[25 June 2007 ♥ 10:09am] I go through spurts online... Similar to spans of time where I can't stop craving gummi worms or when anything polka-dot catches my eye., For a while I'll be obsessed with reading LiveJournal, keeping up with everyone and all the communities. Then I'll try once again to hack away at MySpace, refusing to admit or surrender to the fact that I'm no longer 20-years-old and don't technically *need* a MySpace anymore. Every day I check PopUrls.com to keep abreast of Digg and Reddit especially, as well as del.icio.us and I have a bazillion feeds I ingest through Bloglines. Sometimes I'll get on a ThisNext kick and start making a wish list on Felicite so that when birthdays or other occasions invariably come around and people ask what I'd like... I can point them to the list of things-I-want-but-are-no-longer-available. What I've wanted for, oh, *years* is a place to keep 'notes' of things I've found online. Bookmarks (del.icio.us) don't really cut it because pages change, images are taken down, content is modified, and so on. I've realized lately that with Bloglines (bloglines.com) I am bascially exposing who I am and what I'm like without writing a word. It's a raw view of what's going into my brain; my interests, my positions. I'd like to write about what I'm reading on Bloglines and maintain a running commentary... but it's more suited to someplace like LiveJournal. Here's what I think would be the perfect web 2.0 app: A MySpace-type page that I can fully customize the design of, alà Moveable Type, but that also incorporates my bookmarks (i.e. from del.icio.us) as well lets me or anyone else comment on them, offers me the option for a permanent storage of 'notes' from those pages - or even un-bookmarked pages - complete with images or multimedia (such as web-chops.com or clipmarks.com), with a section for wishlists from multiple vendors (like at Felicite.com) as well as suggested lists (like Amazon listmania lists) all rolled in with a panel for my favorite RSS feeds, podcasts, music streams, and a kickass events calendar. What the hell, why not throw in a web-based data management suite similar to BuzzWord (from Virtual Ubiquity) which allows for shared access and updating. Let me keep track of what I'm eating or how much I'm exercising like I can do on FitDay.com! I want it all! I want it now! I want it... all in one place.   Current Mood: greedy Current Music: Queen - I Want It All

[10 January 2007 ♥ 10:19am] So. Who's switching to Cingular? nowalmart: Can you even use it where you are? Ok so, let's see which sins this phone inspires: Pride: ü Sloth: • Gluttony: • Wrath: ü [deeply resentful indignation and ire over the whole Cingular exclusivity sitch] Envy: ü Lust: üü Greed: ü [excessive or rapacious desire, esp. for wealth or possessions? Absolutely!]   Current Mood: besotted, impatient Current Music: Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back

[5 January 2007 ♥ 11:38am] For talonvaki especially, but really, this is dedicated and directed to anyone who can relate. If you've been in this situation, I empathize and sympathize. During the last part of 2005 and the first half (or more) of 2006, I was having a problem with one of my lungs. Long story short, it's fixed now, but in the interim I was having all kinds of breathing issues and I was chronically ill. Always had a cold or bronchitis of some kind, for a span of well over six months. During that time, my doctor said that part of what was exacerbating the problem was the presence of allergens in my home. Now I have what I'd consider to be 'normal' allergies such as dust, pollen, mold, and so on. I'm apparently slightly allergic to cats (and I've got two whoppin' shedders), and coconut (which is NOT present in my house). She suggested that I replace my bedding with allergen-reducing options, get a leather-type couch, and so on. She said that everyone reacts to allergens, and that we each have what could be visualized as an allergen cup. We can handle so much in our cup before it overflows. Some allergens that we're more sensitive to may take up more room in the cup, and can then make us react to things that normally wouldn't bother us. For example, if I had a lot of mold somewhere in my house, I could be handling that fine because it'd all fit into the allergen cup, but then along comes kitty dander and I'm a mess even though it never bothered me before and in the grand scheme, isn't a very big source of allergen-induced misery. So, I knocked out some sources of dust and dander and started feeling a lot better. The mold (or whatever was bothering me) is likely still there as big and bad as ever, but I made more room in the cup by eliminating a lot of the dust and dander. All of this backstory is laying the groundwork for the real subject of this post: I think we all have an emotion cup, and sometimes, our cups runneth over. Every time something frustrates us, angers us, hurts us, or otherwise emotionally injures us, it piles into our emotion cup. When something is positive in our lives, though, it kind of takes from the cup. Ideally, the positive will outnumber the negative, and our cups remain, optimistically, half-empty. Sometimes, though, we find ourselves in situations that seem hopeless, and we become frustrated and raw, angry and irritated. It absolutely helps to have people who love us and treat us well. It helps to find goodness in others and from others. All of this works desperately to try to keep the cup from overflowing, but when we're in such dark, dire situations from which there seems to be no escape, our cup keeps getting more and more full until finally we're reduced to sobbing wrecks over something as stupid as not having enough hot water to take a bath or being unable to find over-ripe bananas for muffins. We're not really crying about the stupid bananas, we're crying about the primary 'allergen'. When the cup overflows, we start experiencing 'symptoms'. These symptoms can very from person to person. In my case, I might pick up a McDonald's ice cream cone at South Station every day for a couple months because it makes me feel better. Or I might grab a 3 Musketeers because I get a little boost from the chocolate. I buy some new clothes. I 'window shop' online because I can't focus solely on all the crap I'm *supposed* to be doing. I get lazy. When I do have free time, I don't want to cook or clean or do anything responsible. I want to watch TV or play with my Nintendo DS. I want to take a bath, dammit. I want to be slothful and unproductive, and I want it to include copious quantities of chocolate. I've found my cup overflowing now since early in 2004. On my computer, there's been a folder entitled "Project Jan 31" since 2004. It's a folder that contains cover letters and resumes and anything else related to trying to move my cup from under the Faucet of Frustration. Nothing has come of it so far, and while the market isn't the best out there, I'm not going to pretend that it's not at all my fault. But here's the tricky part. The fuller my cup becomes, the less energy I have to push it. It's heavier because it's full, and I'm weaker from pushing. All I want to do some days is to crawl into the damn cup and drown. I know I'm not pushing with 100% of my energy. I also know that everyone around me has heard a million times how unhappy I am, and by extension, I'm making everyone else unhappy. Basically, my quality of life is suffering because my cup is overflowing. I have a lot of good things in my life, but there's so much toxicity being dumped into my cup that it's just so hard to keep the cup from spilling over. I'm exhausted all the time. I'm not as focused, not as motivated. I cause fights for no good reason. I complain nearly constantly. I yell at the cats for walking too slowly and trying to 'help' cook. (Ok, so it's mostly Max.) Sure, I could quit. I could leave and never look back. But then I don't have money to live. I don't have anything lined up and I don't need to look very far to see how tough it is to find a good job out there right now. That said, I feel like I'm so downtrodden by my current situation that I don't make a very appealing choice right now. I think... I just need a bigger cup, maybe. I can't figure out how to upgrade to a Venti, though.   Current Mood: cranky, frustrated, irritable, terrified, angry, wistful, frayed and raw Current Music: My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade

[17 October 2006 ♥ 08:46am] I'm just sick to death of lame-ass people. What the fuck is up with people now? I don't think I'm old enough to be that fist-shaking old woman bitching about 'kids today' and how the world is going to hell in a handbasket, but would it really kill everyone to pick up after themselves in public? Yesterday, there was a woman on the bus who I was watching with some interest because she was eating a banana upside-down. What I mean by that is that she started peeling it from the seed end and peeled upward toward the stem. Ok, I haven't witnessed that before so yeah, I'm going to watch. But had she noticed I was watching, maybe she wouldn't have just thrown her banana peel behind a seat! People at work leave their debris around too. We're always finding discarded cups, empty soda bottles, tissues, torn-apart product boxes (which, ok people, if you're going to steal shit, TAKE THE BOX, ok?)... who does this? It's not like leaving your socks in the living room.   Current Mood: cranky Current Music: Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge

[28 August 2006 ♥ 08:32am] I have a potential conundrum. It's not even a real conundrum yet, but I need to sort everything out so that I'm prepared in the event this opportunity presents itself. So... I'm looking for advice from People Who Aren't Me. I'd definitely like to run this by people, but I'm not able to post it in this journal because past events have proven that while my LJ is obscure, it's definitely not secure... If you're willing to evaluate my situation and would like to provide some feedback or whatever, could you please let me know here and I'll email you the scenario? I'd really appreciate all the help I can get. It's nothing ooky or uncomfortable... just not something I want 'discovered' yet. Thanks! (:   Current Mood: conflicted, apprehensive, and anxious Current Music: The White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

[21 August 2006 ♥ 10:58am] Oh Jorge, please, turn away from The Dark Side. We love you here in Boston. We do! You're probably one of the most palatable Yankees we can think of. You call a great game, and you even put up with The Big Tool - showing grace and class despite knowing that he can't stand you and throws a tantrum if you're behind the plate. It's not your fault that the Sox have basically been stinking up Fenway more than rotted cabbage stuffed under each and every bleacher seat would. But please - no more shenanigans like pulling a 2-run homer in extra innings! That just makes us feel cheap and sleazy for liking you in the first place.   Current Mood: conflicted Current Music: Joan Jett - I Hate Myself for Loving You

[14 August 2006 ♥ 03:02pm] Attn: talonvaki or anyone working in the South Station area... Know anything about Sebastian's? Know of any healthy places that serve a general menu that would appeal to a group of people with bland/timid palettes?   Current Mood: Trying to get back on track Current Music: Dave Matthews Band - Too Much

[14 August 2006 ♥ 11:21am] Yeah, great. That and a hairnet will get me an exciting new career at McDonald's.   Current Mood: unimpressed Current Music: Cold - Stupid Girl

[24 July 2006 ♥ 11:14am] It must get awfully cold in those store windows. Is that really necessary? Thanks for the discomfort, Jasmine Sola.   Current Mood: squicked out Current Music: Cold - Send In The Clowns

[20 July 2006 ♥ 01:45pm] I have two jobs, one full-time and one part-time in retail. At Job #2, I average 21-24 hours per week. Normally, one of the Assistant Managers (Carrie) does the scheduling. When she does the schedule, my hours are almost the same week after week after week. Whenever the General Store Manager (Tasha) does the schedule, I get squat. The first time it happened was in early March. That time, I was LITERALLY scheduled for zero hours. This past week, I was scheduled from 1 to 8 on Sunday, and that was it. The week before, my usual Friday night shift was not assigned to me, so I hadn't been in since Tuesday. Tasha CHANGED THE SCHEDULE without telling me, so that I was due in at 11am Sunday. I didn't get in trouble with the Assistant Managers (Carrie and Kat) because I could PROVE the schedule had been changed. Now this coming week, again my schedule is again ridiculous. I am scheduled three hours on Sunday, but that's only because everyone in the store is required to be there for a 3 hour meeting, and then I'm scheduled next Friday night. That's a total of eight hours for the whole week, and it would undoubtedly be only 5 if we didn't have the company-wide meeting. I have the fewest hours of anyone in the entire store, including people who are so new that I haven't even MET them yet. What's really baffling is that my performance is great. I am consistently highlighted as being a high performer in the store, which... meh, whatev. They have goals they want us to meet, I meet or exceed them, yay me. I'm not in any trouble (that I know of!). I just can't fathom why I don't get any hours. When this happened before (again when Tasha was doing the scheduling), I asked Tasha what happened and she just said "We don't have any need for your particular availability". Strange, since whenever Kat or Carrie were doing the scheduling, they needed me. Then, for this coming week, I picked up a shift from another employee who was looking to have coverage for a shift they couldn't do... so I emailed her to notify her of the change (which is accepted procedure) and her entire response? "FINE." I want to know wtf is going on, why, and how I can make sure it doesn't KEEP happening. Should I speak only to Tasha about it, or should I talk to Tasha and Carrie together? Should I skip talking to Tasha at all and go through Carrie? Finally, does this seem to be personal, or am I simply taking it personally? Someone please suggest something because I'm SO ready to quit, and I can't afford that.   Current Mood: pissed, baffled, worried, and BROKE. Current Music: Alice In Chains - Rotten Apple

[7 July 2006 ♥ 12:12pm] Oy, boredom. I could work, or I could copycat oraclejenn ( Pointless TV meme showing I watch WAY too much TV... only I never thought I did. So yeah. )   Current Mood: whatev Current Music: Green Day - Longview

[6 July 2006 ♥ 09:24am] OK. Screw you, McDonalds. It's bad enough that I can't get a delicious breakfast sandwich for less than, oh, a thousand calories and that there are more fat grams in any one of your breakfast combos than in the entire Cheesecake Factory chain. It's bad enough that I have to wait, inexplicably, for eight minutes to order a damn Sausage McMuffin despite the fact that there are 5 employees at the counter and only seven people in line. Fine, whatever. ... But do you think you could get my damn order right? I mean how hard is it? "Sausage McMuffin" is not even CLOSE to sounding like "Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit with Mayo". Because, omfg liek wtf is that gross shit? And see, I'd boycott it entirely as I should have done after watching Supersize Me. (And I have, mostly). But... the wafting. Ohhhhh the wafting. Coming off the train at South Station in the morning, before having eaten any breakfast, dreading yet another day at The Inferno, I've gotta say that McDonald's smells pretty amazing. I know I'll feel grotesque about 15 minutes after eating, but this morning when the sweet, savory scent slithered up my nose, I was hooked. Now, I'm just pissed. Bleh. Yuck.   Current Mood: disappointed Current Music: Aerosmith - Bacon Biscuit Blues

[5 July 2006 ♥ 01:49pm] OK I'm definitely not a fan of the current administration, and I am physically unable to put the word "President" before "Bush" without growling, but I like Condoleezza okay (despite her apparent desire to spearhead the GWB cheerleading squad). Something about seeing this on CNN just seems... disrespectful: Secretary of State Condoleezza said today that North Korea's missile launches represent a "provocation."   Current Mood: incredulous Current Music: 50 cent - Watch what you say

[5 July 2006 ♥ 11:38am] So, this is my fat little jar. It's full to the bursting point, as you can plainly see. In fact, I've found myself collecting change much less frequently in the past few months because it was pretty full and it's tricky to add any money to it. I can't even get the lid to fit in right! I don't want to cash it in. I want a bigger jar. I want this little jar to be the 'satellite' jar, and I will dump it into a much larger jar. The problem is that I don't have a much larger jar. I'm thinking I would like a 5-gallon jar - like those giant pickle jars that I guess are in bars or something? I just don't know where to search! One of the reasons I'm so reluctant to cash in the change is because this is a little savings for me that I don't dip into. Savings account? ATM-accessible. Change jar? Not really handy when I'm out shopping. And the new Charlie Ticket machines give change in Sacagawea dollars, which go right into the jar so I start each month with $9 in change!   Current Mood: dorky Current Music: Lumbajac - 2Gs

[3 July 2006 ♥ 08:46am] Ok not too sure wtf is up with this, but sure, why not: ( Nothing suffocates you more than the passing of everyday human events )   Current Mood: exhausted Current Music: Marilyn Manson - The Fight Song

[26 June 2006 ♥ 10:10am] Dear Fucking Rain, While I appreciate the fact that we will not need to declare a drought for two years, and that there's little possibility that I'd be denied the ability to have a campfire should I be in a position to do so, I would also like to make sun tea. And not get wet. And not suffer game delays. Thanks.   Current Mood: disgusted Current Music: Jane Siberry - It Can't Rain All The Time

[23 June 2006 ♥ 11:38am] So. I'm wearing my Racist Socks today. Ok, so when I was in Orlando, Linnea and I went to Bell's outlet. (Think Kohl's meets... I don't know... WalMart?) I found some socks I wanted to buy and we got into line. As one is wont to do when in line, I was also perusing the items that were displayed along the checkout lines. You know, wet ones packs, various stinky candles, hairbrushes, and batteries. As we stood in line waiting, another woman came and stood immediately in front of me. We kind of did nothing for a few seconds, and then Linnea asked kind of quietly if I was going to say anything. I wasn't going to let it slide because... the hell? I'm not really an invisible girl is all I'm saying. So I explained that we had been waiting in line. The woman retorted with "No, you were shopping. You were looking at those things over there". "Yes, but we were still in line". There was some back-and-forth "nu-uh" and "uh huh" commentary, and then she said something like "I'm 51 years old and"... something. I was a little thrown by the age thing because she looked great for 51 and because... hi, relevance? By this time, the cashier was ready for the next person in line. Not being the bigger person, I stepped up and placed my socks on the counter. Our "friend" told the guy she's next and that I better wait. I again asserted my immaturity and said "Actually, we're next". Then... she went there. She said "You think just because I'm black you can push in front of me in line". ... And I lost it. I got into a shouting match with her about how she has no cause and no right to call me a racist and how hateful a word that is, and that my problem with her is based on her behavior not her skin. I was so horrified and disgusted, that if I had this encounter now instead of when it happened, I could have made a much better rebuttal. Normally I'm not at a loss for eloquent speech. I was just so thrown by the whole thing. It was really a disaster and a big scene. But the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that SHE was the one being racist. She either assumed that because I am white I was being pushy and taking advantage of a black woman, or she assumed that because I am white she could call me a racist and I would... I don't know, give her her way? Either way, her reaction to me was based on my race because she had NO supporting evidence to indicate that I'm a racist. Because I'm not. And she was being a bitch whether she's black, white, or green. ... so anyway. I'm wearing my racist socks, as they shall henceforth be known.   Current Mood: annoyed Current Music: Avenue Q - Everyone's a little bit racist

[13 June 2006 ♥ 03:20pm] omg so fucking tired I can't stand it! Yesterday I fell asleep and only got off at Alewife when the bell rang because it was about to go back in the other direction. Both yesterday and today I've been struggling so hard to keep my eyes open and failing miserably. I'm going to get caught sleeping on the job and be fired!   Current Mood: exhausted Current Music: Guster - I spy

[7 June 2006 ♥ 02:52pm] We went to Cocoa Beach for one gorgeous, sunny, beautiful day. It was my first time swimming in the Atlantic, and with the exception of my brief foray into the Mediterranean in 1993, it was the only time I've been in any ocean. Now. I don't like to think of myself as pale. I prefer the much more chic term of 'pink' or 'rosy'. I've learned to accept the fact that I'll never perfect that J-Lo tan and I'm okay with that. (Not really.) Still, I spent the day in sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and a shirt to swim in. I figured that wouldn't quite cut it if I was going to spend any time enjoying the beach, we should probably rent some beach chairs and an umbrella. We needed cash, so we traipsed up the beach and across a street to a surf shop type place that would sell us the towels I LEFT IN THE HOTEL ROOM and rent us the other equipment. A few minutes later, we walked out, umbrella and chairs and towels in hand. I stepped off the curb and plummeted into the street! I splayed out like a squished frog, knees half buried into the blacktop, gravel gouged into my palm, and breasts sprinkled with gravel and road dust. Linnea scooped me up, decided that maybe *she* should carry the gear, and we went back to the beach, reapplied sunscreen, relaxed on the beach for a while, and finally decided to venture into the ocean. ... Only nobody told me saltwater apparently has a mind of its own. I'm still perplexed as to how, when I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, I managed to swallow gallons of seawater. I was unimpressed with the, uh, flavor of it. Even less so with the stain it left on my brand new pink gingham Red Sox hat. And somehow, despite being perpetually slathered with 55 SPF sunscreen at all times and reapplying diligently, I still got burned. (Ok, maybe the red hair, blue eyes, and translucent shell-pink skin had a tiny bit to do with that). Finally, it had to happen. I got stung by a Jellyfish! That was the end of my ocean adventure. Too bad, too, because I was really enjoying kung-fu fighting with the waves! People probably thought I was crazy, but it was fun. (:   Current Mood: calm Current Music: Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting

[8 May 2006 ♥ 12:44pm] Dear Earworm, I am not in love with a stripper, so STFU!!! Thanks.   Current Mood: pissed off Current Music: I'm N Luv (Wit A Stripper)

[27 April 2006 ♥ 12:11pm] Ok. I've made no secret about my disdain for the MBTA. To be fair, it's usually the lack of adherence to their own schedule that bothers me most. However, as ridership increases (and will likely continue to increase due to soaring gas prices and fewer and fewer parking spaces available), the riders themselves are irritating me more and more. This morning my commute featured the best of both of these problems. As I boarded the bus, the driver - who is always friendly - greeted me good-naturedly and asked, "Where've you been? Have you been cheating on me with other drivers?" Without missing a beat, I snarked (friendly-like): "Not intentionally". Heh. Anyway, as is increasingly common on the Red Line, there was a disabled train somewhere between Alewife and Davis. Therefore, when the train finally arrived, it was Squishville. What really pissed me off though? There were several senior citizens standing around, but one in particular bothered me. The woman was not just senior - she was elderly and petite, clutching her handbag and generally trying not to topple. At several points as the train lurched, she was saved only because there was no place to fall. I scanned the lines of seats along the wall of the train, and almost without exception, the asses in the seats belonged to seemingly-healthy 20-somethings with their iPods wedged firmly in their ears. Those who had the good sense to be ashamed of themselves were feigning sleep, and those who just didn't care continued reading the paper or chatting with their friends. Through the entire ride from Harvard until at least South Street where I got off the train, nobody offered this woman a seat. Yes, I know I can't know for sure that Tiffany Twentysomething doesn't have a back condition or that Tommy Teenager doesn't battle vertigo. But there are like... 50 or more seats in each car. EVERYONE has some debilitating disease that prevents them from standing? Today I am wearing my beloved ouchy shoes that have caused me to fall in a crack at the junction of Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue, stopping traffic and bruising my knee with three shades of purple - and I'm not particularly graceful. I managed to stand just fine. I was just disgusted. Had I been closer (in proximity) to the woman, I would have shamed someone into giving up their seat.   Current Mood: pissed off Current Music: Ludacris - MOVE BITCH!!!

[27 April 2006 ♥ 10:41am] Found on a ledge at 186 South Street, 2nd floor: Yes, it's a super-blurry photo taken from my co-worker's cell phone of a Turkey on a Ledge. In downtown Boston. ABOVE A DELI. Yes, I also know that from this pic, it looks like it could just be a pigeon. Trust me though. Turkey.   Current Mood: amused Current Music: Turkey in the Straw.

[21 April 2006 ♥ 09:38am] "The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for". - Maureen Dowd New York Times columnist and author of Are Men Necessary? ... Wisdom from the side of a Starbucks cup.   Current Mood: caffeinated Current Music: They Might Be Giants (Evil Bastids!) - Dunkin' Donuts Jingle

[20 April 2006 ♥ 10:48am] Know what would be cool? What if a popular clothing store (i.e. Old Navy, GAP, etc.) instituted a program where you buy an item, wear it for up to 90 days, and then they allow you to return the item for 50% of the latest sale price (as long as it is in clean, stain-free, wearable condition) - and then they donate those clothes to shelters and community action agencies? It's win-win-win! For example: Molly goes to Old Navy in November and buys a sweater for $35. She wears it until January then brings it back. In the meantime, the sweater has gone on sale for $12.50 - so she would receive a store credit for $6.25 to be used on the kicky skirt she's planning to buy. Fewer clothes are cluttering Molly's closet, her money goes further and she not only gets to see a tangible 'value' to contributing to the community, but from a values-objective standpoint is doing something good. Meanwhile, Old Navy then donates the sweater and claims a donated value of $12.50 (which is what the item would sell for new at its sale price). They save money on taxes, and get great publicity for doing good in their communities. The shelter receives a lot of barely-worn clothes in current styles and a variety of sizes. Some of these clothes may even be appropriate for job searches and will help those who simply don't have appropriate work attire. Obviously I don't have all the information or they'd probably already be doing this. But I still think it would be good if it could be worked out.   Current Mood: chipper Current Music: Gwen Stefani - Harajuku Girls

[7 April 2006 ♥ 11:10am] In a nod to both oraclejenn and talonvaki, going up the escalator at South Station today, I felt an [almost] irresistible urge to shout MOO at all the meandering bovines who have apparently never ever seen South Station before.   Current Mood: intolerant, bitchy, narcissistic Current Music: Usher & Friends - YEAH

[1 March 2006 ♥ 05:40pm] When will I learn that excitement breeds disappointment?   Current Mood: devastated Current Music: Tom Petty - Too Good To Be True

[14 February 2006 ♥ 09:28am] I just love the Valentine's Day screen capture from my Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Calendar. The caption reads: "Hagrid and Madame Maxime share a moment during the Yule Ball".   Current Mood: besotted Current Music: Fleetwood Mac - Big Love

[8 February 2006 ♥ 02:10pm] January 24, 2006 February 06, 2006 Jar is gettin' FAT. Look at this heifer! I'm going to have to graduate to a cookie jar or a fish bowl soon, though I'll miss this little chubster. Maybe I'll keep lil' Porky at work and set up SuperChunk at home, emptying the coins into the larger container as needed. Also? Fuckyou Coinstar. You're not getting my 9¢ per dollar, ok? MINE. Although... I do see that if you choose to use your coins to buy an Amazon gift card, they waive the fee. That would be worth doing if I ever used Amazon. Which I don't, because they're never the lowest price for anything.   Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Van Halen - BIG FAT MONEY

[8 February 2006 ♥ 12:32pm] So. A woman called in today and before she even explained what she wanted, she launched into a 5 minute diatribe in which she recounted her hysterectomy and the subsequent scar tissue, the fact that she has a 'seam' running from her navel to her knees, and that she's now had a tummy tuck. She went on about how she doesn't think the surgeon did as well as a 'proper cosmetic surgeon' would do... and then... she said: "Have you ever had a hysterectomy?" Um... wow. I'm so uncomfortable. At this point, I didn't even have the woman's name. HOW does one come to think this is ok in polite conversation with strangers? I've been accused of over-disclosure before, but this? I'm aghast.   Current Mood: disgusted, aghast, repulsed Current Music: Duran Duran - Too Much Information

[6 February 2006 ♥ 09:46am] Yay! Snape is on my Harry Potter calendar today. "Professor Snape is suspicious as to how Harry's name was placed in the Goblet of Fire". Oh Snape, you're very, very right to be suspicious. That Potter boy is up to no good.   Current Mood: bored Current Music: Pink - Trouble

[31 January 2006 ♥ 03:02pm] I dreamed last night that I had started a new job and was in a meeting with all of my new co-workers. The big boss was there, and I said something he liked. Then he said to me that from now on, I needed to 'dress the part' and that this was a 'labels' company. Image counted. I should go back and tell 'the others' that designer mens' attire is acceptable if I was unable to obtain designer labeled womens' clothing. Then, I was perusing the racks looking at Ralph Lauren wondering if it was too casual. Not quite sure what all of that means, but I'm sure there's a subconscious insecurity in there somewhere.   Current Mood: perplexed Current Music: JoJo - Not That Kinda Girl

[24 January 2006 ♥ 02:06pm] January 10, 2006 January 24, 2006 As you can see, Jar has gained some weight! This is more than a passing obsession... I'm chucking my change into the jar and even hijacking other people's change all to feed the jar. Noteworthy events: 01/23/06: When forced to avoid trudging through frozen gulch Boston sidewalks, I was walking in the street when I spotted a shiny, 1997 dime. Deposited into jar 01/24/06 01/23/06: Found purse in food court of Burlington Mall. Respectfully peered into purse, found address book and located owner's cell number. Returned purse to owner, change intact. 01/22/06: Found wallet in street outside Starbucks in downtown Winchester, MA. Resisted urge to check for change. Returned wallet to owner about 5 minutes later. 01/21/06: Stole Solicited 45¢ from an overly-generous out-of-towner. Deposited into jar 01/23/06   Current Mood: thrifty Current Music: Nelly Furtado & Timbaland - Ching Ching

[18 January 2006 ♥ 12:51pm] Ok the premise is to shuffle your iPod and then, in order, answer each question with whichever song comes up. ( Results )   Current Mood: blah Current Music: Joni Mitchell - California

[18 January 2006 ♥ 09:19am] Aw, shit. It appears... though I've heretofore successfully avoided this very predicament... and I've been vigilant about it... I apparently... enjoy... a They Might Be Giants song. HOWEVER... (and this is a big "however") ... it is only because it's constantly on loop at The Apple Store. And has been since November - at least. Well, it's on loop with about 50 other songs, but I still. Yes, I'm still ashamed. And irritated.   Current Mood: dorky Current Music: They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul

[12 January 2006 ♥ 01:12pm] L O S T ... More and more, I'm thinking this has to be an experiment of some type, whether by - gasp - aliens, or something else. Here's why: There are all the components available for a productive society, complete with 'advances' to move things along. Jack - a doctor (+) who is somehow connected to almost everyone pre-crash (-) Ana Lucia - a police officer (+) and a trigger-happy killer (-) Eko - a priest (+) and a drug dealer/killer (-) Charlie - a musician (+) and a drug addict (-) Locke - a... hunter? historian? (+) and a possible paraplegic (-) Aaron - a newborn to begin the next gen (+) and a child, which attracts 'others' (-) Claire - a mother/breeder There are also those I can't quite classify... Sawyer - a pain in the ass Kate - an insufferable bore Hurley - a loveable, seemingly-levelheaded (though possibly crazy) 'good guy' Michael - a loud, problematic hothead Desmond - a [missing] lunatic - Where is he anyway? It's an ISLAND. He's got to be around somewhere. I mean, where's the guy going to go? Rose - a wise-old-soul? It just seems like a not-so-random selection. Then with the whole 'we are taking the children' thing, plus the not-at-all-deadly monster in the jungle that, to me, looked like a flickering projection. There seems to be an almost even number of men and women. With the exception of Rose, the women are healthy, attractive, and of child-bearing age. I can't decide if this is a plot point or a nod to viewer demographics. Another thing I've noticed? A lot of them weren't supposed to have been on that flight. They missed an earlier flight or something happened that redirected them in a way that they'd be in line to take that flight. There's just not anyone who was all "Yeah, I booked this flight, everything went according to plan, bummer about the whole plane-crash thing." One more thing: Has it escaped everyone's attention that there's still an undiscovered 'hatch'? Think about it. They've referred to the Locke-box as Station 3. Eko brought film from another one very similar to that one. So presumably, there are at least 3 if there are 2. Who's in the other hatch? What happened to the occupants of Eko's hatch? Anyway, my scorecard: • HATE Kate. Boring as shit drying in a rainstorm. Ditto Charlie Jack. • LOVE Sayid. Yeah, so sorry about Shannon though. Except... not really. She sucked. • So. Over. Michael. Bring back Walt already or shut the hell up about it. • I'd love to see Libby hook up with Hurley. Though I could stand for him to be a little less greasy. Seriously, what is up with that? • Bernard and Rose bring tears to my eyes every time they're on screen! • Poor Vincent first lost Walt's mom, then Walt and Michael left him with, of all people, Shannon - who then also up and died. Michael returned sans Walt. WHY isn't Vincent sttached to Michael like he's his favorite bone? • Don't do it, Charlie!   Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Weezer - Island In The Sun

[12 January 2006 ♥ 11:55am] Don't make waves, start fights or antagonize someone who can influence your future. You will not be thinking clearly so make a concerted effort to avoid trouble. Look out for your own interests and don't take chances. Guess I better just not say anything at all then, huh? Especially after my little tête-à-tête yesterday with Fred my boss, who is now probably plotting my demise.   Current Mood: cranky Current Music: Black Eyed Peas - Shut Up

[12 January 2006 ♥ 09:48am] It's official... I'm a card-carrying, bleeding-heart, tax-n-spend, liberal democrat. Guess I should expect to be on a government watch list sometime soon, huh?   Current Mood: accomplished Current Music: U2 - In a Little While

[10 January 2006 ♥ 11:35am] No, I don't know how much money is in the jar, but I love this jar. Every morning, I empty my wallet of any change that has accumulated from the night before. Sometimes, I stack the deck. For example, I traded Apple $5 in bills for 5 Sacajawea Dollars. Most of the coins in my beloved jar are silver. I'm not prejudiced against pennies - I'm just trying to get the biggest bang for my buck. Literally, almost. Adding change to that jar is seriously the only thing I have to look forward to when I go to work each day.   Current Mood: dorky Current Music: Eminem - Without Me

[8 December 2005 ♥ 11:10am] My horoscope for today: Question what you are doing with your life. If you are stale or not moving in a positive direction, it may be time for a change. You will do much better if you choose a direction that can hold your interest. Doors will open, but you must take the initiative. Well, no shit. Let's review: I am not moving in a positive direction and it is time for a change. My current 'direction' does not hold my interest. It just holds my paycheck in the balance. Doors? What doors? "Recent Events" have reminded me of when I was in 7th grade and I wrote a snarky note to a friend. We were both disgusted (in the way 7th grade girls are) with another girl - Destiny Kelsey. Now we, as 7th graders, knew that Destiny had had sex (!) with three boys (!!), none of whom were her brother (!!!). Note: Hey, this was Michigan. That's not necessarily a given. So anyway, given that this girl was obviously a notorious slutbag, which we knew becuase we had heard rumors and rumors are always completely true, and given that we had our own unrelated reasons for hating her (which were so indisputable and so numerous that I can't even think of ONE reason today other than that her name was Destiny, which, that's her parents' fault anyway), we devoted precious study hall hours to writing each other notes about poor Destiny. I excercised admittedly bad judgment and wrote a note to a friend about how Destiny was clearly sleeping with our Vice Principal, Mr. Miles. Now, more that 15 years later, I can see with a little more objectivity just how... truly nasty such an accusation/assertion/proclamation is. An adult, married father sleeping with a 12-year-old student? Yeah, they put you on CNN and send you away for that shit before they even set up an arraignment! So anyway, of course my note was intercepted. Now it was pretty obvious even to the teacher who intercepted it that the note, which complained heartily about the Vice Principal as well as about Destiny, was never intended for anyone other than the recipient - my friend. That didn't really change the fact that the Vice Principal was going to be reading the note. Understandably, I was sent to the Vice Principal's office and made to wait an excruciating two hours in the 'bad' chair outside his office. This was the seat of notoriety. Its usual occupants were the kids who were real trouble. The ones who carved tattoos into their arms. The ones who got caught stealing. The ones who smoked. The ones who were always in detention, or worse - suspension! Now I was in that seat, and I was squirmy. Finally Mr. Miles emerged from his office and... apologized for making me wait so long. He brought me in, closed his door and sat me across from him. He didn't stand over me. He sat, bringing himself to my level. He asked me why I was so unhappy with him. He asked me if I even knew what I meant when I said that someone was 'sleeping' with someone else. He asked me why I would say that. Then he... complimented me on my writing style and told me that he was actually slightly amused by the note and laughed at the humor in some spots. Of course he reiterated that the material in the note was inappropriate and that I'd be serving detention for two weeks as well as writing an apology, and I was relieved that I wasn't suspended or expelled. But what bothered me the most about the whole situation was the utter injustice - the horrific unfairness that someone unauthorized, unwelcome, and unintended had read my personal note! That wasn't my school work. That's not for them to see! In fact, most of that particular note had been written before school began. I felt angry and humiliated and violated, even through the relief. This week, my work buddy was dooced. (See also Dooced.) Regardless of anyone's opinion on blurring the lines between fact and opinion, personal and professional, private and public, good judgment and bad, it definitely gives one pause to consider that the big, huge, infinitely wild web is not as big as we like to think it is. That lonely little LJ post you made less than one week ago can somehow be found in a search by your employer, even if you specifically search for it on Google and can't find it yourself. I mean, it must be there somewhere. The alternative - that you're being actively and intentionally monitored - is unthinkable. Right? Isn't it?   Current Mood: alarmed Current Music: Hall and Oates - Private Eyes

[8 November 2005 ♥ 02:08pm] Ok seriously. Kids wear the iPod ear buds. They're not huge. My ears are not tiny. I don't get it. WHY and HOW are the ear buds that come with the iPod so damn big? I can't really wedge them into my ear, and even if I do manage to get them in there in the first place, they want to drop out! If they (miraculously) stay in, my ears are sore when I finally remove them. Am I missing something? Am I doing something wrong? Am I delusional and I do just have abnormally, absurdly small ears? What the hell is going on?!?   Current Mood: confused Current Music: Eminem - Renegade

[8 November 2005 ♥ 12:55pm] Dear Stair Crawler, A few points I'd like to make: If you have difficulty going down the stairs, there's an escalator directly to your left. Please use it. If you do choose to use the stairs, please realize that others would like to use the stairs as well, and the polite thing to do would be to descend said stairs along the right-most side, thereby allowing others to pass you. When you trudge down the DEAD CENTER of the stairwell, others can't get past you, your big bag, your umbrella, your purse, and your fat ass. Other people do have places to be by a certain time even if you don't. Yes, it may be our own fault that we're running late and yes, we know we really shouldn't have hit snooze THREE DAMN TIMES, but the fact remains that we will MISS THE FUCKING TRAIN if you don't move your ass down the stairs, got it? That is all. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Signed, [The Late] Marcy   Current Mood: annoyed Current Music: Paul McCartney - Get Out Of My Way

[3 November 2005 ♥ 02:28pm] According to oraclejenn, The BBC asked people to vote for the top 50 things everyone should try a bite of in their lifetime. Bold the ones you've eaten. 1. Fresh fish 2. Lobster 3. Steak 4. Thai food 5. Chinese food 6. Ice cream 7. Pizza 8. Crab 9. Curry 10. Prawns 11. Moreton Bay Bugs 12. Clam chowder (New England) 13. Barbeques 14. Pancakes 15. Pasta 16. Mussels 17. Cheesecake 18. Lamb 19. Cream tea 20. Alligator 21. Oysters 22. Kangaroo 23. Chocolate 24. Sandwiches 25. Greek food 26. Burgers 27. Mexican food 28. Squid 29. American diner breakfast 30. Salmon 31. Venison 32. Guinea pig 33. Shark 34. Sushi 35. Paella 36. Barramundi 37. Reindeer 38. Kebab 39. Scallops 40. Australian meat pie 41. Mango 42. Durian fruit 43. Octopus 44. Ribs 45. Roast beef 46. Tapas 47. Jerk chicken/pork 48. Haggis 49. Caviar 50. Cornish Pastry   Current Mood: hungry Current Music: The Donnas - Midnite Snack

[2 November 2005 ♥ 09:38am] Especially for talonvaki (found in The Metro)   "[Hideki] Matsui is a horny guy. All of us are horny, more or less. But Matsui doesn't attempt to hide the fact."   -A Japanese journalist, speaking about the Yankees' outfielder in the latest issue of Time Magazine. The story also detailed Matsui's "much-vaunted" porno collection, a collection he augments through trades with reporters.   Current Mood: uncomfortable Current Music: Extreme - Li’l Jack Horny

[5 October 2005 ♥ 02:19pm] ( Guess what? )   Current Mood: happy

[20 September 2005 ♥ 11:54am] ( My boss is in India, and I'm avoiding working on my project while there's no work, so... ) Click to see just how very, very smart I am!   Current Mood: dorky Current Music: Louis XIV - Finding Out True Love Is Blind

[20 September 2005 ♥ 11:06am] ( Again, I'm being told that I'm a socialist. ) Clicky my useless internet validation quiz results!   Current Mood: dorky Current Music: Marilyn Manson - President Dead

[12 September 2005 ♥ 02:11pm] Oh, Pat Robertson makes me laugh. I know I shouldn't find this amusing, but it sent me straight into a giggle fit. ( Click to see screen capture of his latest verbal diarrhea. )   Current Mood: nauseated Current Music: Green Day - Jackass

[7 September 2005 ♥ 01:15pm] Which OS are You? Hee. I love puns.   Current Mood: amused Current Music: Cake - Short Skirt, Long Jacket

[29 August 2005 ♥ 10:26am] Dear MBTA, You sly minx! I did enjoy the overly-comfortable bus seats today, wide with their extra-thick padding and clean-smelling fabric. It was quite a surprise to trounce up the stairs after waiting at the bus stop for 15 20+ minutes. I really enjoyed my long ride down Mass Ave this morning, practically being hugged and snuggled by these squishy, cozy seats... nestled with a good book. Just don't think this means you're off the hook for your continued refusal to adhere to a schedule YOU made and your never-ending conspiracy to keep my commute time at least an hour long each way. You're still perpetually on my shit list, but little surprises like these are steps in the right direction! L♥ve, - Me   Current Mood: pleased Current Music: The wheels on the bus. Yes, that song.

[26 August 2005 ♥ 02:17pm] You Should Learn Swedish Fantastisk! You're laid back about learning a language - and about life in general. Peaceful, beautiful Sweden is ideal for you... And you won't even have to speak perfect Swedish to get around! What Language Should You Learn? Hah. Well, I learned how to say Sverige properly... does that count?   Current Mood: bored Current Music: Ellllvis - All Shook Up