Yesterday John and I made an obligatory visit to my folks.  It was quite a bit more pleasant than usual.  Even though John made us miss our first bus (as always) we still made our connection and got to Oly in time.  The hour and a half we had to spend with Mom and her (wonderful) boyfriend flew by, when normally it crawls after the first 20 minutes because we usually run out things to talk about.  Then Mom gave us a lift to the east-side co-op, and we picked up some spices (mmmm, fresh basil) and some more honey. We caught a bus right away, and hung out at Gabbie's (officially known as Olympic Cards and Comics) for the next hour or two. If Gabbie's was in Seattle, Seattle would be perfect.  Alas, it is not, and the community at Gabbie's is part of what makes me so eager to move back to Olympia after I'm done with school. While I was there I picked up my first fantasy miniature to paint, a little female gnome with a battle axe.  She looks just like one of my favorite D&D characters, who I hope to use again someday.  I'm excited for the painting challenge, as painting a little gnome ( 1/2" high) is going to be very different from painting a larger Chaos Marine in full body armor with a helmet.  I'm also excited to be painting a miniature I can use in a game that >I< play (D&D) versus painting them for someone else, to use in their game (Warhammer 40K, which I do not have the patience to play.)

When Shawn (my step-dad and sister's father, who is no longer with my mother) came and picked us up, he has his new wife with him.  She's normally very nice, but unfortunately pregnancy disagrees with her.  Shawn was much less crude than normal, and conversation flowed with Jane and Millard (his mother and step-father) and with Licia (his sociopathic sister) flowed easier and longer than usual.  And the blackberry cobbler we had for dessert was amazing, as always.


Today started out awesome, with my John surprising me in bed. :D

But because my roomates don't clean up after themselves, especially in the kitchen (leaving food all over the place, not wiping up spills, etc.) we had a huge cloud of fruit flies/gnats.  So I finally broke down, walked to Target, and bought some Raid.  $5, when I had $30 to last possibly all week.  And of course I had to clean all the kitchen surfaces after I sprayed the stuff, so no one would get sick.  Once the clean dishes get put away, and the living room vacuumed tonight, I'm going to take a picture.  And then for the next week, I'm only going to clean up after myself.  I'm going to take pictures every day, and keep a log, possibly here.  I want people to see how bad it is.  I wonder when is too soon to tell your roomates you don't intend on renewing the lease with them for a third year?

Not much has been going on here lately.  Not going to PAX (;_;) because I didn't buy a pass in advance, and they sold out.  They should really use more of the convention center next year, so they don't have that problem.  (I work staff at Sakura-con, which happens in April in the same building. We use more space and have more attendees, but because we count every person who buys a badge as one attendee and PAX counts every day a badge is good for as one attendee [so if you bought a three day pass, you would count as three people] we are considered the smaller con. It is a pet peeve of mive, because we are quite a bit larger.  We also have yet to reach fire capacity.) 

Marching band tryouts for the UW are Monday, and I'm really excited.  I've been going through marching band nostalgia all week, pretty hard.  I realized yesterday that I no longer had my high school's fight song, and was saddened. Ah well, at least there's the competition there in October I can volunteer at.  I'm not too nervous for auditions, the website says that historically over 80% of people who try out make the band.  But my playing skill just isn't what it was at the end of senior year, although it's improved quite a bit in the last two weeks.  If I make it, band camp will start monday afternoon, and then continue through Friday, 8am to 8pm everday, and the first football game will be Saturday Sept. 12th against LSU.  I'm looking forward to this so much.  I'm out of shape though, and the Husky marching band marches high-step, so band camp is going to kill me, but it'll so be worth it.  (I've never marched high-step before, it should be interesting. Luckily they don't have you march as part of the audition.)

I've had a lot of free time lately, and not a lot of money (due to my unemployment over summer break) so I've been looking into ways to do things from scratch, since it's usually cheaper.  I think I'm going to cut up all my old jeans that don't fit anymore and make a quilt.  We got yeast yesterday, and John is going to help teach me how to make bread.  And when the laundry detergent runs out, I've found a recipe for homemade detergent that's supposed to work really well and is much cheaper than buying it in the store.  Hypoallergenic too, (at least as far as my house is concerned) because the basic recipe involves no scents and no dyes!

Went to the foodbank yesterday, got a good haul. We even got a German chocolate cake!  And a whole sack of flour.  John went to Safeway for some things we can't get from the foodbank, like cheese and yeast and 10lb bags of potatoes for $1.80.  We have lots of tasty groceries now.  

Got up before noon today!  I've developed a terrible sleep schedule this past twoo weeks, sleeping from 5am to 1-2pm. >.<;;;  And last night I went to bed at only 3am and got up at 11-something.  Soon I should be back to normal!  I will be after Monday anyways, since I need to get to the UW before 8:30am.  It seems so long ago that I got up every morning at 5:30 XD

So after weeks of frustration, I finally got Ubuntu properly installed on my computer.  Then I managed to fuck it up by accidentally deleting a key file in the grub menu, by pushing the wrong button.  Thankfully, John's dad is a unix god (he's even got business cards) and he helped me re-install Ubuntu, and then edit the grub menu properly so I could never hit the wrong button and fuck it up again.  (I had accidentaly booted into my Vista recovery partition, see, and then powered off at the wrong time.  The recovery partition and my normal install of Vista looked identical from the grub menu.  So we took the recovery partition off the menu.)  Now I have all my preferences set, all my bookmarks re-done and organized in Firefox, and Ubuntu is supremely tasty.  <3<3<3<3

Yesterday I went to a steampunk swapmeet in the basement of an awesome looking old church--and ZOMG.  It was amazing.  I got a ton of nifty things, the highlights of which were:

• A pair of silver stompy-boots, which are so unbeliveably, eye-burningly shiny they are called the Moon Boots, $5
• A pair of well-worn but still in fantastic shape Medeival Moccassins, black-open toed sandal variety, exactly my size, $5 (they are officially the most comfortable shoes ever, and are exactly what I wanted for my ren faire outfit--new ones cost $50, too.)
• A beautiful leather bi-fold wallet from about the 30's-40's, that has gold inscriptions on the various partitions, $3 (I had no wallet previously, making it more awesome 'cause it was something I needed.)
• 7 spiffy used books--$3
• An awesome pattern for skirts that has directions made for someone who has no idea what they're doing (see: me) including directions for custom fitting, free
• A necklace that matches my all-time favorite earrings, $2
• A lovely brown molesking waistcoat, $2

It was awesome and fantastic, and I can't wait to wear the Moon Boots when I visit my mother this week.  She will die.  It will be awesome. She is giving me a wad of money for my birthday, most of which I would like to put into savings to go towards rent, and spend the rest atGabby's  Olympic Cards and Comics, because I love to give them my money.  Mother has made me promise to spend some of it on clothes--perhaps I will buy a skirt and blouse for Steamcon?  Or maybe a t-shirt or two  from Gabby's?  Those would be clothes. 8D (My manner of dress is an almost constant annoyance to my mother, who dearly wishes I took more care in it.  I see no problems with jeans, t-shirts, no makeup, and Cons or sandals for daily wear.  My mother takes 30 minutes to do her hair every day, tans, and keeps manicured acrylic nails when she can afford it.  We have our differences.)

I'm bad student, blogging from class.  I really think I shouldn't be allowed internet access and a computer screen my instructor can't see during class.  I love the internet, I really do, I think, in fact, that I am quite addicted to it; but sometimes I wish I didn't have any.  The internet pulls at me, calls me all the time.  Sometimes I feel rooted to my computer chair, I find myself feeling bored when my usual web haunts have run out of new content for me.  What happened to reading all the time?  Going through 2-3 books a week?  I wish, sometimes, that I had no internet to itch under my skin, so that I could spend more time peaceful, absorbed in my books or outside.  I'm looking forward (and also dreading) the internet de-tox that 5 weeks in the woods without electronics is going to give me.

I cooked for myself about 15 minutes ago--I made 2 hardboiled eggs.  >.< Easy, I know.  But I'm going to put them in salad, with mushrooms and tomatoes and spinach and maybe even olives or bell peppers!  Mmmm, tasty salad. 

I have to write 4 essays by Monday. Eeep! It's my own fault I've waited so long, though.

Not much has been going on lately. My two room mates, who I love as friends, are bums. Gabe refuses to get off his ass and look for a job. Paige is almost out of money. They need to find jobs badly--John and I will not be able to support them over the summer. At all. If they can't come up with rent money, we will not have full rent.

We were talking about marriage in confirmation class (holy cow, three weeks left!! eeek!) and the topic of marriage needing to be among equals, and take place with some forethought was brought up. Somehow age was brought into this, and John mentioned that that's why we're not married yet--he wants to wait till I'm older; people change a lot in the first few years after they leave home. (I was a little annoyed that he presumed my answer--on the other hand, I've kind of made it clear >.<) Our teacher took this and tried to run with it (she ended up stumbling, as she is loathe to offend people) and started talking about how you don't want one partner to have too much control over the other because of age differences, etc etc. It was obviously directed at John and I--but in such a way as I could not rebuke or correct her. He controls me my ass! The class before that one was pretty funny though--it was all about sex, and what is and is not OK. Marilyn (our instructor) got to talking about porn, and stated that people who look at and/or enjoy porn are completely incapable of forming healthy, mature relationships. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA *wipes tears from eyes* I wanted to laugh soooo hard. And watching people squirm as various sexual sins were brought up was funny (although I know I should not take amusement in other people's discomfort.) John kept going bright red about the ears, especially when the subject of cohabitation came up. He was VERY quick to point out that we have separate rooms.

Ooh! Ooh! I get to be a bridesmaid at KC's wedding! It's going to be a little awkward; wee haven't talked much over the past year and a half, her wedding's on a Tuesday (remember, I live in Seattle and don't drive) and I'm totally broke, so I hope she doesn't want me to buy a big fancy dress, but I'm looking forward to it all the same. Our relationship will never be what it once was, but I'd like it to get better. I wonder if she'll let me bring John?

*sigh* I am a total sentimental fool for that man. (Luckily, he's just as retarded for me as I am for him.) The thought of losing him, or even not having him around for long periods of time make me want to cry. It's stupid, but I don't sleep well if I don't say good night to him at night. Sometimes I miss him before he's left for somewhere, let alone after a day or two. (Have I mentioned lately how glad I am that he's no longer in the military?) I decided over a year ago that I want to share the rest of my life with him, and have his children someday. (Note the "someday"--I want to finish school and have at least a short career before I has me some babies.) I want to be an official member of his family (whom I adore.)   But as impatient as I can be about the topic, I've got my whole life ahead of me; and waiting till I'm no longer a teenager can't hurt.

I should really go write that paper now.

Sorry this is so large--but I don't know how to make the little links with previews that appear when you hover over them. If anyone would like to tell me how, it would be much appreciated ^_^



Johnny the Homicidal Maniac!



KATAMARI!!



Who needs Mario?



Brittany and another Reiph



eep!


Such pretty wings ^_^

Well, for me anyways.  It's actually Sakura-con's 12th year. >.<  Con was amazing (as usual.) I wish I had gotten to attend some panels, play more arcade games, and actually see the Girugamesh concert (instead of going and getting free staff food....so my own fault >.<) but what can you do, eh?  My favorite part of con has always been seeing all the costumes, meeting interesting people, and the dealer's hall.  The dealer's hall was amazing this year! I can't believe how much aisle room there was; although several of my favorite vendors weren't there :(  (I was sooo hoping to see he kilt-sellers, and some others.)  I got to see Studio Foglio again, and managed to get one of the two Jaegermonster backpacks left (which are amazing!)  I got a very funny T-shirt and poster signed by Gabe and Tycho, and an original drawing from Gabe's son, which he was selling for 1 imaginary dollar a piece.  He was absolutely adorable!  I tend to only get shy when I care about someone else's opinion--say, someone I respect a lot, and think is very nifty.  It gets worse when said people are also very nice.  Needless to say I felt like a total dork at the Studio Foglio and Penny Arcade booths. *sigh*

Having Brittany and Emily come up from Oregon was pretty darn awesome, even if their train was late and we got confused.  It's funny; Brittany's the more obvious and outgoing anime geek--but Emily is actually a bigger one.  There are areas of Brittany's "classic" anime and internet education she needs to rectify, lol.  Emily turned out to be a secret channer, which was great and provided much hilarity (including a fantastic picture with her and pedo-bear.)  I only had two minor complaints about their stay--which basically boiled down to a lack of communication between all involved, and not so much of a big deal.  Although holy cow the apartment is trashed! (Not from them, but from all 6 of us being too lazy to clean up after our selves for 4 days >.<) 

So much more stuff happened at con than I can really write about.  The whole weekend us just a giant jumble in my brain, and sorting it out into concrete, lucid chunks is hard, and doesn't do them justice.  Soon I will post pictures!

This site: http://www.contrariwise.org/ makes me want to get a literary tattoo.  It just seems so....me.  I'm not sure what quote I'd get yet, but  I've got some ideas.

Douglas Adams "Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. "
                                "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. "
                                "In order to fly, all one must do is simply miss the ground. "


Or perhaps a few lines from this poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, which I have been captivated by since I was 7.

To the Hesitating Purchaser
"If sailor tales to sailor tunes,
Storm and adventure, heat and cold,
If schooners, islands, and maroons
And Buccaneers and buried Gold,
And all the old romance retold,
Exactly in the ancient way,
Can please, as me they pleased of old,
The wiser youngsters of today:

So be it, and fall on! If not,
If studious youth no longer crave,
His ancient appetites forgot,
Kingston, or Ballantyne the Brave,
Or Cooper of the wood and wave,
So be it also! And may I
And all my pirates share the grave
Where these and their creations lie."

If I think of anything else, I'll post it.  Now it's time to re-organize my bookshelves. ^_^

Cold is getter better, I suppose.  No more fever, and my chest doesn't hurt anymore, but whooo boy do I have a sore throat. Thank goodness I managed to find my inhaler to help with the coughing.  (But don't worry Crystal, I doubt I'm contagious anymore!)  And on the topic of better things--John made corned beef last night!!! Oooooh, so tasty.  Time for me to go shower, though, so I will be all
clean for today's meeting.

Blech, I hate being sick.  I've got some kind of chest cold, and it hurts to cough.  I think I'm going to go to Target later today and get some of those cough drops that make your throat numb, and maybe some Nyquil for tonight. (When I'm sick it always gets worse at night.)  The walkthrough for Sakura-Con is tomorrow though! I'm super excited.  My friend Brittany from high school and her friend Emily are coming up from Linfield College in Oregon on the 9th, and they're going to stay at our apartment for con ^_^  I haven't gotten to hang out with Brittany for a very  long time.  And it turns out they're both Magic: the Gathering players, so we can have a giant multiplayer game!  I'm also downloading the Sims2 and all the expansion packs, but I need to figure out how to keep SecuROM off my computer before I install them.  Applied for 5 jobs the other day, haven't heard back yet.  I'm also downloading Tsubasa season 2; as I finished the first 26 episodes (26! That used to be as much, if not more, anime than I got to watch in an entire year!) and I also finished Vampire Knight, Vampire Knight Guilty (Or, rather, the first 5 episodes of Vampire Knight Guilty, which is all that's been fansubbed so far) Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, and Rozen Maiden: Traumend.  (All since Christmas!!)  This giant leap in the amount of anime I watch has been brought to you today by cable internet, and my mp3 player (which can play movies.)  Yay for anime watching on the bus!  Watching anime on the bus means I get about 2-4 episodes a day--season one of Tsubasa only took me about 2 weeks to watch, instead of a month.

I've been seeing more and more reports of discharged military members being recalled into service; this makes me really nervous.  I know it's unlikely that they'll call John back in, due to his disability...on the other hand, he was very good at his job.  I hope to God the Navy doesn't take him back.

I like the pill.  I know exactly when to expect the monthly revolution, and it helps fix my hormone imbalance.

It also gives me unbelievable PMS.  Food cravings, off the wall moods, you name it.   I don't become the kaiju bitch queen from hell--but partially only because I know I'm being irrational and keep my trap shut >.<  It's beginning to make me wonder if I should bother to continue taking them.

Also, con's coming up in less than 2 months! Whooo for Sakura-con!  I'm super excited about PAX in September and SteamCon in October, too.  I'm definitely going to those!  I <3 Seattle.

I should go do my homework so that I can watch some Pride and Prejudice with John later. ^_^