Saturday, May 04, 2002

K/A Solstice up over on FicBits. Will post link to entire thing later, as I must take meds and sleep.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:57 AM |

G'night!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:02 AM |

Asking for help is one of the most odious things anyone has to do. No one wants to, because to do so would be to admit weakness, to say that you couldn't handle whatever alone... And so it is that people HATE to ask for help, no matter how badly they need it.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:33 AM |

The Kelvath/Avrath Solstice bit can be read in entirety over here. I just reread the bits from last night and I'm -still- happy with them, if not a little puzzled... But then, when have -any- of my characters ever handed me a well-written explanation of -anything-?
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:41 AM |

I think I need a new layout. Not that I don't love this one, but it's getting on to late spring/early summer, so...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:59 AM |

Friday, May 03, 2002

Now that I -finally- figured out that it was my browser and not Blogger that was causing me problems, I present: FicBits. You can find the results of my twenty-minute sessions there. I -do- plan to have some smut in there, so be warned. Or be excited, whatever.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:55 AM |

Well, I didn't manage to have my ideal writing day, due in part to my brother, who decided that because I'm home, I should help entertain him. *Grumple* Yeah, ooookay, whatever. I also didn't get my room cleaned up, or my laundry done, or my nails painted. What _DID_ I do? I finished my Tikka/Vis RPS for Mari! Yaaaaaay! I at least -feel- accomplished, if nothing else. I'll see what I can do after I get back from taking Mme. Jean home. Maybe some K/A And Puppies fun, or...? I -really- want to do something along the lines of The Continuing Adventures Of Kelvath And Avrath: The Mystery Of The Gilded Horse or something.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 1:58 PM |

Home, and amazed that more people -don't- get into accidents around here. Particularly because they're damned fond of changing lanes with little notice and at bad times -- in heavy stop-and-go traffic, just after crossing an intersection, for instance. *Rolls eyes* Yargh. I'll quit whining, now, and try to write some more. Honest.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 3:47 PM |

I need a graphics program that does layers. And isn't horribly expensive. I'm getting sick of looking at what everyone else considers to be 'small' and 'pretty' layouts that are neither.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:30 PM |

Oh, by the by -- the Killer Rhubarb is starting to come up... *Grin*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:27 PM |

Thursday, May 02, 2002

Well, that was fun. Sorta.

After that long post, yesterday, I started feeling bad. Really, _really_ -bad-. Why? Because I'm an idiot and I like my sweets more than I like real food with complex carbs and all that. So. After very nearly making myself miss-my-final ill, I was able to take Ev to class, pick up Mme. Jean and take her home, then come back and take a nap. I got up, puttered around a little, and headed off to my final... Which went much better than I expected/feared. I remembered things from the early part of the semester, talked about animals, answered -relavant- yes/no questions -and- expanded on my answers... It was good. _And_ I told Misawa-sensei that I'd enjoyed the class and hoped to take JPN201.

I gave Melody my contact info, she gave me hers... I didn't manage to get up the courage to give my info to The Girl. I'll see her around, though -- she lives over on this side of town, and I once saw her in the grocery store closest to my house. So...there's still hope, or something.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:24 PM |

So, this morning, I get up and spend all day doing Auction Stuff. I was very nearly late, however, because chapter fifteen of The Conscience of The King is up. Yaaaaay!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:29 PM |

I've been thinking about getting another small animal, recently. Small, like some guppies, or another parakeet. I was thinking that I'd have to rearrange my room, and find a way to cat-proof the bird-cage... Then Mme. Jean and I went to a local pet store so she could some crickets for her frog, and on the way out, I walked past a stand with a hanging cage. Bing! There's my solution to the cat-proofing problem. With guppies, I can just put a book on the lid or something.

The pet store also had a wonderful hedgehog, but it was $150! Ouch. A hedgehog would be perfect, though -- too pointy for either Yasminda or Tolouse to bother... Though I do have distressing visions of Yasminda whacking it with her foot, though.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 4:45 PM |

I...actually have nothing all that exciting to report. I may go to bed in a little bit... Or I may read. There's all that writing I've been meaning to do... Hmph.

Tomorrow, I will spend twenty minutes of every hour I am awake and not doing something I am obligated to do writing. I WILL. I WILL SET AN ALARM AND I WILL WRITE! *ahem*

...we'll see what happens.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:53 PM |

...I'm going to get more water, take my meds, and go to bed. G'night.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:53 PM |

Wednesday, May 01, 2002

Dearest Self,

Note: Peanut Butter M&Ms are not 'breakfast', you idiot.

Love,
Me.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:53 AM |

Slightly overcooked hotdog in a chewy/crunchy bun reminding me of days at the zoo; usually in winter -- slightly overpriced food but so hungry it doesn't matter, and it tastes _good_, right there across from the llamas and camels, just up from the reindeer/caribou and the glacier bear -- I want to go to the zoo, now, wander around and enjoy the animals and the fresh cool air and the fact that there are fewer people there now than any other time... I want to walk down around the corner and up to the big ancient birch that marks the confluence of two paths, right beside the tiger enclosure -- Siberians, these tigers, with their massive feet and frightening fascinating beautiful eyes. Turn around and go back, only veering off to the left and go past the Sandhill cranes, over the little wooden bridge (watch out for nesting swans), coming out right in front of the Dall sheep. Look for the ewe with only three legs -- she gets around just fine. Turn left, let your nose lead you -- horses? No, it's Maggie, the elephant. Maybe she'll be outside, playing in the pond or waiting for the guys with lunch to arrive... Or inside, watching a keeper fill her water trough with fresh, clean, cold water; or perhaps playing with her tire... Or the big chunk of tree that someone provided her with. Turn around, and watch the ducks, geese, and swans on the big pond... If the sun is right, and you lean out over the railing, you can see fish swimming around. Heading back past the sheep you get to the former polar bear exhibit, which is our future snow leopard exhibit -- how cool is -that-? The brown bears are beyond that, with a path that winds up through some alders and crosses a tiny creek, which I always want to spend hours staring at -- if I could get down to it, if I could shrink myself down to fairy-size, I could live there forever in the summer. The water is clear, the moss thick and green and perfect for tiny little people to lie on or sleep on or to build on...

I want to go to the zoo. And all because of a hot dog...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:07 AM |

Tuesday, April 30, 2002

Hi. I'd just like to clear something up, here -- I'm female. That's right: double-x chromasomes, no external plumbing, I've got bodacious (ha!) ta-tas and wonderfulness, I sit to go to the bathroom, the whole girly nine yards. And I hate my period, too, just to make it even more clear. So. If you happen to be a spammer, now you know -- DON'T send me any penis-enlarging crap. Or breast 'enhancement' stuff, either, for that matter. Thank you.

Also, if your product sells itself, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SPAMMING ME? *Ahem* I feel better, now.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:02 AM |

Guh. *Blinks at the clock* Aieeee! I have to get out of here. Ranting about someone else's doctor is going to have to wait. Oh dear.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:15 AM |

Whee. One whirlwind trip to the postoffice later, I am FINALLY home for the evening.

Watching 'Japan Video Topics', which is a clip show made up of fascinating news items about all kinds of things. This one is about a Recycling Expo, Candle Art, and Avoiding Auto Accidents. The Expo is nifty -- styrofoam into heating oil; spoiled food into animal feed, and a truck that reduces glass, plastic, aluminium and steel bottles and cans to far smaller pieces to save space... These are things -we- need, here. The candle art is candles used in various ways -- to light up cut-paper things, or to create atmosphere for a wedding party. My paltry description doesn't do it justice.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:24 PM |

...Er, all kinds of things going on -in Japan-. Just in case that wasn't clear.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:29 PM |

I'm hungry. And I have to go help my mother proofread something for work. Plus I'm going to through my flashcards.... Wuh. Just one more day, and it'll allll be over... Just one!
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:46 PM |

At what point does water stop being 'water' and becomes 'liquid mud'? Personally, the turbidity of the Sand River at the beginning of a flood is enough for me to file it under 'mud' rather than 'water'.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 6:57 PM |

It suddenly occured to me just how few of my characters wear neckties.

...Just because I'm sure you're all desperate to know that.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:21 PM |

Uh, Narrarator-dude? -I- know that Luminol on blood fluoresces under black light, also known as 'ultraviolet' light. *Rolls eyes* 'Alternate light source' my left toenail.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:24 PM |

Monday, April 29, 2002

Using my new old computer and missing Fiach... Why am I not using little Fiach, you wonder? Ah.

I am, as most of you know, a klutz. I trip over lint, I go reeling after I collide with dust, I am a menace to fine china and small children. What this means in terms of my laptop is that the AC adapter cord gets tangled around my feet, and I get up to do something (usually letting the dog out) and give said cord a sharp tug. This makes the shielding and power-carrying wires break, a little at a time. I used to be able to wiggle it around so that the battery would charge while I held the cable in place, but alas! Tonight it started making little blue sparks instead of happy green or orange light. So, the short answer is that the battery is dead and I have to go to CluelessUSA or somewhere similar to shell out for a new one. Maybe I can just get the yo-yo unit for slightly less than Apple wants for the whole deal...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:05 AM |

Today was the dog's happy birthday. She's ten, and feeling -so- much better...

I, on the other hand, am less than thrilled about my final on Wednesday. Eek.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:10 AM |

Mmm, the breakfast of champions: peanut butter and honey; meds; rocky road. And cat hair. Liquid-suspension Carafate tastes like amoxicillan, for the curious. Fortunately, unlike amoxicillan, and unlike the horsepills my previous perscription gave me, it doesn't make me sick.

It's really foggy and quite warm outside. Yay, melting snow! Boo, mucky mud and slowly-revealed mounds of trash... I tell you, springtime in AK (when it's 40 below... Oh, wait, wrong song) is damned -ugly-. If you're planning a trip up here, -don't- come in the spring. Come in very late spring and early summer, or in the fall -- it's still warm, and -much- prettier.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:50 AM |

*Giggle* Some of you have probably already seen this, but -- Yes Mistress cosmetics. *Blink* It's -expensive-, though... At least for me. For people that routinely drop a couple hundred dollars at Nordy's or Macy's of The Bon, it's probably pretty reasonable.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:55 AM |

Yargh. Having a brainfreeze and not yet having ventured out in search of power for Fiach -- Reesa, dear, as I have my fabric, should I send it to you C/O Mari, or direct to you? If the latter, I'll need your home address, which you can just send to my regular email -- I can access that from anywhere.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:13 AM |

You know... Blogging is just -blogging-. It's -not- some great intellectual exercise; it's not something one does because one is part of the literati/digerati; it's not a trend or a lifestyle or whatever. It's nothing to stress over, whether you feel bad about not doing it or you worry about doing it too much. It's not 'wanking', it's just something to do. Whether to kill time, or to help spread the word about the latest third-world crisis, or to show off your amazing collection of cheese links. Or, in my case, to record thoughts, feelings, random weirdness, and other daily events. Most of this is for _me_, and the two or three people that stop by on a regular basis that for some reason or another feel that what I have to say is interesting to them.

I'm not doing this because I feel I must somehow contribute to the online world -- if I did, I'd be involved up to my eyebrows with the EFF and Open Source and speak only in C++ and Perl. I'd -like- to contribute to the online world, but most of my l337 skillZ seem to be directed toward HTML tweakage. And I -like- it that way -- I can make my own pages work, I can provide tweaks for friends -- it makes me happy to do my own little thing. This blog? Mine, for me. I don't keep a paper journal any more, I don't want to and I don't need to. They never really satisfied me, anyhow; the audience was too limited when it came to the 'idea' portion of things. *Shrug* I like this medium just fine, and I see no reason to go around making it into something more than it is.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:41 AM |

Some day, just to prove how evil this keyboard is (and how poorly I can type at times), I should write a post and leave all the problems in.

Anyhow, I'm off to find power for Fiach and to take Ev to his class, among other things. I have little bits of Tikka-Marc-Vic floating around my head, h'ray. Hmm... Playoffs, The First Time Tikka Is Involved, music, that kind of thing.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:35 PM |

Good Lord but I _hate_ the song about feeling "...so alive and I think I can fly..." My brother -loves- it, of course, and has burned it to CD. Which he listens to while he showers. Which he is doing now. Of course. Grr.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:40 PM |

Okay,\\ this is going to be the mistake-riddled post. You've been warned.

,/_> On my To-Do list for sometime this week: repaint my nails, in a split-color scheme. Also: scanning and wrtign. I hate the i key on this keyboard, in cas ou wondered.

,/P>
MP<

Bleajh!@
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:51 PM |

There's nothing quite like coming home, skinning into one's pajamas, and knowing the only place that you have to go for the rest of the night is the grocery store. And that even -that- is optional. Heh.

I -so- did NOT want to have to buy a new powersupply at the Mac store, but I ended up having to go there. They gouged me -twenty- bucks on the price. Ouch. If I hadn't needed it -today-, I'd be less upset... Not that they charged me excessively on the basis of how much of a hurry I am in when I come in there, I know, but still.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:32 PM |

I have various cranky rants wandering around, but I think I'll go poke Tikka, Vis, Vic and Marc and K/A, instead. I did my Auction Thing, so I can do that, now...
Posted by: Shannon M.: 5:40 PM |