December 02, 2007

First Snow

Yahoo weather called it a "wintry mix" which is such bullshit. It's 21 degrees out and it's snowing. There's maybe half an inch so it's not too bad but it's supposed to snow or rain the rest of the week. I guess our happy little warm weather respite is over.

My cubemate Nadia is going to Aruba next week. Lucky biatch.

Sorry I haven't been blogging lately. I've been doing some posting on Surviving the Workday (look for the pictures of Spider's butt) but nothing really else has been happening lately. The reorg has sort of come to a screeching halt in that no one knows what's going on and they keep framing it as "we're giving people time to absorb the news." Meanwhile, they don't get that it's the suspense that's killing us.

I also finally told my boss a few weeks ago during my review that I would not be happy if my position turned into a mostly client facing role. Since that's the position I've been stuck in with the reorg, he was a bit taken aback. Now, since then he has helped me get out of at least one trip to the City to visit a client (we're doing a phone thing instead, something I am way more comfortable with, since I get lost very easily and as a consequence get actual panic attacks about going anyplace new... a little something few people know about me... also I do much better in non face-to-face things.)

I do love my boss. I surely will miss him. He's not super perceptive and can be very abrasive, but once you tell him what you enjoy and do not enjoy, he will have your back all the way. He will make sure to put you where you will excel. I'm hoping I can maybe transfer into his group or go into the QC side of things eventually.

Ooo! Ooo! Also, we've been having problems with the cafeteria at work. First off it is a candidate for Gordon Ramsay intervention (mmmmm... and he could take off his shirt...) The food sucks. Also there was a little roach infestation not too long ago. And before that, there was the fat chick with the crop tops and the belly fat hanging out.

Anyway, they are Putting Together a Committee to study the problem and make recommendations and I'm going to join. So that's pretty exciting. I'm going to have the inside scoop on a new vendor, and maybe I can convince them that having a world class cafeteria would be a selling point. Hell, we're a market research firm, I'm sure we've got some stats on that.

November 18, 2007

Pre-Holiday Burnout

I'm sorry I haven't been blogging much lately. I'm suffering from a sort of pre-holiday burnout among other things.

First, I got a cold from Hell that I'm now thinking was a flu. In fact, I saw an article somewhere about a new superflu that's killing people. I'm pretty sure that's what rampaged through this household. No joke, I was SICK for two weeks, then recovering for two weeks. Meanwhile, Jon caught it too and he's still hacking and coughing on occasion.

Then, my department started going through a re-org. Read more about it here.

And finally, Trevor is here for Thanksgiving and so the time-suckage of multiple family dinners has started. Everyone will be here this year except Chris and Sophie Luckily, everyone is leaving on Friday for some reason, and so I feel a guilty pleasure over not having to give up my four day weekend.

Unfortunately, the kids in the family have struck upon this brilliant idea of, well, we don't know each other very well anymore, so let's give each other things that WE like in order to share our tastes and interests. Um, thanks, but I'd rather have something I want. Especially since Chris actually did this two years ago and I still haven't unwrapped the tedious foreign films that are taking up space on my shelf. If you don't know me well anymore, why don't you talk to me and get to know me? Otherwise, I'm giving you all Tori Amos CD's for Christmas. Aren't you thrilled?

November 10, 2007

Ha ha, Mr Phelps

The "gay hawks" are ignoring you!

1951426088_b20501ac5e

November 09, 2007

HOLY SHIT

Fp_2My favoritest hypocritical assholes in the whole entire universe are picketing a Tori Amos concert: http://www.westborobaptistchurch.com/schedule.html

So, God hates fags, and apparently, He hates Tori Amos as well. He has suuuuuuuuch bad taste.

October 30, 2007

Twelve

Twelve.

October 29, 2007

Eleven, dear God, eleven

Spider has pretty much broken all records on bird consumption this year. At least he wasn't hungry for dinner. So there's that savings.

I could deal with it so much more if he didn't always leave the feet. Shudder.

October 22, 2007

Ack, ack, ack

Read Steph's reporting on the fire that almost burned their home to a crisp here. (two posts so far) I really was not expecting this sort of news when I woke up this morning.

Also, I'm very glad we don't live in SoCal anymore (or NorCal, for that matter.) Though, apparently this is a hurricaine year.

October 20, 2007

Step A Does NOT Necessarily Lead to Step B

  We have a leak in our roof that's been around since we moved in and we haven't fixed it since eventually, we plan to build upwards and that will fix the problem. Friday night, there was a REALLY heavy rainstorm so some new leaks sprung up:

Water_bowls

Actually, the white bowl on the far left is cat water. The grayish area next to it is a pitcher that was pressed into use.

However, this is merely annoying, and not a prelude to us sinking. But it looks like this guy at the next marina over should have set out a few bowls on his yacht:

Sunken_boat_2

Note that this is low tide. Normally, all we can see is the mast. Full disclosure, since I know hubby will grumble, this yacht actually sank about a week ago in another storm. I'm compressing time, see, for dramatic effect.

And, a few other pictures I took today:

Fishies

If you squint really hard, you will see the huge school of itty bitty fishies lurking just beneath the surface. This school must have been about 20 feet in diameter. I was watching them out the bathroom window as I was checking the hose Jon was using to pump out the sewage water from the bilge.

Yes. Again.

Sigh. Spider almost fell out the bathroom window, which has no screen and is right over the water. I think he was hungry.

The boat behind us in the next marina over was a MESS about a year ago. I took this picture of it:

Sunset_view

It's the one with the round portals and the planks stacked on the roof. Just look at it now:

Makeover

And let me tell you, it's gorgeous inside. The guy bought it for under $20k and it's probably worth at least $65k now. One bedroom, full kitchen and bath and living area. He completely gutted it and redid the floorplan. We saw it about six months ago when it was halfway done and even from that, it was really nice.

And, because you can never have enough kitty pictures, here is Spider, the Birdie Killing Spawn of Satan:

P1010178

October 18, 2007

Eight

Spider is now up to eight birds. Eight DEAD birds.

Must. Bell. Evil. Demon. Cat.

October 16, 2007

I'm an important person now!

I've just become a guest blogger/contributor to one of my favorite websites, Surviving the Workday. Come to find that writing about spiritual issues is a hell of a lot more controversial than I thought. I mean, it's not like I'm advocating a jihad or protesting at military funerals a la Fred Phelps.

But it's nice to stretch my, whatevers, my writing muscles a bit and actually think and stuff. I'm one of those mouthy, inconsiderate sorts so writing with empathy and compassion is a new one for me. Should be fun.

My Photo

Le Grand Spectacle Matrimonial

  • 1 View from our window
    In which Holly and Jon shell out $4000 to eat foie gras with obscenely wealthy French people and vow that next time, they will stay home and eat pizza instead.

Behold the Hideous Glory of Our New Home

  • Entrance to pirates of the caribbean
    Be afraid. Be very afraid. Abusive carpet clash is just one example of the decorating style of one Patricia X. Continue if you dare, and see such wonders as the mysterious alien plant, the fridge canopy, and the thing wot lurks in the cupboard!

In Which I Blather Pretentiously About Brilliance

  • Patrick Rothfuss: The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One)

    Patrick Rothfuss: The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One)
    This book has gotten a lot of rave reviews. Not sure if it's the greatest book of the century like they say, but I still loved it. The characters are absorbing, as is the world. Even if the story is a bit slow, it still held my interest until the end and I can't believe how long I'll have to wait for the sequel. (*****)

  • Sharon Shinn: Mystic and Rider

    Sharon Shinn: Mystic and Rider
    Not nearly as good as the Archangel trilogy, but she's a good writer. Let's just say this book has great characters and a generic storyline, but it still kept me reading. There are more in the series, I have a feeling there will be at least 4. (***)

  • Lynn Flewelling: The Bone Doll's Twin (Tamir Trilogy, Book 1)

    Lynn Flewelling: The Bone Doll's Twin (Tamir Trilogy, Book 1)
    Totally chilling and well written, this trilogy is a coming of age story about a princess who is magically disguised as her dead twin brother to protect her from a usurper who is going around killing all possible female heirs. Oh yeah, and her dead brother haunts her in the form of a demon, she is protected by a witch and two magicians, and since she has no idea she is a girl she can't figure out why she is so attracted to her (male) best friend. One of my new favorite authors. (*****)

  • Anne Bishop: The Black Jewels Trilogy
    Pair this one with Kushiel's Dart and you've got a nice little S&M fest on your hands. I gave them both to my SIL for Christmas. I'm sure Freud would have something to say about that. Nonetheless, this is high quality, gripping trash. (****)
  • Juliet Marillier: Daughter of the Forest

    Juliet Marillier: Daughter of the Forest
    Retelling of ancient Celtic legend of the swans is a nice read. A little one-dimensional but better than most. (***)

  • Sherwood Smith: Wren to the Rescue

    Sherwood Smith: Wren to the Rescue
    Cute trilogy, about an orphan girl who finds out her best friend at the orphanage is a princess. Kidnappings, evil sorcerers, shapechanging, and burgeoning awareness of magic ability as metaphor for sexual awakening... can't go wrong with that formula. (***)

  • Sharon Shinn: Archangel

    Sharon Shinn: Archangel
    Quite possibly the best romantic sci fi book about angels falling in love with humans I ever read. Okay, the only one... until I read the rest of the series. Check out her other books, too. (****)

  • Robin McKinley: Sunshine

    Robin McKinley: Sunshine
    I'm halfway through this and loving it. Her paragraphs are annoyingly long but it's a truly absorbing story. Not to spoil anything, but don't trust everything you think about it in the first few pages. (***)

  • George R. R. Martin: A Game of Thrones

    George R. R. Martin: A Game of Thrones
    I long resisted reading this one, and now I'm eagerly awaiting the fifth book in the series. Book four was kind of blah. but I have high hopes. So long as he brings back the dwarf and the wolf boy that is. (*****)

  • Jacqueline Carey: Kushiel's Dart

    Jacqueline Carey: Kushiel's Dart
    Okay, so you've got this courtesan, and she totally gets off on pain. Sounds kind of ick... but then there's this monk who wields dual swords, and a Gypsy prophet, and a beautiful and sadistic villian... once I got past the first hundred pages of flagellations, it was the best book I've read in years. (*****)

  • Tori Amos and Ann Powers : Tori Amos: Piece by Piece

    Tori Amos and Ann Powers : Tori Amos: Piece by Piece
    It saddens me to give anything by Tori Amos such a low rating, but this book needed an editor. Very smart, extremely well read, spiritually strong and very insightful, but Tori has a tendency to meander a bit, plus she comes off as sort of a crazy treehugger. Not that there's anything wrong with that. (***)

  • Istvan Banyai: Zoom

    Istvan Banyai: Zoom
    One of my favorite kid's books. The illustrations remind me of something I once saw but I can't remember what. It's like a tickle at the back of my head. (*****)

  • Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

    Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
    This book reminded me why I like Jane Austin, which is weird. A long slog, and in the long run not as memorable as I would want, but it should make a spectacular movie and it was hysterically funny in many places. (*****)

  • Azar Nafisi: Reading Lolita In Tehran

    Azar Nafisi: Reading Lolita In Tehran
    This is the kind of book that's beloved by people who say "litra-chure" a lot. I found it draggy and repetitive, although it was interesting when she spoke of the Iranian revolution and the horrors of the regime. Nonetheless, left me feeling that I'm just not intellectual enough. (**)

  • Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash

    Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash
    One of my favorite books. Hey, how can you go wrong with a pizza delivery guy named Hiro Protagonist, martial arts, a floating community of pirates, and a skateboarding 15 year old chick with an attitude problem? (*****)

  • Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon

    Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon
    I can't believe I didn't add this to my list before. Don't bother with the rest of the series, he needs to start listening to his editor. But if you can get through this book you will feel like a genius. It's a great read. (*****)

  • Cornelia Funke: Inkheart

    Cornelia Funke: Inkheart
    I think she's a better writer than JK Rowling (maybe not storywise, but just pure literary pleasure) but not as good as Philip Pullman. I just bought the sequel to this--Inkspell. (****)

  • Barbara Kingsolver: The Poisonwood Bible

    Barbara Kingsolver: The Poisonwood Bible
    I reread this because everybody says they hated it, and I don't recall hating it. It's okay until the last third which should have just gone away. Also the preacher dad seems a cardboard character. But the voices of the five women are wonderfully drawn. (**)

  • Anna Quindlen: One True Thing

    Anna Quindlen: One True Thing
    Read this and weep. How can one person be so insightful and true? Also the most depressing book I've ever enjoyed. (***)

  • Neil Gaiman: Sandman:The Wake

    Neil Gaiman: Sandman:The Wake
    This is the series that got me into graphic novels. I love the iluustrations in this one. I think it's Michael Zulli. (*****)

  • Philip Pullman: The Golden Compass

    Philip Pullman: The Golden Compass
    I'm thinking of naming my daughter Lyra, but then MIL would kill me since she thinks it's supposed to be Caroline. NO, I'm not pregnant. Shut up. (*****)

  • Elizabeth Kostova: The Historian

    Elizabeth Kostova: The Historian
    I think I finally figured out why I both enjoyed this book and wanted it to end. Enjoyed: the buildup of tension, the wonderful settings. Got bored by: the repetition, and the fact that all of the characters seemed alike and I didn't much care for any of them. Then again, I didn't like "Dracula" either, for the same reasons. (***)

  • Shirley Jackson: Life Among the Savages

    Shirley Jackson: Life Among the Savages
    You would not expect it, but Shirley Jackson is a really damn funny woman. See also: Raising Demons. (*****)

  • Robin Hobb: Assassin's Apprentice

    Robin Hobb: Assassin's Apprentice
    This is a three part trilogy, in that there are three sets of three books. This series made my husband not talk to me for a full week. Quote: "Can't talk. Reading." (*****)

  • Garth Nix: Sabriel

    Garth Nix: Sabriel
    A trilogy about a world divided by a wall. On one side, magic. On the other side, technology. Sabriel is the Abhorsen, who puts dead souls to rest. Totally cool, and definitely no mere kids series. (****)

  • Neil Gaiman: American Gods: A Novel

    Neil Gaiman: American Gods: A Novel
    One of my favorite books of all time. (*****)

  • Neil Gaiman: Anansi Boys : A Novel

    Neil Gaiman: Anansi Boys : A Novel
    Finally read it. Not as good as American Gods, but an enjoyable read and funny in all the right places. (****)

  • Gregory Maguire: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

    Gregory Maguire: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
    The rest of his books don't seem to work very well--a bit too literary and pretentious. But I loved this one. It even has a twist ending. (****)

  • Angela  Carter: The Bloody Chamber

    Angela Carter: The Bloody Chamber
    More in the retold fairytale vein. The one about Little Red Riding Hood ("The Company of Wolves") was made into a movie by the guy who did "The Crying Game." (***)

  • Gregory Maguire: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

    Gregory Maguire: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
    This guy has great metaphors, and I love it when familiar stories are retold. See also: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, by same/The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. (****)

Stuff for You to Scoff At

  • Tori Amos -

    Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes
    My favorite album of all time. Confessional and haunting. Most people dismiss her as fairy chick music, but you don't need to wear floaty long skirts and giggle a lot (or be a gay man, though I'm sure that helps) to listen to her. (*****)

  • Tori Amos -

    Tori Amos: Scarlet's Walk
    A more recent album and my second favorite. Recommended: Listen to this while on a road trip, and read American Gods while you're doing that. (*****)

  • Peter Murphy -

    Peter Murphy: Deep
    I'm a goth chick at heart. This album reminds me of my paler days. It makes me think of razor blades. But that's a good thing. (****)

  • Toad the Wet Sprocket -

    Toad the Wet Sprocket: Bread and Circus
    Santa Barbara boys. I once sold the lead singer a bunch of William Gibson books. He's cute. The music is great, too. (****)

  • Katell Keineg -

    Katell Keineg: Jet
    Her second album. Beautiful, insightful music that is never forced. Please play "One Hell of a Life" at my funeral, thanks. (*****)

  • Amanda Ghost -

    Amanda Ghost: Ghost Stories
    Some of it is ho hum, but the first track kicks ass. (***)

  • Vienna Teng -

    Vienna Teng: Waking Hour
    Can you tell I like chick music? Yeah, yeah, whatever. (***)

  • Kate Bush -

    Kate Bush: The Hounds of Love
    Okay, so what I really like is weird music, okay? (*****)

Sites to Visit When You're Bored

  • LOLSecretz
    The perfect marriage of my two favorite web memes: LOLcats and PostSecret.
  • Fark.com
    My new addiction. Check out the ballsack conundrum, photoshop threads, and the one about the streetlight.
  • pamie.com
    She wrote a really funny book called Why Girls Are Weird. She writes a really funny blog.
  • xkcd
    Utterly bizarre and brilliant web comic. Makes me feel stupid sometimes, even. I like that.
  • Go Fug Yourself
    Because you can never see too many scary pictures of Paris Hilton in formal shorts.
  • Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Novels
    I really only read this because they love to snark on bad romance covers. Which was my favorite pastime when I worked at a bookstore. I don't love trashy novels, I swear. But I am a smart bitch.
  • Wide Lawns and Narrow Minds
    Insanely funny blog by a woman who works for an HOA in Florida, and the wacky hijinks of the rich, entitled, freakishly eccentric people that live there. I kid you not, this is going to be the next breakout hit TV show. It has to be.
  • Television Without Pity
    If you miss your favorite show and there's no hope of bitTorrent, go here. And if you see your favorite show, and wish to relive it, and mock it, in perpetuity, go here too.
  • homesick home
    I honestly can't remember how I found this blog. But she's exactly the kind of mom I would be if I had non-furry kids. Surly, haphazard, and somehow still manages to get it done.
  • Velcrometer
    Discovered this guy's blog through Television Without Pity, he does the recaps for 24. And his life is just as funny as his recaps.
  • McSweeney's Internet Tendency
    I can always find something on here to make me laugh until snot comes out my nose. Try http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/newfood/ for a start.
  • Museum of Food Anomalies
    Satanic tomatoes. Bunnies sprung to life from fried eggs. Screaming pancakes. Need I say more?
  • Killer Bunnies
    Best. Game. Ever.
  • PostSecret
    This site is tragic, funny, horrifying, and real. I am convinced that I could create a really awesome creative writing class based solely on this site. Updated every Sunday.
  • A Dent In The Tori Amos Net Universe
    Obviously, a crucial web site for me. You may find it a little frightening.
  • Etiquette Hell
    If you stare at the flames too long, everything turns green.
  • Mental Drippings
    I wish I were this funny. I'm convinced I am the woman he wants to marry. Too bad I'm taken. Also he's kind of scary and right wing, but in a funny way. It would be like marrying my Dad, and that's wrong.
  • Get Fuzzy
    One of the best comics ever. It's got a surly cat, a stupid dog, and a guy named Rob who has funny hair. It makes me happy.
  • Neil Gaiman's Online Journal
    He's my favorite writer, and he has this journal, and it's funny and has lots of interesting insight into the trade.
  • James Lileks--The Bleat/Institute of Official Cheer
    Disgusting decor, nasty, alien-like food, and an online journal that has become far too screedy for my tastes, but you can get lost for hours in this site.

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