Woman Living On Her Own. I am not Weak and Useless. And, most importantly, I Own Tools.

So I grabbed my hammer and cautiously pulled back the fridge enough for me to get access - making as much noise as possible, to scare off any potential second wave of squirrel infantry. I quickly nailed the plywood back in using the old nails, and then shoved the fridge back in place.

I was jumpy for the rest of the weekend. I started leaving Sadie’s crate door open at night, but there were no more suspicous incidents. As far as I know, the asshat maintenance people never showed up, and that hole is probably still there to this day - while the squirrels slowly work away at the backs of those nails.

I bought Sadie more peanut butter biscuits and apologized for yelling at her.

Hot sticky ranting goodness…AND MORE!

Published Monday, June 13, 2005 in rants and daily. 0 Comments

Dangerous Curves

Today was my first session at Curves. Rose was there, and she took me around the rotation, showing me how to use each piece of equipment. You may only get 30 seconds at each station, but it’s enough! It wasn’t long until my heart beat was up to where it was supposed to be for my age (18 - 23 in a 10 second count). I could feel my muscles working on each machine…and I worked up quite a sweat. I’m a head sweater. It’s kind of embarrassing. Sweat dripped into my eyes, and pretty soon the sweat on the back my net had soaked my hair.

was

GREAT!

I feel great! Rose said I did very well and that she was proud of me. Awww…isn’t she sweet? There was also obviously a mix up - the cooperate account is still viable, according to DAC, so the rather ditzy manager tried to figure it out today. But of course, everyone at DAC had gone for the day. They told me they’d try to work it out tomorrow. As I stood there behind the front desk, I perused the protein shake mixes and nutrition supplements sold there, all “formulated specifically for a woman’s system.” A digestion aid, a stress relief aid, joint care aid….a prost aid???? what? the bottle didn’t really have much information about what it specifically did…but…still…PROST AID FOR WOMEN???

I’m shooting for Thursday for my next visit.

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TMI of the day

Today I learned: my body does not digest brown rice.

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A message from the PSSP

Ok, this story made me mad when I first heard it last week, but I waited to rant about it until I heard for sure what I knew the outcome would be.

So, this 12 year old girl was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease, which is a type of cancer of the lymph nodes. Not something to fuck around with. So their oncologist prescribed a few rounds of chemo, followed by radiation treatments.

The parents agree, and the girl goes through chemo. After the chemo courses are done, the cancer is no longer detected (yay chemo!) and it’s time for the radiation.

But the parents decide “why does she need radiation? her cancer is gone! 100% gone! it’s not coming back!” and they refuse the radiation for her, against the doctor’s wishes.

WHY WHY WHY WHY are stupid people allowed to breed?

So the doctor informs the state, and child protective services removes the girl and her brothers from their parents custody.

The parents argue that their doctor never discussed alternative treatments with them, and never told them why she needed the radiation after her cancer appeared to be gone. OK, fine, their doctor was probably an ass. But what kind of medical training background makes these people feel qualified to start arguing with CANCER TREATMENT??? The doctor prescribed both chemo and radiation because for Hodgekin’s, that’s the treatment that’s been proven most effective. To quit after the chemo step is like stopping taking antibiotics halfway through the course because you feel better. Yes, you may FEEL better, but those ugly nasty bugs are still there, waiting for their chance to come back. And then with new and improved antibiotic resistance. the same holds true in this case. Did you know that cancer can become immune to certain types of chemo? yeah, it can.

I’m not saying that there might be viable alternatives out there. But did the parents investigate? Did they go online and check out chinese herbs and accupunture and, I don’t know…fucking scented incense burners??? Did they send emails to cancer experts at other hospitals across the country, to find out their opinions on the best course of action? NO! They just whined “our doctor didn’t talk to us about alternatives.” Guess what? YOU’RE the parent…YOU must do the investigating! OR…and here’s a radical idea…TRUST THE ASSHOLE WHO’S TREATED CANCER BEFORE AND WHO DOES SHIT LIKE THIS FOR A LIVING!!!!!

Christ.

So, a judge put a hold on the radiation until they could check to see if the cancer had come back. They did a PET scan this past weekend.

well, guess what?

THE CANCER IS BACK!!!

Fucking stupid ignorant inbred fucking STUPID BATSHIT CRAZY ASSHOLES!!!!

Now this poor little girl is going to have to go through chemo AGAIN…and it will probably be worse, because they’ll have to use different, and even stronger stuff to kill the cancer this time.

Ugh. DRIVES. ME. CRAZY!

Friends don’t let stupid people breed. Paid for by the People for the Sterilization of Stupid People.

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So as not to end my night on such an angry note…

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! I HEART NATALEE DEE!!! I especially like the expression on the face of the “OMG” person. BWAAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

Baseball and fire

Published Sunday, June 12, 2005 in daily, misc and conversations. 0 Comments

ooooohhhhhh ohhh ohhohhhhhh….

Saturday, the lab got together and went to a Braves game. We’d been planning it for awhile, figuring that after all the problems we’ve all been having, PLUS Brenda will be leaving for Boston at the end of the summer, we NEEDED some fun time together that wasn’t spent screaming “NOTHING GREW ON MY PLATES!!! I’M GOING TO KILL MYSELF!”

The day was cloudy and muggy, and I wanted to dress for comfort. I chose a green stripy tank top. Who are the Braves playing? I have no idea, but I can’t think of any green teams, so I figured I chose a safe color.

Kev and I rode MARTA (it’s “smarta”) to avoid traffic. This weekend was Music Midtown, and I knew traffic in and around the city would be nightmarish. We all managed to meet up and find out seats.

So who are the Braves playing, anyway? The Oakland Athletics. Shit…THAT’S CHEATING! Stupid interleague game. The Athletics color is green. Oh well, no one hasseled me.

It drizzled off and on throughout the game. I was sitting next to D, the very fidgety son of our Lab Goddess. As long as LG kept food or drink in his hands, he seemed OK. It was fun to see his excitement, though. He’d grab my arm and yell “Look! Hit the ball!”

We only had to drag out the umbrellas once for about 15 minutes, but we spent most of the game cool and just a little damp. Overall, a good day for baseball. As a bonus, the Braves won - hooray!

(note to the Pittsburghers: I was, am, and always will be a die hard Pirates fan, as difficult as that has been the past…10 years. And the Braves have a history of being a heinous foe to the Pirates. When I moved to Atlanta and joined my lab, I made an agreement with my Braves fan labmates: as long as the Braves were not 1. playing against the Pirates, or 2. competing with the Pirates in a close penant race, I will cheer for the Braves while in Atlanta. This make everyone happy. But I do die a little inside when I do the tomahawk chop)

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conversations, part ? in a series

we’re watching a home show on DIY, and their showing a built in Wok burner that can be separate from your stove. Very shiny and stainless steel. Cost? $2000.

Kev: you’d have to cook a lot of Wok stuff to make that feasable

Me: well, maybe if you’re Asian.

Kev: You’d have to be pretty hardcore Asian.

Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! HARDCORE ASIAN!

Kev: You’re going to blog this, aren’t you?

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The three alarm false alarm

Just about a half hour ago, I wake up still groggy from my nap. I’m still on the couch, contemplating whether I really need to wake up, or if I can still pass out for awhile longer, when I hear sirens. Close sirens. Cool! Somethings going on! Maybe I can see! So I shuffle outside in my bare feet, through the breezeway to the front of the building. Where I’m met by a couple of fire marshal type people and a firetruck, which fully geared up fire persons are climbing out of.

“WHERE’S 2002?” Firemarshal #1 asks me. “ummm…” I’m still waking up, and a little in shock. fortunately, one of my neighbors has come out and is a little more with it “Downstairs in the back.”

I run back and peer over the railing as Firemarshalls #1 and #2 knock on 2002. The nice hispanic lady who is either renting or housesitting (we haven’t determined which, yet) comes to the door.

“did you report a fire, ma’am?”

“What?? no! no fire!”

Now one of the sisters renting the unit below me come out. “We’re just burning papers in the fireplace!”

By this point, about 4 or 5 fully geared up firepeople are milling around, and I can hear more sirens. A fire rescue ambulance and ANOTHER firetruck are pulling into the complex.

Firemarshall #1 is on his walkie talkie, trying to figure out if they have the right unit number.

Neighbor sister calls up to me “Did YOU call?”

“No! and what are you doing with a fireplace fire in June???” I’m laughing now. She’s laughing, too.

“We’re just burning papers! I TOLD my sister to buy a shredder!!!” I feel bad that we’re having a good laugh at the expense of these very brave and hardworking firepeople, but it’s a little comical.

None of us can figure out who called in the fire. It had to be someone from another building who saw smoke coming from the top of the building and thought that something must be wrong, because WHO lights a fire in June? In ATLANTA??? And now there’s a firemarshall truck, TWO firetrucks and a rescue ambulance parked outside, and no one knows what to do. It was all pretty funny.

Eventually, the fire department left and now everything’s back to normal. I went downstairs to get more of the scoop, bu she’s just as confused as I am! Oh well, at least I got to have a nice long chat with a fairly new neighbor. She’s very sweet.

fisical fitness follies

Published Friday, June 10, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

So I finally limped my ass up to Roswell to sign up at Curves.

What? Didn’t I do that on tuesday?

no.

I hadn’t gotten very far when Kev called, and I told him where I was headed.
I was going to try to stop by after work. Perky lady was ALL ABOUT THAT. “Oh yes! Please do!” Never once saying “so I’ll put you down for 6?”

So a quick call later, and I have an appointment for thursday at 6:45.

Right.

I fight the traffic, and make only one wrong turn (this is good for me). And I get there early! A very nice woman who sounds exactly like Rose, Betty White’s character from the Golden Girls.

We go through a quick questionaire, where I tell her how I learned about Curves (ummm…every strip mall in Atlanta?) w at I hope to accomplish (lose weight, gain self-esteem), etc, etc.

Then comes the humiliating bit where I’m weighed, measured, and body fat index calculated buy a little handheld doohicky. No, I’m NOT going into details, but let’s just say that if I were a delicious food item, I’d probably be an Otis Spunkmeyer’s Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Muffin.

Now comes a quick tour around the room - there’s 15 machines and 15 ‘rest pads’ for inbetween machines. You use the machine, then when the music tells you, you move to a rest pad, and sort of dance/walk in place to the music. Then you move to the next machine. 30 seconds - not much time! You do the whole circuit twice in a half hour. every 8 minutes, everyone stops and measures their heart rate. But the process must work. Along the back wall were paper printouts reading “10 pounds” “20 pounds” “4o pounds,” with many many smaller shape cutouts bearing a name and some numbers - weight and inches lost - arranged around them.

Then we get around to the nitty gritty: money. I tell her that my boyfriend’s company (let’s call it the DumbAss Company, or DAC, for reasons that will become clear) has a cooperate account. Rose goes back to the front desk to figure out exactly how much the discount is. Time passes. She’s on the phone. She hangs up, dials another number…keeps giving me the one finger “just another minute” gesture. Finally, she comes back. Rose can’t get ahold of anyone at DAC. But they can find out and let me know maybe tomorrow? Fine. I start filling out health forms. Then Rose’s boss shows up, and Rose explains the problem.

Boss lady clears things up: the reason Rose can’t find the correct person to talk to about DAC’s account, is that DAC’s account with Curves expired and was never renewed.

WHAT????

Obviously, employees at DAC are still under the impression that they can get discounts at Curves…has no one noticed that it is no longer happening? Kev got his membership to Gold’s Gym without issue, so obviously THAT account is still good.

Goddammit.

Seeing my dismay, boss lady makes an offer. The normal sign up fee is $150, plus $29 monthly. There’s a special that cuts the fee to $75…and then ANOTHER special that says if you and a friend sign up, you split the $75. She offers me the special price: $37. plus the $29 monthly dues.

So I take it. They happily take my credit card….and…their computer goes down.

This is just so not meant to be.

That’s OK, they’ll put it through Friday. So after all is said and done, what was supposed to be a half hour appointment took a full hour. They told me I was the most patient person in the world. It’s a good thing Kev wasn’t there with me. He would have totally flipped out.

I call him afterwards, and he is pissed. He’s going to find out exactly what’s going on. Meanwhile, I still have to make the hike to Roswell for the next month before I can change my membership…and the only reason I had to do Roswell in the FIRST place was the coorperate account. But I doubt any of the closer Curves would make me such a generous offer.

I start monday. And it will be worth it. I need to lose…LOTS of inches. And muffins.

ouch

Published Thursday, June 9, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Anyone want to know what it feels like to have a 46oz can of vegetable juice fall out of the fridge and on to your foot?

huh??

well…let me tell you….

NOT GOOD!

Life of crime

Published Sunday, June 5, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Frozen white morons

As I was driving back from church, I got behind a white volvo with one of those abbreviate stickers on the back, similar to the “OBX” or “BNL” ones you see. This one said “CDN.” The letters were flanking with little maple leaf flags, and underneath in small letters it said “CANADA.”

Oh…so they just took out the “a’s” to make…canada…wait…that doesn’t work! CaDaNa? I sincerely hope that “CDN” stands for something else to canadians. Otherwise, these people were just stupid.

A few things that pointed me to the “stupid” conclusion: their license plate frame said “GO VEGAN!” and they also ran a red light right in front of a cop cap sitting in plane view. Unfortunately, the cop didn’t take the bait, but really…how stupid are you???

I am obviously NOT implying that all Canadians are stupid here. Just the ones from…Cadana. which actually makes sense if your nose is stuffed up. So maybe they weren’t stupid, they just had a cold?

~~see comments for explanation~~

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Do they make a patch for this?

I am getting somewhat frustrated with knitting as a hobby. I guess I never realized how expensive it would be. All the coolest yarns seem to be $8+…and only come in leeetle wee bundles…of which 10 or more are needed for a decent sized project.

now THERE’S incentive for a diet…lose weight and use less yarn for the clothing you make…hooray!

I am completely in awe of the knitting blogs I come across. These talented ladies turn out the most amazing projects in a matter of days…and somehow manage to support themselves with what has to be a $150/month yarn habit. All which leads me to wonder…DO THEY NOT WORK? Seriously. How can you afford the pretty yarn and still have tons of free time to use it???

My theory is that they don’t eat. Obviously, they can’t be spending any money on food. So my fatal flaw is that I like to cook. These two hobbies cannot co-exist peacefully. Something must suffer.

IT’S LIKE SOPHIE’S CHOICE!

Speaking of cooking, last night with my farmer’s market purchases I made the most WONDERFUL spicey Thai food! A super spicey Tom-yum hot and sour soup with mushrooms, green onions, and tofu. And a coconut curry with chicken and peppers with rice.

mmmmmm…

And this afternoon, I took the thick slices of Challah bread that I had left out overnight and made some french toast…droooooooool…..

(have you seen American Dad? “how’s your french toast, dear?” “smelly and ungrateful, but this AMERICAN toast is delicious!” bwaaahahahahahahaaaa!!!!)

(also, I have been bopping around singing “…I ain’t no CHALLAH back giiiiirl, ain’t no CHALLAH back giiiirl!….grooooooan!)

So anyway…yeah, giving up cooking is pretty much impossible. I must come up with another way to fund my new hobby.

I’ve decided on bank robbing. I’ll let you know how that goes.

wednesday adventures

Published Wednesday, June 1, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Today I finished earlier than expected, and decided to use the extra time before choir practice to head on over to my local neighborhood yarny store and buy some fun yarn to play with. I called ahead of time, listened to the voice message, found out they closed at 6 on weekdays. perfect. I could leave at 5, get there at 5:30, buy yarn, find out if there were any classes being offered this month, and have plenty of time to get dinner and then get to choir.

10 minutes after I left, N from the lab called.

“are you running a gel?”

fuck, forgot to shut that off. no worry, N told me, she had just left herself, but B would be back in the lab in a half hour, so I could just call and tell her to shut off the gel.

Fine. I fight traffic and get to the sewing store. Closed.

Fuck. “closed wednesdays”

well…THAT little piece of information would have been useful on their voicemessage!

I call the lab, no answer.

Oh well, I swing by mcdonalds, get me a #2, and then head in the direction of church. But it’s WAAAAAY too early still. Hmmm…well, past my church there’s a shopping center with a Petsmart. I need more poopy pick up bags and doggy shampoo, and maybe some more flavored rawhide bones.

Ok, well, that killed 15 minutes. Damn. I was hoping they’d have an “adoption day” going, and I could play with the cute and fuzzies.

Called the lab again. No answer.

Sigh. I drove to my church, and sat in the parking lot for 20 minutes.

Call the lab. No answer

Go in to choir practice.

Call the lab, no answer.

middle of practice, we get a break.

Call the lab, no answer.

Practice is over. I’m going to have to drive back to the lab and do it myself! But, just in case…

call the lab. No answer.

I park in a handicap spot in front of the building, sprint in, run to the lab (WHY is it unlocked? grumble bitch gonna have something stolen here…bitch grumble)

There’s B, sitting at her bench.

“how long have YOU been here?”

“oh for a while now. do you have a gel running?”

“AAAAARRRRRRRCH!”

“was that you calling?”

“YES!!! FOREVER!!!”

“every time it rang, I was in the middle of something, and when finally I went to pick it up, I got a dial tone!”

yeah, our voice mail picks up quick. it took a lot of self control to not scream WE HAVE A CORDLESS PHONE! YOU COULD HAVE KEPT IT WITH YOU!!!

Gah!

is it friday yet?

lazy daze

Published Monday, May 30, 2005 in daily and conversations. 0 Comments

Memorial Day dawns bright and…wait…no…not bright. no….what’s the word I’m looking for…

dismal. yeah, dismal. that’s it.

DAMMIT! It’s been beautiful, warm, and sunny for WEEKS! and this weekend has been rainy and cool. not condusive to our picnic plans.

Saturday was a laze around day, recovering from a loooong week.

Sunday we went to a Chinese buffet (mmmm…crab rangooooooons….) and then FINALLY got to see Revenge of the Sith.

(OK, in the first movie, Padme kind of kicked ass. she was a princess with attitude. This movie she wasn’t capable of doing much more than growing more pregnant by the minute, and throwing her arms around Anakin’s neck and saying ‘Oh Ani, I’m so frightened!” WTF?)

I’ve spent a good deal of the weekend trying to convince Kev that even though I’m on my period, with the Insteads, we can STILL HAVE SEX! We’re usually both pretty tired during the week, and weekends we play catch up! PLEASE FUCK ME, BABY! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD AND HOLY!!!

But the Insteads freak him out a bit. I think he muttered something about a “dixie cup” being up there. DAMMIT!

This morning I decided things had cleared up enough to take it out and commence with the loving. Mmmmm…FINALLY! A nice, relaxing, spoon position…mmmmm..

Today, instead of our romatic picnic at the park, we went shopping. Kev still had to use the $120 allowance he gets for khakis for work. He had the choice of one or two REALLY nice pairs of khakis…or LOTS OF CHEAP khakis. What do you think he decided?

Yeah, we went to wal-mart. I think he got 8 pairs of khakis and a pair of jeans, some underwear, and socks, all for $140. He’s been GLOWING since we got home. Kev loves a good bargain…as do I - I bought some panties and yarn for knitting - hooray!

And how has the knitting been going, ESC?

wellll….I haven’t been doing it as much as I should. I FINALLY finished the knit case for my two epi pens. i have to carry two around, and I was sick of them knocking around loose in my purse. My skills are still pretty basic, and I haven’t taken on anything overly complicated yet. I did do a bang up job on the head kerchief in Stitch and Bitch (pictures of both coming soon, probably on flickr, so keep checking). But I wanted to try something more…

I thougt I’d try a pattern that SEEMED simple for a purse I found online. Until I read closer. Slip stitch? What the fuck is a slip stitch. THAT was not in Stitch and Bitch. Fortunately, Aimee was online, and walked me through it. Aimee, if you don’t find a job soon, you can start a sewing and knitting crisis call line.

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living with boys is gross

kev was just getting out of the shower last night, and I was at the sink, washing my face with my noxema face cream. With it all over my face, I looked at him in the mirror and grinned. He grinned back.

Kev: BUKKAKE!!!

Me:….

Kev: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!

Me: ….

Kev: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!

Me: I am SO BLOGGING THIS!

Kev: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!

Boys are gross.

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tonight on the INDOOR grill….

Grilled top sirloin steak

Grilled corn on the cob

potato salad

cole slaw

watermelon

margaritas!

Hand Drier of Doom, and other weekend adventures

Published Sunday, May 22, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Busy weekend wrap up!

Friday was a VERY busy day, and I got nothing done…labwise. First we ordered lunch out, which is A GREAT way to kill a few hours. Right after lunch, three of us plus our advisor took a trip to Sam’s Club and Publix to pick up stuff for 3rd Friday - which is a departmental party held once a month on…the 3rd friday, duh. All the labs take turn “hosting” it, and this was our month. We bought over a hundred dollars worth of snacks, treats, and…beer. The department will pay my advisor for it. So it was SPEND AWAY, BABY! When we got back, I had just enough time to check my gel and then bang my head against the wall for the totally confusing results I was getting, before we had to go set up all the goodies in the 2nd floor lobby.

So from 4 to 5, I stood around chatting and stuffing my face, and then I had to scadaddle and head over to a bar in the Va Highlands to meet some friends, and chat, eat, and drink SOME MORE!

The best thing about THAT evening was…the hand drier in the bathroom. I shit you not…it was amazing. It was a supercharged TURBO hand drier. You know how in the movies, when a helicopter hovers above water, or a field of wheat? Well, that’s what this drier did to my skin. I walked back to the group. “guys! you have to check out the hand drier! it’s really scary!”

“yeah, right. whatever”

Elizabeth was next to break the seal. She came back to the table looking unsettled. “that hand drier is…weird!”

“YES! THANK YOU!” I felt vindicated. everyone tried the drier and was suitably impressed and frightened by it. THE AMAZING HAND DRIER OF DOOOOOOOOM!

Helped that I had a really good buzz going.

Saturday morning was dress rehearsal for choir, then a few hours in the lab. Bleah! But later, Kev and I went out to eat and met up with a grad student from the lab and a bunch of her friends for her birthday. We went to this place called Jillians, which is a big Dave and Busters ripoff…but much more expensive. (for the “for’ners”, Dave and Busters is a bar/restaurant/billiards/arcade for adults - this place also had a small bowling alley). Kev and I shared a swipe card and played a few games together. We played a race car game - Daytona 500, I think. He got ALL kinds of indignant when I ran him off the road at the last minute to win the race. Duh! OUT OF MY WAY, BEEEOOOOTCH! Just like my driving in real life. Right, Jamie?

This morning was the big music service at church. we sang several pieces, but our big piece was Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” I love singing in latin- it just flows so much smoother than English.

After THAT we had a congregational meeting to approve our candidate for new associate pastor. and Kev got yet MORE introduction to Presbyterian politics. What was supposed to be a relatively quick and smooth process hit a snag when someone stood up and gave a very emotional speech about how $32,000 a year is bare minimum for salary, and how could anyone live on that, and we should up that by $10,000. Gah!!! That was so frustrating, because:

1. the session had to scrimp and cut and paste to find the money to hire a FULL TIME associate. we’re not paying minimum Presbytery salary because we’re stingy…we’re doing it because that’s what we can afford!

2. you can’t live in atlanta for $32,000??? that’s $10,000 more than what I make, thank you very much! and it’s more than what Kev makes.

so, yeah, that motion got defeated. But the candidate was accepted. more good work by the Presbyterian machine.

and now I laze on the couch…tired from two nights of drinking. And a little early morning debauchery. Hehe…I was ONLY trying to wake Kev up - as I usually say, I know FOR SURE I can always wake at least ONE part of him up. I didn’t think he’d want to follow through with it. What a nice way to start the day

Can ya hear me now, beeeeeeotch?

Published Thursday, May 19, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Our phones! They came! I’m officially a Verizon Customer! (sorry Pup)

They were going to come either today or tomorrow, and I was expecting tomorrow, because the Verizon rep here at school called me Tuesday, the day after I started the whole process, to inform me that when she tried to access my credit…(oh shit oh shit…there are some snarky things on my credit…oh shit…they’re going to deny me! they wouldn’t right? I keep getting credit card offers..my credit can’t be THAT bad! oh shit oh shit…)…but came up against my fraud blocker, so they needed some more info from me.

OHHHHHH… the FRAUD BLOCKER STILL WORKS!

See, five or so years ago I got a call from the friendly people at Citibank. Seems they had two cards for me with two different mailing addresses, and were calling to confirm that that was correct.

ahem…I’m sorry…what?

Yep, somebody had gotten a hold of my SS# and opened up a card in my name. Thank God it was a company that catches that sort of thing. They had managed to spend a few hundred dollars, mostly on…manicures, apparently, and some restaurant charges. Pussies…they’d had it almost a month! What, no big screen TVs? I wasn’t responsible for the charges, of course. But I would have to call the three credit agencies and tell them to put a fraud warning on my account. Basically, whenever I (or some punk ass crook) would try to open up a new line of credit, the company would have to call me and confirm that it was really me doing it.

Once since then I’ve gotten a call, someone else trying to open another card up using my SS#. Besides that one other time, I haven’t had any more problems. So I don’t have any plans to change my number yet, or anything. The good part is that i’m not really tempted to open up a bunch of store credit cards to save 10% because it’s such a pain in the ass process now.

Also, when my credit snarked a year and a half ago (ohhhh… you mean I had to make those payments EVERY MONTH???) I decided to get help from a consumer credit counseling company (great people, I highly recommend them if you’re feeling overwhelmed with credit bills), so they keep a close eye on suspicous activity as well.

Anyway…where was I? Oh, so I had to confirm that it was really me trying to get the phones, yes, I have a mortgage payment…it’s through Company X. Amount of my monthly payment? I haven’t a clue…that check goes out automatically through my bank’s online bill pay…I could look it up online? Not neccessary. I answered some more questions and we were on our way!

I got the LG6100. There was a fancier motorola phone I could have gotten for the same price, but it didn’t have as good user reviews. And really… I don’t need bluetooth. Kev opted for fancy and got the Treo600, which, if you’re interested, has come down SIGNIFICANTLY in price now that the Treo650 is out…and the only exciting new features is Bluetooth. Eh, who needs it! Now Kev and I BOTH have camera phones! We can take picture of each other while we both on the phone…WITH EACH OTHER!!! Ohh…I just want to ROLL AROUND NEKKID ON OUR COOL NEW PHONES!!!

but that would crush them and that would be bad…so I won’t.

So now I’m IN, BABY!!! Who’s IN with me? Let’s exchange numbers and CHAT ALL DAY! FREE!!!

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Public Service Announcement

Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” will now be the official theme song for summer. Thank you.

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I didn’t realize they came in 5 gallon size…

Kev went to walmart to get his oil changed. He came back with SUPER LARGE jars of dill pickles and green olives.

I shudder to think what would happen if I ever got that boy into Sam’s club…

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Sadie is shedding. Which means I’m doing a lot of this:

“Ack! ptooey! hack! *spit* bleah!”

I wish I could just vacuum all the hair she’ll eventually lose off of her. Unfortunately, the vacuum cleaner scares the CRAP out of her.

OK…I’m going to go play with my phone now!

All together now!

Published Saturday, April 30, 2005 in daily and blogging. 0 Comments

Happy Blogiversary toooo meeeeee

Happy Blogiversary toooo meeeeeeeee

Happy Blogiversary to meeee….

And I smell like one tooooo!

what?

Anyway, yeah, one year ago today I announced to Kev that I wanted to start a blog, and he said “what? you made fun of blogs! you hated blogs!” and I said that I changed my mind, that it was my right as a woman to do so. Pbbbth!

So I did a google search for “blog” and came across Blogger…no comments, no search feature, no real easy customization ability whatsoever. I spent the next few weeks pouring over Kev’s old html programming book from college and making little tweaks here and there….ahhh….memories.

My first blog post here.

Was hoping to cram a full day in today: go see hitchhikers guide (and probably be disappointed in it), go shopping for “business casual” clothes for Kev’s new job, hit a DIFFERENT and better wal-mart for cheap stuff we weren’t able to get last weekend…

unfortunately, first we decided to get Mexican food for lunch. And as a consequence, we are bloated and tired. Not sure if we’ll get much accomplished today. But that’s OK. It’s humid and cool today, after violent thunderstorming all morning…perfect weather to just lay around and do…NOTHING!

I’m even too full to be naughty. Poop! Stupid mexican food and stupid complementary chips and salsa!

just a straaaaanger on the bus….

Published Friday, April 29, 2005 in rants and daily. 0 Comments

I’m reliving my college days…weirdly enough.

The first reason, you will make fun of me for. Well, I know Kev will.

I was in desperate need of chapstick last week, having gouged out as much as I could from my last stick of mint flavored Chapstick brand (the only kind i use). My only hope was CVS, which to my dismay, does not stock the mint flavor. Bastards. So I bought the “lip moisturizer” Chapstick in the blue tube. I used to use that kind years ago, before I discovered the cooling wonder that is the mint flavor.

Now my lips taste like college. Only without the Rum aftertaste.

Also I’ve been digging through old CDs to put on my iPod. I now have a nice collection of Angry Female/Lilith Fair type stuff from college taking over my play lists.

Alanis Morisette
Natalie Merchant
Joan Osbourne
Shawn Colvin

It’s bringing back lots of memories, and it’s got me thinking…

God, was I an idiot in college, or what? I thought I carried the weight of the world on my shoulders. I remember how dire my situation always seemed…drunk and crying in the woods behind the townhouse, soooo tragic that Adam didn’t love me like I loved him (oh my, did I have terrible taste) and it was just the WORST THING THAT COULD EVER HAPPEN TO ME EVER!!!

Every time I get to the next “stage” in my life, I look back at the previous stage and think…”god, what an idiot I was!”

Will this happen for the rest of my life? Will I be sitting around, age 75, thinking about how young and stupid a 65 year old I was?

In a way, that could be a good thing, because it will mean that I continue to learn from my mistakes and grow as a person.

But it could also be a bad thing, because I really don’t want to spend my whole life thinking that I’m an idiot.

I don’t really know where I’m going with this, and these thoughts are really too deep for a friday. I just got good news, my advisor told me to start writing up my previous mammoth of a project to be published. The results of 3 years of work ended up being…meh. But a colaboration with another lab using the same mutant alleles ups it from “meh” to “huh!” At least if we can get it published it will justify my existance here. My newer work looks more interesting, but I hate to think that the first four years were a complete waste.
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Changing the subject completely: a dilemma.

A book I want is $30 at the store.

I can get it from Amazon brand new for $19 + shipping…OR I can buy something else as well and by combining it get free shipping…which will end up being a little over $30 total.

OR I can buy it used from Amazon for $13…plus shipping…which will bring the total to $19…which is what I would pay for it NEW from amazon!

Gah! Should I get more for more money????

I can’t make stupid decisions like this.

Meanwhile, back in Egypt…

Published Tuesday, April 26, 2005 in daily, misc and food. 0 Comments

So what have I been doing to pass the time?

Last thursday
morning: get to work, only one person there. Oh yeah…duh! PRODUCT SHOW! FREE STUFF AND FOOD! sweet! rush back to lab for…
afternoon:lab meeting, then lunch at Panera with lab alumnus in town for Passover
rush to get some kind of work done, then rush to get home for…
evening: dinner with AJ! Oh yeah, I met him. We’re totally close. You jealous?

Now, did I remember to bring my camera to the momentous meeting of another blogger? You be your sweet bippy! Did I remember to USE it? Oops. no. sorry. My bad.

AJ, Kev, and I had a very nice long dinner at Raging Burrito, enjoying large tubes of meat, rice, and beans and also margaritas. It was probably the margaritas that kept us chatting WAAAAY longer than I thought we would. It’s a school night, after all! And Kev was just a little bored, poor guy, as AJ and I gossipped about other bloggers and such. Don’t worry, we didn’t say anything about YOU! And we most CERTAINLY didn’t talk about THAT!

And Mikey? Long distance hugs RIGHT BACK ATCHA!

So yeah, thursday I ate A LOT OF FOOD!

Friday….ummm…what did I do friday? Made portabella burgers. Yeah, that was the highlight.

Saturday, SHOPPING! I blogged about that already.

Sunday: church, work, then…MORE SHOPPING! but annoying shopping. walmart, target, home depot. I was sooo annoyed. I wanted some semi-decorative hooks to put in my kitched to hang some decorative items on. I found what I wanted: they’re called robe hooks. about $2.50 for a pack of two. Walmart had them, plus they carried wall anchors, which I needed because the hooks would be going into dry wall. But for reasons too long to go into (OK, Kev got mad because their price matching policies SUCK! it has to be the EXACT SAME BRAND OF MILK? ARE YA KIDDING ME???)

Ummm…so anyway, we ended up at Target, which also had the robe hooks, but no wall anchors. I’d have to go to Home Depot. This was fine, we also needed some halogen light bulbs. And I decided I might as well wait and buy the robe hooks at Home Depot, too. Surely they carried them, they’re just simple, painted metal hooks!

Nope.

No robe hooks. They didn’t really know what I was talking about. So dammit, no “this old house” projects for me on saturday. But I DID highlight my hair! Yay! Looks pretty good. Need to take an “after” picture, though.

Today I went to the Dekalb County Farmers Market, aka “ESC’s heaven on earth.” Sloth has her shoes, I have a huge building filled with exotic foods, fresh fruits and veggies, and international cheeses.

I spent alot more than I intended. Three bottles of wine, semolina flour, sweet onions, fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, mocha java coffee beans, tilapia fillets, strawberry and cream cheese croissants, bananas, mangoes, strawberries, fresh lobster ravioli (ON SALE!), and my favorite: some pungent gourmet french bleu cheese (for the massive burgers I made tonight..HAHA! TAKE THAT, FRENCHIE! I PUT YOUR CHEESE ON A BURGER! AND IT WAS GOOOOOOD!) just to name a few things. Yeah, I bought a lot. BUT we were celebrating!

Kev got a new job! He just got the offer today: more money, shorter commute, better opportunities, and hopefully, a LOT more job satisfaction. SO YAY! WAY TO GO BABY!

I stuffed him full of bleu cheesey grilled burgers, fresh fruit, and steamed broccoli. Then HE stuffed me full of…ummmm…hehe….yeah. That was fun. Mmmmm….good times. Excellent crop usuage as well.

So I’ve been keeping myself pretty occupied the past few days. Thanks everyone for your support - you are all wonderful

A most pleasing time

Published Monday, April 18, 2005 in daily and photos. 0 Comments

I bet you ALLL want to know the dirty details of the fun Kev and I had with the riding crop. Dontcha? You’re just itching to hear about the wild freaky sex we had all weekend, the nice red welts on my back and Kev’s behind, the good pounding I got….mmmm…..

well, NO DETAILS FOR YOU! Bwahahaha! I will just say that our new toy is FUN FUN, and we will get much enjoyment out of it

When we dragged our tired asses out of bed on Saturday, we made our way to the GA rennaisance festival. It was the opening weekend, so tickets were 2 for 1. Woohoo! It’s pretty huge! I had only been to the one near Pittsburgh before. We walked around for a few hours. I, of course, had the camera to catch all the freaky rennaisance action.

Canst thou hear me now? Verily! Posted by Hello

Weird griffin puppet thing Posted by Hello

Kev taking it all in Posted by Hello

I LOVE live demonstrations. And I REALLY love glass art. This guy was very cool. Kev and I chatted with him afterwards.

glass blowing demonstration. Posted by Hello

Starting the bubble Posted by Hello

Opening the end up. Posted by Hello

Done! Posted by Hello

I didn’t buy a mug, but I did but a cool bottle/flask thing. I’m going to hang it near my kitchen and keep my fresh herbs in it (once my garden gets going)

Mona…me! Posted by Hello

Big, hairy, and horny. Not Kev, silly! Some scottish highland bull. Posted by Hello

The freaks come out… Posted by Hello

Elf? There was a booth, where, for $15, they’d give you elf ears. Ummm…not worth it. Posted by Hello

Tree…..guy! Posted by Hello

Mucho Male Miniskirt Madness tax update

Published Thursday, April 14, 2005 in daily, relationship/sex and conversations. 0 Comments

Finally rented Troy last night. I unsuccessfully argued against it being a chick flick. Kev had owed me a chick flick since Valentine’s day, when we tried to go see Hitch, but the Universe conspired against us.

“but…there’s war! and fighting! and guys getting impaled and losing limbs!”

“uh huh…but there’s plenty eye candy for you”

“well…there’s eye candy for YOU, too!”

“there’s MORE for you. it’s a chick flick”

“dammit.”

I didn’t help my case much by screaming “ROLL OVER JUST A LITTLE MORE!” every time Mr Pitt appearred all nekkid on screen, which was quite a bit. Yummy! Who knew Achilles preferred sleeping in the nude? I think Homer must have left that bit out. Fool. Would have made english class junior year MUCH MORE INTERESTING! Hooray for artistic license!

So I’ve used up my chick flick points for a little while. That means I probably won’t be able to see Closer for awhile. He wants to go see Sahara. I want to see Hitchhiker’s. Yay!
****************

How to torture a boy while watching a movie.

“how about a banana. that’s a healthy snack.”

“OK. I can use it to torture you with.”

“UH HUH…I’m not going to watch you, then”

“mmm…banaaaaanas….”

“NOT LOOKING!”

“I just looooooove wrapping my lips around a banana”

“NOT LOOKING NOT LOOKING NOT LOOKING!!!!!”

“mmmmmmm….” *lots of tongue*

*glance* “DAMMIT!!!”

“BWHAHAHAHA!!!!” *CHOMP!*

I love torturing him with bananas. Or popsicles. Or really…any prop, position, quick reveal, touch, or gesture that will provide me with torture fun goodness at any time when we’re together.

I LOVE YOU, SWEETIE!!!!

**************************
Unrelated, yet disgustingly fascinating…

Remote-controlled headless zombie flies!!!!!!

(which would be a great name for a band!)

*************************

HOORAY! I DID MY OWN TAXES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!!

yes, I just did them.

what?

yeah…so WHAT if it’s the last minute? the point is I DID them…all by myself!

well…one phone call to my father. just to get my AGI for e-filing. Then dad asked me about declaring my state refund from last year, and I said “umm…what?”

so an hour on the phone and two panic attacks later, that phone call cost me $75 of my federal refund, but probably saved a painful audit. Boooo!

See, the only real problem I have with TurboTax is that while they ask you simple questions to see what forms should be filled out, they tend to clump them together in odd ways. Like “did you purchase a yacht or receive a state tax refund in 2004?”

see? your eyes just see “yacht” and you press “NO” automatically, not catching that trap. So good old dad saved me. That and his organization skills. He had sent me copies of my taxes last year, and they’re probably around…somewhere. Most likely in storage, actually.

But, again…THE IMPORTANT thing, is that I’m a GROWN UP PERSON who DID HER OWN (sort of) TAXES and is RECEIVING A LARGE REFUND that will immediately go to MY CONDO ASSOCIATION and MY SCHOOL for paying waaay overdue bills.

See? Grownup!

…with little leafy mullets! update

Published Saturday, April 9, 2005 in daily and food. 0 Comments

Just got back from Pike nursery, where I rounded out my balcony herb garden for the season. I’d already bought some from Wa….from a place that sells at low low prices, but the thyme had already died (predictably, my thyme always dies.) and, mysteriously, so had the basil. Usually basil grows like weeds for me. I had to get some replacements.

Pike’s herbs are more expensive, but are usually better quality. Probably because they, like, you know….”water” them. Unlike Wal…well, you know.

Anyway, picked up some more thyme, some dill, tarragon, and something called “pesto” basil, and…the crowning glory: Lesbos Basil.

LESBIAN BASIL!!!! I SHIT YOU NOT!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!!

Ohhh…my….

YEAH I bought it! And I noticed that while basil usually grows straight up with leaves growing off the stem, this basil is actually bushy. BWAHA! BUSHY LESBIAN BASIL!!!!

OK, maybe it’s not as funny as I thought. It’s been a slow day - c’mon…I took PICTURES OF MY POLLENY CAR!

Anyway, also picked up a tomato plant. The label said right on it: “PATIO”, so I hope it grows well. One year I had so many little grape tomatoes that I couldn’t keep up and they rained down on my downstairs neighbor like a miniature tomatina festival.

Now I have to get ready to see my friend Elizabeth and her husband, whom I haven’t seen since she gave birth in January. I STILL have the little italian charm braclet I put together for her with little baby related charms. So I finally get to give it to her. We’re looking forward to a night of pizza, cake, drinking, and cranium. But quietly, because Little D will probably be sleeping.

Ah…fun with breeders.

*****update****

And HERE’S THE PROOF! bwaha!

Drank way too much wine last night, and we had WAY MORE FUN than any group of people should have when there’s an almost-4-month old present. Little D was very well behaved, didn’t fuss too much, no crying, and only blurped up gross stuff at the very beginning, causing wardrobe changes for both mommy and baby. While we played Cranium at the dining room table, he was in the bassinet doing leg excercises. At least I think he was, all you could see of him were little socked feet going up and down. yay!

Tip o’ the day

Published Friday, April 8, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Now that a good percentage of Blogville has broken away from the evil empire known as “IE” and taken on champion underdog Firefox, here’s a helpful tip:

If you find, like me, that opening .pdf files in Firefox using Acrobat 6.0 is slow and painful, and often causes Firefox to freeze when you try to close it, please do NOT hurl your computer out the window (like I wanted to). Instead, I found this very helpful.

Adobe Reader 6.0 for Windows loads lots of unused plugins on startup. Basically, you need to do the following:

1. Install Adobe Reader 6.0 and notice where it is installed.
2. Navigate to that folder in Explorer, locate the plug_ins subfolder and rename this folder to plug_ins_disabled.
3. Create a new plug_ins folder.
4. Move the files EWH32.api, printme.api and search.api from plug_ins_disabled to plug_ins.

Acrobat loads MUCH faster, and you can close the window/tab without the whole thing freezing up on you.

Of course, you only need to do this if you frequently need to read .pdf files, like me. (remember? WAAAY too lazy to walk over to the library and physically COPY those papers)

This has been your ESC tip of the day. Please continue reading below about my fascinating dreams about fashion guns.

The ESC’s new clothes

Published Wednesday, April 6, 2005 in daily and science!. 0 Comments

Last night after work I went to Target to see if they had that laptop bag I mentioned the other day. They didn’t - poo! But I can never leave Target empty handed. Came home with khaki capris, a lime green top, and canvas flip-floppy sandals - total cost: $27 + tax. I bought other stuff, too, of course. But I was particularly proud of my clothing bargains. Actually, I might have gotten an even BETTER bargain, had I realized what a pushover my cashier was. Some drinks I bought didn’t scan. “how much were these” “ummm…2.65? I think?” “OK” tap tap tap beep!

Hm.

Then the top rang up $12.99. “oh…um…I thought that was on sale…$9.99 I think” Actually, I wasn’t sure. There were multiple styles on the rack, and the sign said $9.99 AND & $12.99, but it was worth a shot. I figured she’d call over to the women’s department. Nope! “OK!” tap tap tap beep! Sweet. I should have said they were $5.99. But that would have been WRONG OF ME!

I was so proud of my clothes that I wore them today, sandals and all! Like when you’re 7 and have to wear all your new school clothes RIGHT AWAY! HOORAY FOR NEW CLOTHES!!! EVERYONE PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!! At least I didn’t wear them out of the store

I ordered the laptop bag from the website. I pay more for shipping…but IT’S TOO CUTE NOT TO BUY!

I have spent most of the day labeling and cataloging the 26 PCR primers (22 of them all for the same gene, with restriction sites on the end…keeping these ones straight in my brain will be a nightmare) that I ordered monday that arrived much quicker than I expected! Yay! But ohhh…how boring to enter them into our complicated organizational structure.

Today’s Lesson Learned: Foil packets of salad dressing have expiration dates that should be heeded. HEEDED, I SAY! Even though you may think “hey, it’s just oil and vinegar and dried herbs, how bad could it get, sitting in my desk drawer for a year or so?”

Bad. Very…very…bad.

Modern torture devices

Published Sunday, April 3, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

Even though I’ve had the dance pad for PS2 for almost three weeks now, I haven’t had any time to test it out. I knew I had to get to it soon, because I didn’t want to talk to my mom and have her ask me if I’ve used it, and say no, and then she’ll be all like “I BOUGHT that for you becaused you PROMISED you would EXCERICISE with it!”

Well, not really. All I said was that I thought they were cool, and I’d like to try it out.

Anyway, I unhooked the PS2 from the tv in the spare room (Kev doesn’t play it any more, anyway) and moved it to the living room. Set up the dance pad, put on a sports bra and a t shirt, and I was ready to go!

I decided to start with the beginners training level. This consisted of 3 sets of 8 practice rounds, whereby you learn the basic steps. It all seemed so very elementary.

left

right

left

right

down.

etc etc.

boooring. Then it got complicated.

left right left down right left

whoa. slow down. there was a creepy animation on the side that was a huge blonde head with two big feet that showed you which foot went where, and tips woud flash on the bottom of the screen. Problem was, I was too busy paying attention to the arrows scrolling up the screen to be able to take advantage of the help.

leftleft right jump twist jump left downupdown left down leftupleftupright jump jump twist jump!

whew! I had worked up a good sweat just finishing the basic training!

Played a few single player games. You should have SEEN the looks I was getting from my dog! First she just stood there, tail wagging, tongue out….bitch was LAUGHING at me! So I made her go into her crate, where she would occasionally peek out to see if I was still making a fool of myself.

But it was FUN! I think I’m getting the hang of it. Soon I’ll be hanging out at Dave and Busters, showing up all the punk ass kids.

Yeah, right.

This is probably also a bad time for a new neighbor to be moving in below me. What they probably heard all afternoon: thump thump WHAM thump WHAM!

Hehe…then Kev finally got home, and the noises started up again…one room over. thump thump thump “aaaahhhoooohhhhhyeeaaahhhhhhYEEEAAAHHHHYESYESYESYEEEESSSS….!!!!!”

they’re going to LOVE living here!

Saturday blogging

Published Saturday, April 2, 2005 in daily, misc and family. 0 Comments

I watched CNN all night yesterday, and then all morning and part of the afternoon today…waiting. I wanted to be glued to the TV when it happened, I wanted to hear the announcement, I wanted to hear the bells.

A little after 2, I decided that it was time to change out of my PJ’s and go to the lab for a little while. I had cultures to start, and plates and tubes to set up for monday.

I get home around 4, turn on the TV, and D’OH! HE HAD DIED RIGHT AFTER I LEFT! Dammit.

I am not catholic, and you KNOW I’m not particularly reverent. I disagree with alot of what the Catholic church and the pope have stood for: their views on homosexuality, their stance on birth control, their anti-abortion stance.

But I respect a man who has led a good and holy life. A man who has stood up for his beliefs and who has done much to spread the faith. A man who has spoken out against war, against communism, against the slaughter of innocents during ethnic cleansing.

You have done good work with your life, Karol. May you rest peacefully in God’s embrace.

***************************
I talked to Kev last night. His mom is in good spirits, but has a long recovery ahead of her. She had to have a full hip replacement. Her shoulder is set, and her arm is bound to her torso, no cast. When she gets out of the hospital (we don’t know when that will be), she’ll have to go to a rehabilitation center for at least a month.

ugh. poor Kev’s mom. He spent last night with her in the hospital. Probably tonight, too.

He’ll be home tomorrow. His sister and her family live close to his mom, so they’ll make sure she get’s taken care of. We’ll probably both make a trip there soon, to see her.

**************************

I got another charley horse in bed this morning. That’s twice this week! Why do they call it a “charley horse,” anyway? that is WAY too cute a phrase for such a vicious, painful event. Why don’t they call it “sharp, pointy knives stabbing into your calf muscle,” because THAT’S what it feels like.

Dammit. I’ve been limping all day.

*************************

If you’re looking for a nice treat, I highly recommend Godiva’s chocolate covered cookies and cream ice cream. mmmmmmm….

what?

I bought a pint of it to console myself during my weekend alone!

Obligatory April Fool’s Nonsense…

Published Friday, April 1, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

1. I’m quitting my blog, it takes up way too much of my time, and blah blah blah whine whine nobody likes me and there’s a big conspiracy against me, blah blah whine blah.

2. I’m pregnant. Yep, just got the results of the test. Peein’ on that little wand thingie. I used the new digital ones because I’m too stupid to interpret a “+” and “-”.

3. When Kev found out I was pregnant, he left me. Packed up all his shit and moved out last night. Said he’s not ready to be a dad. Just as well, I’m not entirely sure he’s the father anyway.

4. The pope is dying.

oops, that last one is true. sorry. Unless that some kind of really cruel Vatican april fool’s joke, in which case I’d be really pissed…though very impressed.

The truth:

I will give up my blog when someone wrenches it from my cold, dead hands.
I am not pregnant.
If I were, Kev would TOTALLY BE THE FATHER, C’MON, PEOPLE, GEEZ-USSS!

Kev IS gone for the weekend. His mom fainted and fell the other day, breaking a hip and messing up her shoulder. She had surgery and is still in the hospital. So Kev’s headed to alabama to see her - right into the mess that is our weather right now. Greeeaaaat.

It was kind of a crappy week for the whole lab, so I instituted the emergency “cheer everyone up” plan, which is basically THAI FOOD DELIVERY! So yummy thai food for lunch and everyone’s mood has improved noticably. Also, we had an afternoon meeting with terra chips and cookies. Sugar rush commensing….now. Ahhhh….

I will be ALL ALONE this weekend (unless you’re a stalke/killer, in which case I will be ALL ALONE…WITH my snarling drooling vicious dog, Sadie. Don’t let the pictures fool you, she’ll LICK YOUR LEG OFF, BASTARD!). Sounds like a good excuse to go shopping! Wal…I mean that store that shall not be named…HERE I COME! Maybe Target, too. Weather is warm, I need nice new clothes now!

So far today I have been left un-Punk’d. April fools is such a non event! When I was little I would make silly hats and sun glasses and wear them to school. Oh yeah, I was the most popular kid in my class, didn’t you know. Those were rocks of LOVE the kids were throwing.

Have a sweeet weekend, kids!

Brunch with Jesus update

Published Sunday, March 27, 2005 in daily, relationship/sex, food and Religion!. 0 Comments

Easter morning came bright and…cloudy. Damn. I had to sing at church, and since Kev is ALWAYS late when I make him come to church to hear me sing, I decided that he would go early with me (choir has to report a half hour early). The result of this genius? I was late! Pbbth!

So I was rushed and confused through a service with a TON of music in it. I had forgotten one piece, and someone slipped me an extra copy just in time. At one point, the choir director sat down in an empty seat in front of me. I got his attention and pointed to the bulletin, where it said for a certain hymm “choir introduction: Alleluiah” what? all we had was the copy of the hymm..nothing about an alleluiah. I was panicking because I thought I had forgotten something else! But J had forgotten to make copies of it for us. Quickly he grabbed HIS copy and we passed it around like a middle school note.

All in all, in spite of limited rehearsal time and some complex music, we pulled it off.

whew!

Afterwards I was craving some brunch. Now, apparently, easter brunch is not a big deal down here. I dont’ know why. It is a family TRADITION in Pittsburgh to, after church, head on over to a local hotel or event catering facility, where, just for Easter, they set up an Easter Brunch Buffet. An omlette station. A carving station. Huge platters of bacon, potatoes, scrambled eggs, rigatoni, chicken, etc. And a big dessert station with mousse and cheesecake and ice cream, and allllll kinds of fattening goodies. Because we firmly believe, that as soon as Jesus woke up in that tomb, the first thing he wanted was a good brunch. Some eggs benedict and pasta salad, perhaps.

Not so here. And Kev had never heard of such a thing. Since this was the first year I wasn’t flying home for Easter, mom had sent me a care package earlier in the week, containing my Daffin’s meltaway chocolate egg, dog biscuits, some jelly beans, shirts for Kev, a cute outfit for me, AND…hehe… one of those playstation dance pads! Woohoo! Haven’t had time to try it out yet, though. Always thought they looked fun, but would never embarass myself IN PUBLIC while 4 year old kids bopped like an expert.

Anyway, so as to ensure that I got my official easter brunch, mom included a nice chunk of change. So after church, Kev and I went to my FAVORITE brunchy place in atlanta, Murphy’s. There was a 45 minute wait, but it was SO WORTH IT! We sat on the patio, heated, with the clear plastic tarps blocking out…well, MOST of the pouring rain. Since mom was paying, technically, I went for the whole experience. TWO mimosas…because along with his eggs and salad, Jesus would also like some champagne and orange juice, please.

Stuffed full…we split a key lime tart. Hey…MOM paid, right?

When we got home, I completely passed out on the couch. Deadweight. Couldn’t wake myself up for anything. ROLLING THUNDER passing overhead didn’t make me twitch.

Ahhhh…what a great Easter! Now we’re snacking on a nice hot layered dip: ground beef, refried beans, cheddar, and salsa with chips. Mmmmm…..

Hope everyone had a wonderful easter stuffed with chocolate eggs and bunnies and jelly beans. And if you’re Jewish…hope you had a great sunday avoiding crazed Christian church traffic!

*****
Do you go to hell for having screaming pounding doggy style sex on Easter? Just asking.

Light at the end…

Published Tuesday, March 22, 2005 in daily and science!. 0 Comments

I just had my committee meeting. It went well, only a few weirdo off the wall questions. I updated them on my project, proposed some experiments I needed to do to make it all a neatly wrapped up paper, and asked them what I needed to do to be DONE by the end of 2005.

They proposed some additional experiments. And want to meet again in June. And told me that, and this is a direct quote, if I keep my “butt to the grindstone,” there shouldn’t be a problem with me being done by the end of the year.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh……..

Hope. ‘Tis a beautiful thing…

Waltz of the Sickies

Published Tuesday, March 15, 2005 in daily, dog and TMI. 0 Comments

So here’s how it stands:

I have rescheduled my committee meeting. My talk is basically ready, but as I still feel lousy, AND haven’t had much time to actually go through my talk, my advisor and I thought it best I reschedule. I’ve heard back from everyone in my committee but one, and so far, next tuesday works OK.

This is a relief.

I took Sadie to the vet. The blood in the diarrhea was really freaking me out. Came home with more antibiotics and something called “endosorb” that I guess is like Immodium for dogs. Should clear her all up within two days. whew! no x-rays, no scary tests. fecal test was negative, so no little wormies. I think the vet thinks it’s something she ate, but I can’t think of anything she ate last week that was out of the ordinary.

Total cost? $62.69. No more getting sick, Sadie, OK?

I need to eat something, and then lie down for a bit. Guess I stayed up until 2am to finish my presentation for nothing…*yaaaaawwwwnnnn…cough hack!*

Anyone out there…with drugged updated goodness!

Published Monday, March 14, 2005 in daily and dog. 0 Comments

…willing to use a drill on my head to relieve the pressure?

Anyone?

I’m pretty sure it will work.
*****************

Drugs are gooooooood

Gave up on the sissy generic tylanol sinus I had been popping like candy and bought some generic (of course) aleve cold and sinus. I am annoyed that there is no good medication that will take care of 1. sinus pain 2. aches 3. sore throat 4. cough….AND 5. last longer than 4 hours.

That is NOT an icky liquid medicine.

That won’t put me to sleep.

That is available in a CVS brand generic.

And if there is, PLEASE DON’T TELL ME, I spent enough time there already today, staring at the shelves and shelves of cold and flu offerings, my already fuzzy brain desperately trying to process the mass of information.

“ok…this one says cough and sinus…but has an antihistimine. no good.”

“this on has no antihistimine, but has acetametaphin. I’ve already tried that.”

ultimately, I had to give up my desire for an expectorant. I figured I’m doing a pretty good job of coughing it up, anyway.

popped a pill before heading to the lab for a brief check of my blot (might not have worked…hmmm…) and possible infection of the rest of the lab. whoops! sorry guys! drugs STILL hadn’t kicked in by an hour later when I got home. Collapsed on the couch and drifted off to unconciousness, and as I noted recently at Gooch’s, woke up feeling MUCH BETTER! Drugs + Sleep = goooooooood.

now aside from scrabling to get my committee meeting presentation done, I’m still worried about Sadie, who’s still not over the diarrhea, despite a weekend diet of only sticky rice and ground turkey. There’s traces of blood, too, which is REALLY worrying. My meeting is tomorrow afternoon, if she’s not better after that, its back to the vet for us. Sadie is normally the healthiest dog, now we’re looking at our second vet visit within one month.

She’s not acting sick, though. Still bright eyed. Still good appetite. Still wants to snuggle. She’s just sleeping more, which I don’t blame her for. When I’ve got a case of the runs, I don’t stray far from the bedroom and adjoining bathroom! So I’m hopeful that it’s nothing serious.

Maybe she snuck a bite of something on the ground from one of our walks that she wasn’t supposed to. It’s happened before. Her last round of serious diarrhea (though it didnt’ last this long!) was when she was living at Kev’s place outside the city, and she was outside most of the time. She found a turtle under the porch and before we knew it, she had gnawed all the paint off its shell. Ew. Poor turtle. Woke up the next morning to a nasty surprise in every corner of the living room, with Sadie hiding in the kitchen. and GUESS who got to clean that up? Bad dog!

For now, it’s back to my presentation. yay for power point!

Phlegm monkey updated

Published Friday, March 11, 2005 in rants, daily and TMI. 0 Comments

why is it that as soon as I am unable to do something, THAT’S when I want to do it. Every time I get sick, the inspiration strikes: I want to take a walk, I want to take Sadie to the park, I want to clean the house, or…worse of all, I am HORNY AS HELL!!!

*hack hack* *cough cough* *phlegm*

hey baby, *wheeze* why don’t you come over HERE, *cough* and make me feel *hack* good?

muy sexy, no? I can’t walk from the couch to the kitchen without getting out of breath, and all I can think about is some down and dirty monkey sex.

aside: monkey is such a universal word. it’s the word of the week! use monkey as much as possible today

Unfortunately, between my unfortunate phlegm issues, and Kev’s unfortunate extreme overtime at work issues, not a whole lot of lovin’ is going on.

Or cleaning.

Or walking.

Or working. Did I mention that I’m currently on my couch, watching the breaking news of the shootings in Atlanta from this morning? I need to go into the lab today at some point. play with radioactivity again.

*cough*

pass me my inhaler, please…

***update***

Sadie is sick too, now. Vomitting and diarrhea. Yay! could my weekend start ANY BETTER????

Rapid blogging

Published Thursday, March 10, 2005 in daily. 0 Comments

OK…is blogger working yet? I’ll make this quick

I’mstillsickbutIcameintoworkforlabmeetingandsoIcouldplaywithradioactiv itybutonceIgetmyprobeinIam
SOGETTINGOUTOFHEREandgoinghomeandtakinganap!

*gasp*

ImanagedtogetOffice2003fromourcomputerguyandputitonKev’sfancynewcomput ersoIcanworkonmy
committeemeetingtalkathomesincemystupidlaptopisstillnotbackyet.

*gasp*

that is all

Weather woes, and the appropriate use of the word “monkey” UPDATE

Published Wednesday, March 9, 2005 in rants, daily and science!. 0 Comments

Why…WHY am I so tired??? I’ve been getting to bed at normal times and even sleeping in a bit in the mornings.

I just want to lay my head down on my bench and sleeeeeep. Also, my head hurts.

I think I know what it is. Stupid weather….warm then cold, sunny then rain, then SNOW. Fucking early spring in atlanta. I prefer the massive amounts of tree pollen that we USUALLY get!

I’m getting sick. I’m coughing. My head hurts.

This is not good. Well, it’s NEVER good, but it’s particularly not good NOW, because I’m suppoed to have a committee meeting next Tuesday. A meeting where I hope they say something like “Brilliant, ESC! Now we just want you to do these one or two more experiments, then we want you to stop everything and start writing your thesis!”

Drat.

And to top it all off, my laptop IS STILL NOT BACK YET!!! Every time I call, the answers I get vary from “any day now” to “sometime early next week.”

Bastards. I’ve been BUILDING UP FOR A FIGHT and when I finally get my laptop back, SOMEONE’S GETTING AN EARFUL!!!!! ALL THIS TIME FOR A FUCKING HARD DRIVE REPLACEMENT WHAT KIND OF ASSHOLE MONKEY FUCKERS ARE YOU PEOPLE??????

Every insult is funny when you use the word “monkey.” Try it today!

************UPDATED GOODNESS***************

Yep it’s official. I’m sick.

*hack hack* *cough cough*

I know some travelling bloggers who are in BIG TROUBLE becuase I was ASSURED that they were past the contageous stage.

uh huh. *cough cough*

Kev’s on his way home to take care of me. Maybe he’ll pick up some yummy take out. ’cause there is NO COOKING when I’m sick!

now on to the good news: I checked Sadie’s paw today, and the puncture wound is completely healed. yay! No expensive stiching needed!

EXHAUSTION!

Published Sunday, March 6, 2005 in daily and misc. 0 Comments

Blogger visitations, Kitchen aid attachments, and other such goodness

I love having friends come to visit…but I am EXHAUSTED! Is it the weekend yet? I mean NEXT weekend! I had my mom’s visit, then Kev’s family in Alabama, then blogger visits this weekend…whew!

We did have a great weekend, though! Saturday morning I had a dress rehearsal for choir, but then we met up and walked around Little 5 points, shopping in the funky stores and having a yummy decadent lunch at The Vortex. Kev had to work, but we met up with him later at Fry’s, the huge electronics store I’m always raving about. Jamie has been wanting to go there for awhile. She didn’t buy anything, but I picked up a pasta-extruder attachment for my Kitchen Aid for $20, and Turbo Tax. As soon as I get my laptop back, it’s tax time!

Kev loooooves that store, so by the time we dragged him out of there (kicking and screaming! hehe..just kidding sweetie) and got back to our place it was almost 8. Time for a late dinner of yummy ham, mushroom, and cheese risotto, fresh bread, and salad. We had good intentions of heading out to a bar…but with full bellies and too much tequila in our margaritas, we never quite made it. Just as well, as they had to get an early start in the morning.

Stupidly, I carried my camera around everywhere, and took not a single picture.

Oh well.
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gay men and my self esteem

This morning was Handel’s Messiah….finally! It went really well, even the “we like sheep” song! Got a little panicky in the “the lord gave the word,” as the sopranos rushed and the bases dragged. Gah! But it all came together in the end. and it’s over THANK GOD!!!!

There is a guy in the bass section, C, who is always telling me how great the altos sound, and how great I’m doing. Today he told me that he listened for me during the whole performance so that he could get his timing right. Shit. I screwed up a few times. Hope he wasn’t listening TOO carefully. But he always goes out of the way to compliment me every time he sees me.

I would think he was hitting on me, but I happen to know that he lives happily with his partner, L, also in the bass section. He always seems like he’s trying to build up my ego, which is pretty weird…do I seem like my self esteem is especially poor? Or maybe there’s an “adopt a straight girl” section of the Gay Pages (don’t laugh - ask Jamie. Atlanta has the Gay Pages) and C picked me. Maybe at meetings (I don’t know…gay meetings? maybe there’s a club? I’m going to hell for thinking that, aren’t I?) he holds up my picture and says “this my straight girl, Evilsciencechick. She’s doing well. Yesterday she sang the trill correctly, and wore a great pair of boots.”

It’s funny, but sweet. I cling deperately stereotype that if I have the approval of at least one gay man, my fashion sense must be pretty decent. Umm…right?

I often have inappropriate thoughts like that. It’s only the faintest thread of control that keeps me from blurting it out loud. Things like “so, how long have you been in a wheelchair?” to people I’ve just met. What’s worse is when someone tells me beforehand “whatever you do, don’t mention his/her _____!” Ack! Don’t tell me that!!! It’s like back in august at my grandmother’s funeral, whem my mom told me to watch what I say because this couple had a gay son. What? Who cares?? But suddenly, all I wanted to do was blurt things out like “wow, is that gay” or overuse the word “fabulous.”

Thank god I have this blog where I can write it all down without fear of judgment.

So how long have you had that weird thing on your nose?

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And now I’m at work sucking down coffee. can’t wait to go home and NAP!

blogettes

Published Wednesday, March 2, 2005 in daily and Religion!. 0 Comments

reason #539 why ESC is going to hell, or “sheep-lover’s anonymous”

We’re singing Part II of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday. There’s a song in there that’s called “all we like sheep,” and we sing that sentence over and over, very short and detached and very up beat. The “all” is especially short, almost clipped. very difficult to get the “ll” sound.

every time we sing this piece, it sounds like this:

“Oh we like sheep.”

oh, the mental giggles…
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two reasons I like my church’s bathrooms

1. someone always keeps the ladies room stocked with a bottle of scented Caswell Massey lotion.

2. someone found an earring I lost I don’t know how many months ago, and left it in the upstairs ladies room. Who knows how long it was there, I hardly use that restroom. No one took it. I found it there Sunday before last. Hooray! I love those earrings!