Roast cherry tomatoes – when dropped from waist height to the floor – go splot…

<grrrr> Well that was fun. Went outside to feed the piggles and found they'd escaped from their cage. Not sure if they'd been 'helped' or not, the brick holding the catbox up against the bulk of the enclosure had been pushed to one side and the catbox itself moved. Hm. Could've been a dog – with the back fence still down (nope, it's not been repaired yet) it's possible one of the little beasts could've got in.
In this instance I was glad of the hip-high grass in the backyard, it meant the piggles didn't have to go far to look for shelter (heh, they were lurking around the mandarin tree 6 inches away from their cage) which made them easier to find and catch.

<astonished> Fed the cubs some pumpkin mashed in with potato tonight and they ate the lot! Cor! I don't doubt the lashings of grated cheese in the mix didn't hurt, either.

Counted all the bits of the 2nd quilt into neat, row-sized bundles and at the end there was none missing, or left over. Hoorah!

The school has put up metal roofs over the walkways around the portable classrooms. With summer coming on the extra shade will be more than welcome. As a bonus the new, temporary school now has more parent-shelters than the old one did.

For ages I've been craving Honey Smacks, a sticky-sweet breakfast cereal from years ago. The closest available substitute is something called Honey Weets (different company, I think) but I've resisted buying them cos a: they're full of suger, and b: they're reaaally expensive. But, I succumbed the other day…
Gee, they're yummy. : ) I've been enjoying them immensely.
It'll probly be a while before I indulge myself again, but at least I know they're close to what I remember the taste of the original cereal to be.

Well, okay, yes, I have been writing a sort of LoTR fanfic and to do it I've been using a style of language that's much different to what I normally use. It's been remarkably easy to fall into the cadence though. As Joules said, this older form of English is beautiful, rich and very descriptive and it's a pleasure to work with. I couldn't see it meshing well with something like Dystopia but there's a couple of fantasy type scenarios pending – I could try using it there, see how it feels…
But then again, I've seen older styles of language used in modern, or futurisitic plots and settings and they combined brilliantly. Hm…

Ahah! Found a copy of Matrix – Reloaded for less than half-price in a department store sale. I'll nip in and put a copy on lay-by later this week. : )
Couldn't find a copy of The Two Towers anywhere though. Tch.

The cubs and I went to soulsis' over the weekend so I could look after all the bratlings while soulsis ran around attending meetings and conferences and getting stressed. It wasn't too bad, actually. The children are all old enough now they don't need constant supervision (and they can make their own breakfast and sandwiches) so I was left to my own devices for a good deal of the time. Got a lot of sewing done… (Could've managed a wee bit more writing than I did but I'd forgotten my ear-plugs.)
Slept in both mornings though, horribly. The problem is that soulsis has curtains on her bedroom windows and I don't. I usually wake up when it's light and go to sleep when it's dark. That normally works for me but when – because of the curtains – it's dark all the time… <g> Ooops.
And finally, soulsis found me a gorgeous purple plush gold-fish! It's got a fantail! So cute!

(… okay, this is 'finally')
On Friday night as we were trying to puzzle out how soulsis' digital camera worked, I inadvertanly made 3, 10 second movies of KittenKong. Hee. I thought I was taking a still picture, but the camera was on the wrong setting… Live and learn, eh, live and learn.

(And an addendum: the owner of the property adjoining ours at the back, just came round about the fence. We've given her the contact number for the estate agent so she'll be dealing with them. Funnily enough she used to rent our house 4 years before we did. Heh.)

<grumble> It's happened again - Joules has written something engrossing enough to make me want to play in the universe as well. I stress that this is not a Tolkien fanfic I'm writing, but another JAT derivative fic... about elves, gods help us all. <sigh> Flight and Fancy, Alliance Chronicles, Haadri and now LoTR slash. <assumes melodramatic Elrond-pose> I'm doomed! DOOMED!
But it is fun, it's always fun. : )

Trotted off to class this morning, all psyched-up for the revision test (the actual, counting-towards-my-marks test is next week) to discover that – ready for this? – the huge wad of revision exercises I’d completed on the weekend was the test paper. <rolls eyes> Oh well at least I got to go home early…

Finished the next Dystopia chapter! In a day! (It's titled 'Bitch', and been posted already, thank you, Joules. : )
It’s only short, but still it’s been a while since I’ve been able to have something finished so quickly. And, I think, it’s the penultimate chapter. Leading on from this one I can tie up several of my story threads in the next. Heh. Then apart from a few one-offs that are essentially side-stories, the bulk of this universe is done with. Unless some other, involved plot-line wheedles its way into my consciousness.
Hm, might look to finishing Elga next.

glochidate: (botanical) barbed at the tip. [from the Greek; glokhidion - arrow head.]

Isn’t that a cool word?

OkapiPrincess sent me this. (Wait for the pictures to load.) As she said in the email – not quite sure what’s going on but it’s good for a giggle. They look like a happy family to me and I love the bunny suit… : )

Right, unless I've miscalculated again - not an impossibility - now I should have all the pieces for the second quilt.
And I didn't set foot inside a shop to do it. : ) See, there are advantages to having a stash of material...

Aaaand Joules is writing a sequel to Hidden Hero. (Power to the people! Ask - or drop pointed hints - and ye shall receive.) Two paragraphs into the snippets and I was already sniffling, tch. She's promised me more lemon this time though I still don't think it'll end up counting as a PWP. Hee - don't care, I just want Horse Lord smut!

Okay, so I'm rubbish at maths. I don't actually have all the pieces ready for the 2nd quilt, I'm 70ish short. Ooops. Oh well, that means I'll have to go find some more material - tra la la. (In all probability I can make up the number from the material I've already got but it's so much fun material shopping...)

Soulsis was sposed to come around today but the weather was icky so she couldn't. I wasn't idle though, got done all the homework and revision I need for next week's test on the solitary subject I took this semester. I have a talent for filing, it seems, not sure what that says about me. That I have an ordered mind, perhaps? Hah! Not from where I stand.

My latest AC is finished and posted. (Thanks, Joules!) I'm quite pleased with it, for a change.
This series is definitely winding down. Sad in a way but the stories have just about played themselves out. It's been good, though, very satisfying. The characters have all become real to us over the time - I've fallen in love with half of them! I've learnt a lot, also, about fiction writing and I have to thank Joules for that. : ) Don't think I'd have had the courage to tackle my own stuff without her encouragement.

And hey, the lounge-room's still clean. Neat, eh?

To quote Kenny Everett (in a high-pitched, overly campy voice):

"Oh, wot a day I've had..."

The car's brakes have been squealing for the past week, having been worn down to the metal. The cubs' father had an attack of 'Y' chromosome and decided to fix them himself so he dropped the cubs and I off at their school this morning then trotted (screeched) off to get the parts. While he was doing that I puttered around the shopping centre paying bills and staring wistfully at the neat stuff I can't afford before heading home on the bus.
So far so good.
Now, to complicate matters, the school was having its annual prep-grade 3 dinner this evening which was due to start at 5. The car wasn't anywhere near fixed by mid-afternoon so I nobly suggested I could take the bus to meet the cubs after school, which meant - because of the dinner thing - there was no point us coming home by bus cos we'd have to pretty much head straight back out. So I had to keep the cubs amused for an hour or so before they were due back at school. <rolls eyes> Cue milk-shakes and 'oooh'ing at the interactive Neopets in the shops. Was I having fun yet? What do you think...?
Got the cubs back to school on time, just as their father texted me to say the car was fixed. Hoorah! Headed back to the shopping centre full of hope that I could go and see a movie.
<grumble> Cubs' father had prior plans so he couldn't pick the cubs up so I couldn't stay to see the movie. And I had to get the bloody bus home again! Was in such a bad mood I stamped off to get fish and chips and lollies for dinner and ended up with a stomach-ache. And then as I was heading out to pick the cubs up in a car whose brakes were technically fixed but not exactly safe (3 inches of dead air before you get anything approaching stopping power is not safe) it started to rain. No, actually it pissed down and we all got soaked.
But the cubs had a good, fun evening and at least the car doesn't sound like it's unroadworthy (so we're not as likely to get pulled over and canaried) but damn, I'm tired...
Can I stop now?

Heh, well I've got all the pieces I need for the 2nd quilt cut out ready to go...
I've noticed that when I'm buying material I tend to go for florally patterns over geometric every time, no matter what the colours.

It's the time of year when all the pretty-shiny calendars start appearing in the shops. I've already got myself a mini one with Australian frogs but I'm keeping an eye out for a chicken one. Haven't seen any yet but there was a really cute guinea pig calendar. As I was cooing over looking at the pics I couldn't help thinking it'd be so much easier to take photos of piggles. They tend to stay where you put them, unlike rats who're very 'ooo, whatya doing? What's that? Bored now, I'm going over here...' <bg>

I had a lovely dream the other night. The household (as is) moved into a new house. A huge, old, creaky colonial thing we have a lot of in Victoria. It was lovely! Decorative pressed tin ceilings, springy floorboards that needed restumping, clean, fresh paint. We essentially moved into a set of rooms at one end of the house leaving several enormous ballroom-sized rooms empty at the other end. I felt so light there, it was almost like I was flying as I zipped about exploring rooms, opening doors, making all sorts of fascinating discoveries (the attic had a big slot-car racing track, intricately landscaped like you find with train sets.)
<happy sigh> This isn't the first time I've had a dream like that. Wouldn't it be lovely if I found a house in reality that had the same sort of vibe as the ones in my dreams?

Heh, The Two Towers was on telly night before last and for the first time ever I managed to stay awake during the Lothlorien bit. I kid you not, I've seen the movie twice before (at the cinema and on dvd) and both times I fell asleep just as the party was stumbling into the wood. Was quite surprised to see Haldir...
Speaking of which...
<grumbles at Joules> A PWP you said! Hidden Hero is not a pwp - by definition! Yes there was a little bit of elf-smut but there was also a plot! One that'll keep me thinking (and sniffling sadly) for days yet.
Hm, I spose it's something like the difference between pornography and erotic art, the first merely arouses or titilates, the second engages your emotions.
<grumbles some more> Yes, that was a compliment...

OkapiPrincess has once again saved my sanity. I was wondering about the origins of a quote I tend to use a lot, "life's rich pageant" but neither I nor Joules could find anything online. I thought it was a line from something Shakespeare wrote but I was wrong.

"The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations attributes the phrase to Arthur Marshall, British journalist and former schoolmaster, 1910-89, who said, in 'The Games Mistress,' a recorded monologue from 1937: 'What, knocked a tooth out? Never mind, dear, laugh it off, laugh it off; it's all part of life's rich pageant.'"

So there you go. Thanks, Okapi!
Now, does anyone know where the 'life's rich tapestry' quote comes from?

There's been a lot of heavy, consistent rain over the past few days and unfortunately it looks like we've developed another leak in the roof. It's in the middle of the lounge room ceiling, smack-bang between the light fixtures. And I don't like the spongieness of the floorboards around the toilet, there's probly a leak there too. <sigh> I suspect this house is going to fall down around our ears sometime soon - I'd rather not be here when it does.

Ah, Duel Master, (another one of those animated half-hour commercials, like YuGi Oh) is owned by Wizards of the Coast. The crass commercialism makes so much more sense now...

One of my cubs lost another of his teeth, the second in a few months. His brother, who hasn't lost any teeth for ages, wanted to 'borrow' it so he could get the money from the tooth-fairy. <shakes head> I suggested we hang onto the tooth until 2nd cub looses one of his own then they can both be given to the tooth-fairy at the same time.
Then I hid the tooth - out of sight, out of mind. :)

Got half-way through my next AC and then realised the events I was writing about didn't fit within the timeline. Cue banging head on desk. Okay, I can wrestle the dates, squoosh them so they fit with only a little bit of rewriting needed for the chapter.
Not a total cock-up then. Heh.

Made a deal with the cubs today that if they helped clean up the lounge room, and had it done before a certain time, we could do something interesting for dinner.
<g> Wot a surprise, they chose Smorgy's. But it meant I didn't have to cook so I'm not complaining too loudly.
Wonder if I can offer them the same deal for their bedroom?

Heh, tomorrow (November the 5th) would've been my 11th wedding anniversary. Funny how some things work out, isn't it?

Saw something very cool on a garden makeover program that was showing while I was waiting to renew my drivers license - big terracotta plant pots shaped like snail shells! I want some! (And comparing the photos on my old and new license it appears I've lost some weight but I'm not as happy. :)
After dealing with that I snuck off to one of my favourite fabric shops that was having a sale. Ok, perhaps I was a little incautious with my money but I did get what I went there for as well, which was the batting for my quilt.
Hee, now I've got no excuse not to get on with it.

You know, if people were more accurate typists I wouldn't have anywhere near as many interesting words on my typo list. I use this list when I'm stuck for non-standard names or words - it's invaluable!
Here's some of my favourites:

camelflagued.
quitre
chirtle

... and my all-time favourite that sounds like a Mexican masked wrestler:

Roflamo

<g>
(Please don't anyone use these cos they'll likely find their way into something I do.)

The Golden Arches of Doom have just finished a run of mini plush Neopets, the toys that went with their <snort> 'happy' meals. The cubs loved them though, and thanks to their father mangaged to get a full set each. I have to admit the critters were very cute - I liked the Techos in particular but why colourful little lizards would be appealing I just can't guess.

(The cubs and their father share one very annoying trait, that of calling me to see something/what they're doing right when I'm in the middle of something myself. Grrr, I think it's the expectation that I'll drop whatever it is I'm doing and rush over to them that aggravates me more than anything else...)

A funny thing happened to me in the fish-shop on Cup Day evening. The telly was tuned to one of the commercial channels news broadcast and I saw the female news anchor was wearing something that looked like an aggregation of insects in her hair. That'll be a nod towards 'Cup Day Fashion' I thought, rather cynically, then I noticed what was behind her. To be fair I didn't catch the very beginning of the broadcast, nor could I hear what was being said but I really hoped the channel wasn't trying to pass off the footage of a bright, sunny Racecourse teeming with people as 'live' footage cos sure as cupcakes by that time of the day Melbourne had been grey and wet for hours.
So, I emailed the details to Media Watch a program that examines the 'innacuracies' our media baffles us with. Should be interesting to see what/if they have anything to say about it.

Soulsis, Niki and I had an interesting discussion on Tuesday as well, about taking allll the kidlings out of school for a couple of weeks, or a few months, and doing a road-trip either interstate or around Australia. That'd be amazing! But it'd cost a fair bit and would need some serious organising. <bg> Fortunately Niki's good at that sort of thing.
The idea of a short trip to Tasmania end of next year has been put forward though and I think that would be a great start. :)
We shall see, I guess, we shall see...

Heh, it was a public holiday today because of the Melbourne Cup and I still don't know which horsie won the race...
Had fun though, the cubs and I went to Niki's for a barbecue with Soulsis and her chicks. It rained heavily (we were watching the nearby creek rise) and it briefly blew up a storm but by then all the food had been cooked and we could eat inside.
Soulsis gave me some material! A good length of a rich, plain purple fabric, and <happy squeak> another piece of purple with silver stars! I have plans for those.

Sort of started the next AC this morning before going out - basically getting some things straight in my mind. This'll be another 'fill-in' chapter, as it's not directly connected with the main story arc, but it'll bring a few characters satisfactorily up to date...

Ahhh, the Aquarium is always so much more fun when it's not crowded...
The cuttle fish were very active today, squishing their tentacles right up against the glass, and we watched the widdle dumpling squid (1 1/2 inches long) hunting brine shrimp. So cute! So fast! Didn't see the water rat at all but more of the tadpoles are growing legs and the froglets are definitely getting bigger. Very pretty, too, the froglets are, browns and greens and gold. :) I want some!
Had a couple of go's on the Aquarium's latest 'interactive entertainment' (ie: you watch a movie while getting thrown around on a hydraulic platform) The Ice Ride. Occupational Health and Safety would have issues with the way the 'Antarctic Ice Company' gets its staff around - all those bone-jarring landings, things falling down around you - but as Soulsis said, it looks like a really boring place to live and work, perhaps the employees are making their own entertainment? <g>

<narrowed eyes> Joules has threatened to write some elf-lemons.
Hn, I'm torn. Yay! Lemons! Butbutbut... elves... <shudder>
(Also, given how Joules can convert me, through the medium of her lemons, to things I normally wouldn't look at twice...Not sure I'd want to read them - despising elves is well within my comfort zone :)

Tch, 10.30 at night and we get trick or treaters. Wasn't going to give them anything (we don't do Halloween over here, remember? No matter what the telly tells us) but they were polite and said nice things about my children so I changed my mind. Luckily I'd been to the supermarket earlier, eh? The cubs were thrilled about it all though <rolls eyes> Easily entertained, my two...

Finally got 'round to watching the Dune DVD extended version today. The added prologue does help a little, explaining some of the basic background info but it still doesn't make this a good movie. The SPFX are extremely hokey and with a couple of exceptions the performances are dreadfully overacted or laughably wooden (thereby setting the trend for Kyle McLachlan and Sean Youngs future work). I'll have to watch the original version to confirm but I'm sure the editing on this new version has been butchered further. There's odd pauses and cut-aways and while I didn't watch every minute I'm sure the scene where Baron Harkonnen attacks the young, scared servant was cut. The costumes, sets and some of the spaceship models are gorgeous though! There's some beautiful visuals in this movie and that alone makes it worth another look.

Pooh. Looks like the cubs and I won't be able to go to the Botanic Gardens tomorrow, the bit I want them to see isn't open on Mondays, so we'll go to the Aquarium instead. :) Hee.

Hn, been longer than I thought since I'd updated. It's not that there's nothing much happening in my life, it's just that it's more of the same.
I have finished the final linking AC chapter though (13 pages, woohoo!) which Joules will probly post sometime this weekend.

Oh yes, we had some very strong winds the other day - our back fence blew down. Very exciting. The piggles' cage was out of the way, fortunately. A fence-fixing person came 'round this afternoon to get the details of our landlord. I just hope he (the landlord) doesn't take it into his head, again, to turn up unnanounced to check the damage for himself. Hate it when he does that, it's so intimidating. Of course, it doesn't help that our 'lawn' is hip-height again...

And we've got a four-day weekend coming up: a curriculum day at the cubs' school on Monday and a public holiday (for a horse race) on Tuesday. Planning on doing sod-all Saturday and Sunday, but Monday I thought I might take the cubs to the Botanic Gardens in the city to see the new Children's Garden, and Soulsis suggested a barbecue on Tuesday. Sounds like a plan to me. : )

Heh, advertising works. The past few times the cubs and I have been to the movies there was a 'piracy is stealing' ad being shown. The other day one of my cubs was looking over my shoulder while I was online and noticed what I was doing.
"Isn't that piracy?" he said as I clicked the 'download' button for an mp3.
"Um, technically..." I replied then went on to explain why I downloaded material. Most of the music I hunt up is stuff I've got on vinyl and haven't been able to find on CD, or newer, more obscure tracks I haven't found the CDs of yet. Or it's just copies of things I do have on CD but like to have on the computer. See, only technically piracy - I have every intention of buying the CD versions of things when I can find them. Honest!

(Grrrr... the cubs' father's just come in and told me he saw a movie tonight. Nice for some, being able to go out at the drop of a hat and not have to worry about baby-sitters.
Grumpy? Me? Humph.)

Have you seen the scary 'Wolves at the door' tv ad El Presidente Bush is running? (Yes, even here in the antipodes we've seen it. Probably not surprisingly we're watching the US election closely.)
This is a reply to the ad found on Ghandi's 'Bush Out' blog.

Hn. There's an awful lot of bribery and emotional manipulation on FFnet.

'If I get enough reviews I'll write some more...'

<grumble> Oh please, spare me. It's not as if the standard of writing there is generally worth going back for anyway...
(Yes, I'm a snob but dammit, someone's got to have standards!)

Soulsis sent me the link for this little movie - The Meatrix. It's funny, in a serious sort of way.
Enjoy the beauty that is Moo-pheus... <g>

I was napping on the couch this afternoon and - without prompting - one of my cubs pulled a blanket over me. <soppy g> Moments like that make being a mum worthwhile.

Catalogues are dangerous things. The last DVD volume of Yu Yu Hakusho I bought had a Madman catalogue included. Spotted 'Wolf's Rain', thought it looked kinda interesting and decided to have a look in my fav multi-media store just in case they had it...
<sigh> They did, but only the first volume.
Aside from a couple of niggles I can't quite get my head around I'm enjoying what I've seen of this series so far. Animation is very good (done by the same group that produced Cowboy BeBop, I believe) and I've watched enough nature docos to find the characters' mannerisms wolfy enough to be believable. There's been some intriguing glimpses of the apparently decadent Nobles and clues abound that this is not a happy happy universe. I'm already emotionally involved with the four main charas who - with the exception of the 'leader' - all have well-developed personalities. (I want to smack a couple of them over the head, always a good sign <g> ) Hopefully I won't have to wait too long for the next volume, but I won't be looking for any fanfic just yet. Though I have to admit I'm curious to see if/how yaoi is justified amongst a pack of wolves.

I had kangaroo for dinner tonight. :) It was kind of like beef only more so - very rich. Very filling.
The cubs, naturally, made faces when I asked if they'd like to try it as well...

This was also nicked from Onna's blog: (http://www.thebigview.com/pastlife/)

Your past life diagnosis:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.
You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Yukon around the year 950.
Your profession was that of a preacher, publisher or writer of ancient inscriptions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
Timid, constrained, quiet person. You had creative talents, which waited until this life to be liberated. Sometimes your environment considered you strange.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
Your main task is to make the world more beautiful. Physical and spiritual deserts are just waiting for your touch. Keep smiling!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you remember now?

No, that wasn't my last incarnation (which I think was early 20th century, somewhere in Europe being bombed during WWII) and my environment considers me strange this time 'round!
Interesting though.

(nicked from Onna's blog:)


tee hee hee...




You're a SCARY yaoi fangirl.


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Gah, been having problems with the internet, specifically not being able to use the browsers with any consistency. Thought at first it was heavy internet traffic but turns out the cause was the new version of Zone Alarm I downloaded recently. So, after advice given <bows in direction of UK> I've disabled ZA and started using the firewall that came with XP. Feeling a teensy bit vulnerable at the moment...
Anyway, now at least I can read the blogs, and update my own, and catch up on the comics. :)

Finished attaching the quilt borders! Now I can't do anything else until I've got the wadding but that's okay, it's not as if I don't have anything else to get on with.

I did say there was only going to be one more linking AC chapter but in fact there'll be two. I've started the second one and for a wonder it seems to be rolling along nicely, compared to the grinding effort the past several have been.
What has been fun, though, is organising the creative explosion of ideas for another novel. <g> I think this one will be fun to write as well...

The school had a fund-raising thing this afternoon so after lunch the cubs and I trotted off to the Malvern Town Hall for a combined school choir/Stonnington City Brass Band performance.
All of the town halls - in Victoria, at least - seem to be built in the 'Victorian' style, full of marble and gilt and decorative plaster 'accents'. Pretty, in an overblown sort of way though I don't like them very much.
I'm not fond of brass bands, either, and 'middle of the road' music bores me to tears... The afternoon seemed to drag a bit in places and at times the need to hear some Queens of the Stone Age was acute but I survived - and the kids were cute to watch. Only one of my cubs had wanted to join the performance today but judging by the long face and drooping shoulders when he came onstage I guessed he'd decided he didn't want to take part after all but hadn't been given a choice. <rolls eyes>
There were a couple of fun moments though, most notably when the band played a medley of favourite tv themes including the 60's Batman and the Cruella de Ville song from 101 Dalmatians sounds remarkably like a sleazy strip-tease anthem when played by a brass band. <snigger> Kept myself amused for a little while there with some lurid mental images... (Matrix Twins in Dalmatian skin coats? Don't ask... :)
The event wasn't too painful but dang I was glad when it finished. Hope it raised a reasonable amount of cash for the school...

This 'fill-in-the-blanks' idea comes from Onna's blog via Joules':

If I were a month I would be: March (Northern Hemishpere – Spring)
If I were a day of the week I would be: Tuesday
If I were a time of day I would be: twilight
If I were a sea animal I would be: cuttle fish
If I were a direction I would be: up!
If I were a piece of furniture I would be: coffee table
If I were a sin I would be: cowardice
If I were an historical figure I would be: Portia (Caesar’s wife)
If I were a liquid I would be: ginger beer
If I were a stone I would be: clear quartz, with internal fractures that flashed rainbow.
If I were a tree I would be: a willow
If I were a bird I would be: a sparrow
If I were a flower/plant I would be: ivy
If I were a kind of weather I would be: cool yet sunny
If I were a musical instrument I would be: a flute
If I were a colour I would be: purple, or green.
If I were an emotion I would be: pleasure
If I were a vegetable/fruit I would be: lychee
If I were a sound I would be: a happy squeak
If I were an element I would be: iron
If I were a song I would be: Ballroom Blitz (The Sweet)
If I were a number I would be: 12

Heh, Joules says the only one she agrees with is the musical instrument.

The cubs and I have just spent a couple of days with Mum after she came back from Queensland. It was fine, not too energetic (she was tired) and I still managed to spend more money than I'd budgetted for. Ah well - I have some lovely material to add to the stash I was never going to make...
It could simply be a reaction to me not wanting to be where I am at the moment, but over the weekend I found myself thinking it would be kinda nice to live out near my Mum. It's a pretty area, rural with mountains, quiet and relatively cheap. I'd definitely need a car though and I'd have to take the cubs' futures into consideration before I made a decision. There's high youth unemployment in the area and from what I've seen not a great deal for kids to occupy themselves with.
It may not be a practical move - perhaps I'm just yearning for some peace and space?

This would have to be a first. Got myself the Kill Bill Vol 1 soundtrack, and for a wonder it's got all the bits of music on it that I wanted! Happy now.

Had an amazing dream the other night. I'd unknowingly ingested something - a magical substance, I think - that turned you into a were-creature. (I got the impression it was sposed to have been a practical joke.) The form you took echoed your true nature and once the ability to change had been initiated you had it for life. To start with the changes would be unpredictable and uncontrollable but as time went on you'd be able to control them.
What was my form?
<bg> A dragon...
Only human-sized (something to do with weight-to-size ratio) but the prettiest orangey-gold colour, very similar to some breeds of koi carp...
I woke up from the dream thinking 'and this change is a bad thing because...?' :)

Yay! Finally finished the next AC. I figure there only needs to be one more chapter from me linking the two parts then I can get on with some of the later side-stories.
And Joules latest chapter is very sad...

<sigh> Picking mum up from the airport tomorrow, driving her home then staying overnight for a couple of days. I'm going to miss having the use of her car. Oh well...

Now I'm concerned.
Not only have the Liberals been returned to power (with an increased majority, for gods' sake!) but it looks like in conjunction with the National Party and the Family First party they'll have control of the bloody senate! In the past, government policies (especially stupid, dangerous ones that have the potential to infringe people's liberties) which had been passed by the House of Reps were frequently stopped by the Senate. We don't have that safeguard now. Howard has already stated his intention to resurrect policies that 'have been stalled for months'...
Be afraid, be very afraid.

It’s been a very busy weekend… can I stop now?
Yesterday - Saturday – I went and voted in the Federal Election, taking the cubs with me (they were very interested in the process), then we trotted off to the annual Meccano Club exhibition. After 20 minutes I’d reached the limit of my geek/small boy (there’s not a lot of difference) tolerance and was more than ready to leave but the cubs wanted to stay for a bit longer please, mum…
Got home in time to cook their dinner then get myself ready to go out. Hee. Went to see a Kill Bill double at the Astor with Aaron and some of his friends. I’d not seen either of the movies before (I think I was the only one in the audience who hadn’t! Vir-gin! Vir-gin! Anyway…) but thoroughly enjoyed them both. Once again Tarantino left me impressed and tingly. : ) Dang I like his work. He’s got a phenomenal eye for detail and can genre-hop so smoothly you don’t notice he’s mixing his metaphors, so to speak. And his films always have the best soundtracks! Volume 1 and 2 are very different movies but I think 1 is my favourite cos it made me giggle, and the whole Tokyo sequence was just so cool! Absolutely shits on any attempt at coolness the Matrix movies might have been groping for. <g>
Then today, armed only with a sugar hangover (similar symptoms to an alcohol hangover, just the poison is different) I took the cubs to ScienceWorks. It’s odd but in the last quarter of the year, once the weather starts warming up, ScienceWorks tends to be very quiet, getting busy again in the summer holidays. Not that I’m complaining, this place is way more fun the less people in it. Cubs enjoyed themselves, especially as the ‘do it yourself’ weather reporting thingy was fixed. They love seeing footage of themselves, little hams… :)
The new exhibition about sports and athletes was very interesting, had some t’riffic interactive displays to explore, and the High Voltage show was great! It gives some background info about electricity, explaining how it works, then demonstrates a Van der Graff generator and ends with the firing up of a Tesla coil (!!) to simulate lightning! Cooooool! Now that was fun! A very graphic demonstration about why you shouldn’t go golfing when there’s lightning about. <g>
Heh, I’m ready for a rest though, didn’t have a chance to sleep in or nap this weekend…

Hey, Val, I noticed on the news last night (or the night before, can’t remember) that there was some guy in Dunedin found standing naked on his roof, peering through a rolled-up magazine while claiming to be a pirate.
:) You get the more entertaining loonies in NZ, obviously…

Murphy’s Law of on-line auctions: If you find you’ve bid on more items than you can comfortably afford, don’t assume you’ll be outbid on at least some of them (and so can more easily afford your purchases) because you’re going to win every one of them…
(Just stating this is an observation made on previous experiences, not my current situation. :)

Joules has written some Twins lemon! Aya! <big happy grin> Not that I’ve been hanging out for some or anything… <smirk>

<boggling at weather forecast> It’s going to be what tomorrow? 30 degrees is not spring weather, thank you very much, we’re not sposed to get temperatures like that until late November. <grumble>

It's daft but I've been avoiding rewatching Cowboy BeBop cos I knew the Jupiter Jazz eps would make me cry again.
Heh, I was right. <sniffle> Poor Gren, so beautiful, so tragic... (there has to be a Gren/Vicious backstory, I can taste it!)
Ed's still a hoot, though, I like her. : )

And I thought 005 (from Cyborg Soldier 009) sounded familiar: he's voiced by the same guy (English dub) who did Jet Black in BeBop - John Billingslea.

Started attaching the quilt's 3rd border, won't be long now before I have to hunt down some wadding. That's kind of an intimidating thought, actually - there's an awful lot of quilting to be done...

Thanks, Joules, for posting 'Summer' (my latest Dystopia chapter) for me. At 17ish pages it's the longest thing I've done for a while, I can appreciate the time you've spent. : ) On with the next AC, I guess.

<grump> Just cos I don’t like elves doesn’t make me a dwarf.

Power Puff Girls – The Rock Opera…
I loved it!

”Townsville’s, going downsville… tonight! Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa!”

<giggling>

As it happened I didn’t spend the last of my holiday money on food (well, not entirely) I picked up vol.6 of Yu Yu Hakusho instead. Mmm… Suzaku, now there’s a bishie demon for you. : )

Yay! Finished the Dystopia chapter! Another linking AC chapter then the next Dys, I think. That should keep me occupied this week.

The cubs are very excited about the upcoming Federal Election this weekend, to the extent they’re cheering when they see Opposition Leader Mark Latham (Aus. Labor) on the telly, and boo-ing when it’s Prime Minister John Howard. <proud grin> That’s my boys. They’re going to be disappointed if the Liberals get voted in again. According to the latest polls it’s going to be very, very close with the Green’s party preferences likely to have a significant impact on the result. Not surprisingly, both the leaders of the two major parties have been courting the ‘green vote’ assiduously. Not that I believe either of them…

Forgot to mention that I didn't find any snowdomes in Warrnambool, though I did get a slidey-pen from Cheese World. : )
And, Soulsis, the name of that Richard Gere movie is Internal Affairs. <g> I was right!

While I was away the cubs' father was introducing them to role-playing games. <g> Apparently they took to the concepts quickly, not even having a problem using percentile dice or deciphering the character sheets. What can I say? Born gamers...

Back. : )
Fun weekend though not long enough. Just started to properly unwind then we had to come home. Ah well.
Took us about 6 leisurely hours to get there, with a few stops, a nice easy, unhurried journey along the coast. The scenery along the way is gorgeous, and I got a squeaky lobster from Apollo Bay!
We stayed at a lovely little caravan park just outside of Warrnambool, essentially next door to a Golden Arches of Doom with a ship-shaped playground. Niki, Soulsis and I shared a really cute little cabin that had a double bed, 2 sets of bunks and a tiny ensuite bathroom. So tiny, in fact, I was concerned about knocking the door open with my arse while brushing my teeth! <g>
It was good catching up with people - been far too long, as usual, between meetings. We didn't have an itinary as such but we managed to meander our way around to a few things, like a fuge antique place (it had a train carriage as part of it's showroom! <big eyes> ), and down to Logan's beach for a spot of whale-watching! That was amazing, the critters were quite close to the shore and wonderfully active. Visited Cheese World 3 times but only because the first 2 times the place was either closing or closed. <g> It had lots of cheese, funnily enough...
Ate a lot, almost giving myself protein poisoning from all the barbecued meat - hee. : )
We came home via the inland route, quicker but not as scenic. Niki and Soulsis dropped me off a little before 6 p.m. The cubs were glad to see me, so was the cat. : ) I managed to come back with some money despite the squeaky lobster, and the squeaky puffer fish, and the chicken-shaped money box, and the fish-shaped paté knife, plus stuff for the cubs. Quite pleased about that, means I can go opp-shopping or even do something sensible like buy food for my cubs.

It's both good and bad that going away for a few days gives me a chance to take stock of my life. It can be unsettling to confront the pile of unpleasant stuff normally concealed by the everyday getting-on-with-it activities...

[<unhappy sigh>... Pointed comments and thwapping over the back of heads with wings doesn't seem to work... I'll try nagging. Back soon, hab'lan...]

Fine dining in a romantic atmosphere… <sigh> I’ll experience that one of these days. The cubs and I went to Smorgy’s for dinner last night. I had wanted to go see the Thunderbirds movie after we’d taken Mum to the airport, but turns out it was only showing earlier in the day. Sooo, Smorgy’s it was…

Yay! New episodes of Ultimate Muscle. Finally I get to see the Chojin tournament!
And the only female Transformer has put in an appearance.
The cubs thought she could’ve sounded ‘tougher’…

Haven’t managed to finish this latest Dystopia chapter yet but the cubs are back at school next week, fingers crossed I can stop faffing about and get on with things. Wasted too much time already this year.

Going away for the weekend (sans cubs) with Soulsis and Niki and Alarice and Peter etc. Along the Great Ocean Road down to Warrnambool and CheeseWorld. : )
I’m looking forward to it, have to admit, even if it does mean I’ll be without my computer for - <counting on fingers> - 55(ish) hours.
Hee, I’m taking the necessaries to start my neko hat though, just in case I find myself with a moment to spare.
Avagoo'weegend!

Soulsis and her chicks came 'round for a visit on Sunday. They brought me a lovely bunch of flowers including some freesias! I've got them in the lounge room now, can smell them when I walk in the house. <happy sigh>
(Soulsis also gave me a gorgeous old biscuit tin, decorated with dragons and phoenixes, and my first, very own, fluffy bunny. He's pink - and he's sitting on top of my 'puter. <g>)

Cubs and I went to see the Holy Rodent Empire's latest animation extravaganza, 'Home on the Range.'
I don't expect much from this company anymore, saves being disappointed...
The movie was... inoffensive, with a couple of entertaining moments (I especially liked the psychedelic cows sequence). It's a kleenex movie, view and forget.
Tomorrow we're off to the Aquarium! Been a while since we've been there, actually, I'm looking forward to it.

Haven't really done much writing these past few weeks, for one reason or another, but I've almost finished the next Dystopia chapter. That'll be one thing to strike off the list. :)

Aaaand I've finally cut out the border strips for my quilt and started attaching those. I've already got the backing material (courtesy of Mum, via Soulsis) so all that's left to buy is the wadding. Oh, and reels and reels of thread for the quilting... Heh.

I was strangely reluctant to take the Reloaded dvd back to the video hire place last night - but, they’re having an ‘ex-rental’ sale. I asked the clerk if there was a copy of Reloaded available. He found 2 copies of Revolutions but that was all. He did suggest, however, that I come in and ask the boss who would probly be happy to sell me a copy. Hee. :)

I convinced the cubs to try a supermarket brand of one of their favourite sugar-spiked cereals. There is absolutely no chance that I’ll be pinching any of it, it’s foul! Cubs don’t seem to have noticed the difference though. <shakes head> They’re quite happy to eat bowls of the stuff. Bleurgh.

‘Jesus is coming – look busy.’
<snigger> That was tattooed on the buttocks of the fake Archbishop of Canterbury in Johnny English. Ridiculous movie, but that was to be expected – it is farce, and it did make me chuckle.

Hn. Elga is a finite story as well – I could finish that up soon. Then, with that, Dystopia and the AC out of the way I could concentrate on something else, like the Superhero universe, or the fantasy. <g> (Novel? What novel?)

<giggling> This pic is by Joules, inspired by comments attached to the 'My cubs are knackered...' post (Sept 22rd).








<still giggling> Yes, this pretty much sums up our relationship...

The cubs and I went to the Royal Melbourne Show today, which is an annual biiiig carnival/agricultural show thing that’s been going on for years. We got there just after 10 a.m so there weren’t that many people to begin with, but by the time we left at 1.30 the crowds were annoying. It was fun though, in an ouchie-expensive sort of way. Rides ranged from $3.50 for the ‘baby’ rides, to $7.50 for the really cool ones that give you bruises and nausea, while showbags (sample bags) went from $2 - $30. And then there was the cost of getting in to the place. I blew my budget, but I kind of expected that, so’d brought some extra cash just in case.
I love ferris wheels! The cubs and I went on both the medium-sized wheel and the big one that takes over 5 minutes to load/unload patrons. Weeee! You get a great view from the top of the big one. The cubs also got a ride on the dodgems and a miniature railway, which satisfied them though they would’ve quite happily had a go at several other things. Maybe next year, when I’m unnecessarily wealthy...
I’d researched the showbags before going to the Show, discussing with the cubs the 2 I thought they’d be most interested in. That worked, they were primed for those and mostly ignored the hundreds of others available. :) They got a Thomas the Tank Engine showbag each (which came with a back-pack, so they could carry their own food – bonus!) and there was enough stuff in the Garfield bag that they were happy to share one. I love it when my cubs are reasonable... As one of the bonus toys in the Garfield bag, they got an Odie marionette puppet thing. It’s... disturbing. It’s only got 2 legs, so it looks like the dog has either had its front legs amputated, or its backlegs, and it’s dragging itself around by his forepaws. Weird.
One of the things I insisted on doing today was going to see the animals and the art/craft displays. Naturally, there were complaints about the smell in the animal pavillions but the cubs managed to hang in there long enough for me to get a look at the chickens. <squinch> Fluffy feet! (I don’t have a thing about chickens, I don’t!) Saw some Bengal kittens in the pet pavillion – spotty cats! So cute! – but my heart is still set on getting a Maine Coon at some stage. There was some amazing feline furniture for sale as well – love to be able to get one for KittenKong. Heh, the company will do lay-bys...
The use of cross-stitch pattern maker software was evident in the needlework section of the art/craft. Not that that’s a problem, I’m just used to seeing x-stitch that looks like art, not photos. I have to admit I was expecting more from the hand-made dolls, they didn’t seem to be particularly imaginative – Soulsis, yours would romp all over the competition. :) In the ceramics, though, was a beautiful, simple, green-glazed teapot that had a frog as the lid handle, that made me smile.

... so here we are, several hours later. All the lollies have been eaten and the cubs are about to go out to the Golden Arches of Doom for dinner with their father. Tired now - I think I’ll have a nap...

I am desirous of a pink neko hat.
I have the fluffy wool - I have a basic pattern, somewhere, and the ears won't be difficult to fashion. I can do this! :)

The Garfield Movie.
...I've seen worse.
It works, sort of, but I can see why Garfield purists are not pleased.
Not the most rivetting of cinema though, 30 minutes in I found myself desperately wishing it was over...
Cubs enjoyed it.

Hee. I have a new wallpaper, a screen-cap from Reloaded - you'll never guess of who... (Mmmm... snake skin boots...)

Saw a really cute t-shirt in Queen of Wands (which, by the way, if one of the few comics that's made me laugh and cry). Blank, white rectangle with the little red background/white 'X' symbol in the corner - the thing you get when a pic hasn't downloaded. <g> Neat, eh? It says so much on so many different levels. I think I like it even better than the one that has 'Insert Ferret Here' printed above a large, downward pointing arrow...

<g> My cubs are knackered. The movie session finished at midnight last night but they insisted on getting up to see Transformers as normal this morning. They were quite impressed with The Astor, though, as an old suburban theatre it’s very different from the mega-plex movie houses they’re familiar with. Both of the movies were subtitled Japanese, something I was a little concerned about. But the cubs coped easily – they can read fast, and accurately, and were able to see the screen through the gaps in the audience so it wasn’t a problem. :)
Some anime, at least, deserves to be seen on a big screen – there’s so much more detail to be seen. Loved ‘Tortoro’, it went beyond cute to levels of imagination I could identify with. And that would have to be the most accurate depiction of a four-year old’s energy and mannerisms I’ve ever seen animated! : )
I had seen ‘Nausicaa’ before, but it was on video close to 15 years ago when I was dismissive of anime so last night was like seeing it for the first time. Again, the detail was amazing, the plots and characters believable… Somehow I don’t think the Garfield movie tomorrow is going to come close.

Found out we can play audio cds through the dvd player. The sound is so much better through the telly than the on-it’s-last-legs cd player. I’m even having geeky thoughts about speakers and surround-sound systems now. Tch, technology is insidious.

<sigh> And the cubs have slipped back into Thomas the Tank Engine. Don’t know why but after weeks (months!) of ignoring it in favour of Transformers suddenly all the videos and toys came out again. Could be worse, I suppose, could be something I actively dislike.

Her! <points finger at Joules> I blame her for this obsession with long legs and snake-skin boots! Wouldn’t be so bad except I can’t quite get my head around a fic idea so I can work it through. <smirk> Mind you, I can’t complain, she is sharing with me her stash of nummy Matrix Twins pics…

Cool word of the day: (no reason just cos) [Concise Oxford; 1975]

Intussusception: (Physiol.) taking in of foreign matter by living organism, & it’s conversion into organic tissue ; taking in (of ideas, etc.) ; … (L. intus within + susceptio … take up.)

Okay, calming down now that I'm back online after 24 hours. Apparently there's been 'server problems' in Melbourne, again. Annoyed? Stupid question...

The cubs and I went to see Shrek 2 this morning - 9a.m. session. It was fun, I enjoyed it more than the first, mostly cos of Puss in Boots. You have to love a cold-blooded killer who chases butterflies...
Tomorrow evening we're off to see Nausicca and the Valley of the Winds, and My Neighbour Tortoro ('scuse spelling if it's wrong - couldn't be bothered getting up to check it) with Penny and her daughter. Should be fun, though I suspect allll the children will be very tired by the time we get home. <g>

Finally got 'round to seeing Matrix – Reloaded.
I don’t remember being impressed with the first one, either…
My interest would almost engaged by the ticklings of an embryonic plot, and then there’d be another fight scene. Honestly, it was like any of the combat-driven anime at their worst. I can understand the drive to make the fight scenes ultra-crisp and cooly stylistic but to me they just seemed over-worked and wooden with none of the energy you find in a really good Hong Kong flic.
The Twins were definitely a highlight, but they had – what? – 4 or 5 sentences between them? Sheesh. Nice boots, though…
Aside from the pale dudes (<smirking at Joules>) there were a couple of things I enjoyed about this movie. It is an interesting world-frame; I love the idea of programs as ‘little gods’, overseeing the small things in life.
Couldn’t help but notice that no fat or ugly people had been rescued and sent to Zion. I wonder why…?

It occurred to me today that Dystopia really is finite, and the end is in sight. There’s more than a handful of threads, admittedly, but they’ve nearly all run their course. Joules has suggested we could try to wrap this up by Yule as well as the AC. <g> See how we go, I guess.

Talon directed me to this online comic. Queen of Wands. It’s giggle-worthy, and while not the most sophisticated of art, it’s very expressive. It's on my list of regular checks, now. :)

Soulsis sent me these. They’ve been around for a few years but they still make me laugh. :) (I've high-lighted my favourites...)

~ Cat Haiku ~
You never feed me.
Perhaps I'll sleep on your face.
That will show you.

You must scratch me there!
Yes, above my tail! Behold,
elevator butt.

I need a new toy.
Tail of black dog keeps good time.
Pounce! good dog! good dog!

The rule for today.
Touch my tail, I shred your hand.
New rule tomorrow.

In deep sleep hear sound
Cat vomit hairball somewhere.
Will find in morning.

Grace personified
I leap into the window
I meant to do that

Blur of motion, then-
Silence, me, a paper bag
What is so funny?

The mighty hunter
Returns with gifts of plump birds
Your foot just squashed one.

You're always typing
Well, let's see you ignore my
Sitting on your hands.

My small cardboard box
You cannot see me if I
Can just hide my head.

Terrible battle
I fought for hours. Come and see!
What's a "term paper"?

Kitty likes plastic
Confuses for litter box
Don't leave tarp around

Small brave carnivores
Kill pine cones and mosquitoes
Fear vacuum cleaner

Want to trim my claws
Don't even think about it!
My yelps will wake the dead

I want to be close
To you. Can I fit my head
inside your armpit?

Wanna go outside.
Oh, no! Help! I got outside!
Let me back inside!

Oh no! Big One
has been trapped by newspaper.
Cat to the rescue!

Humans are so strange.
Mine lies still in the bed, then screams!
My claws aren't that sharp....

Cats meow out of angst
"Thumbs! If only we had thumbs!
We could break so much"

Litter box not there
You must have moved it again
I'll crap in the sink

The Big Ones snore now
Every room is dark and cold
time for "Cup Hockey"

We're almost equals
I purr to show I love you
Want to smell my butt.

Thanks for that, Soulsis, I’d lost my other copy.

Forgot to mention - Joules has posted the Dystopia chapter (Foundling Pt 2) for me. Thank you!

Heh, sometimes I think of myself as one of those squeezy, 'stress-balls'. I can get all scrunched up tight and uncomfortable but once the pressure's off I spring right back into shape. :)

My current motto is 'I'm not sedentary, I'm dancing on the inside...'.
I'm thinking of adopting a new one: 'What's wrong with sunshine and fluffy-bunnies...?'.
<bg> I think that's apt.

You've been quiz-bingeing again, Soulsis? <g>

I had a dream the other night that I was able to study in the UK. Not sure what, or where, but I had my own lodgings, my own little space. I was sharing custody of the cubs with their father which meant a lot of travelling and disruption for them so regretfully I decided to give up study cos my children's well-being came first...

I got metres and metres of a fabulous fabric braid from Soulsis! It's over an inch wide and it's hot pink! I'm thinking cushion covers - appliqueing the braid diagonally across a backing material. Hee! :)

You know what annoys me about some sellers on eBay? (Don't growl, I'm only looking.) When they say: "This would make a great addition to your collection!!!"
Excuse me? I'll be the judge of that.

Finished the Dystopia chapter. :)
Had a major [ping] (look, I can remember how to change the colours!) for a novel.
Heh, I'll add it to the list...

The old dial-up number has finally died but so far the new number appears to be holding up. This is good cos I'd be one step away from homicidal if I'm denied internet access again for no good reason.

Yesterday was the last day of term 3, 1 more term to go. The cubs haven't enjoyed this year at all - consequently neither have I - but we've had a talk and they've agreed to try really hard in the last quarter. Of course, pointing out to them that if they don't do well enough they'll have to repeat the grade was a great motivator. They don't like their teacher and the thought of another year with him is scary. (Okay, they probly wouldn't have to repeat anyway but I'm not above putting the frighteners on them to get them moving in the right direction...) Tra la la, where was I? Oh yes...
Lots of things planned for the holidays, we'll see how my energy levels (and the money) holds out, though having been given another bribe by the Government (just before the election, too. How selfless of them...) that should make the latter less of a hassle.

Remember the Windows 'star field' screen-saver from years back? The one that looked like you were warping, Trek-like, through the cosmos? It's part of XP! <fuge g> Really missed that screen-saver when it wasn't included in later versions of Windows. But now I've got it again and I can happily sit in front of my 'puter, in the dark, and zone out... <happy sigh>

Anyone know what the <var> html command does? No reason, just curious.

Lashed out and bought the cubs some software from the school's bookclub - Garfield's Typing Pal. It's cute, with little games and a variety of neat typing exercises (and it runs without a problem, woohoo!). Going to have a go later and see how I do. I can touch-type quite well, but typing from what's in my mind is very different from copy-typing.

Mostly finished my next Dystopia chapter. After the past few weeks of grinding away at AC this is coming along very nicely.

There's some lovely things on Sushi Cat's site, including the sushi themed wall-paper I've currently got on my desktop. Need to get hold of a zip program so I can use the sushi icons, and dang but don't those widdle neko/sushi orphans that are up for adoption look cute...

Hah! Managed to find some material for the quilt borders today. Was a near thing though... Not surprisingly, the shop - where I'd originally purchased the material for the hexagons a year ago - didn't have the right shade any more. Oh pooh - quoth I - perhaps I shouldn't have left it so long? But, just as my pout was becoming entrenched, over on the 'bargains' table I glimpsed a familiar colour... It's not the same material, the weave is a bit coarser but the colour is damn near perfect. Happy now. :)

Ah... Sunday morning and I'm alone in the lounge-room... Not alone in the house though; the cubs are playing in their room and everyone else is asleep. This is nice. :)

Still using the old dial-up number though expecting it to be shut down any time soon. And as a bonus, cos everyone else is presumably using the new number, the old line is blissfully clear. Net navigation is positively zippy.

<relieved sigh> My latest - probably last, full - AC chapter is finally finished and posted, thank you, Joules! <g> Now the side-stories beckon. Tch. I'll get cracking on some Dystopia first though - that's bubbling up out of dormancy at the moment...

Taken all the paper pieces out of my quilt (hoorah!) and hopefully I'll be able to get the border material this week. Mum's got some lovely backing material for me already, then all I have to find is the wadding. Dang this is fun! :) (Heh, and having removed all the paper and saved it I now have at least half of what I need for the next couple of projects!)

How do you deal with a virus that's infected a file that can't be removed? Replace it with a clean copy from the original software?

... and here come the cubs - time for the earplugs. <g>

<happy squeak> Finished my quilt!
Well, I’ve finished the main panel, which needs to be sewn to the border sashes then I can start quilting. Neat, eh? : )

<not-so-happy squeak – more of a snarl> Several days ago, when I got online, my computer was hijacked and frog-marched to a site that forced me to change the dial-up number of our server. It was legit - the server had merged with another one and the two groups of users were being ‘streamlined’ but dammit, I’ve had all manner of problems with the connection since. (This update is being written off-line in the hope that one day soon I’ll be able post <grump>). If I can get on-line at all I’ve generally got about 5 minutes of usable time before the connection slows down so much it’s useless. Can’t navigate to any pages, can’t use email, can’t chat. I rang the server and after fuss-arsing about for half an hour with them I was told that, by the way, the new phone-number was giving one group of users problems. Yep, my group. At the time of writing the problem was sposed to have been fixed a couple of hours ago but I’m still unable to get online.
I’ll be ringing the server again tomorrow and asking to be reimbursed for the time I haven’t been able to get on-line.
And then I’ll be looking around for another server…
[Addendum: Still not able to get online with the new number but the cubs' father tried the old number and that's still active. So that's what I'm doing...]

On a brighter note, I’ve now got Word again thanks to Niki. : ) Been using Wordpad which does at a pinch but it doesn’t have a spell-check, or thesaurus, or even a page/word count. However I was pleasantly surprised to find the current AC I’m struggling with is almost 8 pages rather than the 3 or 4 I’d thought it was. Heh.

Slowly rebuilding my files. Discovered some useful old stuff on floppies including the two sci-fi novels my father wrote. I think I’m a better writer than he was. One of these days I’m going to edit those books into something that has the potential for publication.

I’m declaring a fork amnesty. Over half of the bloody things have disappeared! They’re probly lurking about in other people’s rooms… other people who eat their meals in their rooms…

Gave myself a fright yesterday. Went to pick the cubs up from school but when I started the car up it wouldn’t move! There was a short pause while I panicked – hand-brake’s off, it’s in gear, what’s the matter?! – then it occurred to me that the gear the car should’ve been in was drive, not park. <shakes head> Some days the blondeness goes all the way to the bone…

Bother, did I miss my blog's annivesary again? Eh well, it was only by a couple of days... Yay! 2 years of mostly decent service! :)

After months of dancing around the subject our Government has finally decided to call an election. Hoo-effing-ray. Both the major parties are saying their campaigns are based on trust and integrity (there's been much slinging of accusations back and forth over the past year about the porkies the other party's supposed to have uttered <rolls eyes> Honestly, it's like watching kids in the schoolground...) Needless to say I know who I'll be voting for and it won't be either of them.
Hn, I spose the cubs' school will be looking for volunteers to run the inevitable sausage sizzle/cake stall again. Providing, that is, the school is registered as a poling station. Don't know if we've got the room this time, but then again, the community centre is right next door - we could probly wangle some sort of fund-raising activity there as well.

I watched the movie 'Secretary' the other day. Do you remember this one? About a 'sadistic' lawyer (James Spader) and his secretary? It bills itself as a black comedy but I didn't find it gut-bustingly funny. However, it was amusing in the way in-jokes are amusing, in that you recognise/understand the references. I did enjoy the movie though, very much. It was heavily criticised when it was released but I think that's cos the reviewers just didn't get it. It's not tacky, and the female lead wasn't being degraded. If anything it was wonderful watching her grow in strength and confidence because of the nature of her relationship with her boss. This wasn't your standard BDSM story, either, revolving around a reluctant submissive, oh no, this time it was the dom who was having problems coming to terms with his nature. A lot of my amusement came from watching her efforts to get him to realise she was serious. The ending was just beautiful too, very cherishing... the fluffy-bunny loved it. :) I'll be watching it again.

Oh, and thank you, Goodtwin, for all your help armour-plating my 'puter! :)

Hn, yes I see what you mean about calling 'Beautiful Day' songfic, Joules. It's like the couple I've written previously - the inspiration only came from a couple of lines in the lyrics (well, that and the overall emotion the song evoked, I guess). BD's t'riffic though, I'm agog to see what happens...

<sigh> I'm sure my cubs went to school today thinking I'm an ogre-mum. While I was searching for boots for one of them (which turned up in their father's room) I found one of my favorite cds out of it's case and on the floor of the cubs' room. I yelled, they cried but dammit, I let them borrow my things on the condition they look after them but so far they've consistently failed to do so. So, no more playing with my toys until they can prove they'll look after them.

Gah, it feels like I'm banging my head against a brickwall with this next AC. It's just.not.coming. <grump> I could try and get on with something else, I spose, but given that my brain's locked into this particular fic that could be more effort than it's worth. No, I want to get this finished then I can do something else. Tch, writing is not like riding a bicycle - with all the 'puter probs I've barely written anything in weeks and now I'm finding it very hard getting back to. Ah, well, I'm obviously not obsessive enough. :)

Still here, online with my own computer - a computer that doesn't seize up if I try to run more than one application at a time! (Forgive me for labouring the point but this is so effing good! :)
And I can watch Ai no Kusabi on this puter too! <happysqueak> Mmm... blond seme...

Ages ago I had an idea for a story based on the fandom I was active in at the time. Every now and again the idea bobs back up to the surface of my mind and I have another think about it. Yesterday I decided that not only could I rework it as a Dystopia story but I even sorted out the gribbles and plot holes that arose from mushing together two not entirely compatible worldframes. <g> I think I can make it work, what's more I think I can make it plausible. But first I want to finish my next AC which I've been dithering over for days. <sigh> There's maybe only another few chapters needed to tie up the loose ends from my side of the saga, but, like Joules I'm finding it hard to muster the enthusiasm - far more interested in the planned side-stories!

<smirk> So... Joules is writing a twinfic (Matrix) songfic slash, eh? Watching the energy she's expended on research for 'Beautiful Day' I have to say she's gone beyond thorough to, yes, obsessive this time. :) Honestly, she's like a pig after truffles, sometimes... <blink> Uh, okay, maybe not a pig, maybe... um... <thinking hard> maybe a miner after gold, perhaps?
<changing subject>
There's a funny thing I've noticed about fanfic over the years - most of it's written about main characters and most of that is utter crap. However, there seems to be a greater proportion of good fiction written about secondary characters and I believe this is because there isn't a lot of info readily available about them in the primary source so the writer has to think about the characters and not just slavishly follow the trend. Also, from what I've read, good writers are more attracted to secondary charas because their stories haven't been rehashed to death, and because it's more of a challenge to extrapolate from iotas of information rather than cut/pasting standard ideas...
(... and I have no idea how to end that thought graciously so I'll just move right along...)

August 30th... 2 more days and we should start seeing Xmas stuff in the shops. Right now the shops are filled with 'Father's Day ideas'. It's never ending, is it?

Thinking seriously about getting a digital camera now - Goodtwin, the pics I've seen taken with yours seemed very clear. What's the resolution on your camera? I assume the bigger the mp the better the image? And I'd need Photoshop as well? Tch, so much to learn...
(Oh, and Talon, I've lost my 'favourites' list so can I have the url for your other lj, please? The one with the slavefics? Ta :)

Heh, still here. This is a good thing. Currently rebuilding my 'favourites' list.
Here's one that I've managed to keep throughout allll the dramas over the years... <smirk>

Sewed all the sections of my quilt together only to realise I'd miscalculated somewhere. D'oh! Instead of starting and finishing on one particular type of row configuration I'd managed to use the other type. (Remember I had to re-do a couple of the rows cos I thought I'd got the ratio wrong? I hadn't, I just didn't look closely enough at the picture. Tch.) Anyway, not a major cock-up, easily fixed and then I can finally begin finishing off the project. <g rubs hands together> Then it's on to the next one...!

[<happy sigh> Glad to be back. And yes it's been a while since we've had any... attention...]

Right, getting to grips with XP.
So far so good, it seems to be doing what it's sposed to, though after using Win98 for so long the XP interface is just weird. Eh, I'll get used to it I spose. Got a firewall installed (I've already been informed lots of times tonight that it's blocking things - <pat pat> good software :) and tried to download/install Grisoft anti-virus (after Norton's wouldn't do as it was told). Hn. Downloaded fine, apparently, the .exe file is sitting where it's sposed to be problem is I can't run it to complete the installation. Get it started and it takes me to the set-up wizard for the sodding keyboard... Perhaps if I tried putting it somewhere else?
The cubs are happy, they got a demo disc for a maths-game thing and they played with that for a couple of hours this evening. It ran an' everything, no freezing, no falling over...
And I have music again, woohoo! Now to get myself over to Morpheus or similar sometime soon and start filling up the echoing space of the hard-drive. :)
I discovered something really cute by accident as I was poking through the control panel setting things this afternoon... I now have an arrow cursor that scrolls rainbow stripes in it's 'working' mode. Hee.

<sigh> The continuing story...
The new 'puter will not accept Win98 as it's operating system. This is... aggravating. I wanted to avoid using XP but I might not have a choice. I suspect the whizz-bang processor is looking at '98 like it's some sort of primitive, stylised cave-art that originates so far back in pre-history it's beyond comprehension. <grumble> However, my desire for a working computer is greater than my not wanting XP so I'll follow the path of least resistance in this case.
In the meantime I'm still using the cubs' father's computer while he's out. <grits teeth> Could be - has been - worse...

A little while back I was rolling my eyes at some of the stupid junk you could get to fill up your usb ports with but now that I have usb ports all of my very own (6, apparently) I'm thinking a mini-aquarium would be cool. Also a keyboard light, perhaps, and today I saw a 'massage' unit for sale. No, not the sausage-shaped ones (though I'll be buggered if there isn't usb-driven sex-toys designed for the [literal] wankers who use their computers to hunt down rudies) but a round, palm-sized thing covered in nobbles. I think the coffee maker might be going too far though. : )

Been having fun at the op-shops, cheering myself up. Today I found a lovely, fish-shaped ceramic platter which is 2 1/2 feet long! That's going on the wall sometime soon. And earlier this week I picked up a waistcoat that had a grey/silver paisley pattern on the front - perfect for patchwork. Ah yes, and then there was the yellow ceramic chicken-shaped toothpick holder. <g> I like op-shops...

When the name 'Bruce' popped into my head last night I assumed it was what I was going to call my new computer. This afternoon I realised it wasn't the computer's name, it was the name of another gremlin... Bloody hell, I haven't even got the system set up yet and there's one of the buggers waiting to move in! Quite what Carli's going to think about it is anybody's guess but if they don't conflict and/or keep each other amused it might divert their attention from making my life a misery.
Bruce took his time revealing himself to me today, starting with a very strong impression of a wicked grin and tousled, spiky silver hair crackling with static electricity. He looks like a djin, actually, in that his upper half is solid but from the waist down he's a nebulous column of aquamarine/silver sparkles (it's implied he can manifest naughty bits if required). Let's see, what else? Nice muscle definition in his shoulders and arms; gold armbands around his upper arms and a matching torc around his neck; asian-ish face, high cheekbones, almond eyes, irises a vibrant electric blue which stand out nicely against his turquoise skin. Oh, and he has elongated eye-teeth and, I think, cat's pupils. <rolls eyes> Yes, very pretty and I can't wait to discover what his special ability is...
(I've no doubt there's some people in the world who'd consider the above as firm evidence I have a mental disorder. Believing in imaginary creatures? Conversing with them as if they're real?! <smirk> Heh, the things that live in my head are far more entertaining than the majority of 'real' people and hey, I'm a writer I don't live in the 'real' world anyway...)

So yes, I have a new computer - it's still sitting in its box on the coffee table. Unfortunately it's going to be one of those chinese puzzle situations to get it set up. For it to go on the desk I first have to disassemble the other 2 computers, but before I can do that I have to make sure I've got somewhere to put them which in this case means hacking out a path in my room to my desk and making sure there's space there... You see what I mean. It would be nice though if for once everything went smoothly, wouldn't it? Ah well, time will tell.

In my solitary subject at school this term our regular teacher has taken some time off to go teach in Vietnam and the class has had a substitute teacher. She was called away unexpectedly this morning so we had a substitute, substitute teacher who didn't know much about the subject at all but had been instructed by the substitute teacher to tell us to continue ploughing through our work books. This was fine by me, it meant I could go at my own pace and really get to grips with some nit-picky stuff about the structure of catalogue entries I have to know. The past couple of weeks we've been studying the different 'areas' of an entry and the order they come in; this week it was dealing with the specific punctuation that operates within those areas. Let's see if I can remember the basics without looking it up:

Title proper [GMD] : other title / statement of responsibility; subsequent s.o.r. -- edition. -- place of publication : publisher, date of publication. -- extent of item : other physical details ; dimensions + accompanying material. -- series information.
Notes:
ISBN : [terms of availability].

<g> There, wasn't that interesting? I think I've got it all correct as well, I'll check later. This subject has a lot of rote-learning in it and from that aspect it makes it easy - you're either wrong or you're right, your marks aren't dependant on how close your answers are to what the teacher thinks they should be. Just for practise I'm going to begin cataloguing my books, something I've wanted to do for years - now all I need is a database program to play with.

'k, have I finished waffling?
Hn, not quite.
Thank you again, Onna, for your's and rat's giftie, that's really helped things along. And in my last post I should've said it was the 2000^th post not my 2000^th post cos of course I'm not the only one that posts here. :)

Hey wow, my 2000^th post - and only a few days away from my blog's 2^nd anniversary, I think.

I've noticed that when, for whatever reason, I don't write much for a few days I begin to wonder why the hell I bother. Eh.
New computer's on order - fingers crossed it'll be home and behaving as expected (ie: the way it's sposed to) within a few days.

<blink> I thought I had more to say. Ah well...

... and I get a blog-bar too, lucky me...

Well I've had a miserable couple of days.
Hm, no, perhaps that's being a bit melodramatic, but I haven't been having loads of fun, either.
Got into the garage and spent a few hours tunnelling through the stacks of cardboard boxes to find out just what's been affected by the damp concrete floor. Not as much as I'd feared: lots of water-marked books, some warped pages, but only a couple of precious things had to be thrown-out, one of which was my 1905 edition of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management', dammit. (That's not to say there wasn't a lot that had to go, just that of the stuff that did I only regret the loss of a couple of things.) A lot of the items in those bottom layer of boxes felt damp so they're currently strewn about the garage while they air. I'll leave them for a week or so then rebox them. Yes, they'll probly have that damp, mouldy book smell forever but at least I still have them. There's still 3 stacks left to get through, tucked away in a largely inaccesible corner of the garage - I'll get back to that in a couple of days. Was hard work though, shifting heavy boxes to get to the damaged ones, then lugging across equally heavy plastic crates to act as a barrier then piling the other boxes back on top. My back hurts, I wonder why...
And I've been shunting stuff around in my room, trying to make some sort of space in there. There's still crap piled around but at least I've mostly got my bed back. Gah - I want a new house, one where I don't have to fight for space!

On the plus side, though, I've almost (ie: 8cm's left to sew up) finished the bulk of my quilt. Still have to attach the little odd bits to round off the pattern, then get the backing, borders and wadding organised so I can quilt it but still the bulk of it's nearly done. Phew...

Was there something else I was going to mention? Eh, can't remember.

Is knowing what otaku means a sign that you are one? : )

The school had another fund-raising event last night, a performance of A.R. Gurney's 'Love Letters' starring Campbell McComas (local celebrity) and Jane Badler (remember her in 'V'?). Should've raised a tidy sum - all of the $25 ticket price was going to the school and there was easily 300 people attending. As for the play itself? Um… it's the sort of thing which will appeal to a wide spectrum of people - trite, in short. Perhaps I'm being unkind. It wasn't confronting, or challenging, the most controversy it would generate is that 'fuck' is used a couple of times. Essentially it's a conversation between two people, through the letters they write to each other, over about 50 years. In that respect it was interesting, watching them grow up, seeing the directions their lives go in, the decisions they make relative to the era of history, but - I don't know - there just seemed to be something missing. Despite the traumas hinted at in some of the letters it still seemed… facile. Is it an indication of overweening ego to think you can do a better job of something someone's written? <g>

Okay, I've removed most of the paper pieces in the quilt sections and last night I laid the bits out on the floor together. <blinks> It's enormous! And I haven't even done the edging bits yet. Fair enough I slavishly followed the pattern (which was for a queen-sized bed) without adjusting down for a double-sized bed but still… Hee, it's really bright and colourful though - if you squint a little it looks like a scattering of flowers. : )

I love the mermaid, Joules, she's sooo pretty! Definitely worthy of plastic grapes… high-quality ones of course…


(nicked from Onna's blog: )

Squeeeee! Excel Saga!!

What anime are you from? by squasar
Your name:
Your gender:	FemaleMaleOther
Your age:
You are from:
Your color is:	Pink
Quiz created with MemeGen!

Watched the Olympic opening ceremony - well, the replay of it - this afternoon. I always look forward in these things to a bit of national pride tricked out in a tacky display geared to please the tourists. I wasn't disappointed. Bits of it were fantastic, dead impressed, but the rest made me either giggle or cringe. Loved the detailed costumes/props in the 'parade of civilisation' and the discombobulating statue was very cool but the huge olympic torch thing just put me in mind of a plasma canon. I couldn't escape the feeling that the torch-bearer was about to be atomised. <g> Too much sci-fi? I think not... (Hee, and if that woman had really been pregnant I would've been extremely concerned about the background radiation levels in Greece, though I can see the idea of a lamp in the shape of a pregnant woman being quite popular...)
202 nations had sent teams, and I (and the cubs to a lesser extent) watched allll of them march around the stadium. Tell you what, there were some fantastic costume/uniforms on display, very colourful and sparkly, just gorgeous, dahling - except for the UK team's which were very dull. Or perhaps it was the way they were wearing them, the team members didn't seem to be terribly enthusiastic about being there. Eh. Some wit in the Spanish team was sporting a plastic matador hat, which set me thinking how neat it'd be to collect stupid plastic hats from around the world and display them on your wall. There was something I spotted in the NZ team though, that I am intensely covetous of. A plastic blow-up kiwi. I want one!! So, Val, if you happen to see one of these things in your travels, could you let me know how much it is, pretty please? : )
The Olympics are being broadcast in Aus on a commercial tv station so I saw more ads during the three (?) hours of the ceremony than I have in the past 6 months. <shakes head> How stupid do the ad companies think people are? Tch. I'll stick with my ABC, no commercials there, thanks very much.
Heh, speaking of ads, last weekend I got asked to take a survey about brand recognition for household appliances... Given my non-commercial telly viewing, and non-reading of newspapers and magazines I just don't see many commercials anymore; I was hard pressed to come up with a list of company names, had to delve into my memory from years ago. : )
Grrr... and that's another thing... our government deregulated the power companies (or something) a little while back so now I regularly get visits from poor sods employed to go house-to-house to try and convince people to change their supplier. I'm not a sociable person at the best of times and I resent strangers appearing on my doorstep trying to sell me things!
But anyway, the last quilt strip has been attached to the last section and I've started taking out some of the paper piecings preparatory to sewing the sections together. Neat, eh? <g>

It's geek-fest, er, Manifest, this weekend - the anime convention here in Melbourne. Can't afford to go, but I half expected that to be the case anyway. The cubs found out about it and bounced up and down, wanting to go as well... Their eyes bugged out when I told them how much it was going to cost for the 3 of us to attend. "That's almost as much as Scorponok and Ironhide put together!" (Those are 2 Transformer toys the cubs are desperate to have - good to put things in perspective, eh? : )

Got to watch most of CCO 808 this afternoon again (thank you, Joules!) while the cubs were out with their father. Tch, I'd really like to see the subtitled version at some point, given the way my ears work I found I was missing most of what that robot thing was saying. One bit made me giggle though; the gyro-stabilisers on the building stopped working and some bright spark says: "... that thing's going to come down like a ton of bricks!" <snigger> 'That thing' is how many stories tall? Surely "...several squillion tonnes of bricks" would've been more accurate! I like the music in the show, though - this is probly a daft question but you don't happen to have the opening theme do you, Joules? : )

Good grief it's Friday already. Heh, there's something to be said for short weeks I guess...

(Nicked from Onna's blog:)


You're a Dialogue/Character Writer!

What kind of writer are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Plot? What plot? <smirk>

Oh dear. One of my cubs tearfully accused me today of showing my 'angry face' to him and my 'loving face' to his brother. <sigh> It doesn't help that this cub is the one more likely to behave thoughtlessly/dangerously so I'm more likely to growl at him than the other...
But then I cuddled him 'til he was laughing and told me to stop so I think he's feeling better now.

Reformation pt 1, my next AC is posted, thanks, Joules!

Dreamt last night that the Queen (of England) had moved out of Buckinghuge House and I was looking after some of her stuff. She (and Prince Phillip) rang to ask me to find a few items because they wanted some of their old, familiar things to make their new place more like home. Fine, cool - except instead of efficiently organizing the storage space right at the start, like a sensible person would, I'd cheerfully ignored the necessity, thinking to myself there was plenty of time…
I spent the dream darting about frantically, first locating the items then fixing the damage that poor storage, and mice, had caused.
I think there's a lesson in that for all of us…
Interestingly, I had a vaguely similar dream last week. Bit hazy on the details but I had these seeds, or beads or something, that when immersed in water grew into animals. I decided to activate some of these things knowing full I didn't have room/facilities to properly look after whatever emerged. I spent that dream scrambling to get everything ready while keeping half an eye on the 4 kittens and 2 fish growing in buckets. : )

Half-way through my next AC, with plans to start another Dystopia chapter (or two) after that. Feeling kind of scattered though, finding it hard to concentrate. I blame my Libran ascendant, cos Libran's need a harmonious atmosphere to be productive and that sure as sherbet doesn't describe my living arrangements! <g>.

Hee, at the end of the nightly news tonight they showed images of a hot-air balloon festival thing in Bristol. <g> I looked for you and bratling, Joules…

(Oh, I can't take the credit for 'Buckinghuge House', that was something that came up in an '90's satirical political radio broadcast over here called The Cactus Chronicles...)

Right, what software/hardware do I need to be able to play DVDs on the 'puter, and get screencaps? I'm making a wish-list of fun things I want my new machine to have…

I've noticed my reaction to disaster varies wildly, and inconsistently, between sighing and rolling my eyes, and dragging out the sack-cloth and ashes. What is consistent though, is that when I'm taking things badly I only need half an hour or so to vent then I calm down and start thinking rationally again. Don't think the cubs' father ever got the hang of that. He'd get this defensive set to his face whenever I started ranting, which in turn - cos you don't want to upset your partner, do you? - tended to make me swallow my initial reactions. Heh, did that for years, don’t think it helped.

The cubs had a curriculum day yesterday so we trotted off to the Aquarium. Dang, I love that place, never feel tired there. I think I might take the cubs to the Chinese Museum next, haven't been there yet and that giftshop is bound to have a different flavour of tat. <bg>

'Story of O' was an interesting read though initially I found the ending abrupt and unsatisfactory. But then again, there wasn't really anywhere else to go with it, the main character had been well and truly broken by then and any more detail would've simply been repetitive. The postscript was disturbing, but given what had been building in the main narrative, it made perfect sense.

'k, only got one more quilt strip left to attach to the last section. Hee.
And I've started collecting materials for the next one (can't remember if I've mentioned that before), lots of fun. <g>

Penny and I went to see the documentary 'Supersize Me', you know the one? Where the guy eats nothing but menu items from the Golden Arches of Doom for 30 days? It was intriguing, scary in places but what bothered me most was that despite hearing all the bad stuff, after watching him eating all that rubbish I found myself thinking that, yeah, I could go for a burger and chips…
<g> I didn't - I know from past experience that while the first couple of mouthfuls would've been heaven, the rest of it would just sit in my stomach for hours going sour.

Yay! Volumes 4 & 5 of YYH are now in my possession. Mwahahahahah! The cubs are enjoying it, too. <g> And I finally got hold of the final volume of X. <soppy grin> People nobly sacrificing themselves all over the place for their loved ones? The fluffy bunny was in her element… Going to watch it all from the beginning again really soon.

I'm back, sort of. Using the cubs' father's puter to get online, which, cos it's in his room, means I only have limited use but hey, it's better than nothing. Going to have to dip into my savings and get a new machine though - the other 2 I have to work with are really not worth the attempt to upgrade (one's a 486 for gods' sake!). Still, shouldn't take all that much effort to get going again, don't have to get new peripherals straight away, and thanks to Onna and rat's generosity, a substantial portion of the cost of building a new machine will hopefully be allayed. <glomps the pair of them>
... and now I'm back in more regular contact with Joules I'm feeling inspired again. <bg>
Tch, to think... 4 years ago I sniffed disdainfully at people who couldn't live without their computers...

Okay, through Niki's goodgraces (I'm at her place at the moment, hogging her internet connection :) I can finally do a post of some sort.
In short I'm still offline, <grumble>, and not sure when I'll be back. Annoyed? Oh yes...
Tch, it feels like my life's on hold - which it isn't, not really, just that I can't type or chat online. <rolls eyes> Ok, so typing and chatting do form a large part of my life but still...
Um, was there something else I had to say? Probably, I've made a list of things to include in future posts.
Ah! Yes!
Found a copy of 'The story of O' in an opp shop today. Heard a lot about this 'pornographic' book over the years but never got round to reading it. Heh, tell you what, Joules' writes much better, much more involving lemons. <bg> It's interesting, though, <smugsmirk> if a litte dated, a little lame. But, hey, it was written 30 years ago and published amid much controversy. I can see how it set the template for some areas, at least, of the BDSM scene.
Good to hear you'll be getting back to Haadri soon, Joules. :)

(What size hard-drive died, Onna? An old, 1gig pentium...)

[And the tenshi is quite happy to be comforted... :) ]