anogete: (p&p)
( Jan. 24th, 2008 10:14 pm)
giving )
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anogete: (carnivale)
( Dec. 23rd, 2007 01:17 am)
Bulleted list of randomness...

+ The company Christmas party was okay. I thought Jason and I got there first, but I found out later that everyone who arrived before was just off gambling. Everything went well, and the food was better than last year (which isn't saying all that much). The best thing was getting our prepaid credit cards. I've already spent $250 of mine on DVD sets and expensive perfume I shouldn't be buying anyway. I managed to slip out with a couple co-workers around 8:30. Everyone else left two hours later.

+ I saw Eastern Promises a bit ago. I'm a fan of David Cronenberg, so I make it a point to watch all his stuff. I liked it well enough, but it didn't have a wow factor. However, that doesn't mean it was a bad movie. I definitely enjoyed watching it. My main complaint is...spoiler ) Oh, and the other reason I liked the movie? Purely superficial reasons. Viggo looks damn good in nice clothes with his hair slicked back... evidence )

+ My wireless mouse died, and I bought a cheap replacement today. I hate it. I miss my little scrolling wheel between the buttons. I'm going to the office supply store tomorrow to find a replacement for my replacement.

+ Months ago, I bought a sewing machine. We did not get along because I had no idea how to fix the tension on it. I sold it to a co-worker for $50 within a month of buying it. While I was going through a couple boxes of stuff in the closet yesterday, I found a hand-held mini sewing machine my mother had sent me years ago. It works! I keep most of my day-to-day shoes in an old bookcase by the front door. It looked cluttered, so I used some scrap fabric to make a cover to hang over the bookcase. The cover worked out so well, I cut up a flat sheet and made a skirt for the table the aquarium is on.

+ While I was going through the boxes of miscellaneous stuff in the closet, I found some jewelry my mother has sent me when my great great aunt died. I took out some of the nicer pieces to put in my personal box, but I also found a neat little silver ring that looks terribly old. At first, I thought it said "LOVE", but it actually has the word "VOTE" molded across the top of the ring. I have no idea where the ring came from, and internet searches haven't yielded anything. The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920, which would be around the time my Aunt Louise was a young woman (late teens, early 20's). In hindsight, I wish I had known her better. I remember her showing me a slideshow of her trip through Canada to Alaska when she was in her 20's. I always thought that must have been the most wonderful vacation ever.

+ I don't have to go back to work until January 2nd! Yay for long breaks from work.
My mother sent me a tree. A living pine tree. It came in a tall box with twelve small Christmas ornaments and a set of twenty Christmas lights. She knows I don't decorate for Christmas, but she did it anyway. To tell the truth, I really like it. I've adopted the tree as my new plant. I've already re-potted it and given it a good water.

the tree gussied all up for x-mas )

I knitted Markel (niece) a hat for Christmas. I think all the super cutesy baby hats out there suck. They totally don't capture her personality. So, I made a 1920's-inspired hat with a big purple flower on the side. It is the most awesome hat ever. I want to make one for myself.

Click the picture for more detail...



It was made using some scrap yarn I hade. The hat itself is some extra yarn from my sweater (which I'm still working on) in wheat, and the purple yarn is a bit of leftover Cascade 220 from my mother's felted bag. I thought they complimented each other quite well.

I spent the evening washing a set of cookware my grandmother had Home Shopping send me. I have pots and pans galore, now. I also had to wrap Christmas presents and package them to be shipped out tomorrow or Saturday.
I feel as if I've been beaten up. The alarm went off at 9:30am this morning because I don't get up until 10:00 unless forced to.

adopting dogs and babysitting a one-year-old )

After we left, we picked up something for dinner at the grocery store. I cooked, shoved food in my mouth, took a shower, and threw myself into bed. Dealing with dogs and babies is tough work. Ferguson and I were pooped, and we needed a nap. Unfortunately, I couldn't sleep, so I ended up in the kitchen stuffing three Weissella Soft Gingerbread Cookies (with a chocolate coating!) in my mouth even though I wasn't hungry. Now I feel sick and stuffed and miserable. But the cookies were excellent.
I've become very critical of films lately. Jason and I watch at least three movies a week. And, with the wonder that is Netflix, we're able to actually find the ones we want to see instead of settling for the recent releases along the walls of the video rental store. Jason has been keeping a list for well over a year of each movie we've seen and what he would rate them on a scale of one to ten, ten being the highest. Every couple months he sends me the list, I rate them without knowledge of his ratings, and we compare scores. I'm much more difficult to please than he is, and he's no walk in the park. Most movies he only gives between a five and a seven. My average rating is probably between a four and a six. Boogeyman and The Abandoned got zeros because I found no redeeming qualities in either of them.

Anyway, my question is this: If you could ask everyone in the world to watch a movie, what movie would it be? Mine would be Dancer in the Dark. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it. It is a gorgeous film. Most movies I'll turn off when the credits begin to roll. I didn't turn Dancer in the Dark off. I sat there through the credits in shock and emotional turmoil.

thanksgiving and i get great deals on hair products )

The only near-drama we had was Jason's grandmother breaking down during the prayer when her departed husband was mentioned. I felt bad for her because she seemed so lonely and sad throughout the dinner and even afterward. I can't even imagine what she's going through right now. I think that she thinks everyone should be missing him as much as she does, but that's just not possible. He was her partner for sixty years. No matter how much Jason or his mother miss him, they'll never miss him as much as she does.

We had our first snow of the year this evening. Jason and I decided to walk off Thanksgiving dinner at the park with Ferguson. Just as it started getting dark (5:30 or so), the snow started falling. It has stopped since then, but the Weather Channel promises we'll have much more tomorrow. This works out perfectly since I'll be staying inside all day.

I'm volunteering for the Quixote Humane adoption clinic at Petsmart on Saturday. Judy just sent me a reminder via e-mail. We're going to have about a dozen dogs to show off. I'm determined to talk someone into adopting one of them.
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anogete: (jet)
( Nov. 14th, 2007 10:59 am)
i'm such a whiner )

Why can't I get the days off work without the family entanglements?

Jason jokes about moving to Montana and living on a ranch away from people. It doesn't sound like such a bad idea right now.
anogete: (always)
( Oct. 31st, 2007 11:36 am)
my great grandmother :-( )

Well, this entry was a downer, huh? I'm going to hop off to lunch and eat a Lean Cuisine of some sort. The Butternut Squash Ravoli Lean Cuisine is the best. If you haven't had it, you should go get one right now.

Oh, and I'm not going to proof this entry, so I'm sure there are mistakes galore.
Tags:
A cookie to anyone who can identify the source of my icon. That image has haunted me for well over a month.

After days of deliberating with myself over whether I should change the theme I use on my LJ, I finally changed it. It isn't like it was a huge decision. I was just stuck in a rut. It's all pretty now, though.

I thought I might be coming down with a cold, but it appears as if I'm avoided it. My throat was sore yesterday, and I had some major drainage from my sinuses. I immediately went into my 'I'm-not-going-to-get-sick-dammit' routine. This involves eating vitamin C tablets, drinking Emer'gen C, drinking orange juice, drinking lots of water, drinking lots of herbal tea, sticking my face in a humidifier for the majority of the day, and taking some Mucinex (for the gross mucus). I'm much better today. I'm not nearly as tired, and my throat and chest aren't as congested. Take that, evil cold.

I called patient information at the hospital in WV and asked for my grandfather's room number. His surgery went well, but (as with all colon surgery) the recovery bit has been a slice of hell for him. He sounded like he was in pain and was very groggy. I only talked to him for five minutes before I excused myself. He needs to sleep, not to talk to a million people on the phone. I called my mom afterward, and she said he was getting tired of all the visitors. Like me, he prefers to be alone when he's not feeling well. He demanded that my grandmother go home yesterday. Poor guy. I hope he's feeling better when they release him.

I want to knit everything. Seriously. I desperately want to knit this sweater. Isn't it gorgeous? About halfway down the page, there is a second picture with detail of the Grecian Plait stitch. It's so wonderful, it makes me swoon with delight. After posting the pictures of Ferguson in his knitted sweater on a Chihuahua message board I visit, I received a couple requests for custom sweaters for fellow board members. I'll probably work on one of them this weekend after I get the yarn.

I'm nearly finished with Paul Kemp's Twilight Falling. It's very good. It took me a bit to get into it, but by the fifth chapter, I whizzed through the pages in two days. I'm still waiting on the shipment of the remaining Earthsea novel by Ursula K. Le Guin. I've read the first three, but the fourth in line is the one I'm missing.

And in case anyone missed it the last two times I mentioned it, Kiva.org is a fantastic organization. This is my lender page. Mok from Cambodia and Sarah from Uganda have both received their loans. Mok has already made her first payment. I really hope she is doing well. I want her grocery store to thrive. Sarah's first payment is probably due in a couple days. She's a woman after my own heart since she's a knitter. I knew I had to contribute to her loan when I read that. Anyway, I'm very excited to read future updates on them both.
anogete: (ferg)
( Oct. 22nd, 2007 07:02 pm)
I used Garnier's Fructis Deep Conditioner on my hair yesterday. I'm in love. I noticed the difference right away. Someone put me in one of their commercials. I'll swing my hair around like a ninny.

My grandpa had surgery today on a cancerous tumor in his colon. My mom called me late this afternoon to let me know that everything went well. He'll be in the hospital for another five days for recovery before they send him home. He's worried he'll have to undergo chemotherapy, but his doctor doesn't think it will be necessary. They're holding off the final decision until after the tests on the tumor come back. I've already begun bitching to my mother about her needing to go in and have a pap smear done. She's never had one. My grandmother had a hysterectomy about a year ago for cervical cancer. I think it high time my mother bucked up and went for an exam. I go every flippin' year. It's not like a little pap smear will kill you.

Ferguson's knitted wool/mohair sweater is finished. Next time I'm going to tweak the directions a bit to tighten up the chest and neck area of the sweater. The changes are really unnecessary since the sweater fits him just fine, but it gives me an excuse to knit another.

pictures of ferguson's sweater )
anogete: (ninja batou)
( Oct. 12th, 2007 08:22 pm)
I finished The Wizard of Earthsea this afternoon at work. It was much better than I anticipated. I'll probably start The Tombs of Atuan tomorrow if I'm not being too much of a lazy bum. The only other thing I have on the agenda is a trip to the gun range for some shooting practice. I'd really like a kick-ass revolver, but I shouldn't be dropping so much cash on firearms.

We took Jason's grandma out for dinner this evening at one of our favorite places. She really enjoyed it and seems to be doing reasonably well consider what she's been through in the past few weeks.

I snapped a couple pictures of wacky hot air balloons while I was on my way to work this morning. The Balloon Fiesta park is only a few blocks from my office, so all the balloons tend to float over the road I take to work each morning.

is that a trunk on your balloon or are you just happy to see me? )

I didn't capture the hundreds of other balloons floating about the sky this morning. I didn't want to be a doof and pull over on the side of a road to get a shot.
anogete: (carnivale)
( Oct. 6th, 2007 06:49 pm)
The guppies looked a bit lonely. Actually, they didn't at all. They seem to like their aquarium habitat just fine. I, however, wanted something else to look at other than the fearsome foursome with their flashy tales. After a bit a research, I went to the pet store and bought three catfish -- peppered corys, to be specific. I put them in there about an hour ago. The guppies seem to get along just fine with them. They're all ignoring each other, actually. I hope things are going as well tomorrow morning. I really do like them. They seem to have quite the appetite.

Jason's grandpa's funeral was yesterday. It was a long day. I actually fell asleep at 9:30 in the evening, which is very unusual for me. Jason's sister and I were nominated as pallbearers because they were two short. So, we all showed up at the funeral home to escort the body to the church. The church was... well, the church, I suppose. Holy water, incense, recited prayers, communion, etc. Lots of formal such and such to be observed and performed. They hurried it along because we had to get the body up to the National Cemetery in Santa Fe by 11:30. The police escort took us to the city limits of Albuquerque and sent us on our way. After two detours (due to road work in Santa Fe), we made it to the cemetery with only a few minutes to spare. I thought the graveside service with the military was the most emotionally stirring of all the hoopla we had been through up to that point. It was just so dignified and respectful. After the service, the older gentleman who drove the hearse shook our hands and told Caricia and I that he could only hope to have such pretty pallbearers when he died. It was the perfect thing to say to diffuse the tension and get everyone chuckling. Anyway, Caricia and her baby caught a ride back to Albuquerque with Jason and I. We came home to change before going to his grandma's house for the reception. By then, we were all completely exhausted. Jason and I left a little after 4:00 yesterday afternoon. We came home, made some dinner, crashed, and re-watched The Thing (John Carpenter's version). I fell asleep toward the end of the movie. I woke up on the living room floor as the credits were rolling.

Oh, and Borders has a really crappy book selection. Now I remember why I order all my books online. They suck.
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anogete: (betty)
( Oct. 4th, 2007 08:14 pm)
I dyed my hair a couple days ago. It's extremely dark red. The box said burgundy. A while back, I put black streaks in my hair. Each time I've dyed it since then, the black streaks come back a bit. So, my hair looks darker than it has been in quite some time. I really like it though.

dorky me with super dark hair )

The rosary was okay, I suppose. Boring, but okay. Jason's grandfather was a barber and a musician. Had I known him back when he was younger and more mobile, I'm sure I would have gotten a kick out of him. By the time Jason and I started dating, his grandfather was having some serious health problems. Anyway, everyone made it though the meet-and-greet and the rosary without crying. Afterward, Jason's mom put on some of her dad's favorite tunes to play - songs from the 1940's. His saxophone and clarinet were sitting up front by the casket. A particular song came on and she lost it. I was standing in the doorway with her when it came on. She threw her hand over her mouth, said "This song kills me," and ran off to sit down by the casket. She said that her dad used to play it for her, and it had always been her favorite song. I'm so music-oriented that it really hit me then. He's gone, and he'll never be able to play that song for her again. I felt so bad for her at that moment.

Funeral and graveside service in Santa Fe are tomorrow. Uck. I'm not exactly looking forward to it.
don't read if my flippant remarks about catholics will offend )

And now for my quarterly report of what books I've read thus far this year. New ones are in bold.

books from earlier this year )

JULY - SEPTEMBER
"The Silent Blade" - R.A. Salvatore
"Hannibal" - Ross Leckie
"Spine of the World" - R.A. Salvatore
"After the Long Goodbye" - Masaki Yamada
"Servant of the Shard" - R.A. Salvatore
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" - J.K. Rowling
"Coraline" - Neil Gaiman
"V for Vendetta" - Alan Moore and David Lloyd
"Neverwhere" - Neil Gaiman
"Interworld" - Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves
"Sea of Swords" - R.A. Salvatore
"Smoke and Mirrors" - Neil Gaiman
"The Thousand Orcs" - R.A. Salvatore
"The Lone Drow" - R.A. Salvatore
"The Two Swords" - R.A. Salvatore
"The Promise of the Witch-King" - R.A. Salvatore
Tags:
First, thank you to everyone who sent their thoughts out about Jason's grandfather. I really do appreciate it. They wanted me to go to the funeral home today to make the arrangements with them. I still don't know if they are going to do the rosary service before the day of the funeral. I'm not familiar with the entire Catholic thing. Growing up in the south, it was Baptist or nothing. Catholics were like an endangered species. I'm assuming a rosary is like a wake. Anyway, I'm leaving work at one o'clock to meet Jason and help his mom out with all the paperwork and decisions.

In the meantime, I'm staving off boredom by doing this meme I stole from [livejournal.com profile] dreamy_dragon73.

top 106 books most often marked as unread )
anogete: (nick)
( Sep. 22nd, 2007 06:32 pm)
My great grandmother was a hottie back in the day. My mom just sent me a picture they found of her.

the photo )
I don't usually do the serious introspection, gut-spilling, and angst in this journal, but I'm going to make an exception because I have to get this shit off my chest.

it's terribly morbid. )
The Discovery Channel had a program on titled The Secret History of the Freemasons. I got sucked into it while preparing and eating dinner this evening. My dad is a Freemason. I remember several men coming to our house when I was younger (thirteen, fourteen?) and asking me questions about my dad's character and what I thought of him. I didn't really understand until later that they were questioning me because my dad had asked to be inducted as a member of their temple. Character is very important to them. My father maintains that had I said something bad about him, then he would not have been allowed into the organization. At any rate, growing up around many Freemasons (many of my father's friends were members), I came to consider it a glorified boys' club who held honor and good citizenship in high regard. He always told me that if a Mason was ever in need of help, then he, as a Mason, was obligated to help that person as much as was in his power. When I moved out here, he told me to find the Masonic Lodge, then told me to go there if I ever found myself in trouble. He claimed that if I told them I was the daughter of a Mason, they would help me in any way they could, including getting me passage back home. How weird... Anyway, after all the conspiracy theories presented in the program, I found it amusing that--in the end--they also came to the conclusion I did: that Masonic Lodges are rather large, glorified boys' clubs. I thought it might be funny to send him a copy of the program on DVD, but I can't seem to find it available on the Discovery website.

I took this past Friday off work because I felt like going in that morning would have been a complete waste. We've been a bit slow lately, so all of my daily work can be done within a couple hours. I'm left to my own devices for the remaining six, which isn't usually all that bad; I've just been feeling trapped lately. So, I got up early and walked Ferguson, went grocery shopping, and other assorted tasks.

Judy with Quixote Humane (the no-kill shelter I adopted Ferguson from) sent me an e-mail asking if I was available to volunteer at the adoption clinic on Saturday. It's only a few minutes from my place, and I really am excited about helping them out. Jason's grandfather is in the hospital with some serious infections, so I'm not sure if we're obligated to hang out there on Saturday or not. If not, then I'm all for doing this adoption clinic with Quixote.

Oh, and how hot is my icon of Haji from Blood+? Woo, boy...
anogete: (vespertine)
( Jul. 25th, 2007 08:04 am)
Yesterday, I learned that the burglary alarm in my apartment will go off if the power fails. The monitoring company called my cell at 2:45pm to tell me that the alarm had been set off. I ran home to find everything locked up tight and all the clocks blinking midnight. I suppose if a burglar tried to cut the power to my place to steal a television, then this feature would be helpful. However, I doubt this will ever occur, so it is just a nuisance.

And the worst thing? I was putting company time to good use by writing a bit on the fiction I started a couple days ago. Things were flowing well when the evil alarm company interrupted me. As for the fiction, it's coming along fairly well. I'm still dancing around, not sure what direction it is going in. I don't even have a solid plot. Maybe something will come to me after another chapter or so.

three paragraphs of the fic - spoilers for DH )

Jason's dad is coming over for dinner today. He's bringing the pizza. I was under the impression we were going to watch a video, but I don't know if Jason and I, being the weirdos that we are, have anything Jason's dad would be interested in seeing. Supposedly, Jason's sister is coming along as well, but I have my doubts. I get the feeling that she's very intimidated by Jason and I. This wouldn't be surprising, considering that we both believe her to be a worthless lump of a person. Her baby's attendance is still up-in-the-air. She may or may not come along. The dog may or may not come as well. I suspect we won't find out until they show up on our doorstep.

Gypsy, Jason's mom's dog, is still at the vet's office. Her survival is in question because she is so sick. The vet still isn't completely sure what is wrong with her, seeing as how her symptoms don't all point to one particular cause. The medical bill is climbing with each day, and Jason's mom is getting nervous about it. I'm sure it is well over a thousand bucks by now.

Meanwhile, the biggest drama from my family is the fact that my brother's can't seem to find a desk chair that won't break when they sit in it. My brothers are monstrously large--about six feet tall and at least 350 pounds. The scale ends at 350, doesn't it? I remember them telling my mother that they had made the scale go all the way around to zero again. It's not exactly something to brag about, you know? So, they're stuffing their faces and drinking soda directly out of the two-liter bottles. Rolling desk chairs with plastic legs won't hold them for more than a month before breaking. My mother thinks it's a crime that desk chairs aren't constructed better. I think it's a crime that she's not telling them to stop eating five ice cream sandwiches after dinner. My brothers think its a crime that desk chairs cost $150 at the office supply stores.
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