| Okay... so maybe I am a little... |
[01 Dec 2009|11:07pm] |
Arimus79: One batch down.
goldenluckycat: batch?
Arimus79: Of fudge
goldenluckycat: OH GOD
Arimus79: *L*
goldenluckycat: YOU ASS
Arimus79: What?
goldenluckycat: I FUCKING HATE YOU
goldenluckycat: GAH
goldenluckycat: *breaks things(
Arimus79: 0:)
Arimus79: What'd I do?
Arimus79: *whistles innocently*
goldenluckycat: I'm having ORAL SURGURY TOMMOROE
Arimus79: Oooooh.
goldenluckycat: Man this sucks.
goldenluckycat: I love your fudge so hard.
Arimus79: Don't worry, it's not like this is the ONLY batch we're going to EVER make this season.
goldenluckycat: And now I have to love it from afar because I can't eat anything good for weeks.
Arimus79: I'll make sure you can get some once you're able to have it safely.
goldenluckycat: Can you make me your mint chocolate fudge, and the white chocolate?
goldenluckycat: And the fudge fudge.
goldenluckycat: And the kind your mom and you make that rules.
goldenluckycat: And
goldenluckycat: and
goldenluckycat: FUDGE!
goldenluckycat: *sobs*
Arimus79: And we're planning some interesting experimental
goldenluckycat: THOSE ARE ALWAYS THE BEST!
goldenluckycat: Please gods stop... It hurts to think of your fudge.
Arimus79: Actually, it's my brother and I who make it most of the time. *L*
goldenluckycat: Yeah your brother, I remember now.
Arimus79: Well, we're planning some white chocolate coconut fudge...
goldenluckycat: ...
Arimus79: And some peanut butter/chocolate swirl fudge....
goldenluckycat: . . . . . .
Arimus79: And he wants to try some Rocky Road.
goldenluckycat: GAWD STOP
goldenluckycat: PLEASE
Arimus79: And we're thinking of some...
Arimus79: Do you want to hear it?
goldenluckycat: YOU ARE EVIL
Arimus79: You want to hear it don't you?
Arimus79: You know you do....
goldenluckycat: Pure unmitigated whole 100% evil incarnate.
goldenluckycat: YOu're smirking.
goldenluckycat: I can feel it in the force we are connected by.
goldenluckycat: SMIRKING WITH EVIL
Arimus79: Actually, Jeremy says I'm cackeling.
goldenluckycat: *sighs*
Arimus79: But anyway... the one I'm really interested in trying, is we're going to get some of those Special Dark chocolate chips, line the pan with them, and then pour the white chocolate fudge over them. :)
(Okay, so I'll admit, maybe I am just a little bit evil... sometimes.)
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| Using only ONE word! |
[26 Nov 2009|10:28pm] |
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mood |
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 tired |
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(Okay, I got this as an e-mail forward, but I thought people might find it entertaining. You all know the usual LJ thing, if you feel so inclined, post it to yours with your answers changed for you. Just remember to use only ONE word for each answer.)
Where is your cell phone? Purse
Significant other? Jeremy
Your hair? LONG
Your mother? Awesome
Your father? Quiet
Your favorite thing? Reading
Your dream last night? Unremarkable
Your favorite drink? MILK!
What room are you in? Motorhome
Your hobby? Beading
Your fear? Bees!
Where do you want to be in 6 years? House
Where were you last night? Asleep
Something that you aren't? Asleep
Muffins? Poppieseed
Wish list item? SailorMoon
Last thing you did? Blink
What are you wearing? Pajamas
TV? Mythbusters
Your pets? Seika
Friends? Weirdos!
Your life? Living
Your mood? Tired
Missing someone? Bro
Drinking? Water
Your car? Sportage
Something you're not wearing? Shoes
Your favorite store? Swarovski
Your favorite color? PURPLE!
When is the last time you cried? Onions
Who will resend this? Amy?
Where do you go to over and over? Motorhome
Five people who email me regularly? (What ever happened to one word answers?) CarmonJodiRodneyJohnApril
My favorite place to eat? Friday's
Favorite place I'd like to be at right now? Here
Four people I think will respond? (Once again, what happened to the One Word Answers?) AmyKimmyDavidLZ
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| Bad day at work |
[22 Nov 2009|05:06pm] |
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Want to know the definition of a "Bad day at work"? Try this: You're scheduled to be the Cook's assistant. You show up. Your cook doesn't. So now you have to figure out how to juggle your job AND theirs. AND THEN, it starts RAINING in the kitchen! Somewhere upstairs a toilet is leaking. (At least it's leaking the fresh, clean water being fed into it, not the... "other stuff.") I had a little bit of a breakdown at one point. At least I get to go see Trans Siberian Orchestra tonight. That's the main thing that kept me going today. That, and the evening cook was notified of the problems and came in early to help me out. I was so happy to see her I gave her a huge hug when she got there. Also, when I told my boss on the phone what was going on, he came in and helped out too. So, at least I wasn't hung out to dry. Heh.
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| Results of a "Write or Die" session |
[18 Nov 2009|12:10am] |
(Well, Geran introduced me to his "writer's block helper" the website http://writeordie.drwicked.com/ and I gave it a couple tries today. One was related to our Pari stories, and the other, this one, was just a random freewrite about some ideas that I've had floating around in my head for some time. So, here it is, written in 15 minutes. Not too shabby for me. As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated.)
No one bound their hair. It was an odd thing to notice, but notice it I did. I was passing through this out-of-the-way village, one I'd never been through before, and it happened to be market day. I guess for them, it could be considered "bustling," but for me, having passed through some of the largest cities in the known world, it had a nice, relaxed, laid-back pace. I'd set myself up by a conspicuous fencepost and plied my trade. I had fresh rosin for my bow, and not a few of the townsfolk smiled at me as they went about their business, and I went about mine, playing merry tunes.
Now, I've always considered myself a people watcher, and let me tell you, I've seen about every end of the spectrum you can think of, and then some. I've seen the grungiest of peasants trogging away through the muck and grime, and I've seen the duchesses of the Great House of Tamerant touring their towns. I wouldn't say I've seen "it all", but I've seen a lot. It took me a while to notice it. The ladies walking by with the twinkle in their eyes that all young lasses of good health seem to have had their hair streaming down well past their waists, in most cases. Most had one or two smaller braids, or others had woven ribbons into a delicate coronet. But then I started noticing the matrons also let their hair stream down their backs. Most of the men in this region also let their hair grow long, and many of them sported braids as well, with leather strips woven through them, and sometimes a feather or two. Being the shy, retiring person I am, I asked a young mother who was passing by with a babe on her hip, if this was some celebration day. She told me no, and was about to go on her way, but I have a smile that can stop most ladies in their tracks, and this one didn't seem immune to it either.
To make a long story short... I know, far too late for that, I found out from her that no, it wasn't a festival day. Yes, most of their people didn't usually bind their hair, and yes, there was some significance to their braids. But when I pressed further, she just smiled and expressed her concern for her roast she had on the fire, and ambled along.
Well, I like me a mystery, for they generally lead to good story-telling material. So, I decided to stick around the town for a while. They seemed a pleasant enough folk, and the area had a certain rural charm that appealed to me.
I can tell you one thing... what I found out, it wasn't ANYTHING like what I would have expected. I've never seen the like anywhere else in all my travels.
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| Called on "Ajjjjj!" |
[16 Nov 2009|05:14pm] |
So, Porthos, Geran and myself were doing a sewer run in City of Heroes last night and at one point I got extremely frustrated with the run-away mutants and was attempting to articulate such with an exclamation of "Ahhhhh!". Well, one key over and I ended up with something else, and was subsequently "called" on it by Porthos. So... for all who may have wondered (and for all those who didn't but are reading this anyway,) I give to you the following explanation.
"Ajjjj!" is the name that a primitive tribe which dwelt in the region which later became known as "The Western World" gave to the what they understood as the most evil being in existence. It was rumored to dwell in a cave not far from their village. If any person in that village was thought to have committed a crime which they deemed warranted death, but yet that person still professed their innocence, they were sent into the cave. It was believed that a truly innocent person could not be harmed by this "Lord of Darkness", and if the person returned alive, then they were accepted back into the tribe with open arms. More commonly though, the person did not return. In most cases, shortly after entering the cave, their screams were heard throughout the area. After the screams had ceased, if someone were close to the cave, they would have heard a sound coming from it, sounding like the contented breathing of some infernal beast, and it sounded much like "Ajjjjj..." Hence, that sound became it's name in their language. The shamens would sometimes invoke the name when using their most dire of curses, but otherwise it was rarely spoken, and even then in the hushed, scared tones of one who does not wish to draw the beast's attention.
Some historians believe that the legend arose from nothing more than a deep pit which lay somewhere in said cave, and possible air currents flowing through the cave from some other inlet. Others think that it was actually some manner of demon, but even within that school of thought there is much debate as to which demon it might have been. Still others are of the opinion that some beast lived in the cave, and when humans stumbled in, it would do as most beasts would when its dinner came walking up to it. A true accounting may never be possible, since although we have an idea of what region this tribe dwelt, we are not certain of the exact location of the cave, or even if the cave itself even exists to this day.
(Entry taken from the royal archival history books salvaged from the Royal Library of Camelot.)
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| Pari-Parody |
[15 Nov 2009|09:18pm] |
This is what happens when David and I get the same "wild hair" and go off on it.
Geran85: I can, under the right circumstances, see her approaching Arimus to talk to about Matthew. Because, like I said, parental unit. Eyrenya is her best friend/sister, and sometimes a person needs something other than that. And she wouldn't go to Geran with it. She likes Matthew. *LOL*
Arimus79: *LMBO*
Arimus79: And Ari would probably surprise the living shit out of her by telling her the "full story" of what happened with the guy formerly known as "Mandorallen"
Arimus79: "So... yeah, I'm dating a dead-guy. Who can only show up once a year. And you know what some people say about angels being "non-gender"? Um... they're wrong."
Geran85: *LMAO*
Arimus79: "And I really really REALLY want to find a way to fix this "age" problem before he shows up again. Or things might be a bit... erm... akward."
Geran85: O_O
Geran85: *headdesk*
Arimus79: *LMBO*
Arimus79: *Dude shows up with a bouquet of roses and a bottle of wine. 8-year-old-Ari opens the door. The Roses actually sag as he sees her* Um... oh.... well then... *ahem* Why... um... why don't we go for a walk. In the park.
Geran85: *LMAO*
Arimus79: (Though, honestly, it wouldn't actually go down like that. *L*
Arimus79: (Just in the parody version.)
Arimus79: OMG!
Arimus79: You realize that somewhere in existance, along with the universe with the Pari-Teens, and Pari Noir and Mirai, there's a Pari Parody.
Geran85: *LOL*
Geran85: I was just thinking about what would happen when, the next year, he went back and the 8-year-old issue has been fixed, but she's PMSing and he gets a facefull of WEREPANTHER ARI.
Arimus79: *LMBO*
Arimus79: Yeah. That'd be more likely. Cause the issue is going to be fixed before then.
Geran85: Possibly not, in Parody-verse. :P
Arimus79: But the werepanther thing is going to be ongoing for some while. Even after she discovers what's going on, and figures out how to keep it under control... most of the time.
Arimus79: Well yeah.
Arimus79: But in THIS one, it's going to be fixed by then.
Geran85: *Ten years down the line, "Mandorallen" shows up to find that Arimus has been transformed into a sentient storm cloud.*
Arimus79: *LMBO*
Arimus79: *And Jaden's an emo brat* "YOU'RE NOT MY REAL DAD!!!"
Geran85: *LOL*
Arimus79: *"Mandorallen" finds "Sparhawk" aka "The New First" and asks him where he signs up.*
Geran85: Kathandrion sues for custody. Arimus asks Geran to represent her in court, but he's busy having his mid-life crisis and is riding around on a bright, shiny red mustang.
Arimus79: *LAUGHING MY ASS OFF FOR REAL*
Geran85: :P
Arimus79: *Treyp and Matthew live in a hovel, and Treyp is barefoot and pregenant with 8 other grungy kids playing and screaming in the yard.*
Geran85: *Charis lives next door. With lots of cats.*
Arimus79: *And Eyrenya rides through on a visit. Completely unchanged. Because Eyrenya doesn't change. She hauls Treyp and Charis off to a bar to drunk for a "chick-night"*
Geran85: *Where the entertainment is a song performed by the world's foremost Leeann impersonator. Who wears a pink and silver jumpsuit. And huge shades.*
Arimus79: *LOL*
Geran85: *The song is 'Hotel Camelotl.'*
Arimus79: *Talitha and Kurik own the bar. Where he tends the bar and talks about his "glory days". Talitha is the grumpy, sagging bar-wench that no one messes with cause she has more chest-hair than any of them and she's not afraid to show them. Talia ran away from home long ago.*
Geran85: *With Kurik's prize goat.*
Arimus79: "That Goat doesn't belong to you!!!"
Geran85: *LOL*
Arimus79: "Sharn and the Nature Godesses's offspring inhabit the local woods. Along with a suspiciously intelligent pack of black panthers."
Arimus79: *Who have good weather sence. And eyes that are usually gold but sometimes grey*
Geran85: *Mordja, having lost his job as Kaord'tan's power invested in this reality, has moved in with Sharn and Nature Goddess and has become the lovable, albeit troublesome grandfather figure that spoils their children rotten. They score their own sitcom, which is streamed weakly to televisions in an alternate reality.*
Geran85: weekly...
Geran85: *Highest rated episode is the Halloween special entitled 'GRANDPA'S DENTURES!'*
Arimus79: *And it's called... "House of the Rising Moon"*
Geran85: *LOL*
Arimus79: *Ari's daughter by "Mandorallen" flies around the woods sometimes terrorizing the populace, or forcing them to solve riddles, because she likes to pretend she's a sphinx.*
Geran85: *LOL* Awesome!
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[13 Oct 2009|08:08pm] |
Well, still a few to go yet, but not doing too bad.
visited 29 states (58%)
Create your own visited map of The United States
I opted not to count airport layovers, since you really don't see anything of the state while doing that. *L* Besides, I think it'd only add Georgia and Minnesota onto the list anyway.
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| Stress relief for the overworked |
[11 Oct 2009|07:21pm] |
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Gunslinger371: BOO
Arimus79: qwarlkg
Gunslinger371: No.
Arimus79: yesh
Gunslinger371: NO.
Arimus79: Yeth
Gunslinger371: WHAT'S WRONG
Arimus79: ah hahd ah bahd dai. An ah refush tah shpell n-e thang wright.
Gunslinger371: Wrong person to do that with.
CALLED ON: "qwarlkg" "hahd" "bahd" "refush"
Gunslinger371:
Arimus79: "Qwarlkg" is the sound Bahd Refush made when his twin brother Hahd Refush stuck a sword through his stomache.
Gunslinger371: Bahaha.
Gunslinger371: Accepted.
Arimus79: *LOL* I feel better now.
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| Random freewriting. |
[09 Sep 2009|01:30am] |
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(So, yeah. Had one of those moments where I randomly decided to start writing something, and just let the words flow. Let me know what you think so far.)
She fell into step beside me and I turned my head, noting her presence. We walked on for some while in silence, but this too, like the ground we tread, was familiar territory. In the trees, the birds sang, as though, feeling the autumn approaching, they wished to make the most of what remained of summer. I, however, breathed in deeply, catching the faintest bite in the air. From some ways off, I could also smell a hint of sweetness that was heading towards overripe. Beneath the trees of Old Man Ashcroft's orchards lay the rejected fruits; those which insects or time had gotten to before he could. Over the fall and winter, the pears, apples and plumbs would rot, making the ground more fertile for when spring would come again.
I wasn't thinking of spring though, myself. Though, of course, when the time came, I knew that I would welcome it. But just now, I fully embraced the advent of autumn. It was one of my favorite seasons; nature's festival. This time of year always enchanted me with it's rich colors and smells, contrasting with the sharp cold which always made my nose tingle to smell it. It never seemed to matter to me weather the day was sodden and rainy, or bright, cold, and glorious. I saw Autumn as the stately elderly lady, much like my godmother, who'd reached the point in her life where she wore bright festive colors because she could, and danced when she wished, and finished her evenings with a glass of wine. She knew what had been, and knew what was to come, and took joy in what she had today.
As we crested a small hill, Dara's keen eyes squinted against the fading, coppery light, and her hand reached-up to grip my arm, causing me to pause as well. "There's a rider coming up the road ahead. Looks like he's in a hurry too."
I used my hand to shade my eyes and barely made out a dark blur coming up the road. "Mmm-hmm. Could be Ed Breckhurst to fetch Sister Agnes. His ma's close to her time."
Dara was already shaking her head though. "The horse's grey, and Ed has a chestnut."
"Grey? Hmmm..." I thought about it. Weren't too many grey horses over on this side of the county. And most of those were plough horses, not fit for hard riding except in an emergency. "Wait... doesn't that forester who lives out yonder beyond the creek have a grey horse?"
"Yeah, I think he does. An' now that he's getting closer, I can see he's got a forester's cloak. What's his name again? Jonas? James?"
"I think it's Jaden, actually." I searched my memory. I'd only seen the young forester on a few occasions. He wasn't overly sociable, but he did seem kind. "Wonder what's got him all hell-bent for leather."
We didn't have long to wait, for he was quickly approaching. We obligingly stood to the side of the road, but when he saw us, he drew up, his dark brown eyes seeming strained with worry. "You girls need to get where you're going and quick, or get headed back to town. A hunting band of Tarloths were spotted some leagues out, and heading this way."
It felt as though the blood drained from my face at his words, and I could tell by Dara's skin that they'd had the same effect on her. "You're sure?"
He half shrugged. "I got word from the next forester's tower in that direction. Better to be safe than chance it."
Dara cut in, obviously worried about her family. "Did you tell the farms along the way? My folks' have the Emmerson place down by the north bend in the Tammelin Creek."
Again, he shrugged, but tried to look encouraging. "I couldn't stop at every farm along the way, but I've told all the ones along the way here, and they're spreading the word. I'm sure your family'll get the news. But I wouldn't try getting all the way back home, not of you can get somewhere closer sooner. Will you two be alright? I have to get on into town to let the Keeper's of the Gate know."
I nodded, taking Dara's arm. "We'll be fine, I'll take her to my place and it's close by. Take care!" We both nodded our farewells and went hurriedly on our perspective ways, me with Dara in tow.
"But... but, I should get to my family. What if they need me? They're going to be worried if I don't get home. I have to go over there." Her words seemed to tumble over each other as we raced down the hill.
"Dara! Hush! You're commin' to my place and that's final. They know you'd be with me, and they at least would have enough sense to hope that you wouldn't try to get all the way out to heck-an-gone with a Tarloth band headdin this way. Now come on!" My heart was in my throat too as I felt a rising sense of panic, but I stubbornly pushed it back. I could fall apart later if need be, but right now I had to make sure Dara and I got to my home safely.
I took the shortcut through the woods, and the sweet smell of the fir needles and rich, moss-covered loam calmed my nerves somewhat. I was start to catch my second wind too, though Dara was huffing a bit. I hoped desperately that we'd make it in time.
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| The flavor of a gem |
[19 Aug 2009|10:31pm] |
| [ |
mood |
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 hungry |
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music |
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"Dream On" |
] |
Anyone who knows me very well knows that when I start a sentence with "I had a dream last night..." they know that something strange is going to follow. Today is no exception.
Last night (or this morning) I dreamed that I was at a gem faire. In real life, I've gone to two in the past couple months or so, so it's not too surprising that I'd dream about one. At both ones that I went to, there was a booth with the sign "Amethysts from Uruguay, and it had some of the most beautiful amethysts that I've ever seen. They all had excellent color and both times I went I spent quite a deal of time hanging around at the booth, drooling over the amethysts and talking with the guy who ran it. He also had some citrine there, and I was noticing that a lot of it had the same crystalline structure as amethysts, so I asked him about it, and he explained that one of the ways to get citrine is to heat amethyst in a certain way. (Cool, huh?)
Something about that apparently stuck in my head, because in my dream, my mom and I were wondering around another gem faire. We got to that same booth, and I told her about "cooking" the gems. And my imagination went off on a side tangent with that concept, because a few booths over someone was advertising "Gem Delicacies." They were able to cook gems in some special way that it made them almost like fruit. You could eat them, and although they were still a little hard, they were still very juicy inside. Mom and I went over and tried some. They had citrine, which she said tasted like some combination of oranges and lemons. They also had rubies which tasted like cherries, and I tried some amethysts. It was the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted. The outside texture was a little bit hard, sort of like trying to eat dried fruit, and inside it was filled with a thick, syrupy juice, and it tasted and smelled like some combination of grapes and blackberries. But not like the "fake grape" flavor you find in jolly-ranchers or popsicles, but the really good "real" grape flavor, mixed with what tasted like sun-warmed blackberries fresh off the vines. They were really expensive though, so we couldn't buy very many, but Jeremy, my husband, showed up, and seemed to be trying to purchase a ruby heart from them. I also remember looking at their "menu" and wondering what some of the other gems would taste like if they prepared them in their special way, like emeralds, and tiger-eye, and sapphires.
*sigh* I think this one even tops the time I dreamed about "violet-flavored chocolate".
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| Called: Bordome |
[01 Aug 2009|11:20pm] |
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(Yes, my spelling really is THAT bad.)
King Damius of the small country Ferahldia is a very paranoid man. He's obsessed with the notion that his neighboring countries have infiltrated his court with spies and assassins. (In reality, most of his neighbors are too busy scheming against each other to bother with the "smudge on the map" that consists of Ferahldia. They might have a few "token spies" just to keep tabs on the general comings and goings, but that's about it.) Damius was sure that his court was crawling with them though. So, he spoke with his primary mage (who was the most educated man in his court, and about the only guy he trusted) to devise a way for him to have people interrogated that would break them mentally and emotionally so he could learn their secrets. His mage, Kellivan, came up with "The Hemisphere of Solitude". He engaged all the carpenters in the kingdom to build it. It was a Hemisphere that was an intricate three dimensional maze which was of such proportions that the person was forced to crawl through it most of the time. He made sure that the wood was unfinished, and unsanded, so their arms and legs would soon be riddled with splinters, and due to the primary material it was made of, there was little if any light inside it. It was carefully constructed with "viewing tunnels" so they could keep tabs on whomever was sent into it, so they'd know when they'd reached the "breaking point." The place was nicknamed "the Bordome.
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| It's been a while... |
[29 Jul 2009|09:25pm] |
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mood |
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 contemplative |
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| [ |
music |
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The wonderful strains of the AC |
] |
I've just spent most of the evening reading backwards through my livejournal. It was interesting, almost like a time machine. I got a glimpse of myself as I was at different increments across the last... erm... (starts to mentally count it up, almost 4 years of marriage, about a year or so on my own, a bunch of years roomates with Porthos and Chris, about a year roomates with just Porthos...) okay, so, it's been a long time since I first got it. And it was interesting "seeing" myself at different stages in my life. I also wish that I'd actually written in it more often. I'm not going to try saying that I'm going to "turn a new leaf" and start updating my LJ every day, but shooting for the goal of maybe updating more than once or twice a year is doable. So, tonight I'll go with a basic "How is life?" update.
I'm again working in the kitchen at a convalescent home, and have been for over a year. Most of the time it's fine. For the past week however, we've been experiencing a bit of a heat-wave, and you can pretty much count on it that whatever the temperature is outside, add about 15 degrees, and that's what it feels like in the kitchen. I think the words "Hell's" and "Kitchen" come to mind. Needless to say, tempers have been running high right along with the temperatures. To make matters even more interesting, at home, we're having a bit of a plumbing issue. The main water pipe that leads to the house decided to spring a leak about a week ago. At least, that's when we noticed the water seeping through the basement stairs. My Dad and brother have tried a bunch of different ways to patch it temporarily until they can replace the pipeline, (everything from duct-tape to airplane apoxy) and nothing's worked. So, most of the time we have the water shut-off to the house.
On the good side though, "Blondie" from days of yor has started working at the facility that I'm at, so it's nice working with her again. We had a lot of fun a week ago or so looking at wedding dresses for her, since she has a "Sparkely" and all. She's one of those lucky people who looks good in both white and cream, though she's planning on a winter wedding, so she's leaning more toward white. We came across one of those "side-wrap" style ones that looks just breathtaking on her, and is the definite favorite for now. My Mom is already planning on how she can "fix" the beadwork on it like she did for my wedding dress, and work some of Blondie's colors into it at the same time. Weddings are a lot of fun when you're not the one under the gun about the details. *L* Though she seems to appreciate any advise we can give her for where to go for what and how to cut corners without loosing-out on the look you want.
And to conclude, I would like to state that when swimming at a river, even if one friend with glasses elects to wear her's, it's still a better idea to take yours off... before you try tackling a guy who has about 50 or more pounds on you and fights as dirty as you do. *sigh* I was actually getting used to those things too. Oh well, you live and you learn. Sometimes the hard way. (I also learned that when the same guy is changing, and suddenly says "OOOH!" if you turn around to see why he made that noise, you're probably going to see a LOT more than you really wanted to.)
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| A promise kept |
[24 Jul 2009|09:35pm] |
Geran strode into the courtyard, coming to a stop when he saw that it was occupied by a familiar figure. His niece, Eyrenya, appeared to be tending the elk that she often rode. Apparently, she had raided a stable for an assortment of combs and brushes, and just now was working a fine-toothed comb through the animal's coarse hair. Quietly, he leaned against a tree, watching as she drew it along, pausing now and then to deal with a tick or flea. The elk leaned into her gentle touch, and brought its head around to nuzzle against her shoulder. As she turned her head a bit to nuzzle it back, he saw the smile on her face was tender, and he found himself smiling as well.
"Once, there was a ranger, who traveled far and wide." Geran's mouth quirked a bit, and he settled himself down on a convenient rock as Eyrenya spoke to the elk. "He was a good man. He had his vices, as most people do. He perhaps liked to drink a bit much when he passed through towns on fair-days, and he enjoyed playing at dice when he had the coin to spare. But he had a strong sense of right and wrong, and wouldn't hesitate to act on his gut instincts. One time, when he was in a tavern, he saw some oafish drunkards trying to persuade a lady to join them in the stables for a quick tumble. She didn't appreciate their advances. They didn't seem to care. The ranger decided that they needed to ‘sleep off’ their drunkenness, and gave them a helpful nudge in that direction." Her smile held a hint of mischief, and left no doubt about the method of his "helpful nudge." "The lady was grateful to him and they shared a drink or two... or ten, perhaps."
Her hands continued their nimble work as she spoke, her voice seeming to have a soothing effect on the elk. "It turned out that the lady was also just passing through the town, but she and her traveling companion were in no great haste, and he had no pressing matters of his own, so for several weeks they spent time with each other. They went for walks in the woods, they played at dice in the tavern, and sometimes they stayed up all night, drinking, or relating stories of their various adventures until dawn began to paint the sky. The lady's traveling companion teased her mercilessly about him, but she always shrugged it off. He was her friend, she’d told herself. There was no reason to get ‘silly’ about it." Her voice caught just a bit, and Geran leaned forward, his brows furrowed.
"One day, he gave her a gift. It was a small, lumpy package. When she had unwrapped it, she found a bracelet made of crystals that were a shade of bluish-green she had only seen in deep forest pools. They were carved with symbols, and he explained to her that it had a special enchantment. When activated, it would form a shield of energy which could stop most attacks. He said that it drew most of its power from earth energy, but, it was linked to his life-force as well. His will was what gave it its purpose. She didn't quite know what to say. That kind of gift was something that she had never received before. He just smiled though at her stunned expression, kissed her hand, and took his leave. She wore the bracelet, and he seemed pleased about that. Not long after though, he came to her one evening and she could tell that something was wrong by the look on his face. He told her that he'd just gotten word that his older brother had been murdered. He had to find the killer and avenge his death. His words filled her with dread, but she understood his reasons. Before he departed, they shared a tender kiss. His parting words were that when this was finished, he would find his way back to her, wherever she was."
Geran tilted his head, seeing his niece in a new light. "She waited there for him for another week before her traveling companion urged her that they really ought to be on the road again. She even pointed out that so long as she had that bracelet, he would likely be able to track her down, so it didn't matter if they stayed there or not. She conceded the point, and they soon set-out again. There were a few times when the bracelet did indeed protect her, the runes glowing brilliantly and sending out a hundred points of light which would swirl around her like enchanted fireflies, blocking both mundane attacks, such as arrows or sword blades, as well as attacks of magic. She thought about him often, and even though she tried not to dwell on the matter, she would find herself looking back over her shoulder half expectantly."
She paused in her story, and the elk rested his head in the crook of her shoulder, seeming to sense her need for comfort. She softly stroked along its jaw and down its neck. "One day, the runes carved into the crystals began to glow, but the light was somehow different from before. They felt hot against her skin, which also had also never happened. Then she felt it, like a thin strand being snapped, and the crystals shattered. All she could do was stare at the broken fragments scattered on the dirt path. She... she'd felt him die. Her friend helped her gather up the fragments, and they put them in a small leather pouch. It was a long time before she felt like dancing again."
Geran quietly stood up. She had lapsed into silence and continued to stroke the elk's now soft fur. As he approached her, the elk watched him, and the look in its deep blue eyes was anything but that of a "dumb animal." When he laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, she sighed and leaned against him, not seeming surprised at all about his presence. Which, also didn't surprise him. "Not too long ago, I found him in a small village," she said, nodding slightly to indicate the elk. "He was tied-up behind a butcher's shop. I didn't have any money, so I gave the butcher some of the crystal fragments for him." This caused Geran to regard her with more than a little surprise.
As if to answer his unasked question, she reached into her belt pouch and withdrew a smaller pouch. She poured a small pile of deep blue-green crystal fragments into her hand and selected the largest of them, though it was still only the size of a small pebble. She held it up to the elk's face, and he could see clearly that its eyes matched the color exactly. "I think... Xing found a way to keep his promise. He found his way back to me again."
"Hnh." Geran nodded a bit. "If so, than he's a smart man." He reached out and patted Xing on the neck before giving Eyrenya another squeeze. "I came to let you know, the innkeeper at your favorite tavern has asked if you'd like to entertain at his place tonight."
She nodded and smiled as she carefully returned the crystals to their pouch. "I'd love to. He gives me free drinks." With a parting pat for Xing, she turned and walked with Geran out of the courtyard. The elk watched her. If anyone had been watching it closely at that moment, they might have seen a brief flash of light in the depths of its eyes.
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| Early Christmas! |
[12 Dec 2006|04:17am] |
Well, Christmas came a bit early this year for the hubby and I. We wanted to come home earlier in December because one of our favorite bands, Trans Siberian Orchestra was doing their anual Christmas tour, and they were in Portland on the 7th. And they wouldn't be in Baltimore or DC until almost the end of the month. So, it was either catch them twice, or not at all. So, we're going for twice. :) They're SO worth it.
Yesterday, we had "Christmas Morning" with his family, then went over to mine for Christmas dinner. Then we stayed over there and had "Christmas Morning" with my family today. Lots of loot was obtained.
Seasons 1, 2 and 3 of "Due South"
Tiny purple Mag-light which went on my keychain
Check from Grandparents
Set of Damascas Steel chef knifes (much MUCH drooling there)
Vol. 1 of "Animaniacs"
Seasons 1 and 2 of "Pretender"
Cute faerie with a sword from hubby
Nice gloves and lots of chocolate from "Santa"
Oh, and a cute cat dish for Seika, the feline of cuteness back home.
It was really nice being back here with family and friends again, and the concert was well worth doing all this early. I kinda wish we could stay out a bit longer, but he only gets so much leave per year. But, that's how things go. It's been nice here though. The first week we had the really strong East Wind from the gorge, so everything was cold and dry, then this week it's been raining a lot, so we've gotten a good taste of both of the two main kinds of winter weather we get here. We also got to go up to visit a friend who lives in Tacoma Washington, which was nice. Anyway, it's getting latish here, which means it's REALLY late in the time zone I'm used to, so I'm headding off.
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| Took a survey |
[14 Aug 2006|09:53pm] |
I Am A: Neutral Good Elf Ranger Bard
Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.
Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently concern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.
Primary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.
Secondary Class:
Bards are the entertainers. They sing, dance, and play instruments to make other people happy, and, frequently, make money. They also tend to dabble in magic a bit.
Deity:
Mielikki is the Neutral Good goddess of the forest and autumn. She is also known as the Lady of the Forest, and is the Patron of Rangers. Her followers are devoted to nature, and believe in the positive and outreaching elements of it. They use light armor, and a variety of weapons suitable for hunting, which they are quite skilled at. Mielikki's symbol is a unicorn head.
Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy of NeppyMan (e-mail)
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| Dreams of a fractured sky |
[19 Jul 2006|09:12pm] |
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I had a strange dream this morning/last night. Okay... so anyone's who's ever heard me talk about my dreams will know that most of them are strange. But this one was strange in a differant way than the Ferengi on the motorcycle.
I don't remember where it started, but the part I first remember is sitting in my mom's living room. I was using the computer (which is actually in their library, which used to be my old room) and it was getting late. My boss from work (I'll call her K-Bear here in my LJ, which is similar to one of her nick-names) was there. Now, lately at work she and I havn't been getting along that well, and while I won't go into the details now, I will mention that the situation has been stressing me out quite a bit. In my dream she was telling me that I had to get off the computer soon because she had to talk to me about some issues with me at work. And it was in that tone of voice made me sure that I was going to be feeling very frustrated before the end of the conversation. For some reason, I was talking with Jeremy (my husband) online, and I'm not sure where he supposedly was. And then my computer died and I was trying to get it rebooted, and K-Bear was nagging at me to just leave it off for the night since it was so late anyway. When I looked at the clock it was 12:46 in the morning. I really wanted to at least say goodnight to Jeremy and let him know I was headding off for the night, but for some reason I just wasn't able to.
K-Bear and I got up to go into the room that used to be my bedroom when I was growing up, and in reality is the library, but in my dream it was a bare, empty room with a twin sized bed-stead and a sleeping bag. Something wasn't right though. It was after midnight, but I could see sunlight streaming in through the windows. I asked K-Bear about it and she was as confused as I was. So I walked over to the window and looked out. The sky was both night and day at the same time. Imagine looking through a window that has been thoroughly cracked, almost resembling a spider-web, but with the spaces between the cracks forming something more resembling a crazy-quilt; the shapes being irregular and in no dicernable pattern. And now imagine the sky like that, with some of the pieces showing a blue sky with hints of clouds, and other pieces showing a clear, starry night, the barriers between them melting softly into each other. I felt like I was looking at liquid pools of night and liquid pools of day melting up against each other without melding into one another. The clouds actually moved a little, and I had the feeling that all the day pieces would form a complete picture if the spaces between them formed by the night had been filled in with day. And I felt the same about the night pieces as well.
And as I looked closer, the pieces didn't stay in set shapes. They gradually moved, some expanding and others shrinking. The night was becomming more dominant, though there were still enough day pieces for it to still be strange. I could see the Milky Way... actually see it, not just a hint of it.
In real life, I can remember one time when my family was on vacation and we crossed over Monarch Pass in Colorado at night. When we reached the crest, Mom and Dad stopped and woke up my brother and I (we usually slept to pass the time on the driving parts of vacation) and we went outside. We could see more stars than I'd ever seen at once in my life. And on that night I actually saw the milky way.
In my dream, it was even more clear than that night on Monarch Crest. It was like a cloud of stars with a mist binding them together. And as I continued to look I saw more than just that. I saw the depth of the stars. I saw them in three dimensions instead of how we normally can, where the night sky looks like a flat blanket with points of light scattered across it. I could tell which ones were closer and which were farther away... and more than that, I felt something inside of me. Some instinct telling me why I was seeing all this. I didn't know how, or why, but I knew I was seeing things as an angel could, and I knew that something had happened to me, that somehow part of an angel's essence or energy had become a part of me. Or perhapse always was, but hadn't surfaced until now. In any event, it didn't feel forign, it felt a part of me. And as I continued to look at the stars, I started noticing the constalations (me, who in real life can only pick out 3; The Big Dipper, Orion, what I call "The Big W", and also the North Star.) I saw a large bear, a scorpion, a lion, and I don't remember which others, but the night pieces of the sky were full of them, and there were glowing lines from star to star forming the shapes, and what seemed like a softly glowing mist between those lines, filling out the planes and surfaces of the animals, which looked like geometric representations of them more than actual animals, and many of them were moving. The bear was walking across the sky at a stately pace, his wide forhead drawing closer as I watched and he drew nearer.
By this point, I'd stopped paying attention to K-Bear altogether, and I think she kind of faded out of the dream. I didn't want to stop looking at the sky, it was so beautiful, with the moving constalations interrupted by pools of blue-sky and clouds, not to mention the feeling it gave me, that instinct as to why I was seeing this at all. But I did turn away from the window and went to sit on the bed.
Most people who know me irl know about "Bunny". She's a stuffed bunny rabbit that I've had since I was 3 years old when one of my cousins gave her to me. She used to be white but she's more greyish now with age, dirt and being loved. She has large brown eyes, brown thread forming her mouth (which has the cleft lip like real rabbits do) and pink thread forming her nose. She also wears a knitted red shawl that my mom made when I was little for a Super Woman outfit for one of my dolls. I liked it better on Bunny and she's been wearing it ever since. She sits upright on her hand legs with small little arms up where her forpaws would be.
In my dream, I tore my eyes away from the sky out the window and looked along the bed and I saw Bunny moving toward me. But then I noticed there were two Bunnies. They both had about the same ammount of wear, and it seemed as though they had been identical when they were brand new, but had been held by two differant girls. The wear patterns were just differant enough, and the the ingrained dirt just slightly differant enough shades that I knew they weren't just carbon copies of each other, which for some reason disturbed me just a bit. Bunny has always been my favorite stuffed animal, and I admit, I still sleep with her at night when I'm not cuddeling with Jeremy. (We don't cuddle all night long, as that tends to lead to loss of blood cirulation in one or the others' arms) It seemed so strange to me... there were two "Bunnies"... I knew I'd only ever had one... where did the other one come from? Who'd had her all these years, and why was she here, looking at me with the same kind of eyes with which my Bunny had always looked at me? Like she knew me, and understood everything about me. I picked both of them up, and they both looked me, and... I didn't understand. I hugged them both, but it felt strange to be holding two. And outside, the sunlight shown down as the constalations walked across the sky.
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| Just in case anyone's still checking mine... |
[19 Jul 2006|09:09pm] |
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Post in my comments:
1. Your name.
2. Birthday.
3. Place of residence.
4. What makes you happy?
5. What are you listening to now/what have you listened to last?
6. Do you really read my LJ?
7. If you do, what is particularly good or bad about it?
8. An interesting fact about you is...
9. Are you in love/do you have a crush at the moment?
10. Favorite place to be?
11. Favorite lyric?
12. Best time of the year?
13. Do you remember when we met?
14. Have I been a good friend to you?
15. Tell me something you have never told me before.
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.
4. Post a picture of you, if possible.
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