And I'm not ashamed to admit it. Even though this is probably the closest continuity comes to it. *Sigh*
I guess I'll stick with the fan-universes then.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Hey computer gurus!
I have a second internal hard drive that I can't remember how big the space is, and I'm thinking about getting an external hard drive. The issue: I would like a program that automates updates to dump to either the internal or a potential hard drive.
Burning CDs doesn't work because when I get to the files in use on the C drive, it throws an error. I never understood Windows XP's backup system but as near as I can tell it does nothing for actual file content just saves your setting of Windows XP.
I'd prefer to have something that I can give a time to (every Friday at 10am, for example) and everything is saved without me having to do anything. Opensource is great but if I have to pay for a program, a sane price would be nice (under $100).
Is there anything out there?
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Burning CDs doesn't work because when I get to the files in use on the C drive, it throws an error. I never understood Windows XP's backup system but as near as I can tell it does nothing for actual file content just saves your setting of Windows XP.
I'd prefer to have something that I can give a time to (every Friday at 10am, for example) and everything is saved without me having to do anything. Opensource is great but if I have to pay for a program, a sane price would be nice (under $100).
Is there anything out there?
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Monday, October 29, 2007
Big oops on spaghetti squash
I had run across mentions of spaghetti squash and how you can substitute it for pasta, but never sought it out. Perhaps if I had, I would have cooked it better. But it's moments like this that make me marvel that I'm not a bigger culinary klutz than I am. I haven't given myself food poisoning yet. That has to count for something.
I found spaghetti squash for 98 cents at Wal-Mart on Saturday. I had to cook it on Sunday or it would go bad in the fridge. Pull up the latest post I saw about spaghetti squash, then went to All Recipes. One of the comments at All Recipes said to bake it whole, so I did. Then I cut it open and found seeds. Nobody said anything about seeds.
I ended up baking it for a little longer after I cut it open, the scooped out the stringy center with the seeds. Everybody said scoop out the strings, but nobody said anything about seeds. So I scooped out the strings and the seeds and threw the inch-thick rind away.
Dad didn't like it but he accidentally ate a seed. Mom said I probably needed to cook it longer, but my sauce was great. I was really annoyed because I would have to buy 15 of them in order to get enough to go with the amount of sauce I make. And what the hell was up with the seeds! Wal-mart getting mutant squashes or something? Luckily I had Barilla pasta to cook so the sauce wouldn't go to waste.
When I got back to the computer I read all the comments attached to the blog. And one of those commenters said that you scooped out the stringy center and seeds and bake and THEN scoop out the rinds for the noodle squash bits.
I threw away the part you eat.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I found spaghetti squash for 98 cents at Wal-Mart on Saturday. I had to cook it on Sunday or it would go bad in the fridge. Pull up the latest post I saw about spaghetti squash, then went to All Recipes. One of the comments at All Recipes said to bake it whole, so I did. Then I cut it open and found seeds. Nobody said anything about seeds.
I ended up baking it for a little longer after I cut it open, the scooped out the stringy center with the seeds. Everybody said scoop out the strings, but nobody said anything about seeds. So I scooped out the strings and the seeds and threw the inch-thick rind away.
Dad didn't like it but he accidentally ate a seed. Mom said I probably needed to cook it longer, but my sauce was great. I was really annoyed because I would have to buy 15 of them in order to get enough to go with the amount of sauce I make. And what the hell was up with the seeds! Wal-mart getting mutant squashes or something? Luckily I had Barilla pasta to cook so the sauce wouldn't go to waste.
When I got back to the computer I read all the comments attached to the blog. And one of those commenters said that you scooped out the stringy center and seeds and bake and THEN scoop out the rinds for the noodle squash bits.
I threw away the part you eat.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Iron Experiment Day 23
Week 19 = 186.4
Week 18 = 186.3
Week 17 = 186.5
Week 16 = 187.2
Week 15 = 188.6
Week 14 = 188.8
Week 13 = 189
Week 12 = 187.6
Week 11 = 187.8
Week 10 = 189.6
Week 9 = 188.9
Week 8 = 193.4
Week 7 = 194.5
Week 6 = 194.5
Week 5 = 195.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 1 = 205
According to FitDay.com, I need to lose 1.67 pounds per week in order to be at 120 lbs. for July 31st. That should be doable, but I may have to look into new recipes. I pout when even the decimal point goes up.
And Day One of the new porch gym. I wasn't too cold with athletic pants and a sweatshirt. I got most of the workout done despite having to change the weights. According to the periodization workout I'm using, I go up to 35 lbs. on the barbell and 17 lbs. on the dumbbells this week. I didn't get to finish the dumbbell exercises because my left shoulder was starting to feel fatigued. I still have to figure out how to do the push-ups, but I need to get some furniture I'm going to sell off the rest of the porch.
And I got one set of 25 crunches done. I didn't unroll the yoga mat because of furniture in the way and I want to hose off the porch (okay, I don't sweep out there at all). Feet did the slide thing until I jammed one against the weight tub. That got me through my first set. So for the second set, I repositioned with both feet against the tub and my back to the wide open yard. As you can see in the first picture yesterday, I don't have railings or screens on my front porch. Mustard came up beside me to see what I was doing.
I curled up for the first crunch. The ball grabbed up porch dirt, lost all traction, and shot out behind me. I still have plenty of cushioning on my ass because landing on it should have hurt a lot more than it did. I turned around. The planter and steps to the porch successfully caught the Swissball, so I don't have to chase after it. And Mustard is halfway across the front yard, puffed up and staring at me and the Swissball, waiting for one of us to head at him.
Wisely, I just talked to my cat and put away the Swissball and Mustard finally decided to come back to the porch since the dumbbells were not going to injure his kitty pride.
So if hosing off the porch and keeping it swept clean doesn't help, I may be in the market for a rug of indoor/outdoor carpet. I will give the yoga mat another chance before that though. Rugs are expensive.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Week 18 = 186.3
Week 17 = 186.5
Week 16 = 187.2
Week 15 = 188.6
Week 14 = 188.8
Week 13 = 189
Week 12 = 187.6
Week 11 = 187.8
Week 10 = 189.6
Week 9 = 188.9
Week 8 = 193.4
Week 7 = 194.5
Week 6 = 194.5
Week 5 = 195.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 1 = 205
According to FitDay.com, I need to lose 1.67 pounds per week in order to be at 120 lbs. for July 31st. That should be doable, but I may have to look into new recipes. I pout when even the decimal point goes up.
And Day One of the new porch gym. I wasn't too cold with athletic pants and a sweatshirt. I got most of the workout done despite having to change the weights. According to the periodization workout I'm using, I go up to 35 lbs. on the barbell and 17 lbs. on the dumbbells this week. I didn't get to finish the dumbbell exercises because my left shoulder was starting to feel fatigued. I still have to figure out how to do the push-ups, but I need to get some furniture I'm going to sell off the rest of the porch.
And I got one set of 25 crunches done. I didn't unroll the yoga mat because of furniture in the way and I want to hose off the porch (okay, I don't sweep out there at all). Feet did the slide thing until I jammed one against the weight tub. That got me through my first set. So for the second set, I repositioned with both feet against the tub and my back to the wide open yard. As you can see in the first picture yesterday, I don't have railings or screens on my front porch. Mustard came up beside me to see what I was doing.
I curled up for the first crunch. The ball grabbed up porch dirt, lost all traction, and shot out behind me. I still have plenty of cushioning on my ass because landing on it should have hurt a lot more than it did. I turned around. The planter and steps to the porch successfully caught the Swissball, so I don't have to chase after it. And Mustard is halfway across the front yard, puffed up and staring at me and the Swissball, waiting for one of us to head at him.
Wisely, I just talked to my cat and put away the Swissball and Mustard finally decided to come back to the porch since the dumbbells were not going to injure his kitty pride.
So if hosing off the porch and keeping it swept clean doesn't help, I may be in the market for a rug of indoor/outdoor carpet. I will give the yoga mat another chance before that though. Rugs are expensive.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Weekend with an Action Plan
So with 17 projects (3 more got added I will explain) and at least 71 actions with all of them, I got 4 projects and 24 actions completed.
I forgot to list shopping and bloodwork as projects both finished on Saturday. Organizing the sewing patterns got added Saturday night when I realized I was halfway through with doing that project.
I got both AB cards done (unless the professor decides we need to have another group one), finished reading the bio, and figured out the Frost long paper topic. While it only counts as two finished projects, I still feel pretty good about the state of things. I'd have a lot more on the finished list except that one or two actions haven't been finished yet.
For example: relocating the gym.
Yeap, I decided on the front porch. If it doesn't work out temperature-wise, it will go in the back bedroom somehow.
Here you can see one of the two actions that haven't been done yet, so the project isn't done. The boards sticking out of the purple box on the left need to be covered still. I also need to add more air to the Swissballs, though the one in the picture needs less than the one in my office.
And it unwittingly sent me to the store. I thought I could use some leftover wood to make a storage unit for the weights, dumbbells, and Swissball. Free-style carpenter, I ain't. I had to go to Wal-Mart for spaghetti sauce I forgot yesterday, and found the tub just when I thought I'd have to spend 50 to 100 dollars at Lowe's for something that would hold up the weight. I still want a weight stand, but now the need isn't as pressing.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I forgot to list shopping and bloodwork as projects both finished on Saturday. Organizing the sewing patterns got added Saturday night when I realized I was halfway through with doing that project.
I got both AB cards done (unless the professor decides we need to have another group one), finished reading the bio, and figured out the Frost long paper topic. While it only counts as two finished projects, I still feel pretty good about the state of things. I'd have a lot more on the finished list except that one or two actions haven't been finished yet.
For example: relocating the gym.
Yeap, I decided on the front porch. If it doesn't work out temperature-wise, it will go in the back bedroom somehow.
Here you can see one of the two actions that haven't been done yet, so the project isn't done. The boards sticking out of the purple box on the left need to be covered still. I also need to add more air to the Swissballs, though the one in the picture needs less than the one in my office.
And it unwittingly sent me to the store. I thought I could use some leftover wood to make a storage unit for the weights, dumbbells, and Swissball. Free-style carpenter, I ain't. I had to go to Wal-Mart for spaghetti sauce I forgot yesterday, and found the tub just when I thought I'd have to spend 50 to 100 dollars at Lowe's for something that would hold up the weight. I still want a weight stand, but now the need isn't as pressing.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Saturday, October 27, 2007
One of the funniest It's Joyce and Walky EVER
http://www.joyceandwalky.com/comics/20071027davidwillis.gif
I don't expect anyone who doesn't read the David Willis's webcomics to get this, but I howled.
Second funniest thing ever: radio ad for the Crew of Boo. They are Mardi Gras people who made a haunted house attraction in New Orleans as a fundraiser for first responders. The haunted house part has been rated 2nd scariest by the Travel Channel. Funny part: they are having some type of party/ball thing that you must buy tickets for. Featuring a whole lot of local bands and Jon Goodman as Lestat. Yes, Anne Rice's Lestat. *GIGGLE*
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I don't expect anyone who doesn't read the David Willis's webcomics to get this, but I howled.
Second funniest thing ever: radio ad for the Crew of Boo. They are Mardi Gras people who made a haunted house attraction in New Orleans as a fundraiser for first responders. The haunted house part has been rated 2nd scariest by the Travel Channel. Funny part: they are having some type of party/ball thing that you must buy tickets for. Featuring a whole lot of local bands and Jon Goodman as Lestat. Yes, Anne Rice's Lestat. *GIGGLE*
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Friday, October 26, 2007
Weekend blahs
I don't want to work on homework this weekend.
I'd rather clean my InBasket.
I'd rather clean my kitchen.
I'd rather ... *sigh.*
But I realize I need to do homework and this is just the Procrastinator talking. But having grown up in an environment of half-finished projects, I have no desire to live that way yet still manage to duplicate it. Which gives fuel to the Procrastinator. "You hate tripping over the stuff for the back porch. Install it this weekend. Forget about that class you hate and you're going to flunk anyway so why bother with it."
At the same time the Procrastinator is trying to get me in a deadline pinch, it has a point. The messy house is dangerous and I don't like it. And I need to spend all weekend on it so I don't have to spend another weekend on it again.
I should get sponsorship for these displays of circular logic. I'd get paid and then I could add the disclaimer: "This display of circular logic was brought to you by Tire Kingdom. Because it is round and so are your tires."
Then added to the mix is the Evil Optimist. "You can do it all! Just do it and don't sleep! You will finish it all!"
Yes, listening to the Evil Optimist is hazardous to your health. And I'm trying not to give into it. Too many times I have and it never ends well. Not this time.
This is where GTD help with rewiring your brain. I need to pick out a couple of projects along with homework and create next action lists for them. Then when I'm ready to beat my brains out with a reference book, I have something that is not homework ready to do.
Now that sounds like a sane plan. Wow, sometimes I surprise myself.
The list of things to do by project and next actions:
Most of the homework HAS to be done. The rest of it will be handled during the day between homework assignments. And I'm crossing my fingers that I can finish homework on Saturday and have Sunday for housework.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I'd rather clean my InBasket.
I'd rather clean my kitchen.
I'd rather ... *sigh.*
But I realize I need to do homework and this is just the Procrastinator talking. But having grown up in an environment of half-finished projects, I have no desire to live that way yet still manage to duplicate it. Which gives fuel to the Procrastinator. "You hate tripping over the stuff for the back porch. Install it this weekend. Forget about that class you hate and you're going to flunk anyway so why bother with it."
At the same time the Procrastinator is trying to get me in a deadline pinch, it has a point. The messy house is dangerous and I don't like it. And I need to spend all weekend on it so I don't have to spend another weekend on it again.
I should get sponsorship for these displays of circular logic. I'd get paid and then I could add the disclaimer: "This display of circular logic was brought to you by Tire Kingdom. Because it is round and so are your tires."
Then added to the mix is the Evil Optimist. "You can do it all! Just do it and don't sleep! You will finish it all!"
Yes, listening to the Evil Optimist is hazardous to your health. And I'm trying not to give into it. Too many times I have and it never ends well. Not this time.
This is where GTD help with rewiring your brain. I need to pick out a couple of projects along with homework and create next action lists for them. Then when I'm ready to beat my brains out with a reference book, I have something that is not homework ready to do.
Now that sounds like a sane plan. Wow, sometimes I surprise myself.
The list of things to do by project and next actions:
- AB #9 = 310 words
- Download article that fits parameters.
- Read article and take notes with highlighter. Find thesis.
- Write AB card.
- AB #10 = 310 words
- Download article that fits parameters.
- Read article and take notes with highlighter. Find thesis.
- Write AB card.
- Frost bio review = 500 words
- Finish reading Robert Frost: The Years of Triumph.
- Articulate Laurence Thompson's bias/slant in one sentence.
- Declare my thesis statement.
- Write bio review.
- Frost long paper = 1250 words
- Figure out what subject to write on.
- Research on the subject.
- Declare my thesis statement.
- Write paper.
- Queen Elizabeth long paper/project: crossdressing = ? words
- Declare my thesis statement.
- Write paper.
- AMF Educator's Guide = 250 words
- Add Wade's notes to Knights section.
- Write the Canterbury Cathedral section.
- Collecting Chad's stuff into boxes
- Move stuff in laundry basket into box.
- Move lamp and magazines out of office.
- Pull his patterns out of the pattern files.
- Find blankets and sheets in back bedroom.
- Did he leave any luggage? Check the luggage pile in back bedroom.
- Pack clothes out of dresser into luggage or plastic bags before putting into box.
- Get his stuff out from behind the couch.
- Try to get him to take the slide projector and screen. I don't need it. If he doesn't want them, give-away box.
- Relocate home gym
- Decided where it is going: front porch or back bedroom.
- Clean the area.
- Cover the exercise boards in something to present splinters and slipping.
- Move the weights, weight bench, yoga mat, boards, and Swissball.
- Hang stuff on back porch
- Charge up cordless drill.
- If screws were not included, find screws that will keep them up.
- T-hangers go on the rafters. See if they will hold the stuff without leveling.
- If not, add wood to the rafters to level the T-hangers.
- Screw in all the T-hangers.
- Put pipes up on T-hangers.
- Hang up hose support near the ladder.
- Get sawhorses back from Mom.
- Put sawhorses on hose support.
- Finish processing InBasket
- Take out top item and process it.
- Repeat until basket is empty.
- Clean fridge and mop kitchen
- Pick up all items that can't get wet and move them somewhere else.
- Throw out bad food.
- Wipe out fridge shelves with vinegar and baking soda.
- Reload good food.
- Move stuff out of mini fridge to big fridge.
- Wipe out mini fridge with vinegar and baking soda
- Unplug mini fridge and put a towel in freezer section to mop up water.
- Use steamer on floor and outside of appliances and cabinet doors.
- Use mop to dry floor.
- Clean carpets
- Wash red bedroom rugs in washer.
- Hang red bedroom rugs out to dry.
- Use carpet cleaning spray on red living room rug.
- Vacuum red living room rug.
- Clean out emails and reconfigure Outlook
- Make sure I have Outlook 2003 and it is installed
- Delete all accounts that I no longer use, or set up accounts I am using.
- Set up folders: Archive, Respond, and Action. Archive can have other folders by subject if necessary.
- Get BackUp Tiger for Outlook
- Set up filters for mailing lists to go automatically to folders for them. (This may be a Gmail only fix.)
- Make sure popup alerts are off.
- Set up template answers for the common questions.
- Try for three months. If the Outlook set up doesn't work, switch to Thunderbird.
Most of the homework HAS to be done. The rest of it will be handled during the day between homework assignments. And I'm crossing my fingers that I can finish homework on Saturday and have Sunday for housework.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Metabolic Syndrome Update
Went in yesterday for my roughly three month check-up. My doctor was really pleased with my numbers and weight loss so far. Saturday I have to go in for more blood work, the fasting variety. We are changing the metformin amount I'm taking though, up to three pills a day. I just hope my pharmacy will understand the new prescription because I sure can't read it.
Bought a new cervical pillow from the chiropractor because mine totally sucked, even though it is made of memory foam and shaped to cradle your head and support your neck. It was too soft and not the right size to hold my neck up. I don't know if that is due to having a fat neck, memory foam not strong enough to force a curve in my straight neck, or if my neck/shoulder space is oddly-sized. I woke up on my side Thursday with my shoulder in my ear. The new pillow is similar to a waterbed, but there is pillow stuff between your head and the water pouch. Didn't wake up in pain this morning, but it was a lot more pillowy softness than I'm used to. (Before giving the memory foam pillow a while, I used a pillow filled with barley husks.) I put more water in it this morning to make it firmer, and I may have to repeat that.
Oh, also found a nifty exercise journal at GNC, but I'm waiting for the Gold card discounts at the beginning of the month before buying. One part I really liked about it was a spot to list the amount of supplements you're taking. Since I never can remember numbers whenever I have to fill out paperwork (or correct spelling of names), I'd like a neat easy way to reference it.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Bought a new cervical pillow from the chiropractor because mine totally sucked, even though it is made of memory foam and shaped to cradle your head and support your neck. It was too soft and not the right size to hold my neck up. I don't know if that is due to having a fat neck, memory foam not strong enough to force a curve in my straight neck, or if my neck/shoulder space is oddly-sized. I woke up on my side Thursday with my shoulder in my ear. The new pillow is similar to a waterbed, but there is pillow stuff between your head and the water pouch. Didn't wake up in pain this morning, but it was a lot more pillowy softness than I'm used to. (Before giving the memory foam pillow a while, I used a pillow filled with barley husks.) I put more water in it this morning to make it firmer, and I may have to repeat that.
Oh, also found a nifty exercise journal at GNC, but I'm waiting for the Gold card discounts at the beginning of the month before buying. One part I really liked about it was a spot to list the amount of supplements you're taking. Since I never can remember numbers whenever I have to fill out paperwork (or correct spelling of names), I'd like a neat easy way to reference it.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Today's word counts
YES! All homework finished! Maybe I can get #9 and #10 done Thursday and Friday and then have the weekend for the longer papers! Also I think I should spend the long Robert Frost paper on giving new criticism to a poem, since the professor wants a survey of existing criticism when you do that.
Anyways, I'm putting stuff here to add to Backpack later.
Robert Frost short paper with whinning notes
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Robert Frost short paper
Progress Bar from Writertopia
AB #7
Progress Bar from Writertopia
AB #8
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Need to remember: AB cards have a word count of 310. A page for a double-spaced paper is 250 words.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Anyways, I'm putting stuff here to add to Backpack later.
Robert Frost short paper with whinning notes
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Robert Frost short paper
Progress Bar from Writertopia
AB #7
Progress Bar from Writertopia
AB #8
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Need to remember: AB cards have a word count of 310. A page for a double-spaced paper is 250 words.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Not to gross anyone out
But this is a safe way to leave myself a note I will come across again: http://www.mymonthlycycles.com/. And since I think my hormones are shifting around on me, I need to get some hard data.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Breaking Round-up
I just finished the short Robert Frost paper due today. So I get to write a few sentences here. Yeah! Then jump back into the one and a half AB cards due today. *Sigh* I hate those damn things so much, this weekend will involve me spitting out the last two of them. Course, I have been promising myself that every weekend this month even the busy ones, but now I have at least three other graded writing projects due dates approaching and I need to get the hustle on.
But I'm also going to buy Transformers. I should wait but when I start feeling that bullheaded "I don't want to wait" voice in my head, it's best to go ahead and get the one movie and run out of the store before anything else leaps into my hands and demands to go home with me. Plus I want to share it with Dad. So that should take care of some family obligations until Thanksgiving. Kai's hosting, and I got to figure out what time I can take off without pissing off family and work.
Last thing: new chiropractor. After reading Mistress Krista rave about ART, I decided to give it a try next time my back went to shit. The next time was the end of September. And I tried ignoring it 'cause it was mostly in my upper back where I carry all the stress any way, until a yoga class when we went into a twist that I could do at the beginning of summer. The joint between my hips and legs refused to put my legs in any position but straight out, and if I tried regardless, stabbing pain in the joint was my reward.
Lots of people in my area of Louisiana that are certified in ART, great! Almost all of them are physical therapist who are required by law to have a doctor's referral. I really didn't want to waste a doctor visit for me to convince him that there was something wrong with me. I like my doctor, but I think I scared him after the April accident and I started reciting the advice right along with him. One chiropractor in Baton Rouge certified in ART: Sonnier Chiro. Clinic.
Got the results back from the X-rays and tests yesterday. My neck is fucked up, and my lower back has some inflamed nerves but its curve is good. My neck has no curve again (though they call it a reverse curve--it looked straight to me), and my head extends past my shoulders. The last time I saw my x-ray look this bad was when Dad took me to his chiro, Dr. Gideon way back in 2000. The reason: I popped my neck and couldn't move it again plus pain radiating down my arm. It got better then, but has always flared up again. The Sonnier team is pretty sure we can restore the curve, though I will probably have to go in for check up once a month for the rest of my life. Since the alternative is back pain, neck pain, and eventually lost ability to type because my nerves are all tied up in knots, I can live with that.
Back to Robert Frost.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
But I'm also going to buy Transformers. I should wait but when I start feeling that bullheaded "I don't want to wait" voice in my head, it's best to go ahead and get the one movie and run out of the store before anything else leaps into my hands and demands to go home with me. Plus I want to share it with Dad. So that should take care of some family obligations until Thanksgiving. Kai's hosting, and I got to figure out what time I can take off without pissing off family and work.
Last thing: new chiropractor. After reading Mistress Krista rave about ART, I decided to give it a try next time my back went to shit. The next time was the end of September. And I tried ignoring it 'cause it was mostly in my upper back where I carry all the stress any way, until a yoga class when we went into a twist that I could do at the beginning of summer. The joint between my hips and legs refused to put my legs in any position but straight out, and if I tried regardless, stabbing pain in the joint was my reward.
Lots of people in my area of Louisiana that are certified in ART, great! Almost all of them are physical therapist who are required by law to have a doctor's referral. I really didn't want to waste a doctor visit for me to convince him that there was something wrong with me. I like my doctor, but I think I scared him after the April accident and I started reciting the advice right along with him. One chiropractor in Baton Rouge certified in ART: Sonnier Chiro. Clinic.
Got the results back from the X-rays and tests yesterday. My neck is fucked up, and my lower back has some inflamed nerves but its curve is good. My neck has no curve again (though they call it a reverse curve--it looked straight to me), and my head extends past my shoulders. The last time I saw my x-ray look this bad was when Dad took me to his chiro, Dr. Gideon way back in 2000. The reason: I popped my neck and couldn't move it again plus pain radiating down my arm. It got better then, but has always flared up again. The Sonnier team is pretty sure we can restore the curve, though I will probably have to go in for check up once a month for the rest of my life. Since the alternative is back pain, neck pain, and eventually lost ability to type because my nerves are all tied up in knots, I can live with that.
Back to Robert Frost.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Monday, October 22, 2007
GTD Weekend
Nothing got finished this weekend, and I feel pretty good about that.
It's also not completely true. My new bridge is in, and I voted. My house projects didn't get finished. I ignored chores, pretended homework didn't exist, went to bed and got up late, and only saw outside through the open windows and doors.
But it still has been a deeply satisfying weekend.
This weekend I put Getting Things Done into practice at home. And while I still have stuff left in the initial phases, I don't think I have ever felt so in control of everything. True, everything is still there to do, but I can see how to deal with most of it.
So why even try an organizational system designed for business people? And why start it at home instead of at work?
I first heard about it when a blog I read raved about David Allen getting his own column/blog at Huffington Post. Followed the links, liked what he said, and decided to use one of my Audible credits to buy his book.
The point that swayed me from interested to determined to give it a trail run was the explanation of how the brain works. Without a system to capture should-do's, need-to-do's, and want-to-do's, your short-term memory tried to remember them all. The problem with short-term memory is that it has no concept of past or future. You put a to-do item there, and it thinks you must do it all the time and will nag you until you do it. Add another to-do item and now you have stress because you can't do both at once.
I have read a lot of organizing and time management advice, but never had I had someone explain to me why my brain starts screaming at me when I look at my home office. He could have told me to hire a trained dog to eat all the paperwork, and I would have done it to make the screaming stop. Luckily, a trained dog is not required.
And as 43 Folders points out, GTD is a very geek-friendly system. It can be high-tech or low-tech, is easy to tweak to fit your needs, and it doesn't boss you around. No long list of rules to be followed or things to buy. You can implement the plan with the supplies you probably already own. The only think I had to buy was a bigger file box for story ideas and that was already on my shopping list.
Why at home rather than at work? At home is where I feel overwhelmed, freaked out, with the screaming committee in my head with each voice assigned to a different project that MUST BE DONE NOW! (Say the last part in your best booming voice of doom, it works.)
Really what took the longest was finishing the audiobook. I really need to buy the adapter to play the mp3 player in the car. Saturday, already broken up by errands, was further broken up by me racing to the computer to take notes and getting totally distracted by the write the idea down phase. I went through a pack of paper. Considering I had been storing it since the Office Max in town closed up, I don't feel bad about using it all up.
Collection phase was scary. You find everything that is an open loop (uncompleted project) and put it in an In Basket. If it's too big to put in, you write a note about it on a sheet of paper and put that in. I had an overflowing In Basket, a crate for 20 oz. bottles filled with binders and notebooks under the In Basket, a milk crate filled with my finance project, a stack of the website related stuff that was too big to go anywhere, a large laundry basket and a banker box and the top part of the milk crate filled with all the files from the filing cabinets that were not stories, a stack of more notebooks and binders with the wall folders on top of it, and the three bulletin boards laying on top of it all. Of course, taking a picture didn't occur to me until after I was halfway through the stuff. It was impressive in a freaky, overwhelming way.
It also involved much stooping and squatting with refiling, which in turn tripled the workout my legs got Saturday. My left calf has now threatened my life if I do another calf raise. I also skipped working out this morning, but for a good reason.
Once the physical collection is done, you get to do a mindsweep. Put every project idea in your head onto a piece of paper and into the In Basket. Once your head is empty of everything that has been worrying it and you, you move into Processing Phase.
One item comes out of the In Basket and you decide what needs to be done with it. Actionable or Non-Actionable? Non-Actionable. Trash or Keep? Keep. Into the adjusted filing system. Next. Actionable. Write the action on a sticky note and put it on it. Put item in Pending Basket. Next. This is a project. Type on Project List.
It's more time-consuming to write that out than to actually do it. Adjusting the filing system took time too. I had always tried to coordinate the folders by color and subject and never wanted to file anything. Just using the first name to pop in my head and put it in alphabetical order is a LOT simpler. Writing and finances are sectioned off, but that is it.
This morning I cleaned out the notebooks and binders of contents and added those pages to the In Basket. Then I shifted around some of the supplies and found better places to keep stuff, as well as write up some inventories of the boxes. The Pending Basket and the In Basket are equally full, still need to go through the finance project and the website info piles (now contained by the 20 oz. bottle crates in a dedicated spot), and inventory the large boxes of supplies before declaring done. But I have a computer desk. I have writing area on the second desk. I can get in and out without causing a cascading reaction. I can find stuff like pens and paper!
I need to take a picture not only for the blog, but to put on the bulletin board so I will stay inspired to keep it this way.
The next thing is dividing up all the ideas into projects and actions. An action is the next physical, visual thing to do that brings you closer to a desired outcome. A project is an idea that takes more than one action step to complete. A lot of my ideas have so far turned out to be projects. You put them on list: something to do fairly soon or the Someday Maybe list. Example: Growing a vegetable garden is on the Someday Maybe list. I like the idea of having my own veggies, but I'm not ready to tackle it yet. These list must been reviewed at often as necessary so you don't worry about forgetting anything. I'm going to try weekly.
Once you know what the project is, you brainstorm the actions necessary and group them on the Next Actions List. This is the list you consult when you have a break in your day.
I still have to finish cleaning out the In Basket before I can say that my lists are ready for me to face the world with them. I'm hoping I'm not too wiped out from class tonight, and can finish.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
It's also not completely true. My new bridge is in, and I voted. My house projects didn't get finished. I ignored chores, pretended homework didn't exist, went to bed and got up late, and only saw outside through the open windows and doors.
But it still has been a deeply satisfying weekend.
This weekend I put Getting Things Done into practice at home. And while I still have stuff left in the initial phases, I don't think I have ever felt so in control of everything. True, everything is still there to do, but I can see how to deal with most of it.
So why even try an organizational system designed for business people? And why start it at home instead of at work?
I first heard about it when a blog I read raved about David Allen getting his own column/blog at Huffington Post. Followed the links, liked what he said, and decided to use one of my Audible credits to buy his book.
The point that swayed me from interested to determined to give it a trail run was the explanation of how the brain works. Without a system to capture should-do's, need-to-do's, and want-to-do's, your short-term memory tried to remember them all. The problem with short-term memory is that it has no concept of past or future. You put a to-do item there, and it thinks you must do it all the time and will nag you until you do it. Add another to-do item and now you have stress because you can't do both at once.
I have read a lot of organizing and time management advice, but never had I had someone explain to me why my brain starts screaming at me when I look at my home office. He could have told me to hire a trained dog to eat all the paperwork, and I would have done it to make the screaming stop. Luckily, a trained dog is not required.
And as 43 Folders points out, GTD is a very geek-friendly system. It can be high-tech or low-tech, is easy to tweak to fit your needs, and it doesn't boss you around. No long list of rules to be followed or things to buy. You can implement the plan with the supplies you probably already own. The only think I had to buy was a bigger file box for story ideas and that was already on my shopping list.
Why at home rather than at work? At home is where I feel overwhelmed, freaked out, with the screaming committee in my head with each voice assigned to a different project that MUST BE DONE NOW! (Say the last part in your best booming voice of doom, it works.)
Really what took the longest was finishing the audiobook. I really need to buy the adapter to play the mp3 player in the car. Saturday, already broken up by errands, was further broken up by me racing to the computer to take notes and getting totally distracted by the write the idea down phase. I went through a pack of paper. Considering I had been storing it since the Office Max in town closed up, I don't feel bad about using it all up.
Collection phase was scary. You find everything that is an open loop (uncompleted project) and put it in an In Basket. If it's too big to put in, you write a note about it on a sheet of paper and put that in. I had an overflowing In Basket, a crate for 20 oz. bottles filled with binders and notebooks under the In Basket, a milk crate filled with my finance project, a stack of the website related stuff that was too big to go anywhere, a large laundry basket and a banker box and the top part of the milk crate filled with all the files from the filing cabinets that were not stories, a stack of more notebooks and binders with the wall folders on top of it, and the three bulletin boards laying on top of it all. Of course, taking a picture didn't occur to me until after I was halfway through the stuff. It was impressive in a freaky, overwhelming way.
It also involved much stooping and squatting with refiling, which in turn tripled the workout my legs got Saturday. My left calf has now threatened my life if I do another calf raise. I also skipped working out this morning, but for a good reason.
Once the physical collection is done, you get to do a mindsweep. Put every project idea in your head onto a piece of paper and into the In Basket. Once your head is empty of everything that has been worrying it and you, you move into Processing Phase.
One item comes out of the In Basket and you decide what needs to be done with it. Actionable or Non-Actionable? Non-Actionable. Trash or Keep? Keep. Into the adjusted filing system. Next. Actionable. Write the action on a sticky note and put it on it. Put item in Pending Basket. Next. This is a project. Type on Project List.
It's more time-consuming to write that out than to actually do it. Adjusting the filing system took time too. I had always tried to coordinate the folders by color and subject and never wanted to file anything. Just using the first name to pop in my head and put it in alphabetical order is a LOT simpler. Writing and finances are sectioned off, but that is it.
This morning I cleaned out the notebooks and binders of contents and added those pages to the In Basket. Then I shifted around some of the supplies and found better places to keep stuff, as well as write up some inventories of the boxes. The Pending Basket and the In Basket are equally full, still need to go through the finance project and the website info piles (now contained by the 20 oz. bottle crates in a dedicated spot), and inventory the large boxes of supplies before declaring done. But I have a computer desk. I have writing area on the second desk. I can get in and out without causing a cascading reaction. I can find stuff like pens and paper!
I need to take a picture not only for the blog, but to put on the bulletin board so I will stay inspired to keep it this way.
The next thing is dividing up all the ideas into projects and actions. An action is the next physical, visual thing to do that brings you closer to a desired outcome. A project is an idea that takes more than one action step to complete. A lot of my ideas have so far turned out to be projects. You put them on list: something to do fairly soon or the Someday Maybe list. Example: Growing a vegetable garden is on the Someday Maybe list. I like the idea of having my own veggies, but I'm not ready to tackle it yet. These list must been reviewed at often as necessary so you don't worry about forgetting anything. I'm going to try weekly.
Once you know what the project is, you brainstorm the actions necessary and group them on the Next Actions List. This is the list you consult when you have a break in your day.
I still have to finish cleaning out the In Basket before I can say that my lists are ready for me to face the world with them. I'm hoping I'm not too wiped out from class tonight, and can finish.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Iron Experiment Day 22
Week 18 = 186.3
Week 17 = 186.5
Week 16 = 187.2
Week 15 = 188.6
Week 14 = 188.8
Week 13 = 189
Week 12 = 187.6
Week 11 = 187.8
Week 10 = 189.6
Week 9 = 188.9
Week 8 = 193.4
Week 7 = 194.5
Week 6 = 194.5
Week 5 = 195.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 1 = 205
Calf raises are now off the exercise list. I keep hurting myself. So no more doing them until I get a proper set-up to do them. At least after this weekend, it is only one leg and not both of them.
And I think this idea for overlay progress pictures totally rocks! I probably won't be doing the 3D rotating pics, but the overlays I can do easily. Maybe then I can see progress on my own body. Sure I fit into size 14 jeans, but I look down to see a huge blob on my stomach that refuses to budge no matter how many sit-ups I do. Which is probably proof I don't do enough of them. :p
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Week 17 = 186.5
Week 16 = 187.2
Week 15 = 188.6
Week 14 = 188.8
Week 13 = 189
Week 12 = 187.6
Week 11 = 187.8
Week 10 = 189.6
Week 9 = 188.9
Week 8 = 193.4
Week 7 = 194.5
Week 6 = 194.5
Week 5 = 195.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 1 = 205
Calf raises are now off the exercise list. I keep hurting myself. So no more doing them until I get a proper set-up to do them. At least after this weekend, it is only one leg and not both of them.
And I think this idea for overlay progress pictures totally rocks! I probably won't be doing the 3D rotating pics, but the overlays I can do easily. Maybe then I can see progress on my own body. Sure I fit into size 14 jeans, but I look down to see a huge blob on my stomach that refuses to budge no matter how many sit-ups I do. Which is probably proof I don't do enough of them. :p
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Friday, October 19, 2007
It wasn't just hyperbole after all
Every so often, the media will say in a report that "so many Americans are just one major illness away from bankruptcy." It's one of those things you hear so much, in one ear and out the other. It's stuck a bit more permanently now.
Issue with teeth and insurance kicked in for some, but my share was nearly $1900.00. I had it and I was so proud of myself when I wrote the check thinking "I'm finally in control of my finances."
Now, one month later, and I need that money for bills and bang my head on the desk for not paying in installments. It's not bankruptcy state for me yet, but damn. I have no savings for a medical crisis.
I do have a few options.
So this weekend just got busier. And I had such simple goals too. Now the plans are fix the financial debacle, vote, get teeth finished, get ahead on homework, clean/organize office and rest of house. 48 hours of fun. :p
Update: What I left out of the post earlier. The bill I forgot about was electric, and they disconnected me the same day I got the disconnect warning in the mail. But okay, I deserved it. I suffered with it and Mustard deciding that 1:30am was wake-up time and his snooze works on 30 minute intervals. I left a check in their drop box to get reconnected today.
I just called my house and the answering machine did not pick up. Which makes me think they haven't reconnected my power. So if you don't hear from me all weekend, I'm still fighting with them because I'll be damned if I'm paying a reconnect-me-on-the-weekend fee when I gave you the check at 6am Friday morning and your business is open Monday through Friday.
But hey, a cold front is coming through and the gas bill has been paid. So I will sweat but won't freeze.
Night update: Dad gave me a loan, a good thing because my plan didn't work. *Sigh* But at least now my emergency banking can wait until Monday. And I can work on homework at home.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Issue with teeth and insurance kicked in for some, but my share was nearly $1900.00. I had it and I was so proud of myself when I wrote the check thinking "I'm finally in control of my finances."
Now, one month later, and I need that money for bills and bang my head on the desk for not paying in installments. It's not bankruptcy state for me yet, but damn. I have no savings for a medical crisis.
I do have a few options.
- Biggest one: apply for Food Stamps since groceries is one of my bigger expenses and if I eat cheaper, I jeopardize my health.
- My second idea is to give the bills that refuse to go on auto withdrawals (for whatever reasons) a year's worth of their monthly budget (or as near to a year as I can get) when I have it. My major fuck-ups happen when I forget to pay the bills because I'm caught up in something else. I'm just scheduling dyslexic. So they have money ahead of time, and I only need to freak out at the end of the year when the money is running out.
- Getting a bank account for gasoline purchases. Credit cards and me don't work (though I need to get one for emergencies). And I need something I can go to any gas station with. So I'm thinking a dedicated debit card tied to either a savings or checking (depends on what the credit union says) with auto deductions from my paycheck to fund according to budget. Course, I'm screwed if the price skyrockets again, but I'm screwed regardless with that.
- Cash only purchases. I'm better at sticking with the budget when I see the budget.
- Tweak the budget. Not so much shaving more off (I've shaved as close as I can in all categories), but looking at it a different way. I'm still doing research on this.
So this weekend just got busier. And I had such simple goals too. Now the plans are fix the financial debacle, vote, get teeth finished, get ahead on homework, clean/organize office and rest of house. 48 hours of fun. :p
Update: What I left out of the post earlier. The bill I forgot about was electric, and they disconnected me the same day I got the disconnect warning in the mail. But okay, I deserved it. I suffered with it and Mustard deciding that 1:30am was wake-up time and his snooze works on 30 minute intervals. I left a check in their drop box to get reconnected today.
I just called my house and the answering machine did not pick up. Which makes me think they haven't reconnected my power. So if you don't hear from me all weekend, I'm still fighting with them because I'll be damned if I'm paying a reconnect-me-on-the-weekend fee when I gave you the check at 6am Friday morning and your business is open Monday through Friday.
But hey, a cold front is coming through and the gas bill has been paid. So I will sweat but won't freeze.
Night update: Dad gave me a loan, a good thing because my plan didn't work. *Sigh* But at least now my emergency banking can wait until Monday. And I can work on homework at home.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Worthy charities
Writer Beware: Worthy Causes
I don't know where this bug is coming from. Not that it's a bad bug, but weird timing. Or maybe it's a hint to clean through my book collection. ;)
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I don't know where this bug is coming from. Not that it's a bad bug, but weird timing. Or maybe it's a hint to clean through my book collection. ;)
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
And now we want you to fly
And no, not in a good way. In a what-do-you-mean-you're-not-Supergirl? way.
I know the biggest part of why I'm upset is because I do procrastinate horribly but I am working my ass for this class. But I have three absences because I didn't fling the door open and say "HERE'S KINDRA!" when I got in late. Which is every class. Which I TOLD the professor at the first class. The reply: "You shouldn't have signed up for it if you couldn't make it."
And I don't have enough leave to take off for a semester's worth of classes that the Department of Insurance doesn't reimburse for. And I can't leave early. And there are no faster ways through the traffic unless the Governor lets me park a helicopter on her helipad. And I can't fucking drop the class now.
The professor was about 1/3 decent about it after I calmed down. I've had others that didn't give a shit about the roll or always noticed when I walked in the door. I'm going to feel so fucking stupid coming in the door saying "Coates, present." But if I have to do it for the next month and a half, :p But dear Lord and Lady, THIS is why I'm fighting apathy so damn hard in this class. It's hard to try you absolute best when the doubt is sitting in the back of your mind that you're going to be flunked despite that.
I immediately had a crying jag on the way home that I'm only just now over. Yeah, hormones have shifted, the little bastards. It's just another example of how this university swears they are commuter friendly and then shows they aren't. Like all night classes start at 5pm. Hell, the community college in Baton Rouge offers 6pm now. Like scheduling a graduate student meeting for the English department and wanting our input for 3pm. Yeah, you really want the opinions of your nontraditional students who WORK! (And I wasn't the only one effected but one of the few who isn't graduating this semester).
I'm not ready to quit as of yet. But if I'm told that I can't start on my thesis hours and I have to fill the next semester with more bullshit classes I don't have the time or energy for, I don't know if my reaction will be hysterics, quitting, or tying a red sheet around my neck and heading for a window.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I know the biggest part of why I'm upset is because I do procrastinate horribly but I am working my ass for this class. But I have three absences because I didn't fling the door open and say "HERE'S KINDRA!" when I got in late. Which is every class. Which I TOLD the professor at the first class. The reply: "You shouldn't have signed up for it if you couldn't make it."
And I don't have enough leave to take off for a semester's worth of classes that the Department of Insurance doesn't reimburse for. And I can't leave early. And there are no faster ways through the traffic unless the Governor lets me park a helicopter on her helipad. And I can't fucking drop the class now.
The professor was about 1/3 decent about it after I calmed down. I've had others that didn't give a shit about the roll or always noticed when I walked in the door. I'm going to feel so fucking stupid coming in the door saying "Coates, present." But if I have to do it for the next month and a half, :p But dear Lord and Lady, THIS is why I'm fighting apathy so damn hard in this class. It's hard to try you absolute best when the doubt is sitting in the back of your mind that you're going to be flunked despite that.
I immediately had a crying jag on the way home that I'm only just now over. Yeah, hormones have shifted, the little bastards. It's just another example of how this university swears they are commuter friendly and then shows they aren't. Like all night classes start at 5pm. Hell, the community college in Baton Rouge offers 6pm now. Like scheduling a graduate student meeting for the English department and wanting our input for 3pm. Yeah, you really want the opinions of your nontraditional students who WORK! (And I wasn't the only one effected but one of the few who isn't graduating this semester).
I'm not ready to quit as of yet. But if I'm told that I can't start on my thesis hours and I have to fill the next semester with more bullshit classes I don't have the time or energy for, I don't know if my reaction will be hysterics, quitting, or tying a red sheet around my neck and heading for a window.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Iron Experiment Day 21
Week 17 = 186.5
Week 16 = 187.2
Week 15 = 188.6
Week 14 = 188.8
Week 13 = 189
Week 12 = 187.6
Week 11 = 187.8
Week 10 = 189.6
Week 9 = 188.9
Week 8 = 193.4
Week 7 = 194.5
Week 6 = 194.5
Week 5 = 195.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 1 = 205
New experiment: I'm going to sleep in my workout clothes for the next workout. This morning as a typical morning: Wake up at 3:30 to Coast to Coast AM. Lay in bed listening to the callers talk about being abducted by aliens or ghosts they have met or whatever the topic of the show is. (I really think there is humorous story potential in the guy hitting the greys with his gun because it wouldn't go off and they were trying to get inside his truck until a telepathic command said "Put him back," but also recognize that it was probably scary shit for him.)
Then the local news gives the 4am update, and I jump out of bed with a hearty "CRAP!" Get dressed in workout clothes. Make bed. Assemble gym in living room. Do a short workout. Start doing chores--especially the ones that Mustard depends on because Wednesdays is clean litter box and fountain day. All while the Wall Street Journal-less Report/Show/Whatever is playing.
5am is another news update followed by the local host focusing on local issues. Time to get out of workout clothes and get dressed for work. Then if there is any spare time after making sure everything is ready to walk out the door, finish up the rest of the chores. Must leave the house between 5:45am and 6:15am, and 6:15am is really pushing the limit of getting to work on time.
In fact, I meant to turn on an audiobook downloaded to the computer while I was getting dressed and completely forgot about it. I tried to play it at work and the work computer is having issues with Audible.com. You need a codex but we aren't going to tell you which one. Thanks a lot, technology.
But I did get one set of reps done of everything. I did tweak the exercises again. I decided the deadlift was too close to the squat for me to be doing both of them. I'll save it for after this twelve week period when I need to trade out exercises. The second Swissball I bought came with a wall chart of how to place your body on the ball for this exercise. Turns out I was doing the sit-ups wrong. :p (I bought a second one because I kept forgetting to bring it back to the office to sit on while at the desk. Now one stays there and the other stays with the sports equipment.)
One of my coworkers pointed out that sleeping in the workout clothes will probably only shave off 3 minutes max. I'm hoping if I'm waking up in a sports bra, it will jog my memory banks that I should have metal in my hands and moving it while I listen to alien abduction stories. (And he was sleeping in his truck because he had painted his trailer and it still smelt like paint... he's a good ole redneck; that's why I feel the potential here.) But maybe the real time saver will be setting up the gym so I don't have to set it up every workout.
Because I use my living room, I have to stow the gear. Otherwise, I'll trip and kill myself on the barbell. So we're back to the inside/outside argument again. Outside still has the same pros and cons, only now Mustard isn't on this list. We're trying a he-goes-out-in-the-morning-before-I-leave-for-work experiment.
And inside, what if I moved it to the back bedroom? The biggest con besides having to shove everything stored in there around is two-fold. What if I forget about working out because out-of-sight, out-of-mind? And I always stack the shit that goes in there but I don't want to find a place for it right in the middle of the room. Even though it is probably the only room I can safely leave weights out in.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Week 16 = 187.2
Week 15 = 188.6
Week 14 = 188.8
Week 13 = 189
Week 12 = 187.6
Week 11 = 187.8
Week 10 = 189.6
Week 9 = 188.9
Week 8 = 193.4
Week 7 = 194.5
Week 6 = 194.5
Week 5 = 195.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 1 = 205
New experiment: I'm going to sleep in my workout clothes for the next workout. This morning as a typical morning: Wake up at 3:30 to Coast to Coast AM. Lay in bed listening to the callers talk about being abducted by aliens or ghosts they have met or whatever the topic of the show is. (I really think there is humorous story potential in the guy hitting the greys with his gun because it wouldn't go off and they were trying to get inside his truck until a telepathic command said "Put him back," but also recognize that it was probably scary shit for him.)
Then the local news gives the 4am update, and I jump out of bed with a hearty "CRAP!" Get dressed in workout clothes. Make bed. Assemble gym in living room. Do a short workout. Start doing chores--especially the ones that Mustard depends on because Wednesdays is clean litter box and fountain day. All while the Wall Street Journal-less Report/Show/Whatever is playing.
5am is another news update followed by the local host focusing on local issues. Time to get out of workout clothes and get dressed for work. Then if there is any spare time after making sure everything is ready to walk out the door, finish up the rest of the chores. Must leave the house between 5:45am and 6:15am, and 6:15am is really pushing the limit of getting to work on time.
In fact, I meant to turn on an audiobook downloaded to the computer while I was getting dressed and completely forgot about it. I tried to play it at work and the work computer is having issues with Audible.com. You need a codex but we aren't going to tell you which one. Thanks a lot, technology.
But I did get one set of reps done of everything. I did tweak the exercises again. I decided the deadlift was too close to the squat for me to be doing both of them. I'll save it for after this twelve week period when I need to trade out exercises. The second Swissball I bought came with a wall chart of how to place your body on the ball for this exercise. Turns out I was doing the sit-ups wrong. :p (I bought a second one because I kept forgetting to bring it back to the office to sit on while at the desk. Now one stays there and the other stays with the sports equipment.)
One of my coworkers pointed out that sleeping in the workout clothes will probably only shave off 3 minutes max. I'm hoping if I'm waking up in a sports bra, it will jog my memory banks that I should have metal in my hands and moving it while I listen to alien abduction stories. (And he was sleeping in his truck because he had painted his trailer and it still smelt like paint... he's a good ole redneck; that's why I feel the potential here.) But maybe the real time saver will be setting up the gym so I don't have to set it up every workout.
Because I use my living room, I have to stow the gear. Otherwise, I'll trip and kill myself on the barbell. So we're back to the inside/outside argument again. Outside still has the same pros and cons, only now Mustard isn't on this list. We're trying a he-goes-out-in-the-morning-before-I-leave-for-work experiment.
And inside, what if I moved it to the back bedroom? The biggest con besides having to shove everything stored in there around is two-fold. What if I forget about working out because out-of-sight, out-of-mind? And I always stack the shit that goes in there but I don't want to find a place for it right in the middle of the room. Even though it is probably the only room I can safely leave weights out in.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Iron Experiment: Reflection
Yeap, BMI has a lot of problems with it as a tool to measure health and fitness levels. But do you throw it completely out the window as stupid in my case?
When I started I was 205 pounds and had a BMI of 37.2, which falls in the severly obese category. While relatively fit, I still had a time with aerobic activities despite my strength, healing was slow on my body, and my period had stopped. If I breathed in the same kitchen as baking bread, I gained weight. That doesn't fit anyone's category of healthy.
My BMI is now at 33.8, which is only obese. But it is a measurement that is going down and that makes me happy.
I also started using FitDay.com to keep track of weight measurements, based on recommendation from PastaQueen's Half of Me blog. It keeps track of a lot of nutritional stuff and calories burned, but so far I'm just in awe of the line graph of weight change. Worth the price of admission for a graph I don't have to set up.
Also pondering if I should save one garment from my huge period to do one of those Jenny Craig pictures. But then storage is at a premium in my house. I may just have to use the Biggest Loser style pictures instead.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
When I started I was 205 pounds and had a BMI of 37.2, which falls in the severly obese category. While relatively fit, I still had a time with aerobic activities despite my strength, healing was slow on my body, and my period had stopped. If I breathed in the same kitchen as baking bread, I gained weight. That doesn't fit anyone's category of healthy.
My BMI is now at 33.8, which is only obese. But it is a measurement that is going down and that makes me happy.
I also started using FitDay.com to keep track of weight measurements, based on recommendation from PastaQueen's Half of Me blog. It keeps track of a lot of nutritional stuff and calories burned, but so far I'm just in awe of the line graph of weight change. Worth the price of admission for a graph I don't have to set up.
Also pondering if I should save one garment from my huge period to do one of those Jenny Craig pictures. But then storage is at a premium in my house. I may just have to use the Biggest Loser style pictures instead.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I promised pictures
First: we're going to see how linking to the page works. If it doesn't work, I'll try something else.
Update: Okay, links only work for people with accounts with Kodak Gallery. *Sigh* It came with my camera; it's insanely easy to upload to, so there had to be a catch, right?
I don't really want to get a picture posting account, because I don't really post that many pictures. If Blogger decides to eat them for room for something else, I have webspace. I just usually don't have the time or energy to deal with. Because if I'm going to store them on the website, I need to crop and resize, and tweak color issues, etc. And people usually want to see them NOW!
Picture One from October 6th: Mom was too tired to understand that a costume picture means a full-length picture, and I had to run for the party and couldn't explain it. This picture will get reused on the Garb Closet blog (once I get to write to Effigy Corset post).
Picture Two from October 6th: Full-blown sexy leggness. Will need to invest in a smaller shirt. It didn't feel like I was swimming in it while wearing it, just a little big.
Picture Number One from October 13th: I don't have a copy of my scene in the Haunted House yet, so this will have to do. But I wish we had picked a better background. The black behind me just blends with my costume.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Update: Okay, links only work for people with accounts with Kodak Gallery. *Sigh* It came with my camera; it's insanely easy to upload to, so there had to be a catch, right?
I don't really want to get a picture posting account, because I don't really post that many pictures. If Blogger decides to eat them for room for something else, I have webspace. I just usually don't have the time or energy to deal with. Because if I'm going to store them on the website, I need to crop and resize, and tweak color issues, etc. And people usually want to see them NOW!
Picture One from October 6th: Mom was too tired to understand that a costume picture means a full-length picture, and I had to run for the party and couldn't explain it. This picture will get reused on the Garb Closet blog (once I get to write to Effigy Corset post).
Picture Two from October 6th: Full-blown sexy leggness. Will need to invest in a smaller shirt. It didn't feel like I was swimming in it while wearing it, just a little big.
Picture Number One from October 13th: I don't have a copy of my scene in the Haunted House yet, so this will have to do. But I wish we had picked a better background. The black behind me just blends with my costume.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Monday, October 15, 2007
Weekend over, thank Goddess
I had a blast and we had a 500% increase in customers from last year to the Haunted Backyard fundraiser, but I don't want to drift that close to sleep-deprived hallucination territory again for a while. And I will post pictures for this and last week's party, I just have to remember to downloaded them from the camera.
And somebody else go see Elizabeth: the Golden Age so I have somebody to help me dissect Phillip II of Spain's walk. I didn't get to see the Seeker because the movie house decided to change the movie times and didn't inform the website I had checked. Traffic made me miss the last showing. :p
That it worked out well, since I got to do my shopping before the movie. Bought a Halloween costume and was feeling ambivalent about it. Mom had done my colors back when I was a teenager and black wasn't one of them. But that's what I ended up with, a black and red Gothic robe.
So I got home, made sure it fit, and then proceeded to decimate my closet again. All size 18 pants are gone! And I was worried I would have to buy jeans to get me through to the next size, but I found some size 14s that fit. I'm trying not to spend money on clothes until I have nearly nothing that fits.
Left home on Saturday to help set up. Then got dressed. Then had Eric tell me I looked hot. Then had three different people notice I have lost weight and congratulate me on it. And apparently got voted into the sexy vampire category. Stayed up way too late, got up way too late, and helped in the cleaning up. And Sunday was an Acadiana Medieval Faire meeting, which I ended up missing. Reason: Susanna and I are in the bathroom and I'm leaning against the wall waiting for her to finish.
Me: "Okay, I'm not going. I'm really not going. I'll drop stuff off, say sorry, and head home."
Susanna: "You really think you need to?"
Me: "Considering that I'm leaning against the wall, and falling asleep with my eyes open, yeap. That'll be worse trying to leave at 4pm."
Made it home by 4pm in a loopy state of mind and too wired on caffeine to sleep yet. Computer and Yahoo are not on friendly terms right now. I ended up playing the new DVD of Rocky Horror Picture Show with a whole lot of extra features. I only really got through Richard O'Brian and Pat O'Quinn's commentary. I tried to listen to the call backs but I don't know how they set up the mics for it. Only when the crowd got into unison could I understand. So I only made it through "Science Fiction Double Feature" on that feature. Hopefully they subtitled it. Drug myself with non-aspirin PM and went to bed on time.
Still kind of fuzzy this morning but I got up on time. But because of the fuzzy, I forgot I needed to workout. *headdesk*
And Simon Pegg to play Scotty? SQUEE! Though how the heck is Leonard Nimoy going to play a twenty/thirty something Spock? Oh they have two Spocks. Story told in flashback: probable.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
And somebody else go see Elizabeth: the Golden Age so I have somebody to help me dissect Phillip II of Spain's walk. I didn't get to see the Seeker because the movie house decided to change the movie times and didn't inform the website I had checked. Traffic made me miss the last showing. :p
That it worked out well, since I got to do my shopping before the movie. Bought a Halloween costume and was feeling ambivalent about it. Mom had done my colors back when I was a teenager and black wasn't one of them. But that's what I ended up with, a black and red Gothic robe.
So I got home, made sure it fit, and then proceeded to decimate my closet again. All size 18 pants are gone! And I was worried I would have to buy jeans to get me through to the next size, but I found some size 14s that fit. I'm trying not to spend money on clothes until I have nearly nothing that fits.
Left home on Saturday to help set up. Then got dressed. Then had Eric tell me I looked hot. Then had three different people notice I have lost weight and congratulate me on it. And apparently got voted into the sexy vampire category. Stayed up way too late, got up way too late, and helped in the cleaning up. And Sunday was an Acadiana Medieval Faire meeting, which I ended up missing. Reason: Susanna and I are in the bathroom and I'm leaning against the wall waiting for her to finish.
Me: "Okay, I'm not going. I'm really not going. I'll drop stuff off, say sorry, and head home."
Susanna: "You really think you need to?"
Me: "Considering that I'm leaning against the wall, and falling asleep with my eyes open, yeap. That'll be worse trying to leave at 4pm."
Made it home by 4pm in a loopy state of mind and too wired on caffeine to sleep yet. Computer and Yahoo are not on friendly terms right now. I ended up playing the new DVD of Rocky Horror Picture Show with a whole lot of extra features. I only really got through Richard O'Brian and Pat O'Quinn's commentary. I tried to listen to the call backs but I don't know how they set up the mics for it. Only when the crowd got into unison could I understand. So I only made it through "Science Fiction Double Feature" on that feature. Hopefully they subtitled it. Drug myself with non-aspirin PM and went to bed on time.
Still kind of fuzzy this morning but I got up on time. But because of the fuzzy, I forgot I needed to workout. *headdesk*
And Simon Pegg to play Scotty? SQUEE! Though how the heck is Leonard Nimoy going to play a twenty/thirty something Spock? Oh they have two Spocks. Story told in flashback: probable.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Friday, October 12, 2007
Helping others
The more research I do, the more I think giving to micro-causes is better than giving to the big charity organizations. Here's a good one to donate to: Project: Bring Miracle Home
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
What Kind of Mythological Creature Are You?
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
What Mythological Creature are you? (Cool Pics!) created with QuizFarm.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| You scored as Mermaid Mermaid: Mermaids are also known as Sirens. These creatures were beautiful women who tricked sailors into becoming completely entranced by their haunting voices and found death soon after. Not all stories of Mermaids are about gentle loving sea people. They are mystical, magical, and extremely dangerous. They have a way about them that brings anyone they are around to seem enchanted. They are very mysterious creatures and to meet one... Would mean certain Death. Let the song of the Sea fill your soul, for you are a Mermaid.
|
What you can run across in the name of research.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Me have Plan. Plan is Good
I made my word count this week, and I could have done better on meeting writing times, but I made Thursday's so I'm not going to beat myself up. I'm going to see The Seeker: The Dark is Rising and Elizabeth: the Golden Age and there's enough time to eat real food.
I fully expect the Seeker to totally ruin the book the Dark is Rising. As such expectations, I'm filled with silly questions. "What will they use as the title if they go back and film the first book The Drew Children: Over Sea, and Under Stone or maybe The Holy Grail: Over Sea, and Under Stone?" But Christopher Eccleston is playing the Rider and I'm going to see him ooze the bad guy sexy. Just like I'm going to see Elizabeth for Raleigh to ooze the sea dog sexy and 3D recreations of the portrait gowns. And the Armada. I don't care if it is all CGI ships. :p And Geoffery Rush at his Machiavellian best. And Cate Blanchett making plate armor look sexy and regal--not an easy combination for modern movie audience. I'm atypical; I already think armor is sexy. I know I'm not getting historical accuracy in the story so I will settle for it in clothes, settings, and attitudes.
And hell, maybe I can squeeze another paper out of it for class.
Oh and movie night tonight because Doctor Who wrapped up for the US last week. Unfortunately, most of the surprises I had already found out about thanks to the Internet. Next season I must be more diligent about staying away from YouTube until I have watched it all. Though I never expected the totally Flash Gordon movie steal in the denouement--the unknown female hand picking up the Master's ring. Course in Flash, you know it's Ming's hand. In the Doctor Who universe, I think they established Time Lords don't switch sexes plus I doubt even the Master could regenerate from a burned-up body even if he changed his mind, so that rules out the Master. And it's not his wife, Lucy Saxon, because I think Captain Jack would keep her locked up, even if the Doctor didn't think it was necessary. I think the TV Squad review has it right, the Rani. Russell T. Davies also told us Saxon wasn't the Master. :p
And kudos for continuing the repeated whats with the connection to the Christmas episode. Though I think in the first one, the whats were coming from everybody but the Doctor, I love how he copies his reaction to Donna upon seeing the RMS Titanic. And for god's sake man! I know you hate staying anywhere for any length of time, but the poor TARDIS is at least 900 years old and badly abused by the Master. Give the poor thing a tune-up, over-haul, or whatever the equivalent is for a time machine.
Now for the very long wait until they start airing the next season. *Sigh* Punctuated by the DVD release on Nov. 6th. And even if you don't like Doctor Who, see "Blink" regardless. OMIG! What an incredible time travel episode. And it makes a nice balance with season two's "Love & Monsters." "Love & Monsters" shows the Doctor from the P.O.V. of people caught up in his events but not his companions, and is bit of a downer especially when we get Jackie's rant. "Blink" is more upbeat with the same type of P.O.V., despite having even sadder moments.
Now back to working on mythological creatures. In one way, I suspect it will be easier than building aliens. They're all found on Earth. In another way, I haven't narrowed down who is showing up as characters in the story. Since discovering that the Piper story, the strangely bent and colored hunter guy, and the Huldre are in the same universe as the Fairy Tale novel that has lurked in my story idea folder; most of the idea have been creating their half of the world and trying not to copy anyone. So I have a list but I don't know what species will come up first.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I fully expect the Seeker to totally ruin the book the Dark is Rising. As such expectations, I'm filled with silly questions. "What will they use as the title if they go back and film the first book The Drew Children: Over Sea, and Under Stone or maybe The Holy Grail: Over Sea, and Under Stone?" But Christopher Eccleston is playing the Rider and I'm going to see him ooze the bad guy sexy. Just like I'm going to see Elizabeth for Raleigh to ooze the sea dog sexy and 3D recreations of the portrait gowns. And the Armada. I don't care if it is all CGI ships. :p And Geoffery Rush at his Machiavellian best. And Cate Blanchett making plate armor look sexy and regal--not an easy combination for modern movie audience. I'm atypical; I already think armor is sexy. I know I'm not getting historical accuracy in the story so I will settle for it in clothes, settings, and attitudes.
And hell, maybe I can squeeze another paper out of it for class.
Oh and movie night tonight because Doctor Who wrapped up for the US last week. Unfortunately, most of the surprises I had already found out about thanks to the Internet. Next season I must be more diligent about staying away from YouTube until I have watched it all. Though I never expected the totally Flash Gordon movie steal in the denouement--the unknown female hand picking up the Master's ring. Course in Flash, you know it's Ming's hand. In the Doctor Who universe, I think they established Time Lords don't switch sexes plus I doubt even the Master could regenerate from a burned-up body even if he changed his mind, so that rules out the Master. And it's not his wife, Lucy Saxon, because I think Captain Jack would keep her locked up, even if the Doctor didn't think it was necessary. I think the TV Squad review has it right, the Rani. Russell T. Davies also told us Saxon wasn't the Master. :p
And kudos for continuing the repeated whats with the connection to the Christmas episode. Though I think in the first one, the whats were coming from everybody but the Doctor, I love how he copies his reaction to Donna upon seeing the RMS Titanic. And for god's sake man! I know you hate staying anywhere for any length of time, but the poor TARDIS is at least 900 years old and badly abused by the Master. Give the poor thing a tune-up, over-haul, or whatever the equivalent is for a time machine.
Now for the very long wait until they start airing the next season. *Sigh* Punctuated by the DVD release on Nov. 6th. And even if you don't like Doctor Who, see "Blink" regardless. OMIG! What an incredible time travel episode. And it makes a nice balance with season two's "Love & Monsters." "Love & Monsters" shows the Doctor from the P.O.V. of people caught up in his events but not his companions, and is bit of a downer especially when we get Jackie's rant. "Blink" is more upbeat with the same type of P.O.V., despite having even sadder moments.
Now back to working on mythological creatures. In one way, I suspect it will be easier than building aliens. They're all found on Earth. In another way, I haven't narrowed down who is showing up as characters in the story. Since discovering that the Piper story, the strangely bent and colored hunter guy, and the Huldre are in the same universe as the Fairy Tale novel that has lurked in my story idea folder; most of the idea have been creating their half of the world and trying not to copy anyone. So I have a list but I don't know what species will come up first.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
No wonder I don't want to write anything else!
Elizabeth short paper
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Explication of Robert Frost's "The Flood"
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Annotated Bibliography Card #6
Progress Bar from Writertopia
WEEKLY GOAL
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Coupled with while I was going back through my notes last nights so I could figure out the feet of the poem (I have come to the conclusion it is related to my keeping rhythm with a song--I CANNOT do it.), and discovered that I wrote down a different biography title on the day he assigned them. I marched over to the library and checked out the second volume instead of the third. What are the odds I wrote down the wrong note?
Wednesday didn't start off well, and I skipped yoga class last night to get the explication done. I didn't finish it last night because of the above mentioned meter-figuring-out problem, so it carried over to this morning and I skipped the Iron experiment workout. I'm really hating this class for making me miss my workouts. And I will never be a poet or a poet critic nor possibly just teach poetry. EXPLICATIONS SUCK!
I still have to read the selections for today AND read whatever I'm going to do the AB card on. I had made the decision to fuck it and use the remainders for research for the two other papers I have to write in this class. WHICH IS WHAT THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR, NOT FUCKING BUSY WORK! But guess what I haven't had a chance to do? That's right, research.
All the library books are overdue, and I probably can't renew them until I pay off the fines. I can't pay the fines because the controller's office closes by the time I get there. I owe 13.25 as of today. Great. And I probably can't renew what I need to until it is paid. *headdesk* But they have online renewal now. Must remember that for the next cycle.
It's lunch time. I have to heat up food and start reading.
Update 1:00pm: I can't access the online journal collections because my library account has been blocked. Because of the overdue books. So I guess I will have to do the AB card on a poem criticism I already have printed out regardless.
Or not do it at all, which is looking really tempting.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Explication of Robert Frost's "The Flood"
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Annotated Bibliography Card #6
Progress Bar from Writertopia
WEEKLY GOAL
Progress Bar from Writertopia
Coupled with while I was going back through my notes last nights so I could figure out the feet of the poem (I have come to the conclusion it is related to my keeping rhythm with a song--I CANNOT do it.), and discovered that I wrote down a different biography title on the day he assigned them. I marched over to the library and checked out the second volume instead of the third. What are the odds I wrote down the wrong note?
Wednesday didn't start off well, and I skipped yoga class last night to get the explication done. I didn't finish it last night because of the above mentioned meter-figuring-out problem, so it carried over to this morning and I skipped the Iron experiment workout. I'm really hating this class for making me miss my workouts. And I will never be a poet or a poet critic nor possibly just teach poetry. EXPLICATIONS SUCK!
I still have to read the selections for today AND read whatever I'm going to do the AB card on. I had made the decision to fuck it and use the remainders for research for the two other papers I have to write in this class. WHICH IS WHAT THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR, NOT FUCKING BUSY WORK! But guess what I haven't had a chance to do? That's right, research.
All the library books are overdue, and I probably can't renew them until I pay off the fines. I can't pay the fines because the controller's office closes by the time I get there. I owe 13.25 as of today. Great. And I probably can't renew what I need to until it is paid. *headdesk* But they have online renewal now. Must remember that for the next cycle.
It's lunch time. I have to heat up food and start reading.
Update 1:00pm: I can't access the online journal collections because my library account has been blocked. Because of the overdue books. So I guess I will have to do the AB card on a poem criticism I already have printed out regardless.
Or not do it at all, which is looking really tempting.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Food
I'm doing better this shopping go-around on cooking up the stuff I buy.
I still have the artichockes and tomato-herb dressing recipe left to do. And I don't know how the meals for the past two weeks ended up some tomatoey. Than I'm ready to not plan meals around them for next week. Tomatoes have a limited shelf-life in my house.
Also make plans to go to this writing convention next year just to see the play.
Time to stop ignoring the homework I have to do.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
- The tuna steaks with tomatoes and basil = yummy
- Roasted eggplant and tomatoes = yummy, even though my oven was totally unprepared for the size of the recipe. Next time see what 1 eggplant and 1 tomato can make.
- Bok choy salad = yuck. I don't like onions in abundance. And I think the salad ended up with more green onion bits than bok choy bits. Nope, not a salad for me. Which will give me some room in the fridge when I throw the rest of it out tonight.
I still have the artichockes and tomato-herb dressing recipe left to do. And I don't know how the meals for the past two weeks ended up some tomatoey. Than I'm ready to not plan meals around them for next week. Tomatoes have a limited shelf-life in my house.
Also make plans to go to this writing convention next year just to see the play.
Time to stop ignoring the homework I have to do.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Serenity sequel?
SHINY!
Bad Astronomy Blog: Another Firefly movie?
I'm not trying to let my hopes get up too high, but I really, really, realy, bouncing-in-my-seat want this to happen!
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Bad Astronomy Blog: Another Firefly movie?
I'm not trying to let my hopes get up too high, but I really, really, realy, bouncing-in-my-seat want this to happen!
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Monday, October 08, 2007
Iron Experiment Day 20
Week 16 = 187.2
Week 15 = 188.6
Week 14 = 188.8
Week 13 = 189
Week 12 = 187.6
Week 11 = 187.8
Week 10 = 189.6
Week 9 = 188.9
Week 8 = 193.4
Week 7 = 194.5
Week 6 = 194.5
Week 5 = 195.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 1 = 205
Had to do a shortened version of the workout today. But something is better than nothing. Calf raises are a safe exercise to cut after the other leg work I do. I need to do some more hamstring stretches though. Push-up are annoying me. I'm trying to do modified ones, more angeled than the wall push-ups but easier than full floor push-ups. Only my furniture is not positioned so I can stretch out for the push-up. Maybe i should use the stool instead. A yoga mat under the swissball is keeping my feet from sliding while I do crunches.
In other health news, I think my period timing has shifted. At least that's all I hope it is, and not PCOS flairing up. I'm going to switch when I take the dud pills based on when I had bloating during the last twenty-eight days.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Week 15 = 188.6
Week 14 = 188.8
Week 13 = 189
Week 12 = 187.6
Week 11 = 187.8
Week 10 = 189.6
Week 9 = 188.9
Week 8 = 193.4
Week 7 = 194.5
Week 6 = 194.5
Week 5 = 195.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 1 = 205
Had to do a shortened version of the workout today. But something is better than nothing. Calf raises are a safe exercise to cut after the other leg work I do. I need to do some more hamstring stretches though. Push-up are annoying me. I'm trying to do modified ones, more angeled than the wall push-ups but easier than full floor push-ups. Only my furniture is not positioned so I can stretch out for the push-up. Maybe i should use the stool instead. A yoga mat under the swissball is keeping my feet from sliding while I do crunches.
In other health news, I think my period timing has shifted. At least that's all I hope it is, and not PCOS flairing up. I'm going to switch when I take the dud pills based on when I had bloating during the last twenty-eight days.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Friday, October 05, 2007
When in Doubt, go Pirate
Especially since I don't have the time, the money, our the body to pull off one of the Stephanie Brown redesigns (I really love the Spoiler version). So I decided to go fantasy pirate. Finish the bulletproof effigy corset that I started between PotC: Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man's Chest and pair it with my sexy pirate pants that I retired as part of the official pirate garb because they were not historical accurate clothing.
The last time I wore the sexy pirate pants was probably 2002. So pulling them out and seeing the size 14 label and the darts where Mom had taken the garment in after I had lost weight back then caused me to change plans. I'll try them on but I'll have to wear the breeches. Pulled out the upper middle-class Elizabethan gown too for the 29th (for the Queen Elizabeth I class).
Tried things on this morning. Now I missed Monday and Wednesday workouts and only made it to Thursday yoga class, so add in the my-body-is-not-changing-fast-enough-because-I'm-a-lazy-bitch mindset. I'm close enough to where I was when I started the bulletproof effigy corset that it should fit fine. That was a cheer-up. The Elizabethan gown skirt needs me to lose 5 to 10 inches in the waist, but it was way closer to meeting than the doublet bodice. That may cause a swear-off-all-carbs-until-after-Halloween-and-with-the-corset-I-might-fit plan to go into effect. So then came the sexy pirate pants, which I already had a back-up plan for because they won't fit.
AND THEY FIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *SQUEE*
Mind you, I wouldn't want to try climbing rigging in them for fear of splitting a seam. But for a Halloween costume party, they should be fine. I don't even have to let the darts out. Though I do have a temptation to take them apart and construct all my work pants from the pattern from the waistband to the start of the legs.
Anyway, time to start sewing.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
The last time I wore the sexy pirate pants was probably 2002. So pulling them out and seeing the size 14 label and the darts where Mom had taken the garment in after I had lost weight back then caused me to change plans. I'll try them on but I'll have to wear the breeches. Pulled out the upper middle-class Elizabethan gown too for the 29th (for the Queen Elizabeth I class).
Tried things on this morning. Now I missed Monday and Wednesday workouts and only made it to Thursday yoga class, so add in the my-body-is-not-changing-fast-enough-because-I'm-a-lazy-bitch mindset. I'm close enough to where I was when I started the bulletproof effigy corset that it should fit fine. That was a cheer-up. The Elizabethan gown skirt needs me to lose 5 to 10 inches in the waist, but it was way closer to meeting than the doublet bodice. That may cause a swear-off-all-carbs-until-after-Halloween-and-with-the-corset-I-might-fit plan to go into effect. So then came the sexy pirate pants, which I already had a back-up plan for because they won't fit.
AND THEY FIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *SQUEE*
Mind you, I wouldn't want to try climbing rigging in them for fear of splitting a seam. But for a Halloween costume party, they should be fine. I don't even have to let the darts out. Though I do have a temptation to take them apart and construct all my work pants from the pattern from the waistband to the start of the legs.
Anyway, time to start sewing.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Much less cranky today
Don't get me wrong; I'm glad to get out of class early. But I missed thirty minutes of it and I bust my ass to get there as soon as possible, to only get an hour. Which leaves me feeling like "why did I have to show up?"
I think the answer would be to turn in the assignment.
The bedtime alarm clock worked--set for 8:30pm--and I was in bed for 9pm. I don't know how well it will work tonight. I may reach home and find that Mustard has killed the clock to stop the noise.
Firefox's hangups that have been driving me crazy finally have an explanation: I rarely shut the program down and I don't remember the last time I cleaned out its caches. Not doing those things throws virtual memory and RAM into a slowdown loop that makes me growl and try to strangle the computer when I can't read the part under the scroll and I'm scrolling to get to it. I need to reorganize the bookmarks and install Session Manager add-on, so I can save the tabs when I haven't read them all yet (the reason why I leave the program up and running).
Also pondering if I want to put the Google Desktop on my Desktop. I really want a way to get to Gmail easily without having to worry about a script hangup, which has sometimes ended up with me killing Firefox just to do something on the computer. Course it would be more helpful if the error message would tell me what script has the problem.
Today's plans: Elizabeth I's paper, worldbuilding, yoga class, and listen to the audio books when I get a chance.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
I think the answer would be to turn in the assignment.
The bedtime alarm clock worked--set for 8:30pm--and I was in bed for 9pm. I don't know how well it will work tonight. I may reach home and find that Mustard has killed the clock to stop the noise.
Firefox's hangups that have been driving me crazy finally have an explanation: I rarely shut the program down and I don't remember the last time I cleaned out its caches. Not doing those things throws virtual memory and RAM into a slowdown loop that makes me growl and try to strangle the computer when I can't read the part under the scroll and I'm scrolling to get to it. I need to reorganize the bookmarks and install Session Manager add-on, so I can save the tabs when I haven't read them all yet (the reason why I leave the program up and running).
Also pondering if I want to put the Google Desktop on my Desktop. I really want a way to get to Gmail easily without having to worry about a script hangup, which has sometimes ended up with me killing Firefox just to do something on the computer. Course it would be more helpful if the error message would tell me what script has the problem.
Today's plans: Elizabeth I's paper, worldbuilding, yoga class, and listen to the audio books when I get a chance.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Hey progress!
Progress Bar from Writertopia
I made my word count for the week once I counted in my homework. Yeah, I'm getting audio books now!
And I also got a whole lot less surly after my third can of Diet Dr. Pepper and lunch. *Sigh* Which my digestive tract doesn't like and has let me know. Tonight I will drug myself with a Tylonal-PM because my back hurts from lack of workouts and go to bed at a decent hour (i.e. as soon as I get night clothes on).
I'm still debating on the weekend. I have a lot of homework writing to do as well as other writing. And I'm not even thinking about research for the other writing. But it's a night Halloween party. *Sigh*
Idea: add "setting out tomorrow things" to the daily chores checklist.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Exhausted
I am really tired of having the reputation of some ball-busting bitch at work. I am also equally tired of having to walk on fucking eggshells because EVERYBODY takes what comes out of my mouth personally.
That combined with the physical tired that I am now and the mentally want to strangle the idiots who write articles on Robert Frost poetry and the professor that makes me read these articles for fucking busy work because I can't use any of them in ANY of the papers I have to write in the class, yeah everything that comes out of my mouth is probably snarly. But if my back is to you and I shrug when I say "I'll go buy one at Office Depot" yanno, maybe I wasn't criticizing YOU!
Now how to apologize for that without gritting my teeth while saying it?
FUCK IT! All I want to do is stay home and clean my house. AT least there I accomplish something where I just sit on my ass here for 5 hours out of the day waiting on work to do and people snarl at me when I bring my stuff to do.
I need a vacation.
Update: I managed to apologize and civilly. After all, I didn't mean to even sound like I was "going off." I do need a day of rest, and since I doubt I can take off any time for a real vacation, that leaves the weekend. Which is already booked solid.
ARGH! But when I say "yes" to stuff it is always when I feel like doing it! Then the date looms and I don't wanna anymore! I just want to curl up in bed and then the couch and then maybe putter at something that isn't dependent on a deadline.
Operator, I think I have a bad connection between my social planning id and the rest of me. Can it be repaired?
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
That combined with the physical tired that I am now and the mentally want to strangle the idiots who write articles on Robert Frost poetry and the professor that makes me read these articles for fucking busy work because I can't use any of them in ANY of the papers I have to write in the class, yeah everything that comes out of my mouth is probably snarly. But if my back is to you and I shrug when I say "I'll go buy one at Office Depot" yanno, maybe I wasn't criticizing YOU!
Now how to apologize for that without gritting my teeth while saying it?
FUCK IT! All I want to do is stay home and clean my house. AT least there I accomplish something where I just sit on my ass here for 5 hours out of the day waiting on work to do and people snarl at me when I bring my stuff to do.
I need a vacation.
Update: I managed to apologize and civilly. After all, I didn't mean to even sound like I was "going off." I do need a day of rest, and since I doubt I can take off any time for a real vacation, that leaves the weekend. Which is already booked solid.
ARGH! But when I say "yes" to stuff it is always when I feel like doing it! Then the date looms and I don't wanna anymore! I just want to curl up in bed and then the couch and then maybe putter at something that isn't dependent on a deadline.
Operator, I think I have a bad connection between my social planning id and the rest of me. Can it be repaired?
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
YouTube TimeSuck
The goal last night was to go home, eat supper, finish homework, and go to bed early.
While eating, I decided to close out some tabs by watching YouTube stuff that had been blogged about and I had set aside to watch later. Then I started clicking links inside YouTube. The next thing I know, Mustard is biting my pants and it's past 9:45pm. How the hell did he learn how to tell time?
My thoughts this morning is I may need a night alarm clock. One set to go off at 9pm, so I can take my ass to bed when I get distracted by something. I thought I had a third one not in use, but I just remembered I got rid of it because it started losing time. I could switch over the living room alarm clock and still use its radio in the morning if I need to.
So "I'm a Disney Girl" skit at one of the ComicCons was entertaining, but cost me writing time, homework time, and workout time this morning since I got up late.
So I'm off to work on homework and when I get sick of Robert Frost, physics refresher course. It's been a long time since I wrote fantasy--not counting "Covenant"--and I think Hyrule was the only world I built semi-successfully. It's easy to say "magic follows the laws of physics" but when you can't remember what they are in order to describe the magic spell, you now have homework. About.com physics writer has the best condensed version I've found online.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
While eating, I decided to close out some tabs by watching YouTube stuff that had been blogged about and I had set aside to watch later. Then I started clicking links inside YouTube. The next thing I know, Mustard is biting my pants and it's past 9:45pm. How the hell did he learn how to tell time?
My thoughts this morning is I may need a night alarm clock. One set to go off at 9pm, so I can take my ass to bed when I get distracted by something. I thought I had a third one not in use, but I just remembered I got rid of it because it started losing time. I could switch over the living room alarm clock and still use its radio in the morning if I need to.
So "I'm a Disney Girl" skit at one of the ComicCons was entertaining, but cost me writing time, homework time, and workout time this morning since I got up late.
So I'm off to work on homework and when I get sick of Robert Frost, physics refresher course. It's been a long time since I wrote fantasy--not counting "Covenant"--and I think Hyrule was the only world I built semi-successfully. It's easy to say "magic follows the laws of physics" but when you can't remember what they are in order to describe the magic spell, you now have homework. About.com physics writer has the best condensed version I've found online.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Monday, October 01, 2007
Crazy weekend
I didn't make my word count. :( This week is going to be better with that.
Why I didn't make the word count is Friday and Saturday I got started cleaning up the hard drive and the paper filing system with dealing with what I write. Mainly, consolidating virtual folders and actually going through them and then burning one CD to go in the paper folder that has all the story related files on it. Then I would delete the virtual folder out of the new "My Writing" directory. I got finished with the fanfiction side of the drawer, and still need to do the original side. Once done, the only files left on the computer will be what I am really working on and a lot less to go through while working on it.
Then Saturday and Sunday were also spent catching up with friends: Saturday with Misty and her cutie-pie daughter Kay and Sunday with Marcie. But I put off my shopping on Saturday, did it on Sunday, and started cooking at 7:30pm.
After the last clean out of the fridge and throwing away more food I never got around to cooking, I decided I must cook as soon as I put the groceries on the counter otherwise I won't. The menu was ambitious but I didn't think it would be too bad: chicken veggie soup, Basil Tuna Steaks and Tomatoes, spinach souffle, 2 spinach and mushroom quiches, bok choy salad, roasted eggplant and tomatoes, an artichoke dish I can't remember the name of, and Lemony-Herb Veggies (to use up what is open in the freezer). I figured I could get stuff started, sit down, and get back up when the timer went off.
That never happened.
I got the chicken veggie soup, spinach souffle, and the 2 quiches done by midnight. I only got to sit at the computer while waiting for the quiches to finish baking and after I washed the dishes (that should get me brownie points for something). They didn't look completely finished when the timer went off so I put them in for another ten minutes.
Then five minutes later I realized that my contacts didn't have eye gooky clouding them up, rather my house was filling up with smoke. The quiches were fine, but drippings in the oven were merrily smoking away. Cleared out the aluminum foil, put the quiches in the fridge, opened the window and front door and aimed the fans out them to draw the smoke out, and started getting ready for bed. And then I realized Mustard wasn't under my feet. Back to the kitchen. He's poised on the windowsill to jump down. He wasn't happy when I hauled his ass back inside. I was not happy having to close that window with still a lot of smoke to get out.
So fixing the screens and putting them back on the windows has been bumped up the priority list now.
Crawled into bed. Next thing I know, the Wall Street Journal-less people are on the radio and Mustard is tapping my face with his paw to make me get up. So then it was a mad dash scramble to get everything done in an hour, and I left late still. No workout today either.
So it's a new month. Things can only get better. Sleep tonight will be an improvement.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
Why I didn't make the word count is Friday and Saturday I got started cleaning up the hard drive and the paper filing system with dealing with what I write. Mainly, consolidating virtual folders and actually going through them and then burning one CD to go in the paper folder that has all the story related files on it. Then I would delete the virtual folder out of the new "My Writing" directory. I got finished with the fanfiction side of the drawer, and still need to do the original side. Once done, the only files left on the computer will be what I am really working on and a lot less to go through while working on it.
Then Saturday and Sunday were also spent catching up with friends: Saturday with Misty and her cutie-pie daughter Kay and Sunday with Marcie. But I put off my shopping on Saturday, did it on Sunday, and started cooking at 7:30pm.
After the last clean out of the fridge and throwing away more food I never got around to cooking, I decided I must cook as soon as I put the groceries on the counter otherwise I won't. The menu was ambitious but I didn't think it would be too bad: chicken veggie soup, Basil Tuna Steaks and Tomatoes, spinach souffle, 2 spinach and mushroom quiches, bok choy salad, roasted eggplant and tomatoes, an artichoke dish I can't remember the name of, and Lemony-Herb Veggies (to use up what is open in the freezer). I figured I could get stuff started, sit down, and get back up when the timer went off.
That never happened.
I got the chicken veggie soup, spinach souffle, and the 2 quiches done by midnight. I only got to sit at the computer while waiting for the quiches to finish baking and after I washed the dishes (that should get me brownie points for something). They didn't look completely finished when the timer went off so I put them in for another ten minutes.
Then five minutes later I realized that my contacts didn't have eye gooky clouding them up, rather my house was filling up with smoke. The quiches were fine, but drippings in the oven were merrily smoking away. Cleared out the aluminum foil, put the quiches in the fridge, opened the window and front door and aimed the fans out them to draw the smoke out, and started getting ready for bed. And then I realized Mustard wasn't under my feet. Back to the kitchen. He's poised on the windowsill to jump down. He wasn't happy when I hauled his ass back inside. I was not happy having to close that window with still a lot of smoke to get out.
So fixing the screens and putting them back on the windows has been bumped up the priority list now.
Crawled into bed. Next thing I know, the Wall Street Journal-less people are on the radio and Mustard is tapping my face with his paw to make me get up. So then it was a mad dash scramble to get everything done in an hour, and I left late still. No workout today either.
So it's a new month. Things can only get better. Sleep tonight will be an improvement.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
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