I went to the dentist this morning, and for the first time on record, I walked away with a clean bill of health...and didn't have to pay anything. For once, the whole dentist thing with insurance worked out like it does in the fairy tales. So I bought myself a donut when I got lunch at Jewel. My Mom used to buy us donuts after we went to the dentist. It was only time we ever got them as kids.

TWO things.

1. Matt and Sigrid are engaged!!! Email them to congratulate and get details.
2. I got the whole first season of SG1 on DVD thanks to Mischa who said I could borrow indefinitely. Anybody wanna watch SG1 with me?

Frequency wasn't that great. I did see Erika though and that was nice. I think she is growing. She was another foot higher than me on Friday. :| Tim and I stayed for about twenty minutes and then went to the Lighthouse where it took us an hour and half to drink one lousy old style. I blame it on the take out pizza we had before we left.

Saturday and Sunday we didn't do too much either. Cept Sunday marked the opening of our favorite summer drink....Margaritta's. I love them.

Oh, an I lost my phone, but found it again. Whew.

I got home yesterday feeling like an empty husk. I tried to take a nap but was interrupted continually by cats bouncing off of me and yowls echoing around the walls. Bastards. Then I watched the series finale of Sabrina. Ahh....Sabrina is done. Remember when she was Clarissa and she explained it all? I had a mini crush on Sam. After the show was done I went to bed to think...or just lay down. I still wasn't feeling so hot. Moments later it was dark and Tim was climbing into bed. I got up went to the john and realized it was 2:00 in the morning What was Tim doing up so late?

Turns out it was me that was keeping up with teeth grinding and night frights. I used my teeth guard for the first time then, and didn't drool like everyone warned I would be. Although I did worry for about five minutes whether or not the droop spill would soak my hair from collecting on the pillow.

Tonight I am going to go to this shindig at the Chase Cafe. It's called Frequency Response v2.0.

My head hurts. I had two shitty beers last night of some doubious domestic brew nature. I saw Terminal Bliss. They weren't that blissful. Head. Hurty. Today is take your daughter to work day. My supervisor is bringing in her four month old daughter. Ha.

test sdfh

I bought a bagel yesterday but forgot to eat it. Luckily I remembered this morning though, and bought some cream cheese for 30 Cents to go with it. But now as I am writing this, it's poppyseed goodness is gone.

I watched SG1 last night. Who are the naughts( knots? nots?) I want to see that episode. They look really really really cool. I should just buy the first season DVD. Get it out of the way and watch it in order whenever I want to.

Yeah. So. I got a easter card from Virginia from Texas saying she was sick and super busy but will write soon. I am glad she sent a card. I was really starting to worry that I had frightened these poor people off with my massive letter. Instead, it seems that I have raised the bar a bit, and they are all taking extra time to write a really, good letter. Which is cool. Sonja from Austria wrote a really interesting letter...very introspective. Goth girl wrote a story about a boy, very sad....and Virginia from TX is sick and busy. I wonder what will become of Scifi Kim? And the Tired Lady from England.

Oy. I didn't write on Friday? What was I doing that I was so busy? I don't remember...no wait. I do. I took a two hour lunch: one of those hours was spent with Tim at Olive Mountain, and the other hour was spent shopping for Easter stuff for the box I have still yet to send my family. Then I left at 3.50 because the newest coworker was staying past three. I told everyone they could leave, and she wasn't a-leaving! I kept asking her when she was going to go and she kept telling me, maybe later. Finally I just said, "Well if you are not going to go until 5:00, then I am just going to go. Here is my cell number, call me if an emergency comes up" and left. I went home and took a nap. Got up when Tim came home to say hi, and then read until 1:00 AM, finishing the The Scar (read the review!).
Sigh. Such brilliance. How can I be like that?

Saturday we fulfilled a favor for Sigrid and Matt and picked up the table and chairs. The table is cute, but the chairs are in questionable condition (and they are from Pottery Farm or Factory? ..whatever). Went home and Tim played games, and putzed/cleaned/took another nap, got up later and then drove to Milwaukee for Easter family fun.

Went out Phil to Ben's place and mozied over to a traditional Mexican restaurant. Had some enchilada's and margarita's. Went home, to bed. Easter the next day was okay, the sermon didn't make sense to me though. Stupid mustard seeds and trees. Such a limited view of heaven....when I imagined so much more. Ate lots of jello....it was gooooooood. I love the mother-in-law's jello.

[!!! I just helped a rotating student and he asked me what Nation I was! I was a little surprised (but didn't show it) that he asked the question correctly. I told him Ho Chunk, from Wisconsin....formerly Winnebago) and he nodded. Then he told me was south pueblo or something. That his Mom was half, although he didn't look it. I told him I shared his pain because my Dad is full too and I don't exactly look it. This was followed by some awkward silence...and the desire to talk more. We both would both falter on questions at the same time. But...wow. Another indian--- that wanted to connect. Cool.]

Got a great letter from Hollywood Goth girl, and a mix CD that I don't have the heart to tell her is corrupted halfway through.

Currently Tim is full of radiation stuff, and is about to be x-rayed to find all the areas of arthritis. They are trying to determine why he has the arthritis of a fifty-five year old....then tomorrow he gets his physical therapy consultation on what he is going to have to do the rest of his life to ease the pain and keep the joints from locking up. It is not so hard to imagine that my darling is remade. Part machine, and if he doesn't take care of his mechanical parts he will rust up and stop. Become immobile. Frozen....except his mind will still be active. He will become dependent on the kindness of others to feed him. I will put him on the street holding a potted plant and call him Art.

Started reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon and had a dream this morning that I came to consciousness....on a plane in the process of landing. I got out of the plane and asked a passing valet "Where the hell am I?" and he told me I was in New York.

I left halfway through yesterday because my darling in shining armor rode up on his silver stallion and rescued me from my tower of science. We went to IHOP and had a good talk about things that are and things that should be. Then we went home and the wildcard option became active in a phone message to Tim regarding another position. What a mess. I have to just remind myself to take it one step at a time. It will resolve itself and panicking and worrying never does any good. Time. One day at a time. And do what you have to do with no procrastination. A ounce of courage goes a long way.

Katie is gone today like I knew she would be. If I take a half day for the hell of it, she is going to take a full day. Sucky because today is a seminar day and I needed to take a calculator over to Tim so he can excel on his skillz test.

Wow, ...once again I find it neccessary to say that I am blown away by The Scar. The way he connected Tanner Sack into the story is absolutely brilliant. Simple. Brilliant. The anophelii (mosquito people), the Bruloc (the dead), and ...well the character Uthor Doul (the quick from the land of the dead) is all so cool. Who am I kidding? The world is cool and so ripe with possiblities. I don't want this book to end.

And Angel was cool. Unfortunately I had missed last week's episode, so I was totally thrown as to who this adult woman was, and why everyone knew her. I had to go and read a recap on TVGuide to catch up. I like the idea though. A black, female anti-christ. Angel hasn't disappointed me this season.

Zander got his eye poked out! Yuck!
And it looks like next week is another rerun. They are really stretching out the last episode, so much so that I have started to lose interest in the tension...? Can you call it that? That has been created for this show. I now just want to see how it is ended the second time.

Nuthing much to say. Had sausage and sour kraut for dinner, went to the in-laws for some beer and visiting. Did a load of laundry. Got a letter from Sonja (Austria lady) and a bunch of Dover catalogues.

Okay, I have to add this. I just got this from Tim (who as some of you already know has put in his letter of resignation last week). Following is a copy of the minutes from their last Staff meeting (after which, Tim had decided he would quit). Unfortunately, the Cheerio incident has been deleted....in which she goes on a great length regarding her Cheerio diet. Lenore is their boss. The "great" woman who founded the company...and manages to still have it because of her husband's considerable weatlh. Or...maybe she is brillant. You decide.

Vague Minutes

The staff meeting commenced at 3:00pm on April 9, 2003

Attendees: Lenore, Liz, Lindsay, Maura, Eric, Ericka, Arlette, Monika, Andrew, (Tim had to work on a project), Elizabeth, Gayle, Jerry, James

Lenore spoke at length, and then each staff member had a turn to talk about his or her recent and upcoming projects.


Lenore – Her tile is cracking at her house and she has to walk over a plank. There was a millionaire woman, not Ana Nicole Smith. We are down to a “yellow alert” because we got in some money. In Italy there was a good working implementation of a palm guide in the academia. We want to partner with them somehow. There is a lot of dog poop on the sidewalk in Florence. Some Eastern Europeans don’t experience hunger pains. (Exit Tim, stage right) Johnson O’Connor does aptitude testing for pitch discrimination. Lenore has good manual dexterity. Christian science reading rooms may be portals to other dimensions because no one ever enters or leaves. The Ba’hai temple isn’t one because Lindsay has been there. It is one of the few nonagon structures in the world. It is made of crushed seashells.

Gayle – The Museum H is 95% done with their conversion.

Andrew – Their training went well and they will be good clients.

Jerry – working with the printer problems and the S Install with James.

Lenore – What about X Product?

Gayle – It will be fully implemented for the new XG data structure.

Lenore – the strips of paper on the end of spiral bound sheets of paper are called “perfidy” Andrea will be working 7-9 on XG

Gayle – Liz is funny like a clown

Lenore – We will be working on “PACS.” Andrea is OURS (raises clenched fist).

Elizabeth – Working on general helpdesk calls and tech tips.

Andrew – Calling customers, Museum training is coming up

Monika – Working on the survey, needs to talk to Lenore.

Arlette – Client M sale came in, Museum F coming up, made contact with W. Museum, and sent data entry post card, one reply so far. Will have AAM labels next week and has been following up on conference leads.

Eric – Slinkies came in, has been mostly working on website redesign, waiting for Lenore’s approval to go ahead.

Maura – Working on general helpdesk calls as well as tech tips.

Lindsay – Finishing up the Client X, starting new conversions. Not a whole lot coming up as of yet.

Liz – Went to TX conference as well as Virginia. Working on the National Gallery Z. JC has been doing demos.

Lenore – New tiny mammal discovered, see the current national geographic magazine.

Friday night I went to Mainframe again. Tim went with and Mischa was kind enough to give us a ride. His new glasses look really good, and reminds me to get on Tim's ass again about getting him new glasses. Even if he just wears them at home. Or what if he gets that strange eye affliction that Eric and I got? Then he would be screwed because he would have to wear his other glasses....all icky, scratched up and old. Mainframe was okay, the bands were very different from each other, and the people are still an eclectic mix of those who have lost their scenes. Like a bunch of refugees.

Saturday we ... ... um. What did we do. We...oh! I remember, I crafted, and watched movies on HBO. What movies? Oh total gems like "Once Bitten", "Mr. Destiny" and "The Santa Claus" before I finished my project and started a letter to Sigrid where I got black ink all over my fingers. Tim was off at one his Mech tournaments...where he kicked ass yet again. ?!?! When did Tim start winning things? Seriously folks, I think Tim was body snatched when he was the UK this last time.

That night we went and Karokeed at the Marigold. Tim sang Ring of Fire and White wedding, and I watched from the back. Why didn't I sing? I take it none of you have heard me sing. I cannot. I am terrible. I angered the cats before we went because I had to get the urge to karokee out of my system by singing all the television theme songs I knew.

So the crazy thing is, we were expecting Charlie to show up. He never did, and we wondered. I come to find out today that a mere block away, while were inside drinking beer and singing words, he was the victim of a hit and run (dark SUV) and broke his leg in several places. He was assisted by and off duty cop and taken to the hospital for three (so far) surgeries. Can you believe this? A hit and run. A block away. And he was alone. At least when I had my serious trauma I was surrounded by friends. Poor Charlie, he is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.

Sunday was spent reading. Reading reading reading, and sleeping sleeping. Tim and I were both super tired, and unlike Tim, I listened to my body and took several naps, in between reading. The Scar by China Mieville. THis book is seriously five times better than Perdido. It's like, he refined his technique, and learned the intricacies of pacing. I am so hooked. All I can think about is this book.I can't wait for lunch so I can read it. For after work, I plan on laundry and reading. I reminds me when I used to get in reading moods how I wouldn't pick up the phone, or visit anyone until I was done with the book/series. Later that night we tried to visit Bekah and Greg, but they weren't there. We walked around a bit looking for them, but found nothing. I was happy to spend more time reading before bed. 8) I think we will try again tonight.

Finished Rat King. It was a great spin.

An few interesting developments are happening right now...too soon to say anything though, although it was enough to trigger the "I have to go back to High School to finish something" dream. This lastest installment, I realized two things: 1. That I was sure I resolved this whole high school thing in a previous dream and had finally graduated or didn't care any more, and 2. I was too old to be doing this, didn' t the high school realize I was 23 years old?

Then I woke up and realized....crap, I am older than 23....I am 27, so that makes it even more pathethic. I hate those dreams, they are so pointless. Yes, subconscious...change is on the way and I am do not know yet what is to happen to me in the future...but that is okay. I wish I could be conscious enough to do something cool....but then impressing a bunch of high school figments really isn't that cool.

I went out to dinner at this turkish eye place with Kate and Eric last night. I was more expensive than we would have liked, and we were the ONLY people there for almost two hours. Only when we left did a confused old man wander in. The place was big with numbered tables, a keyboard/dj set up, a few hookah's with pillows by the door....and a cooking staff of about 7 with a waitress that seemed unsure of what to do with us. Maybe because we were the ONLY customers or maybe because it was about to turn into a disco and they were waiting for us to leave, or maybe because we weren't turkish. Afterward Kate dropped Eric and I off at this bar called Hopleaf. Boy is that bar cool, they have a bazillion different kinds of beer and it is priced accordingly (for example a bottle/can of Hubor is 1.50) Most microbrews are 3.50 to strange french beers at 24. I think Tim would really like it, and anyone else that comes to visit that is interested in a beer adventure.

I do hereby solemnly vow that I will never make any of you fill out a questionnaire testing how well you know me, or THINK you may know me. I have only done that once, and then I had to do it because it wasn't my idea, but it was my bridal shower and I had to be a good sport. Some things are better left unsaid right?

Finished Perdido Street Station last night..finally. That book took TOO long...all because I gave up ... five pages before it got interesting and read two books in between that. I need to update my current book and add those I have finished into the book section. I forgot the link Tim made for me though....and he keeps forgetting to tell me. :( But, right now I am reading King Rat, Mieville's first book before Perdido. After that I have the Scar to read...and in between snacks are the years best in Scifi and the Nanny Diaries.

The was COLD! ...er apartment. Cold cold cold. It took some serious snuggling to warm up and finally go to sleep. Sometimes living right next ot the lake can have negative effects. Played that word game from popcap.com...listened to some music and my darling complain and came up with the idea of starting a little side business with Eric (it would pay for the laptop I want...)..

I caught the early train, which was late. I was home before six and thought I would be nice and start dinner because Eric and I had been talking about food the entire ride home. Wondering what I was going to make, I started to clean out the sink a bit and to my utter disgust saw that it was clogged. No problem, thought I, nothing a little plunging won't fix. Twenty minutes later I sent Tim out to buy dryno and spooned the water into a cup to dispose of in the bathroom (four trips). It smelled terrible, and the goo covered my arms. After dumping the dryno in the sink to set, I took a nap, dinner be damned.

After an hour I got up and it was still light out. I love the extra hour of light. I will gladly give up another hour of my day if it means I can have another hour of light at the end the day. The house was freezing from the lake wind, and I couldn't think of anything to eat. I made some chicken soup, and then some tomato pesto pasta with greens, and a beer to settle down and watch SG1. After SG1 I went with Mischa (Tim was a pheonix at the end of a cycle) to this place called Watusi for Aric's 26th birthday. Watusi was an ultra-lounge place that I didn't figure out was a resturant until this morning. It was very...hipstery. Not a place you would walk too, a place where berets and off shoulder shirts are welcome, with careful boredom and messy boys. The bartender was something else though, I even took a picture of him...he was too much. The music was appropriate for a bowling ally with items such as Poison and Gun's N Roses, but since it was in this ultralounge it was kitcke cool. Those crazy kids. I had a cupcake and the unlucky opportunity to see Jackass ....again. Kill me next time it is on. Please. Someone. Friends don't let friends watch Jackass.

This morning we were walking to work in the snow and slush and were just coming up to the station at Jarvis. Just at the start of the block a ... disabled person stepped in front of us and proceeded to walk very slowly (although he was trying to go fast). We plodded behind him until we barely cusped the station itself when the red line train came into the station above us. I looked at Tim and with much emphasis shot a disappointed "if-it-hadn't-had-been-for-him" look to "his" back. Then, in Tim said "I looked at you and saw your glance, then looked the guy ahead of us. A moment later, I turned back to look at you and you were gone!"

Sure enough as soon as I finished my bad thought I hit the ground. At least I landed on my leg and nothing was hurt. Of course Tim stood there laughing at me for a full 10 seconds before helping me up. "That was the fastest Karma I have ever seen," he said.

Because we missed that train, the old fucker who "drives" the purple line 501 decided to be a full thirty minutes later prompting Tim (yes, he is so funny) to come up with a new ad campaign for the CTA. "The CTA, five minutes faster than walking."

And that is the start of my day. I was 15 minutes late and all worried about what kind of role model I am to Katie, only to find out that ... Katie is not showing up today. While I actually believe she is sick this time, the coincidence of crappy weather and lack of Katie never ceases to amaze me. Oh, and Cowboy Bebop was great, except for the tired cliche of the 'Am I butterfly dreaming I am human? Or a human dreaming I am a butterfly." (it wasn't a strong as a twist on the theme as I would like, or rather it was ...but then they couldn't throwing in the whole reality mix at the very end). And I HATE it when people clap at the end of a movie. It's a movie. The people are not there to hear you clap. When I hear clapping I instantly imagine a crowd full of overweight men clasping their hands in joy at particulairly delightful musical scene.

Today we went and did our duty as citizens of the United States and had our taxes prepared. I haven't prepared my own since ... well since I was sixteen. It is somehow a little easier for me to pay to have someone break it to me easy that I owe uncle sam a fucking lot of money. This year was an all time high of 2k. Outrageous. Absolutely outrageous. I am still working on ways of putting a positive spin on it...for example we are doing well enough if sam thinks we can pay that amount in taxes.

Tonight we are going to see Cowboy Bebop at the Music Box Theatre. I think it is something Tim will like because of the whole spaghetti western aspect, and I will hopefully like it for the scifi aspect. I'll let you know. Oh and Christian, remind me to send you three great reviews of what electroclash is (thanks to the musical distillation of my friend Eric).

updating...never wish again

After work I went with Eric to his place and had this great mexican leftover casserole type thing that Kate had made the day before and that he reheated. We had dinner, watched bad TV and talked a bit and even had a beer. I really like casserole, I don't think Eric knows that, although he does now. ;) It was also nice to have dinner, which I haven't done too much with the absence of Tim and all. Close to 9:00 I left into the pouring rain to meeting Rachal, Erika, Mischa and newly met Katja at Nick's Uptown. I got lost only once and had to call Eric for directions back to the train -- my shoes were still wet this morning.

The game of darts was okay...my head wasn't in the game and I was beat by a rookie.

Today is a good day. It is Jonathan the Temps last day. Thank god. Thank godthankgodthankgod. :D
And Tim comes home today! I am so excited. This has been longest that he has been gone. I haven't been hugged in what feels like years! And Darling brand kisses (TM) are something to die for. And then the cats will lay off harassing me to death, and then he can see how many snails we have and how big they have gotten, and we can go to breakfast at IHOP, and do our taxes tomorrow and feel the weight of adulthood crush our souls. I think I will leave at 5:00 today....so can get home earlier. To think. There is going to be a darling when I get home.

Can I say I hate how blog is acting lately?

Played Suikkoden III (after a long hiatus). Worked on a letter. Talk with Mischa. Talked with Ben, who gave me the best compliment in awhile. You see, I made their son some moccassin's a couple months ago complete with beadwork and sent it off to them. They thought I got the moccassin's through my Ho-Chunk connections but probably did the bead work myself. HA! I did both! Yah for my work looking like a professional..although it couldn't compete with my Dad's. I have pictures of it, I will put them up later in my soon to arrive craft section. Went to bed at 1.30 am. Slept into 9.00. Took a leisurely shower, had instant coffee, cleaned up the bedroom a bit and made a resolve to make 10 goals for the month of April.

Went to the dentist and got my night guard (for the grinding of the teeth at times of stress), and they gave the cast of my teeth. Cool!!!! It's so neat to look at my teeth all casty like. [Upon lengthy inspection, I have small teeth]. Tim comes home tomorrow!

Now to make those ten goals.

Well, I couple of ....er. I already forgot what I was going to say. Moving on.

Electroclash. It seems to be the buzz word lately. I feel so old and out of times, not at all hip with these 23 -27 year olds... Crap. What happened here?
Last night I read and read and read...and maybe took a nap, watched some TV and did a load of laundry.

Operation Darling is now down two days. I think what I miss most of all if having someone who I can be with without explanation, talk or anything (although talking to him wouldn't hurt either....I could just use less words).

The temp is not staying longer than Friday! Hurrah! I hates him. My supervisor saw that was evident yesterday when I yelled at him for taking two freaking hours WITH the help of a a coworker to collate and slap some labels on our lame newsletter. And ... now....like 20 min ago I told him I had something for him when he had a moment. Dude, I can SEE him sitting there reading the interent. What? You say I am sitting here on the internet too? Wasting time like him? Not so. You see, I would have gone and gotten the assignment and then taken all day to do it...thus making myself look busy. He is just sitting there NOT being busy, or even trying to look it. I don't know. I heard that Cathy (the part-timer, longest been here) said that he had an attitude problem. Ha. To say the least. But he is gone on Friday...hurray! Plus, back to defending me and my slack...I can slack. I am not a temp. :P (Ack. sorry if I offended my temp friends....I meant that by merely being here I am responsible for so much more...I am not making it better am I?)

Another piece of good news, I am wearing a great outfit today.

My dover package didn't come. 8*(

Last night was interesting. I started making a mix CD for Hollywood Goth Girl (at least getting the CD's together). Was treated to dinner at Leona's and a car accident by Mischa, went home and did a few things to my website. (Naughty naughty website).

What did I do.

1. Changed Jessie's photo
2. Changed Sarah's photo
3. Added Aric's photo (that's Bill in the background, I wonder what that dude is up too...)
4. Got rid of a bunch of old pics/crap on my server
5. Redid the cat page (with new photos!)
6. Made Misca into a clickable image
7. And fixed a broken link or two
8. Added the cask beer self portrait to my own collection