Saturday, May 26, 2001

Er... The content is pretty fluffy, but how can you not have some shred of fondness for someone that uses 'birdhouse' in their URL (and -isn't- referring to the Tony Hawk co.) along with a picture of the Johns? (Okay, I'm relatively certain those are the Johns of TMBG fame. If they're from Weezer, a thousand pardons.)
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:18 PM |

Editor's Note: Inclusion of the URL for Verbatim in this post in no way signifies endorsement of said site by the author of this post. Thank you.

I've been thinking about webdesign a lot, lately. There are zillions of if not -well-designed- sites, at least -tolerably- designed sites. And then there are sites like Verbatim. It's not the colors. It's not the font(s), or font size(s). It's the popup, and the layout of the popup. It makes me feel squashed or something, I don't know... But I certainly don't enjoy it.

On the other hand, I'd just like to say that Reesa's new look is -beautiful-, and the percentage-table thing works so much better than the fixed-width of before... Not that the previous design was bad, either, once I got used to the green. *Grin*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:26 PM |

Minutiae reminds me of HissyFit posts.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:33 PM |

Um. I clicked on the Vanguard News Network link because I thought it had something to do with science fiction. And it does, in a way... If you take it in the sense that the SciFi fandom is comprised of deluded concpiracy freaks and racists. If you wanna see it for yourself, run a search on Google, 'cause I already don't feel too great about having loaded thir page.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:37 PM |

Majic12 is a very -long- and involved site covering comics and SciFi stuff.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:58 PM |

For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable. And we're going to do something about it.

This was alledgedly said by our Great and Fearless Leader, President Bush. If he did, he's making Former VP Quayle and the Former Governer W. J. Hickel (#223) look positively _brilliant_. *Snerk*

Stolen from Q Daily, and -yes-, Hickel really did say that. He also said some other things that I haven't been able to find.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:19 PM |

I like the colors of Quirk. You can tell how visually-oriented I am -- almost all of my aesthetics-related complaints have to do with whether the layout/scheme/colors hurt my eyes, or make it impossible to read...

QuarkFire looks interesting, if a little... Something. I don't know. Still distracted by trying to decide if I want to work 6 AM - 2 PM four days a week for right now, or if I wanna try going for something else...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:38 PM |

Time For A Blue Jubilee.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:41 PM |

Waffle Soup. Mm, I'm hungry already... Actually, waffles soaking in a soup of vanilla ice cream would be pretty tasty, if I weren't already freezing. Barbara should really move the office from the basement to the third floor.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:46 PM |

Speaking of moving things from floor to floor and where things should be... Staying here always makes me think about Marc and Vic, mostly Vic. The house I'm currently hanging out in is his house, though he's remodeled more than she has _and_ he started out with two bathrooms (because I can't stand the fact that I have to climb two flights of stairs from here... There should be a half-bath on the ground floor.).

Well, the floor plan is a little bit different, too... This is a duplex, and their house is a single-family dwelling. The colors are different, too: where Barbara has peach and pink and pale green, I think they're more dark blues and white and pale wood. Not like pickled oak-pale, but... Pine and birch and alder, maybe. And they decided to make the office upstairs into Marc's Room, so he could have a place to stash his stuff and retreat to, if they had family over again, which of course they -have-... I really need to find that notebook and transcribe the "Twenty-three people in this little house!" discussion. Amazingly enough, twenty-three people _could_ fit into the house, as long as the kids were out back in a tent and all the grown-ups were on relatively good terms. And as long as it was a really -temporary- arrangement, which it was.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:55 PM |

Gah, the downstairs phone is _loud_.

I've been getting a feel for what it'll be like if I ever move out and stay in town... My mom and I have a date to have dinner and watch hockey tonight.

I'm cheering for the Avs, but only because Ray Borque deserves a ring.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:03 PM |

PAGINA IS NIET BESCHIKBAAR Okay, I believe you...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:07 PM |

I can't quite figure out what MacRonin is all about.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:16 PM |

Look out! It's the Mad Canadian!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:21 PM |

Er... I like the little graphic at the top...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:23 PM |

Normally, I dislike sites whose authors think that all lower-case is cool or something. At least this guy uses apostrophes.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:24 PM |

Places I've Been... (Well, not _me_, but...)
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:28 PM |

Well, crap. I lost my huge pro-cons post wherein I was agonizing over whether I should take the stupid job.

Why can't I just get a handy little sign, like, say, a 3x5 index card on a piece of string, dangling in front of my nose with instructions written on it? Or hell, I'd even take a general phrase like "go for it" or "wait for another offer".
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:00 PM |

Eeeee! I'm a geekyfangirl. I wanna Vash Sprite. (Link to HDL found here, which is somewhat anime-oriented...)
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:01 PM |

Guh. Cold and indecisive, the elusive Shan often retreats to the kitchen to do chores that have needed doing for... Well, several hours, at least. I leave everyone with these few links.

Tomadoi Rebel Yell Navi's Orphanage Main and Thaw -- Are You All Right?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:14 PM |

Okay, I have no idea as to what is up with Bubbles. If I wear my favorite grey t-shirt (which has a little hole in it) and hold her in my lap, she tries to lick and/or chew on the shirt right around the hole.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:59 PM |

Urban Forest

Underachievers -- not likely. The first site I've ever seen that updates from right-to-left, thereby violating all spacial rules and making certain dyslexics nauseated. *Snerk* Well, not me, but it certainly makes me think. And the NSync poprocks are kind of scary... Less-so since I've seen NSync chewy fruit snacks on the shelf at Fred Meyer's.

Again! Again, I say: Graceless.org was interesting to me because I'm something of a sucker for the name/word 'grace', and I got another RGG.

And, apropos of utterly nothing... Tori Amos seems to be like coconut or liquorice, for most people: you either love her or hate her. I think she's okay, just not my choice for the one album to tke with me to a desert island.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:39 PM |

Andy wa kawai desu ne. Watashi wa tomodachi ni purenzento o shimasu.

I can figure out most of these two sentences, without having a dictionary or any formal lessons. Hooray for Fanboy Japanese!

Text from the Good Andy, Bad Pizza campaign site.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:45 PM |

Cybersadism... A version of Fun With IM from SomethingAwful.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:51 PM |

Gah, it's 5:00 already... Crap, crap, crap.

Off to get dressed, go home for a little while, and ponder what the hell I'm gonna tell Steve-The-Manager (as opposed to Erin's Steve, or S.P. Sharrow, or Kevin Stevens, or some other Steve... There are -lots- of guys named Steve in my life, all of a sudden. *Blinkblink*) when I call him up later...

Index card? Anyone?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:02 PM |

Friday, May 25, 2001

This is kind of odd... But he likes Lyle Lovette, so it's not that bad. Unless, of course, you hate LL.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:00 AM |

So many people, myself included, have been thinking about Douglas Adams, of late.

It's just not fair, you know? But maybe he'd done all that he was here to do, and went on to his just reward. I hope that's so, anyhow, 'cause I'm going to be cranky otherwise.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:09 AM |

Kids In Mind is a _MUCH_ better site than CAP Reports -- not much in the way of spoilers, and a rating system that tells sex-violence-drugs on a one-to-ten scale for each variable. Now I can find out how much gore to expect and what the movie is about without knowing _everything_...

Moulin Rouge has John Leguizamo in it, too... I _definitely_ want to see that, now! And, good God, Antonio Banderas is in Spy Kids? Did he lose a bet? Get in deep with the mob and desperately needs money? Oi...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:14 AM |

Music stuff.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:23 AM |

OpenSky Consortium
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:28 AM |

After looking at my posts for the last couple of days, you can see why it takes me several hours to organize my bookmarks when I get around to it... And why I have so damned _many_.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:29 AM |

Another guy that needs a new job.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:40 AM |

I wanna go to New York, someday, just to see the architecture. And possibly the Sabres, as I'm not one to pass up a chance to see Miroslav Satan in person...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:48 AM |

Daily Devotions for something that looks like an Egyptian religion.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:52 AM |

Okay, I'm cold again... Time to go up to bed, I guess. *pokes at stuff* Got your email, Scrubby... *Grin* I was wondering about the restraint side of things, too! Glad you're having such a good time, though. And I'm willing to bet that if you wanted to write to my Gram and Gail, they'd be happy to share about LD's and stuff... Also! LD Online is an incredible resource, with which Richard Wanderman is involved. Richard is a friend of my family, and he's the one that introduced us to Apple computers -- my Gram convinced my mother to take a computer-aided writing class with her and the rest is history. *Hug* more tomorrow, when I'm more or less coherent.

G'night everyone!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:00 AM |

Waaaai! *Ahem* I'm calm, I'm calm... *In a Brak voice* Sure I am.

Okay, not toooo much longer and I'm off to the airport for my interview. Everyone chant along, now:

It's not the end of the world if I don't get the job.
It's not the end of the world if I DO get the job.
I don't have to make a career out of it.
And last, but not least: It's Going To Be Fine.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:59 PM |

And speaking of the end of the world... I've been reacquainting myself with The Sentinel, and I just watched Sentinel, Too (both parts). I always forget what an asshole Jim can be... But he usually gets over himself pretty quickly, and he's a damn sight better at reconciling with Blair than Ray V ever was with Benny. Er, I've been watching DS, too.

"I attempted to feed the gift to a passing walrus. Unsuccessfully."

"This is -my- minute! You're using -my- minute!"
"No, see, -your- minute was boring, so it was canceled." *Kick* *Whump* "This man is exhausted!"
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:04 PM |

I'm nervous. There's no one but the cats to babble to, here, so...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:08 PM |

I just know I'm gonna get my ankles fondled again. But at least they'll make a woman do it...

See, security doesn't like it when your boots set off the metal detectors, and then make their wands beep all over... It's just the steel toes and the eyelets, but they feel up my ankles anyhow. Last time I asked the woman if she wanted me to take off my boots, but she said no. That was okay, though, 'cause I wasn't wearing fun socks.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:13 PM |

Er... I'm subbed to waaaay too many mailing lists. Fortunately, I get the bulk of my mail from two of them, with the other... six? Five? Filling in.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:23 PM |

This is in the URL for my shannonm_eca account, today: tfmrkquivle. I like looking up there to see what bizarre, -pronouncable- combination I've been graced with.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:36 PM |

Okay, leaving for the airport, now... Well, getting ready to leave for the airport, anyhow. Hee. Help!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:39 PM |

Home! Well, back at Barbara's, anyhow, with Bubbles in my lap. Which sounds more like a vapid stripper than a cat, but whatever. *Snerk* I spent all day yesterday thinking that it was Friday, and consequently spent most of today convinced that it was Saturday. It didn't help that I only got about 5 hours of sleep last night.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:38 PM |

Okay, I'm pretty flexible when it comes to slash pairings, but there are some things that are Just Wrong. Harry/Sirius or Harry/Dumbledore are JUST PLAIN WRONG. *Ahem* Yerk... And Alec/Seregil written by anyone but Lynn is just... No.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:56 PM |

Off to make/eat dinner and watch something.. May finish QaF I and get started on II!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:14 PM |

Hey. There's a new post over on Smut. Just 'cause I feel it's a touch more at home over there than it is over here.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:15 PM |

Doc Ozone's Backgrounds Archive. One of -the- best free-background sites I've ever found.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:44 PM |

I kinda like this one, but I don't know if it's what I want. *Musepondermullthink*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:48 PM |

The thing I like best about Unleashed:Remix is the row of tiny banners, particularly the one that's just a pair of anime eyes that blink at you.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:49 PM |

Italian or Spanish? I'm thinking Spanish.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:50 PM |

I like this one, too, but I think it would be overwhelmingly -orange-. While I like orange, I only like it in controlled doses.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:54 PM |

This is nice... As is this one. I think I perfer something abstract and rather neutral for a .gif or .jpeg background, And I _know_ I really want one that isn't going to make it hard to read the text.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:56 PM |

If you, can deal, with the, Shatneresque use of, commas, by all means, go, to I Dig, Scrawny, Pale, Guys...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:58 PM |

Kind of...bubbly, but not bad...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:02 PM |

Eeew! Imagine this as a sickly green-tinged yellow and you'll have a factory-original Mac background. No, I'm _not_ defending it -- there are some _fugly_ things in Desktop Patterns. Icky.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:04 PM |

This is kind of a vellum idea... And I like this one, too. This background reminds me of something from Interior Desecration. And lastly, we have The Flat Orange Stripe. I kind of like it, but mostly, I don't... It doesn't have neough texture or something.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:10 PM |

"Jeeze, you've even got the _eye_ in there..." -- Blair Sandburg to Alexis Barnes: Sentinel, Too (part I).

"May I speak to Jim Ellison?"
"He's a -little- busy, right now. May I take a message?" -- The ever-dry Captain Banks to Cassie ?: Episode Title Forgotten.

Ow! Bright! and Ugh! Out of focus!

"Aren't you due back at the lab, to have your -bolts- tightened?" -- The Mask, I belieeeeeeve...

"Mmm, cubey."

"...Cat's Vomit Pink." -- Alec to Richard St. Vier on color names. (This one really needs to be tiled to be appreciated. Sorry about making you load all the crap associated with it...) I'm considering it for Smut.

Frighteningly enough, my mother's shower surround looks similar to this. Hers, though, looks more like an out-of-focus close-up on a scoop of vanilla ice cream marbled with fudge. It's _not_ pretty.

"Rise and shine, cupcake, it's another beautiful day in the desert!"

"Billiyuns and billiyuns of years ago..." Forgive me, Mr. Sagan; I blame Bloom County.

All I can say is 'owie'.

This isn't that bad, but it's not my favorite to date.

The Fifth Avenue Mall has this surface on their tables in the food court. I don't know _why_, as it makes them more difficult to clean and it's -not- non-slip.

Another candidate for New Smut Background.

Hmm... The New Bolt Weblog! Nah, I don't think so. But I can always change the colors...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:28 PM |

Hee! A Mac fan!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:45 PM |

Another site that makes me want to learn to code. Kinda.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:48 PM |

Heh... So I'm a sucker for tiny animations and wee banners... Not to mention relatively nonirritating girlygirl fans of both Weezer and Guster. A Glitch In The System
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:51 PM |

*Giggling madly* Hey, Scrubby -- I felt that way when kid's'd fight over who got to ride with me to plays... They wanted to go with me 'cause I'd blast Metallica or Godsmack or whoever, and let 'em talk about almost anything they wanted to. *Grin* And why would you -want- to be a lady anyhow? Teenagers have so much more fun... *Soft snerk* Sounds like you're doing well, sweetie.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:00 PM |

Ugh... It's ten o'clock and I'm hammered... A few more minutes of poking through other people's blogs, and I think I'm gonna go to bed. I want to write, but I don't know exactly -what-, yet... Wrote a little Marc/Vic/Tikka/Jussi yesterday, but I didn't like it all that much. Maybe I should have put in Red Zone Cuba instead of Manos: Hands Of Fate.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:09 PM |

Does anyone know the whereabouts of the scary-but-fascinating 'Nando (from way the hell back when Nia's was still Glen's)? He is _so_ not here.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:11 PM |

Er, Jussi is this guy back in Tikka's hometown... I kinda get the feeling that they write Letters, and they may or may not have been an item... Still not clear on that point.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:12 PM |

Nakedelf.org. No, it has very little to do with elves, naked or otherwise. Seems to be another of my randomgayguy sites, though...

I have _got_ to learn Hawaiian! On another note (heh), I -have- heard Keola Beamer's stuff. Pretty good.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:18 PM |

Neckdeep... But in what, he doesn't say. I have this line from Stalking Darkness running through my head...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:22 PM |

I love living here. How's this for a kick? It's almost 10:30, and if I went outside right now, I could probably walk around for another 45 minutes before I had to worry about tripping over something in the dark... If not closer to an hour. And the days are still getting longer...

"I could spend a couple of years in July." -- S. P. Sharrow

I agree, Mr. Sharrow, I agree.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:26 PM |

Do I understand NetDyslexia? In -this- incarnation, no.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:30 PM |

Nerdonomicon!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:34 PM |

The antithesis of I Hate Music.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:44 PM |

I hate being this tired... Not that being awake could -fix- this blog, but hey. Maybe I could tolerate it longer.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:49 PM |

This is the most interesting part of this site. To me, at any rate.

*Hughug* G'night. I'm 'bout froze an' I've started talkin' like my relatives in WV, so it -must- be time for bed.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:57 PM |

Mmph. Miffed at my inability to see periods, commas and other punctuation, I deep-sixed the background for a little bit.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:02 PM |

Thursday, May 24, 2001

GeekTastic (for the StealthGeeks in our lives... More on this in a sec) and Hitokiiri, for the Kenshin-obsessed.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:42 AM |

Hee. I -like- the term 'stealth geek', because it's just so... -fitting-, in some cases. Like mine, I think.

I ran into another one at SunCoast on...Tuesday. 'Cause yesterday was Wednesday, right. Let me back up a little bit...

On Monday, I went to SC to pick up Renegade Samurai. There was this clerk, there, who I've seen a zillion times. (Okay, okay, at -least- fifteen, if not closer to, like, fifty.) The guy is... He has this -nose-. And he's _really_ tall (oh, shush). And for some reason, the UberGirly side of me decided to pick up on this -bigtime- when I went _back_ to SC to pick up my reserved copy of Some Like It Hot. So I'm standing there, trying desperately to avoid blurting something stupid while at the same time trying to politely rephrase 'Look, Macross/Robotech _sucks_, in my opinion', and suddenly my brain is paralyzed by the thought, "Gee, his hair looks really shiny and clean and soft... I wonder what it feels like...?" And a split second later, I'm noticing the way his face and body are put together...

The worst part of it all is that I feel stupid and I didn't actually do/say anything to make myself look/sound stupid. *Snerk* Unless you count mentioning the fact that I can remember the first time I saw Robotech on TV, which kind of dates me. Er, and I'd worn my Spell Shirt with 'Laundry Day' emblazoned across the chest, and it also happens to be the smallest, tightest shirt I own... Gah!

Part of it's PMS, I'm sure, the rest is All Me.

Oh! Almost forgot -- The stealth geek part comes in because -everyone- at that store knows I like anime, and so he was trying to talk me into putting money down on Akira (no, thanks, because I haven't seen it yet, and as I have -learned- with both The Doom Generation and Dark Warriors, I shouldn't buy anything I haven't yet seen or at least -looked- at/discussed with others several times.) or Robotech/Macross... There was another clerk there listening to us discuss the reserve list and piped up with the fact that the guy (I really should learn his name...) was saving all his money so he could get the RT/MC series.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:53 AM |

And... *Small drumroll/fanfare* I Have A Time To Schedule An Interview Lined Up!

Steve at InMotion said that he hadn't filled the positions, yet, and that he hadn't had a chance to get to calling me, all of which are amazing signs. This is the first and only job I've applied for to date, and I'm -still- not going into the interview expecting (or even really hoping) to be chosen, but still... I can't help but be a little excited. If nothing else, I can use the money. And like everyone else keeps telling me, I -don't- (and probably _shooooouldn't_) make a career out of it...

But my overall mood _is_ hopeful.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:04 AM |

For the UberGeek: . backtrack . For the less-geeky: Scrubbles, which was another one of my random-choice-based-on-name=gay blogger. Not that it's bad, just...puzzling.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:45 PM |

Bwahaha... Even if -nothing- else on this site tickles your fancy, the entry for May 21 is worth going for. Especially the link.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:51 PM |

I can't decide if they mean Prince Rupert the city (through which I've been... Nice little place, and not too far from Terrace, where almost everything shuts down on Victoria Day), or Prince Rupert the screen-name.

And now I have to do some research, because I'm tired of not knowing anything about The Vengaboys. (Or is it Venga Boys?)
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:09 PM |

Icelandic? Or maybe Greenland... Fannar.net!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:11 PM |

Who is Matt Grimes? Just this guy, y'know?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:26 PM |

Little slices of life from a mass-transit rider/writer. Actually very cool.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:29 PM |

GlitterKitty...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:44 PM |

tin.foil.hat -- Hiro Kanagawa has been in at least -one- episode of The Sentinel, I'm sure. *Snerk*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:48 PM |

Dunnow what Geek The Girl is about, but I'm betting slash.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:28 PM |

Synthetickiss... Bishounen!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:32 PM |

Uncle Joe's Self-Blog. No, I have nothing to add to that, other than it's not as creepy as the title implies.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:37 PM |

Need Jrock recs? Here you go.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:38 PM |

Wonk.org -- 'net stuff.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:42 PM |

braided-baka.net -- somedays, I wish I could do site design like this. The rest of the time, I'm glad I don't have to deal with the potential headaches.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:45 PM |

I'm cold and hungry; and I can't decide if I want to just heat up last night's leftovers, or try making something else, or just take myself over to the mall and eat at the food court.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:46 PM |

Everyone online, posting to message boards/chats/etc.=Collective Human Consciousness. Not a bad theory, actually. (Found here)
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:51 PM |

Okay, how's -this- for irony: Barbara has one of those mousepads with a wrist-support built in. My wrist hurts after having used it for the last little while.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:53 PM |

TinyBlog...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:16 PM |

Reheated leftovers from last night... Teryaki chicken and brown rice, yum. I'm getting back into my 2 AM - 10 AM sleeping patterns again, which I think just proves that I'm meant to be that way. I also couldn't believe going upstairs to discover it was almost 4 o'clock...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:18 PM |

Yoshio Saotome is cute. He sings, too! If you play Tokimeki Memorial, he'll be your best friend.

I discovered 100% no Jibun (the CD in question) at Bosco's about six or eight months ago. I had -no- idea who it was, what it was from, etc... But they'd had it there for so long, curiosity got the better of me. I'm glad I did, though, because the songs are bouncy and fun and I can occasionally sing along with them... The other interesting thing about the CD and Yoshio is that he's voiced by Yuuji Ueda, the same man that gives Sagara Sanosuke his voice. If you've -ever- wanted to hear Sano sing... *Grin*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:31 PM |

Giant Robot -- probably available near you, rather than me.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:44 PM |

Rock Out... No, I can't condense this one, either. Involves RPers, somehow.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:52 PM |

Oh, -yes-... Hee. I've been meaning to get back to the Interior Desecrations site. "Note: this is not a good room."
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:01 PM |

Blawg... No, no typo. *Eyes the clock* 35 minutes before I call to schedule my interview...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:22 PM |

The Shredder -- insert URL, thrill to iterations of html code in varying sizes and colors. Using the URL for JellieBabyz produces a moderately amusing repetition of the red 'Yahoo!' graphic.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:45 PM |

Hm. Anil Dash's site is on hiatus, and I have to go make my phone call... Yeek.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:51 PM |

I have a wrinkled business card, six dollars, and the admonition to "just come on in between four and five" tomorrow afternoon/evening.

Oi.

What if I actually -get- this job?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:58 PM |

One point for the gunblade URL, three points for Lain, minus four for using grey text on a picture with the same shade of grey in it.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:49 PM |

And speaking of pictures, I got some stuff scanned and put up at Elfwood... Just start here, then hop over to this one.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:53 PM |

Icha My Mind Misc XF Blog
Posted by: Shannon M.: 7:02 PM |

A Fear Of Red Sonja Gackt Fansite 01 Gackt Fansite 02
Posted by: Shannon M.: 7:24 PM |

Through Seraph's Eyes
Posted by: Shannon M.: 7:38 PM |

I keep misreading 'Orange6' as 'OrangeS'. One of those subconscious-dyslexic things, I guess.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 7:41 PM |

No, I have no idea what the X Handpuppet Theater Adoption Center is, either, besides the obvious (and Japanese Cute).
Posted by: Shannon M.: 7:44 PM |

Awright, kiddies... As my mouse hand is freezing, among other bits of biological fun, I'm gonna go upstairs, put on some MST3K, and see if I can't write something fun and fluffy between Marc, Vic and Tikka... Or maybe something Dark'n'Depressing with Finch and Herbert. Or maybe none of it with any of them! Love you all, and if my sudden spate of blogging hasn't made is quasi-obvious, I'm housesitting.

Good night!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 7:49 PM |

Some days, I just really regret being born into a family where English was the first language, and everything else has to come second. Radio UFO.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:45 PM |

The Java alerts at Dry-Erase Wall tell me waaaay too much about either A) the sex lives of the people mentioned or B) Kipp McMichael's imagination. And perhaps this should have gone to SmutBlog.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:48 PM |

NeoVenator.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:54 PM |

If you click here, you'll be informed repeatedly and vehemently that the page you are seeking doesn't exist. In Spanish, even.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:55 PM |

This site, while reminding me of a slightly-annoying, marginally-mediocre book I read recently, has some code that _I_ at least wanna swipe -- even though the optical mouse I'm currently using will do the same thing as the arrows on the right-hand side there.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:00 PM |

FictionFind looks like it might be interesting...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:03 PM |

I...don't know about this site. It's called 'hoehater', and, well... See for yourself.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:11 PM |

OH! Before I forget -- If you have ever tried to look for Goth information online only to find reams of crummy poetry and ranting about how noone understands the poor forlorn vampire (or vampyre, or vampyrie, etc.), you should get a kick out of CattyGoths. It's kind of cross between MST3K and HissyFit, though without robots and a little bit more cruel...

And if nothing else, it's fun to say 'Cattypatch' and 'CleoCatra'.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:15 PM |

And Now More From Unrelated Ramblings Theater!

I was flipping through a copy of WeightLoss Magazine (formerly known as Prevention Magazine), just for grins, and I found something I already knew: wearing the right bra makes you look younger and thinner! Ooh.

Now, -their- theory was that a sagging bust makes you look old and sad. -My- theory is that you can distract people by emphasizing your bust. Works for me -- I wear a bra with underwires, a relatively tight shirt, and stand up straight, and people ask me if I've lost weight. *Shrug* I always tell them I don't know, because I don't. I haven't weighed myself since the last time I was at the doctor, and I don't even remember when that -was-. I assume I haven't, because I haven't really made an effort to do so. Of course, the bizarre way I eat and the fact that I spend at least a couple of hours a day moving around may have conspired to cause me to lose a little, but as I said, I have no clue.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:24 PM |

This poor person didn't look at the -rest- of the Mighty Big TV site, and as such, has no idea as to who has enough time on thier hands to eviscerate six eps of SportsNight.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:28 PM |

I'm listening to Trigun: The Scond Donut and desperately wanting to watch Trigun again, beginning to end. I also am in a tizzy over the fact that the third set of Outlaw Star discs is out -and- 45 bucks... And when's the next Trigun disc supposed to be out, anyhow? Generator Gawl... *Subsides into generalized whining about not having enough anime*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:30 PM |

If A Jaundiced Eye didn't hurt both of mine, I'd be inclined to do more than just scan the weather reports.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:36 PM |

How is this for synchronicity? Or perhaps coincidence, or serendipity, or whatever else there is to subscribe to. After The Rain has a link to the Tokimeki Memorial FAQ.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:40 PM |

Would anyone think me weird if I said I wanted a fuku? A -nice- one, not a Sailor Moon reject. Maybe something like Koko Wa Greenwood, or Tenchi In Tokyo, oooor... Eh, all I can think of is CLAMP, but I'm not sure if I'm thinking Magic Knight Rayearth or what.

Mostly, I just like the bows. I'd wear a kimono just for the bow in the obi...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:51 PM |

Antonin D. Ko.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:57 PM |

Monday, May 21, 2001

I like the word 'mufti'. I can't remember what it means, but I like it.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:44 PM |

Third-Moon wallpaper. Interesting papers, not-so-thrilling blog.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:46 PM |

So, I just put in an application at InMotion Pictures. If all goes well, I may end up spending my summer at the -most- frustrating place on earth (at least for someone that has as bad a case of wanderlust as I do): Ted Stevens International Airport.

Of course, if all goes well, too, I'll be getting paid enough to, like, actually -go- somewhere. I wanna travel!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:50 PM |

Um. Other than a moment of crogglement concerning the existance of Newsies slashfic, this site is interesting... (Un)fortunate Webpage Design Discoveries.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:10 PM |

"I listened to Christian Rock and all I got was a headache." *Ahem* Now that I'm about to be struck by lightning... *Snerk* But really, Christian Rock just -isn't- that _good_.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:19 PM |

Gerk... *Sniggle* Oh, dear. Oh, dear, dear... I can't -help- it! The testimonials on that site just make me wanna crank Godsmack 'til the paint peels...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:22 PM |

It's also fascinating to see the ages on them -- in a few more years, I'm willing to bet that at least ten percent of them will be having major crises of faith. *Blink* *Ponder* It's funny and sad all at once, as they certainly -seem- to take it all very seriously... D'you think God would have bothered giving us musical ability, or the ability to -appreciate- music, if He didn't want us to use it? And since when does liking music with a good beat that you can dance automatically condemn you to hell?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:24 PM |

"Then I went to one 'Christian rock' concert, and one of the lead singers was dressed in a tank top and tight jeans. I was not sure what to do. I knew it was wrong, but I stayed anyway."

Um. Kay. This is wrong -why-? If they weren't -spandex-, and s/he wasn't -obviously- waving any bits of their anatomy at the audience... *Throws hands up in the air* Oh, never mind!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:26 PM |

One day as I was listening to this music I switched the station to FM and I was shocked to hear the same song on a secular station! I have done some searching in my life and realized that this music was controlling my thoughts,[...]

Oooookay. First of all, I have three words for you: Jars. Of. Clay. Secondly, I have some advice: Music does not control you. You control you. And if you like the music, -listen- to it. Sheesh.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:31 PM |

"'Christian rock' and Christian contemporary music have, in my life, been stepping stones. Not stepping stones going up — but down. Just a few months of listening to 'Christian rock' and contemporary music led to a life of being controlled by acid rock. This quickly led to and encouraged rebellion, greed, moral impurity, and trying to protect my rights and hide from my parents.

Eh...? My brain hurts. If you're going to be controlled by music, couldn't it at least be _good_ music, like, say... The Eagles? Or The Gin Blossoms? Or even Enya?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:34 PM |

"When I started listening to 'Christian rock' I slowly started to listen to just regular worldly rock (soft rock). Then I was listening to something harder and harder. It not only led me into worldly rock, but I was getting rebellious toward my parents, and I was having sensual and lustful thoughts. I also could not memorize or read God's Word and understand it or retain it.

This kid is fifteen. Sounds like they were going through puberty to -me-, but then, I'm a Godless heathen, what do I know, right?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:36 PM |

I now realize that I had seared my conscience in the area of music. The destructive rhythms bring a sensual awakening inside of me and this leads to alessening of inhibitions. Since asking for God's forgiveness and healing, becoming accountable to my parents, and removing these evil influences, I have experienced amazing victory and freedom!

Yes, let's all pretend we're robots and have never even looked at our own naked bodies while getting dressed or in the shower... *Rolls eyes* I know, I know, I've been going on and on, but! But! But! It's not my fault! It's that damned rock'n'roll! *Hides*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:39 PM |

"I began listening to 'Christian rock,' and shortly thereafter I began a fast, steady pace downhill. This eventually led me into a totally backslidden state.

I don't know what's worse, the use of 'backslidden' as an adjective (not that it's any -other- kind of word...) or the conviction that somehow the music is inherently evil and has some kind of power over people.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:42 PM |

Now here, friends, is a violent and depressing image, one -sure- to induce nightmares in the little ones and make you uneasy. Good thing we're Godly folk then, huh?

My problems with most self-described and/or online Christians is the sheer..._saccharine_ they tend to wrap themselves in. "Oh, no, I don't listen to that music. It's Baaaaaad." "I love God! Jesus is my best friend!" Et chirpety Cetera.

Maybe part of my problem is -me-, because I have a rather impersonal relationship with God and Jesus. Yeah, I believe; yeah, I pray; yeah, I read the Bible. But no, I -don't- feel that God is my bestest friend in the whole world. And maybe my reason for it is kind of petty -- the Guy never takes me to lunch, asks how my dog is, or shows up wanting to borrow Young Miles -- but still.

And I have an Issue when it comes to Jesus, too. If he was as human as he was supposed to be, how come he never ONCE succombed to temptation? All humans give in to temptation at -least- once. Mme. Jean suggested that because Jesus was the Son of God, he had an advantage, which I -would- buy but for the fact that he was supposed to be just like me.

And yes, she -did- point out the 'God made flesh' and 'incarnate Deity' bits, thanks.

She also suggested that I read the Bible to get to know God, but that won't work -- if I'm reading it to get to know Him, then I'm probably going to end up treating Him like a fictional character, which I don't think He would appreciate. Besides that, there aren't any more books in the series, so I have no idea what He's like now. Y'see? I'm not a good Christian at all.

I'm probably making up excuses to avoid having other people proved right, seeing as I'm a stubborn little weasel... *Sigh* I hate religion, y'know? It's so damn -confusing-, trying to figure out what you believe and to what degree you believe it... I've never _ever_ been persecuted for being Christian, to change the subject abruptly.

A zillion years ago- okay, only about 2000, people were persecuted because Christianity was a little sect. A cult, really, among all the other big religions (not that I can name them). Nowadays, you're likely to be persecuted for being Christian because the most vocal representatives of the faith are a bunch of Right-wing conservatives that want to do away with funky little things like tolerance and the freedom to choose one's religion and whether one reads Herotica or Mercer Mayer before bed.

That's one of the reasons I self-identify as Fringe Episcopalian -- It's probably less likely to get me pegged as someone, or something, I'm not.

Thus Endeth The Rant. Maybe. Depends on if I get over to the CAP Reports or not...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:59 PM |

Ugh... Never mind the hyperbole, watch out for the flying quotation marks. The TRUTH about Teen Idols! (contains links to pictures that may offend some viewers!!!)

I agree with one point (and I don't think that the author of the page even makes it) -- the line 'Am I sexual?' is ludicrous. Also, if you -don't- know by now, perhaps you should consult your doctor.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:03 PM |

If you don't want to risk the whole article, here's a highlight... *Snerk*

"He’s not kidding. . . "AJ" proves it with such "indecent" quotes in Backstreet Boys (Starlog Celebrity Series Presents #20), "Why do men have nipples? For girls to kiss!""

Or anyone, and to do so much more with, AJ... *Ducks head* Yeah, I'm done.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:07 PM |

"'N Sync zoomed pass the BackStreet Boy's previous record-breaking "first week" sales, like a speeding bullet — No Strings Attached's "first week" sales were an incredible 2.41 million copies!

The song "Digital Get Down" from N'Sync's No Strings Attached, also breaks the record for "teen-idol-perversion". TV Guide describes it as "R-rated oomph" and says, "'Digital Get Down' could be interpreted as hailing the joys of cybersex." (April 1, 2000, p. 26)"

I wondered when they'd get around to this song... And personally, I A) thought it was more about phone sex and B) find it silly, as the words run something along the lines of "...twenty thousand miles away..." If the guy turns around, she's only five thousand miles away, since the Earth is only 25,000 miles in circumference.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:11 PM |

" Their song "Bringin' Da Noise" on No Strings Attached says:
Lose your mind
Let your body take control. . .
Just shake it girl
And enjoy the ride
Do what you feel inside"

I'd argue with this as being bad, but as -I- assume they're talking about dancing, I can see how certain of the Christian community would be alarmed.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:14 PM |

"Some "innocent, wholesome" signs held up during concerts by very young, female teens and preteens ask their "teen idols" to "Drop your pants!" (Entertainment Weekly, March, 05, 1999, pp 20+) The Backstreet Boys granted their request, the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine shows the "boys" with their pants "dropped" to their ankles!"

Leg-women in the making! *Cough* *Ahem* If I remember that cover correctly, they were all wearing boxers and long shirts. And personally, I -want- them to wear boxers if they're going to be dropping their drawers, 'cause that's really more of them than I need to see.

And besides that, since when do the activities of the fans accurately gauge the innocence of the band?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:17 PM |

"Rolling Stone magazine frighteningly describes 'N Sync's music as "darker stuff, like teen horror movies and grunge" and ". . .brimming with the pent-up tension of teenhood: the urgency of unfulfilled, misunderstood desires, burbling hormones and unbearable, overwhelming feelings"(Rolling Stone, March 30, 2000 p. 55)"

Obviously, whoever wrote this either had an amazing set of teen years or was abducted by aliens and now has amnesia as a result. WHat the hell are these people on, that they think that being a teenager these days -isn't- like that? (And I wouldn't call their music teen-horror-flick, either, but that's Just Me.)
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:20 PM |