Saturday, November 11, 2006

mid-morning

A Little Server Switch Issue

The blog, it returns…

Friday, November 10, 2006

evening

Idiot of the Day - John McCain (From Hero to Zero)

John McCain is testing the waters for another presidential run.  Tell me you’re surprised.  Then, tell me why anyone should ever vote for him?  He rips on Bush, then kisses his ass, then rips on him, then kisses his ass.  He flip-flops more than I do when I have too many drink choices at Starbucks and can’t decide which one to choose, only I’m choosing a drink and he’s trying to decide international policy.  How anyone could withstand years of torture as a P.O.W., then be a coward when standing up to the Bush Administration, I’ll never know.  What I do know is, neither Republicans nor Democrats can trust him now.  Leigh-Ann and I were discussing who we’d like to see run in 2008, other than Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert (or Oprah & Gayle) - we’ve decided on Al Gore and John Edwards.  Al Gore no longer needs to win, so he can loosen up, be himself and help us save the world.  John Edwards has a Southern accent and is kind of schoolboy charming, if you like that sort of thing.  It doesn’t do that much for me, but I like him okay enough.  I like his wife better, but she isn’t a choice.  I definitely do not like Hillary Clinton (too much sucking up to Republicans), although I do like the idea of a woman president.  Perhaps Geena Davis - she made awesome strong decisions on “Commander in Chief”, decisions you would like your president to make.  Sure, the lines were written for her, but most of Bush’s lines are written for him too, but Rod Lurie makes a better speechwriter than whoever is writing for Bush.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

early evening

Science H. Logic, I’m Tired

I confess, I stole Science H. Logic from “South Park”, but it was too good to not be used.  Anyway, it’s been a really tiring week, and I’ve realized that I’ve gotten to an age where I need regular sleep.  The week started with not going to bed at all on Monday night because by the time we were ready for bed, it was already close to 5am.  I figured that rather than go to bed for a few hours, which often makes you feel crappier than if you hadn’t gone to bed at all, I’d stay up and work a little more, then shower and go vote.

The morning part worked out well.  We left for the polls around 7:30am or so, which meant that we were due for a couple of our special early morning treats.  First, we got to listen to our favorite radio morning team, Mark & Mercedes on Mix 94.1, which is a really rare event, us being in the car during their horribly early hours.  The last time was the morning Leigh-Ann had her immigration interview and we had to drive across town to pick up her lawyer, so we left at maybe 6am or something.  If I wasn’t so lazy, I would look it up in the blog entry about that day, but I’m not gonna.  Anyway, so we listened to Mark & Mercedes, I went to vote while Leigh-Ann played with our new phone, then we went to the grocery store and stocked up on goodies we thought we’d want later.  Our next early morning treat, was to go to McDonald’s for breakfast.  Normally, that’s a once a year deal for a couple of reasons - one, it’s too early, but also, McDonald’s breakfast on a regular basis makes me feel queasy.  Anyway, I treated myself to a McGriddle, which I first tried, with help from Rory (a kitten we found on our doorstep, who found a permanent home, and new name of “Vegas”, with Leigh-Ann’s brother & sister-in-law in PA...picture at the bottom of this entry) in May.  I thought of Helly this time though, because she recently described how much she hates the sweet & savory flavor combo, which the McGriddle embodies.  Granted, I don’t want it all the time, but both times I had it, it was delicious.  Plus, the yummy goodness of greasy crunchy hash browns.  We also got orange juice, but I don’t like McDonald’s orange juice anymore.  Do any of you (other than Leigh-Ann) remember when they used to keep their orange juice in little frozen plastic containers?  It was so much better!  I don’t like my juice at room temperature.

So, that was the beginning of Tuesday.  We thought we’d take a nap, then get up and feed the birds.  I had a lot of trouble napping, even though I was sickeningly tired.  I was so tired that when I laid down, my body felt like it was vibrating.  It made me think about what hospitals do to interns, making them work horribly long shifts.  Frankly, it seems like a recipe for fatal mistakes to me.  I know I couldn’t have been trusted to make important decisions after not sleeping.  I even had trouble speaking in normal sentences to Leigh-Ann.  So, if any medical schools are reading this, let your interns sleep, so people don’t die!

This morning, we went to bed around 6am.  This definitely has to stop, although I admit, I got a lot of work done last night/this morning.  But, my body can’t take the schedule anymore.  Tonight, we’re going to bed at a reasonable hour of maybe 1am, because we have to get up for our pest control guy.  It’ll be good practice because we’re going to a sports convention with my brother and sister-in-law on Saturday, so we want to be able to function and enjoy it.  I think my brother might have a booth for his invention, the Bullpen Buddy, but honestly, I’m not sure.  I just know that I’m supposed to remember to go to the convention center, south hall, and call for them to come outside and meet us.  See, now that I wrote it down, I don’t have to remember it.

So, work.  I think I’ve finally discovered my unique work skill.  I’m able to talk (talk = email, to me) to bloggers, tell them how much I like their blogs, and ask them to sign contracts.  You know, it’s really easy to talk to people in email ("Oh, you want me to talk to highly educated, multi-millionaire, respected in their field, John/Jane Doe, and ask them to sign a contract?  Okay, no problem.") and offer them something for nothing.  It’s like asking to pay people to do them a favor.  Sure, in general, I don’t get to read the blogs that any of my friends write, for work, but I still get to read a lot of really interesting blogs and talk to interesting people.  I have to say, it’s SO much easier than the two months I spent trying to sell industrial chemicals.  While it was a great company, I honestly haven’t a clue which industrial lube is better for which engine...and I won’t ever care.  I do know blogs.  I love blogs.  I love your blog (yes, you, I’m talking to you, I love your blog), I love reading, I love complimenting bloggers on their writing.  I don’t love the electronic equivalent of paperwork & filing, but I know it’s important to keep track of where I’ve been and who I’ve talked to, and about what.  I haven’t made a penny yet (I work on commission), but you just wait.  My first and second contracts were the blogging/writing equivalent of signing professional athletes.  And they just said a simple, “Okay.” The others who haven’t signed yet have been more work, but I’ve realized that I know how to convince them.  I have to thank an internet illiterate, but very smart, attorney for teaching me that even in 2006, not everyone who is savvy in their professional career is also internet savvy.  Those people need information to reach them too, even if they don’t know it’s out there and they don’t know how to find it.

Okay, I’ve blathered enough, here’s the picture of Rory/Vegas that I promised.  She’s enjoying her tiny nibble of McGriddle.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

evening

Meet Freddie Mac’s Feet

Admit it, you’ve never seen cuter feet.  And if you have, gimme proof in the comments.  These are little Freddie Mac’s feet - he’s one of our six week (?) old foster kittens.  He’s dark grey, with all four paws being white, and his paw pads being black.  I love his feet and I’ll be sad when his little paws go to their new home.  He’s the sweetest of the three fosters.  Practically as soon as you even look at him, he starts purring.  He still needs to grow into his big eyeballs (they were a sickly bunch when we got them), but he’s going to be adorable.  And, he will always have super cute feets.

The fosters are starting to get healthy and gain lots of weight.  They’ve been super spunky lately, racing around the kitchen and wrestling.  They’re at such a fun stage - even Tie & Scampi (two of our original fosters that we kept) are coming downstairs to play with the kids.  Of course, Tie has discovered the aquarium, so he’s been spending half of his day sitting on top of the tank and waiting for the poor plecostamus to make a move.  When the fish doesn’t move, Tie keeps himself busy by watching the bubbler.  Or, as he learned today, how to unattach the bubbler.  He hasn’t yet figured out that it ruins his bubble fun when he unplugs it.  Also, today he taught Scampi how to jump on top of the aquarium and join him in the fun.  Oh, yay.  Tie & Scampi in the living room = Eli getting excited and barking at them.  Hey, wanna come visit?  Never a quiet moment…

I wanted to thank Rashenbo for stopping by my blog today for her reviews of the blogs participating in NaBloPoMo.  Today was her “F” day.  Go check out her blog, it’s interesting, the stats that she’s recording on everyone participating...and those who, oops, have already missed a day.  I’ve been a good girl so far - hey I want a prize!  I haven’t had a lot of time to blog because I’ve actually been working.  No, it’s true.  I’ve read more blogs that aren’t my blogroll than, well, even Rashenbo, although not a single one of them wrote about their laundry or their periods.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

late evening

Disappointing Election Results in Nevada or I Stayed Awake 28 Hours For This?

Dina Titus lost to smarmy Jim Gibbons (he of the illegal nanny, yet very outspoken against illegal aliens; he, of the out having drinks with cocktail waitresses, insteadof being inside a tv studio for a planned debate with his opponent - he was “busy”, yeah, we noticed; he of the improper “gifts” from friends); Jack Carter lost to “Waterboarding is fun for the whole family, you know, iffen you’re a foreigner”, John Ensign; we won’t be legalizing marijuana, people voted to change the state constitution for things that should be solved in other ways, etc.  A couple of good things happened:  Lynette Boggs-McDonald and her crazy lying ways were finally kicked out of office; the non-smokers won one, so now smoking will be banned from inside grocery stores, poker machines or no.

Yet, it all seems so disappointing compared to what happened in other states.  Here, they voted against a qualified woman because they didn’t like her accent or what she looked like.  Well, luckily, the rest of the states mostly render our officials moot.  Yay to Nancy Pelosi, the new Speaker of the House, our former representative when we lived in San Francisco.  I hope the Democrats can lead by example and will kick out any hypocritical scumbags lurking in their midst.

I’m so tired that I’m pretty much non-functional.  I hope to be more me after a good night’s sleep.

update:  Not quite as bad as I had thought, but not as good as I had hoped.  From the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Molly Ball, “For the last two years, all six of Nevada’s statewide officers have been Republicans. Now at least half are Democrats, with Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons and Lt. Gov.-elect Brian Krolicki the lone successful Republicans. The race for state controller was close early today, but Democrat Kim Wallin was leading.

Democrats gained one seat in the state Senate and another in the Assembly, unseating state Sen. Sandra Tiffany, R-Las Vegas, and Assemblyman Brooks Holcomb, R-Reno. But power won’t change hands in either body. The state Senate will be 11 Republicans to 10 Democrats, while the Assembly will have 27 Democrats and 15 Republicans.”