Limbo

The definite highlight today was lunch with S and the Tiger - they had been riding cable cars, and were on their way to ride the ferry.

The rest of the day, I pretty much had to close my eyes and think of beedogs.
Stupid W.


Today's earrings: flowers, other flowers

Bedtime reading: Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman

I blame W.

If the Lame Duck had signed one particular piece of paper any time last week, I would now be on schedule.

I'm not on schedule.

grrrr. arrrgh.


Today's earrings: ants, rocks

Bedtime reading: Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman

Full morning

Today we took a look at the line to get into the California Academy of Science and went to the Conservatory instead. Then we went to Fort Point and enjoyed the fine array of didactic panels. And the view. It was clear enough to see not just the Bay Bridge but the Claremont Hotel, too.

We had pizza for lunch and cupcakes for dessert, and then some went to see a scale model of the Bay, and some peeled off.


Today's earrings: black frogs, alligators

Bedtime reading: Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman

This "Holiday" thing is most excellent

M, K, and Tiger came to collect me this morning. The drive to M's was gorgeous - patchy clouds up high, but sea level was so clear we could see one bridge from the other. Sparkly.

After CC & AL arrived, we opened stockings while S fried bacon, and then eggs, and the bread pudding was served. In my stocking I got some candy bars, a Tiger magnet, yummy jam, an Edward Gorey double feature, and 2 (two!) coffee cozies. Santa knows what I like. Tiger got quite a lot of presents, mainly books and trucks, and also a spiky green indoor-throwable ball. He seemed pleased.

Then we cracked open the puzzle and I stared at it for the next six hours or so. While I was doing that, we inhaled cheese, played several rounds of Scrabble and backgammon, started writing a chapter book, ate a fudge dinosaur, and other (more energetic) people also made excursions Totland and later to the Little Farm. S built a fire. As the puzzle was still not finished, we dined in the living room. The entertainment highlight was a vignette entitled "Tiger in Space" that featured a demostration of the Robot Arm.

After dinner M pinned a dress for me, and AL & CC brought me home again, because they're sweet. I got home to a message from the Wandering Albatross, saying he's in VA... too late to call back. I finally opened my gift from b2: demi-glace de veau and a nice chardonay.

:)


Today's earrings: Pigs, citrine drops

Bedtime reading: Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman

Anxiety, not seasonal

As most of you have heard, ad nauseam, I got to the bus stop this morning and realized that I didn't have my wallet. I went home and searched, and did not find it. There was panic. I spent the morning all worried, making lists of things I'd have to replace and errands I had planned to run this afternoon and now couldn't because my wallet was gone. My boss pointed out that I could get money from my accounts by the quaint stratagem of entering a bank branch with my checkbook and writing a check to "cash." That was most comforting, and had not occurred to me.

We were freed after four hours' labor, and I sped to the burger joint where I'd gotten dinner last night. Wonder of wonders, they had my wallet, completely intact, behind the register. I <3 my local burger joint.

I went to run my errands, then popped over to M's for dinner with the family: S&D most charmingly met me at the station with umbrellas; K made yummy crepes for dinner; M won two games of rummy tiles; AL&CC obligingly ran me to my doorstep.


Today's earrings: diamonds, aquamarines

Bedtime reading: Six Geese A-Slaying, Donna Andrews

Welcome K & S & D!

United says their plane has landed, which caps a most satisfactory evening:
I succumbed to the siren call of the sale at the SF Center Borders... only to find that the main Borders store on the 4th floor isn't closing, just the newsstand in the basement next to the BART/MUNI station. But it's all right - I found the last stocking stuffer! Hooray! (Don't worry, M, I've still got you covered.) And, since I was in a bookstore and everything, I got a couple things for me. I just caught a bus going home, and then just got to my door as the drizzle started.


Today's purchases:
Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman
Six Geese A-Slaying, Donna Andrews

Today's earrings: coffee cups, teaspoons

Bedtime reading: Six Geese A-Slaying, Donna Andrews

Best wishes for a good winter

Didn't do much for Solstice yesterday. I said, "Hey, it's Solstice. I should do something," and left it at that. Oh, wait - I did launder. So that's like, a purification ritual, right?

Yeah, that's it. A purification ritual.

Work with me, here.


Today's earrings: bees, flowers

Bedtime reading: Wild Horses, Dick Francis

Caroling

This evening we presented our annual Bottle 'O Cheer to the gang at our Friday pizza joint; they responded by presenting us with pizza and wine. Then we presented each other with Christmas presents. (They say you can't always get what you want. But if you tell your BFF, you might get exactly what you want. To mix a pop-culture reference, I love it when a plan comes together.)

After, we went by Gump's to look at the shiny objects. There was a spouting-whale ornament, and I made one of the employees laugh at me for being an obnoxious drunk. We went to the Palace to see the gingerbread sculptures and the pretty tree. We caroled Market Street on the way to our several public transits. We knew the same arrangement of "Carol of the Bells," so she sang soprano and I sang alto. The alto part is easy to remember, even when boozed up: Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong...


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Miracle, Connie Willis

Living in the Future

We are living in the future
I'll tell you how I know
I read it in the paper
Fifteen years ago
We're all driving rocket ships
And talking with our minds
And wearing turquoise jewelry
And standing in soup lines
We are standing in soup lines

- - John Prine


Today's earrings: spiders, webs

Bedtime reading: Hare Sitting Up, Michael Innes

Days of Horror, Despair, and World Change

M sent me the Penguincam link today... sadly, I lack streaming capacity at work. So I just now tuned in, and what with the "live" part, not much is happening. I'll have to try again in the morning.

Meanwhile, I have to get b2's gift by Friday. She did tell me what she wanted, but I followed that information with two glasses of wine, and am now a little fuzzy on the details. This is not good. And I still need two more stocking stuffers. Maybe I should give cheese. Everyone likes cheese, right?


Today's earrings: wyverns, beige beads

Bedtime reading: Hare Sitting Up, Michael Innes

Still two stockings short

One's going to be pretty easy to fill, but the other one...


Today's earrings: moose, theobromine molecules

Bedtime reading: Hare Sitting Up, Michael Innes

Snowing in the mountains

I woke up to a series of callers telling KGO that it's snowing at Summit, in Angwin, even one from Monterey saying she could see the snow on the mountain there. One called from Boulder Creek to say her husband had followed the plow along Skyline on his way over the hill.

I didn't know they had a plow.

If at first you don't succeed

Left work just before seven and, as there wasn't a whole lot of edible food in the house, decided to go to the store. I got on the cable car at Sansome. At Montgomery we were passed by a fire truck. Then we came to a halt d/t the cable car stopped on the far side of Kearney. According to the brakeman's walkie talkie, it was a bad accident at Grant, with traffic stopped in both directions. I looked uphill and saw a lot of flashing lights.
"I think I'll catch a bus," I said.
"Aw, giving up so soon?" said the brakeman.
"What can I say? I'm a quitter like that," I replied.
I walked up to Sacramento and waited. A jam-packed bus blew by. A few drops of rain fell. I sighed petulantly and hailed a cab.
"California and Hyde," I told the cabbie, "but there's an accident on California..."


Today's earrings: suns, rabbits

Bedtime reading: Hare Sitting Up, Michael Innes

Happy news

I have the Barenaked Ladies Christmas album.

:)


Today's earrings: diamonds, liberty dimes

Bedtime reading: Too Many Blondes, Lauren Hendersen

Thoughts while surfing the intertubes

A post on Pharyngula led to a NYT story about people who thought they were getting "death before dishonor" tattooed in Chinese characters and found out later they really said "bite the wax tadpole" which led to a website full of incompetently written pseudo-Chinese tattoos with the actual translations.

And I thought (as I do every time I run across this phenomenon), why didn't these folks get themselves tattooed with runes instead of Chinese? Runes are pretty, look exotic, and there's the huge bonus that almost no one else can read them, either. If you mess up Chinese characters, there's a billion-plus people who can spot the error on sight. If you mess up runes, there's maybe a few hundred people currently on the planet who'll be able to tell if you did it wrong without checking a textbook.


Today's earrings: hands, basketweave spoons

Bedtime reading: Too Many Blondes, Lauren Henderson

Poor Weird Beard

I don't think he was most at fault... but I'm still relieved Carla & Gene didn't have to pay for their sins.


Today's earrings: flowers, estrogen molecules

Bedtime reading: Too Many Blondes, Lauren Henderson

Office Party

It was oddly archetypal. I arrived last (pleading work), got some pretty decent food from the buffet, donned a silly hat in response to peer pressure, watched the boss's boss present stuff to senior staff, and was the first to slip back to my desk (pleading work). From my desk, I heard the music get louder, and the woman I don't like cried, "Karaoke!" Later refugees told me there was dancing. One of them stayed and talked to me for twenty minutes because his office was at Party Central and, he said, the woman I don't like kept insisting he dance with her. Around 1pm, my boss announced a half day, and people started wandering off. I left at 3pm (lots of work) and went to Green Apple.


Today's earrings: turquoise, turtles

Bedtime reading: Miracle, Connie Willis

Here lizard, lizard, lizard

Today's earrings: lizards, rocks

Bedtime reading: Miracle, Connie Willis

Survivor just gets better and better

So, there was this crowd of pretty young people who just loved each other because they were each cooler and smarter and prettier than the next. They allied with each other, and also a couple of token old guys who happened to be on their tribe at the time. They were sure they would control the game right to the end, because they were just! that! awesome!

As of tonight, the In Crowd is sitting in the jury box. All that's left of their alliance in the game is the token old guy they had been planning to ditch first after all of their non-allies were gone. The Last of the Pretty People stood around all episode whining that she is so much smarter than the people who were about to vote her out. Had she not spent the previous month being rude to them, she might have been able to find an angle to work, but she'd painted herself into a corner. Meanwhile, Token Old Guy came up with a half-decent bluff that almost worked to keep her in the game. Unfortunately for her, the other players could count...


Today's earrings: bulls, flowers

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

Top Chef

Awful challenge. I hope they gave the chefs a little more guidance than we got to see, because I hear that live tv thing is a lot harder than it looks. Mostly I'm just glad Jamie didn't have to leave. I want Jamie to win.


Today's earrings: amethysts

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

Helpful tip

The Cal Marching Band played at medium volume drowns out a grackle-voiced coworker more effectively than AC/DC played at high volume.


Today's earrings: pines, shells

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

Her reply

If all the world and love were young,
And truth in every shepherd's tongue,
These pretty pleasures might me move
To live with thee and be thy Love.
But Time drives flocks from field to fold;
When rivers rage and rocks grow cold;
And Philomel becometh dumb;
The rest complains of cares to come.
The flowers do fade, and wanton fields
To wayward Winter reckoning yields:
A honey tongue, a heart of gall,
Is fancy's spring, but sorrow's fall.
Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses,
Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies,
Soon break, soon wither—soon forgotten,
In folly ripe, in reason rotten.
Thy belt of straw and ivy-buds,
Thy coral clasps and amber studs,—
All these in me no means can move
To come to thee and be thy Love.
But could youth last, and love still breed,
Had joys no date, nor age no need,
Then these delights my mind might move
To live with thee and be thy Love.

- - Sir Walter Raleigh


Today's earrings: flies, fish

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

Feast Day

I got to M's about 10:30. We discussed the relative merits of tenting, flipping mid-bake, and swathing with bacon. (Guess which we settled on?) She wanted to hold off on putting the bird in the oven - it was only 10 pounds, and not stuffed - but I urged immediate action, on the grounds that the bird always takes at least half an hour longer than expected. We ended up putting it in just before 11. Then we took wine, cheese, and crackers and sat down to play backgammon in her living room. We finished the bottle not long after noon. The turkey was done about the same time... and dinner was set for 2. My bad.

CC & AL arrived about 1, and were pressed into cooking, as M & I were not inclined to take it very seriously at that point. M had had the foresight to do all the prep work yesterday, so it wasn't too arduous. Then the other guests arrived, and I swanned off to the living room to chat and eat canapes. Eventually I answered the call to make gravy. About then, the Requisite Disaster occurred: the pan holding the potatoes broke in the oven. We got it out, and even salvaged some potatoes.

Dinner was most tasty - good turkey, yummy dressing, and a green salad for me. :) I took a nap. Then there was pie. After, we played the shortest game of Risk ever: AL won in three turns. The other guests drifted off. K&S called. M let me watch the Survivor clip show. (They left out Randy's racist tirades.) And now we are watching Zodiac. I don't think Robert Graysmith was nearly as stupid as they're making out...

eta: the color of the day was BLUE.


Today's earrings: sapphires, bronze triangles

Bedtime reading: Pyramids, Terry Pratchett

Today's big achievement

I bought cheese.


Today's earrings: flowers, coins

Bedtime reading: Pyramids, Terry Pratchett

The Shield

Series finale was tonight. They tied up the loose ends nice and neat, except, y'know, rife with violence and corruption and horrific betrayal. But tidy.
Fun cameo: Clark Johnson talking up the amenities of the greater Baltimore area.


Today's earrings: monkeys, anchors

Bedtime reading: Pyramids, Terry Pratchett

Breathe

Breathe, breathe in the air
Dont be afraid to care
Leave but dont leave me
Look around and chose your own ground
For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be

Run, rabbit, run
Dig that hole, forget the sun,
when at last the work is done
Dont sit down, its time to dig another one
For long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
balanced on the biggest wave
You race toward an early grave
- - Gilmour, Waters, & Wright

Today's earrings: scarabs

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

Fine night

b2 and I met as usual to drink wine and discuss Survivor. (Excellent episode last night, by the way. A bad person met his comeuppance. It was marvelous.) I had with me a 1,000 piece puzzle of Hicks' Peaceable Kingdom, borrowed from a coworker for a Thanksgiving puzzle, and she had a cake box of food from that afternoon's office party. She suggested stopping by her office later and collecting more of the leftovers after drinks. A lot of food, she said. So we did.

She wasn't exaggerating - even figuring in the entire office's lunch on Monday, there was a hell of a lot of extra food. Mixed veg, mashed potatoes, rice, ham, even pumpkin pie. And also plastic clamshells. Inspired, we assembled some meals from the leftovers and added plastic forks, napkins, and sodas. We gave away three on the way from b2's office to her parking garage, and I gave away the rest near my place after she dropped me off.

Nothing like the warm glow of being generous with someone else's food.


Today's earrings: moose, chocolate molecules

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

Committee meeting

I came in, sat down. The office troll came in and sat down directly across from me, and spent the next hour trying to catch my eye while I did my best to only look at him when there was a reason.

Y'know, it's funny... I've heard various women say that as they got older, men ignored them more. For me, as I get older and more apt to ignore people I don't want to deal with, I've found that (some) men get all affronted if I ignore them. They don't want to talk to me, as far as I can tell. They just expect me to acknowledge them. Make eye contact, something. And if I don't - if I sit in the laundromat with my eyes glued to my book and don't look up as they walk by - they act out. They intrude on my peripheral vision. They make noise, and get progressively louder if I don't look up right away. Some have intruded on my space. They let me know that they are ENTITLED to my attention. Funny, huh?


Today's earrings: hands, peppers

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

I'm proud of myself. Sort of.

The office troll was at my desk on legitimate business. Then he veered off into something irrelevant, and then something revolting. I said, twice, "I don't want to hear this." He just kept talking. I turned to my computer, put on my headphones, and cranked up the music. He went away soon after.

I can't believe I did something that rude. Usually I say I don't want to hear it and he just keeps talking anyway and I don't want to be rude so I end up listening to him with a tight uncomfortable little smile... which is why I avoid conversations with him if at all possible. This time I said I didn't want to hear it and I enforced that. Go, me! But wow, was I rude.


Today's earrings: elephants, ebony drops

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

The Knitters are playing Slim's in January

Who's with me?


Today's earrings: squirrels, teaspoons

Bedtime reading: Busman's Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

[/Prop8]

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
- - Stephen Stills

We met in front of the Asian Art Museum. Lots of people wandering about with signs and a few in costume. M had brought sign-making materials and bagels. I applied sunscreen. We crossed the street into the plaza and found a tree under which to sit. We couldn't really hear the speakers, but clapped along when the crowd up in front cheered. Someone stopped by to tell us that Cinemark Theaters had given money to the Yes on 8 campaign, and would we join in not supporting them? Sure, no problem. There were people with kids, people with dogs, people just going to and fro: very family picnic. Except for the people in wedding dresses and rainbow hoopskirts - that was more like Pride.

After a while we realized that the people going to and fro were performing a promenade around the victory garden in the center of the plaza. We essayed a circumperambulation and discovered a whole lot more people with signs, a pretzel vendor, and a little dance party in one corner (the Jackson Five, being played from bike-mounted speakers). I got flapped in the face by a rainbow flag; it was almost as transcendent as being Touched by His Noodly Appendage. We also found that we could hear the people on stage better the closer we got to the Civic. I attribute that to Bill Graham's influence.

After a certain amount of unintentional walking around and standing in line for change, we were on the Muni platform on the outbound side, waiting for the N train.
An announcement: Fare jumper! Coming down the staircase!

[I turned to look at the staircase.]

Wearing a jean jacket!

[I spotted the guy in the jean jacket as he cussed and started back up the staircase.]

Now he’s come back up the staircase!

[“Ooh! Public shaming!” said M. “If he comes back down, we can all point at him!” I replied.]

Finally the N train turned up and we headed out toward the park. Around Church Street, the woman in the wheelchair got off, and a one-toothed man got the seat set back down and sat on it, right next to Cricket. He chatted with her as he pulled out tobacco and paper and rolled his own. One-Toothed Man had some serious rolling skills – he put together a very tidy cigarette on his lap, in a moving vehicle. We got off at 9th street and walked down to Bistro 9. I had the hummus. Mmmm, hummus. It went well with the peppers off of M’s salad.

We headed off to the DeYoung and saw the Maya Lin exhibit. The sculpted atlases were very cool, and I’d kind of like to have a pin river on one of my walls. We visited the Hearth of Doom, and also dragged Cricket and Lemming to look at the huge painting of the “Polynesian” scene with all the Ancient Greek details. As antidote, we took in the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective. I want the beige Mondrian dress. We ascended the tower for a good gawk at the city. It was a beautiful day for a gawk, too. The Marin Headlands were clear as a bell; the strait was a lovely dark shade of blue you usually only see in movies. Out front we miraculously caught a cab, who whisked us (as only cabbies can) to Montgomery Station, where we parted.


Today's earrings: owls, estrogen molecules

Bedtime reading: Busman’s Honeymoon, Dorothy L. Sayers

Swiss Cheese

Today's earrings: frogs, shells

Bedtime reading: The Girls of Slender Means, Muriel Spark

No news

Tenterhooks. OK, so it's not as bad as all that. But still.


Today's earrings: ants, swirly blue beads

Bedtime reading: The Girls of Slender Means, Muriel Spark

The saga continues...

Talked to the mortgage broker guy - the prospective lender can't possibly make a decision by today, they need to hold a committee meeting; can I get more time? I asked him, do you think it'll be a yes? because if so, I'll go to the realtor and stall my little heart out. He can't tell, he says. Factors on both sides and no way to guess how they'll decide under current conditions. In that case... we said ok, he'll send the lender my file, see what they say - but I'll call the realtor and tell him to move on to the next guy in line, who already has financing.

Called the realtor, said, I can't get an answer today. Move on to the next person. And he's all, oh. ok. When will I know for sure with the lender? I should keep him updated, because there's two units available.
Uh-huh. I get the feeling that he's worried that the next guy in line might flake on him like the first eight people in line, and he's hoping that I'll be there as backup. I also get the feeling that between the difficulties he's having trying to sell expensive units to rich people and the difficulties he's having trying to sell cheap units to poor people, he's getting near the end of his rope.

I thought today would be the end of this chapter, but there will be more! Watch this space for the next thrilling installment of IIII Buys an Apartment!


Today's earrings: owls, citrine drops

Bedtime reading: The Girls of Slender Means, Muriel Spark

Veterans' Day

Which I ought to have spent considering the meaning of patriotism, but actually spent scrambling for financing. And sorting out which provincial taxes are collected by CA customs on non-commercial packages. I feel I've got a better grip on the provincial taxes...


Today's earrings: leaves, crows

Bedtime reading: Comeback, Dick Francis

Looking like worst-case scenario here

Got a call around 3 from the realtor. He wants to know what's up with my financing. I haven't heard, I say. Well, he says, the person in line after me has qualified for financing and he can't just wait around forever. Mmmmkay. What is my deadline? He's all, hem, haw, um, well, Wednesday. I pointed out that it would have been nice if he'd mentioned his timeline before now, and put in a call to the Loan Lady.

She called back around 4 to say "no." Then she spent twenty minutes soothing my feelings before I could shovel her off the phone and go call M's broker's buddy in the city. When I talked to him a month ago, Broker Buddy had found me a not-big-enough loan with highish interest... but it was a loan. I left a voicemail for him, and then called back every fifteen minutes or so, not leaving messages. (I was hoping to catch him in, not be scary-called-six-times-woman.)

Just after five I walked over to my own bank, and told my sad story to one of the loan ladies there. She was good about not wasting my time, I'll give her that - I got a "no" from her right away. The credit thing was just insuperable for them. I went back to work and, surprisingly, got a few things done in between obsessively calling Broker Buddy.

It's... yeah. There's still a possibility of making this work, but... doesn't seem all that likely.


Today's earrings: flies, fish

Bedtime reading: Comeback, Dick Francis

Brunchiness

Today's meeting the the Thanksgiving Planning Committee was quite productive: we almost finished the crossword, and I palmed off a stack of serving dishes on M. Then I got a haircut and did my laundry.

Later, I found a video that I saw once in 1983 and has haunted me since: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5Ac_OBeGWs&feature=related
Um. Yeah.


Today's earrings: pine trees, leaves

Bedtime reading: Comeback, Dick Francis

My boss shared this with me

A sign of the End of Days


Today's earrings: monkeys, alligators

Bedtime reading: A Taste for Death, Peter O'Donnell

For those who were wondering...

I've given all my financial records to a loan officer, who called me this morning and asked if I'd given her the right ssn. Or maybe been out of the country? I managed to convince her that I was sane, despite having no credit rating, and she seems to be letting it be a challenge to her.

No decision yet.

To fill the time, I installed a tag cloud. Now I'll have to reformat the tags, which will fill more time. Score!


Today's earrings: amethysts

Bedtime reading: A Taste for Death, Peter O'Donnell

hover hop flutter

Now that the election's over you'd think I'd be able to concentrate at work. But no. Maybe I just picked the wrong earrings today...


Today's earrings: frogs, hummingbirds

Bedtime reading: A Taste for Death, Peter O'Donnell

That's much better.

I'm not all that enthused about Obama - he's said some things, and voted for some stuff, that I am still way not happy about - but OMG I am SO INCREDIBLY cap-locking HAPPY that he won, in a landslide, sweeping Democrats into office behind him all over the place. Maybe we can start inching back away from the Pit now.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed about Prop 8.


eta: I am totally enthused about Michelle Obama as First Lady. Damn, but that woman has poise. Plus the whole smart & accomplished thing. She's going to be great.

Today's earrings: eyes, liberty dimes

Bedtime reading: A Taste For Death, Peter O'Donnell

Surprise!

Friday I got home and found a packet in the mail from the mayor's office of housing about my application for that BMR unit. I figured it was pro forma - just them letting me know that they'd processed the paperwork. I mean, I didn't do so well in the lottery. I was going to call today and see if the letter meant I'm qualified for the program in general, because that would cut down the paperwork for the next time I applied.

Before I got around to calling the guy from the mayor's office, I got a call from the developer's rep. He said eight of the applicants ahead of me either didn't qualify, or found another place, or failed to get financing. If I can get financing, I can have the place. And would I like to come see it again today? After he reassured me that he wasn't kidding, I said yes. Then I asked M to come along.

We all met at 4. M liked the place. I still like the place. Now I just have to get financing.

Best case scenario: I buy this apartment and promptly get two credit cards so I can refinance at a better rate in a year or two.
Worst case scenario: I stay in my rent-controlled apartment.
I see this turning out well.


Today's earrings: scarabs

Bedtime reading: A Taste for Death, Peter O'Donnell

Devil with a Blue Dress

I had this totally awesome costume my sister made me. :)

Who were you today?


Today's earrings: diamonds, rabbits

Bedtime reading: Carpe Jugulum, Terry Pratchett

Back to work

Nothing much happened while I was gone, but they seemed to miss me anyway.


Today's earrings: pigs, citrine drops

Bedtime reading: Carpe Jugulum, Terry Pratchett

and I'm back

Travel highlight: homemade pesto for lunch on the plane.


no earrings

Bedtime reading: Carpe Jugulum, Terry Pratchett

Missing Macy's

So, yesterday I was kinda halfway going to go down to Macy's Herald Square and shop. But time got away from me, and what with one thing and another, I didn't go.
"I'll go tomorrow," I told myself. "Definitely."

Today dawned dark and rainy, and stayed that way into the afternoon.
"Huh," I said to myself, "this is an excellent day to stay in and drink coffee." So I did. First I played with K's coffee grinder. It was most entertaining. Then I surfed the web, ate leftover Chinese food, and read a little Twain.

Then everyone came home and we ate pesto.


Today's earrings: pineapples, rocks

Bedtime reading: Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain

Because, allegedly, S & Tiger sometimes build the Tri-Borough Bridge,

K has re-created the Yolo Causeway in the living room. It's really quite scenic.

No earrings today

Bedtime reading: Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain

Motion toward

K & Tiger had a brunch date, and so left early for the city. S and I followed in the afternoon. Going to the station was like driving through a painting. In the evening we picnicked in the park on the hill. We spotted Tiger's friend C on his way home with his mother, and inveigled them into an impromptu play date. There was much running and kicking of the soccer ball. Then the sun set behind the trees, and we came home.


Today's earrings: turtles, shells

Bedtime reading: Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain

Volunteers only

Today, we
- went to the farm to admire the John Deere tractors and their flock of fluffy chickens, and incidentally acquired a lot of vegetables
- went to the post office
- went to the library and got a bunch of books, mostly concerning things with wheels
- got a muffin for Tiger and a cheese danish for me
- napped
- melted frozen chili
- tried to do some crosswording (I'm way out of practice)
- made pumpkin muffins
- went to the farm's Gala End-of-Season Potluck. We brought chili and pumpkin muffins. The greenhouse was all done up with fairy lights and candles and was very festive. I got my first taste of parsnip; I think it'd go well in casserole with yams, K's not so sure. By the time they got to the speeches, Tiger was doing laps of the table with Farmer Dave's boys. The first round of applause startled them into momentary immobility. Then they got back to business. After the second course, we packed up and took off.

And now, it's time for me to stop monopolizing the kitchen computer so K can place her Fresh Direct order already.


Today's earrings: moose, theobromine molecules

Bedtime reading: One on One, Tabitha King

Busy like bees

Tiger and S went to school, and K and I went shopping in NJ. There was a Target and an Ikea, then K decided we'd had enough & we headed back to the city. (Tiger has a new hat! Most cute.) K and I had a very nice late lunch at the local branch of Cafe Pretentious. I took a nap and she did workish things. Then it was time to collect Tiger and head for the lake. Tiger and I passed the time making pictures for each other. Once at the lake, K turned on the heat, ordered pizza, and we hit a grocery store on the way to meet S. On the way back we collected the pizza and Tiger fell asleep. (So cute!) They tucked Tiger in, we ate yummy pizza, and now, my friends, it is bedtime. Sleep well.


Today's earrings: squirrels, basketweave

Bedtime reading: One on One, Tabitha King

Rest this afternoon

I took a nap. This "vacation" thing is working out nicely.


Today's earrings: flowers, triangles

Bedtime reading: The Little Sailboat; Trucks

What I forgot

My raincoat. Oops!

Pretty standard cross-country travel. This time, the cab driver from the airport was speculating whether an obviously stolen election would lead to armed insurrection. Which made me wonder about the possibility of a military coup. I mean, if there's rioting in the streets but no lawfully elected Commander in Chief, what do the Joint Chiefs do? Hmmmm.


No earrings today d/t travel.

Bedtime reading: SmashCrash, Jon Sciekzma; Mr Frumble, Richard Scarry

Packing

It's an early flight tomorrow, so I'm packing tonight. I'm sure I've forgotten something...


Today's earrings: amethysts

Bedtime reading: Bimbos of the Death Sun, Sharyn McCrumb

Dangerous and Fluffy

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/adamcuerden/daftsod/series.php?view=archive&chapter=15733


Today's earrings: llamas, bunnies

Bedtime reading: Bimbos of the Death Sun, Sharyn McCrumb

Blue Dress

I spent the afternoon supervising M as she made my Halloween costume (it's gorgeous), and then we went to see Bottle Shock. I strongly recommend the theater - they bring you pizza & beer while you're watching the movie from a comfy armchair. The movie was pretty good. Turns out it's but loosely based on actual events (shocking!).


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Last Day in Limbo, Peter O'Donnell

Bechdel Test

Ive been thinking about the Bechdel Test this week. What passes, what doesn't, why I keep watching the stuff that doesn't pass, all that. Tonight channel 54 had on a couple British mysteries, followed by a last season episode of Dr Who, all of which passed the Test. And I wondered, is it that British television just produces more stuff that passes, or is it that only stuff that will tend to pass gets picked up by PBS? Does it matter?


Today's earrings: lobsters, rocks

Bedtime reading: The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett

"I don't think this is safe."

Tonight the cast of Survivor spotted an elephant near camp, and Matty and Ace paddled out across the lake so they could get a better look at the way the elephant was uprooting trees at them. Later, on Ace of Cakes, Duff attempted to climb into the driver's seat of the delivery van while wearing an elephant mascot costume.

Guess who had the wit to realize he wasn't behaving in a manner consistent with health and safety?


Today's earrings: elephants, ebony drops

Bedtime reading: The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett

Oracles

So... Oracle sells Crystal Ball, and that's nice and all... but what about Haruspexes or Stercomancy? What's up with only doing the sorts of divination that don't make work for the janitors? The modern world has gotten so sterile...


Today's earrings: diamonds, anchors

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

Thank you, Angry Lemming!

I talked to Josh about the Caribbean today, and there was much rejoicing.


Today's earrings: sapphires, citrines

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

Gloss

At the bus stop this morning, I found myself wondering where "to gloss over" came from. Is it to hide something behind a shiny surface, or to explain it away? And how did those two meanings grow out of each other?

Turns out they didn't:

gloss (1) "luster," 1538, from Scand. (cf. Icelandic glossi "flame," related to glossa "to flame"), or obsolete Du. gloos "a glowing," from M.H.G. glos.

gloss (2) "word inserted as an explanation," 1548, gloze, from L. glossa "obsolete or foreign word," from Gk. glossa (Ionic), glotta (Attic) "obscure word, language," lit. "tongue." Extended sense of "explain away" is 1638, from idea of a note inserted in the margin of a text to explain a difficult word.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=gloss

Still not clear on which was the source for "gloss over," but at least I can stop wondering how 'explanatory note' = 'shiny surface.'


Today's earrings: coffee cups, teapots

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

Ebisu w/ b2

It's her birthday Sunday, so tonight we ate the best sushi in town.

mmmm, sushi.


Today's earrings: turtles, alligators

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

N.B.

Next week, someone remind me to talk to Josh about the Caribbean.


Today's earrings: tree frogs, leaves

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

I hear there's a gap in the yard at the Dancing Square

Maybe I could fill it with one of these?


Today's earrings: roses, dopamine molecules

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

The Second Coming

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out

When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi

Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert

A shape with lion body and the head of a man,

A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,

Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it

Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again; but now I know

That twenty centuries of stony sleep

Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,

Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

- - William Butler Yeats


Today's earrings: mice, crows

Bedtime reading: Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett

Plus, it's good for my karma

Hoping to get to see another video of Sarah Bunting dancing around in a tomato costume, today I threw some money at the Tomato Nation fund-raising drive for Donors Choose. It's, like, totally an excellent cause, and if they make their fundraising goal, she'll go Tomato the White House. Who could resist a pitch like that?


Today's earrings: owls, rabbits

Bedtime reading: Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett

Decisions

Went to see some more apartments with NRL. This one place... it's a well-laid-out workable size, the price is right, and it's too far from work to walk but there is a direct bus line. It's really close to the freeway and the CalTrain tracks; the noise wasn't too bad on a Sunday afternoon, but I bet you hear it all late at night. It's also hot in there. Lots of windows in the common hallways.

The catch is, the place is only affordable for me if I can get one of the remaining units reserved for the below market rate program. There's no lottery on this place. All I have to do is be one of the next three people to put in an ap and get financing. But if I go through the BMR program, NRL gets no commission on the sale. We didn't know that when we walked in, and the selling agent waited until we were just about out the door before he mentioned it. (I don't think that he was trying to be a jerk about it, but he succeeded anyway.) If I don't go through the BMR program, the price doubles.


Today's earrings: flowers, rocks

Bedtime reading: Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett

Motion towards

Spent the morning tidying the place up in preparation for the Nice Realtor Lady's arrival. I even vacuumed. Finally got around to putting the pretty rug down in my bedroom, too.

She turned up and I showed her around, and she was most impressed by the books. I was trying to convey just how much stuff I'm looking to house so she knows what she's up against. Not sure she got it.

Off we went to see a building full of studios south of Market. On the way we got held up by what looked like a circus parade coming down Market St. It all looked very festive, but my, was it in the way. Finally got to see the apartments. The prices were almost within my budget, the location was close to where I'd want to be, but damn, they were small. 300 square feet really isn't much. Plus, lots of polished concrete. She expanded on the theme of, "Location, size, price: pick two." Haven't quite decided yet... We headed back, and it took us over an hour to get to my place. Turns out the obstacle was "Lovefest." (supply your own joke here.)

Then I headed off to the east bay where I met the Confused Cricket and the Angry Lemming. We drove to Palo Alto's Gunn HS, where Neil Gaiman was to speak later. "Yep, that's a high school," we said, "but where's the food?" We found a Hobies and dined in style. Back to the high school. Mr Gaiman read a chapter and an interlude from his latest novel, then treated us to the trailer & selected clips from Coraline (his last book, due out in movie format next year) and then answered questions, finally wrapping up past 10pm. During the interval, we met some friends of CC&AL's, and the friends' highly cute child Eleanor, who waved back at me. Small children love jazz hands.

Got home to find a message from the Wandering Albatross; called back. He was having a foot massage and sounded very relaxed.


Today's earrings: elephants, turtles

Bedtime reading: Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett

Utensia

- - W.W. Denslow

Today's earrings: cups, spoons

Bedtime reading: Nation, Terry Pratchett

More review

My boss took me for a smoothie. She told me I'm doing great and we talked about the future of the company. It was most warm & fuzzy.

Later, she handed around SP debate bingo cards. Turns out everyone in the office except me was planning to watch.


Today's earrings: bees, typewriter keys

Bedtime reading: Nation, Terry Pratchett

Busy day

This morning, I
- got back my copy of Serenity from a coworker. He finished Firefly last week, and is a convert to the Browncoat Cause. I have urged him to watch Dr Horrible, and plan to start feeding him Buffy this winter.*
- sent the last of yesterday's updates to publish.
- got an errata slip for the book I've been working on off & on all summer; fixed it.
- got as an offer of source materials (for another update I made yesterday) from D. Said I'd already done the update.
- printed up & handed off a different (1757 page) book to be proofed in depth and at length. 1757 pages take quite a while to download, in case you were wondering.
- finished proofing the book I've been working on all summer.
- got an email from D explaining that what she meant was that yesterday's update hadn't posted correctly. Checked & found that the update had not posted externally. Sent note to IT about the publish delay.
- went and talked to the lead programmer about whether he could re-write the logic for this one thing, or if I'd have to spend the rest of the week doing it by hand. He came up with a third alternative, which won't solve the problem permanently, but can be done by tomorrow without further effort from me. Love that dude.
- answered a customer question about sugar quotas. Verily, they are most weird.
- got another email from D explaining that what she really meant was an errata slip for the update I'd done yesterday, which had posted internally. Fixed it. That woman loves to waste my time.
- checked the primary sources for the the book I've been working on all summer and found the announcement of more changes, but the details are TBA. I could hold off and wait for all the details to be published... decided to finally get this @%$!*#% thing off my desk instead.
- got the written part of my performance review, which said I'm all competent-like and make the office a shinier place just by showing up.
- went to have lunch with b2 in an excellent mood.


Today's earrings: scarabs

Bedtime reading: Nation, Terry Pratchett


________________
*Mua ha ha ha ha! Ha ha!

10 of 13

Last week I dropped off an application for a BMR apartment. This morning they did the drawing, and I am now 10th on a list of 13. People from the mayor's office are going through the applications this week to make sure the winners qualify. If eight of the applications ahead of mine DQ, but mine passes muster, I get an apartment. My odds of getting the place seem slim.

I have a date Saturday afternoon with the nice realtor lady. :)


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Nation, Terry Pratchett

Warning: Lark's Vomit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy6uLfermPU


Today's earrings: ants, theobromine molecules

Bedtime reading: Men at Arms, Terry Pratchett

[cue fish-slapping dance]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCwLirQS2-o


Today's earrings: dead fish

Bedtime reading: Men at Arms, Terry Pratchett

Super Heroes

Am I the only one who's a little bewildered at the idea that a complete bailout package for Wall Street must be passed this week or the world will end? I mean, what a coincidence that it's the last week of the last congressional session of Bush's last term when the bursting of the housing bubble (that's been going on for a while now) came to such an acute crisis that the government had to bail out Wall Street RIGHT THIS SECOND OMG GOTTA DO IT NOW! Funny how the timing works out, y'know? And - I know this is just crazy talk - wouldn't it make more sense to put together a relatively small program of short-term loans (using the exec's golden parachutes as collateral) that will get everyone through to January in a relatively liquid state, when the new Secretary of the Treasury can present the new President's plan for coping with the mortgage crisis to the new Congress? Doesn't that seem like the prudent thing to do?


Today's earrings: ants, blue beads

Bedtime reading: Men at Arms, Terry Pratchett

The woman at the next desk is listening to Journey

I guess her headphones came unplugged, or something, because her music is playing loud and clear. "Don't Stop Believing" added an interesting background track to the Cars' "Shake It Up," but "Wheel in the Sky" did nothing good for Michelle Shocked's "Shaking Hands."

Just thought I'd share that with everyone.

Don't stop belee-eevin'
hold on to that feeling, baby


UPDATE, 3pm: I think she went to the gym or something, because she was wearing a perfectly businesslike skirt 'n' top, and now she's in sweats and a Rolling Stones T-shirt. The one with the lolling tongue. Poseur. I know she listens to Journey.


Today's earrings: eyes, crows

Bedtime reading: Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett

Happy Autumn, Everyone

Today's earrings: flies, amber

Bedtime reading: Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett

Equinox

Started with the usual Monday routine. At noon, I headed home to meet the plumber. I arrived to find Mrs. M (the building manager) chatting with S (the woman down the hall from me).
"We've broken into your apartment!" cried Mrs. M, gaily.
And they had. Apparently replacing a flushing mechanism takes no time at all. At least, not for my old friend Competent Plumber (love him!). They were running ahead of schedule and started without me. After they left, I had a grilled cheese sandwich.

Then I took the 49 down to the Mission and dropped off the application for that apartment. Caught the 14 back toward downtown. Around 12th Street the chattering drunk sitting behind me said something that offended one of the dudes in the back of the bus. The dude spoke sharply enough to the drunk that people got up and moved toward the front of the bus. Fellow riders began expressing opinions. I though the most sensible was, "Dude, let him talk, he's just Drunk." Less sensible was the woman sitting next to me, who began threatening to call the cops, who, she said, would surround the bus and they'd all be stuck there. Uh-huh. She didn't lower the temperature all that much, but Dude and Drunk did intermittently join together in their contempt for her. All this went on until 4th Street, when she got off, and the drunk started chattering freely again, and the dude started speaking sharply again...

I got off at 2nd, grabbed a wee slurpee from the 7-11 on Market, and went back to work.

After work I stopped in at Whole Foods for supplies, then came home and made cream-of-grilled-salmon soup. mmmm, soup.


Today's earrings: irons, anchors

Bedtime reading: Night Watch, Terry Pratchett

wanna know what I didn't do today?

Talk like a pirate.


Today's earrings: monkeys, estrogen molecules

Bedtime reading: The Girls of Slender Means, Muriel Spark

Jimson Weed Gazette

This dude is giving out prizes for making donations to Obama:
http://jimsonweed.blogspot.com/2008/09/ill-send-you-free-photo.html

Personally I prefer House (West L.A.) from last October, but the one he's giving away is nice, too.


Today's earrings: moose, theobromine molecules

Bedtime reading: The Girls of Slender Means, Muriel Spark

The Girls of Slender Means

Long ago in 1945 all the nice people in England were poor, allowing for exceptions. The streets of the cities were lined with buildings in bad repair or in no repair at all, bomb-sites piled with stony rubble, houses like giant teeth in which decay had been drilled out, leaving only the cavity. Some bomb-ripped buildings looked like the ruins of ancient castles until, at a closer view, the wallpapers of various quite normal rooms would be visible, room above room, exposed, as on a stage, with one wall missing; sometimes a lavatory chain would dangle over nothing from a fourth- or fifth-floor ceiling; most of all the staircases survived, like a new art-form, leading up to an unspecified destination that made unusual demands on the mind's eye. All the nice people were poor; at least, that was a general axiom, the best of the rich being poor in spirit.

- - Muriel Spark

Today's earrings: scarabs

Bedtime reading: The Girls of Slender Means, Muriel Spark

Eureka

It's like watching the Golden Age of television again: the show is an anti-perspirant commercial with an A plot, a B plot, and a season-long arc... ok, so the Golden Age didn't really have season-long arcs.

They should have kept Dry Cleaner Lady; she could have gone around making remarks about how no one has sweat stains any more.


Today's earrings: spiders, webs

Bedtime reading: Interesting times, Terry Pratchett

Had a drink with the nice realtor lady

We had a nice chat about what I was looking for, how long it might take to find, that sort of thing. We shall see...

Came home, checked Craigslist, found the city's affordable housing program. Two units, a touch small but otherwise perfect, are up for lottery week after next. Must submit ap...


Today's earrings: turtles, typewriter keys

Bedtime reading: Interesting Times, Terry Pratchett

Went to look at an apartment today

The listing said "1 bedroom," and there was a 1 bedroom available, but the price listed was for a studio in the same building. The 1 bedroom was half again the price listed. And, y'know, if I'd known the actual asking price going in, I'd maybe have been thinking about writing an offer. I know the agent listed it that way to get more people to come look... but the psychology backfired, at least with me.

Afterward, M & I went adventuring. We viewed the Shakespeare Garden, and I sang from the bandshell in the Music Concourse. ("There's No Business Like Show Business.")


Today's earrings: eyes, shells

Bedtime reading: Interesting Times, Terry Pratchett

Spent the afternoon with my old friend

I didn't recognize him at first. I think I was looking for a 25-year-old kid, and there was this 40-something businessman standing there. He recognized me, though. It was just like old times, really, except he talked more than he used to about his wife & kids. (The kids are most cute.)


Today's earrings: squirrels, leaves

Bedtime reading: Interesting Times, Terry Pratchett

400th post

The headline was:

_________!

IF LIFE'S A BLANK

TAKE NUTRAX

"And in any case," grumbled Tallboy, "the Morning Star won't take it. They won't put in anything that looks like bad language."
"Your look-out," said Ingleby. "Why not ask'em?"
Tallboy muttered something impolite.
"Anyway, if Hankin's passed it, it'll have to be laid out, I suppose," said Ingleby. "Surely the studio - oh! hullo! here's your man. You'd better worry him. Bredon!"
"That's me!" said Mr. Bredon, "All present and correct!"
"Where've you been hiding from Tallboy? You knew he was on your tail."
"I've been on the roof," admitted Bredon, apologetically. "Cooler and all that. What's the matter? What have I done?"
"Well, this headline of yours, Mr. Bredon. How do you expect them to illustrate it?"
"I don't know. I left it to their ingenuity. I always believe in leaving scope to other people's imagination."
"How on earth are they to draw a blank?"
"Let 'em take a ticket in the Irish Sweep. That'll larn 'em," said Ingleby.

- - Dorothy L. Sayers

Today's earrings: hands, basketweave spoons

Bedtime reading: Interesting Times, Terry Pratchett

Home sick today

No earrings.

Much napping.

Reunion

s/w my long-lost old friend today. He'll be in SF this weekend, so we're tentatively getting together Saturday afternoon.

This should be interesting.


Today's earrings: boots, alligators

Bedtime reading: Interesting Times, Terry Pratchett

The Blue Dog

October

loss of one of the senses

weltschmerz

unnatural vice

disorders of the knee

diseases of the tongue

disturbances

miscarriage of a child

an accident in a garage

dementia

fraud

a quarrel

wispiness

-- Edward Gorey, The Fantod Pack, or, The Awful Vista of the Year

Today's earrings: skeletal fish

Bedtime reading: To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis

Rediscovered

Got in to work this morning to find an email from HF (the one who called me out of the blue last Monday). Thanks for the email info, he says, but can he have real addresses? Spent the day trying to come up with a polite way to say, "Of course not." I shall think about it tomorrow.

Just as I was about to go home, I got an email from K, forwarding a note from a guy I knew all the way back in C'ville. He didn't find me on the web, he said, but he remembered meeting my mathematician sister once, so he took a chance that K was her, and she is. I just sat there and gaped at the screen. I haven't seen him in about 15 years. I wonder why he's writing now.

I wonder who'll find me next Monday.


Today's earrings: turtles, shells

Bedtime reading: To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis

Summer day

We had a lovely brunch, and then we played Scrabble. I won, by a few measly points, because M got stuck with the Q.

After, we got the fabric for my Halloween costume. I'ts going to be good.


Today's earrings: dragonflies, other dragonfiles

Bedtime reading: To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis

Still too darn hot

I'd like to coo with my baby tonight
and pitch some woo with my baby
tonight
I'd like to coo with my baby tonight
and pitch some woo with my
baby tonight
but sister you fight my baby tonight
cause it's too darn
hot
it's too darn hot

- - Cole Porter

Today's earrings: flies, amber

Bedtime reading: Silks, Dick & Felix Francis

Nonverbal

Confronted my standing workplace dilemma again today: how do I tell someone who does not report to me what she's doing wrong? Especially since the degree of error she perpetrates tends to make me speechless with rage, and we work in a great big room with a dozen people listening.

Today I went with sending screen shots.


Today's earrings: turtles, other turtles

Bedtime reading: Silks, Dick and Felix Francis

Woke up this morning...

at about 4. Then I couldn't get back to sleep. It was just too darn hot.

I hope I get some sleep tonight...


Today's earrings: leaves, flowers

Bedtime reading: To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis

Bounders

Heard from TL today - they're well, but have to fix their front staircase, and he may be doing some consulting in Europe this fall in addition to their usual peregrinations.


Today's earrings: frogs, rabbits

Bedtime reading: To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis

Wha...?

[phone rings]
- Hello
- - Hello, may I speak to [My Name].
- Who's calling please?
- - This is H--- F-----.
- No, seriously?


H--- F----- is either a half-cousin or a step-cousin. I believe I last saw him when Nixon was president. Ford at the latest. Anyway, he's on a find-the-relatives kick. I was the first one on the list, he said. He wants everyone's addresses. He seemed to be who he said he was, and all, but I thought I should check in with you all before I gave your address to a guy I haven't seen in at least 30 years, so I told him to email me and I'd send along what I have. I got his email address if you want it.

Finis

When you have shot and killed a man you have in some measure clarified your attitude toward him. You have given a definite answer to a definite problem. For better or worse you have acted decisively.

In a way, the next move is up to him.

- - R.A. Lafferty

Today's earrings: scarabs

Bedtime reading: Golden Gate, R.A. Lafferty

The Weirdest World

I went up to a tree to give advice to two young birds trying to construct a nest. This was obviously their first venture.
"You are going about it all wrong," I told them. "First consider that this will be your home, and then consider how you can make your home most beautiful."
"This is the way they've always built them," said one of the birds.
"There must be an element of utility, yes," I told them. "But the dominant motif should be beauty. The impression of expanded vistas can be given by long low walls and parapets."
"This is the way they've always built them," said the other bird.
"Remember to embody all the new developments," I said. "Just say to yourself 'This is the newest nest in the world.' Always say that about any task you attempt. It inspires you."
"This is the way they've always built them," said the birds. "Go build your own nest."

- - R.A. Lafferty

 
Today's earrings: irons, anchors

Bedtime reading: Iron Tears, R.A. Lafferty

Directions

The Camiroi have a corpus of proverbs. We came on them in Archives, along with an attached machine with a hundred levers on it. We depressed the lever marked Earth English, and had a sampling of these proverbs put into Earth context.
A man will not become rich by raising goats, the machine issued. Yes, that could pass for an Earth proverb. It almost seems to mean something.
Even buzzards sometimes gag. That has an Earth sound also.
It's that or pluck chickens.
"I don't believe I understand that one, " I said.
"You think it's easy to put these in Earth context, you try it sometime," the translation machine issued. "The proverb applies to distasteful but necessary tasks."
"Ah, well, let's try some more," said Paul Piggott. "That one."
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, the machine issued abruptly.
"But that is an Earth proverb word for word," I said.
"You wait until I finish it, lady," the translation machine growled. "To this proverb in its classical form is always appended a cartoon showing a bird fluttering away and a man angrily wiping his hand with some disposable material while he says, 'A bird in the hand is not worth two in the bush.'"
"Are we being had by a machine?" our leader Charles Chosky asked softly.
"Give us that proverb there," I pointed out one to the machine.
There'll be many a dry eye here when you leave, the machine issued.
We left.

- - R.A. Lafferty

Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: "Polity and Custom of the Camiroi," R.A. Lafferty

Coffee is fundamental

"It was Clement VIII who made a Christian out of coffee," said Hans. "It was considered an infidel drink in Europe till he gave it sanction. And the objections to it were that it was non-alcoholic. It has the social leanings of alcohol but it shirks its responsibility. You can sit and drink it for hours and not have to be carried home; this makes coffee a greater encourager of loitering."

- - R.A. Lafferty, Archipelago

Today's earrings: coffee cups, spoons

Bedtime reading: "Great Day in the Morning," R.A. Lafferty

In Outraged Stone

The look of indignation on the face of that artifact was matched only by the total outrage of her whole figure. Oh, she was a mad one! She was the comic masterpiece of the Oganta Collection. If only stone could speak she would be shrilling. She was a newly catalogued item among the grotesque alien stonery called the Paravata Oneirougma.

"You'd almost believe that she was alive!" was the laughing comment of many who watched her here in the display. "Oh, it's that she was alive once, and now she is furious at finding herself frozen in stone."

But that was the whole missed point of her outrage: she wasn't alive; and she never had been.

- - R.A. Lafferty

Today's earrings: spiders, green webs

Bedtime reading: "In Outraged Stone," R.A. Lafferty

Closing Ceremonies

This evening we ate Ethiopian, in honor of M's birthday. It was most yummy.



Lenny the Chocolate Moose, wishing M many happy returns of the day.


Today's earrings: moose, theobromine molecules

Bedtime reading: Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett

Thank Freya it's Friday

That week went by fast.


Today's earrings: flowers, other flowers

Bedtime reading: Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman

Thunderous silence

I stopped after work and had drinks with a couple of my coworkers. Among other topics, they told me that one of our former coworkers had gotten married. I exchanged emails with that guy a few weeks ago, and he didn't bother to mention it.

huh.


Today's earrings: drums, rhinos

Bedtime reading: Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman

Wednesday Addams

"What are you, darling? Where's your costume?"
"This is my costume. I'm a homicidal maniac. They look just like everyone else."

- - Caroline Thompson & Larry Wilson

Today's earrings: spiders, crows

Bedtime reading: Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman

Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry

My boss really needs to start closing her office door - I am overhearing way too many juicy tidbits that are none of my business. If I were a better person, I'd keep my headphones on...


Today's earrings: diamonds, garnets

Bedtime reading: Stardust, Neil Gaiman

Monday, Monday

Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be
Oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee
That Monday evening you would still be here with me.

- - John Phillips

Today's earrings: flowers, dragonflies

Bedtime reading: Stardust, Neil Gaiman

Bulldozer

M put on a most excellent brunch today. I had waffles, and a mixed-green & avocado salad topped with apples, crumbled cheese, and bacon. mmmm.

Even better, though, is the tractor costume. OMG, the tractor costume is awesome.


Today's earrings: steer, moons

Bedtime reading: Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman

Family time

I had a lovely lunch with the Cricket, and sent her home with more office supplies.

Tomorrow, there is to be brunch. I hope it's at eleven. Otherwise, I will be arriving at the wrong time.


Today's earrings: turtles, typewriters keys

Bedtime reading: High Spirits, Robertson Davies

Someone on the internet is wrong

But I'm going to bed anyway.


Today's earrings: leaves, other leaves

Bedtime reading: Death's Half Acre, Margaret Maron

Harrumph

Bravo is pissing me off. They keep editing PR contestants into hateworthy characters, and then sending home someone relatively pleasant. Stupid jerks are doing it as part of the petulant fit they're throwing over losing the show to Lifetime... but the antics aren't making me hate PR. They're making me hate Bravo.


Today's earrings: monkeys, fish

Bedtime reading: Death's Half Acre, Margaret Maron

Stopped into the bookstore on the way home

And found that Margaret Maron has a new book out. Score!
Which got me thinking, I should send Tiger some books. I'll be in Berkeley on Saturday, I could stop at Moe's, get lots of books. Many books. I like sending many books... mmmmm, books...

And then I snapped out of the trance and thought, maybe I should find out what sort of books he likes these days. Fortunately, I know some people who may be able to help with that.


Today's earrings: flies, amber teardrops

Bedtime reading: Death's Half Acre, Margaret Maron

Potato soup

With grateful acknowledgment to Rombauer & Becker:

• Start frying 6 strips bacon in a large saucepan
• Peel & chop 2 large russets
• Eat 1 slice bacon, set the rest aside to drain
• Drop the diced 1/2 onion leftover from Saturday in the bacon grease
• Turn on fan
• Add chopped potatoes
• Saute a while
• Add water and chicken stock to cover
• simmersimmersimmer
• Check tenderness; add more stock; have another slice of bacon; simmer some more
• Turn off fan
• Check tenderness; rejoice
• Spoon mushy potatoes into blender
• Pour in some half and half
• Blend
• Notice an odd burning smell from the blender; wonder vaguely if there's someone out there who still does small appliance repair; decide to think about it another day
• Add some more half and half
• Blend
• Pour back into the saucepan & bring back to temperature
• Have another half slice of bacon; get a grip and crumble the rest into the soup
• Add salt, pepper, and seasoned salt to taste
• Dish up a bowl of potato soup
• Gloat over its excellence
• Pour a glass of wine and have another bowl of soup
• Tell the internet what you had for dinner
  
• Go to bed happy.

Today's earrings: hands, basketweave spoons

Bedtime reading: Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger

888

The morning radio people were talking about how very auspicious a day it is, what with all those eights. And they were right; today I discovered Cake Wrecks, and the world is a better place.


Today's earrings: pigs, citrine drops

Bedtime reading: Mansfield Park, Jane Austen

Made for walking

"Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail
"There's a porpoise close behind us and he's treading on my tail
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle - will you come and join the dance?"

- - Lewis Carroll

Today's earrings: boots, alligators

Bedtime reading: Mansfield Park, Jane Austen

Overheard at a downtown bus stop

I missed a lot of Dude 1's dialogue because his back was to me.

Dude 1: ...had a baby two weeks ago...
Dude 2: That is huge! Congratulations!
Dude 1: ...yeah...been crazy...[lengthy unintelligible]
Dude 2: But what are you doing here, and awake? You should be asleep or tending to the babe.
Dude 1: I had to go back to work this week... [unintelligible]

The practical pattern may be what it's been for the past twenty years, but the ideal has shifted: a new dad is supposed to be home with the newborn. Awwwww.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Eureka

Still like the show and all, but if they're going to disappear the Dry Cleaning Lady entirely, sooner or later I'm going to need a time loop or an amnesia fog or some such to explain her absence.


Today's earrings: eyes, ravens

Bedtime reading: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Hi ho

Hi ho!
Hi ho!
Hi ho! Hi ho! Hi ho!

Hi ho, Hi ho
It's off to work we go
Hi ho, Hi ho, Hi ho

Hi ho, Hi ho
It's off to work we go
Hi ho, Hi ho

Hi ho, Hi ho
Hi ho, Hi ho
Hi ho, Hi ho
Hi ho, Hum

Hi ho, Hi ho
It's off to work we go
Hi ho, hi ho, hi ho, hi ho

- - Frank Churchill

Today's earrings: bees, typewriter keys

Bedtime reading: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Thinking of the children

Last week, I contemplated the overflowing shelves in my closet, and asked myself, "Self, why on earth do I have so many sheets?" Myself obligingly began to explain at length the roots of my packrat behavior.
"Enough!" I cried. "Can't you recognize a rhetorical question? Don't answer that. These sheets must go!"

Friday, I had lunch with Cricket, and I told her of my determination to rid myself of redundant linen. She replied that one of her first tasks in the coming school year will be to set her minions making little sacks for pinto beans, and if the sacks were made of castoff bedlinen, all the better for the budget. (If someone were to provide 100 pounds of pinto beans, she would have nothing left to wish for.)

Today, I presented Cricket with two sacks of the aforementioned bedlinen. It was frabjous.

Now I have to figure out what to do with all the extra pillows. Ah, well... next summer will be soon enough.


Today's earrings: owls, kangaroos (w/joeys)

Bedtime reading: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Full day, with serious ick factor.

New Dude started work today. (Yay! Hooray!) I spent a couple hours explaining Turkey. Then I went to lunch with the Cricket. We did not eat turkey. In the afternoon, I got a little work done while fielding questions from New Dude.

Met b2 for wine & pizza after work. We were waiting at the counter for the staff to uncork another bottle so we could have seconds when Hot Guy appeared in search of a quick slice. We invited him to sit with us. We talked tv for a while, then HG told me I'd missed a team-building exercise: after I left, my colleagues had decided to clean the Troll's desk. HG had decided to do something about the mold growing in the coffee cup that the Troll had left half-full when he went on vacation, and I guess things escalated from there. They shook a loaf's worth of crumbs out of the keyboard, chipped the filth from the desktop... but there wasn't much they could do about the crusted yellow stain on the chair. Ewwwwwwwwwwww. Then HG left to pursue his evening plans, and b2 and moved on to less revolting topics.


Today's earrings: lizards, rocks

Bedtime reading: Modesty Blaise, Peter O'Donnell

Eternal Summer Slacking

I'm a gonna raise a fuss
I'm a gonna raise a holler
about a workin' all summer
just to try to earn a dollar

- Eddie Cochran

Or, in the case of today, getting very little done just to try to earn a dollar.


Today's earrings: moose, theobromine molecules

Bedtime reading: Modesty Blaise, Peter O'Donnell

Smart Money

Today's earrings: owls, coins

Bedtime reading: Modesty Blaise, Peter O'Donnell

School Pictures

Pictures of the Tiger, looking adorable, arrived in the mail today. Someone seems to have given him a dinosaur-skeleton stamp, which is also darn cute.


Today's earrings: eyes, liberty dimes

Bedtime reading: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Leaves of Glass

M & I went to see the Chihuly. While there, we started designing the house that goes around the installations we'd commission from him if we ever had the money. Then we visited the statue of Yoda.
_________________________________
eta: As M points out in comments, I failed to mention our paying our respects to the Mantelpiece of Horror. We named the dogs Fluffy and Thurlow, and the dying boar Camilla. We did not name the pissed-off looking deer on top.

We have no visio.


Today's earrings: diamonds, brown glass beads

Bedtime reading: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Smell the flowers

Today's earrings: bulls, flowers

Bedtime reading: The Appleby Files, Michael Innes

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear sisters,
Happy birthday to you!


Today's earrings: owls, koi

Bedtime reading: The Appleby Files, Michael Innes

That wasn't really fair

The designers & models barely knew each other, the models knew surprisingly little about dressmaking, and worst of all they didn't let the models & designers confer until after the fabric had been bought. There was a lot wrong with the losing dress, but the guy had a yard each of two fabrics that didn't really go together all that well. He was screwed from the get-go.


Today's earrings: turtles, other turtles

Bedtime reading: The Appleby File, Michael Innes

cover songs

"Wuthering Heights," by the Puppini Sisters
"Smells Like Teen Spirit," by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
"Black Hole Sun," by Steve & Eydie

I looked for covers of "Rock Lobster," but people kept ruining it by trying to do Kate & Cindy's vocal parts and failing miserably. Maybe the Puppini Sisters could do it justice...


Today's earrings: lobsters, rocks

Bedtime reading: The Appleby File, Michael Innes

A good time was had by all

Brunch! There was quiche, and mimosas, and bread pudding. I brought cheese. :)

After yummy food & considerable mimosery, presents were opened. S got a target bag, Cricket got some pretty dresses and some fraction of a drill, Angry Lemming got the remainder of the drill and a remote-controlled indoor/outdoor mechanical dragonfly.

While the dragonfly charged up we watched Act I of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Then we tested the dragonfly, indoors and out. After that, AL conquered the world, and we watched the remainder of Dr. Horrible. 'Twas a sad and tragic ending. I just hope the DVDs are out by Christmas.

The By-Now-Quite-Benevolent Lemming gave me a lift into the city and switched monitors with me. I did not convince him to take any games away, but give me time...


Today's earrings: pineapples, dragonflies

Bedtime reading: The Appleby File, Michael Innes

I think they're playing quarters

Or something very like it, anyway. Every so often a group shriek wafts across the airshaft, as though someone had just scored a difficult shot.

Ah, youth and drunken merriment.
I wish they'd hurry up and get old and dour and go to bed early.


Today's earrings: bears, estrogen molecules

Bedtime reading: The Appleby File, Michael Innes

Farmer's market today

There was preponderance of stone fruits and a dearth of properly joyful tomatoes... *sigh*


Today's earrings: scarabs

Bedtime reading: The Appleby File, Michael Innes

Plan A on schedule. So far.

The Angry Lemming's birthday present arrived at work today. Now I just need to bring it home, wrap it, and transport it without incident to brunch this weekend.

Which day is brunch?


Today's earrings: turtles, swirly blue beads

Bedtime reading: The Appleby File, Michael Innes

Somehow I'd missed this bit of pop culture

I just listened, for the first time, to John Ashcroft sing his greatest hit, "Let the Eagle Soar." Um. Yeah. He sings fairly competently, I'll give him that.

I preferred the chipmunk version.


Today's earrings: bees, birds

Bedtime reading: Wings, Terry Pratchett

Celebration of the Anniversary of the Birth of the Angry Lemming

I spent this sacred day (the first of Birthday Season) in meditation and, in the Angry Lemming's honor, kicking around the Mongols and the Spanish.


I wore no earrings.

An Ordinary Day, With Lunch

M and the Cricket came and had lunch with me today. They should come have lunch with me more often. It'd be fun.


Today's earrings: hands, dragonflies

Bedtime reading: Truckers, Terry Pratchett

I think I need a hobby

Ohh! I know! I'll spend the next few days thinking deeply about hobbies I could take up. I'll mull and consider, and if there's time, I'll research. That should fill the time nicely until the new season of Project Runway starts.


Today's earrings: strawberries, peas

Bedtime reading: Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett

The coats came today

It was too hot to wear them home, so I stopped off at the no-really-we-mean-it-this-time-we're-really-going-out-of-business rug store next door and picked up a telephone table. (The logic was inescapable, but would take too long to spell out.) The new table fits neatly in the niche in my kitchen, and, since it doesn't go with anything else in the place, fits right in.


Today's acquisitions:
- 2 coats
- 1 whatnot

Today's earrings: monkeys, fish

Bedtime reading: Cockatiels at Seven, Donna Andrews

After work

I took myself to Stacey's, where I picked up the new Donna Andrews. Inspired by the title, I took myself to Fancy Restaurant for a drink and some dinner. The maitre d' dude promptly handed me a copy of Salinger's Nine Stories and talked Salinger while I drank my cocktail and ate my spring rolls. Then he wandered off to do work and I read Salinger and ate my burger.

My dinner came with a reading assignment.


Today's earrings: bees, typewriter keys

Bedtime reading: Cockatiels at Seven, Donna Andrews

Another excellent brunch

Yummy, yummy, yummy
I've got eggs in my tummy


Today's earrings: coffee cups, green eggs

Bedtime reading: Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett

Actual phone call

- Hello
[gap]
- - Hello
- Hello?
- - Hello, is this Mrs. John?*
- Who's calling, please?
- - This is Name, from Pseudo-Patriotic Group, and I'm calling to talk about the ACLU's latest threat to America.
- [Draws breath to point out that the real threat to America comes from the people who brought us the FISA bill.]
- - May I speak to Elton?**
- [Burst of laughter]
- - Uhm...
- Elton John? You're calling for Elton John? [laughter] I've never met him, though I do admire his songwriting.
- - Oh, I guess I have the wrong number. Sorry. [click]

I'm trying to figure out whether that was 100% prank call, or whether some bizarre chain of events led to a Pseudo-Patriotic Group getting my phone number with Elton John's name attached and then handing that section of their call list to someone for whom the name "Elton John" rang no bells.

It's good to start the day with a laugh.

__________________________________
*Not quite my surname.
**Not my name, at all.

What do you want for your birthday?

Inquiring relatives want to know.


Today's earrings: spiders, crows

Bedtime reading: Good Omens, Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Rise & Shine

Woke up this morning with "rise, and shine, and give God your glory, glory; rise, and shine, and give God your glory, glory" running through my head.


Today's earrings: coffee cups, suns

Bedtime reading: Good Omens, Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Reunited

To recap: I abandoned my coat at the lake. K, being an excellent sister, put my coat in the mail.


Time passed.


I decided that the Post Office had eaten my coat. Yesterday, CC came virtual shopping with me and helped me pick out a new coat. Two, actually, what with the sale...

This morning, our receptionist appeared at my desk with a battered box that had arrived by US Mail. (Did you know that $2 stamps have tigers on them? So cute.) Inside the box: my coat.

Now I shall have coats for all occasions.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Good Omens, Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Delayed gratification

The Confused Cricket came along on a virtual shopping trip with me this evening. I dithered. She said, "Get them both. They're on sale." And indeed they were. So I did. Now I just have to wait for them to arrive.

And, omg, then I'll be a browncoat. With a camel. ;)


Today's earrings: reindeer, shells

Bedtime reading: Good Omens, Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Clouds & rainbows

Something wonderful


Today's earrings: hands, basketweave

Bedtime reading: The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett

tee-hee

See me free the tea-tree from the lea with key gri-gri (for a wee fee).


Today's earrings: bees, liberty dimes

Bedtime reading: The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett

Limerick

Little Zooks, of whom no one was fond
They shot toward the roof and beyond
The infant's trajectory
Took it over the rectory
And into a lily-choked pond
- - Edward Gorey

Today's earrings: frogs, lily pads

Bedtime reading: The Franchise Affair, Josephine Tey

Crisis

Diamonds and garnets are therapeutic in crisis situations.


Today's earrings: diamonds, garnets

Bedtime reading: The Danger, Dick Francis

Have a nice day

I don't have a nice day any more. I don't bother much with that. I think I'm beyond that now. I think I've outgrown the nice day. I think I've had my share. Why should I be hogging all the really nice ones? Let somebody else have a few. Course, everybody still wants me to have one. Everybody wants me to have a nice day. 'Have a nice day!' Yeah, yeah, yeah. You wanna give me my fucking change, please? I'm triple parked...

- - George Carlin

Today's earrings: monkeys, men

Bedtime reading: The Danger, Dick Francis

Happy Solstice!

Today I went to see the pretty glass. [ooooh. aaaaaah.] What I really wanted to bring home was one of the paintings. They're sketches for glass works, really, but also fully realized paintings that would look good in my living room. Sadly, no prints were available. [deep sigh of frustrated acquisitveness.] While I was there I also visited the sculpture garden and the hanging wire in the base of the tower. [ooooh. aaaaaah.]

I had thought of going to Green Apple, but it was Too Darn Hot. I went home instead.


Today's earrings: snails, brown glass beads

Bedtime reading: The Danger, Dick Francis

Important fact that could save your life one day, though I have no clear idea how:

A yawl has the mizzen mast aft of the rudder post, while a ketch has the mizzen forward of the rudder.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: The Franchise Affair, Josephine Tey