Allronix1

Well, it's Monday. Busiest day of the week for phones. Already 20 calls in queue. Oh, and seven new co workers in training. Yay!

Saw the Super Bowl. I figured I'd boycott, as they had that damn James Dobson ad. Liberal media my ass. This medically irresponsible story was perfectly fine, but the gay dating ad and Go Daddy's Lola's lingerie ad was too much for em! I fortunately missed that one by tuning in during the second quarter. I was doing dishes and upgrading Windows, so there was nothing better to put on for background noise.

Ok, looks like the Saints were the underdogs. And New Orleans has put up with too much shit recently. Bobby "we'll talk about cutting volcano funding if you cut flood preparedness" Jindal, and Michael "heckovajob" Brown, anyone? Might as well cheer the Saints.

What I did see was that 74-yard dash. Colts think they can tie the score, looks like pretty good odds to do it, announcers are talking about this being the first SB to go into OT. That could be interesting...

Then this Porter fellow intercepts the ball and races down the field like his ass was on fire. Passes the fifty, passes the forty...

It was like watching The Flash. He had 'em all in the dust.

And BOOM, he nails it. Mardi Gras came 9 days early. I'm picturing the French Quarter, already in "get all your sins in by Lent" mode, deciding to double down on the partying.
-- Jessica

The rest of me feels fine, but my throat is about a 4 on the 1-10 logarithmic pain scale. I can talk, but I'd just as soon not, and seeing as the job is all about talking people through technical troubleshooting?

I'll likely go home and not do much after work. Dinner is going to involve that vegetable broth I whipped up, the rest of the black bean and corn I whipped up, and a head of garlic.
-- Jessica

"Come on Eileen" Dexy's Midnight Runners. It's an asinine song to start with, but because I had a meth-addled boss that warbled it off-key...

Bidding for the 24 hour marathon of it starts at 5 grand and permission to shoot the radio.

I'm usually up for a good round of passing the tinfoil hats and fully aware that I'm a peasant with very little actual pull on much of anything, but discussing loudly about climate change being a hoax, how flouridated water is just a ploy to keep "people docile," and how the "New World Order" takeover is in progress while I'm trying to eat your shop's overpriced Boca burger and mediocre shake is really unprofessional behavior. If there was a manager on site, I would have asked to see him/her.

Please, it is not your "responsibility" to "educate" every customer coming in. Save it for your blog.

-- Jessica

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/robertson-blames-haiti-earthquake-pact-devil

Talk about fucking victim blame! Would the "Christian" thing to do, Mr. Robertson, be for the darker folks to meekly serve and cater to their paler "betters" and not raise a finger to protest their abysmal lack of a say in matters?  Or it it that the Hatians are (at least on paper) Catholic?

I'm sure, somewhere at the Gates, Jesus is doing a facepalm and going "Forgive them, they know not what they do."

Workout playlist - Some tracks from Linkin Park, a few of Queen's greatest hits, "Moments in Love" and "Beat Box" from Art of Noise, four tracks of Information Society, with "Sweet Transvestite," "I Can Make You a Man" and "Science Fiction Double Feature" to break up the sets.

I love the gym, but a hip-hop/techno cover of "Careless Whispers?" and the alt-90's take on the Cure's "Love Song?" How about "no?"

My job is still awesome and made of win.

I have to re-visit the dentist to get a cavity taken care of. It's a tiny one, the appointment is at noon, and I can walk Pike Place afterward. Friday, I run around with Patti. 

Well, I've been steady about hitting the gym. Average of six days a week, 45 minutes at a go. Sunday, I overdid it by watching to 2 hour Iron Chef while I pedaled the exercise bike and getting so caught up by it that I lost track of time. I've also been experimenting with the weightlifting machines. I'm such a wuss, especially with my wrists and elbows being damaged from overuse, but I finally managed to do 20 reps on the chest press without stopping. YAY! I want to get stronger and do more! I'm not losing a lot of pounds, but I am losing inches. My clothes feel looser, especially the shirts.

My job still rocks. I want to hug it, and I want to hug the managers who call in, asking for help. they know we can help them or get the issue to someone who can fix it. They aren't angry people. They're pleasant to work with and work for.

Was listening to Shram and Carlson (KOMO's political wonks) debate "Would you sign a petition legalizing pot?" I side with Shram on the "Yes, legalize it, and tax it to high heaven!" Carlson trotted out the prohibition garbage and could not give a straight answer to Shram's "When why not just ban alcohol, as it causes just as much, if not more damage?" My thought? No shit, Shram. We saw just how well Prohibition worked in the first place.

Someone drinks too much, they get into fights, puke on your floor, and behave like a jackass. Someone tokes up? The worst they'll get is spinning wild conspiracy theories while inhaling the contents of the fridge. I've been both drunk and stoned (the stoned part from second-hand; Evergreen parties being fond of the green stuff and the dorms not being fond of ventilation), and I really prefer the stoned. The main reason it got banned in the first place was because DuPont wanted to sell Nylon ropes, and that Hearst wanted to sell newspapers by filling them with racist, alarmist crap. (He was the Rupert Murdoch of his day.) Fuse that with Aslinger, and you have the unholy trinity of xenophobia, money, and politics.

And even if you are squicky about marijuana as a drug? Then how about industrial-grade or food-grade hemp? The stuff is so low in THC, you'd have to smoke a galleon's rigging to get the slightest buzz. It's fast growing, and almost brainless to maintain. For hundreds of years, it was what powered the sails and rigging of ships crossing the oceans. You can make clothing and paper out of it. The seeds are delicious (a bit like peanuts crossed with toasted soy), and the oil can be used in everything from biodiesel fuel to salad dressing.

But, no. We have to keep flushing money down to drain to pose and "look tough."

1. Staying up a bit late, WAY too much caffeine, and Silver Age comic books are either a frighteningly good combination or a frighteningly bad one.

2. RE: Cold Case episode "Thrill Kill" - wow, Sbarge plays batshit crazy a little too well.

3. Christmas - another year of the relations dealt with. Got some very nice warm and fuzzy shirts and blankets.

I'll take "wave of relief"

I've inevitably disappointed someone or stretched myself too thin, but another year's dose of resentment and annoyance have passed. Let me celebrate New Years and my birthday in relative peace!

I went out with Patti yesterday. We hit the Goodwill on Dearborn. For those of you not in the Seattle area, that Goodwill is about the size of a Wal-Mart Super Center. Wal-Mart managed to make a lasting first (and last) impression when I poked my nose in on one weekend. It was too loud, too brightly-lit, and far too crowded. When you have people doing road rage with *shopping carts* and the management tacitly encouraging barbaric behavior? Uh...no. Besides, I'd rather support recycling, and helping refugees become full American citizens. The prices are better, and there's lots of stuff in there that's BARELY been used, if at all.

The score of the day? This beautiful bisque statue of Kwan Yin (my patron Goddess). About 14 inches high, and not so much as a chip on it. Asking price was $10! My previous statue met with an unfortunate accident when trying to clean, so it looks like Solstice will meet with a renewal on my home altar. I've been thanking Her a lot for my awesome, awesome job, the ability to support myself, the great apartment I live in, and the ability to actually make the kind of changes I need to make.

Add another incentive to the gym/Spark plan. Every year, Patti wants to sew something flashy and fun for Norwescon, held at Easter, and possibly enter it into the costume contest. Because she hates sewing for herself, and because her daughter will go to the anime convention across town, I end up being her costume dummy. I make a vague suggestion, pay for the fabric and notions, and tell her to go bonkers. She does. Lady could make a killing on Etsy, and if I'm going to model her work for a crowd of 5000? Yeah. Definite incentive.

Sent a thank you note to the recruiter. Got all my presents wrapped. Hammered out a Yule plan with the relatives; though I'd still wish my Mom and my sister would get over themselves, because life's too short for this BS, especially with Mom's health taking an obvious dive. No, I don't decorate the apartment. Julian behaves himself, but Kenobi around shiny decor is asking for it to get used as a cat toy.

to do:
1. Call Merril Lynch (I thought I told them already to transfer everything to my IRA!)
2. Draft up the dreaded "Yule Letter" for emailing the distant relations.
3. Take the old, dead floppy disks to the recycle shop.
4. Use that coupon for bulk eggs

OK, so I got turned away at the blood center for the usual reason (low blood iron), and told to come back after New Year.

I've been hitting the gym daily (for an average of 45-60 minutes at a whack) and following Sparkpeople's food diary. No real difference in the scale, so I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong, or if there is something else I should be doing.

Good news is that Moon seems to have passed through his hip surgery with flying colors.

I'm still in love with my job - I could hug and cuddle it. Good people, good pay, helping stores to their business, no screaming every third call about how the company sucks, I suck, and how the customer is going to sue the company. I also do not get the language barrier calls that could convert me to the Minuteman cause out of sheer aggravation of trying to to tech support via an interpreter.

Yule list is done - but I have to wrap it.

Now, I'm still undecided as to what to do for Christmas. Mom doesn't talk to Aunt Pat, Michelle & Gavin don't talk to Mom. I'm leaning towards spending Eve with Pat and Day with Mom.

Another day of doing more than I planned at the gym. I'm liking the part about being active. It's a good way to cheer up, and improves my sleep (haven't seen the scale go down any further, though).

Your dating personality profile: Liberal - Politics matters to you, and you aren't afraid to share your left-leaning views. You would never be caught voting for a conservative candidate. Big-Hearted - You are a kind and caring person. Your warmth is inviting, and your heart is a wellspring of love. Intellectual - You consider your mind amongst your assets. Learning is not a chore but a constant search after wisdom and knowledge. You value education and rationality.

Your Top Ten Traits 1. Liberal 2. Big-Hearted 3. Intellectual 4. Adventurous 5. Sensual 6. Outgoing 7. Wealthy/Ambitious 8. Funny 9. Practical 10. Athletic

Your date match profile: Funny - You consider a good sense of humor a major necessity in a date. If his jokes make you laugh, he has won your heart. Intellectual - You seek out intelligence. Idle chit-chat is not what you are after. You prefer your date who can stimulate your mind. Shy - You are put off by people who are open books. You are drawn to someone who is a bit more mysterious. You want to draw him out of his shell and get to know what he is all about.

Your Top Ten Match Traits 1. Funny 2. Intellectual 3. Shy 4. Practical 5. Adventurous 6. Big-Hearted 7. Athletic 8. Conservative 9. Wealthy/Ambitious 10. Sensual

Take the Dating Profile Quiz at Would I Date You

Pay for Pray?

*face palm*

This guy is...wow. There are so many ways to give your faith a bad name, and I think he just found one that hasn't been done so openly since Martin Luther.

The gym is much warmer then my apartment. So, for the last couple days, I've headed there and been taking advantage of their warm workout room, and the heated pool.

Having to track my calories and every bite - lame, and has capacity to make me really cranky really quickly, especially as I can find myself STILL hungry, even with my allotment filled.

The exercise part? This is a lot of fun! Between hitting the pool and this really nice job, M&G say they've never seen me more cheerful.

The good news - 7 pounds lost since Thanksgiving.
The bad news - I think I majorly overdid it. I lost track of time while on the stationary bike and did at least ten minutes over the half hour I scheduled. (Checking out the news and wanted a detailed weather report), followed by my half-hour swim.

Oh, crap. Where is the ibuprofen?

Best book?
Snyder's Green Sky Trilogy (I've raved about them on my LJ before)

Worst Book:
"A Day No Pigs Would Die" -- total wallbanger that you are supposed to read for "enrichment" (Look, kids, it's depressing as hell, it must have artistic merit!) back in the 8th grade. Endless droning about farm poverty, kitchen sink realism, and the boy forced to butcher and eat his pet pig at the book's end, with some attempt at making it seem like some highly noble act.

Okay

I totally overdid it with the 80's cheese last night.

My TV, when it decides to work, has one of the little digital boxes on it, like it's supposed to have if you're not inclined for cable. One of the digital stations it managed to pick up was "This!," some third-rate movie channel.

Well, last night? Creamed corn au gratin in the form of some seriously wrong 80's B-flicks.

Solarbabies -- I've seen this one before in bits and pieces. Oh, wow. How 80's can you get? Even better -- low-budget 80's Australian sci-fi. Dialogue and delivery that was pitch perfect for the 9AM Saturday cartoons. Rollar-skating teenagers against evil adults and a plot that might make sense if you were stoned. Token chick and token black guy. Cute little kid. Mullets out the kazoo! Even better with synthesyzer music and a completely out of place Smokey Robinson song over the credits.

How bad is it to have a real soft spot of the "look" of 80's sci-fi, though? I was looking at the costuming and sets, and realizing that the era really liked sharp angles and bright colors. Now, it seems the good guys wear black, the bad guys wear black, and the color saturation's been cranked down 50% on everything.

The other flick, Night of the Comet, was meant to be bad, but it forgot its own plot about thirty minutes in. You're thinking "OK, it's two Valley Girls and a Latino trucker fighting off a zombie invasion," then it changes to "Ok, they got rescued, but what is up with the 'rescuers' trying to kill them?!" Then it's a "ok, escape the lab, grab the other survivors, but still no explanation as to what happened in the first place." Worth a VERY good snicker as the trucker is played by a young Robert Beltran.

I was assembling a writing desk while watching these cinematic masterpieces. My current one was literally falling apart. I was able to patch it, but it's not going to take heavy use. So, transfer TV and Playstation to old computer desk, and move computer to the new desk.

I also was able to donate platelets yesterday. Seeing the way people were driving on Wednesday? I'm betting they needed the donors.

I'm rather fond of Samhain and Beltane. On the first, you wish the old away, say good-bye to those who have passed...then go out trick or treating for the food bank or just dress in great costumes and watch MST3K grade horror movies.

Beltane? I can let both my religious and political freak flags fly. It's time for belting out The Internationalle and laying red roses on the home altar.

I visited my Aunt and Uncle for Thanksgiving.

We had Mythbusters instead of football, and since I've totally downgraded to pescatarian, I had ten shrimp instead of turkey. My plate was full of cranberry hash (not the gelled stuff, but cranberries and oranges ground in a Cuisinart), salad, and veggies.

Yes, I had a single slice of pie.

Tomorrow, I donate platelets and do a lot of sleeping. I'm not dumb enough to go anywhere near a store. I already got Yule presents, and shopping is annoying enough without making it a full contact sport. Besides, I blew my "fun money" until February with that gym pass.

Screw just one. Send me to Woodstock!