Saturday, January 19, 2002

* Like opossums, lizards, packrats, or cute boys.

** We've ruled out ulcer(s), kidney stones, gallbladder problems, liver and pancreas trouble, and Bad Juju. The remaining theories are (in no particular order): A) a Hiatal hernia [my Gram has one, so it's entirely possible I've got one, too] B) the lovely little lipoma*** that's sitting approximately over my stomach is actually much, much larger than first thought [possible, but in my mind, not likely] C) a cyst [highly likely, as the -rest- of me seems to be riddled with the damn things], or D and the one I am least thrilled by) cancer [probably not, butchya never know.). There may also be cardiac or pulmonary reasons, or even perhaps osteo-costal problems causing this. At this point, a miniture polka band (a la Darryl from KITH) wouldn't really surprise me... Okay, it would. *Grin* But you know what I mean. Maybe.

*** A lipoma, for those of you playing along at home, is a benign fatty tumor (hence the 'lipo' portion of the word). Personally, I don't enjoy the thought of having -any- tumors, even if they _are_ benign. My GP said that unless it gets bigger and starts causing real problems, she's just going to leave it alone and that I don't need to worry about it.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:01 AM |

Dude, I _rock_. I mean, I really, really, -rock-. I'm sitting on the floor, practically, under Scotty's desk, but I figured out how to get online using their cable modem without needing IP numbers and the like. Hee.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:11 AM |

Bwee. *Dance* This is so nice. _So_ nice. We need one of these at -our- house... Hell, even networked between 5 computers of varying ages and speeds, it'd -still- be fast. Wow.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:13 AM |

Even Envy.nu is running faster, which is amazing. If you've never had any experience with them, they have some of the slowest servers on the planet. You'll get your page...eventually...got a book handy?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:17 AM |

Oh, and the reason I'm under the desk is because the cord between the modem and my/the computer is shortened up by a wiretie, and I'm reluctant to remove it for fear of never getting it around the cable again. I'm -seriously- considering going to Fridgid North or Clueless USA to get a 75-foot CatV cable (I'd make one, but I'm not that great at making them****) so I can go sit in front of the TV or lie in bed and do this.

I'm not -lazy-, I just enjoy comfort more than your average person.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:34 AM |

**** In fact, during my cabling final, I made a crossover cable and not a patch cable. I was rather annoyed by this, as it was an exercise worth 15 points... But Mr. Diaz gave me the points anyhow, because I'd made the cable myself and it -worked-, on the first try. That and he'd run out of extra RJ45 connectors for people to use, so I couldn't redo it.

I really enjoyed working with coaxial cabling. That was fun and easy, and the combination stripper is damn cool to use.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:37 AM |

Er, the difference between a patch cable and a crossover cable is that a patch cable has the same pattern on each end. For instance, on the left end, the wires run 12345678, and on the right end, they go the same way, 12345678. On a crossover, the left end goes 12345678 while the right goes 87654321.

Crossover cables are used to connect two Wintel boxes for peer-to-peer filesharing, while a patch cable runs between the RJ45 jack and A) the wall jack or B) the hub. As I was involved in networking with the -latter- setup, you can see why I was dismayed to learn that I had a perfect crossover on my hands.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:42 AM |

I love naps because they always make me feel better, but I hate the fact that they're basically caffiene. I slept for two and a half hours this afternoon, so now I'm going to be awake... Ah well, maybe I'll get something web-related done. Or write, or... I don't know. We'll see.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:48 AM |

Can anyone tell me how Michael Jackson ended up as 'Artist Of The Century'? *Blinkblink* I obviously missed the memo on that one.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:52 AM |

Also? Winnie-the-Pooh slash is WRONG WRONG WRONG.

Thank you.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:58 AM |

Okay, I'm off to do something else, now. My back is complaining that I've been hunched over for far too long. G'night!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:18 AM |

I discovered that the short cable is still long enough to reach the desktop, so now I get to sit in a chair and use my computer, instead of on the floor. Yay!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:42 PM |

Notice: The following list is NOT recommended to replace any meals for anyone whatsoever.

One brown-sugar-and-cinnamon-Faux-poptart
Water
Eight Junior Mints
A Payday bar
An entire box of Brach's Jordan Almonds
Two squares from a king-size Hershey's bar
Another Payday bar
Lots and lots of water

I am an idiot. I am also more likely to die of malnutrition than anything else.

And my stomach hurts. Surprising, no? I didn't think so.

Ugh.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:46 PM |

I would really, really like a firm definition of 'adult content'. Does that mean anything that in any way shape or form resembles porn, or does it mean things like Mooncalf's FFVIII post? Does it mean PG-13 and under is acceptable, R-rated and up is not? Basically, I wanna know if "'Fuck me, sir. Please.' Avrath blinked at the rather meek request, then kissed Kelvath hard, fingers tangled in dark damp hair and breath catching in his chest..." is going to get me in trouble or not.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 7:41 PM |

Mm... And maybe I'll end up writing the rest of that story after all... *Eyes the snip*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 7:42 PM |

Friday, January 18, 2002

*Laugh* I was working through the Blogger Code form, and when I came to the last entry (how anonymous is your blog?), I popped 'pocketwatch romances' into Google. Of the results, the first two were mine, and the third was this link to an old entry on Ego Inc. When I wrote the description he's talking about, he was in the middle of planning his wedding and collecting punk-music venues and dates for his area of the country. It -is- an odd combination, but no weirder than anything else online. *Blink* In fact, it's probably -milder- than a lot of things... Read Mooncalf's recent entries to see what I mean.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:35 AM |

B7 d- t- k s-- u- f+ i+ o+ x e l+ c-

My Blogger Code. Which, as usual, doesn't -quite- accurately reflect me... But that's _me_, I think. (Code link from Harpy, who got it from someone else.)
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:36 AM |

I just got back from picking up my car -- the right front tire had a leaky valve stem. Not a Good Thing, to say the least... I've been very fortunate, though. It never went completely flat on my while I was in class or at the store or something. And, oddly enough, it went flat faster when it was warm out. I think that's because when it's cold out, everything contracts, and ice formed over the hole in the valve stem, which conspired to keep the air in. (I never said it was a -good- theory....) I'm tired. I think I'll go veg a little bit.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:33 AM |

Boo! Boo, boo, boo! And grrrr. Someone/something was too much of a pain in the ass for Wing and Glark, so they're closing the HF forums. *Sigh* -Now- what am I gonna do for entertainment? Stupid People was often the highlight of my day.

But, it -is- their choice, and I know that they probably didn't make the decision on a whim.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:09 PM |

Having gone off on the grand adventure of going home, out to eat, and then home again to finish up thank-you notes and then back here, I'm...back. Yes. Well, now that I've established -that- lame fact...

My summer plans are looking a little like this: 1) Go to Texas at the end of June (the end of JUNE. My father is insane. Or just in love, which is not necessarily that much different). 2) Attend wedding, doing my best not to get in the way/destroy anything/insult anyone/kill anyone/bite anyone/kidnap various spiecies of fauna* for transport back home. 3) Head back to the Northwest, pausing in Seattle to meet up with mom. 4) Go to Pierce, check out classes, campus, etc., to see if it's The School For Me. 5) Head home, richer for all the experience and quite possibly sunburned. This may be changed, though, to merely 'go to TX, wedding, home' with the trip to Pierce in the fall, when the VeTech program classes start -- that way I could sit in on them and see what they're like.

I hope Pierce -is- the right place for me. I really want to do -something-, and I don't think CompSci is the place for me. I like animals, animals like me, I like to help, I don't want to be a vet, I like variety, I like to do a combination of sitting and moving, I like to do right and left brain things, and I -really- enjoy seeing problems and correcting them, or being part of the team that helps to correct them. I like to help people, and to see them go home happy. I _know_ that working with animals in any capacity is -not- all sunshine and polkadots, and that sometimes, they don't make it. I know too that sometimes the most humane and loving option is eternal rest. It doesn't make me -happy-, but I understand it and accept it. I think that alone probably puts me ahead of the game, in a sense.

I sent away to Pierce for information on their VeTech program, and it came earlier this week. I'm going to take it along with me when I go see Mr. Reeves and discuss it as a career option with him, along with my Myers-Briggs results (in fact, one of their suggested careers for me was 'detective', while another was 'veterinarian' or maybe 'veterinary surgeon', I can't remember which) and the Strong Interest Inventory results. Which reminds me that I need to -find- my Meyers-Briggs interp before next Friday...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:16 PM |

For some reason, the color combination of pink, grey and white always makes me think of mice. I don't know -why-, since I've never seen a mouse in all three of those colors... I think it has something to do with cartoon influences from my early childhood. *Shrug* All I know is the mice at home are kind of a soft brown color, varying from kind f a dun to a dark cinnamon, depending on the light. The poor dying baby mouse mom found at the bottom of the stairs was a light brown, with a greyish-white belly. The only pink on him (her?) was its nose and lips, and its tail...

Mom came upstairs and got me so I could look at it, not that I could -do- anything for it... It couldn't walk. It couldn't even get -up-. It occasionally kind of convulsed, and didn't respond to the stimulus of light (I had a flashlight, because we were in the garage and the light's poor), nor did it really respond to the pencil I was using to check for open wounds/obvious broken bones and/or other defects. Speaking of defects, there was something grey and shiny between its back legs, approximately where external plumbing shoooould have been located. Its breathing was also quite labored and erratic... It might have had a heart defect, or perhaps it (being a Stupid Baby Mouse) had taken a nasty fall... There's also the possibilty that it somehow got into the dryer before my mother dried a load of her clothes, and that that's what did it in.

Once I had determined that A) there was nothing -I- could do about/for it, and B) that it was in a bad way from something that was not immediately visible, mom elected to put it in a snowbank at the end of the driveway. This bothered me on a couple of levels, the highest one being that there simply had to be a better way to relieve its suffering than just setting it in the snow. Particularly since it hasn't been cold-cold (i.e. 10 degrees F or lower), and so it's less likely to -quickly- kill a small dying animal. (I was all for taking it down the hill to the vet and having -them- dispatch it and possibly do a necropsy, but mom vetoed it.) The other thing is that even though it -was- a mouse, and even though the mice are as annoying as hell and they get into everything, smell bad, poop everywhere they go and generally make it impossible to leave edible things lying around on counters and tables, they're still animals and they're still deserving of mercy and care. Maybe I'm just worrying too much about my Karma, but it seems like a bad idea to leave a mouse outside to fend for itself or die trying when it's in a bad way. Even if it dies anyhow, in a cage or in a wall or in the palm of a vet's hand, at least it wasn't necessarily a cruel death. *Blink* Maybe _THAT_ is it! Maybe the snowbank method just seemed cruel, and -that's- what's been bugging me... My mother isn't a cruel person. Hm. I'll have to advance this theory to her... Carefully, of course, because I don't want her to think I'm angry with her and planning to despise her for the rest of my life...

Anyhow... Um. What I actually started to -say-, before I thoroughly distracted myself, was that I was thinking of going with the pink-white-and-grey PixelKiss layout. Because, y'know, I don't already have enough to do what with my classes and stuff.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:40 PM |

Oh, and I'd just like to tender an official apology to anyone and everyone that has read this blog between the day it started and mid-November of this year. Yes, I -was- a messed-up little whiny weasel, and I'm very sorry I spewed vitriol on you. *Best Inspector Clouseau voice* Let me blot you.

It's funny... If you read my archives, you can -tell- that there was something fundamentally wrong with my state of mind. In hindsight, perhaps if my mother had had the addy of this page, she'd have hauled me off to the doctor earlier... Not that I'm blaming her, mind you. Never that, ever. *Shudder* I just mean that she may have seen the shape of things to come and told me point-blank that I needed to talk to someone _now_ Or Else, rather than us having to wait around until I basically imploded from my own idiocy.

And yes, I _WAS_ an idiot. I knew there was something wrong and I -didn't- TELL anyone that was in a position to DO something about it until I was on the verge of becoming an ulcerated hermit. On a more cheerful note: the likelyhood that I actually -have- an ulcer is very very low. I have felt so much better _physically_ since I started my meds that it is nearly miraculous. *Shakes head* Before, feeling good (either mentally or physically) was an incredible rarity. Now, I'm still having Mysterious Left Upper Quadrant Pain**, but it's nothing that keeps me home for fear of needing medical attention.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:51 PM |

Wednesday, January 16, 2002

*Giggle* I know it's not nice to laugh at the misfortune of others, but... There's a poor guy in Austraila who keeps losing his golfballs to ravens. He really needs netting over his driving range, rather than trying to coat his golfballs with mustard and chili paste -- Ravens routinely eat roadkill. I don't think a little mustard is going to dissuade them.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:47 PM |

You spelled PCOD correctly, Reesa. If you care.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:49 PM |

Mm. I made more teacakes, today... I accidentally made the first batch about twice as large as they should be, so the second batch was smaller in both size and quantity, as well. I'm thinking about putting up my teacake and fudge recipies up online, eventually.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:51 PM |

You know, playing with poisonous snakes is just -not- my idea of a good time. I can appreciate their necessity, and their beauty and usefulness and all that, but I just -don't- want to handle them. They can live where they live, and I'll stay far away from them, and we'll all be happy.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:04 PM |

"Invenomated"? *Blinkblink* Jeffrey, honey, I don't think that's a real word.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:04 PM |

In Stupid Baby Mice News: I was sitting here on the couch, thinking about class and about how I should really go over to the Language Department and work with a tutor, and about how I'm going over to Lisa and Scott's to housesit (Tasha and Snowy!), and I feel this...tickly/crawly sensation on the exposed skin of my lower back (as I slouch, my shirt rides up). I jump and look at the cushions suspiciously, but I decide that it was just the remnants of the tag on the throw pillow I'm leaning against. I shrug and go back to sorting bookmarks.

Ten minutes later, I'm sitting here, minding my own business, when a small rustle and a little movement catch my eye. There's a baby mouse, on the couch beside me... I just said 'Hey!' and it turned around and ran off, back into the couch.

I can't wait until this stupid plague is over. *Grumble* I may just dig up my 5 gallon tank and start -keeping- the mice I can catch... *Is evil* *Knows that mom would _kill_ her* *Is willing to take that risk*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:11 PM |

I have to go to class. Yerk.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:12 PM |

*Snicker* Okay, okay, I am no longer immune to Steve-o. Describing alligators as lovers ("Eigon's her lover, and he's very protective!") and as having a boyfriend ("And here comes Connie's boyfriend, Ackro!") goes a way toward softening me up, and he's just so damned -enthusiastic- about _everything_. Heh.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:34 PM |

Tuesday, January 15, 2002

"I don't know where I am and I'm -hungry!-" -- random pedestrian in Grand Theft Auto III

Ev's playing GTAIII on the PS2, I'm using his computer. The random pedestrian comments are cracking us both up.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:38 AM |

Scrubby -- *Grin* Mr. Whitekeys came to my school, once, to give a lecture on music in general and how to play the blues (on piano) in specific. He was quite amusing and -very- talented, _and_ his humor was appropriate for a bunch of high schoolers. When you finally get here, we could go see his show.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:51 AM |

...And I'm sorry the box was so late. I blame the fact that I was born late. *Nodnod* Okay, that and my innate laziness. Boo.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:54 AM |

"And NO! Online journals/diaries/blogs and AOL profile pages do NOT classify as websites!"

An AOL profile page I can see. If your Blog/journal/diary is your only site... Why not? As long as it's updated regularly, it doesn't seem like that big a deal to me. *Shrug* And I thoroughly understand the concept of other people having the right to run their railroads the way they see fit, really, I do. I simply don't understand why some people are so exclusionary in this manner. I don't like Britney Spears, but that's not enough to make me say "I don't want to talk to anyone that -does- like her, EW!!!" Hell, -I- like *N'Sync. I'm sure that's enough to get me tossed out of certain 'elite' circles. You know what? If someone's going to judge me on my musical tastes alone, I don't think I need to know them.

And my web SkillZ aren't that 7337, either. I have a basic grasp of HTML, and I'm trying to wrap my head around CSS, but I'm not a hardcore designer. In fact, for the most part, I prefer my simple text-heavy layouts to some 200K+ thing that takes a couple of minutes to load even on my new baby. (Er, Fiach, not Ev's former computer. I need to get that set up and named...) Of course, I -do- like graphics, but for the most part, I like them to be small, cute, and simple. My webpages have to be easy for -me- to read, and they have to look tolerable on my screen. Yes, I admit it: I design for -my- platform. Of course, if it looks good on my screen, it's probably just as beautiful on any other screen -- the contrast is probably better. That and the resolution doesn't usually matter to my layouts, which -I- think is an important part of any design.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:21 AM |

For some reason, "Sorry, page is Japanese only" amuses me greatly.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:54 AM |

Monday, January 14, 2002

Er... Of The Dark Lady, Taitin the Sylph and Epona's Wild Daughter, I prefer Taitin.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:01 AM |

Hm... Online Doujinshis by western women. Looks spiffy.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:32 PM |

Sunday, January 13, 2002

I really shouldn't say this again, but it -bothers- me. The Conair 'Quick Braid' DOESN'T FUCKING BRAID HAIR. *Ahem* I feel better, now.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:24 AM |

Oh, gee, I feel so sorry for you, you bleachy-blond big-toothed baby. So you snore. So freakin' -what-? *Snort* I probably shouldn't be watching TV.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:37 AM |

Dear Animal Planet Safari People:

Alaska has more than -one- "main highway". There is the Glenn, the Parks, the New Seward, the Old Seward, the Sterling, the Alcan, the Dempster, and the Top Of The World. You probably meant the Parks when you mentioned the 'main highway', and as I can't tell where the bear chasing the moose -was-, I can't be sure.

Yours in hope that you'll get sharper fact-checkers,
Shan
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:48 AM |

"Unlikely food source"? It's a -salmon-. Anyone that doesn't think salmon are part of the food chain is...either woefully uneducated or stupid.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:00 AM |

Notice: The Following Post Contains Way, Way Too Much Information. You have been warned.

From The Dictionary Of Slang And Euphemism, for the edification of Reesa and Stan, I present Synonyms For Menstruation. (Unfortunately, the book doesn't include etymology, which is a shame. I'd love to know where the hell some of these came from.)

All's not quiet on the waterfront
At Number One London
Aunt Flo
Become a lady
Bloody Mary
Captain is at home
Carrying a flag
Catamenia
Catamenial discharge
Catamenial state
Chinkerings
Collywobbles*
Country cousin
Courses
Curse of Eve
D.A.s
Domestic Afflictions
Dysmenorreah
Entertaining the General
Feeling poorly
Feeling unwell
Female disorder
Field day
Flagging
Flag is out
Flag is up
Flash the red flag
Flowers
Flowing
Flying Baker
Flying the red flag
Fly the flag
Friends to stay
Got the rag on
Hammock is swinging
Have it on
Have the flowers
Have the gate locked and the key lost
High tide
Holy Week
Indisposed
Little friend
Little sister is here
Little visitor
Lose
Menses
Mickey Mouse is kaput
Monthlies
Monthly bill
Monthly cycle
Monthly flowers
Monthly flux
Monthly terms
Months
Mother-nature
Nature
Off the roof
On the moon cycle
On the rag
O.T.R.
Out of order
Out of this world
Period
Ragging
Rag time
Really slick
Red flag
Red sails in the sunset
Red tummy-ache [sic!]
Riding the cotton bicycle
Riding the rag
Riding the white horse
Road-making
Road up for repairs
Roses
Sick
So
Street up for repairs
Stub one's toe
Tail-flowers
Terms
That time
That way
The curse
The nuisance
The thing
Those days of the month
Those difficult days
Turns
Under the weather
Unwell
Vapors
Visit from Flo
Visitor
Wet season
Woman's Home Companion

I have entirely too much time on my hands. Or Something.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:06 AM |

* This is also a synonym for drunk and the heebie-jeebies, I think. There are over five pages of synonyms for 'drunk' in TDoS&E, and I'm -not- going to type them all up tonight.

...maybe tomorrow. *Snerk*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:07 AM |

Oh, please. Ravens can cope with frozen foods and icy chunks of soda. I think that they can cope with a little tough salmon skin without too much trouble. *Growl* Hell, salmon skin is probably a treat to get through in comparison to a chicken McNugget at -10.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:10 AM |

Y'know, the Animal Planet Safari writers sure don't like to commit to solid numbers when it comes to size or weight of certain animals. Orcas, for instance. Instead of saying 'weigh in at approximately 4,000 pounds...', they say 'can weigh as much as -two- adult _elephants_!'. That's not impressive, it's just dumb.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:13 AM |

And now, in the Marginally Amazing Coincedence department: I was listening to Flood while running errands with mom yesterday, and this morning, Technomancy's page title is: 'I returned a bag of groceries accidentally taken off the shelf before the expiration date'.

Of course, my favorite line from that song is 'And I never apologized/for when I was eight/and I made my younger brother/have to be my personal slave'.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:06 AM |

I'm Ken, from Weiss Kreus. Hm. Who're you?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:29 AM |

Or maybe I'm Rinoa, Irvine, or Quistis. *Blinkle* Irvine, I can see, sorta. Quistis I can -really- see. But I'd like to think I'm less of a...dink, I guess, than Rinoa. Or at least less helpless-and-bizarrely-pushy than Rinoa.

This link and the Weiss link snagged from Harpy.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:35 AM |

I know it's a little early by Chinese standards, but Happy Year of the Horse!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:30 PM |

*Snicker* "These are one hundred percent bat." Thanks, Jeff, I never would have guessed. *Waves a hand* I'm willing to give him a break, though, 'cause he likes fruitbats, and isn't dumb about them.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:22 PM |

Hm... After perusing HF for a while, it looks like Effexor causes odd dreams in other people.

In fact, the other night I dreamed I was a guy, and I was A) in love with this other guy B) in jail C) in a band [mariachi/swing/ska] and D) on the road. I have no idea why we were in jail -- me and the guy I loved. The guy was also part of the band, lead vocals or something. I played trumpet, badly. I was standing in the parking lot of this diner, trying to play and trying to talk either my guy or the rest of the band into something at the same time, and neither was going very well. I saved him from being killed while we were in jail, protecting him from a bullet with what looked like and extremely thick version of a 1040 booklet, only the cover was pink. *Shakes head* Odd... And -good-. It was like watching a movie, it was that real and intense.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:11 PM |