Is it like being 10% pregnant?

I decided, after seeing this on Kylanath's blog, to give it a whirl and answer as honestly as possible... So, shockingly enough, while I _AM_ Pisces, I got this:

You are 80% Pisces

How Pisces Are You?

Fred's response was, "So, what - is that like being only 10% pregnant?"

*chortle* I love him...


~M

Long and Short Tourney Reminder... And other things...

Fire and Steel will be performing both Friday and Saturday night. This is the ONLY SCA-sanctioned event that they will be doing this year, so be sure to catch them. They will be passing the hat for the Portland Community Transitional School both nights for donations of toys and cash.


If each person going to Long and Short were to give $1.00 and one toy, the children at the Portland Community Transitional School would have a fabulous Holiday season.


Please donate to this worthy cause. If you have questions regarding the Portland Community Transitional School, please contact Frederick the Reckless, troupe leader of Fire and Steel, at frederick_the_reckless@yahoo.com.


Thank you.


And on to other things... Honestly, there hasn't been too much to blog about lately. My life, while not boring by any means, does not shimmer with scintillating sparkles of interesting commentary and happenings.


On the other hand, at least it doesn't suck ass at this point. Got the raise I was waiting for, and am now working for only $2 less than I was in 2000, at my favorite job (at least, until the company closed its doors - another victim of the dot-com age). I'm all twitterpated about that.


Also, I get to do more fire fleshing practice tonight, which should be fun. I'm in need of also learning how to eat, which may happen tonight - not sure. Right now, I really need to wake up. Fred and I were awake until almost 1:30 last night, talking about our high school years, and since we normally go to bed around 11pm at the latest, it threw off everything in my body. I just got out of bed about an hour ago, but I'm still waking up...


I get to do some grocery shopping today (yippee), and then do some baking (more yippee), and possibly some laundry - though I may throw Fred onto that, if he doesn't go with me to the store (insert evil grin here).


The Luscious Lilith survived Blog-a-thon, which I applaud her for. Not only did she manage to post entries each half-hour for 24 hours, but she has really good taste in music. I know this because she decided to use the combination of mine and Geoffrey's idea to post the lyrics of songs which touched her, and why... The scary part - Geoffrey and I came up with the idea practically at the same time, without talking with one another prior. *chortle* I love my little brother.


In the spirit of said idea, I figured I'd add my own two cents worth of at least one song I adore...


Crystal

Stevie Nicks

1973


Do you always trust your first initial feeling
Special knowledge holds true, bears believing


I turned around and the water was closing all around like a glove
Like the love that finally found me
Then I knew in the crystaline knowledge of you
Drove me through the mountains
Through the crystal like and clear water fountain
Drove me like a magnet
To the sea
To the sea


How the faces of love have changed turning the pages
And I have changed, oh, but you, you remain ageless


Like the love that finally found me
Then I knew in the crystaline knowledge of you
Drove me through the mountains
Through the crystal like and clear water fountain
Drove me like a magnet
To the sea
To the sea


I adore Stevie Nicks in general... This song was originally written (as noted) in 1973 and was found on 7 different albums by Fleetwood Mac and one that was the collaboration of Buckingham and Nicks, and only recently became re-popularized with its release on the Practical Magic soundtrack. Interestingly, Lindsey Buckingham was the one who originally sang this song, though it's Stevie's voice that I end up hearing throughout the song on the recording I have (from the PM soundtrack).


I listen to the song and it reminds me of how I feel about Fred, and how much I adore him. He, as the song says, is the water closing all around me like a glove, holding me safe and sound... It's an amazing feeling.


~M

People need smacked

I realize that there are times when companies screw up. Companies are run by human beings, and as such, we are fallible. The fact is, while companies normally do NOT screw up in general, there are specific times when they do mess up - and when they do, they do so royally.



Be that as it may, the sudden onset for a royal brain-fart in the case of a large corporate entity is not the siren sound for their customers to suddenly go off on a HUGE temper tantrum on one individual, eventually requesting to speak with a supervisor - **knowing** that said individual is doing everything in their power to fix the situation at that moment.



This is what I got to deal with today. Said beast of a customer called in with her nose in said sling about a payment that was lost 2 months ago by my company. While yes, I was just as upset as she was, she did not once allow me to assist her, insisted on talking over me for over fifteen minutes, and then when I offered to do what I could for her (basically clearly stating in the notes that the information HAD been faxed in by the bank, and it was up to our finance department to get their heads collectively out of their asses and fix the situation), she REFUSES to allow me to do so and asks to speak with a supervisor.



WTF!?



I have 8 years worth of customer service and technical support under my belt, and I'm pretty certain that I can tell how an account is set up, whether it is being taken care of properly, and how to deal with those who may be in another department who are not doing their jobs. Whether someone before me did *their* part or not is not my issue. I'm here now, which should count for something. I'm competant, I know what I'm doing, and I'm here to help you - which is, what I would assume, you are calling to request in the first place... and then you refuse that help, and instead insist on speaking with my supervisor, insinuating that I'm not doing enough for you? I beg your pardon?



I give not a rat's ass whether or not a customer has paid their bill on time for the past 8 years or 8 months, or even 8 weeks. If my company lost their payment and they have faxed in information, then we owe it to them to find it and return that payment to their account. I agree wholeheartedly that this is an issue that needs resolved - but to treat me as though I am just as incompetant as the foul-ups in finance, who lost the payment in the first place, then posted it, then removed it again for no apparent reason that anyone could see - that's just pushing it way too much.



I ended up having to get off the phone with the promise of a callback, as there wasn't anyone available for her to speak with that I could transfer her to (of course, par for the course), and then stayed off the phones for another 8 minutes with a tension headache just behind my eyes because of her attitude with me.



I try very hard not to take things personally - but honestly, there are times. I take pride in my job, and in doing my job, no matter how mediocre it might be, or seem to be. Allow me that pride and my dignity, and let me help you to the best of my ability, instead of screaming epithets at me for no reason, and then asking to speak with my supervisor because I can't offer you help due to not being able to get a word in edgewise.


~M

Oy! It's so humid, it's like a sauna in here!

We got back late last night from Gypsy Days / Sea Dog Nights. We were sunburned, heat-treated, and generally exhausted from the weekend.


Don't get me wrong - it was a good weekend. But it was oh, so hot and humid, and while the creek was ice cold, I really didn't like the idea of being told this year (once we got there - no damned announcement in the flyers for the event) that we were no longer going to be allowed to period bathe at the creek. We had to keep clothing on, or risk being fined if one of the locals came down and complained. Also - the creek was just too far away from where I was camping.


I ended up with a migraine on Sunday, which spread itself over to today. While I made sure that I wasn't dehydrated, I did get heat exhaustion and sunburned, so along with the horrible yellow ball in the sky producing an insane amount of wattage, it created some nifty pain just above and behind my left eye.


We got back last night around 10pm, much to the combined delight and anxiousness of my feline, who immediately started yelling at me for being gone in the first place. She was treated this weekend to the air conditioner being on all weekend, AND having the sink in the bathroom on at a trickle and plugged, so that she could have a huge amount of fresh water, just in case.


She's currently laying on my wrists while I try and type this, so this is where I'm going to stop, so I can rest them for a while. I will return later, hopefully with some pics of the event.


~M

Fabric Donations Needed STAT!!!

**PLEASE CROSS-POST THIS ENTRY TO YOUR OWN BLOG - THE MORE NOTICE IT GETS, THE BETTER!**

Fred, as I'm certain you know, has a local PDX fire dance troupe called Fire and Steel. Every year they hold a fundraiser for local charities in the PDX area, and try to give back a little something to the community. This year, the troupe decided on the Portland Community Transitional School.


In order to do this in style, the troupe is requesting donations of durable fabrics in red, white, and green to make toy bags and "Santa" outfits for the event. They'd like to arrive dressed to the 9's as Santa's helpers with Captain Kringle and his elven pirates. Funds are tight, as with everyone, so if people have cotton velveteens, cotton trigger or heavy twill in greens, whites, and reds, it would really make things easier to get the costumes together. I'm going to be doing the sewing as a donation for the troupe, and need the fabric as quickly as possible. They'd also like some fake white fur for trim, if possible... Please let me know via email through here. And if you'd like to donate toys, clothing, art supplies or books, please also contact Frederick the Reckless. They have the ability to take donations locally as well.


I need to have the fabric donated by no later than mid-October, to make sure I have enough time to put together costumes. Please - if you can help, let me know. Thank you!


~M


(Their announcement Below):


Fire and Steel Proudly Presents:


Pirates of the Christmas Season


Each year, Fire and Steel passes the hat for donations to worthy causes. These mainly benefit those within our SCA community, and help those in need. This year, we'd like to do even more. The Community Transitional School in Portland, Oregon, is in need of assistance for children from Kindergarten to 8th grade. The school opens its doors to children who would otherwise be unable to attend school due to many different reasons, whether it be medical, financial, or residential. Providence Medical Center helps fund this not-for-profit school, in an attempt to make sure that every child has the chance to have a good education.


Fire and Steel would like to ask your help in assisting these children this year as our main fund-raiser. We are asking for new, unwrapped toys, books and art supplies or art kits for them. Monetary donations will also be taken at each of our performances, and the money will be used to purchase needed supplies for the school. Each performance, we will reserve the front row for donations, and a cashbox will be available to drop money in. In December, we will arrive at the school and perform for them, dressed in our finest Santa's Helpers costumes. All those wishing to assist in handing out toys and gifts, please contact us no later than Autumn War, at frederick_the_reckless@yahoo.com.


Our performance schedule will be as follows:


Sea Dog Nights 7/20-7/24
Long and Short Tourney 8/24-8/27
Autumn War (If possible) 9/15-9/18


(end announcement)

Thank the lords! It's over!

So, yesterday was rather a debacle and an exersize in patience. Grrr... I was stood up. This would not have been so bad, had I not decided to be a good person and head over there ANYWAY. But I start ahead of myself. Let us start at the beginning, which would be just after the end of my last post here...


I went to the kitchen and made myself a PB&J, and sat and ate it, then got ready. Everything I was taking with me was already bagged up, with the express purpose of grabbing it hurriedly on the way out the door as the Terrible Trio arrived and whisked me away at 6 am. By 5:30, I'm ready to go, and am sleepy. So, I snuggle up on the couch, confident that I'll hear them drive up / knock on the door and I'll be ready to go.


6 am, and there's no knock. I'm thinking, ok - they're a little late. They aren't morning people, any more than I am. That's forgiveable.

6:30 - still no knock, and no call. Fred's up by this time and has made coffee. He's looking at me, curled up on the couch in my outfit, and asks when they were supposed to be here. 6, I tell him. Ah, he says.

7 am - still no knock, and no call. Fred finally tells me to go back to our bedroom and lay down, and he'll wake me up when they get here. I agree whole-heartedly because I'm exhausted already... LOL... can you tell I don't do mornings?

9:45 - I'm awakened to the sound of the phone ringing. It's one of the Terrible Trio, apologizing for not picking me up. Seems they'd decided to have some (MORE) drama in their lives and fought until 3am the night before, and didn't wake up until 7:15. And since another of the Terrible Trio was supposed to be at the Highland Games at 7:45, they booked. (insert amusement here - they have to drive by my apartment in order to get out to the Games - and they spaced picking me up until 9:45?!). I'm then told if I take the bus out, I will be given free food and promised not to do anything for the rest of the day, and they'll take me back home...


10:15 - I pick up the first of the 3 busses it will take to get me there. I could have gone for 2, but I also wanted to pick up a little something to drink on the way so as not to be completely parched. It was already warm, and getting warmer.

12:47 - I'm finally dropped off across the street from Mt. Hood Community College, where the Games are being held. I wend my way around to the main gate and ask where Will-Call is, since that's where my nametag is. They point me down to road to a green building with 3 windows in it. I walk the quarter of a mile down and don't see a green building, but do see another gate. So, I ask there - they point me to a BROWN building with 3 windows on it, which are all closed, and I'm told to knock on it. I do, but there's no answer. I walk back to the 2nd gate, and there find that Will-Call has been re-located... to RIGHT BEHIND THEM. OMG! Pay attention much?


I finally get my badge, get a map and general directions on where to find the Volunteers Tent, and head down there. For those who are interested, I passed by Heather Alexander a couple of times throughout the day, the first of which was on my way down to the tent. She was dressed nicely in a kilt. In any case, I find Iris, the first of the trio (she who called me tearfully and apologized), and she then hands me a ticket for my "free food", and drags me out into the blazing hot sun for a good hour or so. I've forgotten my sunscreen... I can feel my skin crackle.


I convince her to let us pick up our food and head back to the tent because it's really hot, and really bright, and I'm hungry. We do, and the free food turns out to be a coupon for... 1 free bangor sausage - and no drink. I'm overwhelmed - no, truly. I mean, it's something like 90 degrees out, and dozens of volunteers came out and spent their entire day in the hot sun trekking back and forth, and they get one free sausage. Of course, you can pick up all the cold, old coffee or old tea and water you can drink at the volunteer tent. But the actual food part is 1 sausage. Nice. And if you want to purchase one, it's $5. Yeah... they don't give lube for it, either.


But, in any case, we head back to the tent, and I proceed to devour my sausage, along with my water, and then end up somehow working at the front table anyway, because Iris ends up getting a headache. The other two of the Terrible Trio keep coming in and out, as the male portion of this threesome is competing in the upper field in pretty much apparently ALL the games. Ugh. He comes down and spouts off how he did with his scores, compares them with other scores and the top score, then ambles off again.


Long around 4, Iris announces that she has a migraine and so after the Major cabor toss, we can just leave. I'm totally down with that. I'd realized somewhere along the way that I'd spaced bringing my bad of goodies to keep my hands occupied, so I had nothing to do - no book, no sewing, no beadwork. I was going nuts. We watch the cabor toss from the comfort of the tent. 3 people managed to make it turn over. And then, it was done.


5:15 I looked up expectantly at Iris, who had come round to my side of the tent, and she said that she and the other two of the Trio were going to go up to get his scores, and they'd be right back. In my overly hot, completely blitzed brain, I said "OK", totally spacing the fact that he already KNEW his scores. They ambled off with two more people, and left me with another guy in the tent, Ian, who turned out to be pretty cool.


6:20 - still no sign of them coming back. Iris has left her purse there, but no one has returned to explain why it's taking them an HOUR to get scores. I'm getting pissed.

6:30 - I put in a call to Vlad, requesting that he come save me. He agrees, and soon after Iris shows up. I explain the situation, wherein she said that everything at the Highland Games takes time... I roll my eyes.


As we wend our way across the main field, we run into the other female of the Trio, and say our goodbyes. Her response to the fact that NO ONE came down to let us know what was going on, and it would have been nice was that they had to wait for the announcements of the placements. Ahhh - and all 5 of you had to do so. I see. Whatever.


Ron rolls up about 10 minutes later and picks both Ian and me up, and takes off... The Trio hasn't even made it toward the stairs yet. We manage to get Ian back home and get me back to my apartment by 7:30, giving me enough time to munch on some stir fry and have my bodice repaired, then head over to Pirate Karaoke with Fred and Vlad.


Pirate Karaoke was quiet, but nice. We had plenty of people that we knew there, and they all had a good time. The locals had a good time, and the KJ and his girlfriend had a good time as well. I got complimented on my vocals by a complete stranger, and ended up heading home early because I was totally wrung out and sunburnt.


All in all, it was a bad day turned good. And I'm glad that I didn't have to go to bed angry - just disappointed at yet another group of flakes in my world of nuts.


~M

WAY too @$%#%-ing early!

If you'll notice on the timestamp of this entry, it says "4:25 AM". That's not a joke, nor is it a type-o. Yes, friends and fiends, I'm up that damned early. Why? Because I'm a sucker for a pretty face. LOL.


Seriously, it's because I promised to help out at this year's Portland Highland Games (http://www.phga.com), and my ride is coming to pick me up at 6 am... SO, in order to be completely ready for them, I have to be up this damned early.


I'm NOT a morning person. I'm especially not a morning person when I've got to be up this early... I hope they have a LOT of caffeine on hand for me so I don't start gnawing on someone's arm - or head... Mmmmm... Brains...


If you'd like to visit me, I'll be at the volunteer check-in tent, behind the counter. I'll be the one snoring and occasionally waking up long enough to sign in volunteers so they can get food to munch on and hang out in the tent for a while out of the heat. The games are located at Mt. Hood Community College, and will go on for most of the day.


Also, Pirate Karaoke is happening tonight, again. For those who missed it last month, it was a total blast! It's once again being held at the Mandarin Palace, on the corner of SW 92nd Ave and Allen Blvd, just behind the Burgerville there. Great food, good drink prices, and the KJ is a kick in the pants. The locals are excited about us being there again, and think that we're totally cool, and the KJ has been promoting the Pirate Karaoke thing for the past two weeks, encouraging even the locals to dress up in their finest garrrrrrb. LOL.


As always, there are rules... Please follow them if you come, and everyone will have a grand time - AND we'll be invited back!

1. No weapons
2. No outside drinks
3. No grabby or "lewd" behavior (it's not an SCA event, so we've got to be on our best behavior here)
4. 2 drink minimum from the bar, unless you're the designated driver
5. Pirate karaoke virgins have to get up to sing at least once.
6. Have fun!


So - that's it... I'm off to make a PB&J sandwich, and hopefully wake up enough to handle putting on a corset. HA! I crack myself up...


~M

Poor Miss Thang...

My poor baby is being eaten alive by fleas. I've tried the over-the-counter crap at Freddy's, and I've tried bathing her (she *really* hated that), and neither of these has worked. I'm not even sure where she picked them up, unless somehow or other they managed to wheedle their way in with us - and/or lived here before and finally found a willing host to live in.


Either way, she's miserable, and I'm feeling guilt-ridden because I have no extra cash for Advantage - or Frontline - or anything else that might actually help her. Currently she's cursing my name while snuggling up to me, sharing her fleas with me as they attempt to abandon ship since she just got a bath today. I lost count after 14 of them. There's another 20 or so down the drain... Most of the ones I'm catching are preggers, too, but I'm sure that it's only a matter of time before she's once again full.


~M

Whee...

So, yesterday and today I've had a low-grade migraine, which I've ended up taking advantage of my Midrin and FMLA to stay home and slowly clean the house. It's looking MUCH better, and I'm feeling a little better... I slept through my alarms this morning, due to taking a Midrin at 4 am for a head-achy-ness, so I'm not at work today.


Last night I almost killed Fred, Karma and myself with making some traditional southwestern food... I made puerco rojo (otherwise known as red pork to those gringo folk). This is the dish that the girls at Salvador Molly's first made me when I started interning there for school. They're all from Guatemala, Mexico City, and El Salvador, and pretty much always ended up making the crew chow meal for everyone. I took one bite of the delicious-smelling food and damned-near set my face on fire. Tears came to my eyes, and I could feel the chiles trying to take over my lips. The girls giggled at me and handed me the sour cream and cheese, and I laughed with them - ya, ya - ha ha. You got the gringo girl. Very funny.


The odd thing is, it's addicting. You end up wanting more of it afterwards, and you eventually crave it. LOL. I have no EARTHLY idea why. I mean, honestly - it makes your nose run, your eyes water, and your forehead start to sweat. It makes you cough just by smelling it. And yet - you have to eat more of it, because it's so good. *chuckle* So, for those of you who are curious enough to try some of this, here's the recipe for the rojo sauce... Be warned, however, it WILL kick your ass.


Rojo sauce


6 oz crushed red chiles
2.5 cups water
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 large cloves garlic, peeled


Bring the water to a boil and add the chiles, cumin and coriander. Simmer about 5 minutes or so, stirring. Let cool about 10 minutes and then pour into a blender. Add the garlic cloves, cap, and blend until smooth. It'll change colors to a sort of orange-ish red color.


Chicken and pork are the best to add this sauce to, though you can use it on some of the tougher pieces of beef as well.


For the pork, I cut it up into bite-sized pieces, and add to heated olive oil, turning until just starting to brown. Then add the sauce and turn it down to simmer. Let it go for about 20 minutes or so. If you want to thicken it, you have two options - you can add a fajita seasoning packet to it, which makes it even more spicy and will thicken it, OR you can add some corn starch to it.


This is best served with smallish tortillas, rice, LOTS of sour cream, and either queso fresco or cotija mexican cheese.


~M

Just another Saturday...

FIRST - a brief notification that indeed I was able to get the remainder of the pics uploaded here for my first time using the fire sword... yay me!






Today was supposed to be a troupe meeting at the house here. There was supposed to be some discussion regarding what was going on communication-wise, and how to fix things. It was to have started at noon.


I was picked up promptly at 11:30 to avoid said meeting by Vlad, who shuttled my ass all over Beaverton and back... We dropped off to the Post Office so I could send the kick-ass pirate shoes back (I need to get them replaced - a sole came off, and it's rather inconvenient that they did so only after the 3rd time I wore them...), then headed off to pick up VaLois at her apartment. We went to sushi at Sambi's, and took the leftovers home to be dropped off quickly to Fred... And then headed over to Washington Square where we walked the mall.


I picked up a new set of zills, which I needed, and had some Italian Ice, which I hadn't needed, but sounded good. It was when we dropped off the leftovers we found out that no one had showed yet, though one person said he was on his way (and he's coming from the other side of the moon, via bus). Everyone else was either not answering, or claimed to not have any knowledge of the meeting at all... I thought that was rather interesting, considering that there were two people who sat in our front room a week ago who said they would make sure EVERYONE knew about the meeting...


So - I continued to avoid the apartment and we headed off to WinCo to do food shopping. It was hot, and I was cranky by that time, as I had to be around a bunch of people now twice in one day, and I don't like being around large crowds for long periods of time... Thankfully, I had Vlad and VaLois with me, which calmed me down somewhat, if only because of their antics while we were shopping. I managed to keep the cost of food to $100, and we got out of there pretty much at 4 - which was the point when I was supposed to be back for belly-dancing practice with Michelle and Taz.


I texted Fred to find out if anyone else had shown up, and if Michelle and Taz were there... No one else had shown up, but the two were there, so we high-tailed it back and I hurriedly unpacked groceries, took a few photos of Vlad in the garb I made for him (I wanted it for my album and am sending him copies for his myspace stuff), and then the one person from the troupe showed up... So, us three girls trouped out to a shady spot outside on the grass and did some basic belly dance moves for about 45 mins, then dove into the pool to cool off.


My arms feel like jello at the moment, and I'm happily stuffed full of chicken and rice, which I made to feed us three - the two boys, Matt and Fred, headed off to fire practice on the bus. Fred is unpleased with his troupe at the moment - and that's putting it mildly. Frankly I don't blame him. I don't pretend not to notice that he has a temper just before and during showtime. I don't pretend not to notice that he has flaws. At the same time, however, I do know that he is capable of learning from his mistakes if they're pointed out to him, and he apologizes for them when his actions hurt people. He's not perfect - but at least he tries... and he's been trying to get the troupe to communicate better with one another for a year with little to no success...


I have no idea what's going to happen now, and frankly all I can think from what happened today is that apparently those who have the most to complain about were the ones who didn't show - which tells me that they'd already made up their minds to shut down communication lines weeks, if not MONTHS ago; and that's sad. For them to throw away 3 years worth of work because they want to cut their nose off to spite their face. Honestly... That's truly a sad thing.


~M

Issues with Blogger... And hoping for a quiet 4th...

I'm STILL having issues with Blogger... I managed to get ONE photo from Saturday night up here in the last post - after fighting with the darned thing for 2 days... And reporting the issue - with no resolution being emailed to me... *sigh* Perhaps if I complain enough on my own blog as well as email them over and over, they'll actually respond to me with something other than a cookie-cutter email.


It took one photo, and now it's not uploading photos again. Nice. So, perhaps in another two days I'll have another photo up from Saturday night showing how nifty it was having a flaming sword on my head. LOL...


Today has so far been quiet, but then it's only 8 am. Most of the morons, I'm sure, will have a late morning in order to enjoy the most of the evening trying to set themselves and the rest of the neighborhood on fire. Fred and I will be doing something similar, but with less noise and danger (at least, technically speaking, since we both know how to deal with fire), as we'll be finding a spot on the street behind our apartment complex and doing some play-work with the props.


Shady spent the entire night pinning me down - literally. She's apparently gotten into her head that in order to be safe now, she has to be touching either Fred or I - and the way that makes her happiest is to be on top of us. *sigh* Makes it interesting should we decide we want to get busy. *chortle* Last night I got cold and ended up putting covers over her - twice. She tolerated it each time, and only moved long enough to drag herself out from underneath them when she decided it had been enough, and promptly settled herself back atop her perch on my stomach. It's a good thing we both love her.


Saturday's belly dance practice is going to be postponed, as Fred has to deal with troup drama. It was decided that noon would be the best time, and I totally spaced that it was the same time as my practice. So, I'm going to be whisked away by Vlad around 11:45 to hang out with him and get some grocery shopping done until the all-clear is sounded, and then go home and find out if there's anything left of the front room, or if we have to re-build the apartment complex after the meeting.


Speaking of belly dance practice, I'm hoping that we'll be able to do it later on in the afternoon, as Sunday I have a photo shoot with Mana out at Saughie Island (don't ask me to spell it - it's there, ok?), and NEXT Saturday I have been roped into helping Iris at the volunteer booth at the Highland Games.


Pirate Karaoke will be held again as of July 15th, again at the Mandarin Palace. We're going to ask the owner to open the banquet room so there'll be extra space for everyone. Hopefully he won't ask for too much extra in money (if any) to open it up. We'll see. Fred's going to see about talking with him either Saturday or Sunday this week.


Ah - and it's 8:30, and the first of the fire engines has just been launched. Yay. Gotta love the 4th.


~M

A Flaming Head?

Ok - so it wasn't exactly a flaming head... in actuality it was a flaming sword ON my head - and it was *cool*. Fire practice happened last night, and since Fred made me a belly dancing scimitar with a removable wick, I decided that I really wanted to light it and see what happened.



Yesterday was a very activity-filled day. Michelle and her friend Taz came over and we started up with some basic-basic belly dance moves - mostly isolations and arm moves, after some good stretching. Then we hopped into the pool and cooled off for about an hour, and they left. It was a LOT of fun - I haven't actually belly-danced for a good 4 years, but it felt good to actually *do* something with my body and feel my muscles vaguely complaining about it afterwards. LOL.


Mana showed up around 8-ish and we headed down to the fire practice area, under a bridge downtown, to set up and have some fun. Prior to having Michelle and Taz stop by, I'd been practicing doing turns and with the sword on my head, forehead and chin, as well as starting to learn how to turn it around on my hand rather akin to knife-dancing.


Both Mana and Fred got some fabu shots of the sword, lit, on my head and then on my chin. Mana also got photos of me setting my skin on fire as I learned some basic skin transfers last night. I took it easy, as I am still learning to deal with white gas and while I didn't panic, I could feel it starting to edge forward, so felt it best to stop while I was still able to control it - instead of allowing it to control me. After I calmed down for a bit, I went back out for one more round with the fire sword on my head, and that was it. Didn't breathe fire - wasn't in the right headspace for it - but that's ok. I'm still into it, just need to be in a better headspace where I'm able to concentrate on it fully. Not used to dealing with volatile chemicals that could, possibly kill me if I don't have my full concentration on them.


Vlad showed up as well, which was VERY cool. He got a couple shots of me with the sword on my head using his camera phone. He's going to post them up on his MySpace as soon as he can get up. LOL.


The only downer last night was around 2 am Fred woke me up rushing around the bedroom frantically. I'd been so dead-tired I hadn't heard the commotion of things suddenly dropping, and then the frantic yowling of the cat. The bad part, he couldn't find the cat. He searched frantically around the room for the cat until he finally found her sandwiched between the wall and my highboy dresser, struggling to get out and forcing herself further and further down (which meant she was further and further squishing herself). He got her out, finally, and pulled her to safety, and she spent a good half-hour under the covers snuggled up next to her savior. I woke up this morning and found she'd spent the rest of the night snuggled between the two of us, at the shoulder. We figure that for some reason, she'd decided she needed to snuggle up to the stack of porn dvd's we have on my highboy - and then she rolled off since there's about a 4" gap between the back of the highboy and the wall - it gets progressively smaller as it goes down. *shakes head* I love my cat, but I have to wonder where she gets her ideas, sometimes... She's also been sleeping on the printer tray.


So, as of this morning, she was very hungry, and still very clingy to the both of us. I'm hoping she'll remember her ordeal and NOT do that again - especially when we're not home. That would be very, very bad.


~M