The week between Christmas and New Year's is traditionally the lowest-traffic week of the year for my site, and I'm gonna be out of town anyway, so I thought I might try something a little different this year. Here's a teaser for my idea:



I've already got the basic idea for the story and will hopefully start working on it before we drive down to Maryland (one advantage of driving down is I can actually bring my big Cintiq with me) for the holiday. Of course, going over my outline and idea list, this might end up being MORE work than the usual QC strips >.<

So uh I no promises yet I guess, but hopefully I won't puss out and will actually get this done.

For the last couple weeks, I was scheduled to come in at 1AM and work until 5AM. Most of the time, this mean I'd do whatever needed doing.

Thursday morning the stockroom floor was rewaxed, so I spent an hour moving backstock to a parked trailer and getting other stuff out of the stockroom so the floors were clear, then moving everything back after the waxing was done. I ended up staying until after 7:30 AM and spent the last three hours crushing boxes, including making two bales of cardboard and loading them into the trailer I just pulled all the backstock out of. At the end of the shift, the grocery manager thanked me for "doing all that B.S. work."

This coming week I'm scheduled for 3AM to 7AM which probably means my primary job will now be pulling down merchandise on the shelves, or facing the store, making sure everything's pulled to the front of the shelf and facing the same way so it looks nice for the first few customers who come in.

Facing is one of those never-ending jobs in retail, and I keep thinking I wouldn't have to do it if it weren't for the customers. It's also why I pull stuff forward when I'm shopping. After I grab a box of cereal I'll usually pull the one behind it forward so it lines up with the others on the shelf, just to save whoever faces that aisle later a little bit of effort.

Suffice it to say, I am not looking forward to this coming week.

Tubgirl staggered and finally collapsed. "You...you have defeated me," she gasped.

"No," Fart-chan replied. "It was you who defeated yourself."

Statistics are here!

You can now see the number of people who have visited your journal, your individual entries, a chart of comments, readers of the RSS feed of your journal, and the last 100 logged-in users who have visited your journal directly (if you've enabled My Guests).

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Monday is my birthday. Traditionally, that's when I start a road trip that takes me to Arizona to see my family. But this year I have to work the days on either side of my birthday; no road trip this year.

I was panicking a little earlier, but then hit on the idea of making a day trip somewhere in Colorado. One of the first things I found in searching the internet for ideas was the historic town of Georgetown, Colorado, a mining town founded in 1859 and now a part of the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic District. There's a steam train that runs between Georgetown and neighboring Silver Plume.

It seems like a good idea to put on my steampunk finery (see userpic for reference) and wander the town. In the spirit of road-trip-ness, I plan to take US Highway 6 into the mountains, instead of I-70, adding 15-20 minutes to the drive.

Since Steampunk outings are more fun with more people, I invited my friend Andy (alarin612) and our friend Jeremy. Andy has plans for Monday, but Sunday might work better and he asked if he could invite the rest of his family that may also enjoy the outing. As I said, the more the merrier. Anyone else in Colorado want to come along?

I may still make the separate trek on Monday, but that one may only go as far as Tommyknockers in Idaho Springs. ;)

1. In six days I will be 28 years old.
2. I've been awake for 16.5 hours
3. Jim Butcher may be my favorite author

Just by number of books, one could guess my top five favorite authors are in the following order:

1. Arthur C. Clarke
2. Douglas Adams
3. Jim Butcher
4. Neil Gaiman
5. William Gibson

Though Adams drops significantly if one counts HitchHiker's Guide collections as a single volume. (I have two collections, The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide collecting the first five books, and an older tome collecting the first four books and "Young Zaphod Plays It Safe." The latter has a nice leather cover and silk book mark.)

Clarke: 19 novels and one short story collection (19 books - one of the books collects two novels: The City and the Stars and The Sands of Mars)
Adams: 11 novels and The Salmon of Doubt essay collection (five books)
Butcher: 7 novels (three Alera books, four Dresden books) (seven books)
Gaiman: 5 novels and a short story collection (six books) (plus 10 Sandman trade paperbacks)*
Gibson: 5 novels (five books)

Annoyingly, I started reading Butcher after I reorganized my bookshelves, so there's no room for his books.

*If I count comic books I'll have to reorganize the list somewhat to include Phil and Kaja Foglio and Brian Clevinger. I have Clevinger's novel, Nuklear Age, but if comics are included I'll have to count all the Atomic Robo, both individual issues and trade paperback collections. Then I'd have to go through my short-boxes and tally up the writers on all the old Uncanny X-Men issues I have. That sounds like a lot of work. Maybe one day when I'm extra bored.

I've been up since half-past midnight this morning. I need to fall asleep soon, but I had an energy drink at work this morning, after a week or more without caffeine while I was sick. (My diet largely consisted of chicken noodle soup, orange juice and decaffeinated teas.)

Actually, I haven't really been awake all that long, considering. It just seems like it, since I tried to go to sleep around 10AM earlier. As I said previously, my sleep schedule is all kinds of out of whack recently.

Friday night and much of Sunday were spent applying for jobs online. Tech jobs. Day jobs.

I got one call back from a recruiter this morning, for a job in Boulder.

Meanwhile, still working overnights. My sleep schedule is all kinds of mixed up now.

My mother asked, so here it is.

I've updated last year's list to strike out the things I have now. The rest of the list still stands.

LAST UPDATE: 12/15/2009 1:15 PM (GMT -7)
As for the new stuff:

• A new job. The one I have pays the bills, but is largely mindless and physically exhausting. Also, the graveyard hours are putting me at odds with my housemates.
• A new battery for my laptop. Sony Vaio model VGN-FE780G A few months ago the battery stopped taking a charge at all, so for the moment I have a light-weight desktop computer.
• In lieu of a new battery, a new laptop. Perhaps a netbook type: small and light with long-lasting battery power. I've been thinking about one off and on for a year or more, mostly to replace my paper notebook when I'm in a restaurant and writing.
• LEGO Rockband (Wii) could be fun, but it would likely be little more than more songs for regular Rockband.
• Same goes for The Beatles Rockband (Wii)
• There's a LEGO Harry Potter game coming out, from the same people that made the LEGO StarWars, LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Batman games. I have yet to be disappointed by a LEGO game from the TT Games studio.
• While I'm on a LEGO kick, pretty much any LEGO set. In the last few years I've emerged from what many adult LEGO enthusiasts refer to as "the dark ages" and my love of the little plastic bricks is growing again.
• It occurs to me I do not have any long-sleeved shirts other than dress shirts. A sweatshirt or two might be nice. Probably 2XL
• Memories of the Future: Volume 1 by Wil Wheaton
• Also by Wil Wheaton, the audio book versions of "Just a Geek" and "The Happiest Days of Our Lives"
• My wishlist at ThinkGeek.com
• Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere BBC Miniseries. I saw this at Mile Hi Con this year and quite enjoyed it. I have the book as well.
• My wishlist at Amazon.com (I hope that link works)
• Coraline (Widescreen) Gift Set I absolutely loved this in the theater, and I'm curious to see how the 3D works at home.
• Stargate: Atlantis DVDs. At the moment I have none, so any would be a good gift.
• A new digital camera. I'm not terribly picky, as long as it takes pictures.
• A new blue tooth headset for my phone.
• Sony PSP handheld gaming system.
• Dungeon Maker PSP game
• Scribblenauts (Nintendo DS game)
• This American Life Live DVD (Return to the Scene of the Crime) or pretty much anything else from the This American Life store
• Dungeon-A-Day 1-year membership
• A new pocketwatch

Every day at work, two or three times an hour, I hear a commercial that starts with the line "Can you send money at the speed of love this holiday season?" It goes down hill from there and extols the virtues of using Western Union to send money to friends and family for Christmas. The commercial annoys me for many reasons, but as I compile this list, I can't help but think "You know, there are some things that are hard to describe. Cash or gift cards could be handy ..." but I don't think there's a way to get a gift card for HeavyInk, an online comic book retailer.

My body's been changing shape lately. I find this really fascinating, especially when I remember how I used to react. When I first started loving my body, I did so by attaching my identity to the way I looked right then, so any change would set off a panic -- it made me feel out of control, like my identity was slipping away from me. I think I used to feel that a body shouldn't change shape or size -- that everyone had one particular look they were supposed to have their entire adult life (which is, of course, bullshit, as most people change a lot). But now? when my body changes, I watch it with curiosity and anticipation, like I'd watch an artist paint. I love that my body constantly shifts.

( body shifts! I may be the only person who spends at LEAST ten minutes a day admiring myself naked in the mirror )

Feeling the increase in energy and stamina as I've been more active has reminded me that I want to regain my strength. I want to get some weights and build up my arms and back enough to do handstands and cartwheels again (even if that means I'll have to get a mega-squish sports bra and pants). I want to regain my flexibility too, because it affects my movements so distinctly -- when flexible I play with movement a lot more.

Also Greta randomly told me I have pretty hands, which surprised me because my hands are the one thing that I don't at all find attractive about myself. I don't hate them anymore, but they're probably my least-favorite feature (though I think my fingernails are pretty). So that made me happy, and brought me a little closer to liking them. ;-)

( blah-de-blah about eating habits )

and I need a new curvygirl icon because this one is over a year old! who wants to take photos of me and let me direct? :D

(Preamble here.)

A vermin problem (mostly bats) in the basement of our property (which is apparently a rented home now) leads us to hiring a swami to perform the extermination.

He has a special technique, what with him being a swami and all: he uses a raven. An extremely tame, friendly raven that alights upon me, worms its way into the crook of my arm, and nuzzles me ceaselessly. Also: grooms my arms with its beak, clack-clack-clack.

I tell the property owners of my excellent initiative and proactive nature, and they are a bit apprehensive. Actually, they're worried that the swami's method of pest control may contravene some animal welfare regulations and labour laws.

Instead of hiring the swami, they suggest I fill the basement in with concrete instead.

It felt so wonderful last year to be able to raise some money on my birthday for a cause I really care about-Sobornost's work with the orphans in Africa- Posted it on Facebook using Facebook Causes Birthday Wish and I thank you all who participated/donated- it was so satisfying. My birthday is tomorrow again...there are so many causes that have moved me this past year...that I want to DO Something about...so I've been looking forward to the Birthday WIsh for a long while.
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about basic things...and what it takes to feel 'capable'. Whenever I've felt overwhelmed, or focused on what I 'need'...I've been reminding myself often of the gift of having two legs to walk on....and starting from there...knowing that I can do so much in this life. So that was my inspiration for this year's wish: I wonder if you would help me...in honor of my birthday.....to join me in giving that most basic starting point to someone somewhere in the world who does Not have it.

Prosthetic Outreach Foundation's Mission is to create opportunities for children and adults in developing countries who suffer from limb loss and deformities to lead more fulfilling lives.
POF creates opportunities for children and adults in developing countries who suffer from limb loss and limb deformities to lead more fulfilling lives. POF provides access to prosthetics, orthopedic surgery, physical rehabilitation, and non-medical assistance, such as micro-lending.

I think that would be the most meaningful birthday gift of all this year to me. Remembering the Gift of having 2 legs to walk on...by giving that gift to someone who shows us how to really appreciate it. The thought/reminder alone puts me in a stronger place, a thankful place, a Capable and powerful and generous place. Maybe it will feel the same for you. Visit the Prosthetic Outreach Foundation's website and or watch the video if you'd like to find out more...they have an amazing program in place...creating a sustainable loop of even training people to be able to create the prosthetics there, giving employment opportunities in areas of such great need. If you can donate just $10 (or any amount) to this wonderful organization it would mean so much. Someone can walk, someone gets a job, and we remember that we can always Do something.
Please go through the Birthday Wish page here if you're on Facebook (so that it shows in the total- which is so inspiring) and if not please just donate through their website and let me know about it in a comment here on LJ? I've raised over $300 so far and I'm excited to see if it can go much higher and do much more!!? THANK YOU!! muchlove, Darlene