spinning-jennie :: more afraid of you than you are of it

the fun - it never ends!
Painter: Do you come in early?
Me: No - I only get six hours now.
Painter: I got lucky with this job. They didn't have any work for me yesterday (???), but I get to make up for it today - thirty-five dollars an hour for this!
Me: I guess I really picked the wrong business!
Painter: Oh... you think that's a lot of money?
4/30/2003 03:20:44 PM

hurts to laugh, owie
Dees-a peecture, eet makes me laugh.
4/30/2003 02:47:06 PM

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - right? right???
Ways moving your own library in one day is probably somewhat like giving birth:*

You look forward to it for months, but when it's happening, you find you're less than prepared, physically

There are lots of people around to give you sundry verbal support - but in the end it's on you

Hours and hours of sweating, tendon-shredding, cursing, and bleeding

It may be one of the very few times in your life you beg for drugs

When it's all over, you feel like you've been hit by a truck - but wasn't it worth it?**

*which, no, I've not done, but I watch The Learning Channel, so obviously I'm qualified to compare
**I'm sure that will feel more sincere in a couple of days
4/29/2003 09:51:53 PM

867-5309
Hey, I'm suddenly part of a theme!
4/29/2003 02:49:28 PM

the pinnacle of geekdom
We've reached it at our house. Yes, we have.

Our entertainment center, just over the weekend, gained a brain. A wireless brain that records our shows like TiVo, and of course pauses and rewinds live TV. Plays our DVDs and CDs. And MP3s (from any other computer in the house, of course), to the ambience beat of Windows Media.

Turned out a rather pricey little brain, with over 60 hours in surgery and half a dozen emergency pieces-parts transports. But Herr Doktor never gives up on a patient.
4/28/2003 03:12:31 PM

Eleanor Margaret Phipps!
4/26/2003 12:55:36 PM

ah, the memories
It's been over five years. Which is why we can laugh about it now.

When D. and I met, he was, of necessity, living with the dozenth in a string of bad roommates. I forget his name now, but he seemed harmless enough at first. In a hulking, dumb, good 'ol boy sort of way. I'll call him Jimbob for convenience. Plus it's kind of fun to say.

We lived twenty-five miles away from each other. I couldn't stand driving to Madison Heights in my fragile little hatchback (where Jimbob might potentially be, anyhow, yay), and D. was getting tired of driving to Auburn Hills. So he decided to ditch the too-expensive place fraught with bad luck, and move to my apartment at the greener edge of things.

But how to break the news to Jimbob? A problem, since he hadn't been seen in days. MIA, along with his half of the rent, a massive overdue phone bill, and a nasty-ass room filled with funk. Many notes were left, apparently seen, apparently unheeded. I always got the feeling that he was somewhere nearby, watching and waiting for us to leave.

Days, weeks ticked by, and the move inched closer. And no sign of Jimbob. Unless you count all those drunk-girl messages left for him on the machine. We had no choice but to pack up his stuff and throw it to the curb. What a fascinating exercise in urban cultural anthropology! And a lot less depressing than dealing with the sad little leavings from D.'s ex in forgotten cubbies and corners. That Christmas photo ornament in the linen closet nearly made me cry.

But I'm a sap, and I digress.

We weren't scared of what we'd almost completed until we stumbled upon his stash of bullets and collection of police report clippings... with himself as the subject. Violent crimes. The kind that get you in the slammer, double-quick.

Not the kind of person you want to upset, no matter the situation.

Well, that was quite the motivator to finish and get out. Soon neighbors were gathering around the well-stocked dumpster, and we were heading north in the UHaul. There were only a few small things left, mostly to be donated, and the sofa. A wonderful blue sofa that, in all its velvet-napped cushiness, didn't much agree with light-haired cats and a pair of allergies. D. preferred to have the Salvation Army come and lug it down the stairs for the sizeable tax writeoff. This would all be taken care of the next morning.

But Jimbob, triggered by who knows what homing instinct, came sometime in the night. With friends.

It would be a gross understatement to say he wasn't happy with the turn of events. Repeated warnings notwithstanding.

He took anything left of even small value. And the sofa.

Waiting for the Salvation Army truck to arrive for the remaining stuff was a nervous affair. Would he return to get his revenge? By then I was certain that he was packing. Probably hid his dad's hunting rifle beneath the seat of his truck, just for occasions like this. I was never happier to permanently leave a place, ever.

No, we never did see Jimbob again. If you happen to be reading this from Macomb, give him a howdy for us.

On second thought... maybe don't.
4/25/2003 04:33:05 PM

sometimes self-photography works
Because I know you just can't get enough of us.
4/24/2003 06:43:26 AM

fake movie casting and stock markets, my life is slipping away...

sorority cavort

Over halfway through the January-June season, just waiting on the Big Paycheck, mostly. Though it will be nice to milk nearly identical double whammies out of Berry and Stewart.

Dafoe for Finding Nemo, and Voight for Holes, if you didn't know (tough to lose too badly with Disney, like it or not). Daredevil did a lot better than I expected, while The Core has been eh. They both sucked the same.
4/23/2003 09:34:15 AM

babies everywhere
Two in waiting.
4/22/2003 06:51:48 PM

big surprise there
When did I say I'd be moving in a week? I know it was more than a week ago. It will be more than a week still, likely. The most frustrating thing is that, structurally, it's done. Tiny cosmetic issues are the holdup. Paint here, a few interior door window inserts there.

The delays don't effect me emotionally anymore. They give me yet another target date, and I smile and nod and find piddly things to do in my little makeshift office until I can go home and look at things online that I want for the real office that at this point feels like part of an elaborate practical joke.

I've learned to revel in my six hours of filtered browsing boredom, almost. My pitiful standard-issue Gateway, a cup of coffee, and nestbuilding sparrows for company. No schedule to follow. I can use the restroom whenever I want, which is certainly novel. At least it's not stressful. If you don't count the waiting.

Remind me to never, ever have my own house built. Unless I learn to build it myself, foundation to chimneytip.
4/22/2003 05:17:33 PM

lesser beings
I feel like such a mean-spirited person. More accurately, I don't know if I feel mean-spirited or justified indignance.

I sat there on that boulder by the river, trying to enjoy the view and the company and my hamcheeserolls and Riesling and [cheater store-bought] Easter eggs.

But this family appeared five minutes after we'd settled, after we'd begun to arrange plates and cups precariously on the granite. A large, loud family with a cameraman in tow. And it was clear they were going to do a shoot right there, right next to us (about two yards, which is pretty darn close in the middle of an otherwise deserted woodsy riverside preserve). While were eating our Easter dinner. Such as it was. Not a "do you mind if we take pictures here?" If you looked at my photo, you see that there's no lack of pretty outcroppings.

And I didn't want to move, instead trying to block the noise of two toddlers screameching "famiwee!" over and over and over again. And you have to know that I don't dislike kids - my job would've rendered me homicidal long, long ago if I did. Or at least the prospect of having my own would be absolutely unthinkable. But I wasn't at work, or Chuck E. Cheese, or Disneyland. I hope I'm not so oblivious as a parent.

They took a really long time.

I felt (and this is not the only time) a bit as if, since we're "only" a couple, our value is somehow less, societally. Others have also perceived this slight.

Or maybe I'm just a big meanie.
4/21/2003 05:35:09 PM

Happy Easter
We're just doing our now-annual picnic thing along the American River, with little sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, and wine. Assuming I ever get off the computer and into the shower.

Don't say I never gave you anything for Easter - I spent whole minutes searching my crappy clip art CDs for these scary FrankenChicks for you to color!
4/20/2003 12:34:21 PM

forseeable end to the mind-bending boredom
I got to wander around by myself yesterday.
4/18/2003 07:51:54 AM

4/18/2003 06:32:43 AM

taco flay-vored keesses
I kept my peepers propped long enough to watch South Park last night, and what do I get for my trouble?

"Hola, beetchola!" making badly-timed smirkifying appearances in my head all day long.
4/17/2003 02:12:55 PM

haven
This spring, the little park across the street has been so lush and green and ancient, that, driving past sometimes, I feel a strong urge to spread out a blanket and stay under that canopy the whole day.
4/17/2003 06:01:52 AM

sixteen days and still foolin' groovy
I feel terrible. But in such a deliciously hi-larious way.
4/16/2003 07:59:07 PM

you can bet Mr. Mathers wouldn't
Moby is so seriously cool. Via Kristin.
4/16/2003 02:18:10 PM

libraries up in smoke
This account from Baghdad tears the heart.
4/16/2003 11:02:58 AM

had no idea they were still recording, did you?
Scary: flipping through the dial at 7 am and hearing Air Supply

Scarier: remembering that you had the album

Scariest: realizing that you remember all the lyrics to "Making Love Out of Nothing at All"
4/15/2003 02:13:45 PM

atomic blue
Isn't my new old tableware cool?
4/14/2003 02:34:39 PM

new low in stircraziness
I re-coded my first XHTML 1.0 Transitional-compliant page today. Get out the party hats - webgeek in the hizzouse!

Yeah. I'm bored.

And hungry. You got any cookies?
4/14/2003 12:59:19 PM

go away, heathen
Kawaljit Singh wanted to serve the needy in Redding, fulfilling a Sikh tenet to help the less fortunate. But explaining his religion to some folks at the Thanksgiving 2001 dinner was, apparently, "going too far:"

"We as a Christian ministry do not feel that the Christian Mission is necessarily the best vehicle for you to communicate your sincerity. We are clearly not an ecumenical organization. We also recognize that this element of our faith is not necessarily viewed as being politically correct.

"It is not our desire to put others down, or to hold ourselves up. We want to lift up the name of Jesus, and His alone."

Not "politically correct?" Try asinine.
4/13/2003 07:05:20 PM

road trip, nonetheless
Yesterday we drove the sixty-odd miles up to the little old valley town of Colusa, hoping that the rain would break up just enough that we could get out of the car when we got there to do some exploring. It didn't, but what a charming place, with its wide tree-lined avenues and grand rambling Victorians. We never did catch a glimpse of the Chinatown I'd read about.

No, we didn't stop for the slots.

I couldn't figure why the old stone police station had names of great minds carved in the heavy brown lintels. Oh - that's why!

While there's lots and lots to look at in Colusa, there doesn't appear to be anything to eat. So back to 5 we went, past some gorgeous preserve marshes.

If you ever happen to be driving on I-5 and need a little snack break, stop at Granzella's in Williams. Nice, big homey place. I had the best lumpy mashed potatoes with my reuben. Don't forget to check out the bakery/deli, where you can get scrumptious-looking candy and pies for the road.

And olives. Lots and lots of olives.

The rest of the town is pretty much a wash. It stopped raining long enough for us to learn this firsthand.
4/13/2003 04:07:28 PM

Dodie-do
It's out! It's out!

But where is it playing?

Sigh.
4/12/2003 10:03:34 AM

two years
No more contractor bankruptcies. No more mold tests. The carpeting is nearly complete. Everything works, nothing leaks. There are more shelves than I'll ever be able to fill in the midst of a budget crisis, but you can never, ever have too many, experience tells. My heavensent Blockbuster-esque security system is ready to be installed.

Now that move-in is only a week away, I'm not sure I believe it.
4/11/2003 06:10:33 AM

buy reeeeeealllllly low
A tiny few people have bought my stock. This, somehow, makes me feel better than it should. 'Cause it probably has everything to do with the fact that it only cost a nickel a share, and nothing to do with this remote piece of real estate. Still.
4/10/2003 05:14:04 PM

Marshall! - the point, please?
Whole days - nay, weeks - may go by in which I can't shake the feeling that Marshall Flinkman and I have his speech pattern in common. When eyeball after eyeball glazes over while I haltingly stumble over the finer points of my latest Genius Invention.

Luckily they're keeping me around for the Genius Inventions.
4/9/2003 02:23:21 PM

use the source, Luke
I really have more to say today. But it wouldn't be prudent.

Damn prudence.
4/8/2003 09:23:58 PM

pseudoephedrine doesn't hurt, either
I'm feeling a bit better after a visit with a very old friend, and a loaf in the machine to look forward to.

And I've already decided that, in keeping with the comfort theme, I'm having (boxed) mashed potatoes with (jarred) gravy with green tea and honey for dinner.
4/8/2003 04:35:01 PM

not for the beheadached cranky
Here's a game guaranteed to piss off the impatient and uncoordinated pretty quickly (three tries for me).

And that's the only email I've gotten all day.
4/8/2003 03:05:03 PM

trap door intrigue
VP: So, have you been up there yet?
me: Uh, no... isn't that little metal box on the door an alarm or something?
VP: Nope! In fact I was up there just yesterday. Couldn't stay long because the wind kept blowing the door shut on me.
me: Hmmmmmmmm....

So. Guess who's not wearing a skirt to work tomorrow?
4/7/2003 02:50:05 PM

good with coffee and crackers
I'm now the proud owner of a Virtually Indestructible Keyboard. Yes, the blue one!

It's strange not to hear clacking when I type. Just a quiet padding.
4/5/2003 07:23:05 PM

never seen snow
As I was gathering my things to leave for the week, sharp little *poink!* *poinks!* began falling on the metal roof. Tiny balls of hail. The sixth-graders in the classroom across the way were pressed to the window until their teacher let them out. You should have seen them play. It's so rare to see such a large-scale show of unbridled joy around here.

The wonder of Sacramento's annual version of snowfall.
4/4/2003 02:40:39 PM

dream decay
Gordon's post made me recall a dream (nightmare) I had last night. I took a drink of something, and whatever it was made whole chunks of my teeth crumble off! I spit them out, then stood there with the pieces in my hand, disgusted and horrified.

And then the alarm rang.
4/3/2003 02:52:16 PM

new every day
So I was playing with our camera's photo stitch software to make panoramas, when I found out that it could also do zoomable 360° views! Just like apartment search sites. Or Cockeyed.

See my first try (must have QuickTime). Or look in the visiblog (which has a new picture nearly every day).
4/3/2003 06:16:13 AM

no, really!
I never for a moment thought I would permanently fool so many people yesterday! The gig is up - me and my shadow aren't going anywhere for some time.

You, um, really thought I was that kind of girl? *sniff*

;-)

p.s. You can see the bios for my furry little porn stars here.
4/2/2003 03:21:44 PM

yesterday
Not to fret! You can still see the April Fool's post here.
4/2/2003 05:48:20 AM

GeoURL