*chuckle* I'm so amused... Today we had a team meeting at work, where we went over a "new" policy. Actually, it's an old policy that everyone just kind of let go lax and all the slackers decided to take advantage of the slackness - JabberJaw included.
You see, if you have any experience working in a call center, you know that there are certain log-in's and log-out's which need to happen on your phone in order to meet a daily / weekly statistic. If you're a slacker, you can manipulate these by choosing different codes than what you're supposed to, OR in *some* people's cases, by being constantly in certain codes and claiming "research" on accounts.
The specific code for out is 5 - the dreaded "supervisor" code. It's the one we're only supposed to have been using for such things as system issues, and pretty much only that. Your manager would cut you slack occasionally and give 6 minutes in it to do some research once or twice a month if you have a case that warranted it, but that's it - otherwise, you're on the phone, buster.
So, apparently there have been people who have taken advantage of this whole logging out thing and have ended up taking almost an entire day for "research" - and pretty much simply just generally sitting around BS-ing and doing nothing.
Interestingly enough, the only person out of our entire team that was upset was... gee, whodathunkit: JabberJaw. He got all red in the face, and pissy, saying how he would NEVER meet stats now, etc, etc, and how did this policy change make Splat, Inc a better and more welcoming place for new employees to work, blah blah blah... My thoughts were simply that if *I* could do it, then so could he, dammit. Suck it up and deal.
Apparently he has 9 days off in a row, which means I won't have to deal with his ass at all next week (thank the Lord and Lady), and then we shall see how well he deals with actually doing work all day instead of getting paid to read the paper.
So, we shall see... meanwhile, I'm sitting here in the buff, in a rather warm apartment, contemplating the possibility of going to the pool... I'm not sure...
~M
Friday, June 30, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
The longest day ever!!!
OMG... I swear, this has got to have been the longest day ever. I'm going to keep this short, as I feel like I was dragged through work, kicking and screaming. The amusing bit was that work wasn't all that painful, honestly - it was just too darned long... The clock moved too slowly.
And I now have to figure out what to make for dinner... Bleh.
~M
And I now have to figure out what to make for dinner... Bleh.
~M
Monday, June 26, 2006
My life, my blog, my world... yeah, it can be a little one-sided and bitchy...
This is all pretty much about me and the people that are in my life... That means that I'm entitled to bitch here about the day's goings-on, and general stuff. Of course, that also means that no one else is *forced* to read it. That's ok by me. I'm fine with that. The bitching here allows me to avoid going ahead and bitching at people directly, and also allows me to write down what's going on in my head prior to actually going off on someone about whatever might be bugging me.
I bitch about work, I bitch about relationships, I bitch about money - but really, that's pretty much standard about most people... That's what they do in their lives. They complain about the things they can't change - it's not necessarily that they're not aware that they can't change them, it's simply that they need to vent a bit. Think of it as a cathartic response to an uncontrollable situation - they can control ONE thing in their life: how to respond to an uncontrollable situation. And better that their response is one that is not violence toward another person in specific, but simply a rant in general...
I suppose I could simply bottle it all up and keep from complaining about all the things that bug the crap out of me. I suppose I could also go completely insane because of said bottling as well... See, I already went that route, and decided after two years of therapy that it simply wasn't healthy for me to do that. Since I quit bottling up my anger and rage and hatred toward the uncontrollable situations, I've found that I'm a much better person for myself, and for others. I've found that I have a much more positive outlook on life, as a whole, and have a good, working sense of humor (albeit warped at times). I can laugh at myself, and can look in the mirror and honestly say that I not only like myself, I *love* myself. That's a big thing, really, for anyone.
it is true - I have, on occasion, done some fairly unorthodox things, because I've just felt that strongly about it. I've chosen NOT to put my 21-year-old cat down or find another home for her (knowing that NO ONE would take her at that age), and instead plead my case to both my manager and my doctor. I'd had her since she was less than 4 months old, and honestly has helped me through some of the worst bouts of depression in my life. When I moved in with Fred, I had no idea that the apartment complex was a pet-free zone, as many of his neighbors had animals. My manager understood that it was difficult to give up such a bond with my cat, and allowed me to keep her with me with a note from my doctor, as she will only have another few years left. I don't expect anyone else to understand the bond that I have with my cat - she is more than just a pet to me. I've raised her from a little button of a kitten, who fit into the palm of my hand, into the little queen of righteous indignation that she is today. It will be hard enough for me to say goodbye to her when she finally passes away.
I've also, based on a recommendation from my neurologist, had a letter written to make sure that my schedule at work be kept at the same start and end time each day, so as to not aggravate my migraines. It is well-documented that migraines can be aggravated by a change in sleep patterns. It was one of the first, most easily remedied thing to do, to try and target what was causing them. (We finally DID figure out what was causing my migraines - or at least, we now have a major culprit: my birth control... The new neurologist has changed me over to a different one and today was the first migraine that I've had in 2 weeks - and this one was due to a muscle spasm in my neck. So, yay me! The whole migraine thing is, apparently, a lot of trial and error and guessing...)
Hell - for that matter, I've chosen to take on the responsibility of helping raise a 13-year-old... and am considering having a child of my own! How's that for unorthodox and odd behavior! LOL. But seriously - it's a big step for someone who had, for years, sworn never to have children, and not been all that sure how to deal with kids in the first place if they were over the age of 2.
Have I lost a lot in choosing some of the things that I have and doing the things that I've done? Yes. I've lost a husband who didn't want me, but didn't want me to leave him. I've lost a group of people I'd called friends, who turned out to feel I was less than cool for leaving my husband - though they'd encouraged me to do so for some time. I've lost tears, weight, and time spent agonizing over whether the choices that I've made were right - or wrong - or left, even... I've lost the respect of my sister, who really only wanted me to kow-tow to her "all-knowing, older-sister-ish presence" and admit that she knew more than I did - when in fact her choice in men and life is far, FAR worse than mine EVER was.
Have I gained a lot in choosing the things that I have and doing the things that I've done? Yes. I've gained an inner peace and happiness within myself, FROM myself, that no one can take away, and no one can control. I've come to the realization that I'm worth every second of every day that is spent on myself. I've gained several new friends along the way who accept me for who I am, think I'm brilliant for accepting myself as who I am, and respect me for being me. I've kept good friends who have stayed beside me come what may, and who have skillfully hugged me whilst kicking me in the ass to keep me focused. I've found the love of my life in a man who was a friend, and is now someone who makes my heart melt every time he looks at me. I've gained the son I never had, but am thankful I get to help raise.
I think that says a lot about me...
~M
I bitch about work, I bitch about relationships, I bitch about money - but really, that's pretty much standard about most people... That's what they do in their lives. They complain about the things they can't change - it's not necessarily that they're not aware that they can't change them, it's simply that they need to vent a bit. Think of it as a cathartic response to an uncontrollable situation - they can control ONE thing in their life: how to respond to an uncontrollable situation. And better that their response is one that is not violence toward another person in specific, but simply a rant in general...
I suppose I could simply bottle it all up and keep from complaining about all the things that bug the crap out of me. I suppose I could also go completely insane because of said bottling as well... See, I already went that route, and decided after two years of therapy that it simply wasn't healthy for me to do that. Since I quit bottling up my anger and rage and hatred toward the uncontrollable situations, I've found that I'm a much better person for myself, and for others. I've found that I have a much more positive outlook on life, as a whole, and have a good, working sense of humor (albeit warped at times). I can laugh at myself, and can look in the mirror and honestly say that I not only like myself, I *love* myself. That's a big thing, really, for anyone.
it is true - I have, on occasion, done some fairly unorthodox things, because I've just felt that strongly about it. I've chosen NOT to put my 21-year-old cat down or find another home for her (knowing that NO ONE would take her at that age), and instead plead my case to both my manager and my doctor. I'd had her since she was less than 4 months old, and honestly has helped me through some of the worst bouts of depression in my life. When I moved in with Fred, I had no idea that the apartment complex was a pet-free zone, as many of his neighbors had animals. My manager understood that it was difficult to give up such a bond with my cat, and allowed me to keep her with me with a note from my doctor, as she will only have another few years left. I don't expect anyone else to understand the bond that I have with my cat - she is more than just a pet to me. I've raised her from a little button of a kitten, who fit into the palm of my hand, into the little queen of righteous indignation that she is today. It will be hard enough for me to say goodbye to her when she finally passes away.
I've also, based on a recommendation from my neurologist, had a letter written to make sure that my schedule at work be kept at the same start and end time each day, so as to not aggravate my migraines. It is well-documented that migraines can be aggravated by a change in sleep patterns. It was one of the first, most easily remedied thing to do, to try and target what was causing them. (We finally DID figure out what was causing my migraines - or at least, we now have a major culprit: my birth control... The new neurologist has changed me over to a different one and today was the first migraine that I've had in 2 weeks - and this one was due to a muscle spasm in my neck. So, yay me! The whole migraine thing is, apparently, a lot of trial and error and guessing...)
Hell - for that matter, I've chosen to take on the responsibility of helping raise a 13-year-old... and am considering having a child of my own! How's that for unorthodox and odd behavior! LOL. But seriously - it's a big step for someone who had, for years, sworn never to have children, and not been all that sure how to deal with kids in the first place if they were over the age of 2.
Have I lost a lot in choosing some of the things that I have and doing the things that I've done? Yes. I've lost a husband who didn't want me, but didn't want me to leave him. I've lost a group of people I'd called friends, who turned out to feel I was less than cool for leaving my husband - though they'd encouraged me to do so for some time. I've lost tears, weight, and time spent agonizing over whether the choices that I've made were right - or wrong - or left, even... I've lost the respect of my sister, who really only wanted me to kow-tow to her "all-knowing, older-sister-ish presence" and admit that she knew more than I did - when in fact her choice in men and life is far, FAR worse than mine EVER was.
Have I gained a lot in choosing the things that I have and doing the things that I've done? Yes. I've gained an inner peace and happiness within myself, FROM myself, that no one can take away, and no one can control. I've come to the realization that I'm worth every second of every day that is spent on myself. I've gained several new friends along the way who accept me for who I am, think I'm brilliant for accepting myself as who I am, and respect me for being me. I've kept good friends who have stayed beside me come what may, and who have skillfully hugged me whilst kicking me in the ass to keep me focused. I've found the love of my life in a man who was a friend, and is now someone who makes my heart melt every time he looks at me. I've gained the son I never had, but am thankful I get to help raise.
I think that says a lot about me...
~M
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Sunday Meme - 2006
1. What time did you get up this morning? 6am - then again at 9:30
2. Diamonds or Pearls? *Sapphires* and pearls - hey! I'm greedy, and I don't really like Diamonds. :-)
3. What was the last film you saw at the movies? Uh... I go out?
4. What is your favorite TV show? House
5. What did you have for breakfast? PB and J
6. What is your middle name? Aditha
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian, with Chinese being a close second
8. What foods do you dislike? anything cooked incorrectly...
9. Your favorite Potato chip? salt/vinegar
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Misc MP3 groupings I create myself
11. What kind of car do you drive? The bus... Tri-Met is ok...
12. Favorite sandwich? Hmmm... Tuna Salad, with a French Dip a close second.
13. What characteristics do you despise? Pettiness and Drama Fiends
14. Favorite item of clothing? "Nakie is good, Chuckie, Nakie is Free!!!"
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation; where would you go? Back to Germany, or head off to Italy...
16. What color is your bathroom? Cream colored - we rent...
17. Favorite brand of clothing? anything comfortable - amen to that!
18. Where would you want to retire to? Possibly the coast, but not sure...
19. Favorite time of day? After work
20. Where were you born? Seattle WA
21. Favorite sport to watch? World Cup, occasionally Football
22. Who do you least expect to do this? Not sure...
23. Person you expect to do this first? Lilith
24. What laundry detergent do you use? Sun - it's cheap and it works.
25. Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke, or Diet pepsi - either one...
26. Are you a morning person or night owl? mornings
27. What size shoe do you wear? 9.5 or 10 if I'm in heels
28. Do you have pets? 1 cat
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I got new shoes, and I'm modelling...
30. What did you want to be when you were little? A ballarina - that was when I was REALLY little... LOL
31. Favorite Candy Bar? anything dark chocolate
32. What is your best childhood memory? going to the zoo
33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? housekeeper, coffee barrista, customer service, tech support, assistant manager, seamstress, office manager, internet model
34.What color underwear are you wearing? none
35. Nicknames? Lots of them... not sharing, though...
36. Piercing? ears, twice
37. Eye color? blue
38. Ever been to Africa? No
39. Ever been toilet papering? nope
40. Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes
41. Been in a car accident? Yes.
42. Croutons or bacon bits? both
43. Favorite day of the week? Friday
44. Favorite restaurant? Sambi's Sushi
45. Favorite flower? Iris
46. Favorite ice cream? chocolate/vanilla marble, and rocky road
47. Disney or Warner Bros? Pixar
48. Favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Bell
49. What color is your bedroom carpet? tan
50. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Zero
51. Before this one; from whom did you get your last e-mail? My online modeling agent
52. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Lane Bryant or Avenue...
53. What do you do most often when you are bored? read
54. Bedtime? 9 or 10 on weekdays...
55. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? All!
56. Last person you went to dinner with? Fred and Speedboy
57. What are you listening to right now? Fred in the shower
58. What is your favorite color? blue
59. Lake; Ocean; River? all
60. How many tattoos do you have? 2 of them - planning on 3 more
61. Which came first; the chicken or the egg? sure.
62. How many people are you sending this to? I'm posting it to my Blog and seeing how many reply or post it to THEIR blog.
2. Diamonds or Pearls? *Sapphires* and pearls - hey! I'm greedy, and I don't really like Diamonds. :-)
3. What was the last film you saw at the movies? Uh... I go out?
4. What is your favorite TV show? House
5. What did you have for breakfast? PB and J
6. What is your middle name? Aditha
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian, with Chinese being a close second
8. What foods do you dislike? anything cooked incorrectly...
9. Your favorite Potato chip? salt/vinegar
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Misc MP3 groupings I create myself
11. What kind of car do you drive? The bus... Tri-Met is ok...
12. Favorite sandwich? Hmmm... Tuna Salad, with a French Dip a close second.
13. What characteristics do you despise? Pettiness and Drama Fiends
14. Favorite item of clothing? "Nakie is good, Chuckie, Nakie is Free!!!"
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation; where would you go? Back to Germany, or head off to Italy...
16. What color is your bathroom? Cream colored - we rent...
17. Favorite brand of clothing? anything comfortable - amen to that!
18. Where would you want to retire to? Possibly the coast, but not sure...
19. Favorite time of day? After work
20. Where were you born? Seattle WA
21. Favorite sport to watch? World Cup, occasionally Football
22. Who do you least expect to do this? Not sure...
23. Person you expect to do this first? Lilith
24. What laundry detergent do you use? Sun - it's cheap and it works.
25. Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke, or Diet pepsi - either one...
26. Are you a morning person or night owl? mornings
27. What size shoe do you wear? 9.5 or 10 if I'm in heels
28. Do you have pets? 1 cat
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I got new shoes, and I'm modelling...
30. What did you want to be when you were little? A ballarina - that was when I was REALLY little... LOL
31. Favorite Candy Bar? anything dark chocolate
32. What is your best childhood memory? going to the zoo
33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? housekeeper, coffee barrista, customer service, tech support, assistant manager, seamstress, office manager, internet model
34.What color underwear are you wearing? none
35. Nicknames? Lots of them... not sharing, though...
36. Piercing? ears, twice
37. Eye color? blue
38. Ever been to Africa? No
39. Ever been toilet papering? nope
40. Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes
41. Been in a car accident? Yes.
42. Croutons or bacon bits? both
43. Favorite day of the week? Friday
44. Favorite restaurant? Sambi's Sushi
45. Favorite flower? Iris
46. Favorite ice cream? chocolate/vanilla marble, and rocky road
47. Disney or Warner Bros? Pixar
48. Favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Bell
49. What color is your bedroom carpet? tan
50. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Zero
51. Before this one; from whom did you get your last e-mail? My online modeling agent
52. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Lane Bryant or Avenue...
53. What do you do most often when you are bored? read
54. Bedtime? 9 or 10 on weekdays...
55. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? All!
56. Last person you went to dinner with? Fred and Speedboy
57. What are you listening to right now? Fred in the shower
58. What is your favorite color? blue
59. Lake; Ocean; River? all
60. How many tattoos do you have? 2 of them - planning on 3 more
61. Which came first; the chicken or the egg? sure.
62. How many people are you sending this to? I'm posting it to my Blog and seeing how many reply or post it to THEIR blog.
General Updating for the weekend...
So, the heat here is currently very bad... I'm not one for heat, which is why I live here in the Pacific NW. Normally we don't get over about 85. This whole over 90 thing is not working for me, and I am protesting vehemently... Now I just need to figure out where to lodge the complaint... I also need about $20 so I can pick up the lumber and supplies to set up the platform so I can install my portable air conditioner into the window of our bedroom. yay us... Once that's done, I'll be a much happier camper - although I doubt I'll stick my nose outside the bedroom much. LOL.
Raistlin came over early on Saturday so we could dye one another's hair. Us long-hairs end up needing to work on one another because we've found it's the only way to have it done right... Other people just don't understand how to do our hair properly. I got mine done first, and found out exactly what I'd look like if I had a gaping head wound, as my hair dye looked literally like congealed blood. I was so impressed (not to mention such a sick monkey) that I asked Fred to take a picture...
After that, we booted Speedboy down to his mum's... He'll stay with her until Mid-August. This prompted us to come home and immediately strip naked and wander around the house until it was time for us to get dressed for Pirate Karaoke. Due to the heat, I opted not to wear the leather bodice, but instead a satin victorian-era replica corset instead. It looked nice, and I got quite a few compliments, but much more on THE SHOES...
I ended up dancing in said shoes, to Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" that a friend of mine, Grace, did. It was awesome. They were actually quite comfy last night... Of course, this morning, my thighs and calves are cursing my very existance and my feet feel that they have been sorely abused... Fred will have to do the honors of washing clothes and gathering quarters for said clothes washing, because I will be unable to walk up and down stairs with a large load... Like over 5 pounds... Yes, I'm sad... But I looked **GOOD**.
The really good news with Pirate Karaoke was that the owner seemed really happy with us. We had a fairly quiet crowd with us last night, and though we didn't quite reach the levels that we'd hoped for, it was a decent turn-out considering we had been competing with the annual Portland Pirate Party. The locals thought we were an absolute blast, and the Karaoke DJ even got into it, dressing like Jack Sparrow and his girlfriend dressed like a gypsy wench. They were both quite thrilled about the event, and everyone said they look forward to having us there again. So, I think we may have a permanent location for it. Yay for Pirate Karaoke.
And, now that I've realized that I'm hungry, I'm going to see if I can't rummage and find something to eat...
~M
Raistlin came over early on Saturday so we could dye one another's hair. Us long-hairs end up needing to work on one another because we've found it's the only way to have it done right... Other people just don't understand how to do our hair properly. I got mine done first, and found out exactly what I'd look like if I had a gaping head wound, as my hair dye looked literally like congealed blood. I was so impressed (not to mention such a sick monkey) that I asked Fred to take a picture...
After that, we booted Speedboy down to his mum's... He'll stay with her until Mid-August. This prompted us to come home and immediately strip naked and wander around the house until it was time for us to get dressed for Pirate Karaoke. Due to the heat, I opted not to wear the leather bodice, but instead a satin victorian-era replica corset instead. It looked nice, and I got quite a few compliments, but much more on THE SHOES...
I ended up dancing in said shoes, to Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" that a friend of mine, Grace, did. It was awesome. They were actually quite comfy last night... Of course, this morning, my thighs and calves are cursing my very existance and my feet feel that they have been sorely abused... Fred will have to do the honors of washing clothes and gathering quarters for said clothes washing, because I will be unable to walk up and down stairs with a large load... Like over 5 pounds... Yes, I'm sad... But I looked **GOOD**.
The really good news with Pirate Karaoke was that the owner seemed really happy with us. We had a fairly quiet crowd with us last night, and though we didn't quite reach the levels that we'd hoped for, it was a decent turn-out considering we had been competing with the annual Portland Pirate Party. The locals thought we were an absolute blast, and the Karaoke DJ even got into it, dressing like Jack Sparrow and his girlfriend dressed like a gypsy wench. They were both quite thrilled about the event, and everyone said they look forward to having us there again. So, I think we may have a permanent location for it. Yay for Pirate Karaoke.
And, now that I've realized that I'm hungry, I'm going to see if I can't rummage and find something to eat...
~M
Friday, June 23, 2006
Cute-sy pic...
Figured I'd include this as a recent picture of my curmudgeon of a feline... During my recent photo shoot, she decided to get into the action - the tip of her nose actually managed to get into a shot... So, as punishment, we took a photo of her... Looks like she's trying out for a live-action version of The Last Unicorn, eh?
~M
~M
General updating...
So, tonight I get to have sushi with my two favorite boys. Fred and I decided to take Speedboy out for a last supper prior to sending him to see his mum in So Cal, so we'll be off to Sambi's in Beaverton.
Raistlin's coming over tomorrow and we're going to dye one another's hair before getting Josh to the airport. yay!
All this week Splat, Inc's been having a lack of calls - this means that we've been getting sent home early with a lack of pay... They say it's voluntary, but the emails have been coming through with such urgency and frequency that you know it's only a matter of time before they simply pick a team and say "You - go home now..." The most amusing (or least amusing - I'm not sure which) part is that they've closed even MORE non-phone positions in order to move them over to on-the-phone positions... I have no clue why.
My boss is on vacation again from today until Tuesday. He just got back on Wednesday and got pulled into a day-long meeting about bad behavior from our team... Yesterday he pulled US into a meeting and asked what happened. There was lots of hemming and hawwing and general "they picked on us" statements going around the room. JabberJaw actually stated at one point that he didn't do anything he hadn't done before, and didn't do anything wrong... I looked over at him, expecting him to burst into flames. He didn't, more's the pity.
The promise is that my boss is going to take those aside that he had complaints about next week when he gets back and talk with them about their behavior. If the whole situation with JabberJaw doesn't get taken care of then, I'm going higher - that's all there is to it. Little things I can deal with - blatent breach of scheduling and then bragging about it, sorry bub.
And that's about all there is for updating...
~M
Raistlin's coming over tomorrow and we're going to dye one another's hair before getting Josh to the airport. yay!
All this week Splat, Inc's been having a lack of calls - this means that we've been getting sent home early with a lack of pay... They say it's voluntary, but the emails have been coming through with such urgency and frequency that you know it's only a matter of time before they simply pick a team and say "You - go home now..." The most amusing (or least amusing - I'm not sure which) part is that they've closed even MORE non-phone positions in order to move them over to on-the-phone positions... I have no clue why.
My boss is on vacation again from today until Tuesday. He just got back on Wednesday and got pulled into a day-long meeting about bad behavior from our team... Yesterday he pulled US into a meeting and asked what happened. There was lots of hemming and hawwing and general "they picked on us" statements going around the room. JabberJaw actually stated at one point that he didn't do anything he hadn't done before, and didn't do anything wrong... I looked over at him, expecting him to burst into flames. He didn't, more's the pity.
The promise is that my boss is going to take those aside that he had complaints about next week when he gets back and talk with them about their behavior. If the whole situation with JabberJaw doesn't get taken care of then, I'm going higher - that's all there is to it. Little things I can deal with - blatent breach of scheduling and then bragging about it, sorry bub.
And that's about all there is for updating...
~M
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Three AbFab Things!
Misha came by to visit us last night and have dinner. While I'm exhausted from staying up well past my bedtime, it was MORE than worth it. For those who don't know, Mish is a gal that Fred and I met on Tribe, and who moved up to our neck of the woods from Mid-Cal just about a week ago.
We met face-to-face at Phoenix's party this last weekend. She's so very cool, it's just awesome. I made another of my "doodle" dinners, wherein it was quite tasty, and it turns out that we are similar in a lot of ways - she's a lot more outgoing initially than I am, and has some different views on different things, which is cool, too.
Also, my SHOES came in yesterday!!! I'm in a total state of bliss! They give me *height*! And they're damned sexy. I started breaking them in yesterday, and I'm gonna continue to break them in today. I can't resist - I am gonna have to wear them to work. LOL. Though I will be smart and take a second pair of shoes with me, just in case.
Third, I get to start in with bellydancing again, starting the first of July! Yay me! My friend Michelle and her friend Taz, and possibly Raistlin are going to head over here (or possibly over to Raistlin's house - her living room right now is HUGE due to lack of anything in it) and start with the basics, and then do a warm-down in the pool. I'm so happy.
So, yeah... Things are definitely looking up in the personal department. I got two new photo shoots done, and had them uploaded two nights ago. Misha and I have been talking about having me re-apply for Bodacious Magazine again, and having HER apply for it as well... I'm game. After all, all they can say is "no". *grin* I have enough self esteem to realize that I'm still sexy - they just haven't realized it yet. LOL.
~M
We met face-to-face at Phoenix's party this last weekend. She's so very cool, it's just awesome. I made another of my "doodle" dinners, wherein it was quite tasty, and it turns out that we are similar in a lot of ways - she's a lot more outgoing initially than I am, and has some different views on different things, which is cool, too.
Also, my SHOES came in yesterday!!! I'm in a total state of bliss! They give me *height*! And they're damned sexy. I started breaking them in yesterday, and I'm gonna continue to break them in today. I can't resist - I am gonna have to wear them to work. LOL. Though I will be smart and take a second pair of shoes with me, just in case.
Third, I get to start in with bellydancing again, starting the first of July! Yay me! My friend Michelle and her friend Taz, and possibly Raistlin are going to head over here (or possibly over to Raistlin's house - her living room right now is HUGE due to lack of anything in it) and start with the basics, and then do a warm-down in the pool. I'm so happy.
So, yeah... Things are definitely looking up in the personal department. I got two new photo shoots done, and had them uploaded two nights ago. Misha and I have been talking about having me re-apply for Bodacious Magazine again, and having HER apply for it as well... I'm game. After all, all they can say is "no". *grin* I have enough self esteem to realize that I'm still sexy - they just haven't realized it yet. LOL.
~M
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Bu-Bye to bad rubbish...
Drama has it's places - namely on the stage. Over the past year, I've taken a page from Lil's life and tried to cut out a lot of the drama in my life, and the people causing said drama...
For instance - there's this crush I had last year at Splat, Inc. She was a pretty, chubby girl, rather shy... She sat across from me for a while and we began to talk with one another. One thing led to another and we started hanging out more. I never did anything with her, but that didn't stop me from occasionally day-dreaming... I have no clue whether she felt the same way or not. I do know, however, that she couldn't *stand* Fred. She didn't just not like him - I mean, she out-and-out hated his guts...
The issue was due to things that didn't involve her at all, but that she chose to make her business and care about. Had she simply accepted him as himself, or let things go, it wouldn't have been such a big deal - but she made it a big deal. So, we fell out of touch, and then back into touch for a bit - and then back out of touch again when it became clear that I was going to stay with Fred.
I texted her yesterday and let her know about Pirate Karaoke, and asked if she was going to go. Her first question was whether or not Fred was going to be there. Now, dear readers, there's going to be at least 30 people at the bar, and it's not as though she would have to be latched onto anyone, or be near him in any way should she choose not to. Her excuse was that if she drank, she would get mouthy and say things that would upset people - and since she hated, hated, hated him, she didn't want to upset me.
I asked her specifically WHY she hated him, and what he'd done to her, at which point she admitted that he'd done abso-fucking-lutely nothing to her, she simply didn't like that he was braggy, and that he'd done some things in the past toward another person that she felt was wrong (Pot, yeah, this is kettle - ummmm, you're black!).
So, he decided to confront her directly - or about as directly as he could. He sent her an email asking exactly WHY she hated him, and asked for a direct answer to his questions. He asked if it was due to something that he wasn't aware of that he'd done to her, or if it was due to her simply having such sucky luck in relationships that she didn't want me to be happy - and was jealous since I *was* happy...
Her response was in her diary - she never did send him a response directly. She called him a monkey, and never did answer the question - only said that it was amusing that he ask the question since so many of her friends were male. I don't find it at all ironic that most of her friends are male, and I already know quite enough about her love life and her past lovers (and the ones that she's not supposed to have had) to know that they have ALL ended BADLY - and many of them had been married. She's still in a relationship - sort of - that she can't extract herself out of because she's either too scared or too emotionally tired to simply tell the guy to get the fuck out of her house.
So, yeah - her final text message to me was after apparently she received Fred's email. She said that she was sorry for upsetting me, and good-bye. So, I guess that's less drama in my life. It's too bad, since she was cute...
~M
For instance - there's this crush I had last year at Splat, Inc. She was a pretty, chubby girl, rather shy... She sat across from me for a while and we began to talk with one another. One thing led to another and we started hanging out more. I never did anything with her, but that didn't stop me from occasionally day-dreaming... I have no clue whether she felt the same way or not. I do know, however, that she couldn't *stand* Fred. She didn't just not like him - I mean, she out-and-out hated his guts...
The issue was due to things that didn't involve her at all, but that she chose to make her business and care about. Had she simply accepted him as himself, or let things go, it wouldn't have been such a big deal - but she made it a big deal. So, we fell out of touch, and then back into touch for a bit - and then back out of touch again when it became clear that I was going to stay with Fred.
I texted her yesterday and let her know about Pirate Karaoke, and asked if she was going to go. Her first question was whether or not Fred was going to be there. Now, dear readers, there's going to be at least 30 people at the bar, and it's not as though she would have to be latched onto anyone, or be near him in any way should she choose not to. Her excuse was that if she drank, she would get mouthy and say things that would upset people - and since she hated, hated, hated him, she didn't want to upset me.
I asked her specifically WHY she hated him, and what he'd done to her, at which point she admitted that he'd done abso-fucking-lutely nothing to her, she simply didn't like that he was braggy, and that he'd done some things in the past toward another person that she felt was wrong (Pot, yeah, this is kettle - ummmm, you're black!).
So, he decided to confront her directly - or about as directly as he could. He sent her an email asking exactly WHY she hated him, and asked for a direct answer to his questions. He asked if it was due to something that he wasn't aware of that he'd done to her, or if it was due to her simply having such sucky luck in relationships that she didn't want me to be happy - and was jealous since I *was* happy...
Her response was in her diary - she never did send him a response directly. She called him a monkey, and never did answer the question - only said that it was amusing that he ask the question since so many of her friends were male. I don't find it at all ironic that most of her friends are male, and I already know quite enough about her love life and her past lovers (and the ones that she's not supposed to have had) to know that they have ALL ended BADLY - and many of them had been married. She's still in a relationship - sort of - that she can't extract herself out of because she's either too scared or too emotionally tired to simply tell the guy to get the fuck out of her house.
So, yeah - her final text message to me was after apparently she received Fred's email. She said that she was sorry for upsetting me, and good-bye. So, I guess that's less drama in my life. It's too bad, since she was cute...
~M
Drooling now...
So, I apparently am more materialistic than I realized that I was... Perhaps my ex was right, and I really *AM* High Maintenance... *chuckle*
Powell's has a book that just got put onto my notification listie thing... It's the set of 3 books by Barry Hughart. Anyone who loves Chinese myth and adventure, and the idea of "The China that never was, but could have been", will adore this... I so need this - I've read two of the books, the first and the third. The second one I've never been able to find. So, imagine my thrill to know that they have The Chronicles of Master Li available for sale, for a measly $21 at Powell's online... Sigh... http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=1-0966543610-2
I've already gotten a pair of shoes and a swimsuit from Fred. He purchased the most kick-ass shoes for me. OMG! http://www.tukshoes.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=405 They're absolutely the cutest things possible. I may break my ankles in them, but the point is, I'll look fabulous doing so. The swimsuit was 50% off, and I'd just found out yesterday that I managed to kill off my last swimsuit, so I wasn't going to be able to head down to the pool anytime soon... So, he purchased that for me as well... A nicer boyfriend you just can't ask for. Honestly.
I swear - I need to do something absolutely decadent and amazing for him at some point very soon to thank him and show him just how much I adore him...
~M
Powell's has a book that just got put onto my notification listie thing... It's the set of 3 books by Barry Hughart. Anyone who loves Chinese myth and adventure, and the idea of "The China that never was, but could have been", will adore this... I so need this - I've read two of the books, the first and the third. The second one I've never been able to find. So, imagine my thrill to know that they have The Chronicles of Master Li available for sale, for a measly $21 at Powell's online... Sigh... http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=1-0966543610-2
I've already gotten a pair of shoes and a swimsuit from Fred. He purchased the most kick-ass shoes for me. OMG! http://www.tukshoes.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=405 They're absolutely the cutest things possible. I may break my ankles in them, but the point is, I'll look fabulous doing so. The swimsuit was 50% off, and I'd just found out yesterday that I managed to kill off my last swimsuit, so I wasn't going to be able to head down to the pool anytime soon... So, he purchased that for me as well... A nicer boyfriend you just can't ask for. Honestly.
I swear - I need to do something absolutely decadent and amazing for him at some point very soon to thank him and show him just how much I adore him...
~M
Monday, June 19, 2006
Evil, Nasty, BAD allergies!
Not to mention Benedryl. Never taking that crap again. OMG! I just woke up, after sleeping through all 3 of my alarms. I'm heading out the door soon to make it in to work, so that I can have at least SOME money in today. Argh, argh, argh.
This weekend was... Interesting. I've come to the conclusion that Phoenix, the woman who hosts these little soirees, is filled with more drama than the Royal Shakesperean Acting Guild - from 1925 through today!! For instance, she had been informed that Misha, a friend of ours, was going to be arriving and spending the party with us. We'd told her this at least a month ago. She then proceeds to announce to Misha and myself that she has to apologize for being so out of sorts, since there were two new people in her midst and she didn't have time to prepare for it, so it had thrown her completely out of whack. Bless Misha, for her response was "Well, I'm grounded..." LOL.
The Solstice ceremony was held around 5-ish in the afternoon, and was what Fred aptly stated the Wiccan equivalent of Duct Tape. I shudder. I also giggled throughout the entire ceremony. They couldn't call the corners without laughing and/or simply not finishing whatever they'd been trying to state in the first place, and when Phoenix came around with a Nepalese prayer bowl and "bonged" the side of it to make it ring at each of the four corners, I couldn't help but have the image of Monty Python's priests wandering through: Eae jesu Dominae. *whack* Donna Eis Requiem *whack*
The party afterwards was ok. The children were remarkably well-behaved, actually. There was a notebook with all the ceremony stuff inside, which included rules of the party... I had to be amused when Fred pointed out that rule number 3 was "Do NOT discipline children who are not your own". That came about from the last debacle, wherein a woman had simply decided to ignore her children and let them run wild with no regard for anyone else. I'm sorry, but Fred and I don't allow Speedboy that luxury for a reason - we respect other people's rights for having a good time.
The coolest part of the party was when Speedboy and I both learned how to breathe fire. It was totally awesome! We got video of Speedboy and I, and we'll be sending his portion down to his mom so she can see. He said that Saturday night was the best day ever! I have to agree with him.
We managed to get back home by 5pm on Sunday, no thanks to Phoenix, but tons of thanks to Karma and a new friend, Zeke. Phoenix was going to try and hold off until late, late, late - like that was going to make the gas prices any better. Since Karma and Zeke had to come home anyway, we packed the gear in Zeke's car and rode with Karma. I got to get a shower, which cleared out some of the allergies, but not all, and we also managed to get to bed at a decent hour.
Oh - I did find out why I was denied by Key Bank for a consolidation loan... You'll laugh. I don't make enough money to pay back the loan. Which was the reason for trying for a consolidation loan in the first place, since I couldn't pay the loan. Even more mirth - just now, my phone rang, it was the bankruptcy lawyer I'd spoken with last week - who hadn't remembered that we'd spoken. I told him that we already had and he'd said that it wouldn't be worth it. He said "Are you sure it was me?" Yeah, chump - unless you know another David who works there... Oh, he said, and hung up. Sad... Just sad.
~M
This weekend was... Interesting. I've come to the conclusion that Phoenix, the woman who hosts these little soirees, is filled with more drama than the Royal Shakesperean Acting Guild - from 1925 through today!! For instance, she had been informed that Misha, a friend of ours, was going to be arriving and spending the party with us. We'd told her this at least a month ago. She then proceeds to announce to Misha and myself that she has to apologize for being so out of sorts, since there were two new people in her midst and she didn't have time to prepare for it, so it had thrown her completely out of whack. Bless Misha, for her response was "Well, I'm grounded..." LOL.
The Solstice ceremony was held around 5-ish in the afternoon, and was what Fred aptly stated the Wiccan equivalent of Duct Tape. I shudder. I also giggled throughout the entire ceremony. They couldn't call the corners without laughing and/or simply not finishing whatever they'd been trying to state in the first place, and when Phoenix came around with a Nepalese prayer bowl and "bonged" the side of it to make it ring at each of the four corners, I couldn't help but have the image of Monty Python's priests wandering through: Eae jesu Dominae. *whack* Donna Eis Requiem *whack*
The party afterwards was ok. The children were remarkably well-behaved, actually. There was a notebook with all the ceremony stuff inside, which included rules of the party... I had to be amused when Fred pointed out that rule number 3 was "Do NOT discipline children who are not your own". That came about from the last debacle, wherein a woman had simply decided to ignore her children and let them run wild with no regard for anyone else. I'm sorry, but Fred and I don't allow Speedboy that luxury for a reason - we respect other people's rights for having a good time.
The coolest part of the party was when Speedboy and I both learned how to breathe fire. It was totally awesome! We got video of Speedboy and I, and we'll be sending his portion down to his mom so she can see. He said that Saturday night was the best day ever! I have to agree with him.
We managed to get back home by 5pm on Sunday, no thanks to Phoenix, but tons of thanks to Karma and a new friend, Zeke. Phoenix was going to try and hold off until late, late, late - like that was going to make the gas prices any better. Since Karma and Zeke had to come home anyway, we packed the gear in Zeke's car and rode with Karma. I got to get a shower, which cleared out some of the allergies, but not all, and we also managed to get to bed at a decent hour.
Oh - I did find out why I was denied by Key Bank for a consolidation loan... You'll laugh. I don't make enough money to pay back the loan. Which was the reason for trying for a consolidation loan in the first place, since I couldn't pay the loan. Even more mirth - just now, my phone rang, it was the bankruptcy lawyer I'd spoken with last week - who hadn't remembered that we'd spoken. I told him that we already had and he'd said that it wouldn't be worth it. He said "Are you sure it was me?" Yeah, chump - unless you know another David who works there... Oh, he said, and hung up. Sad... Just sad.
~M
Friday, June 16, 2006
No, really - you didn't just *DO* that, did you?!
It was one of those days today, where I got really frustrated with one of my co-workers. Specifically, the same co-worker that I normally get frustrated with. We'll call him "JabberJaw" as it's so appropriate for him...
JabberJaw loves to come to work - he just doesn't like to *do* any work while there. He's much happier if he's using his outside voice, loudly proclaiming sports scores across the call center floor, or discussing accounts (if I'm lucky) with another rep (who happens to be two cubes down - and he's too lazy to get up and walk his fat ass down the hall to talk with them). Normally, he ends up on what we call the escalations line, which means he doesn't have to take inbound calls. Instead, he's supposed to be there to support the rest of us should we have questions or the occasional customer wanting to speak with a supervisor. The few times he's ended up taking calls, he's taken a total of *maybe* 20 or so (I'm being generous, here), and then he stops taking them and logs out to do other things. I have no idea whether the asshat has permission to do so or not, but since we're all supposed to be accountable for our log-outs and log-ins, I would assume someone is giving him permission.
In any case, today JabberJaw was once again at it. He hadn't been on the escalation line, which meant that in between each call, he was logging out, "researching" the account. Now, I don't know how on earth he managed to get every single call that came through the queue that happened to need at least 10 minutes worth of research each time, but he managed it... Even if all it was was a payment arrangement. It was amazing...
Around 2-ish, I got fed up and went to speak with another supervisor (ours is out for vacation until next Wednesday, yet another reason for JabberJaw's thinking he can get away with all of this). I explained the situation, and that I'd already talked with our supervisor about it last month, but nothing was done. This supervisor thought it wasn't right that JabberJaw should be wandering off the phones so much, either, so he was going to go pull some phone logs, etc.
Not an hour later, JabberJaw decides to do something truly brilliant...
You see, we occasionally get something called "e-time" at our call center. It's the ability for a select few (who answer an email in a specific timeslot) to go home early, with the understanding that they will be short-paid. Basically, short-time. We had that offering yesterday, and JabberJaw got the offer, and took it, and was approved for it.
Today, he took the email that he kept from yesterday, and doctored the date on it to match today's date, then sent it off to two of our co-workers on the team, AND to another person (I think in scheduling) stating that he'd gotten this email approving him for e-time today, so he was going to take it. And then he logged out and left.
Now, on top of this, JabberJaw also decided to BRAG about what he'd done to the entire team, loudly, and hem and haw about whether he should actually log back in since he *knew* it wasn't kosher for him to have done this in the first place. In the end, he decided not to and left, with the reasoning of "I don't want to take any more calls - the customer's I've had today have pissed me off.".
So, I did what any normal, red-blooded human being would at that point, seeing that someone they'd watched getting kudo's constantly for doing abso-fucking-lutely nothing constantly, would do. I emailed the supervisor I'd talked with earlier and let him know what had happened...
We'll see if JabberJaw has a job on Monday.
~M
JabberJaw loves to come to work - he just doesn't like to *do* any work while there. He's much happier if he's using his outside voice, loudly proclaiming sports scores across the call center floor, or discussing accounts (if I'm lucky) with another rep (who happens to be two cubes down - and he's too lazy to get up and walk his fat ass down the hall to talk with them). Normally, he ends up on what we call the escalations line, which means he doesn't have to take inbound calls. Instead, he's supposed to be there to support the rest of us should we have questions or the occasional customer wanting to speak with a supervisor. The few times he's ended up taking calls, he's taken a total of *maybe* 20 or so (I'm being generous, here), and then he stops taking them and logs out to do other things. I have no idea whether the asshat has permission to do so or not, but since we're all supposed to be accountable for our log-outs and log-ins, I would assume someone is giving him permission.
In any case, today JabberJaw was once again at it. He hadn't been on the escalation line, which meant that in between each call, he was logging out, "researching" the account. Now, I don't know how on earth he managed to get every single call that came through the queue that happened to need at least 10 minutes worth of research each time, but he managed it... Even if all it was was a payment arrangement. It was amazing...
Around 2-ish, I got fed up and went to speak with another supervisor (ours is out for vacation until next Wednesday, yet another reason for JabberJaw's thinking he can get away with all of this). I explained the situation, and that I'd already talked with our supervisor about it last month, but nothing was done. This supervisor thought it wasn't right that JabberJaw should be wandering off the phones so much, either, so he was going to go pull some phone logs, etc.
Not an hour later, JabberJaw decides to do something truly brilliant...
You see, we occasionally get something called "e-time" at our call center. It's the ability for a select few (who answer an email in a specific timeslot) to go home early, with the understanding that they will be short-paid. Basically, short-time. We had that offering yesterday, and JabberJaw got the offer, and took it, and was approved for it.
Today, he took the email that he kept from yesterday, and doctored the date on it to match today's date, then sent it off to two of our co-workers on the team, AND to another person (I think in scheduling) stating that he'd gotten this email approving him for e-time today, so he was going to take it. And then he logged out and left.
Now, on top of this, JabberJaw also decided to BRAG about what he'd done to the entire team, loudly, and hem and haw about whether he should actually log back in since he *knew* it wasn't kosher for him to have done this in the first place. In the end, he decided not to and left, with the reasoning of "I don't want to take any more calls - the customer's I've had today have pissed me off.".
So, I did what any normal, red-blooded human being would at that point, seeing that someone they'd watched getting kudo's constantly for doing abso-fucking-lutely nothing constantly, would do. I emailed the supervisor I'd talked with earlier and let him know what had happened...
We'll see if JabberJaw has a job on Monday.
~M
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
A New Outlook? Maybe...
"It doesn't matter how large or even how screwed up an organization is. An individual can still make a difference within that organization. An employer can hinder exceptional performance, choose to ignore it, and not adequately recognize or encourage it. Or, an employer can train employees to achieve exceptional performance and then reward it. But ultimately, only the employee can choose to do his or her job in an extraordinary way, either because of, or in spite of, circumstances" from "The Fred Factor" by Mark Sanborn.
Interestingly enough, this paragraph came to me in the form of a booklet that the group sending out study guide materials for the USPS test sent me. It apparently came just in time, as well. I was (and still am, to a point) completely disenchanted with Splat, Inc. - to a point wherein I felt that no matter what I did, it didn't matter, and that I'd never make a difference. The reinforcing factor of having constant yelling in my ear from unhappy customers didn't help, either.
However, after reading this book, and specifically this paragraph, I realized that no matter what I chose to do, I was still making a difference in someone's life - it was simply whether it was a good difference or a bad difference. Further, it didn't matter whether the company I worked for chose to reward me for those differences or not - I was still going to make them, bad or good. Still further, since I don't enjoy being miserable, and since doing a BAD job (or even a mediocre one) makes me feel miserable and nasty, I've decided to at least make myself feel better by doing the best job I can do - for myself. That in turn is going to make a good difference for my customers.
My company probably still won't recognize it, and frankly at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if they fired me for it. HOWEVER - I'm still doing the best job I can do, and I'm making a positive difference. While I won't go in for the "competing against another team for first place at daily/monthly stats", I will totally go for competing against myself (the only person who actually matters that I can actually control) based on what I did the day before. Can I do better than I did yesterday? Of course I can. Can I do better than someone on the 5th floor that I've never met? Possibly, but that's comparing apples and oranges. The only person I can control is ME. Therefore, the only person I should be competing against is myself. And as long as I continue to do better than I did yesterday, that's all that matters.
Do I think that this will have some sort of positive outcome with Splat? No. I'm not so naive. Splat is a multi-level, multi-million dollar corporation, with over 14 call centers across the country... They don't have time to listen to just one person. Even if they should...
~M
Interestingly enough, this paragraph came to me in the form of a booklet that the group sending out study guide materials for the USPS test sent me. It apparently came just in time, as well. I was (and still am, to a point) completely disenchanted with Splat, Inc. - to a point wherein I felt that no matter what I did, it didn't matter, and that I'd never make a difference. The reinforcing factor of having constant yelling in my ear from unhappy customers didn't help, either.
However, after reading this book, and specifically this paragraph, I realized that no matter what I chose to do, I was still making a difference in someone's life - it was simply whether it was a good difference or a bad difference. Further, it didn't matter whether the company I worked for chose to reward me for those differences or not - I was still going to make them, bad or good. Still further, since I don't enjoy being miserable, and since doing a BAD job (or even a mediocre one) makes me feel miserable and nasty, I've decided to at least make myself feel better by doing the best job I can do - for myself. That in turn is going to make a good difference for my customers.
My company probably still won't recognize it, and frankly at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if they fired me for it. HOWEVER - I'm still doing the best job I can do, and I'm making a positive difference. While I won't go in for the "competing against another team for first place at daily/monthly stats", I will totally go for competing against myself (the only person who actually matters that I can actually control) based on what I did the day before. Can I do better than I did yesterday? Of course I can. Can I do better than someone on the 5th floor that I've never met? Possibly, but that's comparing apples and oranges. The only person I can control is ME. Therefore, the only person I should be competing against is myself. And as long as I continue to do better than I did yesterday, that's all that matters.
Do I think that this will have some sort of positive outcome with Splat? No. I'm not so naive. Splat is a multi-level, multi-million dollar corporation, with over 14 call centers across the country... They don't have time to listen to just one person. Even if they should...
~M
Monday, June 12, 2006
Found it...
Well, I found the templates that I had used originally for D-x. Sadly, they aren't compatible with Blogger.com - at least, not that I can tell. I can get the main background and even the links to work, but it won't allow the viewing of any postings. I tried with a test blog. It makes me rather sad, if only because I really did like those templates, and I doubt I'll be able to use them ever again. *sigh*
~M
~M
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Also - Pirate Karaoke! Right here, live in PDX!
Date & Time:
Saturday, Tuesday, June 24, 2008 9 PM
The Mandarin Palace in Portland has agreed to open its doors to us for Pirate Karaoke...! (you should have seen the owner's face when I told him we could PACK the place!) The food is great, too... the prices won't break you, and the quality of the food is the best I've ever had in a chinese restaurant. Nothing comes from a bag or box to be reheated, and it's all from scratch. And the portions, dear gods, the portions! Those who know me know I can EAT. I still took almost half my dinner home with me! SOUNDS GOOD FOR PIRATE KARAOKE TO ME.
***Also - the KJ, Leveille Karaoke, records singers and posts them up for download on their website! How exciting is that?!?! You can actually hear what you sound like (ok, for some people, that may not be so exciting, but it's exciting for ME!).
The address is 9225 SW Allen Rd, Portland, OR.
Remember the rules, and We'll see you there!
The Rules of Pirate Karaoke
1: YOU WILL TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT PIRATE KARAOKE.
2: YOU WILL TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT PIRATE KARAOKE.
3: IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST PIRATE KARAOKE, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO SING!
4: NO WEAPONS, REAL OR FAKE, SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PIRATE KARAOKE. These things take place at bars, people, not SCA events or Cons. Special exceptions may be made if the PK event takes place in a rented establishment, and if so, it will be announced. The reason for this rule should be self-explanatory, but I'll explain anyway. Weapons and alcohol don't mix well, particularly if the uninitiated (mundanes) are about. They do not understand us, and the majority of them are not willing to take the time to learn. They'll simply call the authorities, or take matters into their own hands, and we don't want the trouble.
5: NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOL OR OTHER BEVERAGES SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PIRATE KARAOKE. This is the real world, where the lawless go to jail for real, and businesses can get shut down for real. By violating this rule, you run the risk of either or both these things happening.
6: MAINTAIN CONDUCT APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING. It's okay to get a little rowdy, but for the sake of people whose virgin eyes can't handle seeing someone do what they wish they could do, please do not grope, goose, cop feels, or otherwise touch anyone in an inappropriate manner. This can get us thrown out of the bar.
7: THERE SHALL ALWAYS BE A TWO DRINK MINIMUM, DESIGNATED DRIVERS BEING THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS. In the past, one of the chief complaints has been that the bar wasn't making any money on the Pirates and Gypsies, but the KDJ was raking it in hand over fist. While you may think of this as a sob-story motivated by the greed of a seedy establishment owner, try to think of it this way: It's a business, and businesses need to profit to survive. If you are only singing and getting water, the bar doesn't make money off you. A crowded house is no good if the crowd isn't paying, and we want the establishment to stay open to us.
ALSO, IT HELPS TO TIP THE STAFF. THEY WORK HARD, SO GIVE THEM THEIR DUE.
Saturday, Tuesday, June 24, 2008 9 PM
The Mandarin Palace in Portland has agreed to open its doors to us for Pirate Karaoke...! (you should have seen the owner's face when I told him we could PACK the place!) The food is great, too... the prices won't break you, and the quality of the food is the best I've ever had in a chinese restaurant. Nothing comes from a bag or box to be reheated, and it's all from scratch. And the portions, dear gods, the portions! Those who know me know I can EAT. I still took almost half my dinner home with me! SOUNDS GOOD FOR PIRATE KARAOKE TO ME.
***Also - the KJ, Leveille Karaoke, records singers and posts them up for download on their website! How exciting is that?!?! You can actually hear what you sound like (ok, for some people, that may not be so exciting, but it's exciting for ME!).
The address is 9225 SW Allen Rd, Portland, OR.
Remember the rules, and We'll see you there!
The Rules of Pirate Karaoke
1: YOU WILL TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT PIRATE KARAOKE.
2: YOU WILL TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT PIRATE KARAOKE.
3: IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST PIRATE KARAOKE, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO SING!
4: NO WEAPONS, REAL OR FAKE, SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PIRATE KARAOKE. These things take place at bars, people, not SCA events or Cons. Special exceptions may be made if the PK event takes place in a rented establishment, and if so, it will be announced. The reason for this rule should be self-explanatory, but I'll explain anyway. Weapons and alcohol don't mix well, particularly if the uninitiated (mundanes) are about. They do not understand us, and the majority of them are not willing to take the time to learn. They'll simply call the authorities, or take matters into their own hands, and we don't want the trouble.
5: NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOL OR OTHER BEVERAGES SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PIRATE KARAOKE. This is the real world, where the lawless go to jail for real, and businesses can get shut down for real. By violating this rule, you run the risk of either or both these things happening.
6: MAINTAIN CONDUCT APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING. It's okay to get a little rowdy, but for the sake of people whose virgin eyes can't handle seeing someone do what they wish they could do, please do not grope, goose, cop feels, or otherwise touch anyone in an inappropriate manner. This can get us thrown out of the bar.
7: THERE SHALL ALWAYS BE A TWO DRINK MINIMUM, DESIGNATED DRIVERS BEING THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS. In the past, one of the chief complaints has been that the bar wasn't making any money on the Pirates and Gypsies, but the KDJ was raking it in hand over fist. While you may think of this as a sob-story motivated by the greed of a seedy establishment owner, try to think of it this way: It's a business, and businesses need to profit to survive. If you are only singing and getting water, the bar doesn't make money off you. A crowded house is no good if the crowd isn't paying, and we want the establishment to stay open to us.
ALSO, IT HELPS TO TIP THE STAFF. THEY WORK HARD, SO GIVE THEM THEIR DUE.
A Plea from my Dear Honey...
You see, he's the troupe leader of an amazingly wonderful fire-dancing group called Fire and Steel. Over the past 3 years, he's gotten TONS of video capture, and only recently have we gotten the computer upgraded enough to transfer the video over to the computer to place onto a DVD for sale to help promote them. Unfortunately, shite happened last night... Here's what's going on in his words:
"Recently, due to wear and tear, our camcorder, a Sony Hi8 Handycam, went belly-up. If you have upgraded from this format and are looking to sell or donate your old one, contact me off-list. I can't afford much, But I'll see what else I can barter. What I'm looking for is preferrably one with nightshot, USB compatible. The USB compatibility is the main thing I need, as we are FINALLY getting our footage (3 years worth) transferred to computer, and are ramping up to FINALLY get a DVD put out. Even if you are not looking to sell, I do need to borrow one, as I am in the middle of getting the footage from the Gathering transferred to our computer. Since the old camera is so screwed up it won't give me back my tape (thankfully, NOT from an event, just some firejam stuff) it goes without saying that it's useless for the task. So if you have one to lend for a couple weeks, I'd be grateful for that as well. Hope to hear from someone--anyone.
Frederick the Reckless,
Troupe Leader,
Fire and Steel"
If you want to check out some of the videos and pics, please feel free to visit the yahoo groups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/antirafterdark/, and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/antirafterdark2/ .
In addition, this year Fire and Steel has decided to hold a fund-raiser for the Portland Community Transitional School, to help the children have a good holiday season. http://www.transitionalschool.org/ is their website. If you feel the need to help out, the troupe is gathering new, unwrapped toys, books and art supplies currently so that they can be handed out at Christmas / Kwanzaa / Yule / Solstice-time. They are also gathering monetary donations to purchase said items. So far, the troupe has gathered over $260 in donations, in the course of a 3-day camp-out with a non-sanctioned SCA group. They're hoping that each event they end up going to will yield as much, if not more, so these kids have a great holiday.
~M
"Recently, due to wear and tear, our camcorder, a Sony Hi8 Handycam, went belly-up. If you have upgraded from this format and are looking to sell or donate your old one, contact me off-list. I can't afford much, But I'll see what else I can barter. What I'm looking for is preferrably one with nightshot, USB compatible. The USB compatibility is the main thing I need, as we are FINALLY getting our footage (3 years worth) transferred to computer, and are ramping up to FINALLY get a DVD put out. Even if you are not looking to sell, I do need to borrow one, as I am in the middle of getting the footage from the Gathering transferred to our computer. Since the old camera is so screwed up it won't give me back my tape (thankfully, NOT from an event, just some firejam stuff) it goes without saying that it's useless for the task. So if you have one to lend for a couple weeks, I'd be grateful for that as well. Hope to hear from someone--anyone.
Frederick the Reckless,
Troupe Leader,
Fire and Steel"
If you want to check out some of the videos and pics, please feel free to visit the yahoo groups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/antirafterdark/, and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/antirafterdark2/ .
In addition, this year Fire and Steel has decided to hold a fund-raiser for the Portland Community Transitional School, to help the children have a good holiday season. http://www.transitionalschool.org/ is their website. If you feel the need to help out, the troupe is gathering new, unwrapped toys, books and art supplies currently so that they can be handed out at Christmas / Kwanzaa / Yule / Solstice-time. They are also gathering monetary donations to purchase said items. So far, the troupe has gathered over $260 in donations, in the course of a 3-day camp-out with a non-sanctioned SCA group. They're hoping that each event they end up going to will yield as much, if not more, so these kids have a great holiday.
~M
Deliciousness...
So, today is the Luscious Lilith's birthday. Hooray! We ended up getting together yesterday with Geoffrey and Anxiety at my house and had a BBQ of wonderful deliciousness. There was good food, good (non-alcoholic) drinks, and plenty of good company - what more could a woman ask for?
We ended up barbecuing steak for the main meal, with some small-ish baked potatoes to go with, along with potato salad, green salad (with home-made balsamic vinaigrette and Caesar dressing), potato chips, and devilled eggs. Quite, quite tasty.
So, I am still full this morning, and we have leftovers, which is fabu! I adore sliced steak sandwiches. Fred will most likely finish off the eggs, and then we have almost half a tub of potato salad (Nope, I decided I didn't want to make it homemade this time - I got Reser's [tm] instead - a pretty good substitute for mine, I have to say), and another pack of green salad. Sounds like a good Sunday lunch/dinner thing going on all together today.
And, if the weather holds today, I may just decide to go down to the pool now that it's open - after I do my household chores, that is.
~M
We ended up barbecuing steak for the main meal, with some small-ish baked potatoes to go with, along with potato salad, green salad (with home-made balsamic vinaigrette and Caesar dressing), potato chips, and devilled eggs. Quite, quite tasty.
So, I am still full this morning, and we have leftovers, which is fabu! I adore sliced steak sandwiches. Fred will most likely finish off the eggs, and then we have almost half a tub of potato salad (Nope, I decided I didn't want to make it homemade this time - I got Reser's [tm] instead - a pretty good substitute for mine, I have to say), and another pack of green salad. Sounds like a good Sunday lunch/dinner thing going on all together today.
And, if the weather holds today, I may just decide to go down to the pool now that it's open - after I do my household chores, that is.
~M
Friday, June 09, 2006
Interesting stuff on birthdays and names...
You entered: 2/20/1974
Your date of conception was on or about 30 May 1973 which was a Wednesday.
You were born on a Wednesday under the astrological sign Pisces.
Your Life path number is 7.
Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 5 & 7.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 4 & 22.
You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path number 9.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 3, 6, 8 & 11.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2442098.5.
The golden number for 1974 is 18.
The epact number for 1974 is 6.
The year 1974 was not a leap year.
Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 1/23/1974 and ending 2/10/1975.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Tiger.
The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 14 April 1974.
The date of Orthodox Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 14 April 1974.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 27 February 1974.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 2 June 1974.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 9 June 1974.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Tuesday, 17 September 1974.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Sunday, 7 April 1974.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 26 February 1974.
As of 6/9/2006 11:25:16 AM EDT
You are 32 years old.
You are 388 months old.
You are 1,685 weeks old.
You are 11,797 days old.
You are 283,139 hours old.
You are 16,988,365 minutes old.
You are 1,019,301,916 seconds old.
Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 4.61722113502935 years old. (You're still chasing cats!)
There are 256 days till your next birthday on which your cake will have 33 candles.
Those 33 candles produce 33 BTUs,or 8,316 calories of heat (that's only 8.3160 food Calories!) .
You can boil 3.77 US ounces of water with that many candles.
In 1974 there were approximately 3.7 million births in the US.
In 1974 the US population was approximately 203,302,031 people, 57.4 persons per square mile.
In 1974 in the US there were approximately 2,158,802 marriages (10.6%) and 708,000 divorces (3.5%)
In 1974 in the US there were approximately 1,921,000 deaths (9.5 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.
Your birthstone is Amethyst
The Mystical properties of Amethyst
Amethyst is used to increase spiritually. Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources):
Bloodstone, Onyx, Moonstone
Your birth tree is:
Pine Tree, the Particularity
Loves agreeable company, very robust, knows how to make life comfortable, very active, natural, good companion, but seldom friendly, falls easily in love but its passion burns out quickly, gives up easily, many disappointments till it finds its ideal, trustworthy, practical.
There are 199 days till Christmas 2006!
There are 212 days till Orthodox Christmas!
The moon's phase on the day you were born was waning crescent.
About my birth name:
There are 19 letters in your name.
Those 19 letters total to 82
There are 7 vowels and 12 consonants in your name.
Your number is: 1
The characteristics of #1 are: Initiating action, pioneering, leading, independent, attaining, individual.
The expression or destiny for #1: A number 1 Expression denotes the skilled executive with keen administrative capabilities. You must develop the capacity to be a fine leader, sales executive, or promoter. You have the tools to become an original person with a creative approach to problem solving, and a penchant for initiating action. Someone may have to follow behind you to handle the details, but you know how to get things going and make things happen. You have a good mind and the ability to use it for your advancement. Because of these factors, you have much potential for achievement and financial rewards. Frequently, this expression belongs to one running a business or striving to achieve a level of accomplishment on ones talents and efforts. You have little need for much supervision, preferring to act on your own with little restraint. You are both ambitious and determined. Self-confident and self-reliant must be yours, as you develop a strong unyielding will and the courage of your convictions.
Although you fear loneliness, you want to be left alone. You fear routine and being in a rut. You often jump the gun because you are afraid of being left behind.
The negative attributes of the 1 Expression are egotism and a self-centered approach to life. This is an aggressive number and if it is over-emphasized it is very hard to live with. You do not have to be overly aggressive to fulfill your destiny. The 1 has a natural instinct to dominate and to be the boss; adhering to the concept of being number One. Again, you do not have to dominate and destroy in order to lead and manage.
Your Soul Urge number is: 9
A Soul Urge number of 9 means: With a 9 Soul Urge, you want to give to others, usually in a humanitarian or philanthropic manner. You are highly motivated to give friendship, affection and love. And you are generous in giving of your knowledge and experience. You have very sharing urges, and you are likely to have a great deal to share. Your concern for others makes you a very sympathetic and generous person with a sensitive and compassionate nature.
You are able to view life in very broad and intuitive terms. You often express high ideals and an inspirational approach to life. If you are able to fully realize the potential of your motivation, you will be a very self-sacrificing person who is able to give freely without being concerned about any return or reward.
As with all human beings, you are prone to sometimes express the negative attitudes inherent to your Soul Urges. You may become too sensitive and tend to express emotions strongly at times. There can be significant conflict between higher aims and personal ambitions. You may resent the idea of giving all of the time and, in fact, if there is too much 9 energy in your nature you may reject the idea. You may often be disappointed in the lack of perfection in yourself and others.
Your Inner Dream number is: 1
An Inner Dream number of 1 means: You dream of being a leader and one who is in charge. You want to be known for your courage, daring, and original ideas. You seek unconquered heights. People may get a first impression that you are very aggressive and sure of yourself.
Your date of conception was on or about 30 May 1973 which was a Wednesday.
You were born on a Wednesday under the astrological sign Pisces.
Your Life path number is 7.
Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 5 & 7.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 4 & 22.
You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path number 9.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 3, 6, 8 & 11.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2442098.5.
The golden number for 1974 is 18.
The epact number for 1974 is 6.
The year 1974 was not a leap year.
Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 1/23/1974 and ending 2/10/1975.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Tiger.
The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 14 April 1974.
The date of Orthodox Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 14 April 1974.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 27 February 1974.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 2 June 1974.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 9 June 1974.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Tuesday, 17 September 1974.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Sunday, 7 April 1974.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 26 February 1974.
As of 6/9/2006 11:25:16 AM EDT
You are 32 years old.
You are 388 months old.
You are 1,685 weeks old.
You are 11,797 days old.
You are 283,139 hours old.
You are 16,988,365 minutes old.
You are 1,019,301,916 seconds old.
Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 4.61722113502935 years old. (You're still chasing cats!)
There are 256 days till your next birthday on which your cake will have 33 candles.
Those 33 candles produce 33 BTUs,or 8,316 calories of heat (that's only 8.3160 food Calories!) .
You can boil 3.77 US ounces of water with that many candles.
In 1974 there were approximately 3.7 million births in the US.
In 1974 the US population was approximately 203,302,031 people, 57.4 persons per square mile.
In 1974 in the US there were approximately 2,158,802 marriages (10.6%) and 708,000 divorces (3.5%)
In 1974 in the US there were approximately 1,921,000 deaths (9.5 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.
Your birthstone is Amethyst
The Mystical properties of Amethyst
Amethyst is used to increase spiritually. Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources):
Bloodstone, Onyx, Moonstone
Your birth tree is:
Pine Tree, the Particularity
Loves agreeable company, very robust, knows how to make life comfortable, very active, natural, good companion, but seldom friendly, falls easily in love but its passion burns out quickly, gives up easily, many disappointments till it finds its ideal, trustworthy, practical.
There are 199 days till Christmas 2006!
There are 212 days till Orthodox Christmas!
The moon's phase on the day you were born was waning crescent.
About my birth name:
There are 19 letters in your name.
Those 19 letters total to 82
There are 7 vowels and 12 consonants in your name.
Your number is: 1
The characteristics of #1 are: Initiating action, pioneering, leading, independent, attaining, individual.
The expression or destiny for #1: A number 1 Expression denotes the skilled executive with keen administrative capabilities. You must develop the capacity to be a fine leader, sales executive, or promoter. You have the tools to become an original person with a creative approach to problem solving, and a penchant for initiating action. Someone may have to follow behind you to handle the details, but you know how to get things going and make things happen. You have a good mind and the ability to use it for your advancement. Because of these factors, you have much potential for achievement and financial rewards. Frequently, this expression belongs to one running a business or striving to achieve a level of accomplishment on ones talents and efforts. You have little need for much supervision, preferring to act on your own with little restraint. You are both ambitious and determined. Self-confident and self-reliant must be yours, as you develop a strong unyielding will and the courage of your convictions.
Although you fear loneliness, you want to be left alone. You fear routine and being in a rut. You often jump the gun because you are afraid of being left behind.
The negative attributes of the 1 Expression are egotism and a self-centered approach to life. This is an aggressive number and if it is over-emphasized it is very hard to live with. You do not have to be overly aggressive to fulfill your destiny. The 1 has a natural instinct to dominate and to be the boss; adhering to the concept of being number One. Again, you do not have to dominate and destroy in order to lead and manage.
Your Soul Urge number is: 9
A Soul Urge number of 9 means: With a 9 Soul Urge, you want to give to others, usually in a humanitarian or philanthropic manner. You are highly motivated to give friendship, affection and love. And you are generous in giving of your knowledge and experience. You have very sharing urges, and you are likely to have a great deal to share. Your concern for others makes you a very sympathetic and generous person with a sensitive and compassionate nature.
You are able to view life in very broad and intuitive terms. You often express high ideals and an inspirational approach to life. If you are able to fully realize the potential of your motivation, you will be a very self-sacrificing person who is able to give freely without being concerned about any return or reward.
As with all human beings, you are prone to sometimes express the negative attitudes inherent to your Soul Urges. You may become too sensitive and tend to express emotions strongly at times. There can be significant conflict between higher aims and personal ambitions. You may resent the idea of giving all of the time and, in fact, if there is too much 9 energy in your nature you may reject the idea. You may often be disappointed in the lack of perfection in yourself and others.
Your Inner Dream number is: 1
An Inner Dream number of 1 means: You dream of being a leader and one who is in charge. You want to be known for your courage, daring, and original ideas. You seek unconquered heights. People may get a first impression that you are very aggressive and sure of yourself.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
It's a Meme...
Lilith did this and her response to me was precious - so, I had to post it here and see who was reading...
Please note that if we haven't met in person, you may not want to bother commenting, because I won't be able to do several of the things on the list...
If you comment, I'll do the following:
1. I'll respond with something random I like about you.
2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I'll name something we should do together.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me (or just me).
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll leave you a quote that is somehow appropriate to you (or, I will include an icon just for YOU in my reply).
7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8. If I do this for you, you must might like to post this on your journal so you can do the same for other people.
~M
Please note that if we haven't met in person, you may not want to bother commenting, because I won't be able to do several of the things on the list...
If you comment, I'll do the following:
1. I'll respond with something random I like about you.
2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I'll name something we should do together.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me (or just me).
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll leave you a quote that is somehow appropriate to you (or, I will include an icon just for YOU in my reply).
7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8. If I do this for you, you must might like to post this on your journal so you can do the same for other people.
~M
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
New piccies of a dress...
So, there are new piccies of the dress that I made for my friend E, from Splat, Inc. I looked at them and they looked really quite good. I cropped her head off, to protect her, as I'm not sure whether she actually *likes* having her pictures taken... Besides, it's a public site, and she may not actually want her face strewn about the internet. ;-) Either way, here they are:
I think they turned out great, myself, and I'm pretty darned pleased with it. The up-close and personal one on the top shows how pretty the lower edge of the dress is.
I think they turned out great, myself, and I'm pretty darned pleased with it. The up-close and personal one on the top shows how pretty the lower edge of the dress is.
Ouch - yet again...
I have yet another migraine. It's the week of bleeding (I know, tmi, but still, there you are) so I suppose the hormones can't help it. I wish it would though. It's stuck between my eyeballs and making me feel sick to my stomach. So, this will be yet another short post, and then I shall be going back to bed.
I was so hoping that I would be posting a nice, looong post here, but alas, it is not to be at this time - perhaps later...
~M
I was so hoping that I would be posting a nice, looong post here, but alas, it is not to be at this time - perhaps later...
~M
Monday, June 05, 2006
Welcome!
So, here are my new digs... Not too shabby so far. I'm going to be editing them as I go along and as I have time... But, I'm already feeling happier than I was prior. Yay me!
~M
~M
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