Mundane Misadventures

Zachary Quinto Birthday Picspam

2009-06-03T01:21:07Z

I'm making good on the promise I made earlier in a comment to a picspam entry to post my own picspam to this GQMF. Since he seems to be aging like a fine wine, I'm sipping on some red. And it's not a box wine either! Nothing is too good for ZQ!

I have such a weakness for guys who wear glasses. And I've always loved a guy in a button down shirt and sportcoat with jeans. In honor of his birthday, I wore my own argyle sweater, plaid Chucks, and dark, nerdy-girl glasses.

greedyskunk @ 2009-06-01T11:25:00

2009-06-01T18:25:52Z

Look at me getting all fancy and making gifs. LOL. I just added the text. Base is from frontyardninja.

If you take, please credit and comment. Thanks!

Happy Birthday, Danny Elfman!

2009-05-29T16:39:23Z

For some reason, around this time last year I started watching Oingo Boingo videos on YouTube. I grew up in the 80's, so I of course had heard of Oingo Boingo and saw at least the "Weird Science" video on MTV. I vaguely remembered "Hey," a song they put out during the height of grunge when I was in high school. I also knew that Danny Elfman had done some film scores. That was pretty much the extent of my knowledge. Then I watched the videos.

I was hooked. I immediately placed an order with Amazon and bought Only A Lad, Nothing to Fear, Dead Man's Party, and Boi-Ngo. I snapped up two compilations of his movie music at the used record store in town, in addition to the Batman soundtrack and the Nightmare Before Christmas CD. There were a couple of duds, but most of the songs went on my iPod and are still on there. His music just speaks to me. It's weird and cheeky and full of life and heartfelt. During my road trips to California, both last July and the most recent in January, this music was on a continuous loop. At The Beat in Sacramento, I bought Boingo, the album they released while I was in high school. It's not as fun and bouncy as their 80's music, but I loved it. I think it'll forever be linked with driving over the San Mateo Bridge.

I rented Forbidden Zone from NetFlix. It's absolutely bizarre. I can't say that I like it, but Danny as Satan was perfect. NetFlix also provided me with Oingo Boingo's 1995 Farewell concert. I kept that disc for three months. I kick myself that I didn't just put in a claim that it was lost. It's out of print and any copies that show up on eBay are over $100. Edward Scissorhands is a good movie, but, to be honest, I bought it just for Danny's commentary about the music. I'm always excited when I find out his next projects. I can't wait for 9 and The Wolfman.

I can't pick a favorite song from each album, let alone a favorite overall. The one that comes closest is Just Another Day.

(There's life underground)

I feel it all around / I feel it in my bones
My life is on the line / When I'm away from home
When I step out the door / The jungle is alive
I do not trust my ears / I don't believe my eyes
I will not fall in love / I cannot risk the bet
Cause hearts are fragile toys / so easy to forget

It's just another day / There's murder in the air
It drags me when I walk / I smell it everywhere
It's just another day / Where people cling to light
To drive away the fear / That comes with every night

CHORUS
It's just another . . . . . . . It's just another day
It's just another . . . . . . . It's just another day . . .

It's just another day--When people wake from dreams
With voices in their ears--That will not go away

I had a dream last night / The world was set on fire
And everywhere I ran / There wasn't any water
The temperature increased / The sky was crimson red
The clouds turned into smoke / And everyone was dead
(but) There's a smile on my face . . . For everyone
There's a golden coin . . . That reflects the sun
There's a lonely place . . . That's always cold
There's a place in the stars . . . For when you get old

There's razors in my bed / That come out late at night
They always disappear / Before the morning light
I'm dreaming again / Of life underground
It doesn't ever move / It doesn't make a sound
And just when I think--That things are in their place
The heavens are secure--The whole thing explodes in my face

CHORUS

Please hear my heart

The whole song speaks to me of alienation and fear of connection. He begins the song with images of paranoia. Life outside of his home is compared to a jungle that is alive. He risks death every time he sets foot outside of his door and cannot even rely upon his senses to steer him clear of danger.

"I will not fall in love, I cannot risk the bet/cause hearts are fragile toys, so easy to forget." He refuses to even attempt to connect with another person.

He is surrounded by death and destruction everyday. People cling to any scrap of hope. The fear in the night could be a fear of something physical, but I see it as a fear of irrelevancy. Why are we here? What purpose do we serve? As we go about our day-to-day lives (school, work, etc.), it's easy to think we have some reason for existing. However, alone at night, without human attachments, seeing ourselves as superfluous becomes inevitable.

The scene he describes in his dream is apocalyptic. The crimson sky and smoke imply that some destructive event has occured. Everyone is dead and he is alone. Combined with the lines about the razors in his bed, this creates an idea that he cannot find relief from his paranoia even during sleep.

The smile on his face could be his attempt to connect with anyone at all. The golden coin reflecting the sun seems like a signal, like a person stranded on an island would try to signal an airplane or boat with a piece of mirror. (I wonder if the fact that he's signalling with a coin is a statement on trying to buy happiness with money.) Yet, even with these semi-hopeful gestures, the loneliness is always there, it's always cold. The place in the stars could be his final rest, but I take no comfort in it. What comfort can you have being a tiny bright spot in the night sky, indistinguishable from the countless others?

He dreams of life underground that doesn't ever move. Is this representing a segment of society that has detached itself from the paranoia and he cannot find them? Or is the fact that the "life" doesn't move or make a sound indicate that they are really dead?

Any time he dares let himself hope that things will be OK, everything turns out wrong. Even though he earlier sang about not letting himself love (or make a connection), he still hopes that things can change for the better.

There is a question as to the exact words in the last line. I actually think it is "Please hear my heart." It could possibly be "heal." In any case, just hearing him sing that line-the emotion he conveys, my own heart aches. He yearns for someone, anyone, to hear him and understand.

So, um, yeah. Happy birthday to a man who has been making music professionally for my entire life which, unfortunately, was always on the periphery, but has now sprung into prominence. May he have many more years creating sounds that speak to my soul.

MacGyverin'.

2009-05-27T21:47:10Z

A few months ago, probably around Christmastime, my mom gave me her old sewing machine. I had it in my head that I would embark upon some sort of sewing project, but as I had nothing ready to go (and no empty desk to hold the machine), it stayed in the garage. It survived the move and has been sitting on the floor of my closet ever since.

Last month I went to Joann's and bought the two simplest (and cheapest) shirt patterns I could find and some fabric. Into the hall drawer they went to stew. Meanwhile, Mom had made me spiffy curtains for my kitchen and she gave me back the extra fabric. I decided to use the fabric to make velcro ties. Shouldn't be too hard, right? Sew a line, turn the tube inside out, fold over the ends, tack on some velcro, and voila.

MidBro ended up being gone on a camping trip all last weekend (hallelujah), so I took advantage of the quiet and hauled out the sewing machine. LilBro had reclaimed his laptop due to his girlfriend's laptop being on the fritz. The desk was now free. Putting some Star Trek audiobook on to play, I settled in to see what I could do.

I'm not a great sewer. I've made a crappy backpack out of plush for a rave and a Little Red Riding Hood costume and...I think that's it. The dress of the costume turned into a giant sack. Seriously, I could almost wrap it twice around me. The cape turned out all right, except for some wonky stitching on the hood. The backpack was also perfectly serviceable despite it not following any discernable pattern. So it was thinking of those two minor successes that buoyed my spirits.

The first thing I did was fiddle with an odd silver disk on the arm of the machine. It promptly popped off and I stared in horror at the four washers rolling across the desk and the spring dangling off the machine. It didn't seem to be connected to anything pertinent, so I set the bits aside and work on threading the machine. That done (to the best of my memory), I get my folded over piece of fabric and sew a straight stitch.

Or so I thought. The thread is not catching the bobbin thread and after an inch, the whole damn thing seizes up. I spend an hour taking the bobbin housing apart and inspecting each bit. Every time the results are the same. I put in an emergency call to Mom who tells me what I've begun to fear. That metal disk was pertinent. It's the tensioner knob and you can't sew without it. I stare at it more closely and discover the telltale sparkly bits of metal that indicate at some point the knob itself sheared off.

Since the laptop is gone, I don't have access to the internet, so I abandon the project. Yesterday at work I found a site that had very helpful diagrams. I think I must be a visual learner because suddenly it all made sense. I couldn't wait to get home and try again. After a horrible workday and a boring math class that only picked up when we started on matrices, I finally sat before the sewing machine again. Delaying dinner, I jury-rig the disk back in place, thread it, and secure it with packing tape. I test run a straight stitch and...it worked!

I'm now the proud owner of a near-professional set of kitchen curtains that are tied back with primitive velcro ties. Maybe this weekend I'll finally take the plunge and attempt a blouse. Precision? Measurements? Wish me luck.

May 16, 2009

2009-05-20T16:02:52Z

This was on Saturday, May 16, 2009, in which I run errands, go shopping, and do handy things around the house.

I don't even know why I woke up this early on a Saturday.

This is how excited I am to start my day. I attempt to go back to sleep and manage to put off the inevitable for a half hour or so.

But Azrael has different ideas. She likes to perch on my torso in the mornings while I am talking myself into getting up. If I turn, she just shifts until I stop, then she settles down.

Quincy watches from the foot of my bed.

Then he decides to displace Azrael and get a little love for himself.

Realizing I can't get any more sleep, I get up and go immediately to the shower. I cannot function unless this is the first thing I do in the morning.

Fresh from the shower, I put on some eye makeup. Other than the occasional lipstick/lip gloss, that's all the makeup I wear.

I always wondered what I looked like in profile.

My small collection of perfume oils from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. I decide to go with the Buggre Alle This Bible today. It smells like a dusty library.

I am showered, dressed, and ready to face the day. My house looks so messy!

I'm not a sun worshipper or a fan of the heat, so I am worried what the weather will be like today.

I pull back into the shadows and think that the day will be just fine. (I think I look like I should be in an Adam Ant video with that stripe across my face.)

I check on my ferrets, Badger and Monkey.

Here they are looking sleepy. They'll make another appearance later.

Here is SqueakyBike, my transportation around town. I don't have a car, but luckily my town is relatively small. (Pop. 50,000)

The front of my house. I've been here exactly a month now. I'm not a gardener, so whatever decides to grow will have no help from me.

Five minutes later, I park SqueakyBike at the downtown transit center. The clock tower in the background is part of the county courthouse.

After stopping at the bank, I head to Red Horse for my morning coffee.

Delicious Mexican mocha and a sesame bagel with garlic & herb cream cheese. I settle in with a battered copy of Stephen King's Night Shift and start reading "Jerusalem's Lot."

The Friends of the Whiteside Theater are offering free tours, so I sign up for one. This theater has been closed for quite a while and I've always wondered what it looks like inside. It was built in the mid-20's.

This light fixture in the lobby is original to the building. (I'm one of those people who takes photos of interesting architectural/design features, so be forewarned.)

The medallion and light in the center of the ceiling.

The edge of the medallion fading into darkness. I didn't use a flash in order to not disturb the tour.

View towards the balcony and lobby from the front of the theater.

The organ pit. The original organ was removed 10 years ago and had been used by the local University's baseball stadium. It is now undergoing renovations in anticipation of the theater reopening.

The area where some of the organ's pipes used to be. (Pardon the quality of the picture. I had to lighten it quite a bit.)

The "garden" area. In the old days, the theater would have live greenery in this area. (The tour was over, so I used the flash.)

The top of the curtain. In the 20's, before the movie, they would have a vaudeville show. There is a small stage for that purpose. The dark patch on the ceiling is where plaster has fallen over the years. The theater itself has survived at least two major fires.

Enough architectural neepery. I go back outside and head to the riverfront. Here is the Willamette River.

The Saturday Market. Organic produce, crafts, plants, and yummy food. I bought a potato doughnut (so good!) and a lilac bush for my Mom's 50th birthday which was the 18th. Of course, I forgot to take a picture of it.

Some street performers.

After the market, I head to a local thrift shop and find this treasure. It's an album of Confederacy songs.

The library - always a good place to spend time.

I wanted to make a cake for my mom's birthday, so I did a little research. I wish I was talented enough to make that owl!

This looks like a winner!

Time check back at home. Wow, put me in a library and I lose all track of time. I swear I went in there at 11am!

My brother wants to go to Wal-Mart. The closest one is in Lebanon which is 20 miles away. This is the kind of scenery we see on the way.

I haven't eaten since that doughnut at the market. I'm starving! My brother is already ahead of me. I end up getting a root beer float and a snacker bowl. Hooray for KFC/A&W combos.

I take a peek at the clothing section and try on some shirts. I don't find anything that quite suits me.

I don't really like Wal-Mart, but it's handy for when you want electronics, groceries, and housewares. I'm able to find almost all of the ingredients for Mom's cake, in addition to a curtain rod and a cake carrier.

My brother's car...code name: Gramps.

Back over the Willamette River and almost home.

With the new curtain rod, I'm finally able to finish putting up the kitchen curtains my mom made for me.

I like listening to music while I putter around the house. Today's selection is Fragile by Yes.

Look at me go! I tightened the front door knob. No more rattles!

My brother still needs to get a present for Mom. We head to Bed Bath & Beyond where he buys a potato ricer.

Home again, home again, jiggidy jig.

We also stopped at Border's (which I did not get a picture of). I bought the Star Trek audiobook to feed my current obsession with Zachary Quinto. It's a great movie, you should go see it!

I let the ferrets run about the house for a bit. Here's Badger with a serious case of red eye.

Monkey is already plotting her next bit of mischief.

I toss them on my bed and they start to roughhouse. A swirling ball of ferret rolls across the comforter.

Badger loves plush dog toys with squeakers. (Yes, I have granny-furniture.)

Even though it's late, I need to eat. While the ferrets bounce around, I make myself a quesadilla with cheddar, pepperjack, fontina, and a cut-up hot dog.

Ah, finally I get to sit and relax.

I watch a rerun of Cops. They're in Sacramento, CA, the town in which I grew up.

Azrael stretches along the back of the couch and watches TV with me.

I put the ferrets to bed and settle in for some hardcore relaxing...Newcastle Brown Ale and the National Geographic Channel.

It's a documentary about four different species in the womb. Here is a lemon(?) shark fetus.

I can't fight the tiredness any longer and go to bed. I love the little chandelier in my bedroom.

Face washed, teeth brushed.

I watch a little Amelie as I fall asleep. It's my favorite movie.

I doze off watching the movie, wake up to turn it off, and switch on some music as I drift into full sleep. Good night!

I hope you enjoyed my day! I'll be cross-posting this on adayinmylife . It's an awesome community, you should check it out.

Weekend Update.

2009-05-18T17:52:18Z

Saw Angels and Demons on Friday with Marv. It was OK. Some of the more ridiculous elements were left out, specifically Langdon jumping out of the helicopter using only a piece of plastic window as a parachute. Marv was bummed about that. One of the previews was for a Katherine Heigl/Gerard Butler rom-com crapfest. The opening shot I swear was of the Tower Bridge in Sacramento. Kind of random.

Saturday was so busy. I documented the day for a future A Day In My Life post. I'll be sure and crosspost it here.

The only thing I did on Sunday was bake a cake for my mom. All. Day. Seriously, I started about noon and finally put the finished cake in the fridge around 8pm. I made the whole thing from scratch - cake, meringue, buttercream, sugar syrup, ganache, chocolate letters. I tasted little bits throughout the day. I can't wait to taste the whole thing! I'll probably go straight into a diabetic coma.

My electric mixer crapped out, so I had to make do with an old-fashioned crank mixer. Keep in mind that the recipe kept instructing me to add such and such to the stand mixer. Yeah, right. I do NaNoWriMo on a manual typewriter from the 50's. It's only fitting that my inner Luddite inserts herself into other aspects of my life.

The cake looks tasty! I didn't actually get a chance to taste it. I just hope it's not dry.

Whipping egg whites for the meringue is actually quite fun with a crank mixer. Look at all that butter to the right. Not only will we all fall into sugar-induced comas, but our arteries will immediately close.

Handformed letters and hearts. I'm not a big heart person, but I wanted to keep it simple and they were an easy shape to make.

OMG, this ganache turned out so well! I have some left over and it'll taste so good on ice cream.

Preparations for the final assembly. I cut each cake layer in half. I then dabbed on the sugar syrup (white bowl), added the chocolate buttercream (yellow bowl), added vanilla meringue (green bowl), then repeated the process until I got...

...this. Uh, my cake layers weren't quite level (neither was the inverted pizza pan). The buttercream also did not thicken like it should have. Who knew potato starch would be so important? Oh, yeah, the cookbook mentioned it a few times, even going so far as to say it was "very important." Oops. Well, next time I'll know and it won't turn out to look like gravy.

But, a little hands-on maneuvering and the addition of the ganache made it look better.

The finished product. It's chilling in the fridge right now, waiting for transport to Mom's and eventual consumption later tonight. I really can't wait to see her face!

I bought the audiobook of Star Trek on Saturday...just because it was read by my current obsession, Zachary Quinto. I'm only partway through Disc 3 (of 7), but he's doing a really good job with the reading. I listened to it while starting the cake.

You know, that one song...

2009-04-02T20:40:04Z

For the longest time I've been trying to figure out the title of a Tool song. All I could remember was the line, "If you choose to pull the trigger." Last night MidBro was putting some music on iTunes and updating his iPod. I scrolled through his music library and checked it against a website of Tool lyrics. Nothing. Finally I had a startling idea.

What if it wasn't a Tool song at all? What if I was thrown off by the lead singer and it was really A Perfect Circle?

A quick search of Google and I had it. "Outsider" by A Perfect Circle. A similar thing happened not too long ago on Facebook. Back in my Humboldt days I discovered a video of Pikachu that had been dubbed with a song. Again, I only had one line in my head. I spent the last several weeks inputting all permutations into Google that I could. Through Facebook I asked Gabeen for help. Within hours I had the name of the song and a link to the video.

The Oscars

2009-02-23T16:06:57Z

Wow, the Oscars were a lot better than they have been in previous years. Dare I say it? That they were the best Oscars...ever? Hugh Jackman can host them anytime he wants. What a brilliant choice! There were so many things that felt right about this broadcast. I loved Ben Stiller as Joaquin Phoenix. The presentation of the acting awards was nice, but the Best Actor presentation was a little off. Heath Ledger's family accepting his award was touching. Seth Rogen and James Franco's bit was hilarious. By far my favorite part was when Kunio Kato accepted the award for Best Animated Short. "Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto."

more animals

Sleepytimes

2009-02-20T08:59:33Z

So I should be sleeping right now. M will be picking me up in about 9 hours for our fun weekend of wine. But what am I doing? Wasting time on the internet and watching The Dark Knight. Well, listening to it mostly. I really only look up when the Joker's on. (He's always been one of my favorite characters.) I should have been finishing up the PowerPoint slides so I could email them to my group. I think I have enough done right now. Screw it. I'll send them as is. I can always change and add things later. Aaagghh, my morning is going to be so rushed. I've got to get this laptop back to the library and get back home by 10. I've still got to pack. Crapsticks. but I am so excited!!

Ooh, it's almost the jailhouse interrogation scene. Gotta go.

Another Meme!

2009-02-19T19:29:40Z

A) People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blog and replace any question that they dislike with a new, original question.

B) Tag eight people. Don't refuse to do that. Don't tag who tagged you. I tag: No one. What are you going to do? Kick me off of LJ?

1. Make a list of 5 things you can see without getting up:
Coworker who smells like stale cigarettes because she never washes her jacket, "sign here" flags, Jr. Benny Beaver, old Christmas card, Advil Migraine bottle.

2. How do you style your hair?
Brush it and put it in a ponytail usually. Yes, I go out of the house with wet hair.

3. What are you wearing now?
Jeans, converse, OSU sweatshirt. I love working in a lax office.

4. What's your occupation?
Travel specialist, accounting technician...I collect titles.

5. Do you nap a lot?
They give me headaches, so I avoid them.

6. Who was the last person you hugged?
Mom, several weeks ago. :(

7. What's your current fandom/obsession/addiction?
I'm coming out of an intense week of Flight of the Conchords obsession.

8. What was the last thing you ate today?
Coffee cake.

9. What was the last text message you received?
Well I just finished my test so I am leaving now. 30 mins. Somewhere cheap cuz I am brokeity broke broke broke!

10. What websites do you always visit when you go online?
In order....Yahoo mail, MySpace, CuteOverload, Neil Gaiman's Journal, Penn & Teller Message Boards, I Can Has Cheezburger, FailBlog, LolCelebs, Funny Look-a-likes, LolPolitics, NaNoWriMo Forums, cleolinda's LJ, Facebook. This is my morning routine. Sprinkle in heavy doses of Google, work websites and forms, wikipedia, and random boredom reducers.

11. What was the last thing you bought?
Coffee cake.

12. What are you listening to right now?
Normal office noises.

13. What do you think about before you go to bed at night?
My day or scenarios I would like to have happen. Anything but creepy things I may have seen that day.

14. What was the last CD you bought?
Fleet Foxes from the Gentleman with the Red Truck.

15. What is your favorite weather, and why?
Overcast and brisk. Cold enough to wear a sweater, but not so cold you'll die. I do not like the sun, it hurts my eyes. I like the rain, but not when I have to spend extended periods of time in it or when I'm busy. If I'm home alone, it can storm up a...well, storm. I love listening to thunder. It doesn't happen in Oregon nearly enough.

16. If you could play any musical instrument, which one would you play?
Piano, violin, or guitar.

17. How are you?
Worried because of the group presentation due next week and one of the group members just emailed me to tell me she's dropping the class and I won't be in town this weekend to meet with the group. Excited because I won't be in town this weekend because I'll be at the coast drinking wine and flirting with cute guys.

18. What's something you'd like to say to someone right now?
Can you say anything positive? At all? About anyone? No? Then shut the hell up.

19. Say something about the person who tagged you:
I was not tagged, but I took this from aubiered19 . I don't know her very well, but it's fun reading her posts and comments.

Edit: To add an LJ cut. Sorry about that!

greedyskunk @ 2009-02-18T13:27:00

2009-02-18T22:52:21Z

When I was younger, I often made up stories in my head as I walked home from school. One of my favorite characters was a young woman named Tempest Storm who was very tall, very slim and had white blond hair, pale skin, and eyes that changed color. At one time I think I diagrammed her eyes and decided that each iris should be silver, red, purple, green, and blue. She was a thief and a good fighter and often disguised herself as a boy. She was also skilled in magic, though it could run wild if she lost control.

I laugh when I think of this now. What a Mary Sue! I can almost pinpoint the exact places where I snatched her features. The skin and hair from a story in the Joker anthology. The cross-dressing from Tamora Pierce. But the name...it's so ridiculous, but I thought I had created it myself by poring over a name book. (I still have it and it's filled with scribbles and a system I created to track first names, last names, and words. I also changed a lot of the spellings to include y's and z's.)

Tempest Storm. I thought she was my own.

Imagine my surprise when I find out that she's a famous burlesque star of the 50's and 60's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_Storm I guess it's proof that no aspect of a Mary Sue is truly unique or original. LOL.

And, speaking of originality, enjoy this 100 truths (minus one) meme.

100 truths meme

001. Real name → Christina
002. Nickname(s)→ Chris, Chrissy, Hickerson, Kiki, KI Squared
003. Zodiac sign → Leo
004. Male or female → Female
005. Elementary → Way too many to list. I think I went to seven total. 4th-6th grade at Alice Birney in Sacramento, CA.
006. Middle School → John Still in the ghetto.
007. High School → C. K. McClatchy.
008. Hair color → The bottom bit is black while the top is grown out dark brown. It must look OK, though, because my coworker recently complimented me on the color. Could be she's just jealous because there's no gray yet.
009. Tall or short → 5'3". I'm short.
010. Loud or Quiet → I'm a quiet person unless I'm really comfortable. Drinks help.
011. Sexual orientation → Straight.
012. Phone or Camera → The camera takes better photos.
013. Health freak → Have you seen me?
014. Drink or Smoke? → A bit of both. But I've really curbed the smoking. I just don't feel like it.
015. Do you have a crush on someone? → Just random celebrities. Wait, strike that. I'll be seeing a guy this weekend that I only see one weekend a year. I enjoy flirting with him.
016. Eat or Drink → Whatever.
017. Piercings → Four in the left ear. Two in the right.
018. Tattoos → I change my mind too much. I would never be satisfied.

HAVE YOU EVER?
019. Been in an airplane → Yes, but they've never been longer than 90 minutes.
020. Been in a relationship → Yes.
021. Been in a car accident → Yes.
022. Been in a fist fight → A girl named Felicia stared me down on the tetherball court in 5th grade. I was so scared. Then the bell ending recess rang and that was that.

FIRSTS:
023. First piercing → Ears, but they got infected. Swelled like huge red balloons. I wouldn't let my mom touch them, only my aunt. She let me squeeze her Cabbage Patch Doll while she pulled out the studs and cleaned my ears. She then gave me the doll. I pierced my ears again 1-2 years later.
024. First best friend → Rebecca. My mom told me not to hold her hand because she had warts on them.
025. First award → First one I remember was for a spelling bee I won in 3rd grade.
026. First crush → David Wade in kindergarten. My mom still gives me crap about that...25 years later. First celebrity crush was Han Solo.
028. First big vacation → I went to Disneyland when I was little. I don't remember it. We went back when I was 7. We also went to Universal Studios. I got to see the A-Team van, KITT, and the original Battelstar Galactica sets. That's really all there was to see in the early 80's.

LASTS:
029. Last person you talked to → A coworker, probably.
030. Last person you texted → My brother.
031. Last person you watched a movie with → Possibly Tropic Thunder with my brother? I tend to see movies by myself. Last one I saw was Coraline.
032. Last food you ate → Brownie.
034. Last song you listened to → Cut Your Hair - Pavement.
035. Last thing you bought → A brownie, vegetarian white bean soup, and bread from my work's food drive soup lunch.
036. Last person you hugged → My mom, probably two weeks ago. :(

FAVES:
037. Food → Good Chicken. Mashed potatoes. Daal. Nan bread.
038. Drinks → Milk. Peppermint mocha. White Russian.
039. Clothing → Jeans and sweaters.
040. Books → The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon.
041. Music → The White Stripes, Fleet Foxes, Flight of the Conchords, Muse, Oingo Boingo, Rush, System of a Down, Roxy Music, Richard Marx...don't judge me!
042. Flower → The hanging stuff that smells good in the evenings. What is that, jasmine? I suck at identifying flowers.
043. Actor → I like a lot, but Johnny Depp seems to be the only one that will get me to see his movies no matter what the subject.
044. Movies → Amelie, MirrorMask, Murder By Death, Bridget Jones' Diary, Reservoir Dogs, Return of the Jedi (which is also the first movie I remember seeing in the theater).
045. Positions → Eh?
046. Subjects → History, English, basically what I'm not majoring in (accounting) and what I don't have to take anymore.

IN 2008..... I
047. kissed in the snow: Alas, no.
048. celebrated Halloween: I passed out candy to two groups of kids. Sad.
049. had your heart broken: No.
050. went over the minutes on your cell phone: I lose at least 200 rollover minutes every month because I don't use them. You lie, AT&T. I don't like talking on the phone.
051. someone questioned your sexual orientation: Not that I am aware of.
052. came out of the closet: Only in the literal sense, not the metaphorical one.
053. gotten into fight: Just petty arguments.
054. had a transformation: Still working on it, actually.
055. done something you've regretted: Not really. I believe that everything that has happened in life has led me to this point.
056. broke a promise: I don't think so.
057. hid a secret: Yes.
058. pretended to be happy: Oh, yes.
059. met someone who changed your life: No.
060. pretended to be sick: Yes, to get out of work.
061. left the country: Sadly, no. I don't even have a passport.
062. tried something you normally wouldn't try and liked it: Asparagus isn't all that bad!
063. cried over the silliest thing: Clogging the vacuum with dropped needles from the Christmas tree. Yeah, silly.
064. ran a mile: Maybe total for the whole year.
065. went to the beach with your best friend(s): In a way. Every year we go to Newport for the Wine Fest. We don't always go to the beach, but we are close enough. And hey, this is the weekend!
066. stay single the whole year: i have been single for the past four years, bordering on five now. i'm so past caring now, i am quite happy with the prospect of cats and a rickety house to scare the children with. (I love this answer so much, that I am usurping it. But I've been single for nearly six now.)

CURRENTLY:
067. Eating → Nothing.
068. Drinking → Water.
069. I'm about to → Do some work for an hour before going to class.
070. Listening to → My coworker talk about her son being suspended from school for peeing on another boy in the shower.
071. Plans for today → Work, class, homework. Oh, a new Life episode is on tonight.
072. Waiting for → The weekend so I can be drunk and flirt.

YOUR FUTURE:
073. Want kids? → It would shock my irl friends, but I think I do. I have an image of a little girl that is so vivid in my head.
074. Want to get married? → I'm not opposed to it, but it's not my highest priority. If it never happens I'll be fine.
075. Careers in mind → International accountant or possibly a forensic accountant. Author. Perhaps an author of mysteries featuring an international forensic accountant.

WHICH IS BETTER WITH GIRL/BOY?
076. Lips or eyes → Eyes.
077. Shorter or taller? → Taller, but that's not hard to do.
078. Romantic or spontaneous → Romantic. I'd like to say spontaneity, but recent events have led me to believe that I like plans...at least to an extent.
079. Nice stomach or nice arms → Arms.
080. Sensitive or loud → Sensitive with a loud, but controllable, streak.
081. Hook-up or relationship → At this point in my life I'll take a relationship.
082. Trouble-maker or hesitant → Maybe a bit of a trouble maker. Hesitant sounds like timid and I don't want to be spending all my time building his confidence.

HAVE YOU EVER:
083. Lost glasses/contacts → Thankfully no. I would be blind.
084. Ran away from home → No and I've never felt the urge to.
085. Hold a gun/knife for self defense → A knife once when I heard a noise downstairs.
086. Killed somebody → Just in video games.
087. Broken someone's heart → Not that I am aware of.
088. Been arrested → No.
089. Cried when someone died → I can be a bitch, but I'm not heartless.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
090. Yourself → I'm doing my best.
091. Miracles → Not of the supernatural kind.
092. Love at first sight → Intense attraction, yes. And that can build into an abiding love. But love itself? I don't think so.
093. Heaven → No.
094. Santa Claus → No.
095. Sex on the first date → I'm not opposed to it, but it's not what I'm looking for.
096. Kiss on the first date → Sure, if all goes well.

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
097. Is there one person you want to be with right now? → I don't know, but they sure as hell aren't here at work.
098. Are you seriously happy with where you are in life? → I'm at a perfect stage of contentment right now, which makes me a little nervous for when the bottom falls out.
099. Do you believe in God → No.

And a moment of silence for the missing #100.

Do Eet.

2009-02-17T22:25:34Z

YOU'RE ON MY FRIENDS LIST, I WANNA KNOW YOU...I want to know 33 things about you. I don't care if we never talk, never liked each other, or if we already know everything about each other. Short and sweet is fine...You're on my list, so I wanna know you better! :)

(DO IT GUYS! FOR ME!)

1. Can you cook?
2. What was your dream growing up?
3. What talent do you wish you had?
4. Favorite place?
5. Favorite vegetable?
6. What was the last book you read?
7. What zodiac sign are you ?
8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?
9. Worst Habit?
10. Do we know each other outside of lj?
11. What is your favorite sport?
12. Negative or Optimistic attitude?
13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14. Worst thing to ever happen to you?
15. Tell me one weird fact about you:
16. Do you have any pets?
17. Do you know how to do the macerana?
18. What time is it where you are now?
19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21. Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
22. What color eyes do you have?
23. Ever been arrested?
24. Bottle or Draft?
25. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it?
26. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew?
27. What 's your favorite bar to hang at?
28. Do you believe in ghosts?
29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
30. Do you swear a lot?
31. Biggest pet peeve?
32. In one word, how would you describe yourself?
33. Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?

FYT

A Pleasant Day

2009-02-15T04:33:45Z

Today was a grand day. I accomplished a ton of things that needed to be done. I have a savings account now! Hooray for financial health! I ate breakfast at my favorite restaurant. I wore a bright pink shirt with a turquoise sweater and loved it. I attended Seventh Day Adventist services for a school assignment. I went to the library and actually did research! I checked out a laptop from the library so now I can do homework at home!

Seriously, I think this is the best part of today. I'm in my jammies, on the couch, listening to some classical music, watching the ferrets and cats play and I'M ON THE INTERNET! No frustration from my broken down desktop that still runs Windows 98 and has no clue what Microsoft Office is. I've got some ice cream and now I'm all set. And I can do the same thing tomorrow. Lounge and be productive. Who knew modern life could be so great? I may have to get one of these contraptions for my very own.

I also had dinner with MidBro. We've been living across the street from a Mexican restaurant for two years now and tonight was the first time we went. I had gone with coworkers for a lunch soon after I moved here and it was nothing remarkable. We must have gotten our wires crossed, because MidBro was under the impression that I thought it was horrible. Anyway, we went and it was wonderful. You can always tell a good Mexican restaurant by their beans. And they have a cocktail called Loco in the Cabeza which is the first bit of Spanish I remember learning from my grandfather.

All in all, a good day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Japanese Dream

2009-02-11T16:29:50Z

I had a strange dream last night. I abandoned my life here and flew with Gabeen and Scoop to Japan. We went to a store where the items were in little bins very close to the ground like how pet stores keep their turtles and such. The prices and labels were in English which upset me because I wanted to practice my Japanese. (I don't speak it IRL at all.)

The entire store, though, was very Zen. In the bins were artfully arranged mosses and rocks upon which the goods were displayed. One bin was home to a midsize rat that had no problem living in the store. It was very friendly and didn't mind if someone bent down and scritched under its chin. It also loved for you to turn on the faucet so it could shower.

Suddenly I stood straight up and realized that I had managed to get into the country without a passport. How could I get a job? What if someone stopped and asked me for my papers? How was I going to get home?

Of course, at that moment the authorities realized I had no passport and started pursuing me. Details are jumbled here, but I do recall being on a cliff near the ocean and I had to roll down the backside of it (away from the water) to escape, just like in The Princess Bride. All in all, very bizarre.

Grrrr.

2009-02-11T00:37:47Z

It is nearly 4:30pm on the West Coast. The Sharks have been playing the Bruins for not quite half an hour now. And I am missing it. I suppose I'll miss quite a bit more unless I try to duck out of here early. *sigh* There's probably no point in that.

Oh, look. It's 1-1 with 7 minutes to go in the 1st. I guess I'll just have to settle for watching a snippet of the 3rd period when I get home. What's the big deal anyway? It's only the two best teams in the league, one of which is my favorite.

Ah, hell. Boston scored. The fuck?! Twice? OK, they took one away. Damn near gave me a heart attack.

Stupid work. *picture me shuffling along a dusty road, hands deep in pockets, muttering to myself, aiming a kick at a rusty tin can*

My Boring Morning

2009-02-09T18:13:19Z

I've been at work about three hours now and I'm still in my recover from the weekend mode. Here, have a gander at the fruit of my labor.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? A character in a soap opera.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? A few weeks ago probably.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Mostly I do. Sometimes when I write fast I hate it.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Liverwurst, but I usually have turkey sandwiches.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I'm not sure I (the original me) would want to be friends with the new me. What if the new me is annoying?

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Now why would I want to do that?

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, and they are massive. I was a minor sensation one day in nursing school when I showed off my monstrous tonsils. One is so big that it nearly touches my uvula. (The dangly thing in the back of the throat. Get your mind out of the gutter!)

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I'm too afraid of my legs snapping off.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Special K, Cheerios, or Honey Nut Cheerios. Boring adult cereals.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Only my boots. I can't pull them off otherwise.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Something minty and chocolatey, but not nutty. So probably mint chocolate chip.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Whether or not I've made a snap judgment as to their annoyance level to me.
15. RED OR PINK? Red.

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My lack of ambition or work ethic.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My college friends. Those were good times.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? Sure, if you'd like to. I'm just kind of bored, but don't want to get into Part 3 of The California Road Trip just yet.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jeans and brown boots.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Blessed silence.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? An oddball color that no one ever uses. I don't want to be worn out and be pawed by little children.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Sacramento summer evenings, BPAL's Tavern of Hell, coffee, bread baking, mountain air on a cool morning, libraries.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? A coworker telling me she'd be late.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? San Jose Sharks hockey!

27. HAIR COLOR? Dark brown.

28. EYE COLOR? Hazel green.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Dark plastic frames for my specs. I'm thinking of trying contacts again, though.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Good chicken, mashed potatoes.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Depends on my mood. Scary movies can have happy endings, you know.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? In the theater: Coraline. At home: Robocop.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Turquoise shirt with a brown plaid shirt over it.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter, hands down, end of story.

35. HUGS OR KISSES? I could do with a good kiss.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? People who like memes and surveys.

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? People who hate memes and surveys.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? The Devil in the White City, my AIDS text, my Comparative Religions text, and New Moon.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? The Dell logo.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Robocop.

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? Friends laughing at my jokes, music I like, ocean waves, silence.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Beatles mostly, but The Stones for my dark moods.

44. WHAT'S THE FARTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? I've really never been further than a day's drive from home. Sure it might be a full day of driving, but it is within the realm of possibility. Sad, really.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can coast through school without too much effort.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? San Jose, CA.

Writer's Block: Conchordance

2009-02-07T00:31:22Z

Who is cuter: Bret or Jemaine?

View 500 Answers

I've got to go with Jemaine here. The glasses, hot damn.

On a related note...wtf is with all this Flight of the Conchords stuff recently? I had *heard* about them before, but just this past weekend my friend showed me a few episodes and then we listened to their CD in her car. I immediately went out and bought it and it has been playing almost non-stop since. Weird how stuff seems to accumulate all at once.

I'm Back!

2009-02-04T17:00:50Z

Howdy all! I had a fantastic trip down to California. I am still suffering from a lack of sleep and I've got a ton of work to do in my inbox. I'm also trying to get all the photos up on Facebook. Perhaps I'll write a more lengthy entry about my adventures later. Then you will all know about the Gentleman With The Red Truck at Denio's who will sell you brand new movies and CD's for under $5, how my friends and I tried to find Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Capitol Building, my brother's speeding ticket, the crazy girl at the Foster City Mall Hot Topic, and how I got turned around in San Francisco at night and ended up near all the porn theaters. Good times.

Just Whiling Away The Mornin'

2009-01-29T16:21:25Z

Mornin' all! Nine hours of work to get through and I am free! (Drat these especially long work days.) Rental will be picked up and I will be looking at four whole days of freedom and mobility. You know, I'm especially tickled about the car. I think I'll call MidBro after I get it and ask if he wants to get some dinner or go to the store or something. I tell ya, when you don't own a (working) car for almost two years, the idea of driving one thrills you more than you should probably be thrilled by an inanimate object.

LilBro plans on staying up all night and sleeping on the way down. That works out well. I won't have to worry about sharing the radio. We've got some overlapping tastes (System of a Down, AC/DC, etc.), but I like my crazy poppy music. Last summer on my solo road trip I listened to my entire Oingo Boingo collection. I'm not sure that LilBro will be up for Aqua, Mika, and Scissor Sisters. :D

Hmm, I forgot that today is the retirement party of one of the old office ladies. She's not leaving for good...she'll still be here every other week, probably doing an even worse job of pretending to work than I do. At least I don't read a book at my desk. Alas, I cannot attend her luncheon as I've got a class during the lunch hour (the one that may surprise us with photos of AIDS opportunistic infections). I'm completely fine with that. King Tin is not the best place to get Chinese food around here. Too greasy and tasteless, imo. But I'll be here for the cake and open house after. White cake with strawberry filling and cream cheese frosting. >:-[ I like certain fruits ok, apples, grapes, and bananas, but I am vehemently anti-produce in my food. Yes, I am a fruit segregationist. Do not put lemon slices in my water or lime in my beer. And especially do not put fruit in my desserts. Give it to me rich and decadent and chocolately...the kind where you have to have a glass of milk with it or you cannot swallow and will subsequently die.

Nearly lost myself there. Sorry about that. This may be my last entry until Tuesday. LilBro's bringing his laptop and he's also got a cord that he says will work with my camera. Maybe I'll post this weekend and add some pictures, too. If not, have a great weekend!

The Excitement Builds...

2009-01-28T17:50:01Z

In 48 hours I will be cruising into California. Actually, I hope to be well past the border, possibly in the Shasta area by this time on Friday. Anyway, I can just picture it now. Sunny skies, crisp weather, LilBro passed out or engaged with the PSP, radio blasting. Damn, I love driving.

Plans are being formed (and firmed). I'll pick up Mr. Scoop in the teeny burg of Red Bluff, which is about 3 hours north of Sacramento. Hopefully we'll pull into town around 3ish, before rush hour. This being Sacramento, however, I don't think rush hour ever really goes away on Fridays. LilBro will get dropped at Dad's and then Scoop and I will find something to do for a few hours before Stacky gets off work. (Or Dad will try and trap me with inane conversation.)

As excited as I am, I'm experiencing my usual second thoughts about the trip. "Wouldn't it be best to stay home and relax? Shouldn't you save money? You're missing out on M's 80's party and Marv's Super Bowl Bash. What about class on Monday? Don't you want to study for your midterm?" Egads, it's enough to drive a girl crazy! Were I really listening to these thoughts, that is. :-P

Better

2009-01-27T17:22:56Z

So. Feeling much better today. Sorry for the rumblings and ranklings of yesterday. Things still need to be worked out, but I don't feel like curling into a ball and weeping so that's a plus, right?

On lighter news, I made some badass chicken last night, known by its ever popular and accurate name...Good Chicken. Call me weird, but I do not like chicken with bones. Bones in chicken are not tasty to me, so of course, Good Chicken is 100% skeleton free.

Sharks play tonight, thank god. The All-Star Weekend was fun, but I want to see MY team play. I also want to hear MY announcers. Randy and Drew...I love you guys!

Just found out yesterday that the journal article summary that I thought was due on Thursday is due today. Good thing I bit the bullet and went to the library on Friday night and did the assignment instead of waiting until the last minute like I always do. The summary needs just a little bit of tweaking, but I can get that done in the next two hours, easy. And a quick overview of today's PowerPoint lecture shows no surprise! disease photos. Looking at herpes in the esophagus is not a pleasant way to spend the lunch hour.

The List

2009-01-23T17:45:32Z

I've never been one of those women who complain about PMS and cramps. I'm sure quite a few have a considerable amount of pain during their monthlies, but the vast majority of complainers that I've encountered are either looking for sympathy or just want an excuse to act bitchy. For my part, I'm usually just subjected to minor aches.

That's why this morning was so surprising. I'm in a terrible mood and my uterus is making a bigger ruckus than a pissed off lab monkey trying to get out of its cage. So in order to soothe my riled up ladybits I decided to do this little meme I stole from aubiered19.

(1) List 16 celebrities you would have sex with without even asking questions.
(2) Put all of them in order of your lust for them. (1 is the hottest.)
(3) Say which movie/show/thing it was that hooked you.
(4) Supply photos.
(5) Tag five people! (I'm not going to tag anyone. I'd love to see people's lists if they'd like to do it, though.)

(1) Mike Rowe, Dirty Jobs. I have never seen this gif before, but it is hypnotic.

(2) Danny Elfman, Oingo Boingo. For some reason he figures in to the steampunk fantasies in my head.

(3) Alan Rickman, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. I first noticed him in this movie, but now I think I prefer him more like Hans Gruber, a little more clean-cut.

(4) Johnny Depp, Chocolat. Free-spirited sexy guitar player, yum!

(5) Viggo Mortensen, Lord of the Rings. His character was the perfect guy; rugged, loyal, heroic, sensitive, and honorable. From his interviews I get the sense that he is the same way.

(6) Robert Downey Jr, Two Girls and a Guy. What can I say? I've got a soft spot for the vulnerable bad boy.

(7) Harrison Ford, Star Wars. The man and the character against which all others are measured. See the comments for 5 and 6.

(8) Cillian Murphy, 28 Days Later. I'm a sucker for pretty eyes and an accent.

(9) James Stewart, It's A Wonderful Life. I never thought too much about Mr. Stewart until I finally saw this movie a few years ago. The playful scene between him and Donna Reed when she's hiding in the bush cemented his place on this list.

(10) Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report. Nerdy, intelligent, spectacle-wearing. Need I say more?

(11) Ralph Fiennes, Schindler's List. He's hottest when he plays evil.

(12) James McAvoy, Last King of Scotland. The UST with his character and Gillian Anderson's was hot.

(13) Zachary Quinto, Heroes. He should not be sexy. Really, he shouldn't. Take his features separately and he's unfortunate-looking. But all together...damn.

(14) Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Bend It Like Beckham. He also plays villians and dickheads quite well. However, I just love him holding back his tears when he thinks he won't get the girl. And the end scene in the airport when he bites his bottom lip? Yeah, very nice.

(15) Nathan Fillion, Firefly. Han Solo-ish.

(16) Hugh Jackman, X-Men. Most of the guys on here are on the slim side. Some are muscular, but it tends to be of the wiry variety. Every list needs a buff badass. He fits that need very well.

White Fur on a Black Shirt

2009-01-22T18:10:33Z

This is my lovely little kitty, Azrael. Notice the white fur. Now imagine the softest thing you have ever felt. Azrael feels just like that. It's hard to tell from this picture, but her fur is very fine and thick. One of the best things is to rub her fuzzy little belly and have her curl into a ball around my hand. She also loves to snuggle under the covers with me or to perch on my chest or side when I sleep. Sounds like sweetness and light and perfection, right?

Not quite. Her fine white hairs seem to magically find themselves lodged in my eyes. Try as I might, I sometimes just can't find the cause of the horrible nuisance in my eye. Often times the only sign of it is a tiny white thread caught in my lashes. I pull on it and half an inch unspools from my eyeball.

And just try getting out of the house in a flawless black garment. It can't be done! So I get to work and stare down at myself in dismay. Nothing to do but sigh and start pulling off the fur with scotch tape.

The Hell?

2009-01-17T04:01:47Z

I went to Portland with my mom today. After we had lunch at The Park Bistro (omg they have the best roasted potatoes and French toast and their coffee is to die for!) we went to the Goodwill on 10th. Holy crap, this is not the small town Goodwill I'm used to where I'm lucky to find some brands I've heard of, Old Navy, Gap, and very rarely Doc Martens. Here, Mom shows me this godawful bright yellow jacket with purple trim. The buttons were awesome, but the whole look was very Sgt. Pepper. OK, just another crappy 80's colorblock thing. $70?!? Then Mom points out the tag.

It was Versace. WTF? First off, what's Versace doing at a flippin' Goodwill? Second, who wore this thing to begin with?

We continue on and most of the tags are brands I recognize. Really, none of the stuff in this place looked like the KMart remnants that are normally seen. Nowhere were the shelves of generic cleansers or sponges. I saw not a single frying pan with a loose handle. No tennis rackets missing strings. And sure enough, there are Docs in the shoe section. The books were geared more towards literature and alternative spirituality, not the usual Christian romances and third rate sci-fi. The jewelry in the cases actually looked nice, like it had a reason to be in the case.

Over in the corner I found a Scentsy warmer for $15. I bought some Scentsy bars from a friend a few months ago thinking that I would just use them in my old candle warmer, but that's not such a hot idea. Hooray, now I can finally use them! It also came with three bars, but they were nasty citrusy smells.

I was tempted to buy a full bottle of Lucky You perfume then I remembered that I just ordered a bottle of Tavern of Hell from BPAL yesterday. Under the table was an XBox with two controllers for $25. When have you ever seen a game system at a thrift store that wasn't an Atari, possibly a Sega Genesis or Nintendo? If you're like me, then never.

Then we find the most amazing, jaw-dropping thing ever found in a thrift store since Mrs. Whitaker found the Holy Grail in the Oxfam Shop.

I notice a cute velvet short sleeve jacket over a black dress. It had purple and blue sequins and I am a sucker for shiny things. The velvet fabric was purple, black, and blue swirls. Very pretty. Too bad it was a small because I would have bought it in a heartbeat. Mom must have a nose for these things, because she wants to see the dress underneath. I didn't think much of it. It was a halter style made of cotton with an overskirt of a floaty material that had a subtle floral design on it. We debate the merits of the dress and I check out the tag on the dress for the size. The brand name doesn't register with me immediately and I look at the Goodwill tag. It's listed as a medium...and it's $250.

What?

I check out the dress tag again. It's goddamn Givenchy. And my blind self notices that the original store tag is still attached. The dress originally came from Barney's in New York and cost $2650. Twenty six hundred fifty dollars.

TWENTY SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS!

Suddenly I couldn't stop touching the thing. When would I ever get the chance to buy a dress this expensive for a relative pittance? But who the fuck bought the damn thing to begin with? And why did they donate it to the Goodwill without even wearing it?

I guess I don't feel so bad about donating an unworn skirt that cost me $1.50 on clearance. And no, I didn't buy the dress.

Meme

2009-01-14T20:09:26Z

I picked up this little meme from friedrich. It's a fun little getting-to-know-you type of thing.

1. Name:
2. Birthday:
3. Where do you live:
4. What are you studying/What are you working as:
5. What makes you happy:
6. What are you listening to now/have listened to last:
7. What is particularly good about my LJ:
8. An interesting fact about you:
9. Are you in love/have a crush at the moment:
10. Favorite place to be:
11. Favorite lyric:
12. Best time of the year:
13. Weirdest food you like:

RECOMMEND
1. A film:
2. A book:
3. A song:
4: A band:

PLUS
1. One thing you like about me:
2. Two things you like about yourself:
3. Put this in your lj so I can tell you what I think of you?

Edited to add this picture. It filled me with glee when I saw it earlier this morning.

more lol celebs!