Saturday, April 13, 2002

Sometimes, I just want to hug websites. Other times, I want to hug their authors. Today, I want to do both, because I love the fact that one is produced by the other.

I really have to stop eating M&Ms, because... Well, I won't have any left for later, if I don't, for one. For another, it's not all that good for me.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:47 AM |

Hee! Just what I needed to supplement my copy of the Evil Overlord checklist -- So You've Decided To Be Evil.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:50 PM |

Sometimes I wonder... Considering how astonishingly _CRAZY_ the sounds of my family can drive me (I mean relatively civil sounds; i.e. breathing, sleeping, unconsciously fidgeting with shtuff while reading, eating...), would I _ever_ be able to handle the noise of a SigO? Or would we have to go sleep in separate rooms?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:28 PM |

It's time for TMI Theater! All of you that are offended by armpits, well... Skip this.

So I had to buy some deodorant the other day -- no big deal, right? Run to the store, grab a stick of the old standard, run out. Well, simple enough for most people. I'm terribly picky about the way I smell, because... I have no idea, I just _am_. It's bizarre. *Waves a hand* Anyhow, I normally use something with the caption 'Shower Fresh!', which smells like... Being fresh out of the shower, if you used soap that smelled like this stuff. Due to the preponderance of differing -styles- of the _same_ brand of deodorants (NEW! CLEAR GEL! NEW! INVISIBLE SOLID! NEW! SUPERDUPER TOP-SECRET NEVERKNOWYOURWEARINGITNOMESSFANTASTICO MIST!), I grabbed a stick of 'invisible solid' (because it's the closest thing to the plain old version, though I'm good enough at putting on my shirts that it -really- doesn't matter if you can see it or not -- it's not like I go out of my way to show off my pits, either.), except I only manage to read the word 'Fresh' and completely miss the fact that the little blaze of color behind the word is -yellow- as opposed to the normal bluey-green. So, today, I get around to using the new stick, and discover that no, it wasn't 'Shower Fresh', just... 'Fresh'. And it smells like dryer sheets, and so do I. Grr. I suppose I'll get used to it, but I hate walking around, catching a whiff of it (because it's bizarrely _strong_, which is strange and annoying) and wondering where that smell is coming fro- oh, right, me. Guh.

All done whining, now, I promise. At least 'til next time.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:35 PM |

Friday, April 12, 2002

Lazy, laaazy, laaaaaazy day, today. Everyone is asleep -- Yasminda, Toulousey-lou, Ev... My brain. I'm thinking about waking it up, though. Hm.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:09 PM |

You know... Anyone and everyone that was in New York or DC on That Day, anyone with the barest bit of humanity in their soul, anyone with a heart... They'll be remembering the horror of That Day _forever_. It's going to be part of the stories they tell their children, their grandchildren...

And anyone that tries to sell anything from the destruction that was wrought is just _sick_. We'll never forget... Well, how can we, with freaks like you pushing it in our faces?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:50 PM |

Thursday, April 11, 2002

Two articles: This one, a 'wow!' from the New York Seafood Council of all places, detailing a -useful- study; and this one, a '_duh!_' 'study' on the scale of the one cited in recent Kellog's 'Smart Start' cereal commercials as reported by ABCNews.com.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:02 AM |

I'm going back to sleep, now.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:07 AM |

My blisters are all over but the itching and the eventual peeling, which is... Well, not really -nice-, but better than them hurting.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:58 AM |

Sestinas aren't _that_ complicated -- the hardest part is figuring out how to get each line end with the word that you need it to.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:53 AM |

Next Year, I Am Auditing Any Class That Strikes Me As Interesting. PARTICULARLY if it involves political science.

I don't WANNA finish reading Comfort Woman... *Whimper*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:02 PM |

Wow. Um... Just... Comfort Woman turned out to be better than I was afraid it would be... I still didn't enjoy most of it, but there were parts that are incredibly moving. Especially if you happen to be a daughter or a mother. I'm not saying that -every- woman should run right out and buy it to read, mind you. But...it is powerful. Hm.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:08 PM |

As I said when I discussed this at length in the piece I put up on this journal, that was quoted in Wired, last month, books don't come with single-end-user licenses, and I think that's a good thing.

See, I was waiting to read American Gods before I went and read Mr. Gaiman's online journal. For some reason, after having finished the book, I still shied from the link. I don't know why, I'm kind of an idiot like that sometimes. If I don't stop here, I will gush like a fangirly ninny, and we don't want that. Gotta go read some more nice clean happy Gaiman before I have to go to class... *Snerk* Well, more Gaiman, anyhow.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:10 PM |

For everyone that needs to know (since my brother can't seem to remember from time to time): Learn2: tie a tie.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:17 PM |

Hi. Those of you that know me well enough to have me on your 'Q contact list can ignore the following.

If you want to contact me by ICQ, great. That's why the number's up there. HOWEVER: do NOT send me a 'Q message consisting solely of 'Hi! I'm here!', followed by 'How are you? I am fine.' WITHOUT providing at _least_ a nickname (that I may or may not recognize) and/or an email address. People identifying themselves with nothing but a number will be summarily ignored, because... No identifying properties always feels to me like you're trolling for something. Trust me, I'm probably NOT what you're looking for. It's worse than being an anonymous stranger in a bar -- in a bar, I could look you over and decide if I felt comfortable talking to you. This... Having a huge blank question mark talking to me makes me _very_ uncomfortable. Yes, I know one can't exactly glean much from a username and an email addy, but it's better than -nothing-.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:10 PM |

Wednesday, April 10, 2002

I have no idea why this chunk of RPS is going so slowly. Besides my whole 'does this sound stupid?' thing, which I struggle with no matter -who- I write. Blergle. Well, I -do- have a little more, which I will send off now. Then, off to sleep. *Yaaaaaaawn*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:11 AM |

Dear Bev,

 

Thank you for your letter. As a Concerned Woman of America, I am -so- glad to see you striving to make sure your sisters are kept informed of the evil lurking in our hallowed government halls.

I was pleased to learn that you, CWA, and CWA lawyers (all men, I hope) had taken on NOW, NARAL, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood... And won! Because, God knows (Bless Him!) that we canNOT have such things as personal freedoms, civil liberties, voter education, sexual-health education, the right to vote, or pesky little things like reading, writing, or equal pay for equal work cluttering up our little feminine brains. I have to work very hard at forgetting these things when I go out, because men don't like smart girls. I know I don't stand a chance of happiness in this world if I don't catch a man soon, so I have to use every advantage I can get.

Also, I was thrilled to learn that intolerance is alive and well in this country. I hadn't experienced any in months, so I was beginning to get worried -- after all, if people tolerate -me-, God only knows (Praise Him!) -where- it will stop. Liberals, homosexuals, lesbians, interracial couples, pokeeman fans, all abominations and heathens. They must be stopped, stomped out at all costs. Thank God (thank Him!) that -you- are heading up one of the right-thinking committees of this great country.

Lesbians have tried to convert me. I resisted their wiles, fleeing in terror. How long must us innocent 'straights' live in fear, for ourselves, our marriages, or children? My brother, my dear sweet brother with a gorgeous girlfriend and family designs on her future, got 'cruised' (hit on) by a MAN! In A RESTAURANT! The man was A WAITER! With ACCESS TO THE FOOD! This man also had 'body piercings'! In a FOOD SERVICE position!

Speaking of children, I plan on having as many as I can before my natural child-bearing years run out. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Bev, for pointing out that 'Ms' Clinton is now in Congress and threatening the future of my future offspring. The Good Lord Above has very real enemies here on Earth (where His will is very rarely done, sadly...), and -she- is definitely one of them! Trying to take my child-rearing choices from me, the vicious bitch! Trying to get that pro-homosexual movie shown in schools. There's no way in He** that -I- will let any of MY children see it! I don't even want to see it myself. I protested against Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddy's Roomate, along with Huck Finn, Catcher In The Rye, and The Little Engine That Could. Sadly, along with sex education (trying to get those darling, innocent, precious teens pregnant... where will it -end-?) and evolution, the liberals kept -all- of it in our schools.

I know that the dangers of 'Ms' Clinton are very, very real -- after all, my parents (God bless 'em) -divorced- during the waning years of the George Bush presidency -- when Clinton was beginning to gather real power! I grew up in a home WITHOUT A FATHER IN RESIDENCE. My brother (God bless him, too), whom I mentioned above, has had to be the man of the house. It hasn't worked too well -- I find myself listening to Heavy Metal (oh, Lord, forgive my sins!), watching movies full of sex and violence (though I try not to), and drinking large quantities of sugary soda. I have not yet turned to sex or drugs, not that I haven't been tempted. Thanks to the love of the Good Lord, the Bible, and my dear manly brother, I have avoided -those- deadly soul-traps.

I'm sorry, but could you please define 'radical social engineering'? Because that's a really big phrase full of really big words, and I'm afraid that I don't understand them. My brother is out, at the moment, so I have no man to interpret for me. The 'Beijing +5' conference... Well. Where to even _start_? I mean, those women in China should be -grateful- they have so many men to care for them! They should be pleased that they have none of these silly birth-control arguments to worry about, that they don't have to spend so much time in school (where they don't have any evolution taught! Good for Mao!). It's so -sad-, though, that they don't know the teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ, nor have heard The Good Word... Perhaps I can arrange a shipment of Bibles with my women's group at the carry-in supper tonight at church.

You know, I've always worried that left-wing politicians were anti-family. I already knew they were anti-God (poor da**ed souls... I'll have to remember to pray for them tonight, and get the girls to join me), and pro-worker. One thing that -truly- frightens me, however, is your statement that "[...] we need to work together to stop Hillary from having her way with us and our children [...]". It scares me because it implies that -she- is a lesbian herself (it wouldn't surprise me!), _and_ a PEDOPHILE! I realize that most male homosexual men are, but I only thought that female physical-education teachers liked young girls. Scary, scary stuff, Bev.

Bev, again, I must say thank you. You have brought to light the very real dangers that hide behind the fasa false front of respectability in the current government. It's amazing to me that the human race has come as far as it has, considering how much devilry is in most people in positions of authority. I look forward to reading your husband's book, so that I may more fully understand the real threat that 'Secular Humanism' presents. Of course, I may have to have my brother read it and explain it to me, but that's okay. We can fit in a chapter or two after our nightly Bible reading, while his fiancée Sarah and I do the mending and discuss baby names.

 

Yours in Christ, and planning to send as much cash to support the cause as I can afford, I remain,

Shannon M.

Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:29 PM |

Organizations Bev Makes Me Want to Support, Either Financially or Physically:

The National Organization Of Women, The American Civil Liberties Union, The UN's WomenWatch, Planned Parenthood, and the National Abortion and Reproductive rights League. These organizations are all in favor of promoting women, the rights of women, and the equality of women, particularly in countries that are less blessed than ours. Or in portions of -our- country that are less than blessed.

That's A Family! is the first video in the Respect For All series. This is no "pro-homosexual propaganda", this is called 'exposing children to the fact that, guess what? NOT EVERY FAMILY CONSISTS OF MOM, DAD, 2.5 KIDS and a DOG.' Grrrrr. My family is as much of a family now as it was before my parents divorced. You know what? It's -still- going to BE a family once my dad FINALLY marries Dory.

Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:07 PM |

Pumas do not have spots. Leopards and cheetas, -they- have spots. *Snort*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:47 PM |

Speaking of Bev! If you _really_ want to be frightened, check out her website (no link, lest they read their referrers and think I actually -support- them and their fear-based knee-jerk irrationalism): http://www.cwfa.org/ -- All you have to do is read their take on The National Day Of Silence (to protest the fact that a lot of gay/questioning teens can't/dont speak up due to the constant stream of verbal/physical harrassment they see, whether tacit or overt). I can't spend too long at the site because it makes me furiously crazy, to the point where I want to do something more unChristian than using the Lord's name in a letter like the one above. It makes me want to take a gun and hunt every member down and put them out of our misery. Can't they see that _THEY_, with their closed-mindedness, their fear and determination to legislate morailty so that we're all chivvied into straightjacketed little pigeonholes are the ones that are driving kids to try to kill themselves? Can they not see that their little tiny worldview will bring more misery, more hate and hideousness? They presume to tell us that THEY are people of God, are Godly and wonderful and sweet and swell, that THEY have nothing but the best in mind...

I don't recall Jesus ever saying "Love one another, EXCEPT those that fall into the following categories..." or "You can ONLY love those that agree with _this_ tiny little narrow strip of the populace, a majority of whom don't even know I exist, yet." or "In the future, only white, middle-class Americans will be My Chosen People, and they will be allowed to love one another, but only platonically, unless they're married, and even then it might be a little iffy. By the way, have I mentioned all of people that are supposed to be hated? Siddown, pie-faces, it's a long list." What version of the Bible have these people been reading, that Jesus said these things? What Bible have _I_ been reading, that I missed the fact that Jesus was a fat white middle-class American with no brain? What century do these freaks live in, and how come -they- all have the money and the power and the ear of the politicos?

...And how come they only had one victim of pornography listed on their site?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:02 PM |

I'm thinking about changing my layout.

And that I may not go to class tonight... M'head hurts, and I'm cranky. Fortunately, though, I don't have to decide right this second.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:34 PM |

Not going to class, as I still feel zombified. Bleah. But in other news, my archive link shoooould be back...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:12 PM |

Tuesday, April 09, 2002

So... What do you call it if it's not yet quite a crush, it's not really infatuation, and will never in a million billion quadrillion years be acted upon? There's This Girl... It always starts out that way, doesn't it? Feh. I always choose the wrong ones. At least this one has reached the age of majority. *Rolls eyes* I should go finish my smut.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:12 AM |

Smut-fear: does this sound stupid?

It can't possibly be worse than some of the drivel I've already read. Just -write- it, and worry later, if at all. Guh. I wrote _Mercy_ and _Grace_ having smutty fun, and -they- were younger!

Don'chya just -love- listening people talk themselves into something?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:22 AM |

I give up for right now. Basically, the dude who invented the time-change can rot in hell... And, by the by, if anyone wants to join my army of loyal converts, I have -plenty- of openings. First up on the schedule: getting organized. Second, overthrowing the world; third, abolishing the frigging time-change.

Blergle. Going to bed, yes, honest, promisepromise...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:39 AM |

Ooh, spiffy! Docs for two-thirds to about -half- of what you would pay in a store. They've got other brands, too, but I was distracted by the Docs.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:59 AM |

Dear Jiffy Lube,

Um, has it ever occurred to you that 'Lube It Or Lose It' may not be the -best- slogan your ad people have ever come up with? Amusing as all hell, oh yes, indeed. Open to dirty interpretation by those of us with our minds in the gutter? Yes indeedy.

Leaving you with something to think about, I remain...
a half-bubble off plumb.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:04 PM |

Things To Remember For Next Jaunt Out-Of-Doors:
- Minicassette recorder (put battery cover back on; wipe mouse effluvia off with damp cloth or sponge)
- No one else cares. About anything, whether it's parking properly, using turnsignals, or obeying rights-of-way laws. Especially the turn-signal thing.
- To tell Mme. Jean that there's absolutely no reason that she can't wear a subcultures clothing without becoming a member of said subculture; perhaps find samples of punk/goth rock she'd -like-
- Imitating large, upset cephalopods in traffic may lead to accidents, injuries to one's self or one's passenger(s), and possibly a ticket.

I think that's everything.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:30 PM |

Two things I want to remember to do, someday: 1) get my Casseopia fixed and 2) reserve/buy all of my funky domains. Possibly also 3) design logos for said domains.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:32 PM |

Some days, I wonder if pandas aren't -supposed- to become extinct. The point of successful evolution, after all, is to provide a robust species that can reproduce easily and whose infant mortality rate is relatively low... Pandas have a difficult time concieving, carrying to term, being maternal; they eat an incredibly nutritionally poor food. Their gene pool is extemely shallow (though that's probably due to predation than anything else). In short, they're not succeeding very well, in an evolutionary sense. Not that I'm -advocating- the _destruction_ of the remaining pandas, mind you -- just suggesting that perhaps they would have eventually gone the way of the dinosaurs in the grand scheme of things. *Shrug* I don't know, though. Maybe not.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:56 PM |

Monday, April 08, 2002

I don't feel -old-, exactly, but... More stunned, I guess, when I come across sites written by people born in the early eighties. Part of it is the poor quality of the writing, yes, but part of it is that they were born in the early eighties. They're only fourteen, thirteen, twelve... I think the part that surprises me is that -I- don't think of it as being all that long ago, but _they_ do.

Or something like that. I know what I mean, I don't know that I can -explain- it.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:53 AM |

Yasminda and Toulouse are getting along as well as ever. Toulouse is under my nightstand, and Yasminda is lying by my bed with her head right beside the nightstand. Of course, whenever Yasminda tries to get closer, Toulouse has a fit... Oh well. Progress is progress, no matter how slow. At least now Toulouse will pop right out from under the bed, or get down from the bookcase the second Yasminda goes outside.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:06 PM |

If I take a nap, I won't be able to sleep tonight... If I don't take a nap, I may not be able to function, later. Grrmph.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:28 PM |

YEEEEEEEEEEE! *Ahem* I mean, ooh, look what I figured out! *GRIN* *Bounce* I just recently (read: earlier this afternoon) figured out that ClarisWorks HomePage does _imagemaps_. This means that I can make fun little sidebar-image things, should I want to... Eeee, geeky joy abounds. Whee!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:13 PM |

Also, it is really, really, REALLY tacky to make and sell commemorative plaques with pieces of debris from disasters. That and it's -morbid-. Yuck.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:15 PM |

Sunday, April 07, 2002

Well, I couldn't do it. Going to sleep, now. Will have smut tomorrow... Later today, whatever.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:13 AM |

Mari! *Grin* Your post about the tiger cubs reminded me of Dreamworld, on the Gold Coast of Australia. Tiger Island, to be precise... I've always wanted to go to Australia, but even more so, now. They have new babies!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:12 PM |

I need no more clothing. However, I sure would -like- a MacGenius shirt, and a Hacker beanie, no propeller... (Not that I'm against propellers, really, but I like to keep the number of funny looks I get in the low double-digits.)
Posted by: Shannon M.: 2:45 PM |

'Sfunny. I understand that being online is an expensive proposition, and that hosting a very, very -very- popular website with lots of bells and whistles is even moreso.

However, I don't appreciate being teased into signing up for a supposedly 'free' account in order to access something, and then being told that, no, my -free- account won't get me to the thing I wanted to see, how about giving us some cash first? Or, here's an idea, mooch from your parents/friends! Hey, we're reasonable, get one of -our- partners to pay for it -- only catch is, you may have to give them money or get a credit card! Bah. Bah, I say. There are other sources for what I want to know, and IGN can go hang.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:55 PM |